Lovesick: A DungeonMeshi ModernAU Fic

Chapter 4: Outbreak

Two hours. Toshiro thinks to himself. I haven't got a word in edgewise for almost two hours.

It was now nearly 8:30, and any plan he had for a romantic dinner was almost entirely ruined by two factors,

1. His "date" was absolutely sloshed.
2. His "date's" friend was also drunk and she kept talking over him.

He had asked Falin to dance, she just laughed and said she probably couldn't. Too drunk.

That took so much courage, what's with my luck? She didn't even really seem to acknowledge that I was trying to get to know her better...

He paces in the bathroom in front of the sink. A concerned drunk man keeps glancing over at him from the urinal.

Dammit. That's it. I'm going to march in there and cut my losses. I'll ask her out later when she's not trying to catch up with a college buddy.

He stops pacing. Looks at himself in the mirror.

Calm down, you look good.

He really looks at himself.

He did not, in fact, look good. He hadn't been sleeping recently. He had a big case coming up, it could be the deciding factor if he made partner this year or not. Bags under his eyes make his already dark eyes look sickly and deep-set. His cheeks were a bit gaunt.

I need to take time for myself but I'm always just juggling everything.

The drunk man scoots past him to the sink.

"Sorry, bro, gotta wash my hands."

Toshiro doesn't acknowledge him, he simply turns and stalks out of the bathroom. To his horror, he sees Laios sitting with the two women at the end of the bar, the bar's cook is talking to the three of them, and they're all laughing.

Laios looks up at him and waves,

"Hey, Shuro! Small world, eh?"

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Falin was feeling really good by the time Laios came in through the front door. She jumped up, spilling Shuro's water a bit as she flung out her arms to steady herself as her brother shouldered through the crowd up to the bar.

"Laios!" She practically screamed as she wobbled up to him with Doctor Donato in tow.

Laios glances down, looking surprised and relieved.

"Falin! You didn't answer your phone!"

Falin looks down at the ground, "It died at work... I forgot to plug it in last night."

Marcille nudges her and slurs, "You coulda asked me for a charger..."

Falin unsteadily sways, "What?"

Marcille leans in and cups her hand around her mouth to Falin's ear, "I said, you could've asked me to charge your phone,"

Falin shivers as she feels Marcille's breath on her ear, her face flushing bright red at the closeness.

"Hey, I'm Laios! I'm Falin's brother."

Marcille snickers at the floor and holds a hand out, "You look jus' like 'er. Coulda told you that. DOCTOR Donato."

Laios laughs and takes her hand in a firm handshake.

"Well, alright, Doctor, besides you, who's the DD tonight?" He asks over the music, his joke sails over the two's heads.

Falin smiles and spreads her palms innocently, "I was good! I got one! Shuro's also here... somewhere... I think..."

Laios looks around, grinning.