Hey everybody!

So, uh...it's been a while. Sorry about that. Life's been pretty busy, but I'm still here! So after a (rather large) bit of writer's block, I've finally got a new entry!

Once again, so sorry. Hopefully the next update won't take nearly 11 months.

Enjoy!


"So, we are going to a 'par-tee'?" Rhys tilted his head as he walked next to Emerald, Pierce on her other side.

"That's right. The thing in the park was more of a festival than a party, even though people use the words interchangeably sometimes." She held the main door of the apartment building open for them as they filed out, then reclaimed her place between them as they started down the sidewalk. "I know a few of the people who are going to be there, so I figured it'd be nice to catch up with them."

"Are these people allies?"

"...if that's how you guys best understand it, yeah. I'd personally call a few of them friends, but I'm not sure how Daemos society works or if you have a word for that."

"Friends..." Pierce tried out the word, not looking satisfied with how it sounded on his tongue.

"How to explain..." she murmured under her breath, lost in thought for a few seconds before trying again. "They're people I enjoy spending time with outside of any sense of 'duty' or 'loyalty'. We just like being near each other and doing things for fun, without any sort of romantic or other expectations. Does...that make any more sense?"

To her relief, Rhys nodded. "I think I understand. So, we are going to this par-tee to spend time with more humans?"

"Basically, yeah. There'll be games, food, drinks - " She cut herself off as a horrible thought seemed to occur to her.

"Is something wrong?" Pierce seemed uneasy at her sudden silence.

"N-no...just thought of something. Look, ah...there's going to be some drinks there that I don't think you two should try."

"What do you mean?" Now Rhys was confused. "You did not have any such restrictions on us at the Fall Festival or the park. Why is this place different?"

"The drinks they have here are something you guys haven't run into before and I'm not sure how you guys would react to alcohol. The last thing I need is to be chasing down drunken Daemos halfway across the city, never mind the hangovers you'd probably end up with."

Both Daemos were silent as they tried to absorb her words, but it was no use: there were simply too many new terms that weren't translating properly. All they were gathering is that the place they were going to might have things they weren't supposed to put in their mouths. Perhaps like the lights Pierce and Asch had chewed on several weeks ago...? At any rate, they both exchanged a knowing nod: they were not to ingest anything unless Emerald said they could.

"We will follow your lead and let you tell us what we can have," Rhys answered for both Daemos. "I am actually more intrigued to see what other humans do for 'fun', as you say. You and Ava seem to have very different definitions of the word: I imagine other humans even more so."

Emerald gave him a small grin and seemed to relax. "Yeah, that's true. Plus, it'll let you guys see more of the different ways humans interact with each other." To his surprise, she chuckled softly. "Although, depending on how long we stay, I might have to explain some 'other' human interactions to you..."

"What do you mean?"

She shook her head, cutting off his line of questioning. "We'll worry about that if it's something you guys see." She hooked her arms through both of theirs, guiding them down the street. "In the meantime, let's just get there. I can't wait to introduce you to some of my friends."

In what seemed like hardly any time at all, the three arrived at a large townhouse on the opposite edge of the park. The outside was lit up with numerous strings of Halloween lights, several small projectors displaying silhouettes of flying ghosts and witches on the opposite office building. A few stragglers hung out on the small porch, chatting softly between themselves near the open front door. A loud, deep bass thudded from somewhere inside.

"W-what is this place?" The noise seemed to have put Pierce on edge: he planted his feet firmly on the sidewalk as he stared at the house.

"I know it's a bit loud, but I promise it's perfectly safe." Emerald ran her hand over his arm, trying to reassure him. "I can go in and ask them to turn it down, if you guys don't mind waiting out here for a little bit?"

The former general shook his head. It seemed the idea of having someone go alone into what he perceived as a 'dangerous place' made him even more uncomfortable. "Do not leave us."

Rhys was quick to jump in. "What he means is, we do not want a repeat of the incident at the Fall Festival when Ava went off on her own. It distressed all of us, not least of all you. I think it would be best if we try to remain together."

Emerald shuddered at the memory. "Okay, yeah, that was a nightmare." She reflexively checked her phone to see if there were any new messages from Ava before putting it back in her pocket. She took a deep breath, then met them both with a genuine smile. "But, we've all learned from that and know what to do. So...you two ready to have some fun?"

Rhys, ever the fountain of curiosity for all things human, nodded enthusiastically. "It will be interesting to see how you act when you do not have to worry about protecting Princess Ava."

Pierce nodded, but didn't look very confident. "Are we to explore on our own or can we remain with you?"

"It's fine if you stick with me, but feel free to check out stuff in the house by yourselves." She confidently wrapped her hands into theirs and led the way inside.


Rhys felt almost immediately overwhelmed. There were a lot of things to take in at once: strange music, strange noises, strange smells, so many humans in strange clothes milling around it felt like a living sea of flesh...

Emerald was a beacon in the midst of it all. She expertly maneuvered her way through it all, making sure to keep a tight grip on their hands as she led them deeper. After a few twisting turns, one involving her (briefly) letting go of him to tap someone on the shoulder to move, they emerged through a doorway into what appeared to be a courtyard. A group of humans near a small fire greeted her enthusiastically, several of them waving her over as they stood from chairs set around the fire pit.

Now that they were outside in a relatively uncrowded place, Emerald let go of their hands and jogged over to the group. "S'up, nerds!" she shouted, exchanging a few high-fives as she came to a stop. "Haven't seen you guys in forever!"

"Em!" A female human dressed as a vampire who was surprisingly even taller than the veteran enveloped her in a hug, spinning the woman around for a few moments before depositing her back on her feet. "Look who finally emerged from her tower! Where you been, bitch?"

"Got bogged down with work and some unexpected house guests, but things're finally under control again." Emerald turned back, motioning to the Daemos. "Speaking of which, let me introduce you to some of them. Rhys, Pierce? C'mon over."

They came forward without hesitation. While it was somewhat confusing to see her acting so different from what they were used to, it was also interesting. Moreover, it seemed this place was absolutely safe: so safe, it made her earlier warnings sound unnecessary.

"Holy SHIT!" The tall woman stared openly at both of them before sneaking a quick wink. "Man, I can see why you've had your hands full." She looked between the three of them, taking in their matching attire. "You guys enter the costume contest at the park earlier?"

"Nah, it got cancelled. Someone dicked up the scheduling and didn't get the prizes delivered on time, so they just gave everybody more candy."

"That sucks. You guys totally would've won." Another human, this one a male dressed as a zombie, slung his arm over Emerald's shoulder. An odd smell, musty yet strong, blasted them as he laughed loudly, a dark bottle in his opposite hand. "Seriously, you three look sick."

"Hey, Nick." The veteran deftly ducked out of his embrace, sliding away from his reach to stand back between the two Daemos. "How're things with you and Tim?"

Apparently, that'd been the wrong thing to say as a scowl took over the man's face. "Man, don't remind me. He's been doggin' me for weeks about planning something for Christmas. I mean, that's not for months! How'm I supposed to know what I'm gonna be doin'?"

"Maybe he just wants to know if you're going to see either one of your families? It's not that weird." Emerald turned as the vampire woman offered her a small, bright blue drink in a test tube, accepting it with a grin. "Tim likes having things go smoothly. Hell, he puts my organizational skills to shame." She downed the drink in one quick swallow, her shoulders giving a little shudder afterwards. "Why not just humor him? You know how he gets when you flake."

"Yeah, yeah," he grumbled, taking a drink from the bottle in his hand. "Don't worry, Mom. I'll get it sorted when I see 'im tomorrow."

"Good boy." Emerald stood on her tiptoes for a moment, looking past the group to a table set up near the back fence. "Hey, are there any more of these little Jello shot tubes back there? Don't feel like pushing through the house to get more." She wiggled the empty tube in her hand for emphasis.

Vampire woman grinned. "Yeah, Sam'll hook ya' up. They've appointed themself 'Outdoor Bartender' to make sure nobody gets too blitzed or messes with the stuff out here." She paused, gazing at the person in question. "It's sweet."

"Also means I don't have to do it for once." Emerald glanced at the Daemos. "You guys can go wander around if you want. Just don't leave the house unless you're coming back out here and you'll be fine. I'm gonna be back here catching up with some more of my friends."

Pierce almost immediately shook his head, actually stepping closer to her. "I would prefer to remain by your side." He glanced at some of the other humans nearby, but his face didn't reveal anything as he subtly intertwined his fingers with hers and pulled her slightly into him. "If it is okay with you."

Rhys understood where the former general was coming from. After the absolutely disastrous visit to the Fall Festival several weeks ago, Pierce had been attached at Emerald's side to the point where she couldn't even leave the apartment without at least himself and another Daemos or Ava accompanying her. In fact, it was part of the reason Rhys himself had come along tonight.

Well...that, and he was absolutely itching to explore this 'par-tee'.

It was a very rare opportunity. As much as Pierce seemed determined not to let Emerald out of his sight for even a few seconds, Rhys had been wishing for an opportunity to study live human interactions without the veteran or Ava hovering nearby. And now, he had his chance.

He wasn't about to waste it.

"I believe I will explore inside. You said to remain in the building and not exit through the front door, correct? I believe you also said any of the foods were open to tasting."

"Yep, you got it. I'll be back here with Pierce if you have any questions." She flashed him an encouraging grin as she playfully shooed him away with her free hand. "Off you pop! Have fun!" Without even waiting for him to give a response, she pulled the former general with her towards the table, the vampire woman and a few other humans close behind.

Rhys felt almost giddy as he turned and entered the house. This was sure to be a valuable learning experience.


Pierce was not enjoying himself.

Despite Emerald's reassurances that this was a safe place, old habits were hard to shake. There were too many strange humans around for his liking, too many loud sounds that made it hard to listen for threats and focus, just...too much everything. On top of that, Rhys had disappeared back inside the house, leaving him alone to keep watch.

Luckily, being outside made it a bit more bearable. It was quieter, there were fewer humans, and he had to admit...

...he'd never seen Emerald so at ease before.

She was sprawled lazily in the chair he stood behind, several empty drink containers near her feet with another in her hand as she talked with the other humans gathered. Even as he watched, she took another small sip and rested her head against the chair back as the taller human female (Emerald had called her Abigail) was telling some sort of story.

Pierce felt a grin tug at the corner of his lips, but diverted his attention back to the other humans around the fire. There were a total of six, not including Emerald and the female she was talking to. One of them was still over by the table with the drinks (he recalled their name was Sam) while the other male named Nick was off to the side, talking into a phone quietly. The other four humans were seated in the other chairs, talking amongst themselves. He was aware they kept glancing over at him and whispering, but was having trouble making out what they were saying. Perhaps if it was a bit quieter...

"Hey."

Pierce immediately focused his attention on the sudden voice, which turned out to be Emerald. She was staring at him over the back of the chair, her hand reaching out towards him. "Yes?"

"C'mon over here." She motioned towards the free space in front of her. "I know you don't like sitting on chairs, but you're kind of creeping everybody out just lurking back there in the shadows."

The Daemos glanced around the yard again. He had to admit, she had a point: it seemed the other humans found him intimidating. As much as he didn't want to lose his vantage point, he also didn't want to make more problems for Emerald. So he swallowed his uneasiness and carefully sat down in front of her, sitting cross-legged on the ground.

To his surprise, Emerald sat up and put her legs on either side of him. "Good boy," she murmured teasingly in his ear. Her hands ghosted up to his ponytail, but stopped short of the tie. "Um, is it okay if I play with your hair? Might help you relax a bit."

"Oh, uh..." Pierce frowned as he tried to work out the proper answer. He didn't want to be rude, and it did seem to be safe out here, but he wasn't sure what he'd do if he had to jump up quickly. He didn't want to risk being caught completely off-guard, but then again, Emerald was right here and had his back, so maybe it would be okay? He slowly nodded, leaning back slightly. "Yes."

She gave his shoulder a light squeeze as she sat back up, freeing his hair from the ponytail and spreading it out over his back. "Thanks, Pierce. I promise to be careful of your horns." The veteran turned slightly towards Abigail. "We worked really hard on the costume, so it'd be a shame if I knocked part of it loose."

The other woman nodded, a knowing grin on her face as her eyes flicked between the two of them. "So anyway, like I was saying..."


Rhys was having the most amazing time of his life.

This party was an absolute treasure trove of human life on Earth. It was the first time he'd been able to observe natural human behavior outside of the controlled environments Ava and Emerald had exposed them to thus far. He'd never seen so many humans at ease in his presence, especially when he was so openly flaunting his Daemos status.

There was a huge table covered in what appeared to be a variety of never-before-seen Earth treats. Many of them were colored orange, purple, green, brown, or black, which seemed to be in keeping with what Rhys had learned about the holiday so far. Remembering what Emerald had told him outside, he happily grabbed a plate and loaded it up with a variety of snacks to nibble while he wandered into the next room.

A large group of humans was gathered in front of a TV, watching what appeared to be an educational show about how to properly stalk and eliminate other, more vulnerable humans. What caught his attention was the fact that many of the humans seemed to be paired off and were clinging tightly to each other while studying the screen.

'They must be comparing techniques about what they are seeing,' he thought to himself as he found an unoccupied corner from which to observe the proceedings. 'Fascinating.'

Rhys selected a small pastry he believed was called a "cupcake" from his plate, carefully examining it before taking an experimental bite. His eyes widened with delight as the sugary cream hit his tongue, reminding him of his beloved ice cream without the risk of it melting. It took a great deal of self control for him to not immediately devour the rest of the treat, instead taking his time and savoring it for as long as possible.

A chorus of panicked screams from some of the humans almost made him drop his plate in shock, drawing his attention back to the TV. Apparently the large, intimidating human on the screen had caught up to one of the victims he'd been stalking and had stabbed them most efficiently through the chest. 'Curious. It seems they were were not expecting to see that technique.'

Rhys tilted his head in confusion as he watched the humans in the room. Those paired off suddenly seemed more interested in each other than the lesson being presented. If they were his students back on Daemos, he would feel rather insulted at their lack of attention. Still, he felt this sudden lack of interest was his signal to explore more of the party, so he and his treasure of treats went to the next room...

...where he almost dropped the plate in shock.

Right there, right in the doorway, right next to the table with all of the amazing pastries and candies he'd been sampling...were two humans openly caressing each other. 'Rather enthusiastically,' some horrified part of his brain noted even as he was unable to look away. He briefly had time to note where their hands were and how rumpled their clothing was before he pulled himself back through the doorway.

'Emerald! I need to find Emerald!'

Rhys tried his best to retrace his steps back through the house, but it suddenly felt too full. There were more humans than he remembered, clogging up the hallways and obscuring the landmarks he'd identified earlier. The further he traveled, the more convinced the Daemos became that the house was actually endless and he was now trapped in some sort of specialized prison specifically made for him.

He was so focused on trying to find his way out he was caught unprepared when a rather unsteady human female staggered out from around a corner and crashed into him. The spectacled Daemos had a fleeting image of his plate of goodies flying in slow motion through the air before he managed to refocus and catch the flailing human before they both fell to the floor.

"Whoa, guy! Shlow dooooown," she slurred, gripping his shoulder tightly. "What'shs yur hurry?"

"My apologies!" he blurted out, helping the woman steady herself even as he gazed sadly at his lost treats. "I was trying to find my way to the back outside. Could you maybe - ?"

"I shaid slow dowwn." She patted his cheek as she (somewhat) straightened up. "Yur so tenshe," she muttered quietly as she pushed a small cup into his hand. "Heeere. It'll help ya...relax."

In his hurry to get this human out of his way, Rhys completely forgot one of the first things Emerald had told him not to do: drink anything she didn't give them personally. He gulped the contents of the cup swiftly, meaning to ask this human how to get out of the house...

...when the world immediately began to tilt sideways. He had just enough time to register his mistake before he slid down against the wall, the cup sliding out of his hand. Furthermore, the human who'd given him the drink had wandered off again, leaving him completely alone on the floor.

As his vision began to swim, Rhys murmured quietly under his breath. "Emmm...h-lp me..."


Pierce couldn't remember the last time he'd felt so at ease.

While it was true Earth had been far safer than they'd been lead to believe, it had still been a constant balancing act to gather information while also allowing themselves to fully experience all the new things this place had to offer. Tonight had been the first time they'd gone out among other humans without something going wrong.

It might also have been due to the fact Emerald's hands in his hair had an almost hypnotizing effect on him. He'd been tempted in the beginning to ask her to stop, but the gentle way she separated his hair into sections and began doing...something with it seemed to tap into some subliminal instinct to just enjoy the attention.

Pierce had long ago stopped trying to follow any of the conversations going on around him. Everything fell into a soft background murmur as the veteran kept working, occasionally removing one of her hands to take a sip from her drink. He would bring his focus back every now and then when the noises grew louder, but it was just people laughing or calling out greetings to one another.

After what could've been either ten minutes or two hours, he felt Emerald gently pat his shoulder. "Hey, you awake down there?" she asked softly. He grunted a soft affirmative, earning a laugh from her. "Glad to hear it. You doing alright?"

"Yes." Pierce opened his eyes, blinking to acclimate his sight to the bonfire and shadows. "Is everything okay?"

"Yep." She patted his shoulder again as she leaned back in her chair. "Most of the people that were out here went inside to watch a movie since it's starting to get chilly. I think a couple of the guys were going to set up a game out here, and it might get loud, so I was wondering if you wanted to head inside, see what Rhys has been getting up to."

The Daemos nodded as he stood. "Okay." He stretched, feeling the muscles in his back pop pleasantly as he twisted back and forth. He turned to face her, pausing when he took in her slouched appearance and half-closed eyes. "Emerald?"

She sat up almost immediately, as if startled. "Hmm? Oh, sorry about that..." The veteran stood to join him, stretching in much the same way he had. "Spaced out for a second there. Probably should slow down on the drinks, maybe get some water..." At his confused expression, she laughed softly. "I'm good. I promise."

Pierce studied her for a moment, then nodded. "We should find Rhys. I do not know how long it has been since he left."

"Yeah, I hear you." Emerald knelt down and collected five cups which she'd apparently been stacking near her chair, which confused him: he didn't remember her leaving at any point since they'd been sitting outside. He shrugged it off as he followed her towards the trashcan near the back fence, watching as she nodded to the human Sam who was still at their post behind the drink table before rejoining him.

"When did you get those? I do not recall you getting up." He matched his steps to hers as they made their way back to the house.

"Hmm? Oh, uh..." The veteran looked away briefly, huffing out a nervous laugh as she rubbed the back of her neck. "Abigail and Nick brought them over for me, said you looked so comfy they didn't want to disturb you." She turned back, an amused grin on her face. "And they were right: I don't think you've ever been so chill. Especially since the whole Fall Festival fiasco..." She gently took a few of his fingers into her grip, ghosting just shy of holding his hand. "It's nice to see you trust me enough to let your guard down."

Pierce firmly grasped her hand in his. "I've trusted you since the day we met. It's...this world I've been unsure of. But tonight has been enjoyable." He gave her a soft smile. "It was nice to see you have fun."

"Aww, Pierce..." Emerald rested her head on his shoulder as they reached the porch steps. "You know, I - "

Before she could finish her sentence, Abigail came flying out the back door, almost crashing into the two of them as she skipped all the steps. "Whoa, sorry guys!" the taller woman laughed, spinning around at the last minute to dodge them.

"Jeez, where's the fire Abby?"

"Some of the guys are getting bored with the Makeout-a-thon going on inside, so we're gonna play a couple games out back. Just need to clear some space and get the chairs put away. You two wanna join?"

"Maybe later. We're trying to find out where Rhys went."

"Oh, your other demon boy?" Abigail started stacking up the chairs, moving any leftover drink containers she found into a pile with her foot. "Saw him inside. Looked a bit rough."

Pierce tensed up immediately, as did Emerald beside him. "What do you mean, 'a bit rough'?" the latter asked.

"He was sat on the floor near the snacks. Seemed pretty out of it. Didn't even answer me when I poked him a bit."

The Daemos exchanged a quick look with the veteran, who nodded and spun around towards the house. He followed close behind, grabbing her hand so as not to lose her and vaguely wondering how things had gone so badly so quickly.

Again.


Emerald sighed as she led Pierce through the house, carefully dodging several couples making out. 'Of course. Of fucking course. The one night I dare to go out and try to have fun, of course it completely goes to shit.' She shook herself mentally, trying to focus on the task at hand. 'No, don't do this right now. Pierce is calm, Rhys will be okay, everything will be fine. I just need to find him and get everybody home. No problem.'

"Emerald." Pierce gave her hand a firm squeeze, halting their progress as she turned to look at him. "Slow down."

"Come on, we don't have time for this. We need to find Rhys and - "

Her words cut off as he pulled her into a hug, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her in close. "It will be okay," he whispered, rubbing her back gently. "Rhys is clever. I am certain everything will be fine."

The veteran took a deep breath, letting it out noisily through her nose as she leaned into him. A second breath and she straightened up, pulling away as she grasped his forearms. "Thanks, Pierce," she murmured, giving him a genuine smile. "I needed that."

He nodded, releasing her back to their earlier positions as he waited for her to resume their search.

It turned out to be a short one.

Pierce was the one who spotted the spectacled Daemos half-lying against a wall in the dining room, apparently oblivious to the world around him. "Rhys!" He passed her to kneel next to his comrade, carefully bringing the latter up into a sitting position from his slump on the floor, then giving his shoulder a firm shake. "Can you hear me?"

Emerald knelt down on the opposite side, gently reaching out to help steady him. "Rhys? You doing okay?" As she looked him over, she noticed the empty drink cup next to his hand and visibly winced. 'Oh no. Don't tell me he - '

"Emmm...?" he slurred, slowly bringing his gaze over to focus on her. "Wh-why're therr...two've you...?"

"Rhys?" Pierce's voice was soft, but with a definite edge of concern to it. "What is wrong?"

"I'feel...odd." He blinked heavily, his glasses slightly askew on his face. "Tha' drrrrink..."

The veteran sighed as a wry smile danced over her lips. "Man, you guys really don't have much of an alcohol tolerance, do you?"

"Aaal...coe...halllll?"

"What is wrong with Rhys?" The edge was harsher.

"Easiest explanation: he's been poisoned." Emerald carefully draped the spectacled Daemos' arm over her shoulder, grunting as she stood. She wrapped an arm around his waist as she supported his weight on her hip. "It's...well, believe it or not, it's something humans here do for fun."

"You what?!"

"Shhh! Don't be so loud!" The veteran gave a quick glance around, but luckily most of the partiers were in the other room watching the movie marathon. The few couples nearby were too busy furiously making out with each other to notice another drunk guest getting hauled up. "Look, that's not important right now: all that matters is that we get Rhys home so he can get some rest."

"How deadly is this poison?" Pierce seemed to have reined in his emotions. He moved to Rhys' other side, supporting his arm and taking most of the weight.

"Considering he only had one drink, probably not too bad." Emerald frowned as they started working their way through the house. "I mean, it does seem like he's completely obliterated right now, so he's probably not going to feel very well in the morning. I downed about four of those Jello shots without too much trouble, so I think it's more like you guys just aren't used to what we have here on Earth."

"Wherrrr we goin'?" Rhys slurred, his head lolling back to rest on her shoulder.

"We're going home, Rhys." She gave his wrist a gently squeeze before reaching for the front door knob. But, just before she could turn it -

"Hey, Em!" Markus, one of the guys the veteran had talked to earlier, waved as he came jogging up. "A couple of us were going to play a round of Punch Pong. You want in?"

"Sorry, gonna hav'ta pass. Friend here's feeling the drinks a bit too hard, so I gotta' get." Emerald gave him an apologetic grin. "Maybe some other time?"

His eyes danced over the three of them, taking in the situation before he nodded. "Yeah, I getcha'. Need me to call ya' an Uber?"

"Nah, we're not that far. I'll catch ya' next month for Veterans Day."

"Sounds good." Markus gave her a small wave as he took off back towards the group, who were already setting up more folding tables.


"Who was that?" Pierce's voice carried an underlying edge that caught Emerald off-guard as they guided Rhys down the sidewalk back towards the apartment.

"Markus?" She adjusted her grip as they continued. "He's a friend from the local Veteran's Association. We meet about once a month to check in with each other, see how everyone's adjusting to life post-military."

"But you have not been a solider for many suns."

"...that's true. But just because it's been a while doesn't mean there still aren't hard days. It's nice to be able to talk with others who've been through the same stuff." She chose not to correct him about the difference between a soldier and an airman, since she was positive he wouldn't understand.

Pierce looked unsatisfied with her answer, but nodded anyway.

Rhys' head lolled lazily between the two of them. He hadn't really said much since leaving the party, but seemed content to let them lead him along.

"Rhys, how you doing?" Emerald gave his wrist another light squeeze. "Still alive?"

"Mmm-hmm," he murmured, letting his head rest on her shoulder. "Yu...sm'll nice..."

The veteran almost lost her grip even as she barely managed to stifle a giggle. "Oh, you're snuggly when you're drunk." She rested her cheek briefly against his head before straightening back up. "A little creepy, but still kinda cute."

"That is enough."

Pierce's tone of voice stopped Emerald in her tracks, almost sending Rhys pitching forward from the sudden change in momentum. She looked over to see him glaring at the spectacled Daemos.

"Pierce?" She moved her hand around Rhys' waist up to rest on the taller Daemos' arm. "What's the matter?"

"Both of you are acting...wrong." His frown deepened as he stared at his fellow Daemos. "Remember your duty and our mission," he whispered gruffly. Without waiting for a response, he picked Rhys up and flopped him bodily over his shoulder, eliciting a groan from the other.

"Pierce!" Emerald seemed caught between outright horror and barely suppressing a laugh at how Rhys was now being hauled around like a sack of potatoes. "Be careful with him! If you shake him up too much, you'll make him sick!"

"Rhys is poisoned. I do not see how making him walk will help. This is faster."

"I really don't think you should be carrying him like that."

"If he expels the poison, he will recover sooner."

"That...actually makes sense." Emerald had to admit the logic to Pierce's words: if Rhys threw up, the alcohol would definitely be out of his system faster. She nodded. "Alright. If you're okay carrying him, then we should get back. He's going to be dehydrated either way, so we'll need to wake him up and get him to drink some water when we get home."

Pierce nodded, adjusting his grip on Rhys and leading the way down the sidewalk. His posture suggested he was still tense, but Emerald's own drinks from earlier were starting to cloud her thoughts. Instead of worrying about it, she reached out and clumsily entwined her fingers in his free hand. "Hey, thanks for helping me out," she murmured, resting her head against his arm as they walked. A small grin danced over her lips. "It'd probably take us forever to get Rhys home if I had to lead him."

Pierce hesitated for only a brief moment before taking her hand firmly in his. "How do you feel?"

The veteran huffed out her breath. "Fine. Been a while since I had that much to drink. Probably shouldn't've slammed down as many as I did."

There was only a slight stutter in the large Daemos's stride as he turned to look at her. "How many did you drink?"

"Five? Maybe six?" Another huff which might have been a laugh. "Definitely no more than seven. I think."

The stutter-step was more pronounced this time. "...how are you still walking?"

This time, definitely a laugh. "I told you: I'm used to it and humans here on Earth do it for fun. You guys aren't, so it'd hit ya' harder than it does us."

Pierce switched his gaze between her and the practically-unconscious Rhys slung over his shoulder. "I admit...I am tempted to try one of these 'al-coe-hall' dri- "

"Don't you dare!" Emerald tightened her grip on his hand almost aggressively, nearly bringing their walk to a halt. "I'm barely keeping it together right now as is: no fucking way am I balancing two of your drunken Daemos...butts!"

The former general did bring their walk to a stop at that. It seemed something she'd said had caught his complete attention. "You are not well?"

"As long as we keep walking before my blood absorbs any more of the alcohol in my gut, the sooner we can get Rhys taken care of and I can go to bed." She pulled at his arm to get him moving again. "C'mon, let's go. It's getting late and I want to get home before - "

"Well, hello Emmy!"

The veteran tensed up immediately, her eyes going wide as she met Pierce's. "Oh, fuck no..." she whispered furiously under her breath before plastering on a wide smile and turning to the source of the voice. "Hi, Mrs. Oates!"

The elderly woman came toddling up to them, carrying a small paper bag full of yarn and crafted items from the fair booth. There was a mischievous gleam in her eye as she took in the sight of Rhys slung over Pierce's shoulder while Emerald clung to the latter's hand. "Looks like you three had an interesting night."

Emerald chuckled nervously. "Y-yeah. Turns out Rhys doesn't have a very good alcohol tolerance. We figured it'd be faster to get him home if we just hauled him ourselves." Her eyes widened as something broke through her ever-increasingly foggy brain. "And, before you ask, Marlene is safe and sound in the apartment with Ava and the other guys! I didn't lose anyone and - "

"Calm down, Emmy." Mrs. Oates reached out and patted her gently on the arm. "I know that. You told me back at the park." She studied the younger woman's face a bit closer as a knowing grin slowly spread over her face. "Looks like you had a fun time."

"I, uh, it was just a couple - "

"Emmy. You're an adult. You're not breaking any laws and you're making sure your friend gets home safely." She giggled as she glanced at Rhys slung over Pierce's shoulder. "I admire your efficiency."

It finally dawned on Emerald she wasn't being judged for coming home drunk. "Yeah, we figured this was faster than trying to get him to walk a straight line."

" 'm...fffine..." Rhys spoke up, lifting his head to adjust his glasses. "Th's poeshin wss...strong!"

Mrs. Oates laughed as she ruffled his hair. "Oh dear, I see what you mean. We'll have to make sure to nip that hangover in the bud." She softly patted Pierce's free shoulder. "Let's go, handsome," she purred, winking slyly at the younger woman.

Emerald pointedly ignored the gesture, instead holding her free hand out. "Would you like me to carry your bag? I know your hands start getting sore when it's chilly out..."

"Oh, thank you dear." The elderly woman let her take it, then hooked her arm around the veteran's elbow as the group began walking down the sidewalk again. "I'm glad you all enjoyed yourselves tonight."

"Yeah. It was nice. I hope Marlene wasn't too bummed out that she didn't get to go trick-or-treating door-to-door this year."

"I wouldn't worry. From the look of things earlier, you and your boy toys won about half the candy at the fair." Mrs. Oates patted Emerald's hand. "And before you feel guilty, don't. You saved us a lot of work having to clean up all the extra bags. In fact..." She gave the younger woman another wink. "There really isn't anything left to clean up, so you don't need to worry about coming out tomorrow morning."

Of course, Emerald couldn't accept that. "No, I'll still come help. I already said I would. The booths need to be taken down, the hay bales from the maze moved and stacked for pick-up from the farm, trash to clean up, and - Ow!" She was cut off as she was somewhat firmly smacked in the back of the head.

"Now you listen to me, young lady. You have a friend who is going to need your help tonight and tomorrow, as well as possibly a little hangover of your own to nurse. I am giving you permission to take care of your own needs first." Mrs. Oates gave an exaggerated sigh as they came to the main doors of the apartment building and she pulled out her access pass. "Besides, how often does Halloween fall on a Saturday? Have a lazy Sunday for once."

The veteran shook her head as she held open the door for everyone. "Fine, okay, you win. Just don't smack me anymore." She huffed out a defeated laugh. "I promise I'll take it easy as soon as I get Marlene over to your apartment. Deal?"

Mrs. Oates nodded back. "Deal."