#noxwind

“All the king’s chocobos and all the king’s men couldn’t put nox fleuret back together again...”

“Maybe he needed a woman’s touch?”

“Fancy meeting you here.” Ravus leaned against the counter to get a better look, his eyebrows knotted tightly as if he had trouble focusing on the face three inches away from his.

Aranea sipped her Diamond Dust cocktail slowly, unfazed. “You’ve seen me here every single time you come in, Commander.” She offered a polite smile, “Did you need something?”

“Nah,” He sighed, shook his shot glass just to make sure it was absolutely 100% empty, then shoved it in the general direction of the bartender for a refill. “Healthy Famine... Hall of Fame... what the fuck was it called... HELLFIRE!”

She snorted into her crystal blue drink, “No, don’t give him another Hellfire, he’s done.” She set her cup down and fixed him with a serious gaze. “Commander, I have a creeping suspicion that you’re drunk.”

“Am not.” he somehow manages to stumble while seated in his stool, dropping a cold metallic arm on her exposed shoulder to steady himself. “You look different today... Ah-hah! Looking for a one night stand?!”

“Nobody calls it that out loud!” She pushed her shoulder into his armpit until he sat straighter, and met his suspicious gaze with polite curiosity. “Do you want me to get you a ride home?”

He tried to rub his eyes with his fingers but the metal tips poked him in the forehead, so he switched to the other set of digits. “Yeah... Wouldn’t want to embarrass myself.”

It was too late for that. “Come on, lean on me.” She paid the cost of their drinks and a small tip to the bartender, then helped the taller officer to his feet. Outside, the air was crisp and fresh, sobering them just a bit, several taxis lined up near the military bar hoping to pick up the last of the night’s customers.

His apartment in Niflheim was closer than his mansion in Tenebrae, so that’s where she took him. His key card was easy to fetch from the wallet in his breast pocket, they were inside in no time.

Ravus flinched at the hand that grabbed his ass, he glanced down, bleary eyed at the grinning lady on his arm. “Hey handsome, fancy meeting you here!”