Ceony looked at her glass, feeling an odd sense of worry. This was the first banquet she had attended with Emery as a magician and she was hesitant on drinking. The only other banquet she had ever attended was when she catered it herself and she couldn't understand someone just drinking purely for sport. Perhaps she got her dislike of alcohol ever since Sinad Mueller let his grubby hand up her skirt. Whatever the case was, she just wasn't fond of wine anymore.

She could, however, spot a young Bennet Cooper walking around, asking each table if there was anything he could do to make the place more comfortable for them. He spotted her and went to her table. He glanced at the wine glass and frowned for a moment, then smiled at Ceony. "Ceony, hello!" He whispered, bringing his attention to her.

"Bennet! I didn't know you were catering the event." Ceony greeted. Bennet smiled.

"They decided to cut back spending and made the apprentices do the labor. Though the nearby culinary school is catering the food portion." Bennet explained and then glanced at her wine glass again. Ceony raised an eyebrow.

"Is there something on my wine glass?" Ceony asked him and he bit his lip. He seemed to be having an internal conflict with himself.

"Please, Ceony. Whatever you do, don't drink it. When Tagis Praff does the toast, just don't drink it." He blurted out and Ceony was about to ask him what was wrong, but he scurried away. She hazily recalled the idea of a joke towards all the magicians when Ceony was catering the event several years prior. She remembered nobody seemed to have the guts to do this prank, but it appears finally, they were going to do it, with the help of all the apprentices. She couldn't tell if that was a good thing or a bad thing.

Emery came afterwards, breaking her train of thought. He was grinning at her, especially in his eyes.

"What got you all chipper?" Ceony asked and Emery sighed.

"I'm just happy you're here. I started to feel bad when I left the cottage to go here." Emery shrugged, "Personally, I dislike-" before Emery could finish his sentence, Tagis Praff was up on stage, grabbing everyone's attention. The Pyre lights started to focus on him.

"Thank you all for coming." Tagis Praff said, "Congratulations on another successful school year and many of the new magicians." Ceony saw Emery glance at her and squeeze her hand, his eyes showing pure joy for her. "As customary, we will all give ourselves a toast." Everyone picked up their glass. Ceony was hesitant. She saw Magician Aviosky, who was right beside her, have the same hesitance. Emery even lifted his glass. She supposed he only drank alcohol in banquets like these, as she couldn't find any at the cottage.

"To another year." Tagis Praff said and everyone agreed, all of them taking their drink in one gulp. The lights grew brighter, to make the huge banquet hall bright again. She could see the men and women of the banquet feel a strange surge when they had taken the drink in just one gulp. Some shook in their seats.

"That was stronger than I recalled." Mg. Hughes said, frowning. "It actually tasted more like a strange concoction of Smirnoff and a red wine." He glanced up at Ceony and Mg. Aviosky, "Patrice, don't you usually drink when Tagis does his toast?"

"I decided not to." Patrice responded, lips pursed.

"And you, Ceony?" Mg. Hughes asked, already calling for his next glass. An apprentice immediately came and poured him another glass of whatever it was.

"I'm not into drinking, hah..." She said, shaking her head.

"You're not wrong Alfred. Do you think perhaps they did something to the drink?" Emery said, peering into his now empty glass. "Though oddly, it doesn't taste that bad. Addicting, even." Patrice looked at Emery, as if she had something to say, but instead grabbed Ceony by the wrist and pulled her away, taking her near the back of the hall. Patrice stopped at the very back and put her hands on Ceony's shoulders.

"Bennet told you something. What was it?" Her voice had a sense of urgency. So she did overhear, or perhaps had the suspicion something was indeed up.

"I think I know what the culinary students and apprentices are doing." Ceony explained, "There was an idea of a sort of prank against the magicians in the room floating around. I think they've finally initiated it. Bennet warned me before I could take sip."

"Alfred knows his drinks." Patrice said, letting go of Ceony. "If he could tell there was Smirnoff in that drink, there probably is. I am going to get whoever is in charge of this...prank."

"They'll deny it. You can't do anything until the effects settle," Ceony said, "They'd say you're ruining the party." Patrice sighed.

"You're right." Patrice said, looking at the banquet hall. Everyone was drinking at this point. "Personally, I think I might actually enjoy watching this."

"Magician Aviosky!"

"What?" Patrice leaned against the wall, shrugging. "There are some people I absolutely despise. I'm interested in hearing them drunk." If Ceony saw her first glance, she would probably think Patrice was drunk herself. She was never laid back like this. Perhaps it was because nobody but Ceony would see her demeanor fall? "I'm actually interested in seeing Emery drunk as well. He's very seldom in his drinking. This will be quite the learning experience for me."

Ceony felt her cheeks turn red. "O-Of course, isn't he a gentleman?"

"I do wonder if the effects of the alcohol do change that." Patrice said, "But I am worried everyone here will have a hard time working tomorrow. I don't want to have to hold everyone's weight for the day. Imagine, every magician in this room having a headache the following day." Patrice paused, "Actually, I think I'm scared of what they'll do in the first place."

"I think you'll be too late for that." Ceony commented, seeing the apprentices continually give the magicians the strange concoction. It was going to be a long night.

Ceony wasn't wrong. A good amount of the magicians couldn't control themselves, as the night dragged on. A good amount were merely asleep, but a lot of them were...drunk, to put it bluntly. Bennet saw Ceony and Patrice standing there, watching the intoxicated guests. He walked towards them sheepishly.

"Oh, thank goodness you didn't drink it." He looked at Patrice, "Magician Aviosky, I swear it wasn't my idea."

"I know. But don't count the apprentices having control over the banquet next year." She said and Bennet nodded.

"I think Magician Thane was looking for you, Ceony. I also think he took too much at one time." Bennet said and pointed over to where Emery seemed to indeed, be looking for Ceony. She fiddled with her wedding ring and bit her lip.

"I don't think he'll rest until you're there." Patrice commented, "You should go before he...takes a darker turn." Ceony nodded, resigned. She walked towards the mess of drunk magicians, who were sure to have a hangover afterwards.

"Ah! Ceony!" Emery slurred, haphazardly grabbing her hand and pulling her away from the banquet, going through the main door of the banquet hall and went around the building. Emery seemed to have some sort of direction, as if he knew this place without even thinking. Maybe he did?

"Emery, where are we going?"

"You'll see." He murmured, until the banquet racket was no longer heard. Where the hell was he taking her? Emery seemed to stop at a door. The name plate besides the door was 'Thane, Emery.'

"Is this your office?" Ceony asked as he fumbled to search for keys in his large crimson red coat. The banquets were held in the Cabinet's main headquarters. Tagis Praff has them for free, as without Tagis Praff's school, there wouldn't even be a Cabinet. The main headquarters held all of the Cabinet functions, like Criminal Affairs. The Parliament building was one place the Cabinet worked in, but this one was even larger.

"My old one, yes." He said, finding the keys. "I haven't..." He paused, "I haven't been in here in several years.." He unlocked the door and allowed Ceony to step in first. Despite Emery's home being a mess, this place put the cottage to shame. Books were scattered on the floor, papers all over the desk, as if someone had a mental breakdown in the room. A thin layer of dust covered everything, including all paper creations. The bookshelves looked disorganized and near them lay even more books, as if someone had forcibly torn them out. There was a story to this and Ceony really did want to know.

Ceony, however, didn't have any time to drink the atmosphere in or even utter a syllable as Emery rushed her towards the desk, leaning against her, arms holding himself up from being fully on top of behind, she could see Emery had closed the door. She could hear the papers crunch underneath her weight, but for the most part, it was dead quiet besides their breaths. It was hard to study him well, as the only light was the moonlight coming from a window on the left side. From what Ceony could see, Emery was absolutely wasted, but he had enough thought process to...do this? His emerald eyes looked dark, but soft on the edges. Hungry, but hesitant. It seemed that his mind was trying to piece what he was doing. Two parts of him seemed to be fighting. One wanted this, badly, while the other was trying to refrain from being passionate.

He tilted his head slightly to the left as started to trail kisses starting from the crook of her neck, stopping at one point to roughly suck on her neck, then he made it up to her lips. Ceony felt her cheeks flush and she could hear her heartbeat in her ears clearly, blocking out any sort of noise. He was like a sloppy romantic. It was interesting and she...liked it. Ceony did, however, bite back any noise she could make, as she didn't want to entice him further.

She had restraint. Emery, surprisingly, didn't.

It was strange seeing him so...relaxed. Well, he was always relaxed, but he always held some set of gentlemanly rules when around her. Sometimes it frustrated her, really. But now, it seemed that he had forgotten that very set of rules and became unwound, looking very debauched as well.

He didn't give her time to respond to his sudden movements when he finally brought his lips up to hers. It started soft, as if he was testing the waters, then it swiftly switched to a rushed one. It was sloppy, but had a sense of refinement in it. Ceony had a hard time processing this. She wasn't drunk, but she could taste the alcohol on his soft lips, as if telling her to keep going with it. Her arms seemed to have a mind of their own as they wrapped around his warm neck, bringing him closer. Her legs as well, as they wrapped around his waist. Her hands found their way to his short hair and the hands ruffled them. Surprisingly, it had an effect as Emery held them even closer, if that was even humanly possible.

They let go for air and Ceony still had her arms around his neck when her reasonable side came up yet again. What was she doing?

"Emery, I..." She hesitated and looked up at him in the moonlight. He looked so handsome with his hair all ruffled as he took short breaths of air in. She always wanted him to forget she was a lady in their own home, but she couldn't do this. The temptation existed, but she didn't even know if this was just the alcohol talking or it was his true want. She had to guess that he probably did want this, as the alcohol worked from his emotions, but she decided it would be best sober. "I think we should stop."

Emery seemed to be processing the words.

"I want this and I wouldn't hesitate to do it, but I think it would be better if you weren't intoxicated. I don't know if it's really you or the alcohol talking. I don't want you to make any rash decisions." Ceony continued, biting her lip. She knew they would have children in the long run, based on the fortunity box that she kept, but this was just wrong. She didn't want it this way and she was sure he wouldn't either.

He looked disappointed, but nodded slowly as Ceony let go of him. He stumbled, wordlessly, out the door. He took one step to the left before he collapsed onto the floor. Ceony went to him and crouched by his side, "Oh Emery..." She murmured, picking him up. He wasn't quite light, but Ceony could manage. In his office, there was a couch. She moved all the junk that lay and placed him carefully down, a pillow supporting his head.

She sat in the opposite chair and touched her lips. Emery was sincerely passionate during that moment, but she couldn't let him make a decision she wasn't sure he wanted. She moved the chair to be beside him and held his hand. "One day, Emery. Just not when you've drunk a mixture of vodka and wine."

She slowly fell asleep, leaning against the comfy chair, holding his hand tightly.

The first thing Emery felt was a splitting headache in between his two brows. He never had a headache during these banquets. He'd only drink one glass of wine and be satisfied. What had happened? He felt like he was going to die in the next five minutes with this headache.

Ceony.

He sat up abruptly, only for the headache to hit him even harder. He groaned and opened his eyes, seeing a hand over his. Using his other hand, he rubbed his eyes. He looked to the side and found Ceony sleeping, her head leaning to the left. He then noticed a bruise on her neck. When did that happen? He looked around his surroundings. They weren't in the cottage. They were in his old office. Why?

"Mmmm." Ceony murmured, her eyes blinking. She probably felt her hand being moved. "Emery?"

"Ceony, I..." He was figuring out his words, but the headache was bothersome. Ceony woke up fully, rubbing her eyes with her free hand. "What happened?"

Ceony's cheeks turned rosy.

"Do you not remember?"

"It's a real haze." Emery said, "I only recall leading you here. Everything else is mush."

"Well." Ceony pursed her lips in a way Patrice did.

"Ceony."

"Well...youtriedtoadvanceyourselfontomeandIhonestlyreallywanteditbutatthesametimeyouweredrunkandreallythatwouldbetakingadvantageofyourcurrentsituationsoItoldyounoandyouseemedprettydisheartenedbutyoupassedoutbeforeyoucouldtakeanotherstep." She said, smiling sheepishly. Emery didn't seem to understand a single word of it.

"You're going to have to speak a little slower, Ceony." He said, clutching his head as he sat up properly, leaning against the couch.

"You made an advancement onto me, if that makes sense." Ceony said. Emery paled. She noticed and raised her hands in surrender. "Don't worry, you stopped when I told you to stop. But then you passed out."

"Ceony..." Emery murmured, "I'm so sorry." This was not how he would have allowed things to go in regards to that. That wasn't his style. It just wasn't.

"It's alright, Emery. It was the alcohol." Ceony said, chuckling nervously. "Besides, we didn't do anything serious."

"How did you know the alcohol was going to do that?" Emery asked, "You didn't drink."

"Bennet warned me ahead of time. I wasn't sure what he meant, so I didn't tell any of you. I probably should have."

"Mm, yes, you really should have." Emery's eyes shone with a slight bit of amusement, but pain still was on his mind, along with a sense of regret. She then remembered he probably had a bad headache.

"We can go back to the banquet hall and get you some water?" She suggested and Emery nodded, got up, and groaned in slight pain. She stood up and took his hand, leading him back to the banquet hall, remembering each turn he took.

The banquet hall was absolutely trashed, different magicians either trying to get over their hangovers or some were still just asleep. Patrice's voice rang through the hall, apprentices of different crafts standing in a straight line, along with the culinary students. They looked terrified. Ceony couldn't see her facial expression, but she had guessed it was absolutely scarring.

"-and how dare you mix vodka with red wine!?" She was yelling at them, "There are many important people in this ballroom. You could have easily killed them! Luckily for you, they did not! We would have been on a serious problem if every magician had dropped dead! Would you like not being a magician anymore? Is that what you want?"

"Magician Aviosky-" A Polymaker apprentice tried to speak, but she would not let him at all.

"I will have none of your excuses!" Patrice said, "You will clean up this mess and apologize to each and every magician you brought this onto!"

"Patrice! Some of us are trying to get over our headaches! Could you yell at them a little quieter?" Emery yelled across the hall, stumbling. He would have fallen if it were not Ceony holding him up. Patrice turned around and sighed.

"Nobody else is going to yell at these soon-to-be-apprentices and chefs!" She looked back at the terrified students, "Now go and do what I asked." They all scurried away, doing what she requested. Patrice picked up a glass of water from a table and walked towards Emery and Ceony. She gave him the glass, which he gratefully took. She also did glance at Ceony's neck, but said nothing.

"I assume everyone had lost it?" Ceony asked as she sat Emery down in a chair. She stood besides Patrice as they watched the apprentices frantically help the drunken guests.

"Once you two both had...left to do whatever it was, it was getting out of hand." Patrice said, frowning. "I had to stop it before they gave Magician Hughes too many drinks. That man has a limit, he tried to pretend it didn't exist. A lot of the magicians were already knocked out as it was. I decided not to scold the apprentices and students until now, as their fear would be better used now, cleaning and helping."

"Sorry I didn't help, Emery was just..." Ceony bit her lip.

"Spare me the details." Patrice responded, her eyes narrow.

"We didn't do anything like that, if that's what you're assuming!" Ceony quickly said, realizing what Patrice was thinking.

"I wasn't assuming anything." Patrice pursed her lips, then said, "But judging by that...bruise, on your neck, I do beg to differ, Ceony. I'm not stupid."

"Wait, what?" Ceony shook her head, slightly confused. "It was just really eventful. That's all." Ceony said, feeling her cheeks flush. Bennet came forward, with another glass of water and an aspirin in hand to give to Emery.

"I'm really sorry about tonight. I would have stopped them if I had known about it. When I came into the kitchen, they were almost done with the seventh vodka bottle to mix in the large pitcher of red wine." Bennet said, handing the glass and aspirin to Emery. He gladly accepted it and drank the water in one gulp. He too looked at her neck. What the hell was on there?

"Once again, Mr. Cooper, hardly your fault. I will get to the bottom of who allowed this to occur." Patrice shook her head disapprovingly. "You know what, no. I'm going to do it right now." Patrice marched to the kitchen.

"I should probably follow her. She was absolutely furious a few minutes ago." Bennet said, excusing himself, walking towards the direction Patrice went into. Ceony took a seat besides Emery and he smiled softly.

"I am never going to one of these, ever again." He murmured, leaning back against his chair.

"But you're going to have to." Ceony added on and Emery only nodded.

"I promise I'll make it up to you. It must have shocked you to see me like that." Emery said, putting an arm around her neck.

"I don't know, I think the sloppy kisses on my neck were nice." Ceony shrugged, comfortably nestling herself in Emery's company.

"Oh goodness, I did that? Really?" Emery pieced together everything as he ran a hand through his hair. "So then I gave you a hickey too. That's the bruise on your neck."

"You did what?" Ceony asked, eyes widening.

"Oh, you can't see it. Right." He looked over to her and touched an area on her neck that felt slightly tender.

"Emery, everyone's going to see it and assume we..." She trailed off, gritting her teeth.

"It'll be fine." He said, "They can't expect anything else from us." He pulled her hand that wore the engagement ring up. "They can't blame us."

"Oh really now?"

"A loving couple should be able to satisfy one another. Who cares if they can see it?" Emery grinned, proud of his thought up answer. Ceony rolled her eyes, pulling him closer to her.

"Whatever you say, dear."

Yup, I know, its an awkward end. The one on wattpad is even weirder, really.