I got the next snippet out, yay! Rath Cesia too!

Warnings: Dark, language... nothing else, don't think.

Dragon Knight Snippets: Drinking Sorrows

Another drink, another sorrow drowned in it.

And though Cesia knew Rath had plenty of sorrows to drown, she didn't like seeing him like this.

Several empty bottles lay forgotten around the dark room, some of the older ones hers. Wet shards of broken glass glittered around them, and Cesia summoned a short wind spell to sweep them all into a dirty corner she'd clean up in the morning.

"Did you see the stupid look in their faces when I told them I was leaving on another demon hunt?" the dark-haired knight spat out after taking a large gulp of alcohol.

"No."

"Ha! Alfeegi started yelling at me, telling me how it was dangerous and how many trips I'd gone in just over the past couple months. Ruwalk had this scared look." There was an almost triumphant note in his voice, before being overshadowed by something between hatred and disdain. But Cesia could see the pain in his eyes, even as he clamored his hate for them.

"Kaistern wasn't there, so he couldn't do anything. Probably would have just watch me quietly like he always does… Damn, even Tetheus looked at me like he thought I was going to get myself killed," he laughed bitterly, the glassy look alcohol brought to his eyes clear, "Maybe I should."

"Stop talking like that!" Cesia snapped, finally snatching the bottle away. He growled, and in a movement too quick for his state of drunkenness, swiped it back.

"I hate them all!" he slurred. The bottle crashed against the wall and Cesia winced as miniature glass knives pricked at her skin and cold wine droplets splattered her face.

"They still care for me…" the choked sob brought her attention back abruptly to the shaking figure beside her.

"…Rath…" She reached out tentatively, knowing how violent he could be when drunk, but he looked at her despairingly and crumpled into her arms like a broken china doll.

"Why do they still care for me? They shouldn't in the first place, but even now, when I've been nothing but a smart-ass and given them an attitude and done nothing but screw up the castle… they still get worried about me…"

Cesia stroked his hair, ignoring the painful pressure his sharp grip was causing her, "Because you're pathetic. Would you really rather they hate you?"

"Yes! Then I could… I could feel like it's part of my punishment… for everyone I've killed. I don't deserve their love, and it only makes me feel guiltier…"

"Rath, it wasn't your fault. Who you are now is much different from the youkai before…"

"But I still killed them!" the insistent, pained reply came, muffled by her clothing, and she realized this was a battle she couldn't win.

"You have to let it go. No one blames you…"

She lifted up his face, noting with a sigh the feverish flush on his face and the drunken glaze in his eyes. He closed his eyes tiredly and she leaned down and kissed him.

"Go to sleep," she whispered.

After pulling him into bed and slipping in besides him, she took his hand and wondered why he didn't mind her loving him.

They're an interesting pair to work with. :should do so more often:

Kage Ohkami: Thank you :happy: BTW, love the little Thatz face :laughs:

Meow-meow: Here's your long-awaited Rath/Cesia. I pronounce it se-seea... :shrugs:

Peophin: Ugh :shakes head: I started that Lykouleon/Nadil... but it's very weird... I'm thinking of scrapping it and writing another scenario...

Angstluver: Hm, I'll see about the Shydeman/Fedelta... I don't have the books on hand, but when I do I'll remember.

Misura: I like doing subtle stuff... when I do it right... usually I don't really plan it that way, so I'm glad it came out like that.

Evalita::nods: Ooh, I like that, Bierrez overprotective... And I already had something in mind for that, just gotta get to write it :like most of her stuff:

Eikou: Thanks!

Shadowdown: Thanks for all the comments :Happy:

Kitty2Satan: It was probably more input than you wanted, but I thought it was good. Good luck with writing!

Aquajogger: Who knows, a death fic just might strike my fancy sometime :laugh: Ooh, random characters, that'd be interesting... It doesn't even have to be a pairing, it could be just throwing them together into a totally awkward position :cracks up thinking about it: Yeah, totally predictable ending... and we are getting an Officer thing around... it used to be all Rath Thatz and Rune...

THANKS! I have a couple written that just need to be typed, and a lot of brainstorming to be done with several of them... eeeeek

Til the next snippet!