Lacking Emotion

Chapter 11

Immediately after they entered they had to dodge a bottle of liquor flying straight at them.

The room was filled with laughter and the horrid smell of alcohol, only growing thicker as they moved deeper in. There were booths all along the left wall while seats were scattered around the rest of the room.

In the right corner of the room they were in, there was rather wide table that functioned as the bar counter, behind it were shelves stacked with bottles full of booze to the point that it looked like it was about to give in.

"Ah, if it isn't my love. Talia, come over to me!" an drunk elderly man yelled from across the room as he made his way over to the three.

Soma stopped to study the man but was forced to keep moving when Talia pushed him forward in a hurried manner, "Don't make eye contact, move quickly! Hurry, before he catches up!" she whisper/yelled into the boy's ear.

But it was too late.

"Talia~! Oh my love, you have returned to me yet again. Couldn't stay away from my charm could you?" the man jumped in front of the group.

Soma got the opportunity to take a good look at the man but regretted it once he did.

The man... He... It... I... His...

~°°°We interrupt this program to inform you that the narrator was grossed out by the picture of the man attached to the script. Please excuse the narrator's mistake, they promise to make do with what is written on the script to ensure that you enjoy the story. Thank you for your time.
Please continue°°°~

To say he was a bit overweight is one thing. Add a bunch of wrinkles, the smell of unions, alcohol and sweat along with his -very visible- belly to the image in your head and you've hit the bullseye.

He had a gray mop on his head, that anyone could've guessed he didn't brush this morning, clinging to his sticky tanned skin.

If one said that his arms were hairy, it would be a terrible understatement. He basically had carpets growing on them.

His dull brown eyes were locked on Talia and no one else, eyeing her up and down. This made the titan shudder in disgust.

"Oh heyyyy Frank. I must be getting to old, I didn't see you there!" she rubbed the back of her neck uncomfortably.

The man waved it off as if it was nothing before looking back at her, "What strange fate has brought us back together~?" he sang as he attempted to take a step closer to her.

She hid behind the three year old boy. Not that it really helped that she as a titan tried to use him of all people as a meat shield.

"What's this? You brought a child in here?" a voice to their right said. The group, including Frank, turned to see the 50 year old man makeing his way toward them.

"Brian!" Talia cheered and ran to him, engulfing him in a bone crushing hug. Poor guy had to put up with Titan strength.

She pulled away and smiled brightly at him, "We should get a drink sometime soon!".

"Oh? Already asking me out on a date? Sorry but I'm not into old hags" she immediately pushed him away and turned her back on him. Brian chuckled at her childish reaction before directing his gaze to the boy staring at him.

He crouched down to his eye level and ruffled the boy's hair, "What's your name little guy?".

"It depends on who's asking" the boy simply replied. This causes the man to throw back his head an give a wholehearted laugh.

"Good one kid! You're a keeper! My name is Brian, I'm one of Talia's old friends" he winked at the boy.

"In that case, my name is Soma" he paused as something shiny on the man's belt caught his eye. He had seen that somewhere before... but where.

That's right!

The night both he and Granzoul was attacked, one of the men wore a badge just like it, except this one had a picture of a snake on it where the one his attacker's had a sword.

"Mister, what sort of job do you have?" the child blankly stared at the man before him, looking uninterested as usual on the outside, but secretly he was very curious to hear his answer.

The man glanced up at the Titan, a smirk appearing on his face, "Oh I have the feeling that you're about to find out".

"Frank, did you see this woman walk in here?" Talia handed the man a piece of paper. The man stared at it as he scratched the back of his neck.

"Uh... If my memory is not failing me, I actually saw her talking to a few guys by the bar. Maybe she'll still be there" he handed her the paper back which she then took and placed in her back pocket. Yes, I said pocket.

And no, she was not wearing a dress that morning but rather a pair of dark pants, boots and a pale brown shirt.

"Good, but you'll need to identify them for us. Could you come and help me out with that?" Brian asked as he got up from his crouching position.

After he and Frank left, Grizz went back to the store while the other two headed in the direction of the bar.

As they neared their destination Talia spotted a particular someone and a idea popped into her head. With a smirk on her face she crouched and whispered something in Soma's ear.

"Mommy, Mommy!" the boy jumped up and down. He then proceeded to repeatedly tug on the titan's shirt, "Can I go play over there?" the boy pointed at a bunch of crates sitting next to one of the booths.

"Jonathan, why don't you just have some grape juice instead? Mommy is scared you might fall and hurt yourself. Excuse me sir, can I have a glass of grape juice for my son?" she asked as she took a seat on one of the chairs in front of the counter.

The bartender nodded and went to fetch their drink.

"But I'm a big boy, mommy! Pretty please. I promise I'll be careful!"

The titan chuckled at the boy's behavior and put her index finger on her chin as she thought it over. After a while she sighed and nodded with a smile.

The blue eyed three year old jumped up and down in excitement and hugged the woman before leaping off her lap and running to the cratesat full speed.

"Haha, kids these days" Talia looked around for a while before she locked eyes with the woman sitting a few seats away from her.

"Oh, hello there. I'm so sorry I didn't notice you earlier" she kindly smiled at the woman. The woman smiled back and waved it off as if it was nothing. They both then turned and watched as Soma played on the crates, banging his firsts against his chest.

"So innocent. Not a care in the world" the woman smiled, "must be nice".

"Do you have children?" Talia asked.

The woman shook her head before turning back to her drink. She let out a breath before taking a sip and placing the glass back down.

"I don't think heaven will ever bless me with something as pure as that. But I guess it can't be helped" the woman spoke before downing the rest of her drink in one go and standing up.

"That can't be right. Every one deserves happiness" Talia looked with pitiful eyes at the woman.

"Right you are, my friend. That is exactly what I'm after, and I think I found the key to my happiness" the woman smiled kindly, but there was nothing nice about it.

"Oh? And what ever could that be?"

A man came up behind the woman and whispered something in her ear that caused her to chuckle darkly.

She then directed her gaze to the titan, "That, dear friend, is a story for another day".