[F1 PP] The Worst of Happy Memories

[Shield 0]

"Leventh floor," Shield replied, putting a hand on the table and doing his best to help pick himself up out of his chair so Piera wasn't doing all of the heavy lifting. As the oddly proportioned pair hobbled their way to the door, Shield managed to mumble a hurried "Thanks" before being shuttled out into the streets.

Of all of the things he hated in SAO, feeling powerless was the worst. The absolute least pleasant feeling he had encountered, beyond that of being impaled, bludgeoned, or practically sliced in two, was being paralyzed. Wanting to act but being unable was unbearable. Although this wasn't as absolute, it wasn't much better. He was just glad that Beat wasn't here to see it. He had given the younger man enough grief over not being focused and disciplined, and here he was. Without the support, he would be flat on his butt, unable to make it more than a few steps without assistance.

Despite feeling powerless, there was an aspect to being helped home that he didn't mind. Maybe it was just the curse of men to live a less connected, more solitary life, but it had been a long time since he had really been allowed into close space with another human being. It was comforting. The night had properly set in by then, although the moon was not present. Shield squinted up at the darkened sky as they approached the teleportation plaza.

"Don'tchyu hate tha' cliche about how th' moon's always out at night?" he slurred, though the crisp air had at least sharpened his senses somewhat. "In TV shows 'n movies, whenever people're outside, it's always righ' there. Well, the moon isn' always out, and when it is it isn' always very bright."

He hobbled with Piera into the teleportation matrix and called out their destination.

"Taft!"

Leading the way wasn't difficult. Even 'drunk,' he knew the landmarks so well that he could tell exactly where they were. He would direct Piera with little gestures of his hand and when necessary a verbal 'mhm' or similar utterance. Beat had not been as incredibly active of a player as of late, so most of the trips that he took to and from Taft were alone. He wasn't aware, most of the time at least, how upsetting that really was, but here with company, with decorum and emotional stability thrown out the window, he realized how incredibly sad it was. It was a good thing that there was no moon. Even while drunk, he would have been embarrassed if Piera could have seen the tears that he failed to stop from leaking from the corners of his dark eyes.

[Piera 0]

The corner of her mouth twitched at the slurring of what floor Shield lived on. "Gosh, ya just had to live high up, hm?" Teasing him flatly. Like it even mattered considering the teleport plazas existed. Nodding at his gratitude, she simply replied, "No problem, I gotchu." Mostly at least. Their walk was a little unsteady just because of his topheavyness due to his height. As the pair hobbled out of the tavern and out into the night cool night street, Piera glanced about, feeling somewhat self conscious as they were at current. But nobody paid them any mind. She tried to think if she'd ever done this. But no, this was definitely a first. At least with someone being drunk. Sick was another matter.

Glancing skywards at the older man's question, the brunette blinked owlishly up at the bright 'moon' before humming. "I always liked cloudy nights myself. Always seemed more peaceful. Quieter. Made for nicer night walks. But of course video games, shows an movies n such would try to be more fantastic. Fantasy genre an all. Bigger, better, brighter, more memorable. But you should probably be looking at where we're going rather than the sky. What if I'm leading you down a dark and bloody alley and not your house, hm?"  She was just glad that she didn't have to worry about him throwing up on her. Most bodily functions such as that weren't simulated in the game. Perhaps Kayaba did know some mercy. Or he was lazy. One of the two.

Blinking rapidly as the two players materialized on Taft's teleportation platform, Piera glanced around once more, catching the eyes of a few players that were still up and about, but not paying them any mind. Jiggling Shield's arm lightly she asked, "Where to from here?" Following his vague hand gestures, nods and 'mhm's, the alchemist lead them towards his home, for now unaware of his further emotional deterioration since they had exited the city and were away from any lamps and lacking moonlight.

[Shield 0]

Shield snorted at the comment regarding the floor. He knew of players who had homes on lower floors, but they were either loaded or had come into their good fortune through unexpected and sometimes questionable means. He would let Piera figure that one out on her own.

As they arrived at the narrow bridge to the little oasis in the piedmont that he and Beat called home, Shield had to take careful effort to make sure his footfalls were true. It was doubtful that falling from the walkway would be fatal, but the last thing he needed was the guilt of having Piera have to dive in after him. The spray from the falls, though normally an annoyance in the cool night air, this time was a secret blessing, camouflaging his tears. The light sprinkling gave him an excuse to wipe his face clean of the remaining evidence.

"This's all th' further y'need to take me," he assured her as he stood standing in the doorway to his home which, in a very literal sense, was nothing more than a living room. "I know y'probably feel like y'didn' have any choice, but still, thanks fer walkin' me. I prolly would'a had to call for Beat, and tha's a conversation I don' wanna have. Not tonight."

He turned to Piera, not sure exactly what kind of parting gesture to offer to someone who had more or less been giving him a high-impact side-hug for the last half-hour. He opted for a wave, standing on his doorway to see her off.

[Piera 0]

Piera squinted through the constant mist created by the falls that surrounded what she was now fairly sure was Shield's home, attempting to muffle her grimace upon seeing the large chasm that separated them from  his front door. Eyeing Shield as he wiped his face from the accumulating moisture and not suspecting anything amiss, the alchemist frowned as she stared at the rickety bridge. Her jaw was clenched tight as she kept tight hold of him as they walked slowly, ever so slowly across, but steadily and thus safely. Her eyes were kept riveted to the planks in front of her, forcing herself not to focus on what was beneath them... Namely, nothing.

By the time the pair arrived safely on the other side, Piera let out a small sigh of relief, loosening her grip on the poor drunken man. Eyes opening as the tank stated that she didn't need to escort him any longer, Piera glanced at the door and shrugged before giving a lopsided sympathetic smile at his gratitude. "I dunno, I think you'd look pretty cute being carried princess style in Beat's arms. Mighta been worth it." Deflecting and attempting to lighten the situation with humor as always.

Then her eyes widened in sudden realization. "Oh, before you go in, don't forget this." Swiping through her menu, she sent him a trade request for the hangover cure that would make the next morning bearable (at least in terms of the effect her 100 proof potion). "Drink it now and you shouldn't feel any ill effects in the morning." Then pausing in consideration she tacked on, "At least not from my potion. Regrets about any actions taken while inebriated not included." Rattling off the statement like an infomercial.

Standing there in front of him as he stood in his doorway, Piera was suddenly struck with a sense of awkwardness for some reason and became a little stiff, not knowing whether to give the guy a hug, a pat on the shoulder or a thumbs up. Lips pursing in indecision, she simply followed his lead, raising her hand in a small wave of farewell. "Break a leg tomorrow. Preferably not permanently. Lemme know if you ever wana talk again. Or need anything. Later Shield."

Turning, the brunette then froze upon seeing the bridge once more and groaned to herself. She was seriously considering using a teleport crystal, but it wasn't worth it to be honest. "Emergencies only." She whispered to herself before setting off across the bridge once more and making her way back to her home. 

[Shield 0]

Shield quaffed the potion and opened the door, more through force than through proper utilization of its handle. Beat seemed to be out, which was fine. Shield didn't want more awkward questions than was necessary. There was a couch in front of the fireplace in their little single-room home, and deciding that he was in no mood to deal with a harsh wooden floor in the morning, he settled himself on the cushions and pulled down the little blanket that rested there.

As he lay in the makeshift bed, he held the lump in his throat that he had been fighting, and, through sheer force of will, managed to swallow it down before closing his eyes. He didn't need to shed more tears over the past. It was just that: the past. It was best to let it lie. He had already dragged enough of his dirty laundry out in the open for one night. Even without any witnesses, he could not permit himself any more moments of weakness.

When I wake up in the morning, it'll be like none of this ever happened.

He rolled over and closed his eyes, and although he was already in the process of drifting off to sleep, he knew that wasn't how things worked. How long would it be this time before the past caught up with him again?

 

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