Something Friendly

By
Edward sat and stared out to the skyline as he set his guitar down next to him, where Ian had sat moments ago. After singing Stand By Me together, Ian stood up to go and fetch the remainder of the brandy and whiskey that had been set out on the bar for everyone.
            Ed knew thought about what Ian had reminded him of that afternoon, and although he responded coldly, knew that he shouldn't have had any regrets or hard feelings. He never was one to dwell on the past, and he just felt like a hypocrite, not to anyone, but rather to himself.
            "Oh yeah, what was it that your sister wanted to say?" Ian asked shortly after he had returned and filled Ed and JR's glasses with whiskey.
            "Hmm?" Ed murmured. He had completely forgotten that he had even gone out that day, what tended to happen whenever his head was with the manuscript that he was working on at the time, though he knew better than that, that he had deeper troubles. Troubles Ian could probably pick up on.
            "The thing your dad called me about. He wanted you to attend some family thing for your sister?"
            "Oh yeah!" Ed said and stood up. He smiled weakly and figured that it was time to cheer the hell up. "She finally hit it big," he continued.
            "Oh she's finally found a decent place to exhibit her paintings?" Devon asked as he set his glass of water down onto the ground next to his chair.
            "Mm-hmm," Ed replied, "it's happening Sunday. We celebrated today by having a little get together."
            "That's awesome!" JR shouted from inside, where he sat with Melisa, who was nodding in approval, sure to ask him who Ed's sister was afterwards.
            "Yeah, tell her congratulations from me," Dev said.
            "Will do. You know you can always come along. It's not an invitation-only thing, though it is very professional and formal."
            "I'll think about it," Dev said as he stood up, "I'll be right back, though," he added as he headed inside and down the stairs.
            "And you know I'll try and be there," Ian said as he finally came forward and handed Ed his whiskey.

The night then went on with the lot of them going on about the past and plans for the future, but quickly became more quiet as the night turned to early morning.
            Melisa had to go, so JR offered to take her home, even though Ian had told him numerous times that he should not go out after he had drank.
            Fortunately she could think logically, and decided on staying the night, on the condition that she sleep on the largest couch that house had to offer. Devon and Marko on the other hand took their leave at around 2 AM but unlike JR, Dev knew when to cut back on the alcohol, and started drinking water instead long before then.
            By 3, JR had passed out on one of the deck chair while smoking hubly, and Ian and Ed was the only ones still awake.
            "So what's the real reason your date couldn't make it?" Ian asked as the two of them sat at the bar, inside. They had been catching up and talking philosophies as neither of them could get themselves to even remotely feel tired.
            "I just figured that I'd come alone this time. It didn't feel right asking her along right after the first date, y'know?"
            "I know," Ian replied, even though he knew that it was probably more due to the fact of what was coming the following week. "Get some sleep, dude. It's not like you have to be awake early later."
            "But you do," Ed said, and for once Ian could not make it whether it was a snide remark, or honest mockery. "You should get some sleep yourself. You haven't had a decent night since you've been on this 'Thor, son of Odin!' case."
            Ian laughed, "here you are, mocking me when I am out, risking my ass for this world."
            "Not just your ass, if I may," Ed added. Both of them then laughed, after which Ed walked around the bar to the other side, ducked down, and came back up with a brand new bottle of whiskey. "Let's have some fun," he said with a devilish grin. "How long has it been since we forgot about everything - and everyone - and just drank until our heads hurt, and our minds were blank?"
            At first, Ian was reluctant, but after giving it some thought, he said: "Why the hell not. And I bet fifty that I'll be the one taking the last sip."
            "Yeah?" Ed said and poured two new glasses. "I put a hundred up on the fact that I'll be the last man standing!"

The drinking went on until well after 5. By the time the bottle had been emptied out, both men were asleep. Ed, on the bar with his cat laying on his chest, and Ian on a barstool at the end of the bar. 

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