Chasing a Good Time

Ann was desperately trying to be supportive. Really. Leslie was going through a lot, and it was her job to be emotional support tonight, she and Ben had been preparing their emotional support task force™️ for weeks now, they had today mapped out, and were prepared for any outcome, win, lose, or draw. (Apparently, the whole prison for the woman in case of a draw still applies in a recall election, and Ann and Ben were ready for it.) Right now, Ann was on "watch the haunted house while Leslie and Ben go get wasted Duty" and she just couldn't focus on anything. Chris was off in another part of the building with Larry, leaving her and April alone in the Parks office.

_________

Halloween was shit without Andy. April had almost been nice to Chris twice today, and now she was stuck at work, after 5pm, with none other than Ann Evil Demon Witch (April didn't know her middle name for certain, but she assumed that was a good guess,) Perkins.

Six years of experience in the parks department had taught her a valuable lesson though: always keep alcohol in your desk.

At some point after she had broken out the booze, Ann decided it'd be fun to "talk" to her "friend". At that moment April was very glad the bottle was almost full.

_______

Really, all she wanted was a conversation with April.

Ignoring the almost comically large bottle of vodka on April's desk, Ann pulled up a chair, sat with her elbows on the desk, rested her head on her hands, and waited for April to acknowledge her presence.

Then she remembered this was April Ludgate-Dwyer she was dealing with, and realized declining to speak first was just declining to talk at all.

Are you just gonna sit there?

The fact that April actually spoke to her almost made her drop the dominant position she was in.

Well?

You miss him, don't you?

April's gaze drifted to the picture of Andy in front of her.

A.L.F.? Every day, man.

Ann just made eye contact for what she hoped was an uncomfortable amount of time.

Why do people keep asking me if I miss him? Of course I miss him. He's my fucking husband, and he's on the other side of the fucking planet.

Ann didn't mind the profanity. A part of her actually liked it quite a bit.

Well, you could spend your Halloween missing Andy, or you could have a good time without him for once.

She took a sip from the bottle, almost defensively.

I can have fun without him.

But do you?

Does it matter? Why don't you go criticize someone else?

I'm fine here.

_________

If anyone ever asked her, she would deny it, and maybe it was the alcohol, or maybe the lonely boredom she had been stuck in for months, but Ann almost looked kind of... hot?

She took another drink

Are you gonna drink all of that alone?

What?

Before she could realize what was happening Ann had stolen the bottle away, and took a sip.

April wanted to be mad, but she just wasn't. Maybe she didn't feel like putting in the effort, maybe she didn't mind, but she just let Ann drink.

Thanks. I needed that.

It took April a moment to recollect herself. For whatever reason, tonight, Ann was being rather... distracting.

She couldn't think of a typical, standoffish rebuttal.

Uh, no problem.

Maybe she was drunker than she thought.

_______

Alcohol was helpful. The burning sensation was almost comforting at this point.

It was a familiar feeling by now, late nights in the parks office, getting just drunk enough to make decisions most would regret the next morning. Sure, Leslie was her usual drinking buddy, but Leslie wasn't available tonight, and April would do just fine.

How much have you had tonight?

I think th bottle's full when I started.

She was slurring her words, but god, she had had more than a few drinks. April could handle her liquor. It was impressive.

You must be pretty drunk then.

No'mnot.

Anyone else would have needed a few more drinks before even considering the things Ann was meticulously planning out in her head.

This was how it always went. Leslie drank until she was drunk, and Ann had just enough for it to count as "a mistake".

When It happens a few times a month for six years, it doesn't really count as a mistake anymore. But ever since Leslie moved in with him, a few times a month became a few times a year, and Ann couldn't help but miss late nights with her best friend.

What?

Hm?

'U were staring

Was I?

Mhm. Probly b'cuse m so ~sexy~ n you're a lesbian.

Of course she's not gay. She is very much in love with Chris. They're planning to have a baby together. Of course she loves him. She has to.

Heh. LesbieAnn

You... should stop drinking that.

Mmmwhy? So you can make out with me? B'cuse you're gayyy??

Ann didn't know how else to react.

_________

A kiss can be very sobering sometimes. April had learned that a long time ago. But she had also learned, that sometimes, it's just better to let yourself blame the alcohol.

Ann was a good kisser, she had decided.