《The Curse Among Us》Chapter 2.5: Complaints
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"Oi, Lance, you day drinking again?" Erwine said. "You do have some balls to drink during work hours."
Lance stood up from a box that he was sitting on and took another bottle of wine that was resting on top of another box. Lance's face is red as he's drunk and handled the wine to Erwine.
"Want, a drink? HIC-" Lance asked while having a hiccup. "Don't worry. No one will find us drinking outside the walls."
"You're pathetic, also no, keep that to yourself," Erwine said as he pushed the wine back at the drunk pissed face Lance. "Why did you start drinking recently?"
"It's nothing bad. HIC-" Lance said as he keeps having hiccups. "It's just a thing that's been troubling me."
"Is it about your wife?"
"Don't remind me of-HIC, her. I've been over it, it's been 5 years." Lance complained. "It's just, do you understand how hard it is for a single dad to take care of a son?"
"What's wrong your kid?" Erwine asked. "Is he giving you a lot of trouble?"
"Yes, he's mostly alone when I'm at work, so when I came back home he always begs me for attention!" Lance yelled, his face is getting redder and redder as he drank more wine. "That annoying little shit! I can't stand it!"
As Lance ranted about Alex, Erwine got a little bit uncomfortable, he didn't want to hear all this as he's just trying to get Lance to stop drinking and get back to work.
"Lance, why don't we-"
"That little bastard is so manipulative, I can just get him to shut up by 'promising' him things that don't matter." Lance ranted. "He always tells me about those stupid 'magic' in his fairy tale book like an idiot! And-"
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"Lance stop," Erwine said as he cuts off Lance. "You're a pretty bad drunk."
"Ugh, Sorry, I got carried away," Lance said as he chugs down another bottle of beer. "Anyways, since you've been promoted to a royal guard, you having any plans this week?"
"You remember?"
"Of course, don't worry, I'll try my best to get you through this. I've been a royal guard longer than you."
"Yeah, you don't have to tell me, I can handle things by myself," Erwine said. "But I still appreciated your offer."
"Sure," Lance said. "Also you haven't answered my question yet. Any plans this week?"
"Yeah, I'm hosting a dinner party tomorrow. You coming?"
"Nah, I have overtime on Saturday," Lance said.
"Sucks to be you, overtime on weekends," Erwine said. "Oh right, my kid is also asking Alex over to the dinner party, it's fine to have him over at my place, what about you?"
"Just let him go, less of a burden for me, at least now I don't have to buy dinner for him."
"Whatever, stop drinking, if the others heard you rambling, they're going to have a lot of questions," Erwine said while walking away from Lance. "I'm going for my patrol now, you should get going too."
"Yeah right-HIC!" Lance said while standing back. "Don't rush me!"
As Erwine walked away from Lance. He couldn't help but think about the words that Lance uttered out when he was drunk.
"Does the things he said just now really mean anything? I can't tell."
Erwine decides to just not think about it, and just focus on this work.
"Just don't think about it, Lance isn't that kind of person to abuse a child. Mind your own goddamn business, Erwine."
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