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“I mean, whatever it is you’re into, I’m sure I could find a popsicle someone to accommodate to your interests.” The brunette raised her eyebrows, let out a small smile when his finger gently touched her nose. “Verygood answer. Did want that free mimosa? You seem pretty content with that drink there, but I’m sure I could come up with some other sort of prize for you.” She smirked

Eric smilied at her popsicle remark. He liked a girl that could keep up with his humor. “I’m sure that you can come up with an adequate prize. You seem like a clever girl,” he winked at the girl. “We could dance or keep drinking.” 

“I don’t have a curfew, he just has a three-year-old son that i don’t want to wake up.” Mickey chuckled softly at the man before nodding. “Plenty of water. I’ve been told that helps with the hangovers in the morning. Not that I know, I don’t get drunk often, I usually just drink enough most of the time.” He admitted. He mostly smoked and he only did that when he had to go somewhere because of how bad his nerves could get.

“If you take a break to drink some water is stops you getting drunker,” he chucked. “Three year old? that’s cute.” Hearing that he started thinking about Laurel’s daughter and how cute she was at that time. She was forming sentences and just the cutest little thing. He loved his honorary niece so much. 

“You better.” she squeezed at his hand in attempt to threaten him, surprised at how quick the walk to his new place was. “So, give me the tour. And an extra key so I can come hide out here and we can get weird on the daily.” she was already taking off her jean jacket and bag off of her shoulders to make herself at home. “Look-” she turned to face him, “You know me. I wont ask questions. You’ll tell me whatever you want, whenever you want. But at least tell me.. are you safe?” After her own life was controlled by Ritchie, that question was dire. She couldn’t fully enjoy Eric being back unless he was out of harm’s way. 

“I’ll get a key made for you tomorrow, babe,” Eric said as the two of them walked through the door. “Yes, I’m safe.” It pained him to know that Evie was worrying about him that much. He felt guilty for leaving her the way he did. He might have just been better never showing his face in Dayton, that way Evie wouldn’t have had to deal with all of this yet again. “You’ll know everything soon. I’m just not all that ready.”  

“Good, because Edu lives here now and I need my favourite cowboys in my life.” Looking up, she smiled brightly. They have been friends for so long that him not being in her life for so long really hurt. He had joined her and Edu’s friend group not too long after her and Edu first met; He was her second first friend she made in America and she couldn’t imagine him not being in her life. So having both him and Edu in Dayton made her happy. “Oof, yeah, no can do. I’ll help you with choosing some things; The deli makes some fantastic potstickers. Which, considering their other stuff, is a damn miracle. Maybe we can even call Edu and the three of us can hang out while the good ol’ days. Fuck, I’m old.” Okay, she was turning 27 on the 27th. She’s not that old.

Arinta looked over at Eric and raised a brow. “Can’t really say I remember you, but I’m always down to drink with others,” she admitted as she took a seat next to the boy at the bar. “What are you having right now drink wise?” she asked as she waved down the bartender. “I can order a round of shots on me, what’s your poison?” 

“I drink whatever is on special,” he joked. “As long as it gets my drunk I don’t much care what it is. I’m Eric by the way.” She seemed the perfect girl to spend the night with. Fun and friendly. He was excited to see where the night took him.”  

“Glad to know these contacts work.” Constance rolled his eyes, a soft chuckle coming from him. “So, I don’t know you so welcome back? I’m always down to drink. The question is, can you keep up with me.”

“I’m always up for some competition,” Eric was ready to get fucked up tonight. “Let me catch up first, I’ll do a few Jagerbombs to speed things up.” He opened a tab at the bar when he placed his order. The bartender made three bombs for Eric. 

“Well, I do try to roll in a good way I suppose.” Mickey chuckled before nodding. “Really? What kind of job did you do?” He asked him before taking one of the shots with him and chuckled. “You don’t have to do that, but I do appreciate the offer. Let’s just not get me too drunk. If so, I’ll have to find my keys because I’ve been sleeping at my boyfriend’s and well, coming home at 3am drunk isn’t a good option there.”

“What about 2am or 1am? What’s your curfew?” Eric teased but the quickly retracted, “it’s good that you’re a considerate roommate. I’ve had my fair share of bad roommates.” Eric continued to avoid talking about his past gig and took a shot. He did an Irish goodbye and then downed alcohol. “Not too drunk, I got it. I’ll make sure we get food and water.” 

“It’s the carbon dioxide we exhale that stimulates them to grow, although scientific evidence is inconclusive. I think it totally helps,” he mused, smiling and looking down at the sand between his feet. “I talk to them about whatever’s going on in my day. Usually bitching about people bruising flowers when they touch them too much and are just looking, or when the shipment truck is late and I have to stay past my regular shift,” he said with a soft laugh. Judah leaned in to catch a light from Eric. He took a slow drag from the cigarette, then exhaled and smiled at the other. “Thanks. I don’t really smoke a lot, but tonight seems like a smoking kind of night, don’t you think?”

“Tonight definitely feels like a smoking kind of night,” he nodded along with a big smile on his face. “I just ramble on about that kind of shit to whoever I’m smoking with,” he said with a little smirk to tease Judah. “I’m sure your plants love all the attention you give them. “If you’re not a smoker are a drinker? What’s your poison?” Eric took a seat in the sand and wiggled his toes into the sand. 

“I know this may come off as rude and I swear I am not being rude, but I don’t know you, but welcome back,” Mickey told the other with a smile. “Where were you? If you don’t mind me asking.” He shook his head. “I don’t know about getting sure drunk but I don’t mind having a couple shots with you.”

“I like how you roll!” Eric gave him a few pats on the back before ordering two rounds of Tito’s for each of them. “I got hired to do a job a few towns away. Can’t talk too much about it without getting shot if you know what I mean.” He said nudging Mickey while giving him a wink. “All I can say is that I made bank. Stick with me and I’ll cover your tab.” 

Judah laughed, raising his brows and shaking his head lightly. He wished he had that kind of confidence to end up naked on a beach without a care in the world. “Catwoman is a great character. I’m just a massive green thumb, and botany is totally my thing. I think I spend more of my time talking to plants than people,” he admitted with a soft laugh. It was true, though it was entirely his own fault for being something of a shut-in. “Is that a weird thing to admit? I mean, don’t get me wrong, I’ve got friends, but I spend so much time at work that it just feels like I live in a green house.” Judah wasn’t a big smoker, but he partook every once in a rare while. When Eric offered him a cigarette, he graciously took one. “Got a light for me?”

“I’ve been told that plants like being talked to,” he replied. “I think that it’s kinda cute when people do it.” The blonde boy was certainly charming, in a cute little way. “What do you talk to your plants about?” Eric had taken a real interest in this guy, he wanted to know more about this plant talking fiend. Eric opened the pack to let Judah take a cigarette. “Yeah man, I got you,” when Judah had brought his the cig to lips, Eric cupped on hand around it and pushed down on the lighter with the other. 

Dexter had had it. After his run in with Stella and his argument with his wife over said run in, he was back to square one. How was it that he had ended up here again? There was just no winning. Now, doing what he always did when he was feeling like shit, he was back at the bar again. Where else was he supposed to go? The house held an angry brunette with an accent and although he could just go sleep above the garage again, he’d rather have a couple drinks before hitting the hay on a futon. Of course he’d have to sit next to this guy. “Who are you again?” Dex asked, obviously sloppy. Sunglasses hanging from the collar of his shirt, baseball cap fitted low on his brow, Dexter sipped on some whiskey, saluting the air near the boy. “Good ol’ whiskey, my friend. Have one on me. In fact, no, have two.”

Of course, Dex didn’t remember who he was, no matter how many times Laurel had introduced the two men, Dex could never make room in his brain for little ole Eric. Eric and Laurel had grown up just blocks away from each other, so it was surprising when they, decades later, moved to the same small Californian town. “Eric,” this time he decided to just roll with it, see where the night took him. “Thanks, man,” he nodded. “And you are?” 

“Awesome! I’ll hold you to that, not sure what I’ll do, but whatever.” She chuckled and lit up the joint. The boy looked like he was in a hurry somewhere so she didn’t want to push a conversation with someone who needed to run off. At least he stopped in the first place. And it’s not like she really needed help getting people to come inside. “Dylan, it’s nice to met’cha Eric, I hope to see you later.”

“I don’t come round here all that often but hopefully I’ll still see you.” He smiled at Dylan. She seemed to be pretty chill. “My friends and I are going through a bunch of edibles later this week if you’re interested,” he shrugged. People in Dayton were usually pretty chill with doing drugs with strangers.