( creatures of the night )

[thanoodles]

they come out to play at night

Comments

[ituncleared]

[Another night, another bar. He's promising himself he'll stay sober this time -- he's been so good at keeping up with routine lately, and he wouldn't want to disappoint anyone so quickly, but he just claims he needs to go out late to relax. Just a couple of hours, then he'll head back home.]

[itdisappeared]

[ And your brother is already there.

In fact, he is seated, with his arms folded on the bartop, face pressed down against them. He decided, why the heck not go and actually have a couple of drinks. He never really did, when he was with his wife. He knew that she liked going out, but after they got married, it was never about bars or anything, it was about dinner parties with other young couples like them. He is currently wondering if they stifled each other, or if they were stifled by the life they thought they should have lived. Either way, he probably won't actively remember these thoughts, because he has had one drink too many and is a bit sleepy.

Hence the whole. Face flop arm thing. ]

[ituncleared]

[Well, color him surprised. He takes a seat with an inquiring frown and parted lips, more surprised than exactly shocked.]

Giles?

[itdisappeared]

Yeeees? [ He sits up a little quickly, blearily peering around for the source of the voice - until he rather belatedly realises that it is his brother's. He blinks once, then twice, a look of mild embarrassment breaking through his hazy state. ] Lewis! Hi. [ Erm. ] What... what are you doing here?

LFMALSND

[ituncleared]

[Giles will have to excuse his brother, who can't help but stare at him for a moment longer.]

... I'm just. Meeting someone here. [That's a lie, but it happened anyway, didn't it? Another pause ensues.]

... You're drunk.

LMFASLDMASJD SHUSH

[itdisappeared]

What? No! I'm just- I'm-

[ There is a long pause in which Giles seems to display several emotions on his face, ranging from confused, apologetic, completely bewildered, slightly sad and finally back to confused. ]

Yes. I'm a bit drunk. Sorry. [ As he apologises, he hangs his head a little, kind of like a scolded puppy. ]

i love them...

[ituncleared]

Don't.

[It would be so terribly hypocritical of him if he did feel he deserved an apology; he has skipped his medication to take a drink more times than he can count, convincing himself he has everything under control as long as he makes it mathematical. The only person who knows about it then proceeds to beat him up verbally about it and makes him stop, but he eventually ends up going back. This time he's proving her (and himself) that he can come to a bar and still make the night a completely harmless one.]

Did you come here by yourself?

good or else there'd be trouble

[itdisappeared]

Oh, yeah. [ He shrugs a little, trying to straighten up a little, wobbling on the bar stool. Realising that this is not a very good plan, he sinks down again, slowly and tentatively laying his chin down on his arms as if he expects the bar to explode just from the slightest of his movements. ] I thought, you know, a drink would be kind of nice? I've been been stuck on wine for so long, an actual drink wasn't such a bad idea...

[ Once again, he shrugs. ]

Not too good at the bar scene anymore, to be peeeeerfectly honest.

oh my

[ituncleared]

Yeah, I can see that. [He can't help but show a hint of amusement in the corner of his lips. He keeps telling himself 'precious' isn't a word you want to attribute to your grown up, drunk twin brother.]

You wanna get out of here?

[itdisappeared]

I would actually be up for that, but... [ Giles casts a somewhat comically uncertain glance at the ground. ] I think the floor's turned into jelly.

[ituncleared]

That isn't possible, Giles. [He says, calmly, still slightly amused, with no sign of irritation.] Come on.

[itdisappeared]

[ Giles pulls a face, one that says "well it could be", and although he is reluctant, he slides off his seat obediently. It's a little obvious that he isn't really ready for a bachelor-esque lifestyle, which seems a bit ridiculous in a thirty three year old man who has already been through marriage.

Gingerly stepping on the floor, for a moment Giles is quite confident that perhaps walking will not be too much of a challenge! Two steps later, he finds himself desperately clinging to another nearby stool for balance, tipping it a little from side to side. ]

See? [ Never have you ever heard such an earnest voice. ] Jelly.

[ituncleared]

Then it can't be safe for us to hang around for too long, can it.

[Look at how patient he is, Giles. He's probably making up for all the times he became an insufferable drunk. Lewis gestures in his direction, stepping towards him, one hand ready to hold him up, the other expecting to be held so he can guide his brother's arm around his shoulders.]

Put your arm around me.

[itdisappeared]

Nope. [ Simple fact, true fact! Giles can't disagree.

He obligingly loops his arm around his brother's shoulders, leaning on him a bit heavily. In his haze of drunkness, Lewis just becomes Lewis, his brother, nothing more than that. Giles is glad to see him - part of Giles is always glad to see him, but there's a pleasant warmth about him this time, one of "oh hello familiar person am I glad to see you or what", jovial and cheery. And drunk. ]

I forgot how difficult walking could be when you're not in total control of your senses... one foot in front of the other, how hard can it be? Very. Apparently.

[ituncleared]

It'll come back to you. Just like riding a bike. [Flat, dry humor without hurtful intentions, as he walks along and ignores the obvious stares at the twin brothers making their way out of the bar. This is something he never thought he'd do, least of all with Giles, but he's doing it rather well.

It's comforting. In a weird, funny way. Connecting over being drunk. Mom and dad would be so proud.]

You didn't drive here, did you?

[itdisappeared]

I was hopeless at bikes. [ Never have you ever seen a nine year old like Giles with the scabbiest knees in existence. Of course, he got the hang of it eventually, but the process involved a lot of plasters and crashing into the pavement. And the occasional tree. ] This isn't too bad, though, I guess!

[ He says, wobbling off precariously to one side. ]