The clock was two in the morning, Laz, Hyde, Abe and Caira sat at the bar, drowning themselves in alcohol, snickering and giggling like little children. Slim peered through the bar's doorway, curious. Hyde's head swung towards him, staring him dead in the face.
"Dune beetle. Lovely creature." He paused. The four burst out into tears of laughter, Slim slipped through the doorway, cautiously approaching them.
"Sit down, bug man." Hyde snickered, taking a long swig from a bottle of beer, drawing out a long sigh. Abe downed his glass of whiskey, pouring another a second later. Slim looked at the four, hesitant, still cautious.
"So uh, what are you guys even doing up? It's like two, or something." He asked. The four went silent, all eyes on Slim.
Caira snickered, elbows on the bar-top. "Uhh, I dunno? Drinking?" She paused, hiccuping. "Wanna uh, join us- Ohhhhhh oh oh! I've got this great idea..."
"Pray tell, Caira." Laz said, inhaling the fumes of his drink, sighing.
"Truth, or, dare."
"Aw fuck no, truth or dare's a kids game" Abe blurted, frowning.
"I'm up." Hyde grunted.
"I suppose I would partake, yes." Laz agreed.
Slim stared at them. "...Ah sure, what the heck." The four turned to Abe now, arms crossed.
"Gaaaaaah.. Motherfuckers.. Fine, I'll play your dumbass game." He sighed, grinning. "Alright, fuckers. Who's gon' start?" He asked, necking his glass of whiskey down. They all looked at eachother.
"I guess I could, since I thought of it..." Caira said, hiccuping again. "Uhhhhh.. Slim- was it? I think, I guess-"
"Yeah."
"Yeah. Okay, Slim. Truth or dare?"
"Dare, anytime."
"Aaaaaalright! I-" She hiccuped. "I dare you- heh... To lick that bug-thing you have, you know, it fixes people. Lick it."
Slim stared at her, confused. "You're uh, kidding me, right? Man, alright. Whatever." He took out his little healing bug, it crawled up onto his arm, he lifted it toward his face, pushing his tongue through his teeth, licking it. He didn't really seem disgusted, more confused. Caira's face scrunched up, she burst out laughing.
"Aw-haaaaaaaaw, ew!" She giggled, grabbing her glass, taking a casual swig from it. "Aha..Alright... You get to pick someone." She said, calming down. Slim looked around, pointing a finger at Hyde.
"Oh 'ere we fucking go..." Hyde chuckled. "Truth, y'ain't got nothing on me."
"Hyde, was it, huh? Is it true you and Caira's got something going on?" Slim folded his arms, grinning. Caira's head tilted, looking back at Hyde, he stared back at her, awkwardly.
"Uuuuuuuh..." He paused, clearing his throat. "Hah, ain't nothing set in stone, mate." Hyde grunted, keeping his cool. Slim nodded at the reasonable dodge. Hyde cleared his throat again, smacking Laz on the back.
"Laz, mate. Truth or dare?" He grinned.
Ðorde looked up at him. "Mm. Dare."
"Kiss the bug man."
"Hah, no."
"Fuckin' chicken. You have to, else you're out."
"Mmmmno, I do not think so." Laz took another swig from his drink. Slim shuffled up towards the Lazarus man, leaning on him.
"Do iiiiiiiiit..." Hyde pushed at Laz, grumbling.
"Ach, fine! Must you be so strange..."
"What do you expect from drunks, mate?"
Laz's eyes narrowed as he gave Slim a peck on the cheek.
"Ach, disgusting. We shall never speak of this again."
"Eh, sure." Hyde shrugged, cracking another bottle open. "Go on then Laz, pick someone.". The Lazarus man's eyes shifted between Caira and Abe. "Ehh... I am no good at such a silly game like this- but, Abraham. Truth or Dare?". Caira burst out laughing, hitting her head against the bar-top, slamming her fist.
"Jeez Caira, calm down man..." Abe laughed, turning to face Laz. "Dare me, man." He said, arms folded.
"Ah, excellent! I was hoping you would choose that." Ðorde paused, hiccuping. "Now... Tonight you shall share a bed with the Basilisk Soldier."
"WHAT?!" Both Abe and Slim yelled out. Caira lifted her head from the bar-top, snickering, half asleep. Hyde stared at Laz, eyebrow raised in concern.
"You gotta be fuckin' kiddin' me yo! What kinda dare is that?!" Abe groaned.
"Gotta agree, I didn't even sign up for this." Slim grumbled. A wide grin spread across Laz's drunken face, leaning forward. "I will repeat what Mr. Hyde said. You have to, or else you are out."
Abe sighed, looking at Slim.
"You're crashin' on the sofa." He muttered.
"Bed." Laz grunted.
"Fffffffffffffiiiiiiiiine." Abe responded, groaning. "I ain't goin' yet though, still got the lil' lady over here to dare." He continued, pointing at a sleepy, drunk Caira. She looked up at him, tilting her head.
"Truth or dare Caira?"
"Uuh.. Dare."
Abe's expression brightened, he grinned as he stared at the unfocussed Caira. "How 'bout you give me a kiss, eh?"
Caira snorted. "Pfsh. Sure. Was that an order or a dare?" She giggled, climbing down from her stool, slipping and hitting the floor. The four stared at the passed out, quiet Caira.
"Uh... Man, you guys know that ain't my fault right?" Abe said, looking around nervously. Slim took his healing bug out, nodding in Caira's direction. The bug flew over, patching up any damage she'd taken during the fall.
"I believe it is time we went to sleep, would you say so, gentlemen?" Ðorde said, rubbing his soon to be aching head.
"I'll get 'er." Hyde grumbled, lifting Caira into his arms, stumbling a little himself. Abe looked at Slim, rolling his eyes.
"Let's go, bug-boy..." He sighed, nodding down the corridor toward his room. Slim followed close behind, the healing bug chirped as it flew by his side, now finished fixing Caira's injuries. The Lazarus man and Hyde followed shortly afterwards, they stopped outside Caira's room.
"Door's locked." Hyde grumbled, sniffling. He shook Caira in his arms, she groaned, rubbing her head. "Uh...?" She said, looking up at Hyde.
"I said, door's locked." He nodded towards her room's door. Caira squirmed and slipped out of Hyde's arms, clumsily messing with the door, unlocking it eventually. She stumbled through the door, falling to her knees again, helpless. Hyde's eye rolled in the back of his head, as he picked her up from the floor, his head swinging back to look at Laz.
"I got 'er. Get off to bed." He grunted. Ðorde nodded. "Goodnight, Mr. Hyde." He uttered, trudging down the hallway to his own room.
Hyde put Caira down on her bed, throwing her cover over her. "Right. I'm off, expect an 'angover in the morning." He grumbled, before heading out to the door.
"Uuuh, Hyde, staaaay." Caira whined, half awake. His eye narrowed. "...Why?"
"I wanna hug.." She hiccuped, clinging to her covers tightly. Hyde sighed, kicking his boots off and closing the door and locking it. Caira grinned brightly as she heard the door lock shut, she wriggled around under her blanket, eyes closed tightly. Hyde threw himself onto the bed, grumbling and cuddling upto Caira, arms wrapping around her stomach, laying behind her. Caira hummed, snuggling him.
"This is nice." She hummed.
"Go to sleep." He grunted, burying his face into her shoulder, eye closed. Caira frowned, but agreed, it was the early hours of the morning and they'd need as much rest as they could.
There were only two days left before the last evac ship departed.