Work Text:
The air in the pub was sticky, heavy with the smell of cigarette smoke and alcohol. The loud chatter of customers filled the space. The Timeless Stag was the most popular pub around Fort Salem. The cheap lukewarm beer and murderous whiskey were the ambrosia for tired cadets. Tally had lost count of the number of times Raelle and Abigail had ended up practically dragging her drunken self out of the place. But this time, she was alone, tucked away in a quiet corner of the room. The ambient glow from the wall-mounted lanterns fell softly on her face, casting long, dancing shadows that mirrored her mood. Her mind wasn't here, in the jostling warmth of the pub, but back home, dissecting and replaying the few last hours over and over again. It was a conversation that had been long overdue, one she'd mentally rehearsed a dozen times over, but not once had she imagined it would blow up the way it did.
Or maybe she did? After all, she did plan to spend the night with her sisters. Sisters that were not here with her.
"That's just stupid" She mumbled to herself. "Pure fucking absurd."
In a way, the sole fact that she was here alone served as an ideal punchline of the day. Because it seemed Tally Craven could not predict anything about the day.
She never would have guessed that Abigail would be the first to truly settle down and start a family, or that Raelle would pursue a career in the military. And she would have nevver guessed that both would have to ditch her because of family or career commitments on a day like this.
Tally was already on her way when Abs called, and Raelle's message arrived just as she ordered her first beer. She loved her sisters, she really did, and she understood that things could suddenly come up. But that didn't change the fact that she really, REALLY didn't want to be alone that night. And going back home was definitely not an option.
"Especially with all the nonsense he came up with..." Tally murmured under her breath, pulling a swig from her lukewarm beer.
"Looks like you've had a rougher day than a rookie cadet's first hand-to-hand combat session," drawled a youthful voice, interrupting Tally's brooding thoughts. A man, a boy she corrected herself, stood before her. His uniform was a clear giveaway of who he was - Gerit had worn the same uniform the day they met. "Perhaps I can lighten your load a little? Maybe a fresh drink to start?"
His grin was practiced, well-honed, much like a soldier learning to wield a sword. And that was precisely what it was: a skill. They trained them to be proficient in the act of seduction. Thats all. And she did fall for that - those years ago. She has fallen for a guy who just followed steps from a fucking textbook and practiced smiling for half of his military-training time. A fucking professional-prince-charming.
"God, how naive was I?" Tally mumbled to herself, draining her beer mug.
"Excuse me?" He saw his chance and settled in the seat across from her.
Tally sighed deeply, sank further into her chair, and fixed her gaze on her uninvited companion - even the way he sat... even the way he was looking at her - it was all calculated, premeditated, taught.
"Do you have a name?" she finally asked, her tone laced with a playful cynicism. Bolstered by her seeming interest, he leaned in, utterly unaware of the biting sarcasm hidden behind her seemingly benign curiosity.
"Tom. Or, as my mom would like it, Thomas Starsail."
‘Refer to your mother during conversation to emphasize her significance in your life’ Tally thought to herself, the words echoing in her head like an old, worn-out recording. The charade hadn't changed one bit. Even the playbook they used remained as unchanged as the day she'd first been duped by it. Was she really duped by it? Or... Gerit's words held some truths, and she... Nope... she was not going to think about that.
"Alright then, Thomas," she started, her fingers idly tracing the rim of her empty beer mug. A touch of warmth was spreading through her veins, the effects of her earlier drinks. She met his gaze with a steely determination, "What, according to you, is our next course of action?"
"It's completely your call," he shot back immediately, confidently. "We can stay here, talk, drink more... we can... do other things."
"Ensure the witch always feels she's in total control of the situation," she echoed aloud this time, her voice full of mockery and irritation, "And after that, there is this step of sending a parchment etched with a phallic sketch, right?"
Taken aback, Thomas shifted uncomfortably in his chair, his cheeks flushing a shade of red, but he held his tongue.
"You see Tommy-boy..." With a grand sweep of her hand, she intentionally let her ring flash in the dim pub lighting. "Been there. Done that. Regret most of it."
"I... I'm sorry... I didn't..." he stammered, flustered, but he didn't move. Tally had to spell out everything today.
"That's your cue to leave, boy" The young man was already on his feet when Tally added with a playful grin, "Though, you know what, Timmy? I wouldn't refuse another beer. If you could be so kind..."
"Sure, of course," the young man muttered before blending into the crowd.
Tally pulled out her phone - neither Raelle nor Abs messaged her... but Gerit... he had sent precisely 74 messages. For a moment, she considered deleting them all without even opening them. After all, she knew what they contained: nonsense. An abundance of nonsense. And ludicrous, baseless theories. 74 messages filled to the brim with wounded ego.
Why did it bother her so much? They were ending things... well, she was ending things. That was the important part, right? Not his theories. She wouldn't even delve into it. She refuses to delve into that.
The sound of a beer mug being placed on the table brought her back from her thoughts. More alcohol - certainly not the wisest decision, but it was the only one she was willing to make at the moment. She extended her hand to grasp the chilly mug without looking, ready to offer an insincere thanks to Tom when the harsh scrape of a chair on the pub floor brought her up short. She drew a deep breath - apparently, she was doomed to bruise more than one ego tonight.
"Listen, Tom," she started, still looking at her phone, reluctant to face yet another confrontation with yet another prince-charming. "I'm not sure what you're attempting... and to be brutally honest, I couldn't care less. Seriously. I've already had to deal with one of your prince-charming-kind today, and I really...""
Her words died in her throat as she finally looked up. It was not Tom sitting at the opposing side of the table. Not even close. It was General Alder with a glass in one hand, her lips twisted into a smirk, and a single eyebrow cocked in bemusement.
"You're not Tom", Tally managed to blurt out, taken aback. She wasn't so intoxicated as to hallucinate, was she?
"No..." Alder's gaze roved over herself in mock confusion, "I don't think I am."
Tally pinched her eyes shut for a second. She'd thought her day was spiralling into absurdity. Well, it had just hit an all-time high. Of all the possible people in the world... If it didn't make her look utterly mad, Tally would start laughing nervously.
"So... Your companion?" Alder gestured toward the bar where Tom was chatting up another witch.
"You mean an assembly-line Prince Charming, fresh off the military production line? Looks like he already found a new target."
Sarah's laughter filled the air at Tally's biting remark.
"Harsh but fair," Sarah chuckled, her eyes sparkling with mirth. "I almost feel sorry for..."
"Tom," Tally filled in.
"Tom. Yes, poor lad. It's not entirely his fault he was programmed to be a charming jerk."
At that, Tally couldn't hold back the laughter bubbling inside her. Sarah watched her, sipping her drink with an unreadable expression. The intensity of her gaze made Tally's cheeks warm, but she blamed it on the alcohol.
"It's good to see you, Craven," Sarah said, her voice surprisingly soft. "I didn't have a chance to greet you earlier; you were busy yelling at me..."
"At Tom," Tally corrected her automatically. "And a bit at Gerit. A lot at Gerit. Probably also at Raelle... and Abs... Not directly... but I really feel like yelling at them..."
"Is there anyone you don't want to... yell at?"
"Good question," Tally responded with amusement, "No. I think today's just one of those days... where you don't want to cross my path."
"If you'd prefer, I could give you some space." It was a small gesture, a genuine offer to respect her boundaries, to give her room to breathe. However, the idea of Sarah leaving her was oddly unsettling. Tally cleared her throat, fighting off the confusing tangle of emotions. The alcohol was getting to her.
"Your call, General," she managed, her voice a bit rougher than she intended. "you up for the challenge... or would you rather follow Tom's path?" She not so subtly gestured toward the receding figure of the boy now investing his charms in another unsuspecting witch.
Would she typically be this candid with Alder? Not in a million years. But right now, the quiet rules of propriety seemed distant, blurred.
Alder reclined further into her chair, a picture of calm assurance. The dim light of the bar bathed her in an ethereal glow, highlighting the defined lines of her cheekbones and the hint of a smile that played on her lips. It was as if a master painter had set out to capture the essence of powerful grace and wrapped it in the form of a woman.
"I'll take my chances," Alder said. There was a playful lilt to her voice that somehow made her seem more human, more accessible.
"Fortune does favor the bold, or so they say," Tally replied, meeting Alder's gaze. She tried to hold it, but the intensity in Alder's eyes was too much, forcing her to drop her gaze to her drink. The haunting echo of Gerit's words was suddenly loud in her mind. Was there truth to his words? If there was, how had she remained blind to it?
Sarah noticed the subtle shift. "Everything alright?"
Tally let out a shaky laugh, the corners of her mouth twisting into a brittle smile. She felt the sting of gathering tears. "No. Not really." The dam of her emotions wavering under the stress. "But... that's something I must deal with alone, I guess."
"Alone... with too much alcohol?" Alder's words lacked any judgement.
"Hey... Not alone. What about Thomas?" Tally shot back, her tone teetering between playfulness and a sadness that was difficult to mask.
"Tally."
"Fine..." Tally relented, leaning back in her chair ""Raelle and Abigail were supposed to be here with me... But people with lives that are in order sometimes have to prioritize their family and career, right?" Goddess she didn't mean to sound so bitter.
Sarah took a moment, letting the silence stretch between them as she waited for Tally to continue.
"And well... when I've got a message that both of them won't be able to make it I already ordered my first beer... so... there was no turning back."
"You could've left after that first one, though..." There was an unspoken question hanging in the air.
Tally nodded, her gaze shifting from Alder to her nearly-empty beer. "I could. But that would've meant returning to my very own problematic prince-charming at home, and that was the last thing I wanted. The plan was to have a night out, forget my worries, maybe crash at Abigail's..."
"Do I want to know what Buttonwood did?" Alder asked.
"He... didn't do... anything." Tally responded slowly "I... well I informed him that I was not planning to prolong our marriage. And ... he didn't took it too well. It's ... a long story. Probably... better if we don't go down that path."
"Alright," Alder responded with a murmur, her voice a soothing contrast to the storm of emotions threatening to break loose within Tally. "But just in case you forgot... I can literally make that man disappear. A permanent posting in the Necro dungeons... or a long-term assignment somewhere remote. Just say the word."
A peal of laughter escaped from Tally, startling in its suddenness. It echoed around them, rich and unrestrained, only fueling the curious glint in Alder's eyes. "I'm sorry," Tally said, her words interspersed with bouts of giggles, "I'm really sorry. I appreciate the offer. It's just... in this situation, your intervention would probably ignite an even bigger mess. But..." A mischievous glimmer danced in her eyes, "...I'd pay a fortune to see Gerit's face. After all his lofty words... oh, that would be priceless."
Alder's eyebrow arched upwards in a mix of amusement and confusion.
"I'm sorry, I probably sound like a lunatic to you. To make sense of all this, I'd have to step into... a topic that I've been trying to avoid."
"Tally, you don't have to..." Alder began
"No, but... I think I want to," Tally cut in, feeling the thrumming of the alcohol coursing through her veins. It was a terrible idea to let loose like this, she knew, but the warning felt distant, muffled. The dam inside her was already crumbling, and she was far beyond the point of holding back. "...You see, to navigate this topic... I'd have to recount the tale of my failing five-year marriage. I've known for a long time that our vows wouldn't be renewed. But Gerit? He was under the illusion that we were perfect. A match made in heaven, as they say. So when the time has come and I've told him, he did what any good prince-charming-husband would do - he began proposing ways to mend our bond. He pushed and prodded until I had to draw a line, until I had to make it absolutely clear that there was no band-aid solution that could help. And then... then he broke."
Tally paused taking a moment to drain the last drops of her beer. Her grip on the mug was as if she was holding onto a lifeline.
"He began coming up with theories... stories. He brought up an offhand comment I'd made at some party, where I'd confessed to being attracted to both men and women. That casual remark was suddenly linked to an ongoing joke between Raelle and Abs about my supposed 'massive crush' on none other than General Alder back at the base."
Tally briefly made eye contact with Sarah, her vision slowly beginning to blur.
"So, picture spending an entire afternoon with my soon-to-be ex-husband, listening to him spinning theories about why our marriage failed. , it's because I'm actually attracted to women and never got over my crush on... “She paused for a moment ” ..you. Then he started accusing me of being emotionally absent from our relationship. Me... absent. Hilarious, isn't it? And suddenly, our marriage's demise was my burden to bear... and he grew envious of the 'imaginary' relationship that supposedly you and I shared all these years."
Fumbling, Tally reached for her empty mug, signaling the bartender for another round. She was too engrossed in her tale to notice Sarah subtly waving off the bartender, her expression a mix of concern and bewilderment.
"So, I was blamed for fantasizing about a nonexistent relationship with my crush about which it turned out my husband was jealous about. Absurd, right? Or perhaps... " Her voice trailed off as the realization of what she'd just spilled hit her.
She pressed her hand to her mouth, her eyes wide. "Why on earth... Why am I telling you this? Fuck. Alcohol is making me do stupid things. On the other hand, marrying Gerit was stupid, and there was no alcohol involved... Maybe if it had been then, I would not have gotten stuck in an unhappy marriage for five years and I would recognize how attracted to you I was? ... I'm doing this again. Talking. I should stop. Stop talking. Like... forever. A bit drastic but could work."
"Tally..."
"Can we agree never to see each other again? Or at least never speak... I'll admire you from afar, but I solemnly vow to never - ever reach out to you again." Suddenly, Tally began to giggle. "Vows." She giggled uncontrollably. "Vows -get it? Ha... I'm so quick to make vows to you. Ah, well done, Craven, well.. fucking.. done..."
Attempting to stand, her footing betrayed her. The alcohol in her system was now firmly at the wheel, leading her to stumble gracelessly into Sarah, who managed to catch her in a swift motion.
"Oopsie daisy..." Tally cooed, a hiccup-laced giggle following her words.
"I think you've had more than enough for today.
"Have I?"
"Oh yes. You've definitely had your fill. Let's get you some fresh air and then we'll figure out what to do with you."
"You can do whatev..."
"Tally, I'd advise against finishing that sentence... You're only making tomorrow morning harder for yourself."
"You're a killjoy."
Sarah's lips curled into a slight smile. "Believe me. I can be quite fun."
She woke up with a throbbing headache, comfortably wrapped in fresh linen. Her sluggish mind took a moment to register the unfamiliarity of her surroundings - neither the bed nor the linen was hers. She bolted upright, eyes snapping open, but quickly screwed them shut again as searing light drove a spike through her temples. Where was she? Her foggy memory yielded nothing. She had spoken with Gerit and had plans with the sisters at the pub. The pub would explain the hangover... but the pain she felt was disproportionately high compared to the typical hangover she'd experienced many times before. As she lay there, grappling with her scattered memories, she heard the door creak open, and the soft pad of footsteps approached. She tried to pry her eyes open again, but the pulsating pain caused her to whimper and curl into a tighter ball.
"Welcome back in the realm of the living," a familiar female voice said softly. It sounded familiar, but the constant ringing in Tally's ears prevented her from identifying it completely. "There's a special salve on the bedside table - it'll alleviate the symptoms of alcohol poisoning... at least most of them." There was one place where healing salve was available. A place so ingrained in Tally's memory that it penetrated the fog of pain clouding her mind. Fort Salem. Despite the pain, she opened her eyes. After a moment, her vision sharpened enough to make out the silhouette of General Alder.
"Oh no..." she moaned, sinking deeper into the pillows. "This is not happening."
"Tally..." Sarah began, her voice soothingly low.
"How bad ?" She asked, muffling her voice in the plush pillow.
Sarah hummed, a thoughtful sound as she pondered her response.
"You might feel a bit...embarrassed."
"Just a bit?"
"We'll talk when you're feeling better."
"That doesn't sound like 'a bit', General..."
Alder chuckled. "Take the salve, Craven. The bathroom's to your left - you'll find a refreshing shower will do wonders. I'll be in my office when you're ready to talk."
"That's definitely not a 'bit' scenario." Tally groaned into the pillow.
When Sarah left, she reached for the salve - for a moment, she looked at the two small transparent tablets.
"How bad could it really be..." She tried to comfort herself and pressed both of them into her neck. The relief was immediate, washing over her like a wave. A deep breath escaped her lips as she slowly sat up, her mind gradually regaining clarity. And that was when the first memories came back.
Tally was unsure of how long she'd been rooted in place outside Sarah's office. It felt like an eternity as she grappled with her thoughts. The last night's events were a blur of embarrassing revelations - probably the worst 'gay awakening' in the annals of human history. But she needed to mend bridges, apologize, plead for forgiveness, and somehow endure the burning embarrassment threatening to consume her. Drawing a deep breath, she finally mustered the strength to push the imposing office doors open.
"I'm impressed, Craven. I was almost sure you'd flee," Sarah's voice greeted her.
"Do I look like a boy named Thomas?" Tally attempted a weak joke, trying to dispel the tension. "Honestly, I was convinced I'd flee myself. I... I don't even know where to begin..."
"One thing at a time," Sarah interjected gently. "That's how we fix things right? And probably for you, the most pressing issue would be your marriage, wouldn't it? Or the end of it."
The mention of her marriage and Gerit felt like a distant reality. Yet, Sarah was right. That was a mess she had to tackle. Even if this was the last thing she wanted to think about right now.
"Yes, but I should really apologize for..."
"No, you don't. Really," Sarah's tone was firm yet not unkind, like a lifeline thrown her way.
There was a strange mixture of relief and disappointment in Tally's heart. She had braced herself for this conversation. Hoped for a chance to explain, to contextualize her confession. Yet, perhaps it was kinder this way - leaving those drunken words forgotten.
"Thank you... I... I should probably go... and fix the mess." Tally admitted, her throat feeling uncomfortably tight.
"Yeah... sounds like a good idea." Sarah's gaze lingered, a softness in her eyes that Tally had not seen before, it was almost... "And once you've managed to put your life and your head back in order... Maybe we could... have dinner together? If... you're still up for... it."
Sarah's words hung between them, and just like that... Tally's world, seemingly doomed, flickered with a soft, welcoming glow.