𝚂𝚙𝚕𝚒𝚝𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝙰𝚛𝚛𝚘𝚠 (𝙰𝚖𝚋𝚎𝚛 𝚡 𝙾𝙲)

Chapter 17 - Rumor

They were far too many drinks in. Bayler's eyes could barely stay open, and Takeda had long ago decided to flirt with their waitress.

She looked down at them with a satisfactory smile on her face. "I'm going to have to cut you off there, boys. Pay your tab at the front." A slip of paper was tucked underneath their empty mugs safely.

"Already? I haven't even gotten a name oooout of you, missy! Whyyyy don't you ssslip some other info on that tab?" Takeda slurred his words heavily. He grabbed onto one of the mugs in his collection and brought it up to his lips as if there was still any remnant of the beer left.

"Mariah," the waitress replied. A sultry look entered her eyes. "How about I wait until you sober up, mister? I'm here eeeevery day." She flicked his forehead and sashayed away with a laugh.

Takeda was left bright red in the face. He pointed at her while giving Bayler a look that said "do you see this????"

Bayler shrugged his shoulders and prepared to stand up. His legs were jelly and he had to grip onto the table to steady himself. "We... really need to get home, I think I'm gonna be sick..."

"Caaaan't hold your liquorrrr?" Takeda chuckled at his own words. "Thought you were better thaaan... that-"

Takeda tried to pull himself to his own feet, but nearly toppled over in the process. He looped his arm around Bayler and together they sauntered down the steps and to the front, one shaky step at a time. There were several close calls where one of them missed a step and slipped, but the other would haul him back onto the step so they could continue.

With the bill in hand, Takeda tossed a small sack of Mora at the man, Charles, sitting at the front. Then with a friendly wave, he escorted them out the wooden door.

It was a long walk back to Bayler's place. They decided it would be best if they stayed in the same room so they could help each other out. Takeda was able to down several mugs of alcohol, but he was known for doing stupid shit when he was intoxicated.

"Heyyy, Baaayler?" Takeda asked as they continued to stagger back home.

"What?"

"Thankssss for a good night." A drunken smile spread across his pale lips.

Bayler shared the sentiment with his own. "Yeah, yeah, of course. Thanks for taking care of the bill."

Takeda patted his now-empty pocket and chuckled. "Yooou'll get the nexxxt one~"

They rounded the corner to the inns. Much to their dismay, they still had to climb another flight of stairs. Thankfully, this one was smaller and less spiral-y. One step at a time, they managed to approach the front door where Bayler unlocked his room and let them both inside.

Bayler entered first, making sure to clear the way for Takeda. His head was already starting to pound and his waves of nausea were getting worse... especially at the sight of a certain red bandana sitting on his counter top.

His blood ran ice-cold. He wasn't supposed to be at the Angel's Share with Takeda... he was supposed to be at the Cat's Tail discussing things with Amber on the opposite side of Mondstadt. Was she still waiting there for him, or had she already given up and returned home?

Bayler staggered toward the window and gazed out into the lantern-lit night. His eyes strained to see, but his head pounded him with more nausea. He felt helpless in his drunken state, so much so that he was completely numb.

"Takeda... I was supposed to meet with Amber tonight!" he shouted, a flurry of curses following close behind. "She's going to kill me tomorrow, and her heart-"

Guilt flooded through him. He closed his eyes and winced, heart panting in regret. That was supposed to be his one chance to set things straight with her, and he'd missed it. As melodramatic as it seemed, the world was crashing around him all because of a perky red Outrider.

Takeda leaned against a table and chuckled. "You'll see her tomorrooow, mannnn! Jusssst explain that you were already drunnnnk before you could go seeeeee her!"

"You don't understand! We were supposed to talk about... important things, and I completely blew it! Fuck it all!"

A strong hand grabbed onto his shoulder and spun him away from the window. Gazing into blue eyes of Takeda, Bayler saw a surprising amount of uncapped anger within them.

"It'll be fine, you hear me?" Those were the clearest words to come out of Takeda's mouth since they entered the tavern. "What's the deal with you two anyway?"

Bayler blinked at his friend in surprise, words failing to be produced from his mouth. What WAS the deal with him and Amber anyway? That was the whole point of their meeting, but Bayler could barely figure it out himself.

She liked him, a lot it seemed. More than anything, she wanted to commit to him. Why? He wasn't sure. Maybe they got too intimate and she caught feelings all because he could please her. He was pretty weak mentally, so he wasn't that hard of a target to manipulate.

Amber didn't seem that way though. She genuinely wanted to be at his side, and it confused him. Of course, he felt the same exact way, but he was using every shred of willpower to deny her.

He did not need her.

He did not... want her.

Yet part of him still did. She didn't freeze up when he entered an episode, nor did she call him a freak and abandon him. That meant a lot to him, but he wasn't in Mondstadt to find a lover.

Bayler met Takeda's serious gaze and frowned. "I'm not sure. I think it's becoming a bit more than a crush..."

"And do you like her back...? You two have been making goo-goo eyes at each other since the competition began." Takeda released Bayler and scratched the back of his neck. "I guess she's got a thing for veterans! The series continues!"

Bayler's frown dropped further. "Series? What series?"

Takeda's face went dreadfully pale. "That's what we were talking about at the competition in Stormterror's Lair. She wanted to invite me out for a drink so we could talk about something she wanted to get off of her chest."

Bayler backed up and slapped his hand over his mouth. His face turned an ugly shade of green and he instantly spun around to dunk his head into a waste bin.

He heaved up the contents of his stomach, unable to control himself anymore. His heart felt torn, just like his stomach acidic with alcohol.

This can't be happening! She can't be playing me... can she? What if she's been using me to get closer to Takeda? Is that what she wanted to talk about so badly?

"Dude, that's disgusting! Archons! I'm gonna go make some tea or something before I wind up joining you too- damn," Takeda plugged his nose and walked off.

Bayler lifted his head out of the bin, tears in his eyes. "Say it isn't true... Amber. Say it isn't true."