Switchblade

Chapter 56: Liquid Courage

Everyone sat around talking while drunk at the table but Killian was mostly to himself and on his phone. He was conducting research.

But not on what you'd expect.

He looked at the aspects of an Aries.

Right after he'd finished looking up what being a Leo meant.

He scoffed at the word "brave". Knowing that he figured that out about her a while ago.

"Boss man!" Kanan called drunkenly.
Killian lifted his head.
"You're like a big brother to me, man."
Killian just stared.
"He's three years younger than you." Silas laughed.
"Oh shit." Kanan realized and the rest of the table laughed.

Killian heard someone approaching him then felt two gentle hands touch his shoulders. He looked at them.
They were feminine.
"What're you doing?" Tati asked and leaned down.
He could tell she was tipsy but he'd drank twice as much and felt the same so he didn't feel obligated to speak on it.
She saw his phone screen and snickered. "I could've told you about it."
"But you didn't." he responded and looked back at the screen.
"Did you learn about yours too?"
"Learned that they think I'm arrogant."
Tati laughed.
She lifted her head up and faced the group.

"Are any of the rest of you Leo's?" she asked.
"Leo works in that warehouse a few miles East." Soren answered.
Tati rolled her eyes. "Never mind."

She looked back at Killian's phone screen. "That's not the only thing you guys are."
"Mm."
"You're also funny. Confident. Attractive. Courageous."
"You're just throwing out adjectives."
She snickered. "Didn't know you knew what an adjective was."
"You think 'cause I was homeschooled I'm an idiot?"
"Of course not." She draped over him and their faces were next to each other as they stared at the phone.

"Don't drink anything else." he stated.
"Why? Do I smell like alcohol?"
"No. You get drunker than this and you're gonna start actin' shy."
She scoffed. "No I'm not."
"You think I don't pay attention to you?"
"Do you?"
"I pay attention to everything."
"Prove it."
"Prove what?"
"How well you pay attention."
He scrolled down his screen.
"Kanan is pouring vodka in his shot glass."

Tati lifted her head and saw Kanan at the other end of the table with the vodka.
She looked back at Killian whose head was still down while he looked at his phone.
"He's gonna sniff it then put it back down because he feels sick." he added.
Kanan sniffed the glass. Made a face of discomfort and disgust then placed it and his head back on the table.

"Kolson's asleep." Killian stated.
Tati saw Kolson sitting there with his head tossed back and his mouth open, sleeping at the table.

"Is this common or-..."
"I can hear it." Killian interrupted.
"You can hear him breathing in his sleep and Kanan specifically pouring into his glass?"
Killian didn't answer.
Tati thought it was both impressive and terrifying.

She leaned back over him again.
He turned the phone off.
"Why? I wanted to read what it said about me."
"You're a fire sign and you're crazy." he summarized.
She laughed.
He looked to the side at her.

He looked back at the table and poured himself another shot.
"You can have more but I can't?" she questioned after watching him down it.
"I'm not a shy drunk."
"What kind of drunk are you?"
"Horny." he answered dryly.
"Aren't you horny all the time?"
"They're different." he stated and looked back at her. "You want me to show you?"
"Like...?"
"Do you want me to bring you back to the house and fuck you?" he reiterated.
Tati flinched, embarrassed he'd asked that in front of everyone. Only to look and see that they weren't even paying attention. They were too busy being drunk and out of it or talking about bullshit.