Cigarettes and Alcohol

Jack Daniels

I could hear a voice.

That was the first thing I noticed, and I think the voice was saying my name.

When I tried to open my eyes, it was really bright and it stung like a bitch.

"Effy?" The voice asked.

"What the bloody hell do you want?"

The voice laughed, and a figure appeared above me. A blond one. Thank fuck I'm still in 1994. I tried to sit up, but my body would barely move so the wonderful blond man I've come to know pulled me up and leant me against the wall before sitting beside me.

"Do you tend to pass out often? It'd be pretty helpful to know so I don't panic and call an ambulance. You've done it twice now in the last 24 hours." He said, with a mild air of concern.

"No, but like I said before, I do like to try new things."I rubbed my temples now that my arms gained some movement. "Is Frances alright?"

"Yeah, she's asleep. Why wouldn't she be?"

I hallucinated your adult daughter sat beside your baby one.

"I thought maybe she'd have been scared by the sound of me falling on the floor I guess. Sorry I keep passing out on you, hopefully it'll stop soon." I said quietly. It was at this point he wrapped his arm around me and rubbed my shoulder.

"You'll be fine. You look better now you've had a shower, more alive. Although the blacking out says otherwise."He smirked. I felt too strange to give him one of my normal witty comebacks so I just leant into his shoulder. He seemed comfortable with this until he abruptly got up, pulling me with him. I wobbled slightly before finding my footing, still feeling a bit fuzzy, so he kept his grip on me. I never wanted to take his arm off my shoulder.

"You okay to go downstairs? we need to go shopping to get more drinks for tonight." That made me straighten up and move towards the stairs. This however, made me stumble so he pulled me back up.

"I guess you are then," He smirked. He held onto me and helped me walk down the stairs until I was able to do so on my own, so I pulled on my boots.

"What about Frances? She coming with us?" at this, he jogged back up the stairs and quickly came down with her in a baby carrier. He smiled and we walked out the door, locking it and heading to the car.

-*-

We pulled into the 'parking lot' of a massive Walmart, a shop I'd never seen in real life before. It was a damn big place.

"This the supermarket that sells guns?"

"Yeah."

"Weird." I muttered before hopping out of the car. Still weird that the passenger side is on the left. We walked over and got a trolley, putting Frances in the baby carrier and walking inside. It looked even bigger on the inside, selling things from toilet roll to loaves of bread to literal Guns.

"Ah, the refreshing smell of American consumerism. Nothing quite like it." I said, and he chuckled and looked back at me before heading straight in one direction. Kurt seemed to know exactly where to go, so I followed him slowly while looking around in awe at the masses of stuff in this American store. When we arrived at the alcohol isle, he asked if I had any preference.

"Anything strong and cheap is my normal go to. I do enjoy whiskey though."

"JD okay for you then?"

"Most certainly."

He pulled three bottles off the shelf and put them in the trolley before grabbing a few crates of beers with my help.

"How many people are coming round? Are you expecting to get through this all in one night? I'm honestly all for drinking as much alcohol as possible without death, but.." I gestured to the trolley completely rammed with beers and spirits.

"What can I say? I'm friends with heavy drinkers." I nodded in acceptance, waving a toy in front of Frances' face.

"Do you need anything while we're here? If you're gonna be living with me for the time being you may as well get anything you need." I smiled at him gratefully.

"Do they sell much vegetarian food? and clothes?" He nodded and we wandered around the massive shop grabbing what I needed. When we arrived at the till, the guy scanning our food kept staring at Kurt. I think he noticed because he was packing the food and masses of drinks away much faster. As we finished and paid, the guy stared harder. He totally knew it was Kurt. Kurt knew he knew.

"Hey dude, Smells Like Teen Spirit is a great song. Can I get an autograph?" Kurt was about to answer, but I cut in,

"Try listening to literally any other Nirvana song before you ask for an autograph you prick. You and I both know you're just going to sell it on anyway. So piss off, wanker." The guy looked really pissed off so before he could say anything I gave him the V and stormed out, pulling Kurt, Frances and the trolley with me. Kurt started laughing so I looked back and chuckled before we ran over to the car.

"That was the most British thing I've ever seen, oh my God!"

"Did you see his face? what a piece of shit," I laughed. Frances started giggling too and Kurt and I just looked at each other laughing harder. I wiped a tear out of my eye before suggesting we pack up before security comes out or some other 'fans' spot him. After we lugged all the beer and drinks into the boot, or trunk as he called it, I took the last Jack Daniel bottle to the seat with me, taking a swig. God that burn felt good, I'd been sober for too long.

"Drinking at two in the afternoon, impressive." We pulled out of the car park but went in a different direction from the way we came, so I looked at him questioningly.

"I just need to make a stop first, we'll be back soon."