Perekoo One-shots

Drunk Pickup Line

''If you were words on a page, you'd be fine print.''

Isabel's drunken giggle filled the midnight London air once again. Her hands around my shoulders loosened and I had to pull her closer so she wouldn't fall on the pavement.

''How much did you really have, Isabel?''

''How much of what?'' She said grinning.

''Don't grin...Alcohol, how much did you have?''

''Oh that,...I don't know, I don't remember,'' said Miss Cuckoo an innocent look in her eyes and I just rolled mine. She seemed to take my silence as an encouragement to continue so she did.

''Where did I left off...Oh yes...Did it hurt when you fell from heaven?''

My cheeks reddened again, and more than before, as if it were possible. Silly pickup lines...She is drunk and I am blushing as if I were too. We are quite the duo.

Isabel must have tripped because I felt a sudden weight around my shoulders. Fortunately, we didn't fall but weirdly embraced each other. At that moment I was glad that people of the Acre didn't go outside after sundown because this would be more than hilarious and all the council needed now was two seemingly drunk leaders, one for real, being spotted falling on their faces in the middle of the night. I could see her smug smile as she buried her face into my neck and we once again lost balance. I should rather say that I lost my balance this time.

When we finally both stood steadily (well, at least I) with both feet on the ground I quickly (but carefully) pushed Isabel of me. She just laughed. Irritated and tired as I was, I lead her to a near bench and we sat down. Isabel immediately moved, put her hands around my neck, and sat in my lap.

''What-What are you doing?!'' She paused for a moment, as if weighing her options, then she leaned in and whispered.

''I'm an adventurer and I want to explore you.'' Oh, Bird. That was enough. I freed myself from her and started walking away.

She only sat there with her legs crossed watching me. I could see the strange look in her eyes, just like a confused puppy. Isabel couldn't understand, how could she. She was completely intoxicated, otherwise, she wouldn't say such things. Not to me anyway.

After a few other deep breaths, I turned around and strolled back to her.

''Why did you run away like that, cherié,'' she asked,'' needed a moment?''

''I suppose you could say it like that.'' She moved and made room for me to sit.

''You do know what pickup lines are used for, right?'' Either she didn't hear my question or didn't care and instead of answering she just laid her head on my shoulder and we both stared in the distance. All we could hear were the sounds of the sleeping city. Most of the population of Devil's Acre was already sleeping but some windows were still glowing bright into the emptiness of the night. I wondered to whom those lights belonged. If they simply forgot to blow out a candle and fell asleep in their formal clothes on their beds or purposely kept the fire on to read or write about their day, maybe to put their children finally to bed and read them a bedtime story. Or maybe just to think about their day, life, what direction to take, what road to choose. At least that's what I did. Thinking about things I want, and things I can't have. Ironically, they were often the same. They were often a person, a woman, an ymbryne, my old, dear friend.

I lightly laid my head on top of hers. A sweet honey-like scent filled my nose. I deeply inhaled, closed my eyes, and imagined for a moment how life could be. A shiver ran down my spine. I was so tired.

''You smell nice," whispered Isabel. She was silly but I couldn't help but smile. It was nice hearing compliments for once, even if they came from my intoxicated colleague.

"Thank you, Isabel."

"I like when you say my name like that," stated the cuckoo.

"Like what?"

"When you're happy. It feels nice..."
"I like your voice..."

"You don't know what you're saying, silly, you are too drunk to understand," I smiled sadly.

She gently laid her hand on mine and I left it there because her skin was soft and warm. "Isabel, what do you do to me..." I whispered.

"What do I do?" Asked the cuckoo, and I could tell by the intonation of her voice that confusion was written all over her pretty face. A heard someone laugh in the distance, but I wasn't paying attention to that, neither did I notice that the one light in the distance finally disappeared or that Isabel turned around and watched me. No, the only thing a could think about were her words.

Could I tell her what I truly felt? Could I now turn on her, look her in the eyes and tell her how much loved her closeness, how feeling her hand on mine made my cheeks burn and my heart beat faster, how every time she was around all I could think about was pressing my lips to hers, how her touch made me lose my mind and her smile made me want to give her anything in the world?

Why not tell her? She would never know. She could have doubts in the morning about this conversation but dismiss it as her drunk imagination and even if she asked I would only have to say how hilariously it sounded and that it wasn't true and she would just forget about it.

So why not?

I took a deep breath. "Nothing and everything. You give me hope, and I don't like it..."

"Why?" I tilted my head and leaned against the bench. My eyes were burning and I had to close them for a second. So tired. I rubbed my eyes and threw my hands up in surrender.

"Because It's a lie," I forced a desperate laugh, "Because I wish you meat those words. But at the moment you can't even understand their true meaning." I could feel the tears forming in my eyes and I put my face in my hands. She didn't ask another question, a silence spread between us, and once again the only thing we could hear was the wind in the trees. After a moment she reached over and turned my head to face her. I looked deep into her chocolate brown eyes. She had this look, sweet and warm, the one she always had only now just slightly clouded with the alcohol on her brain.

I felt her thumbs on my cheeks carefully brushing away the tears that were falling from my eyes now.

"Because I love you, Is."

For a moment I thought that I saw genuine surprise flashing across her expression, a mix of disbelief and confusion. I froze for a moment thinking that I perhaps misjudged the amount of vine she had but then she tilted her head to the side and smiled like a dork.

"Who wouldn't, I love myself too," said Isabel while chuckling. I sighed with relief. She pulled me close and I buried my head into her neck silently crying. She whispered sweet nothings that at some points didn't even make sense but didn't care. I just listened to her accent and smiled.

It took me a while to pull myself back together. She held me and for a moment and it seemed that everything was possible. I only managed to say an almost inaudible thank you. I pulled away and stood from the bench offering her my hand while wiping away my tears.

"Well now, let's get you home, dear."