It didn't take long for everyone to notice that Alex and Eliza disappeared off to the shooting range every evening. It was hard not to notice that Alex was suddenly willing to leave HQ before the early hours of the morning, and it wasn't long before the others to take advantage of it.
"We're having a cards night," Laf announced one morning,
"I can't, I have too much to do," Alex replied quickly,
"No, you don't," Laf said, plucking Alex's quill out of his hand, causing him to finally look up at Laf, "We both know that your plans for the evening are mess around on the shooting range with Schuyler,"
"Hey!" Eliza interjected, "We're not messing around!"
"No, he's teaching you to shoot," Laf said flatly, "But we all know Elijah is a half decent shot at this point; he's better than Burr,"
"That doesn't mean anything," Alex grumbled, "Burr's a terrible shot,"
"Maybe you should be giving him lessons then," John grinned.
Laf sat down on the edge of Alex's desk,
"He's not going to take no for an answer," John remarked to Alex with a grin,
Alex sighed and turned to Eliza, "Are you Ok with not shooting tonight,"
Eliza smiled, "I'm sure I won't forget everything you've taught me if we miss one day," she said, "Besides, cards sounds fun,"
Laf beamed at Eliza, then jumped off Alex's desk,
"Excellent! Herc had some rum. I will see all of you in Alex and John's tent tonight!"
-x-
That evening, instead of making her way to the shooting range, Eliza walked with the others to John and Alex's tent.
"Make yourself at home," John said as Herc flopped down on one the beds,
"Will do," Herc grinned. He pulled out a large bottle of rum and turned to Laf, "Got the glasses?"
"Of course," Laf produced five glasses and passed them to Herc who opened the bottle and poured a generous serving into each glass. He passed one to each of them.
Eliza looked down at her glass and frowned slightly. She sniffed it before taking a small sip. It burned her throat as she swallowed, and her eyes watered as she tried to contain her cough. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Alex smirking at her. He took a gulp of his own drink before making his way over,
"Yeah, it takes some getting used to," he said, "But you still probably want to drink it or you're going to find us intolerable tonight,"
Eliza looked back down at her glass before taking a deep breath and taking a large gulp. This time Eliza couldn't contain her coughing. Alex laughed as he slapped her on the back,
"Are you two joining us?" Herc called. Herc, Laf and John had all positioned themselves on the floor and John was shuffling a deck of cards. Eliza and Alex made their way over to the group and sat down,
"What are we playing?" Alex asked,
"Vingt-Un," Laf replied,
"I'm dealing," John said,
"I've never played before," Eliza said,
"Oh, it's easy," Alex grinned,
"We'll teach you," Herc added,
"You have to get to twenty-one. Laf, come here, we'll demonstrate,"
Laf moved so that he was sitting directly in front of John and John placed the deck of cards between the two of them, "Ok, go,"
John turned over the first two cards on the top of the deck. The Ace of hearts and the Ace of clubs.
"So, that's a score of two so he's going to want another card," Alex explained.
Laf pointed at Alex, "What he said,"
John drew another card. The five of clubs.
"So, my total is now seven and that's still nowhere near twenty-one, so another card my good man,"
The Queen of spades.
"A Jack is eleven, a Queen is twelve and a King is thirteen," Herc explained,
"So, you're at nineteen now Laf," John said,
Herc leaned over to Eliza, "So really he wants to quit now as anything above a two and he's out," he said in a stage whisper,
"However," Laf said, "I am a gambling man, so, another card,"
John flipped over the top card. Seven of diamonds.
"No!" Laf cried, flopping over onto the floor dramatically. Herc whooped in delight and punched the air.
"So, Laf's out now," John explained,
"So, he has to drink," Herc shouted.
Laf grinned at him and downed his drink,
"Who's next?" John asked, "Alex?"
"Go on then,"
John flipped the first two cards to reveal the Ace of spades and the three of clubs.
"Well obviously another,"
Five of hearts.
"Again,"
Seven of diamonds.
"Sixteen," Laf said, looking at the cards over Alex's shoulder,
"You going to go again?" John asked,
Alex frowned before nodding, "Ok, give me another,"
The nine of spades.
"Drink!" Laf shouted.
Alex sighed dramatically and picked his glass up,
"Herc? Elijah?" John said turning to the two of them,
"Herc, you go," Eliza said,
"Ok, I'm going to do better than those two, hit me Laurens!"
The eight of hearts and the two of diamonds.
"Again,"
The two of spades.
"Another,"
The six of diamonds.
"What does that get me?"
"Eighteen," Alex said,
"Ok, I'm going to leave it there,"
"What‽"
"That's just three away and I just have to be closer than Elijah to win,"
John grinned and turned to Eliza, "You ready?"
Eliza nodded, "Go on,"
The four of clubs and the three of hearts.
"Give me another one,"
The five of diamonds.
"Another,"
The Queen of clubs.
Eliza frowned at the cards, trying to quickly add the numbers up,
"Twenty-four," Alex said, getting there before Eliza,
Herc cheered, "I win!" he cried,
"Drink!" Laf shouted at Eliza. Eliza slowly picked up her glass and sniffed it sceptically again,
"Just drink it all in one go," Alex said, "It'll be over quicker,"
Eliza eyed Alex sceptically before downing her drink. It burnt her throat as it went down and caused her to cough violently once more.
Alex hit her on the back and Lad burst out laughing,
"You'll get used to it," Herc said.
John gathered the cards back up and presented them to Herc, "As the winner you get to take over as dealer."
Eliza watched as her friends got drunker as the night wore on and the card games got more and more chaotic. Herc had been right, the rum had gotten more tolerable the more she drank, although John informed her that it was actually because she was getting drunk, not because she'd developed a taste for the stuff over the course of the evening.
The group eventually gave up on cards, finally realising that they were all too drunk to play.
Alex flopped down next to Eliza, "I think you're very pretty" he said.
Eliza beamed at him, "I think you're very pretty too,"
Herc made a loud gagging noise,
"Shut up!" Alex cried, "You're just…just…" Alex let out a sigh and rested his head on Eliza's shoulder,
"Yeah!" Eliza cried,
John snorted, "You didn't finish your insult,"
"Don't insult Herc, he's very nice," Eliza frowned,
"Thank you!" Her cried, trying to crawl over to Eliza,
Laf however pouted, "Are we not very nice?"
"You're lovely," Eliza said, "So are you John,"
John raised his glass at Eliza in acknowledgement, "You're lovely too,"
Alex's head lolled forward making him fall off Eliza's shoulder. He let out a strangled yelp as he fell forward, causing the others to all burst out laughing,
"You were falling asleep," Herc teased,
"Was not. I'm not tired,"
"I am," John said,
"Mmm, me too," Eliza said, as she yawned,
"Ok, well you lightweights go to bed," Herc said. He tried to stand up, but his legs gave way and he fell back onto the floor,
"Lightweight," John sniggered,
"You should all go to sleep, I will keep guard," Lad announced, as he plonked himself by the door,
"Why do we need a guard?" Eliza asked,
"In case something bad happens obviously," John replied,
"Yes, exactly!"
Eliza lay down on the floor next to Alex, "Ok. Wake us up if somebody attacks us,"
Laf saluted her, "Yes sir!"