To Your Health!
starter for > @seraphiia
Two days after their return from Fhirdiad, Inigo couldn’t shake the image of Celica’s horrified expression upon seeing the massacre in the baths. Nor could he erase that particular image from his mind, either, but if he thinks about it all too long he wants to curl up in a little ball.
He didn’t think she’d so readily accept an invitation for drinks after dinner—he takes it as a sign she’s still just as shaken up as him. Their walk into town is leisurely, making idle conversation about classes and settling back into a routine. Heavy topics have no place on a night like this!
There’s only one tavern that serves underage kids, an open secret among academy students. The owner allows them in so long as they don’t cause any trouble. (And keep their test grades up; it’s amazing how much the owner remembers about their patrons.)
Inigo hears the tavern before he even sees it. Voices spill from open windows, candlelight flickering onto the cobblestones.
“After you, my lady!” He holds the door open for Celica with a flourish, following her inside. Students crowd around tables, some with heads bent over notebooks while others loudly exclaim over some kind of dice game.
“Good luck finding a seat, eh?” Inigo says above the chatter. He nearly crashes into a server carrying a tray of drinks, dodging just in time to avoid disaster.
“Ah, here we go!” One last booth lies blessedly empty. Dancer grabs Celica’s wrist, guiding her over. “Drinks on me tonight!”
