Drinks at Tiny's Tavern.

“After all the arduous work, you’re already good for a celebration?”

Scarlet nods, crossing her arms to indicate her unimpressed amusement by your sarcasm. You shrug and look back. “Let’s stop by Tiny’s Tavern, but I’ll let you choose instead if you let me torch this place inside.”

…

…

At Tiny’s Tavern, you filtered inside an empty lobby. This was about what you suspected since the weather had been so poor the last few weeks. The snow bogged down the roads, and the weather kept everyone inside— this wasn’t a bad thing, you supposed.

The girl behind the bar counter had jet-black hair and incredibly purple eyes that fluttered slightly when cold air came in from your entry. She hugged herself and shivered slightly before greeting you and your partner.

When your pleasantries ended, she grinned and leaned into the counter, finally noticing the black clothing you and Scarlet adorned. She especially seemed to keep her eyes on you. “So, what pleasure will I have while serving you and your little girlfriend here?”

“Just drinks,” you say, bypassing her comment. “I’ll have a Old Forester bourbon.”

You look at Scarlet, but she just rolls her wrist. “Make it two Old Forester bourbons and maybe a meat platter.”

The girl with jet-black hair nods. “I’ll be as fast Delilah.”

Your throat closes. You’re about to ask what she means, but she’s already off to the kitchen to get your food. Scarlet grumbles as she slides into one of the many empty stools. You’re soon joining her. “Good work, Scarlet. That was smooth work out there.”

“Likewise,” she looks at you. Her eyes' dark blue seems more vibrant now that her hair matches her name. She smiles slightly and tilts her head as she stares. “You’ve been a pleasure to work with, besides that whole drugging me while with the so-called tiger cubs.”

You blush at her recollection but bury it by chasing her with me. “You wouldn’t have minded it too much if it weren’t for Alexandra being there.”

“Yeah, well, Alexandra is also dead now, so maybe refrain from mentioning her name from now on?” Scarlet’s expression is warm, but her words cut deep and cooley. “No. You have an agenda I can understand, I don’t respect it, but I see how the wind blows.”

“You don’t say?”

“To a degree,” she promises sincerely. “How would you feel about spending the rest of the month at Tiny’s?”

Your thoughts darted to Flora, but you couldn’t afford to show that you had strings attached back at the house, so you agreed. Of course, not without question. When your eyes met, however, you figured Scarlet knew what was going through your mind. She leans into the counter with a tight grin and flutters her eyes at you. Was this planned?

Scarlet’s eyes go to the bargirl when she returns with a platter of meats and two drinks. “Thanks,” she tells the girl. “Run off now, but come back when we’re empty.”

The girl with black hair gives a ridiculously low bow while curtsying with her dirndl slightly. Scarlet eyes her for a few seconds disgustingly before returning her gaze to you. “I typically like being away from the others while making these contracts. Nothing pisses me off more than Flora asking me about the contracts for small talk and Amara talking about it like she used to run ops like these. Kenji was a soldier and—“

Alexandra nearly rolled off her tongue, but she bit down, preventing the name from slipping. She takes the glass of Old Forester bourbon and swigs at it. “—I would much rather be with my partner for these next few days so I can at least entertain the idea of having a friend. I have no turmoil against you being with Flora.”

“We’re friends,” you offer to Scarlet. “Right?”

“A relationship built upon necessity isn’t a good one,” her words are again cold. “I want to befriend you because it would be incredibly convenient for me.”

You eat the meat despite not feeling that hungry. You also drink but find no pleasure in the flavor. “It doesn’t have to be so professional between us.”

“So we can fuck?” She smirks at you. “Don’t act like this—“ She waves a hand between you and her. “Is anything more than pleasure, convenience, and proper security.”

“The same thing could be applied to you with me, you know?”

Scarlet strikes her hands together in one thunderous clap. “He gets it!”

You drink again, eyeing Scarlet with a form of confusion. Then, finally, she joins you in drinking but finishes her glass in just two swallows. “I need to make sure you don’t slip up around Amara, and you need to make sure I don’t do the same.”

“I wouldn’t do that to you, Scarlet. It doesn’t matter what is or what isn’t tied to me. I don’t think you deserve to get mistreated or thrown into a bad spot with the ARS.”

Scarlet blinks at your sincerity and tries to drink again but finds herself already empty. She murmurs something before taking your Old Forester bourbon from your eyes and finishing that too. “So, staying here for a while, OK with you then?”

“I won’t deny that,” you tell Scarlet. “I’ll miss the others—“

“Flora,” she cuts in, but you ignore her and continue like you didn’t hear her.

“—but I think in the long run, it’ll give us the right amount of isolation from the big boss and staff.”

“That’s good,” Scarlet sinks into her stool, taking her staring elsewhere in the room. So it was as though she lost all interest in you and wanted something else to keep her attention steady now. “I would have stayed here alone otherwise, and it doesn’t sound like much fun.”

“I wouldn’t have allowed that anyway,” you nudge her with your elbow, and she looks back at you. “As partners, it’s best we’re level with each other and understand these contracts.”

Scarlet rubs her shoulder against yours. For a second, you think she’s about to do more but ultimately falters in her attempt. “Let’s get a room then and spend the night here. We’ll return to that shack later and see if anyone else needs to be done before anything more.”

“Even though it’s been torched?” You go to drink but then find it empty, so you start eating instead.

Scarlet lets out a deep sigh. “Yes. Even it’s torched. You ought to know to return to a place if the contract isn’t fully completed.”

Scarlet takes an alarming amount of alcohol before finally deciding she’s had enough in her system. She asks for a room, and you both push off the counter to see what glamorous room awaits you.

It’s about what you suspected it to be, like the one you stayed in, give or take detail away. The ceiling isn’t peeling, but the wallpaper is. The window isn’t cracked, but the floorboards below you are. It isn’t cold, but it also isn’t warm… you go into the bathroom to relieve yourself and find that it is clean and bright. This was an improvement to your last Tiny’s Tavern bathroom.

Scarlet kicked off her boots and unbuckled her gear on the floor before crashing onto the bed. You nudge her foot with your hands, and she pulls her legs up, letting out an annoyed moan. You’re alone, for the most part, and now you have to contest. You should be in your free time.