It was late evening by the time we'd all gotten our things settled and rested for a bit, so after getting groceries, I was in the kitchen making dinner. Lorenzo and Sephtis had offered to do so, but since I just slept while they moved everything in(including my stuff), I thought this was the least I could do.
I decided that a simple stew would be the best thing to make, especially after the clouds swallowed the sun and it began to rain. So with a fire in the fireplace and having just bought some alcohol, mostly beer, cream stew fit best for the atmosphere.
"Hey, how long till it's done? Sephtis' stomach won't stop rumbling, and it's getting kinda annoying," Lorenzo asked, peeking his head through the doorway.
"Hehe, I just added the green onions, thyme, and rosemary, so it only needs to take another 10 minutes, then sit for five, so probably 15 minutes. Can you be patient for that much longer?" I answered, laughing at the fact that Sephtis' stomach was indeed rumbling so loud that I could hear it all the way in the kitchen.
"Ehh, it's not really my patience I'm worried about, more like Sephtis' stomach. He's sprawled out on the floor from a stomachache caused by hunger," Lorenzo sighed, a mix of sympathy and annoyance on his face.
"...Haaa, alright, where are you guys wanting to eat?" Sighing, I whipped my hands on my apron, turning to the counter behind me.
"Huh? Oh, I was just planning to stay in the common room since we have a fire going, the alcohol cooler is in there…and Sephtis' growning self is in there. I doubt he has the energy to move himself to the dining room, even if it was for food."
"Okay, then, could you take this stuff here and go set it up on the coffee table? Oh, and take Sephtis some of this tea I made earlier, it's still warm, so it should help calm his stomach a bit," I assured, placing it all on a tray and handing it to Lorenzo.
"Gotcha, anything else to take note of or take with me?" He asked once again, taking the tray from me and starting to make his way to the door.
"Mmmm, nope. Just tell him it will be done soon," I announced, smiling at Lorenzo as he nodded and left.
And about thirteen minutes later, I was on my way to the common room, pot and hot pads in hand. As I placed the pot on the hot pad Lorenzo placed in the middle of the table, Sephtis started to squirm out of his sorry state.
"Ugh, food?" Sephtis expressed, getting himself out of looking like a corpse at a crime scene, and more like a lost puppy looking for food.
'Cuteeee!'
"Yes, come and get some," I replied, passing him a cushion to sit on. Then handed the spoon to him and watched as he put a giant portion on it for himself.
'Aw, big puppy needs a big portion to grow nice and strong! I'm glad I made a lot.'
"HAHAHA! Look at him go!" Lorenzo exclaimed, laughing his ass off as Sephtis shoved a giant spoonful into his mouth and chewed with joy.
"I'm hungry, okay?!" Sephtis shot back, talking with his food still in his mouth, then quickly shoving more in.
Walking over to the alcohol cooler, I was reminded of the times when I was like this with Akihito, Keiji, and Yasuo. I'd lie if I were to say it didn't make me sentimental, but I guess all in all, I was just glad I could have more moments like this.
"Hey, do you want beer or wine?" I called over to the two of them, opening the cooler door and picking up both wine and beer.
"Beer, please!" Both of them answered. Perhaps they were uncomfortable drinking wine, since in this world, that was mostly reserved for nobility and royalty, but either way, I grabbed myself the wine bottle and some glasses on the shelf above it.
I passed Lorenzo and Sephtis their beers, then sat down, opened the wine, and poured myself a glass. As I scooped some of the stew into my own bowl, Lorenzo gave me a curious look.
"Hm, is something the matter, Lorenzo?" I asked with a chuckle, taking a bite and tilting my head at him with a smile.
"Oh! No, I was just curious…does wine really taste that nice?" He asked, taking a sip of his beer.
"...If you would like to, you can try some," I offered, pushing the wine bottle his way as I reached for my own glass.
"No, no, I'm alright! Thank you for the offer, though," Lorenzo trailed off in thought, staring off into space as he looked as if he regretted denying my offer, "I'm…just scared I'll get addicted and never be able to go back to beer…"
"..."
"..."
"..."
"PFFT- HAHAHA! Thats the silliest thing I've ever heard!" I burst out laughing, Sephtis doing the same, clutching his stomach as his eyes filled with tears.
"Wha-?! Don't make fun of me! I've heard from other well-off adventurers that they weren't able to drink beer as they used to after drinking wine!" Lorenzo refuted, his whole face turning red from embarrassment.
"Hehe, well, wine does have a very different taste, and many do prefer it to beer, but I doubt that'd be the case for you," I commented, holding up the bottle for Lorenzo to take.
"No! I don't want to risk it!" He exclaimed, hurriedly pushing it away and making me laugh again. It was refreshing to see someone of his stature like this; it quite reminded me of Keiji when he interacted with Yasuo.
'Ugh, don't tell me I'm going to end up like those bufoons if I keep on interacting with Lorenzo in this way!'
"Welp, your choice," I replied, shrugging, then noticed Sephtis watchful eyes, "Sephtis, would you like to try some?"
I smiled and offered my glass to him, since he didn't have an extra cup, as Lorenzo did, since he was worried that if he got drunk tonight, he'd have a hard time controlling his strength and crushing the one he was currently drinking out of.
Sephtis looked at me for a moment, his eyes sparkling with curiosity, then an emotion I didn't recognize. Probably because it was something I'd never felt myself, but I simply brushed it off as mere amusement.
"Mmm, I'm not too sure, I can hardly handle my beer as is…" Sephtis said, looking away shyly, having finished his bowl already.
"Please, you haven't even had a sip of beer yet, you'll be fine," I insisted, motioning for him to take the glass.
I didn't like being the type to insist on things, but I wanted to share this experience with the two of them. Since I knew there was a less than likely chance of this happening again, especially if they accompanied me back to Zyon City as my subordinates.
"O-Okay, I suppose just a little sip wouldn't hurt," Sephtis agreed shyly, his cheeks reddening in the dim light of the fireplace.
"Ho, you better tell us what you think of it after!" Lorenzo urged, motioning with his head to 'go on' as he drank some more.
"R-right," Sephtis agreed, finally taking a sip. His ears stuck up in surprise as the wine went into his mouth, his eyes seeming to do the same action as his ears, and his tail wagging like crazy when he finished his sip.
"Soooo, you like it, huh?" I teased, grinning handsomely, feeling likeI'dd won something. Sephtis quietly nodded his head as he reluctantly gave me my glass back.
"C-Could you get me a glass as well?" He requested nervously, tilting his head down slightly enough to make my heart go 'ba-dum!' from the cuteness.
"Hehe, of course!" I excitedly went to get another glass and bottle, happy to share one of my favorite brands from this world with a friend. I was planning on drinking the whole bottle bymyself, but now that one of my friends liked it, I suppose I'd have to open another.
'Huh?...when did I start to think of Sephtis as my friend? Just a couple of days ago, he was my student…heh, I suppose things change when you share certain moments with others.'
"Grabbing a whole other bottle? You weren't planning on drinking this one all by yourself,f were you?" Lorenzo asked, a look of surprise on his face.
"Yeah, I was. I actually have a pretty high tolerance, especially with all of the parties other nobles host that I'm forced to attend," I explained, opening the new bottle and pouring some into the glass for Sephtis, who happily took it, tail still wagging.
"Is that so?" Lorenzo replied, a big grin suddenly appearing on his face as he held his beer to his mouth, then took a big gulp.
Not knowing what that look was for, I looked at him with an eyebrow raised, slowly taking a sip of my wine as I finished my food. Then, once Lorenzo finished his current beer, he walked over to the cooler, grabbed a whole pack, two more bottles of wine, and put them on the coffee table.
"What's this for?" Sephtis asked, taking a bite of one of the cookies I had Lorenzo bring over on the tray earlier.
"Haha! Glad you asked, my furry friend! I… propose a drinking game!" He announced, spreading his arms wide open, then leaning his hands on his knees as he sat down, "Who's in?"
Sephtis and I looked at each other for a moment, trying to figure out what the other was thinking. Sephtis was giving me the look of 'Is this okay?' and I responded with a look of, 'Eh, I'm sure it'll turn out to be okay,' which I would come to regret later.
"In true adventurer fashion, why not?!" I exclaimed, gesturing forward with my glass, "So, what's the punishment for the loser?"
"Hmmm, how about having to accompany you to the slave trade! Sounds fair enough, no?" Lorenzo suggested, shrugging with his arms crossed and a smiling face.
"Haa, I guess since I know you two really don't want to go, that's alright…but if I lose, then I go on my own?" I replied, chuckling after Lorenzo nodded with a smile, then patting the seat next to me, "Here, Sephtis. Come sit next to me, I don't want you passing out on the floor if you get too drunk."
"Hmph, that won't happen, but alright," He pouted, but still happily sat next to me, his tail wagging even faster as his tush hit the couch.
***
Hours later, Sephtis was flat out drunk, swaying in his seat as Lorenzo hick-uped a bit. Expectidly, I was perfectly fine, still drinking, but pacing myself by going back and forth with food and drink.
"Ughh, I think imma hit the sack. While Sephtis is the clear loser, I'm going to take this one, since I'm going to sleep sooner," Lorenzo announced, surprising me a bit.
"Hm? That's surprising, I thought you would want to stay up a little longer?" I replied, tilting my head at him as he stood up and started to make his way out of the room.
"That was the plan, but I'm feeling a little more tipsy than I thought I'd get, so I'm going to bed," Lorenzo answered, yawning as he left to go upstairs, leaving me with the drunk Sephtis.
"..."
"...hic-!..."
"Huh? Are you really that drunk?" I laughed, putting my glass on the coffee table and leaning back, letting Sephtis lean himself on me.
"Yeah…I, hic-! Told you I couldn't hold my liquor very well, hic-!" He hiccuped, rustling his head closer to my neck.
"Hm~? I suppose that's true," I replied, letting Sephtis hug me and bury his face in my neck, "Ho? So you're the affectionate kind of drunk, huh? Haha!"
I didn't mind this, since I knew he was drunk and likely didn't mean anything special by it, so I let it happen.
Sephtis let go for a moment, reaching over and grabbing the bottle of wine, and taking another big gulp. Worried, I tried to take it from him, but he moved away from me, then hugged me from the waist.
"If you, hic-! Want it, you'll have to do something, hic-! First," Sephtis demanded, moving his chest closer to mine.
"...And what is that?" I asked, an innocent smile on my face, clearly not picking up what he was putting down.
"...A kiss," Sephtis answered, surprising me. My eyes widened as I was purely dumbfounded, not everything that my cute, innocent student could ever do something like this.
Frozen from shock and racing, broken, tempted thoughts, I didn't even notice him lean over to put the wine bottle on the table. Not paying attention and stuck in a debate with my morals, I didn't notice him lean forward, cup my face, and kiss me.