Hadn't at all planned on (and probably shouldn't be) updating tonight, but argh, sleep, she escapes me. Originally this was supposed to be two separate chapters, but that seemed a little too drawn out.

"Ooooh," Keely said, peering in a shop window for the seventh time of the evening. "I want that!"

Via scratched the back of her head. "If you bought all the things you've said you wanted today, you'd be well broke by now."

Keely rolled her eyes. "Well, jeez Louise, listen to you. So cynical."

Via laughed. "I'm just saying, do try and exercise some self-control."

As she wasn't fond of the direction the conversation was headed, Tia quickly intercepted it and took it in a different direction: "So how was your first night here, Kee-leeey?"

Keely giggled. "Phil is such a teddybear..." Via stifled laughter as Keely gushed on. "We just... well. We actually fell asleep in each other's arms. Really quiet night, you know? Probably still tired from the flight..."

Via smirked to herself as she rolled her eyes. In front of her, Keely and Tia walked side-by-side, engrossed in their conversation. She tried to focus on the faces of the buildings, the illuminated signs standing out against the dim evening sky, the faces of passersby as they inevitably gave the two chatting girls a second look.

"But what about you and Owen?"

"Owen... he can be sweet if he wants to—" Via failed to hold in her laughter this time, earning her a look from both girls.

"Sorry. Do carry on, really," she said.

"You know what, it's ... never mind," Tia said, shaking her head. "I'll tell you later," she added to Keely.

"No, Tia, I implore you," Via pressed on. "Do tell us about your dear, sweet, teddybear Owen."

"Was he..." Keely giggled. "Frisky?"

Tia rolled her eyes. "I swear, it's like you two see him as this two-dimensional hormone-crazed kid. I mean, really."

"That's... not a no," Via remarked.

"He behaved, alright?"

"I wouldn't expect anything more of him," Via said with a grin. Tia took this as a compliment.

"Anyway," Tia said, eager to deflect the attention, "how was your night, Via? Interesting, I assume?" She and Keely giggled as Via gave them a reproving look.

"Uneventful, thanks."

"You mean he didn't try anything?"

"No. I know it comes as a surprise to you that there are males on this earth that can show some self-restraint, but no, he didn't try anything."

"There you go again," Tia said, "saying all that stuff about him."

"I think it's sort of a respect thing, isn't it?"

"Respect for him, or respect for me?"

Via chose to avoid the question. "Did you think it would be funny to make us room together?

"Honestly? ........ Yes."

"Of course you would. "

"What's that supposed to mean?" Tia asked, indignantly.

"What it means is that—"

Via was cut off as Keely stopped dead in her tracks and threw an arm out to stop the two of them. They both looked up at the window on the storefront to their left. A mannequin dressed in a long, slim maroon dress adorned the platform.

"Love. That." Keely said.

"I have to go in," Tia said softly. She slowly headed to the door and pulled it open, with Keely dragging Via behind her.

Via rubbed her forehead. "Why didn't I go to the pub with the blokes...?"

- - -

Owen hit the counter of the bar lightly with his open palm as he swallowed his fourth shot of the evening. "Ahahhhhghhh... There we go."

"Doin' good there, Owen?" Phil asked.

"Doin' great, Philibuster." Owen said as he leaned forward. "Doin' fantastic."

A tall, muscular man in his early twenties sat down beside Phil and ordered a pint. He glanced over at Owen, who was sucking his breath in through his teeth. "Your friend doin' alright there?" he asked.

Phil looked over at the young man's brown hair, which was gelled in a faux hawk, then down at the tattoo covering the man's forearm. "Yeah, he's good to go. Isn't that right, Owen?" he asked, clapping Owen on the shoulder. Owen sat back up.

"We're good to go. I'm just gettin' started."

"Ricky," the young man said, introducing himself, then taking a drink.

"I'm Phil. This here's Owen, and on his other side is Seth."

"I take it you're not from around here," he said with a chuckle.

Phil shook his head and took a drink, then sighed as he set down his glass. "Mm, nope. California."

"Jaysus, that's far off."

"Yeah. Yeah it is..."

Ricky took another drink. "Well, Phil, I say it looks like your friend might be biting off a bit more than he can chew."

"Ha, yeah, that's Owen for you."

A brief silence followed until the Irishman broke it again. "So what brings you three out to Dublin?"

"Well," Phil started, running his fingers along the side of his cold glass, "it's kind of a long story..."

Meanwhile, Seth rolled his head back and sighed, then took another drink.

"What's a fella like you doin' with such a long face?" a gentle, moderately high-pitched voice asked from over his left shoulder. He turned over to look at the source.

Her blonde curtained hair ran down past her shoulders, slightly obscuring her face. Her wide, deep blue eyes gazed curiously at him. His eyes tracked down from her face down to her denim jacket layered over a black tank, then down to her deep blue jeans and black boots.

"I'm sorry, what'd you say?" he asked, turning his focus back up.

"Ya looked a tad bothered, is all."

He slowly shook his head. "Nah. Not really. Just thinking, but, not a big deal."

"Right... I'm Caitlin. Ricky there's my brother," she said, pointing at Ricky, who was still talking with Phil.

He nodded. "I'm Seth."

"Tell me, Seth... what brings a group o' Yanks like you out here?"

"GRAD-uation," Owen loudly chimed in, leaning forward on the bar and setting down another shot glass.

Caitlin laughed. "I didn't mean to Ireland. I meant to a little pub like this."

Owen raised his empty shot glass. Seth shrugged. "Pretty much that, I guess," Seth offered

"Right, then.... So how long are you three fellers in town?"

"I-- well, it's not really just the three of us..."

"Oh no?"

"No, there's, ah, well, there's three girls with us too."

"Ahh, I see. Got yourself a girlfriend, do ya?" She grinned and leaned against the bar, resting her chin in her hand.

He smirked. "Oh, no, not me. Those two brought their girlfriends, but ah, I don't... I don't have one."

"Then who's the other little lady you brought along?"

"Ah, she's just a friend," he explained with a wave of his hand.

"Mmm... I see..." A smile slowly played its way across her lips.

"But anyway." He took a drink and let out a short breath. "To answer your question, we fly out on the nineteenth. So a little less than a month."

"Right. So I guess I might be seein' ya here again, then?"

He shrugged. "Sure could."

"Ay. Well, you go an' keep an eye on your friend there, then. Pleasure meetin' ya, Seth."

"You too," he said, smiling and nodding. She looked over at Ricky and tilted her head towards the door. He nodded.

"Right then, Phil," he said, standing up and slapping down a small assortment of Euros on the bar. "Pleasure to be makin' your acquaintance, but I best be off."

"Oh, right. Nice to meet you too," he said, just before Ricky left. He sighed and checked his phone.

"D'you get a message?" Owen asked, turning to look at Phil. rubbing at his eyes with his fingers.

"Yeah, Keely said they were going to be back in about twenty minutes...."

"Excellent," Owen said, sitting up and stretching his arms above his head. Phil nodded and glanced over his shoulder.

"I, uh, think you got someone's attention," he said, upon seeing a brunette across the room eyeing Owen.

He slowly turned around and looked around the room, subtly glancing at the girl who was watching him. "They just can't keep their hands off this," Owen said with a laugh.

"You're not seriously thinking of... well you don't seriously think of anything," Phil said, shaking his head.

Owen shook his head. "Nah, bro. Should probably go back with you. Don't want to get chewed out by Tia, ya know?"

"Wow, Owen," Phil said. "That's actually really--... well, no, that's exactly as responsible as you should be. What's up with that?"

"You under-... you misjudge me, Phil."

Phil shrugged and finished his drink. "Maybe I do. Then again, I'm still.... relatively sober. Tia's really got you, doesn't she?"

Owen gave Phil an incredulous look. "Psssssshhhhhhhhhh. Not a chance. Definitely not as bad as you and Keely. That's for sure."

Phil laughed. "Well, we're definitely different from you two, anyway. I'll give you that."

"Right, right." Owen spun around on the barstool and slowly got down. "Alright. Stay cool. Maintain."

"Ready to go, Seth?" Phil asked, putting some money on the bar to pay for the three of them.

"Yeah," Seth said, springing to his feet.

The brunette girl gave Owen a friendly wave as he walked out, and he grinned back broadly. She laughed softly and watched him leave before focusing back on the conversation with her friends.

- - -

"You smell of Guinness," Via noted after Seth greeted her, entering their room. She was sitting at the desk in the corner of the room, checking her email. Unable to think of anything to say to this, he nodded. "How was it? Owen didn't get out of control, did he?"

"Owen? Well... no, not really. He kept it in check pretty well. Why do you ask?"

"Well, you know how he can get."

"No, I mean... why do you ask about him, specifically?"

Via looked up from her computer. "What on Earth do you mean by that?"

"Nothing, I just... I don't know. Wondering why you asked about him first, I guess."

"Who would you rather me ask about?"

He paused. "It's not that, I just... do you like him?"

"Him? As in, do I fancy him? Not a chance!"

"Oh. ...right."

"I think the Guinness is getting to you. Perhaps you ought to have a lie down."

He nodded. "Maybe I should," he muttered, and went to brush his teeth.

- - -

"There," Phil said, emerging from the bathroom. "Brushed up, and mouthwash."

Keely grinned. "Good! Much better," she said as she stretched out on the bed."

"So how was your evening?" Phil asked. "You didn't blow a fortune on clothes, did you? I mean, I figured Via would be able to handle you, but I'm not sure if she stood a chance with you and Tia."

She laughed softly. "Relax, Phil, I'm not broke. In fact, I hardly spent anything."

Phil looked at her with a small grin, slightly impressed. "Not bad. What did you get?"

Keely just grinned and shook her head.

"Come on, what did you get?"

"It's a surprise, Meester," she replied.

"Even just a hint?"

"No! Not a word. Just wait. Okay? You'll find out soon enough."

He looked down at her and slowly smirked.

"Phil? What are you doing?"

"I think I know a way to get you to tell me..."

Keely, suddenly very serious, bolted upright. "You tickle me Phil Diffy and you will regret it until the end of days."

He approached the bed, smirking mischievously. Keely squealed and retreated under the blankets.

- - -

"You know, Owen, wasn't the whole point of this trip to... you know, spend time together?"

Owen slowly rolled onto his side to look at Tia's face in the darkness. He squinted slightly. "Hmm?"

"Like, you know. We came here together. I mean with them, obviously, but together. But we haven't really gotten any time alone, you know?"

"We're alone now," he observed after a beat.

"Well, first off, you're pretty drunk, so that doesn't count. Second, I mean outside of the room. You know?"

"....oh."

"But yeah, I mean, it's nice that I spent time with the girls today, but... I just think we should spend tomorrow together! Without all of them. You think so?"

He closed his eyes and considered her idea. "That actually sounds like a nice idea," he mumbled with a smile.

Tia let out a short squeal and kissed Owen on the cheek. "And to think that the girls think you're shallow!"

He laughed. "Wait, what? Who said that?"

"Mmm, don't worry about it. Get some sleep. Tomorrow is another day."

"Right...... right....." Tia barely had time to get comfortable before Owen crashed for the night.