The Drinking Game

"Another -hic- round!"

"Kotori, don't you think you've had enough?"

"Puuuh-leeeease," she slurred, grinning goofily from around her empty mug of ale, "If he thinks he can -hic- drink me under the table, he better -hic- saddle that chocobo up and -hic- riiide 'er!"

Ferdinand Hyacinth stared at his younger cousin, wondering -not for the first time- if perhaps she had the misfortune of being dropped on her head once or twice in her earlier years. He grimaced as she let out a series of rather unattractive, head turning belches before slamming her cup on the counter.

"That's..er, six. Six? Aye, six mugs!" She cheered, jabbing a finger in what he could only assume she believed was her companion's direction. Sighing, Ferdinand pulled her arm to the left and winced apologetically at the young misshapen Miq'ote she'd mistakenly indicated, her arms raised in an alarmed gesture of surrender.

"Every time I visit," He grumbled, staring accusingly at the inebriated girl as she hollered for the barmaid, "you always manage to find new ways to humiliate me." Across the small wooden table from her, her evidently heavyweight partner tossed back his sixth cup, setting it down firmly with a wicked grin.

"Six it is." Krios stated, somehow managing that toneless, humourless voice of his despite the smirk on his face. "Shall we call it a night then?"

"Good luck with that, mate," Ferdinand muttered darkly, his eyes shifting from his cousin to the ever-growing crowd that had gathered around their table. Gods, she did love to make a spectacle of herself, didn't she? "Kotori here won't stop until she either wins or knocks herself out."

"I bet the gal makes it to ten!" Someone shouted, and there was a roar of boisterous cheers as the bidding went around, coins clattering noisily on the table as the barmaid pushed her way through, carrying a tray stacked with mugs. She set five down in front of each of them, eying his cousin with an amused resignation before patting her once on the shoulder and heading back to the bar, shaking her head as she went.

"Fifty gil says she drops at seven!"

"Nay, she'll beat the pants of the lad! Look at 'im, tryin' to be all serious-like."

"He's finished! She's got 'im in the bag!"

"I got seventy five here sayin' they both give!"

Good lord. Wasn't there a single right-minded individual in Limsa, or had they all left with the tide?

"Heeeyyy, Ferdie," Kotori sang, turning her glazed eyes on him even as her fingers curled over a full cup, "why so -hic- serious?"

"Yeah, Ferdie!" A red-faced Lalafell shouted from the crowd, "Get some ale in your belly! It'll cheer ya right up!" Another chorus of cheers rang out, mugs clanking together in agreement as he silently shook his head, once again astounded by the crowds Kotori always seemed to attract.

Choosing to refrain from deigning her with a response, 'Ferdie' instead addressed her partner, who was looking to be enjoying this whole scenario all too much. "You know how she gets with competitions," he sighed, gesturing half-heartedly to Kotori, who was now attempting to lead the crowd in a cheer, waving her mug back and forth with zeal. "Why must you insist on goading her so?"

Krios only shrugged, his grin growing larger still when she rose out of her seat, wobbling from side to side and raising her ale in a toast.

"To the Drunken Wench," she cheered, listing to the side, her mug sloshing amber liquid onto the wooden floors, "May she always -hic- live up to 'er name!"

With the rally of a few dozen "Aye!"'s and wallops and hoots cheering her on, Kotori attempted to bring the mug to her lips. The first few tries she succeeded only in spilling more of the drink, onto her own damned shirt for that matter, but, alas, a member of the crowd finally stepped forward and directed the mug for her. Smiling a dazed little half-smirk, she chugged what was left of it before spinning around precariously and slamming the empty cup on the table.

"Seven!" She hollered, raising both hands in victory and instigating another roar from the gathering onlookers. "Beat that, ya crazy Elezen!"

Well, Ferdinand supposed, watching as she led a series of 'hip-hip-hoorays!', it could always be worse. At least she still had all of her clothing on. The last time she'd come up to Ul'dah, she'd been prancing around the Miner's Guild in her underclothes, singing a rather crude song about the imperials and just what she'd do to them when she crossed them in battle. Sure, some patriotism was always welcome, even encouraged all across Eorzea. But when it's coming from a piss-drunk, near-naked five-foot-nothing Hyur, well. Somehow he couldn't quite see anyone taking her seriously. They'd laughed at him for weeks after she'd left, chanting her song and dancing about, waving their shirts in the air in a curiously accurate imitation of stripping. He'd made her promise to never hold one of her blasted drinking games there again.

And so, of course, the first thing she decided to do when he arrived that afternoon was celebrate with "a few drinks." Yeah, right.

"Seven." Krios stated smugly, setting his drink down before reaching for another. "Eight. Nine. Ten." He downed each glass, his eyes dancing with mirth as Kotori's expression wavered from joyfully smashed to grimly determined. The crowd was silent, hovering in a semicircle around the small table, their eyes dancing from one partner to the other. Even the barmaid had crept back, her curiosity insatiable, to watch in silent anticipation as the stakes rose ever higher.

"Oh, for God's sake," Ferdinand sighed loudly, slamming his fist down in frustration, "even I'm getting sucked into this ridiculous bout. Somebody give up so we can all go home already!"

Kotori sat down with a heavy thud, one arm snaking out to grasp a full cup of alcohol. "Eight." She muttered, downing it in one swift movement. Licking her lips, she set the cup down and reached for another. Across from her, Krios rose a brow, a wordless taunt that he knew she would fall prey to. "Nine," she breathed after shakily drinking the next one, holding the cup in both hands to keep it from toppling as she set it down. "Ten."

She blinked bleary eyes down at that final dreaded mug, looking less than amused as she wrapped her gloved hands around it. A murmur whispered through the crowd when she hesitated, touching the rim of the heavy cup to her lips. Last minute bets were made, coinpurses dropped heavily onto the tabletop as she met Krios' eye across the table. For that one second, her gaze seemed to clear, her inebriated state forgotten. With a small smile, she lifted the cup, nodding her head in a mock toast, and downed it. "Eleven." She sighed, letting the cup slip from her fingers to smack the table, rolling on its side in a small circle before clattering to the floor.

"Alright," Krios laughed, pushing his mug away. "I fold."

The crowd erupted into a series of cheers and groans as money changed hands, Krios grinning and shaking his head as Kotori giggled and slumped forward in her seat, her head thudding against the table none-too-gently. "I win!" She mumbled into the wood, rolling her head to the side to peak up at her cousin. "Told ya I'd do it, Ferdie."

"Yes, yes, how wonderful," Ferdinand responded, rolling his eyes. "You're a stubborn fool who'll have a hell of a hangover come morning."

Krios stood with ease, crossing the table to kneel beside her, that damned grin still on his face despite losing the bet. "Even piss drunk, somehow you still manage to surprise me," he laughed, slinging one of her arms around his neck.

"You'd best hold her face away from you, lest you want another surprise," Ferdinand advised as Krios pulled her to her feet, her face positively green. He shook his head as the two of them stumbled toward the inn, Kotori hanging limply onto his shoulders, humming some bard's tune he was unfamiliar with.

Kotori definitely knew how to create some excitement, that was for sure. Ferdinand would never get bored with a cousin like that. And as long as she had someone like Krios to look out for her when he wasn't around, well, he supposed that would be alright.

But really. He was starting to worry about the city's population. He'd yet to meet a decent, well-rounded person since his arrival.

"Excuse me," a voice interrupted his perusal and he turned away from the retreating form of his cousin to meet the chocolate brown eyes of an Elezen male, his skin the colour of smooth caramel. "Is this seat occupied?"

Startled, Ferdinand shook his head, gesturing for the man to have a seat. Smiling his thanks, the Elezen pulled out Kotori's former chair and sat down, his eyes roaming the crowded bar for a waitress.

Well, Ferdinand supposed, smiling to himself, perhaps they weren't all bad. He just needed to get to know them a little more.

Fin