Eight, Nine, Ten

[ 1 ] T E N T H

[Early March 2018]

Whiskey slipped thru smoothly down Tenth's throat after being the man's favorite drink for the past few months. The bar's loud noise had started to give him a headache but he preferred that than the silence awaiting in his apartment. At the corner of his eye a group of giggling girls were looking at him now and then, this was his cue to leave as he had no plans to bring a girl back home tonight.

"Here," he gave a hundred dollar bill to the bartender who was wide eyed as it was too much for the bottle of whiskey Tenth had. "Just make sure those girls don't follow me alright? The extra is yours," Tenth pats his shoulder before getting up and leaving the bar.

It wasn't that a long time when he would have rather drunk his ass off and maybe go home with a girl, a week or two maybe? But his twin had put his foot down on his drinking, threatening him that he would send his ass to rehab without a second thought and Eleventh is the kind of guy you don't take lightly. After the scare with Ninth just a few days after New Year had made some of his brothers edgy about alcohol.

As he got in a taxi his phone beeped and as if hearing his internal musings it was Eleventh asking if he had alcohol today.

'Just 2 or 3 glasses. My mind can still make decisions so don't worry. I swear you act like you're older,'

'Because mentally I am and you're only 10 minutes older. If I find out you're lying I will kill you and throw your body to the ocean,'

'Brutal, are you sure you're not some evil serial killer?'

'Shut up, get home and sleep off the alcohol idiot,'

Tenth snorted, he found it amusing how Eleventh was being aggressive about this and maybe still a bit angry. He can still feel the withdrawal symptoms Second had warned him about- headaches, insomnia, loss of appetite - to name a few. He could still remember the doctor's sad gaze as Tenth clarified he was just cutting back and not stopping altogether. Eleventh punched him for it but didn't push him as he knew how deep his addiction was. He was already drinking regularly before Eight's death, then became his best friend after.

"Hey Mister, we're here," the taxi driver spoke up as the car stopped.

"Thanks," he handed him the needed fare before getting off in front of his apartment building. He was expecting a quiet reception area as it was already around one in the morning but stopped as the guard told him some people were waiting for him while pointing at the three persons stiffly sitting on the couch to the right.

Two women and a child, all of them wearing hoodies and faces hidden as much as possible. One of the women stood up and quickly went over to him. When he saw the face under the mask he froze and met her half way.

"Thania? What are you doing here? I gave you a head's up I'm not your handler anymore," Tenth frowned.

"This is not about business King, this is personal. Please. Can we continue this in your apartment? We've been out here too long," his old asset when he was in FBI begged, looking thinner than last time and spooked like he had never seen her.

Tenth was about to say no but the other woman and kid also came over. His heart clenched at the genuine fear on the woman's face as the kid clung to her, not even looking up at him. Tenth sighed and ran a hand through his hair before nodding stiffly "Just a sec, I need to inform the guard and whoever is in charge right now," he muttered. After officially arranging the visit, he led them to his apartment on the third floor and let them in.

"Thank you," Thania's red locks came tumbling out as she pulled off her hood and untie her hair as she allowed herself to relax but her companions were still stiff.