Chapter 15: An “Idle” Chat Between Partners
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Alphonse who seemed to have noticed my voice just turned his pupils to the right and back towards the rackets filled with bottles of liquor in front of him. He immediately put the glass down and let out a sigh.

 

“I knew you would be here, Alphonse,” I said as he turned his head towards me.

 

“You always seem to know where I would go, Adrie. Why are you here?” He raised his eyebrows and stretched his lips flat as he shrugged his shoulders.

 

“Well, first of all, I should be the one asking you that. Kalem was worried about you and merely asked me for a favor. In return, I gladly accepted it.”

 

“Really? You only do this to return the favor to him, huh? You gotta gimme another reason to convince me “why” you’re here,” Of course he just had to ask that question.

 

“Look, we’re both responsible for each other, we’re work partners and….. you’re my most trustworthy friend,” I replied as I smiled at him, with him letting out a huffed chuckle.

 

He let out a smirk on his face, his cheeks lightly dusted red. Indicating he had drunk maybe several shots.

 

“Aww, so you do care about me after all, Adrie,”

 

“What kind of question even is that? You have known me long enough to realize it,” I replied with a light chuckle.

 

“And long enough to know how scary you are when it comes to specific things” He added playfully, making me remember the moment when he visited my apartment and wrecked my kitchen.  

 

My eyes then turned its gaze to his left leg, momentarily staring at it before I focused back on his face.

 

"How's the leg?" 

 

"Oh this?"

 

Alphonse exclaimed as he swung his left leg back and forth with ease, "Back to business, baby. Now I ain't got to worry about Kalem chasing me down to scold about the wound openin up and stuff like that" He grinned as he lifted his glass and finished his drink.

 

“Make it a double,” Alphonse turned his body forward as he raised his glass containing a misshaped sphere of ice.

 

The bartender noticed him as he looked in Alphonse’s direction and nodded.

 

“Coming right away, sir,” The bartender replied as he was pouring a mix of cocktail for another customer sitting by the bar.

 

The air was getting tense from the stares I was being given by some people. It’s better if I stayed close to Alphonse. I cleared my throat to catch his attention, he gave me a raise on one of his eyebrows as he looked at me with a slight tipsy gaze.

 

“Mind if I sit here?” I asked as I cocked my head towards the seat on his right.

 

“Sure, be my guest,” Alphonse slurred as he waved his right hand to me lazily, his body sways slowly.

 

I nodded as I lifted the lower parts of my coat, not to be caught between my bottom and the stool. When I glanced back at him, he was inhaling on his stick of cigarette as it’s edge slowly burned. As he blew off a puff of smoke, the bartender from earlier began to refill his drink.

 

Many other bottles of alcoholic beverages were displayed on the shelves on the counter and rackets. Ranging from Whiskey, Vodka, Rum, Cognac, and many others that can tip everyone off. And this is why I was worried if my partner here came here alone.

 

“Cheers,” Alphonse muttered as he lifted his glass and started to take a sip on the glass filled with Dark Amber colored substance. Letting out a delighted sigh as he put the glass away from his lips.

 

“You want a drink? My treat,” He mentioned with a chirpy voice.

 

“No thanks, I’m driving tonight. It would be irresponsible, don’t you think? Furthermore, I take no interest in indulging myself in such beverages,” I replied while I eyed at his glass of Whiskey.

 

“Aww, bummer. Guess I couldn’t see you getting all red, lightweight lil Adrie~” He cheekily teased me with a high-pitched slur.

 

“How many glasses of Whiskey have you dissipate before I got here?” I asked with concern.

 

“I dunno~, maybe four or five? I can’t remember...” His voice slurry and inaudible

 

Alphonse stuck his cigarette into a glass ashtray and leaned his head on the back of his left hand. While holding the glass of liquor with the tips of his right fingers. Staring at me with lazy eyes and a pout.

 

“10 glasses to be exact, sir,” The bartender commented, making Alphonse cussed under his breath.

 

“Is that so? Why I thank you on his behalf for the information” I smiled at the gentleman and then glared daggers at Alphonse who has clamped shut his mouth as he was caught.

 

“S-so what if I have 10 glasses of it, it’s not like I will get drunk anyway. Maybe a liiilll bit tipsy. Strong toleration against alcohol runs deep in my blood,” He abruptly replied with an increased tone of voice as he glared at me with annoyed eyes.

 

“Then care to explain why you’re doing this whole guilt drinking?”

 

Alphonse POV

 

Shit…. 

 

I could feel Adrian staring at me from the sides. Not a good feeling I tell you, from someone whose job is to end someone. You can already tell from his Violet eyes that they contain something more than just curiosity. Shivers were ravaging throughout my body as he continued to stare at me profoundly. 

 

It’s been hard these days, with Lenny going to get married and the Esmond family uniting with that family. Those thoughts have been bugging me all day, even when I’m at work. All that I wanted was a little break, I can’t let Lenna see me overwhelmed like this. Not her stupid idiotic but loveable big brother acting like a blunt mess.

 

“Need to get some stuff out of my head, it’s messing with my mind,” I replied, trying to keep my cool as I took another sip of the bittersweet liquor from my glass.

 

“However, drinking to make yourself forget about it isn’t the solution here, Alphonse” His words flickered a sense of guilt within me, transcripting it into an essence of anger.

 

“Then what the fuck should I do then, huh?!” I shouted at him, quickly shutting my mouth.

 

I slammed the glass into the cork coaster, causing the bartender to gaze with dissatisfied eyes. Also getting a few peering eyes creeping up my back. 

 

“I’m the reason Lenny’s going to get married to that son of a bitch. Why are you being so indifferent as if nothing had happened?! Shouldn’t you be mad at me, Adrie?” I replied as my grip on the glass became tighter with a guilt-trip feeling.

 

“Mad at you? Why?” His question made me even more boiled to the core.

 

“Well, isn't it fucking obvious?!” I frantically snatched the box of cigarettes on the counter and grabbed a stick.

 

“Because of me, you couldn’t be with Lenny, Adrie…. I ruined your chance with her...” I muttered as I stuck in the edge of the cigarette and lit it up with my lighter.

 

I inhaled for more than a few seconds, removing the tip from my mouth. Exhaling as if the burdens on my shoulder were lifted. Enabling me to calm down a bit before confronting Adrian with this sensitive topic.

 

“And that’s the whole reason you haven’t been in touch with me since that night. is that it?” His words made my movements halt in place.

 

The tension from this collided with the number of drinks I had, it just made it worse. Fuck, the alcohol’s gonna take over if I don’t stop. It would be dangerous if I passed out and there's a chance “he” will take over my body. But, there’s no reason why I shouldn’t tell Adrie about my situation. Couldn’t help it at the very least, I need to be honest with him.

 

“You guessed it right. And I figured out you would at least want to blame me for what had happened,” I sighed, knowing I had messed up this complex conversation. Way to go Alphonse, way to break your best buddy’s heart.

 

As if what happened after that night wasn’t enough to grow a never-ending feeling of being swallowed up by guilt in me.

 

The day after the Agreement…

 

I was in complete darkness, an endless space that would make me believe that I was blind. Then sounds of a low snarky cackle made itself into my head. Trying to keep my composure as that voice wasn’t so unfamiliar to me at all. I was beginning to feel shaky as what I feel was a pair of limbs engulfed me in them. Followed by some kind of straps wrapping themselves around me, keeping me from making any more sudden moves. 

 

My heart pounding with no rhythm, the same goes for my breathing. Exhaling the air in my lungs endlessly, feeling light in my head. A familiar sensation came as something leaned on my shoulder. The moist and sticky sound his mouth makes when he grins transpire me to be even more scared. Petrified by the cold and chill air, a high-pitched voice came through the dark void.

 

“Been a while, Alphie… Care to play a lil game of sweet sentimental flashback?” A whisper followed by a light giggle came through the darkness.

 

“N-not you again, go away, GET AWAY FROM ME!!” I cried in fear, struggling to free myself from the restraints I was in.

 

“Aww, what a shame. Don't you miss me a bit?" A playful voice spoke

 

"Never" I hissed, jolting up my body to free myself from his chains.

 

"No matter how hard you try, Alphie. You can’t run away from me,” As those words finished I felt a grip against my cheeks as it made me turn my head sideways with force.

 

From that darkness, In front of my eyes was a face none other than my own. Looking at me with strained wide eyes, a spine-tingling grin as his fangs show itself ready to bite me down. 

 

“Oh, how I miss the sounds of innocent people screaming helplessly while you put a gun against their heads. And then, bang... Whoops!! they're all gone~”

 

My lips were trembling, gasping for air as he leaned his forehead against mine with slow and eerie movement. I was speechless, a lump growing in my throat, unable to make anything out of it. Mustering all the courage I have in me, trying to reply to his threats and banters.I have to fight back, I can't let him take over, not with Lenny around in the mansion.

 

"T-that's just you, NOT ME!! I would never involve anyone outside of the association in this," I replied harshly

 

"That's so wise coming from someone whose body count can be quoted like leaves falling off a tree naturally. Although, I rather disguised it as a thirst for blood~ You know what I'm talking about here~"

 

"Shut up..." I mumbled, wanting to cover my ears as my head was inflicted by a jolt of throbbing pain.

 

“No matter how hard you’re trying to get rid of me, I will always be in your head. Taking over your body was the only thing I wanted in this empty void. I'm craving for more than just a fleeting moment of controlling it,” I felt his head tilting to the side as noises of his neck cracking made me freeze in fear.

 

"I SAID SHUT UP YOU FUCK!!" I yelled out my whole lungs, but he kept on grinned, continuing to taunt me

 

“As long as you live, you can’t avoid me. Come on, just let me out. Just like last night when you passed out. I had sooo much thrill and fun with that White-haired Grim Reaper. You should have seen me playing all so protective and boisterous over Lenna. He even gave me a look at a picture of you and her in front of her apartment. What a sly stalker, huh?”

 

“You’re not real.. And you will never be... You're just a fucking illusion” I callously glowered at him.

 

“Oh really? Too bad~” He giggled menacingly as he clenched both of my cheeks, chill to the touch.

 

“I’m a part of you….. Forever and ever,” He stated as he dug his nails deeper into my skin as I watched with tears streaming down my face. His nails scratched across my blood-tainted face as his eyes turned hollow, black to the core.

 

So wake up...

 

At that moment, my eyes shot wide open as I took in a huge gasp of air. Venting in and out in panic, cold sweat running through my back. Relief washed like a wave all over me, realizing I wasn’t in “his” hold anymore.

 

As I was trying to calm down, I realized I was staring up right at the ceiling. I tried to remember what had happened last night after I was taken away. Right... left leg…. surgery…. And…… Lenny…. Marriage….. Damn it…

 

I felt numb on my left leg as if it was wrapped in something.

 

“Fuck..” I cursed under my breath, trying to sit with my hands trembling to hold my body up.

 

But my body says otherwise, a stream of straining pain from my muscles jolted and caused me to yelp. 

 

“You shouldn't force your body too much, Alphonse,” A voice called out, I heard covers of a book being closed. 

 

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