Big Book of Writing

Sweet Molotov Desire (Sannochieyomi, SDRA2)

Today is Cat Day, so this is a Nikei POV fic. lol

***

Nikei drummed his fingers against the car door as he leaned on its side. Setsuka had beat him to the passenger seat, so he was left bored in the back seat. He wished he had his license...well, at least his driving would still be better than Setsuka's.

Mikado had some kind of jazz or classical radio station playing while he drove, Nikei couldn't care which. He was tired from gathering interviews about a scandal, but he agreed to go with them to a karaoke bar. Maybe he just wanted to get too blitzed to remember everything that happened today.

"Kado, it's in the left lane," Setsuka pointed out. At least Nikei got to miss out on front-seat duties - that is, giving directions to the driver. He didn't even know how Mikado got a driver's license, he wouldn't trust that asshole within a mile of gasoline, much less with a car. But fate just liked kicking Nikei down sometimes.

"Oh, I see it up ahead. I'll find somewhere to park," Mikado reported, turning into the parking lot.

Setsuka let out a yawn and stretched her arms, and she twisted herself to look into the backseat. "Oh, you're still awake!" she noticed, beginning to smile again.

"Did you think I'd be asleep?" Nikei tone was drier than the Mojave as he lazily let his gaze drift to his girlfriend.

"Well, no, but you were so quiet that I couldn't tell," Setsuka admitted.

Nikei let out a small laugh as he sat up and smoothed out his clothes and hair, righting himself again. "So, we're getting drinks, right? Who's gonna be the one to drive us back?" he asked.

"Well, I don't think you'll be able to carry us both out, so I guess Kado's the designated driver," Setsuka awkwardly chuckled, trying to ignore how annoyed the journalist looked.

"I can't get drunk anyway..." Mikado interrupted. "All the alcohol gets burned out of my system before it can take effect..."

"Wait, how does that work?" Setsuka questioned. "So, you're basically immune to being drunk?"

"It's my fire magic, it raises my body temperature," he explained. "It's the same reason I'm in the middle of the bed in winter."

"It's the same reason you nearly gave Hajime a heart attack when you got a fever," Nikei joked.

"Details." Mikado stopped the car and immediately got out of the car. He was fast enough that Setsuka and Nikei scrambled to get their seatbelts undone and join him.

The karaoke bar they walked to looked flashy on the outside, but rather stiff and professional in the lobby. Mikado stepped up to the reception counter to rent the room for them, but Nikei hung back with Setsuka. Even if she made a lot from her tournaments and he got a decent amount from journalism, Mikado tended to hack for money. If he got arrested, Nikei planned to pretend not to know him or how random funds from Mikado got into his account.

"So, while he's doing that..." Setsuka turned to Nikei, reaching forward to straighten out his neckerchief. "How'd your work go? Did you get enough for your articles?"

"Yeah, I think so. I got to talk to some politicians and business aides, I asked Mikado to send me screenshots of company stock reports, I got a bit of security footage... I'm almost finished, actually. I just need to proofread the article." Nikei took a breath, having rambles rather quickly.

Setsuka stopped him before he started up again, putting the cloth back into place. "How about I proofread it this time? I'll make sure Mikado behaves, and I'll get your article posted on time, don't you worry," she told him.