FHC B3 Chapter 54: Angry Drunk

(Finally got my internet back after having no service for 4 fucking days. If you're ever in Alaska, be warned of GCI. Blegh. Sorry for the late chapter, there'll be another though, hopefully not as late chapter tomorrow. Hope y'all are having a decent start to your weekend.)

Flames marched to my command and I raised my axe high.

“Don’t,” Alice warned.

What?

She pointed to my open hand with fire crawling around my fingers. I groaned and canceled the incantation.

“Who’s under there?” I shouted.

No response; except for the shuffling of feet underneath the blanket.

Alice had her ice at the ready and her weapon was poised so that the spike would spear whatever came swinging.

She glanced my way and I nodded.

“Last chance,” I said.

“Grrrngh,” came a muffled voice.

“Are you sure about the golem? What about undead?”

“Positive,” Alice responded.

She stepped closer and her axe’s spike touched the blanket’s lip. As she lifted it up, it the person underneath shifted more, slamming the leather into the metal before releasing another groan.

While nearly as muffled as the first, it sounded distinctly human-like.

“Attack and I’ll take your life,” Alice threatened before she grabbed hold of the blanket.

On the count of three, she yanked it upward and positioned her axe so the tip met the neck of the man underneath.

I moved closer and held my axe ready, the edge inches away from the man’s knuckles.

Alice paused and then lowered her weapon. “Garret?”

Garret? What’s he doing here?

“Uggggh. Too loud. Lower your voice, Eli,” he mumbled.

Garret leaned forward, his hair tumbling down, revealing bloodshot eyes and puffy cheeks. His boot smashed into something hidden behind the chair’s leg and the clink of glass filled the room.

Alice stomped her foot atop a glass bottle and snatched it up before it continued to spill its contents.

She sniffed and growled before handing it to me. Tentatively, I smelled the rim and nearly coughed as the fumes singed the hairs inside my nose.

“Th-at’s strong. I think my nose just regenerated some skin,” I wheezed.

“Grobul’s Tonic. For Grimms with high constitution. It’s poison from a flower mixed with fermented blood.” She motioned for the bottle and I handed it over. Alice tilted it to the side and held it up to the nearby torch. “ Nearly half the bottle. Grab Astra,. We’llneed her help before he dies.”

“Urrgh. No. Wait,” Garret mumbled. He tried to sit up but knocked his head against the chair’s back and started coughing. “Do-don’t. Grab, her.”

Alice nearly grabbed his collar but stopped. She instead pushed his head back and pressed the bottle to his chest. “Do you plan on being a fool? Today, of all days?”

Garret glared and his eyes flashed red before sputtering. He scrunched his face and pushed the bottle away.

“Shut. Up.”

He clawed the air before finding purchase atop the chair’s armrest. As he wrapped his fingers around the wood, mana glowed around his fingers and zipped up his arm and across his body. The scent of fresh flowers and a gentle breeze lifted his bangs and his face relaxed.

When he opened his eyes, they were no longer bloodshot. His cheeks looked healthier, less puffy and noticeably paler. He grabbed the bottle and slammed a metal cap over the glass before pushing it and Alice away.

“Didn’t need her, so calm down,” he grumbled.

“You have a recovery skill?” Alice asked, tossing the bottle onto a pile of fabric.

“There’s a lot you don’t know about me. Sadly, can’t say the same for you.”

A brief flash of irritation tugged Alice’s grimace even deeper. But she snorted and prodded his chest.

“Why are you wearing Elias’ shirt? Why are you in here? Drunk.”

Garret glared and a low snarl hummed out, but his eyes remained human.

“You really need to ask? Isn’t it obvious?”

“I need it for the funeral; take it off,” she ordered.

He grabbed the collar reflexively, monstrous nails popping from his fingertips. But again, he calmed just as quickly and slowly took off the shirt, revealing damp skin and crimson tattoo around his hip.

“Enjoying the view, Cain?” he growled.

“Nice tat. Is it like mine?”

“I don’t know,” he retorted. “Did you kill a witch and consume her curse?”

“Killed an avatar and had my familiar eat its skin. Does that count?”

His eye twitched but Alice interrupted his response by sending a light wave of ice-cold air against his front.

“Hey!”

“You ruined the shirt. It’s stained with your sweat,” she said coldly.

“I’ve done alot worse in that shirt, Alice. Or do you want me to regale you with the details?”

“Garret…”

He snarled and leaned closer. “It smelled like me long ago. His scent’s still there. I haven’t ruined shit. And the flames don’t care if the memory is wet or dry.”

“Why are you here? Is this where you’ve been hiding?”

Garret laughed. “I’m here because my lover’s funeral is today. I understand its hard for you to grasp, but most people experience emotions when their loved ones die.Not all of us can compartmentalize as easily as you do. So excuse me and my mortal failings of needing some alcohol to cope!”

Crunch!

Alice’s fist cracked Garret’s cheek. His head rocketed into the wall earning another dull smack as his skull bounced off stone.

Garret clutched his nose and spat blood before snapping the bone into place.

“You’ve gotten stronger.”

“Don’t tell me how I should feel about my brother,” Alice warned.

“His memory isn’t owed to only you,” he spat. “Years, Alice. Years I’ve been with him. Countless hunts. Numerous nights fucking under the stars. He was as important to me as he was you. Whether you like that or not.”

She responded by pushing her nose into his. “I never had a problem with you or your relationship to Eli.”

“Then why-”

“You don’t get to act like I’m not hurt just because I don’t drown myself in misery.”

“You’re a monster.”

“We all are,” she responded, backing off.

At this, Garret laughed before he spat more blood, the red plegthm staining the stone and landing on his pants. It took a second, but I finally noticed the lack of a cloak. With only boots and grey pants, he looked almost naked.

He wiped his mouth and stared at the droplets along his wrist. “Yeah well, maybe I should be more like you. It took till today of all days, but I’m starting to finally realize that Eli was a fucking liar. Just like the rest of the bastards.”

Alice stiffened, and ice scaled over her arms. “What do you mean.”

Garret looked up, a bloody grin splitting his cheeks. “Oh? He didn’t tell you?”

Don’t Garret…

“Tell me what?”

He glanced my way and this time his eyes turned fully crimson, matching the red around his mouth. “See what I mean? Liars. Every single one of them. Even him.”

His finger stabbed in my direction.