Spirits:

If Yamuraiha was being honest with herself, she had lost count of how many drinks she had about half an hour ago. Tonight was one of the few nights off the 8 generals received in the course of a week, and had all collectively decided to enjoy it together. It was the only day where they could all go and not have to worry about anything; from the state of the kingdom to the state of themselves, it could all be swept under the rug for a while. Originally, per ritual, Yam had Masrur and Sharrkan to sit with while they all slowly got intoxicated. Now it seemed, through her drunken haze at least, that Masrur had since moved on to sit with the sober crowd (aka. Ja'far and Spartos.) It was just her and Sharrkan left, sitting at their little table alone, spirits in hand, letting themselves loose for that one night.

Yamuraiha looked over at the Heliohaptn swordsman sitting beside her, taking a minute to take every detail of him in while he was absorbed in his drink. She let her eyes wander from the snowy white of his hair, down to the sharp angle of his tanned jaw, to the way his robe was slipping slightly too far down his shoulder… Yamuraiha tore her eyes away. Why of all things would that be the detail her eyes stopped on? It must be the booze, there was no other reasonable explanation. But that's the thing about alcohol, for some people, it makes you stupid and emotional. For others, it emblazons you and makes you brave; Yamuraiha was one of the second types.

Yam was never one to engage in drunk talk before, and had never really been drunk enough herself to have any. The speeches brought about by spirits were ones she never felt it necessary to partake in, but tonight felt different. Maybe it was something in the air, or in her glass, who was to say.

Sharrkan turned his head in Yamuraiha's direction at the image of her downing the rest of her drink in 2 quick gulps, slamming the glass back onto the table. Then she turned to him, her cheeks rosy and her eyes slightly unfocused, but definitely looking dead at him. "You know, Sharr, I've been thinking about it for a while now. And I've come to the conclusion that I think I love you."

Her speech was slurred and slightly pitchy, but the words still knocked the wind out of Sharrkan's lungs. He suddenly felt horribly sober, the weight of her words settling onto his shoulders. Was this some kind of cruel joke? This was just about the most smashed Sharrkan had ever seen Yam get before, she probably wouldn't even remember saying these things in the morning. But still, even drunk, words that weighty were not ones she would say without meaning. "Yamu?" he asked quietly, trying to force all his worries into the soft sound of her name.

Clearly it got through. At the sound of his lips shaping her name Yamuraiha seemed to sit up a bit straighter, blinking hard at Sharrkan. "I'm not kidding, I love you you idiot." she intoned seriously, a pout almost pronouncing itself at the idea of not being believed on such an eminent topic. The immediate smile that came to his face sent a shock of happiness through Yamuraiha's veins.

She didn't know if it was brave or stupid, or somewhere of the abyss in-between, but one second she was losing herself in his smile, and the next her lips were pressed to his. She wasn't in her right mind she was sure, saying those kinds of things unwarranted. Then again, clearly neither was he, going along with it as if this were perfectly ordinary. But thinking it through in her now euphoria filled mind, Yamuraiha knew her weren't a lie. Her fingers were weaving themselves through his blanched hair by their own accord, and it felt horrifically right. Everything about this moment from the alcohol on both their lips to the warm sea breeze blowing in was utterly perfect to her. She felt Sharrkan's arms snake their way around her waist, drawing her into him. Everything he was dragged her down into him, submerging her in his all consuming presence.

It could have been minutes, but it felt like blissful hours later when they finally broke away from each other. Her arms were laced tenderly around his neck, one of his hands resting comfortably on her waist, the other cupping the back of her head. Yamuraiha rested her head in the crook of his neck, her eyes closed lightly. She could feel Sharrkan all around her like air, warm and tangible and all she wanted surrounding her body. Yamuraiha had never been one to indulge in the drunken mumblings brought about by spirits, but tonight she felt no remorse for finally admitting to what she had wanted to say for what felt like eons.

Sharrkan let his head rest on Yam's shoulder, his eyes falling closed for one more heavenly moment. Looking up from their, albeit compromising position, his eyes locked with the other 6 generals, all looking at them from afar. Their reactins were ranging from different stages of support, jaw-dropping, amazement, and Pisit flashing him a thumbs-up. Sharrkan let one of his hands run exasperatedly down his face, leaning back slightly to let Yamuraiha look at what had caught his attention.

At the sight of all their friends watching them, Yamuraiha blushed, throwing her head back into Sharrkan's shoulder in embarrassment. "They're all staring" she mumbled into his bare shoulder. Sharrkan could feel her lips move to the sound of her words, ghosting across his skin. He smiled down at the back of her head momentarily, leaning down so his mouth was level with her ear. He whispered in her ear with a smirk, practically feeling her smile at his words.

"Let them."

Twiz: Hey guys! hope you enjoyed chapter 2! Chapter three is going to be thrown into the works soon so stay posted!