Silence | Book 1

1-5: Truth or Drink

"This should keep us going for a while." Killian put down a fair amount of shots in the centre of the table, of a few different varieties. "First up, vodka." With a sly grin he handed out a clear shot to Liz and Hibiki.
"Buyers go first?" Liz suggested, holding her shot up towards Killian.
"Alright, let's start with an easy one." Killian said as he thought about it for a moment. "Worst injury you've ever had? Let's just go clockwise. Sam?"
"I never really got hurt badly. There was this one time when I was young, and my oldest brother broke my pinky while playfighting. I elbowed him in the face and gave him a bad concussion and a broken nose. Not the best day for my parents."
"Oof, remind me not to pick a fight with you." Killian said.
"Don't break my fingers and you'll be allowed to live."
"I'll try. Liz? What's your worst?"
"Er... I was such a clumsy kid. But I think it was when I was twelve, I twisted my ankle playing football on one of those uneven sport fields. I got a tear in my muscle, and it hurt so bad. Other than that just bruises and scrapes."
While Sam and Liz answered the question, Hibiki had been writing intently for when it was his turn. Now it finally came, he showed his phone to everyone albeit a little sheepishly.

'It was actually last year. I totaled a brand new dirt bike I got for my birthday a few weeks after. I broke a rib and my shoulder, it was pretty bad. I'm going to try and get back into it this year, but my parents aren't happy with it.'
"You ride dirt bikes?" Liz asked surprised, and Hibiki nodded with a big smile.

'I raced out on desert tracks in California.'
"That's awesome."
"Are you any good?"
He nodded again with pride.

'Before the accident I placed pretty high in the youth rankings. Not top ten or so, but enough to get sponsors and a team. But I will have to get back in form for the new season in spring, to qualify in the UK teams.'
"Still, didn't see that one coming."

'It helps when your opponents think you're small and adorable.'
Hibiki's sly grin betrayed that he was anything but that – even if his appearance did mislead. A moment later he gestured at Tristan as if he was handing the question over, waiting expectantly for the answer.
"Oh er, I actually nearly died once, when I was eight."
"What?" Liz said loudly.
"How did you manage that?"
"Ruptured appendix." The moment Tristan mentioned it, Killian cringed. "I had emergency surgery and several long nights on intensive care, drugged with all sorts of antibiotics and painkillers."
"That's way too close a call." Liz mumbled, slightly taken aback.
"It was. If the antibiotics hadn't taken hold, I'd have been gone. But hey, I'm here now. How about you 'An? What's your worst?" Tristan played off the event rather nonchalantly, not willing to ruin the mood with such a topic.
Killian just smiled, and then tipped the shot backwards in one big gulp. His cheeks got a bit brighter, as he shook off the burn and let out a deep breath.
"You got your dick stuck in something, didn't you?" Tristan said with his arms crossed. It caused everyone else to laugh, and especially Hibiki giggled brightly.
"You'll never know." Killian said with a grin. "Sam, you're up."

Sam thought about her question for a moment, but then smiled once she'd decided what to ask.
"Hmm, let's go for a simple question. What's your biggest fear?"
"That's a good question." Liz said as she pondered over her answer. "I mean, I am not comfortable around heights? But if I really have to go with something I'd say death?"
"I can see why, it's a weird concept isn't it? One day just not being there. It seems so empty, and overwhelming." Tristan added, perhaps a little too intrigued from a philosophical point of view.
"Don't worry about it, it doesn't have much use, since it will happen to everyone. What we do while we're here is more important." Sam added, trying to ease Liz's fears a little. She smiled and nodded in reply.
"I suppose that is the best way to look at it."
While they spoke, Tristan had noticed Hibiki staring down at the table. He was just about to ask if he was alright, when Hibiki appeared to snap out of it. With a slight chuckle and bright red around his cheeks he looked up at Tristan, then towards the rest and downed his shot.
"You good buddy?" Killian asked with a smile. Hibiki chuckled again and nodded, making a quick few swipes on his phone and gesturing towards his head.