Reflection, Gossip, and Liquor

June was positively on air right now. Right now, she didn't think her day could get better. But she was gonna damn well try.

It'd been one hell of a day. She fought with an admittedly attractive young man who was the reincarnation of an ancient evil, went inside his brain to have a chat with said ancient evil, and got the closure she had been looking for for over a decade.

It hadn't been that long though, and it was still early enough in the night to actually celebrate it. There was only one place in the world she felt like taking two of the people she trusted most right now.

"MAKALOV, THE DRINKS ARE ON ME!"

The entire bar cheered.

She brought her entourage over to the bar and said "Makalov, for the first time in a very long time, I think I might actually order something here besides something to drink. We'll be over there. give us a little bit."

Makalov seemed absolutely shocked by this statement but the realization clearly hit him that something amazing happened and gave her the biggest thumbs up he could.

She brought all three of them over to a booth, still giddy from the emotional high and cheeks red from the earlier tears.

"So guys, I know it's been kind of a whirlwind today, but let's just...enjoy ourselves for a while. At least for a little bit. That's fine right?"

Airi looked around the bar, licking her lips with what could only be considered a lustful gaze. "Oh, I can definitely enjoy myself around here~"

"Horny maid..."

"Hey, I didn't hear you complaining~"

"Cause I was having my life sucked out of me, lady! Anyways...Happy to have helped, June." Soma gave a warm smile.

With a bit of a sigh, June looked at her and went "...alright, Airi, you've earned it. Go enjoy yourself. But don't drain anyone more than they'll feel. I trust you enough to do that much. Now go, I'll give Makalov the okay."

No doubt leaving in an excited stupor, June turns back to Soma with an exasperated look on her face. "She's a good girl, honest, and I love her to death, but she's just a handful, is all. Sorry about that when you woke up, sometimes she can't contain herself. I wish I knew why she's so hungry all the time."

"Don't worry about the cost of things tonight, you get whatever you want. Tonight's on me. I owe you more than one dinner ever could pay."

Soma watched as the spectral servant floated off in a hurry, most likely to go seduce some random woman. Letting out a sigh, he looked over at June. "It's alright. I'm just happy that I was able to help you out. I hope it went well, dealing with...him."

"I gotta admit, I wasn't expecting it to be that easy, either. Then again, I think everyone knows the story of Dracula by now. Maybe my case spoke to the human in him, or at least the human he once was? I won't speak on his behalf, I know all the reprehensible crap he's done throughout the generations, but I will say he at least felt...honorable."

"But, that's besides the point. Soma, you put your trust in me when most people would have called me an insane dreamer. And in the end, it worked out on a level that I never even could have possibly imagined. I don't think you'll ever fully understand...how much that meant to me."

"So, one dinner isn't enough to really show that. If you need me for anything, just say the word. Funds, Medical things, advice, whatever. You name it. I'm sure you have a few questions about all this too. I was decidedly vague about all this in my excited state. Please, go ahead with whatever you like. I won't mind."

"Heh. I will say, you did sound a bit insane asking to use Dracula's soul. I wanted to deny you. But...I dunno, there was a part of me that thought 'hey, might as well give it a shot. If it gets bad, bail.' And..I'm glad it worked out."

Scratching his cheek, Soma shook his head. "I can't think of anything that I want. You're a good person, and I want to be able to help you. That's all there is to it."

"Hmm...well, there is one thing I can do. I did promise that after all, and that was to slap as many curses and seals on Dracula as I physically was capable of. We'll worry about doing that at a later date, but I can assure you, when I'm done with it, he'll be so packed in there that it'd take him 10 Death's to get out."

At that moment, Makalov himself came by with a few menus. "Sorry for the wait, I was making sure your friend there wasn't causing any trouble..." point to Airi who was busy chatting up a female patron.

"Oh don't worry about her, Makalov. She's harmless. Plus I'm pretty sure most of the ones in here are drunk enough that they won't mind."

She was about to get another of her regular, when something felt like it changed in her. "...actually, I think I'll skip that tonight. I'll take something smoother, less powerful, to start out with. I feel like it's one of the first times where I'm not having it just to kill a headache. I'll let you choose which, I trust your tastes."

"Wow, you're really classing it up tonight for the new boyfriend."

Instantly, June's face turned bright red "MAKALOV IT'S NOT LIKE THAT! He's just...a good friend is all. And that's not why I'm happy." She brought her old friend in close and whispered "He's the reason I got to see Mora again."

At first confusion, but then sudden realization at what that statement meant, followed by pulling June into a giant hug that carried her off of her seat with the biggest smile on his face in years. "You never thought you'd get to do it, but you found a way! You always were sharp as a tack but now you've gotten so good you cheated death!"

"I..I appreciate it. Thank you, so much. I just hope it doesn't affect my skills when it comes to soul usage."

At Makalov's words, Soma put his head down, a pink hue forming on his face. "I...I don't even have a response to that. But...screw it, if we're celebrating, I guess I'll..try a beer?" Though despite all the flustering, he felt..genuinely happy for her. She managed to succeed where others most likely had failed.

"It shouldn't, as far as I know. That's also your thing, you know?" She got out through the massive hug.

"1 Beer and one special recommendation, coming right up!" Makalov said as he sat June back down and ran back to grab them.

"And here I thought you weren't into alcohol. Don't worry, the stuff here's great. And don't mind him, I've known Makalov for almost a decade now. He's basically all I've got left of my old life."

A thought crossed her mind as she said that however. "Soma...how old are you, exactly?"

"Might as well give it a shot, you know? It's a celebration. Gotta cut loose. As for my age, I'm about...19 or so? Though given the stuff I've gone through, plus Dracula being in me...I feel a lot older."

Soma scratched his cheek, before giving a teasing grin. "Why? Into younger guys?"

"Oh, no reason, I was just making sure you were actually legal is...all..." she got out before images flashed in her head of their first encounter. Her face instantly flushed and she tried not to meet eye contact.

"I-I mean, I'm into all types really. I-it's more the personality I latch to than anything physical..."

Oh god I sexually assaulted a technical minor. I mean, that wouldn't matter much in the matters of a fight but I could lose my medical license for that. Oh jeez.

"...Pretty sure I a-"

Oh hey, the images popped into his head as well. And cue facedesk. "Ugh.....I mean..Truth be told, it wasn't bad. But.....oh gods...Is this what it'll be like dealing with Midara, too?"

Oh god I hope he's not attracted to older women. He's a catch, sure, but I can't afford to be attracted to younger men.

"W-well, most Midara would just kind of jump you and you wouldn't really get to say anything about it. I mean, this was willing, so it's a bit different...right?"

Would that hold up in court? Would I be forced INTO court in the first place? He's attractive and nice and funny but GODDAMMIT

FOCUS, JUNE, HE HAS A GIRLFRIEND, STOP IMAGINING HIM NAKED, STOP THAT RIGHT NOW

Externally, the tension has thickened to knife cutting levels. June's face has slowly be turning a darker shade of red as her mind internally processes this, still trying desperately to avoid looking directly at the man on the other side of the table that she doesn't fully understand her feelings about.

"I-I mean..Yeah, I think? I've only dealt with...y-ya know. A few."

Coughing, he began to tap on the counter. He...really needed to change the subject, huh?

"So..uh...How about those sports?"

"Oh, yeah, I love sports, what with that player, on that team, playing that one game..."

JUNE, PULL YOURSELF TOGETHER, YOU'RE BREAKING APART, ACT YOUR AGE, DAMMIT

"Soma, I..."

June was cut off mid statement by the sound of Soma's Beer Glass hitting the table with respectable force, courtesy of Makalov. He gently slid her a glass of something that definitely wasn't her usual. A bit lighter in color, with a hint of yellow pervading it. It also had a nice foam at the top.

"My bar friends call this a "Blue Moon." I'm told it's top quality and figured you'd like it. I'll let you guys have some time to decide what you wanted to order."

As he turned, he put a hand on my shoulder and whispered "You seemed like you were having some trouble there. Just be you, he's clearly into you."

"THAT'S NOT WHAT I'M-" she started as he left, with June having a baffled expression on her face complete with that same pink hue.

Soma simply rose an eyebrow at the actions, before taking a sip of his beer and cringing in response. "Agh...It's...Gah, is alcohol usually bitter?"

Cringing once more, he took another sip. "Ah...Man, that'll take some getting used to."

Seeing him react to the beer actually calmed her, if only slightly. She fiddled with her hair a little as she finally managed to get comfy in her seat and finally look him in the eyes a little.

Alright, even if he wants us together, he did save my ass from doing something I'd probably regret. June, you have GOT to pull yourself together. You're a grown ass woman, and this man's senior by almost two decades. You HAVE to be the adult here, or everything is going to break down.

She took a sip of hers and had a similar reaction. It's almost wine like with it's texture, being very light and airy. Also has a hint of lime in it? It's definitely not her speed, despite it clearly being well made.

"Everyone has their preference with different kinds of beer. There's all types too, from the more bitter ones to something with barely any bite in it at all. Sometimes they even infuse them with different types of flavors, like different fruit or the like. I once had a chocolate beer once. It was awful, but I can respect a good experiment."

...wait a second

She held the glass in his direction. "Here, let's swap. I think you'll like this one better."

Blinking, Soma looked up at the drink before he took it, sipping at it. "Huh...It's good. Better than beer." The man took a deep breath, before sipping at it some more. He was calming down, at the very least.

As for a certain maid? She was currently draining a few women at the same time in a nice, tucked away and quiet corner of the bar.

"See what I mean? Everyone's got their own preferences with it comes to it. Some people never even find out what those preferences are, and just write it off as "oh, well maybe I just don't like Beer" and the like. Those people are missing out."

She took a small swig of the classic beer as she said this. Now THAT'S a flavor that she was familiar with. Strong enough that it feels like a slap in the face, but with a nice, pleasant aftertaste. Now this was what she pref-

wait a goddamned second

She instantly turned her head around to the bar to see Makalov give her a sly wink. And also Airi giving rapt attention to 3 different patrons at once.

that sly son of a bitch, he knew all along

he was waiting for that indirect kiss the whole time

I have clearly been discounting his problem solving skills for a few years by an incredibly large margin

Turning back around in as nonchalant a manner as possible, she went back to sipping at the glass, the pink-ish hue returning as she started to lose her cool again.

"So...tell me about that girl you've got a thing for. I felt a pretty big pang back then, and I can't help but be a little curious. Unless I'm prying too much..."

Soma was slowly starting to come to the same realization, but he crushed it down as he heard June's question.

Ah yes, Reisen. "She's amazing. She's..." Okay, he couldn't really tell her all the details. Reisen did say she was a fugitive of sorts where she came from. And even if there weren't any moon rabbits nearby that he could see, he didn't want to risk it.

"She's new around here. Really charming, adorable..I'm happy to have met her."

He went back to his drink, trying not to pay attention to the fact that they were sharing an indirect kiss. How was he getting so flustered? They sucked face, like...three times during their fight!

She could instantly see his face soften at describing her. There was a bit of joy in his voice. She did notice that slight hesitation, though, but it didn't really matter right now.

I guess, in the end, I like seeing him happy. And she does do that for him. Even if something about the whole thing feels a little...off.

That doesn't mean she didn't have trouble stuffing away the thoughts of their first encounter. How they went at it for a while. How soft it was. How she hummed in pleasure. How...happy...she felt...during it all...

FOCUS, DAMMIT. YOU JUST ASKED HIM ABOUT HIS GIRLFRIEND AND YOU'RE STILL THINKING OF BONING HIM!

"Truly? That's good to hear. Any girl would be lucky to-"

ABORT, ABORT, UNDO, CTRL+Z

"I-I mean, I think she's quite lucky to have you. After all, for all you did for a complete random stranger, I can only imagine what it's like for someone you...t-truly care for, and all..."

She trailed off a little, rolling her finger around the top of her glass absentmindedly. All with that pink hue still there.

You are blowing it so goddamned hard. Jesus Christ woman. ACT. YOUR. AGE.

"A-Ah..T-Thank you." Soma felt his face go bright red. Whether it was because of the drink, or her words, he was unsure. "B-But hey, I'm sure a woman like you, gorgeous as you are, gets countless guys lining up at her door. You're smart, funny, beautiful, kind...I bet you're popular."

Airi let out a satisfied sigh as she finished off a few of the patrons. She didn't kill them, but they'd be experiencing bliss for a while. And yet, she wasn't finished....

"Y-you think that? Not many people look past initial appearances, honestly. And...it's kind of my fault too."

She shifted a little in her seat, still flush but at this point reminiscing a little enough that she doesn't notice it as much.

"I spent a long time just stuffed away in my research, whether it was for medical purposes or for my own end goals with it all. In truth, I haven't really thought about relationships since I lost my husband. Being intimate with someone felt like I was...wasting time I could have used elsewhere, I guess. I was just so focused on those few points that I just...ignored everything else in my life, aside from my work."

I really have spent a large part of my life with this, haven't I? I feel happy that it accomplished what I set out to do, but...

June held her glass on the table, looking down at her own reflection. The melancholic side of her was coming out, and it might be because of the drink.

...am I really happiest with someone else? Have I been going about this the wrong way?

"Understandable...B-But hey! Now you've done it, right?" Leaving over the table, the reincarnation reached over, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Y-You can go out, find someone that makes you happy.  You've got all the time in the world...Might as well use it to find someone that you can spend time with, right? Having a goal's fine and good..Just..don't burn yourself out, alright?"

Oh my god he's so dense. Why is he so dense, and yet perfect in every other way.

Strangely, she didn't feel as embarrassed by the act of him reaching out and comforting her like she no doubt would have been earlier. Maybe it was the old memories coming back? Maybe it was the pessimism rearing it's ugly head.

He is right though. I've got all the time in the world now. I might spend a lot of it trying to find someone that would see my own form as anything other than "freak" but eventually it would be. Maybe Soma is one of those people, maybe he's not, but maybe I'm thinking too hard about all this?

She put a hand on his in comfort and smiled, finally letting go of that flush and embarrassment. "Thank you, Soma. I think I needed that. But please, sit. I feel like now's a good a time as any to get some things off my chest."

"I think it's time I told you the full story. It was over a decade ago now, when this all began. It might be a long story. I hope that's fine with you. But first..." she looked behind her and gave Makalov a little wave, signifying they were ready to order.

"Why don't we get some food ready for us first?"