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Like usually, once a week, you were at a pub in town, the same one every time. After work you would go out with Theo and Arthur, unwinding after a stressful day, teasing the younger Van Gogh until he was visibly irritated, only to order him another drink. Arthur would only make the situation worse, or better, with his commentary but in the end it was always good natured and all of you got your fair share of verbal punches before things got too woozy and blurry.
Tonight was nothing different, except that their dear author friend ditched them shortly after arrival for two, admitted very beautiful, young women and strolled off with them into a more private area, much to Theo’s irritation and your amusement. You had ordered yourself a drink long ago, when the two of you eventually fell into casual conversation again. It was until he decided to get himself a new drink as well.. and what he ordered made you almost choke on your alcohol.
“Whiskey, half water.”, Theo said in his usual, neutral tone.
“Whiskey drowned it is.”, the bartender replied as a confirmation and was about to start to prepare the drink, when you lifted your hand.
“Stop! I can’t watch this any longer!”, you exclaimed, obviously offended, staring at Theo. The bartender looked at you, rather confused as well. “What do you think you’re doing to that poor whiskey? That’s terrible.”
The man behind the counter snorted quietly, when Theo raised one eyebrow, not sure what to answer you. In the same moment you downed your previous drink and told the barkeep that you wanted two whiskeys, both neat. The younger Van Gogh looked quite displeased with your actions and frowned deeply at the glass now in front of him. You knew that his pride wouldn’t allow him to back down once you actually started drinking, so you stared at him, into his ocean blue eyes and took a casual sip.
The liquid burned in your throat, but you managed to keep a straight face, followed by a rather smug smile.
Theo lifted the glass to his lips and you could see the hesitation in his expression, the disgusted sneer half on visible. You were waiting for him to actually drink and when he did, the face he made was the funniest you had ever seen. When some young parents would let their young toddlers bite into a citrus fruit… The expression was pretty much the same and you couldn’t help but start laughing.
And so you two kept drinking, Theo’s pride not allowing him to back down and so the evening got longer and longer… Until it was nothing but a hazy blur.
A lot later, Arthur walked back into the main room of the pub, finding the bartender waving at him. He raised one eyebrow in question, not sure what happened. “English! Your two friends seem kind of…sleepy.” The man pointed to the other side of the bar counter, where Theo was resting his head on his arms, crossing in front of him on the surface of the counter, while your head was leaning against his shoulder, sound asleep. A few empty glasses in front of you..
“I can’t believe these two…..” He let out a heavy sigh, dreading to figure out how to get you both home unharmed.