NYE Pt. 4

Kirian and Vianna exchanged hushed whispers while Cress pulled the disoriented Illia to the side. She'd managed to convince the others to give her a moment with Illia, though she was having doubts at how helpful the aside would be. Whether it was just how Illia was drunk or an adverse effect of Earth liquor, the woman's proud decorum had vanished leaving behind an oddly submissive drunk.

"What were you thinking?" Cress whispered. "How are we going to explain this?"

"Just tell 'em the truth. They can handle it."

"Why are you talking like that?! What are you, a drunken sailor?"

"You want me to sing a shanty? I don't know many… Actually I don't know any." Illia laughed and scratched her head. All but two of her eyes (the top right and the left eyebrow) were glassed over and she'd been babbling nonsense.

"Jesus. I'll deal with them, so just stay behind me and keep your mouth shut. And close your damned eyes!"

Illia nodded and to Cress's dismay, squeezed all her eyes shut.

"Hey! So did you guys like Illia's cosplay?"

"Cosplay?" Vianna's eyes narrowed. "Don't treat us like idiots, Cress."

"Yeah! This isn't a costume party!"

"Shut up, Kirian! This is your fault to begin with!"

"Well, um…"

"Crescent. Julie. Ray. If you don't tell us the truth right now I'm calling Ian AND your mother."

"Gah!" Cress grabbed the bottle of brandy Vianna had been swigging from and guzzled it for several seconds. Her stomach lurched and her nose burned by the time she set it down and she had to slap Illia's hand from it when she set it down. "But I'm only answering questions."

"I love 20 Questions! Can I ask the first one, Vi?"

"Fine. But we're not stopping until I'm satisfied."

Cress flinched and pulled Illia closer. If things got out of hand they'd make a run for it… and then what?

"Dammit, Illia. We're trapped because of you and you're being a useless drunk! Wait, that's it!"

"Hurry up then," Cress said with a devious grin. "But you only get twelve questions, regardless of your satisfaction and each question will cost you a shot."

"Deal," Vianna said, reloading the shot glasses and ready to fire off questions. "Kir, ask her if 'Illy' is human."

"I don't care about that! I want to know how far they've gone."

"We've only kissed. Drink."

Vianna slapped Kirian on the back of the head and shoved her drink in her face.

"You already know my question."

"No. Drink."

"Heh. I know they can hold their liquor, but even they can't keep up this pace. They'll be throwing up within the hour and then we can go home… But won't they just ask more questions tomorrow?"

"My turn!" Kirian cheered, downing her drink before she even asked a question. "Can I kiss you Illy?"

"What?! Absolutely— Where are you going, Illia?"

It took a single silent bound for Illia to reach Kirian and she kneeled beside her. She cradled Kirian's face between her fingers and leaned forward, her eyelids hanging heavy over her green eyes. Kirian's pale skin blushed bright enough to show through her makeup and she closed her eyes in anticipation. Her plump lips trembled as she waited, and Cress wanted to be sick. Just like that? All the effort, internal conflict, and anxiety Cress went through and Kirian got a kiss that easily?

"Sorry, Kirian," Illia said, a hair's breadth from Kirian's lips. "But the only human I'll ever let taste me is my Little Sling."

"Fine, be that way," Kirian huffed, cheeks still flushed. "Your turn, Vi."

"Is Illia dangerous?"

A lump formed in Cress's throat. She could lie, but was there a point anymore? They'd taken the fact Illia wasn't human in stride.

"Tell them," Illia whispered, tickling Cress's ear. "Am I dangerous?"

"She's not going to hurt anyone here."

"And others?"

Crumbling under the pressure, Cress recounted how she and Illia met. Though she tried to repress it, Vianna's face twisted in horror and disgust at the story before her brown eyes narrowed into a murderous glare.

"You tried to kill Cress and then had the audacity to live with her?! And what about those poor adventurers? Can we really trust she won't snap and kill us?"

"You wound me, Vianna," Illia said. "I give you my word I won't hurt you. Does that help?"

"Not at all! From what Cress said, you're strong enough to crush us with your bare hands. A verbal promise with someone like that has no credibility. That explains how easily you picked Kir and Cress up, though…"

"She's not going to hurt us. She hasn't killed anyone since coming to our world."

Several mouth twitches caught Cress's eye and she felt the blood drain from her body.

"Illia…"

Illia looked away sheepishly to avoid looking at Cress. "There may have been… I made sure they were 'bad' people."

"Oh my God! That's why Daddy's men have been disappearing! Illy's like a vigilante fighting for justice!" Kirian tried to jump up, but Vianna wrapped her arms around her shoulders to pin her in her chair.

"Her dad's…? And why didn't you tell me?" Cress hissed in a whisper. "What are you, a serial killer? Is that what you were doing when you went out to 'exercise'."

"…"

"I was wrong. Illia is one-hundred percent dangerous."

A shroud of exhaustion rested on Vianna's shoulders and she down two more drinks. "I'm not even sure if I want to know more at this point. Maybe ignorance really is bliss."

"Yep! So let's end the game here. Besides, we're supposed to be cheering Kir up, not discussing real life true crime."

"If you want to cheer me up, then make Illy give me a kiss."

Fed up with Kirian's persistence, Cress stalked over to Kirian and pressed her lips to Kirian's. To her horror, Kirian slid her fingers into her hair, trapping her while she worked her tongue into what was supposed to be a simple peck.

"Kir!"

"Mmm. I never expected you to be so bold. All these years asking and you give it up when you have a girlfriend?"

A rising panic rose in Cress's chest and she turned to check on Illia. She was oddly silent, with no facial ticks to tell Cress what she was thinking.

"Piss off," Cress said, pushing herself off Kirian. "Are you satisfied?"

"It'll do," Kirian purred. "Though you could use some practice."

Cress's ears burned and she grabbed one of the remaining shots.

"I'm sorry Illia. I didn't realize she'd—"

Illia's body trembled against Cress's and she swore she could smell Illia's… excited aura?

"I don't mind," Illia muttered.

"No way! She always made it seem like she was a monogamous person, but is she into being cucked? She really is a different person drunk. I'm never letting her drink again!"

"Could it be the Princess has revealed a fetish?" Vianna teased. "Who could have seen that coming."

"Stop talking, Vi. It's because she's drunk. Right, Illia?"

"Y-Yes, it's the alcohol."

"It's totally not. She made it clear she's only… Wait, she's a princess… Does she have a harem at home?!"

"Don't let your imagination run wild, Cress. I'm not some degenerate," Illia said, pulling Cress onto her lap. "You're just so delicious when you're flustered."

Heart banging in her chest, Cress turned away blushing. "You can have her, Kir. I want a new one."

"What?! You're throwing me away that easily?"

Viscous liquid akin to tears coated Illia's eyes, welling at the lids of her closed ones. She latched onto Cress like a lamprey and Cress's breath caught in her throat as she buried her face in her chest. Drunk Illia was more possessive than she thought.