Block
Part 2
Sylphiel surveyed her restaurant with quiet pride, glowing silently as more diners entered the bistro and chattered freely. She sat on a stool in front of the bar amidst the other diners waiting for their tables. She sighed and slumped down in her seat.
"Tired, Sylphiel?" Gourry inquired, cleaning a shot glass behind the bar with care.
"No, not really. It's just that...that everything still overwhelms me."
"Don't faint in the middle of the restaurant. If you do, they'll attribute it to food poisoning. Then what would happen to this restaurant?" a faintly sardonic voice said. Then the owner of the voice slid next to Gourry, a barely mocking smile on her face.
Sylphiel smiled at Tsukasa, the assistant bartender and manager at Nuit et Jour. She knew that Tsukasa was simply teasing her, a habit Sylphiel had gotten used to over the years.
"Oh that reminds me. Michael told me the butcher's here with the duck breasts that you wanted. He wants you to sign for them."
"I'll go right now." Sylphiel walked through the kitchen's double swinging doors, strategically and discreetly located in a nook beside the bar.
Nakatsu, one of the waiters at Nuit et Jour, sauntered up to the bar and put down an order. "Table 16 needs two screwdrivers, three vodka martinis and three sakes, cold. Can you guys make it fast? They're impatient and they might even walk out," he said nervously.
Tsukasa raised an eyebrow and said coolly, "Let them. They were half an hour late and they had skipped out on a reservation earlier this month. They're not worth the money if they don't appreciate the atmosphere. If they complain, tell me."
Nakatsu nodded, his frown melting into a relieved smile. Gourry asked, "What was it again?" Nakatsu repeated the order and Gourry began mixing the cocktails.
Gourry was the head bartender and despite his rather dumb appearance and lack of book knowledge, the man could mix drinks like no other bartender in the city. He knew exactly what and how much to pour in a drink to produce the perfect cocktail. He was knowledgeable in all forms of alcohol from vintage liquors to vineyards. Strangely, he was good enough that he could have had any job at any high-paying bar or restaurant in the city, but had chosen Sylphiel's restaurant for some reason. All the employees at Nuit et Jour had their own romantic theories, but no substantial evidence had been found supporting the speculations.
"Tsukasa, can you pass me the vermouth?" Gourry asked, skillfully pouring ice and vodka into the tall silver shaker. She reached back and withdrew the vermouth, which he added a bit to the shaker and proceeded to shake, then strained the mixture into three glasses without spilling a drop, repeating the same process with the screwdrivers.
Tsukasa poured the sake into the holder and set three small ceramic sake cups on the tray for Nakatsu and asked, "Do they know how to drink sake?"
He grinned devilishly and said, "Not a clue."
She returned an equally wolfish smile and replied, "Good."
Gourry set the five cocktails on the tray and said with satisfaction, "There."
"Thanks guys," Nakatsu said and lifted the tray with ease, walking carefully back to Table 16.
Tsukasa stretched and then a familiar duo came through the doors, blowing a chilly blast of fall air into the restaurant, but she wasn't even aware of the fact that the pair knew each other, who were making their way to the bar after checking with the hostess.
"Hi guys. Here again to mooch another free meal off of us?" she asked casually when the two arrived.
"Hey! It's not free, I've already paid for it in advance with those paintings," Lina replied defensively.
Tsukasa smiled crookedly and said, "That was a year ago, Lina. You've more than eaten up your credit. And I do believe you owe us last month's meals?" She held out her hand expectantly to the redhead.
Lina said plaintively, "Does it have to be now?"
"You have by the end of the month, like you always do."
"I can't believe you would take money away from a starving friend."
Tsukasa snickered and replied, "I'm not taking money away from you. I'm simply teaching you responsibility. And I'm surprised that Mr. Sober and Somber is here with you, Firecracker. What got you in such bad company, Zel? Blackmail?"
Zelgadiss cracked a bare smile and said, "I crashed into Lina and I'm buying her dinner as an apology."
Tsukasa stared at him and then burst out laughing. She gasped between chortles, "You're kidding, right?"
Zel looked at her confusedly and said, "No..."
Tsukasa kept on laughing, until she calmed down enough to say, "Ah...I really hope you have your credit card with you. Because you won't have enough cash to cover dinner."
Zel turned to Lina for an explanation, but she was chatting with a tall, golden-haired woman at the bar, purposely evading his question. He slouched a bit in his seat, uncomfortable in the busy setting. Usually he was alone or ate with the other employees who he was familiar with after the restaurant closed, but among the crowds, he tried to hide himself. Gourry and Tsukasa were busy serving drinks and he knew no one else in the bar besides Lina and the employees, who were occupied with waiting on the customers. He slumped a little lower in his seat, wishing himself somewhere else, and then Lina tapped him on the shoulder.
"Hm?"
"Our table's ready. Let's go," Lina said, sliding off her stool.
"Oh," he said, "Umm...who was that woman you were talking with?"
"Filia? She's the head of one of the galleries that a few of my pieces are in."
"You're an artist?"
"Yeah, it's nice work..." Lina trailed off, as she wove through the throngs of people crowded around the bar.
"Hi Lina! Hi Zel! You two together tonight?" Mizuki asked cheerfully.
"Yeah," Zel said absently before realizing the meaning of his words.
Mizuki's eyes grew sly, leaning towards Lina, she asked, "You're dating? I didn't even know you guys knew each other! When did you guys meet?"
Zelgadiss flushed a ripe red and opened his mouth for a denial, but Lina, blushing an equally colourful scarlet, said furiously, "Mizuki! We aren't going out! He's just buying me dinner!"
Mizuki's face fell a bit and shrugged. "Oh well. Anyway, I'm going to be serving you tonight. Come this way." She led them to a table next to a wall, a secluded spot surrounded with quietly chatting couples. She presented them with their menus, pulled out her pad of paper and asked, "What do you want to drink?"
Lina scanned the list and said, "A glass of red wine."
"Any preference?"
"Tsukasa knows what I want."
"So the usual then. Zel?"
"White wine."
"Same as usual?"
"Uh huh."
Mizuki went away with their orders, saying over her shoulder, "I'll come back for your food orders when I bring your drinks."
The soft murmur of private conversations floated around the silent pair, facing each other, uncomfortable without a word to say.
'SAY SOMETHING!' Zel's brain screamed out to him. 'Damn, this is the first girl you've really started a conversation with since whatshername...Mika? Or was it Martina? Or was it Masami? Forget that girl's name! Talk to this girl!'
'Ohhhh...he's gorgeous, he's really, really gorgeous,' Lina's inner voice observed. 'Well...talk to him! C'mon! Talk!'
"Ah..." Zelgadiss said falteringly.
"Umm..." Lina began hesitatingly.
"So tell me about yourself," the age-old line coming to their lips in unison.
'STUPID! That's it! I'm leaving! If that's all you can say to him/her, you are so not going to score!' Lina's and Zel's brain screamed to each of them.
BANG!
BANG!
"Umm...did you hear some doors slamming?" Zel asked Lina, glancing around.
"Yeah, I think so..."
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"So then I...so then I told the damn editor to his face, 'I don't give a shit about content. If you cut that out, I'm gonna shove yer head up yer ass!'" Zel slurred his words, a bit tipsy on his chair.
"Yeah! Shove his head up his ass!" Lina cheered.
"Uh huh!" Zelgadiss agreed, taking another sip of white wine. Then he squinted at his glass and said, "Y'know...I think this is remal, I mean, remarkably good wine."
Lina giggled into her wineglass, almost choking on the ruby liquid. Then she blinked owlishly at Zelgadiss and said, "Ya wanna trade?"
Since we took a reprieve from our characters' dinner, let's catch up, shall we? After saying that classically cheesy line, "So tell me about yourself," they began trying to sink themselves into the floor in embarrassment, while trying to appear normal on the outside. In every case where people are embarrassed, they try to take their mind off things. So the solution is simple and near at hand. Alcohol. Without really knowing it, they keep on sipping and sipping and sipping and sipping and sipping and sipping...well, you get the idea.
"Uh...guys? I think you've had enough wine," Mizuki suggested tactfully. Two heads swiveled to look at her with large, owlishly blinking eyes.
"I don't think so. 'Cos I still can walk in a straight line, see?" Lina replied, getting up clumsily, then stumbling in a semblance of walking in a straight line. Zelgadiss laughed at her attempt at walking back to her seat.
"Ah..." Mizuki trailed off. Then she gestured urgently to Nakatsu to come over.
"What's wrong?" Nakatsu whispered.
"They've had more than enough to drink. And they want more."
"Okay, call Tsukasa over. She can deal with them."
Tsukasa made her way through the empty room, save a few employees and the drunken pair.
"Okay guys. Enough wine for both of you tonight," she announced to the giggling two.
"Nuh uh. We want more," Lina protested, holding up her glass.
Tsukasa frowned at Lina and said, "You've had enough. It's already midnight and we were supposed to close at eleven."
"So?"
Tsukasa gripped her head, muttering curses. Tonight had been a frustrating evening, trying to placate the customers who complained, fixing the various disasters and all the other things that went along with trying to run a restaurant all added to the headache she had.
"Nakatsu?"
"Yeah?"
"Help me get these two out," Tsukasa said sweetly, a malicious glint in her eyes.
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Lina and Zel laughed as they stumbled down the sidewalk. Their bottoms were a little sore after Tsukasa and Nakatsu had tossed them "gently" outside, but otherwise than that, they were fine.
"Where's your apartment?" Zel asked, as he swayed.
"Up ahead."
They stumbled some more into the lobby and actually managed to get into the elevator without bumping into the columns or mistaking them for people.
Gasping, they leaned against the elevator's walls and stared up at the reflective ceiling.
"Y'know, I don't think I've ever been throw outta a restaurant before," Lina said.
"I haven't either."
"Fun, ne?"
They both suddenly laughed at the new experience and lurched to the door of her apartment. Lina fumbled with her keys before choosing the right one and shoved it into the keyhole after a few misses. She pushed against the door in her drunken stupor, Zelgadiss following her.
"Meow!"
Sayuri woke with a start, as her mistress stumbled around in the dark, fumbling for the light switch.
"Make yourself at home," Lina mumbled before walking unsteadily to her bedroom, tugging off her sandals, leaving them on the polished hardwood floor.
Zelgadiss blinked at the sumptuousness of the apartment. It was painted in dark purple and blue tones and black leather couches and chairs furnished the elegant room. Even in his inebriated daze, he felt like it was overdone and there was a vague sense of awkwardness in the apartment.
"Meow!"
He looked down to find a small calico cat twining around his ankles, purring satisfactorily. He reached down to stroke its head and it gave another meow.
"She likes you," Lina said with a wry smile, flopping onto a large chair.
"Hm?"
"She usually hates men. I don't know why, but every time a guy comes by, she scratches up his face or something," Lina explained.
"I'm glad that she doesn't hate me then," Zelgadiss replied. He staggered to the couch and fell on it.
Lina laughed and asked, "Do you want more wine?"
He shook his head and said, "I don't think so." Then his face blanched and he clapped his mouth over his mouth. He shot up from his seat and his head whipped around, searching for something.
"Washroom's there," Lina said, pointing to a door. Zel rushed to it and sounds of retching were heard through the door. He came out, trembling and pale, still swaying. He tottered to the couch and fell onto it.
"I'm never going to drink that much again," Zel groaned, clutching his head, slumping down on the sofa.
"You just can't keep your wine down. Now me, I can do that. I came from wine country and I drink as much as any alcoholic," Lina bragged. Then her face paled and she dashed to the washroom. Sounds of vomiting were followed by the sound of running water. She emerged from the washroom trembling and pale, but she managed to walk a bit steadier.
"You know, I don't think I've ever been sick from alcohol," Lina said as she stumbled to sit down on the chair.
The faintest sound of snoring reached her ears and she leaned over to find Zelgadiss asleep on her couch.
"Zel? Zel? Wake up. C'mon, you can't crash on my couch," she said wearily. She shook his shoulder, but he ignored her in his slumber and turned over on his side. She sighed and gave up.
She moved unsteadily to her own bed, not even bothering to change clothes. She pulled the sheets over her head and a hand reached out to the light switches to bathe the entire apartment in darkness.
Silence and night.