Disclaimer: Not mine
Drown
"What are you doing here?"
"I thought I'd come and take a lovely young lady such as yourself out for a good time tonight. Are there any around?"
Kitsune frowned and placed her hands upon her hips.
"And just what do you think you are doing, Kentaro? Barging in here and saying that I'm not a woman? Pretty cocky for someone to say that when no one around can be sure of that person's own sex."
Kentaro just waved off her comment and stepped past Kitsune to be met by the three young girls inside.
"Where's everyone else?" He turned back to Kitsune. "Did they run away from your abominable stench?"
"No, they ran when they smelled your cologne from five miles away." He graced her with a small smile. "I guess you're the only one then."
"What are you talking about?"
"I need to have a small party after I bought a brand new plane thingamabob. Those things are so handy. Would you like to join me?" He bent over and offered his hand to Kitsune. She smiled devilishly and slipped her hand into his.
"Let me go get my coat and purse." He nodded.
'He's a good guy, all in all.' Kitsune thought as she jogged up the stairs. 'A little cocky, arrogant but good in the heart.'
Kitsune ran into her room and grabbed her coat and purse. Within minutes, she was back downstairs, slipping on her coat.
"Shinobu, you don't have to make dinner for me. Su, please stay calm and no trying to eat Tama-chan. Sarah-"
Shinobu interjected into her speech with a smile. "We'll be fine Kitsune. Just have fun and don't hurt yourself."
In return, Kitsune smiled back. She caught the underlying meaning to that. No alcohol. "Thanks Shinobu." She muttered.
It was embarrassing. She still craved for a bad thing. She knew it was true that if given the opportunity, she would take a drink. How many, she couldn't tell. But she knew that she would take them.
Turning to Kentaro, Kitsune grinned. "Okay, lets go!"
With that, they set off into the dark night.
.~.
As they walked down the stairs of the Hinata Inn, a steady conversation on planes was being held. Kentaro felt the need to let her know the type and make of everything on his plane. She couldn't help but laugh.
When they reached the bottom, Kitsune was startled. There was no car. An eyebrow was raised.
"No car?"
"No need."
"No need?"
"No need."
"Why?"
"Exercise. I needed it because I get very unhealthy without exercise. Plus, I need to keep my perfect body in shape."
Kitsune rolled her eyes and followed him, as he turned left. "Where are we going?"
"To a nice place. I know you'll love it."
"What is it?" She asked adamantly.
"A very nice place." He replied, just as adamantly.
"Kentaro! C'mon!" He sighed and looked at her hopelessly.
"It's a bar, Kitsune."
Kitsune froze.
"A bar?" He stopped and turned to look at her. He nodded.
"Is there something wrong with that? I can change the place to go if you want me to."
Kitsune felt sick.
This was the choice.
This was the choice that would decide her life for her.
She could be strong and say no to her addiction.
Or she could be weak and comply with his choice of the bar.
Alcohol.
Life.
Sustenance for the longest time for her.
Kitsune jumped when she felt pressure applied to her shoulder. It was Kentaro.
"Are you okay?"
Kitsune nodded and opened her mouth to speak. She'd made her decision.
"Sorry…but…um…could we…uh…get going?" At that, Kitsune shut her eyes. She'd said it.
"To the bar?" She nodded, hesitantly at first, but then with greater resolution.
"You're sure?"
"Of course I am!" She said with a smile. "Just some momentary giddiness. Haven't been to a good bar in a long time."
He gave a small chuckle and they were on their way.
.~.
The bar was about two miles away from the Hinata Inn, giving them a good workout for their soon-to-be drinking binge.
When they arrived, they were let in ceremoniously to a dimly lit bar with many people filtering in and out. It was still pretty early and the people who were to stay late were just arriving, ordering dinner for themselves before they began.
"This place serves dinner?" Kitsune was amazed. Not many of the rundown places she used to go to did that.
"Yeah." Kentaro airily replied. "It's a fancy, up town place. However, it's still pretty casual. You can come here in jeans and a shirt and fit in. It gets real loud around this time. It's when the drunks like us come in. Let's go sit over there, in the corner." He pointed out the table and they made their way over to it.
The two weaved their way in and out of the myriad of tables and ended up at theirs, which was neatly hidden in a little alcove with a few other tables.
They seated themselves down and picked up the menu. Soon, the steaming hot food was brought to them. It wasn't the best food, considering it was mainly a bar but it was passable.
During their dinner a comfortable conversation had ensued about various topics.
"What do you think about the food?" Kentaro had begun.
"Eh. Can't complain."
"I haven't seen you in the longest time. How've you been?"
Kitsune contemplated that question. To tell the truth or not to.
"I'm fine. Just a few health problems here and there."
"Health problems? Like what?"
'Crap.' Kitsune thought. She mentally kicked herself.
"Just a few problems. Small." She held two fingers close together for emphasis.
"Oh." He nodded and continued on with his meal. Kitsune stared at him for a few seconds before resuming hers.
She wanted to enjoy her life. A small drink or two wouldn't hurt her liver that bad. Plus, her cirrhosis wasn't that developed yet.
As the plates were taken away, a gleam came into Kentaro's eyes.
"What do you want to drink?" He asked.
"You order." She replied.
"Okay." When the waiter came, he bent him over and whispered in his ear. The waiter nodded and left. Two minutes later, he was back with two glasses of…milk.
As he set it before her, Kitsune could only help but stare in disbelief. She looked back up at Kentaro who looked very happy with his beverage.
"I've always wanted to try one of these." He said. With that said, he picked up the glass and down a series of gulps.
"You've always wanted to drink milk?!" Kitsune whispered harshly.
"Milk?" Kentaro looked down at his glass filled with the substance. "Oh!" He laughed.
"This isn't milk only!" Kitsune looked down at her glass.
"Really?"
"It's a Rose Red! Just try it."
Tentatively, Kitsune picked up the glass and brought it to her lips. Her hand was trembling.
Not out of excitement. Out of fear.
She took one sip and swallowed. A sudden rush hit her. She'd just taken a sip of alcohol. Her body was home. After days of withdrawal from her love potion, she was home.
"It's really good!" She said, after a few more small sips. "What's in it?"
"Most of it is vodka and tequila. The other part is milk."
Kitsune raised both eyebrows in surprise.
"Wow! Can I have another?"
Kentaro just smiled.
.~.
It was around five hours later as well as many more drinks later.
In the middle of her drinking spree, Kitsune had felt a small amount of pain under her right breast. However, she ignored it.
Why?
She was drunk.
Kitsune had passed ten drinks long ago. Maybe even the big two-oh had been passed. Neither of the two occupants knew. They were too drunk to notice.
As they finished up their latest drink, Kitsune laughed aimlessly at the drunken way with which Kentaro raised his arm.
She'd been laughing at him like this the whole night. He'd been making a fool of himself the whole night.
This time, something went wrong.
As Kitsune laughed, she felt a sharp pain hit her where her liver is located. Immediately, she doubled over in pain. The lost feeling when the euphoric phase of drunken behavior takes over was lost.
All was concentrated on the pain. She clutched her stomach and stood up clumsily, knocking over the chair. The pain was too much.
She began to cough violently, her hand coming down upon the table with such force that the remaining glasses went splaying all over the bar, breaking with timed precision.
Kentaro had now taken notice of her and began to laugh. He thought she was joking.
Kitsune wasn't. She tried to run for the bathroom, but the room was spinning with such ferocity that she didn't know which way it was.
Other drunks in the room stared at her and joined with Kentaro in laughing. The bartender and waiters were a different case.
They knew something was wrong. Something was terribly wrong.
All of them rushed to help Kitsune but she was out of control, stumbling and coughing in every which way, grabbing chairs, hair, clothes, whatever would help keep her balance.
She fell to the floor and heaved herself up onto her knees, crawling with one hand so as to use the other while she coughed.
Tears were rushing out of her eyes as if a dam had been broken. Her cough continued to come, never ceasing, hacking at her throat and on her distraught nerves.
Once she made it outside, Kitsune sucked in the cold night air, trying to welcome it to her tired lungs and throat. There was no such luck as the breath was stalled in the middle and the hacking continued.
The coughing had Kitsune rolling on the floor until one of the waiters picked her up and held her against him as they sat squatting on the floor. The coughing continued even as it hit its climax.
Kitsune managed to take a deep breath only to cough more and more, the cycle never ceasing, not even after her coughing got so bad that something had to come out.
Blood.
The scarlet liquid exploded out of her petite body onto the waiter's pristine white uniform and Kitsune's pale trembling hand. She was stained. Forever.
The blood continued to rise, never halting in its course to exit Kitsune's body.
By now the ambulance had arrived, heaving Kitsune onto the rolling bed and into the ambulance. She was on her was to the hospital emergency room.
.~.
Wow. You people really don't like Kentaro, huh? Well thank you for all the great reviews that I received! I love every single one of them! That last chapter got the most out of any before! Thank you guys so much! Also, sorry for the long wait for this chapter. I've been real busy with my work at school. That comes first.
Here go the replies to your awesome reviews!!
dennisud- Thank you for the compliments. You never know about the liver transplant thing. I think it's a pretty good idea. What do you say to two endings, one good, one bad?
The Epyon Avenger-Of course I'd recognize you! It makes me happy! And I thought it'd make you happy so why not. Thank you for saying all those nice compliments!! You think I'm a detailed writer? Wow. I've been trying hard at that and I'm glad it worked. The title was probably hardest to come up with because I needed something like a metaphor to go with this fic. Thank you!
mr-winkie- You're very good at predicting stuff. This fic is going to close soon but I am thinking of multiple endings. I really don't know yet though. In the last chapter, I thought Kitsune was kind of off center. But thank you anyways!
Kai5- Thank you! You're so nice! I was practically blushing when I read your review! I'm glad you agree with my interpretation of Kitsune's time crawling by thing. I thought it was appropriate. As for Kentaro, he's not in the manga but I've read of him on sites so I decided I didn't want to make up my own character. So I used him. I've had to research him a bit but no sweat.
Mantis Man-Yay!! You didn't miss that many updates. Only around two…I think… ^.^; I liked my drama too! I sound so conceited sometimes. Sorry…People really don't like Kentaro. I was almost disappointed.
Book of Doom-Hola! You're the only one that cleared up the Cherry Blossom Festival. Thank you so much! You're so smart about all of this. If there are any mistakes in my fic, could you please pick them out? You seem to know the most about Love Hina. Thank you so much!!
Dark-Hand-You're the only person that outright said you liked Kentaro. Thank you so much. I was so worried about who I chose that I almost thought it was a bad choice with my last two reviewers. But then I read yours. Big smile from me!! I am thinking about multiple endings. I've asked some other people so we'll see what they say.
Hyper-Sloth-Love your name!! It's such an oxymoron!! Love it!! Thank you so much for the compliment! I really appreciate it!!
Lynx Traveller-Wow. Your ex must have made some bad decisions. I'm so surprised you came and actually read this! I wasn't expecting you to come! I thought you BS6 fic was great! Hmm..Some of my favorite animes, which I'm into reading right now, are Cowboy Bebop, Rurouni Kenshin, Inuyasha and Yu Yu Hakusho. I think I would like Cowboy Bebop the most because even for professional writers, it would be hard to write on such a perfect anime. It's got everything. If you do decide to do it, let me know and I'll read…defiantly!!
Mozzarella-I'm sorry you don't like the idea of Kitsune dying. But I am thinking of making a double ending to this. What do you think? And I'm sorry you don't like Kentaro. I've never seen the anime so I wouldn't know but I didn't want to create my own characters. Thank you for the awesome review though!!
velocet- ::sniffs:: You're disappointed? Sorry. But I didn't want to make up another character for just a short while. I'm sorry you were disappointed but that was the best I could do. Once again, I'm real sorry.