Simone pulled Lewis close to her and kissed him softly, “Try to enjoy yourself and try not to get frustrated too bad.” She booped his nose softly and it was followed by Lila also booping his nose. The child giggled and Simone adjusted Lila on her hip. “I think I can handle them for one night.” There was a wink and the mother looked down at Lila. “Right?”

“YEAH,” Lila started to clap her hands.

“Can we just fucking go already? Alcohol isn’t going to drink itself,” that was the voice of Rhenakos as she peered around Lewis to see everyone going with Lewis.

“NO,” Lila yelled. “BADDDDD.”

“Yes, bad. Please don’t repeat anything your Uncle Rhenakos has to say,” Simone smiled and kissed Lewis again.

“Mine,” Lila opened her mouth and Simone rolled her eyes as she brought the child up to also kiss her father.

“Not yours. Mine, but I understand where the miscommunication is on that,” Simone tickled Lila who giggled. “Have fun. Relax. I got this.” Their resonance was cut so that Lewis could relax and not worry about what the kids were up to. “If you need me… Well you have your ring.”

They headed off to a nearby tavern for the night while Simone was headed home with Lila.

“I still don’t understand why I have to go out,” Lewis complained. Sure, Simone had her outings with her friends, but she enjoyed those. He wasn’t exactly thrilled to be leaving everything to Simone, even though deep down he knew that she was probably more capable of taking care of the kids that he was.

Rhenakos started to complain, and when they came around the corner, Xeik was already waving his hand. “Hana is going to wreck the bar if we don’t hurry,” Xeik said. “I have no idea if Wes is there to stop her, either, so we need to get going.”

“I thought this was supposed to be a guys night out?” Lewis asked, quoting what he was told.

“It…is?” Rhenakos replied. “Hana’s one of the guys.” It was said as if it were a matter of fact.

“I…don’t think that’s how it works,” Xeik replied, sighing.

Lewis said goodbye to Simone and Lila, who was very adamant about getting her affection. The trip to the tavern wasn’t too long, and soon the group found themselves around a table with drinks in hand. It was to be a fun, relaxing night. So of course, Xeik kept trying to excuse himself to run back to Elysia for a quick look at some notes, and Rhenakos continued to pull him back down into his seat.

“Hana!” Rhenakos said as he slammed his pint down in front of her. “I hear you can drink… LET’S MAKE IT A CONTEST THEN!”

“Ah…fuck,” Lewis said under his breath. He knew where this night was headed already.

Hana was there waiting and she was three drinks in. “Ya if you have the fucking balls for it.” Hana slammed her mug down at Rhenakos. “I heard you can’t hold your liquor.” There wasn’t a Wesley in sight which meant… He was probably hanging out with Jet.

Hana was three more drinks in when she noticed a cute blonde elf looking in Lewis’s direction. “Hey, I don’t mean to ruin the entire mood there Lewis but you have a fan.” She nudged his eyesight in one direction. “Pretty cute one too.”

She had a petite figure with dark honey-colored eyes that seemed to mirror the shade of hair she had. After a few moments, the girl got bold and walked up to Lewis. “Um, do you want to have a drink… with me?” She panicked a bit in a shy but cute way. “My name is Saphielle…” Hana about spit her drink out but figured Lewis would have this handled.

Lewis was enjoying himself, much to his surprise. It was fun not having to worry about anything, and watching Rhenakos make an ass of himself was always fun to watch. Something felt off about the night, though, but he couldn’t quite put his finger on the reason why. It was when Hana brought it to his attention that someone was staring at him, a cute woman, that things made a little more sense. Perhaps it was the lack of killing intent that made him unaware of her presence, or maybe he was trying too hard to relax. Regardless, he merely played it off as one of Simone’s rabid fans imagining who knows what things about him.

So he ignored it. Lewis tried his best to enjoy himself despite the odd, staring woman, and ignored Hana. Unfortunately, that was when the woman approached.

“Hi…Saphielle,” Lewis said, a little apprehensive. “Unfortunately, this is a priva-” He was going to take care of it how own way, as best he could, but was interrupted.

“Oh don’t be so SOUR Lewis!” Rhenakos slurred. “Saphhy, you’re pretty cute you know! Sit at the table! Get her a drink! What’s the worst that could happen!?” The demon hunter was obviously drunk, but he was still eying Hana. “YOUR TURN!”

“I’m embarrassed for you,” Xeik said, staring at Rhenakos. “How the hell are you even awake right now.”

“THE POWER OF CUTE GIRLS,” Rhenakos said, holding up his drink to match Hana.

Lewis put his head into his hand. “Why do I associate with you?”

Saphielle sat down as soon as she was invited and she was watching the contest. “Cute girls he says. He keeps drinking like this and Osiria might divorce him,” Hana mused as she drank down another pint and stared at Saphielle, “SOOOO, you like Lewis?”

The blonde immediately blushed a bit and stuttered a bit, “Yes, I was hoping he wouldn’t mind going for a drink later in the week.”

Hana looked at Lewis a little wide-eyed and drank down. “I don’t think that’s going to happen but that’s u–”

“GIVE THE WOMAN WHAT SHE WANTS,” Rhenakos slammed down another drink.

Hana rolled her eyes and drank more, “Maybe you’ll pass out on the floor ya heathen.”

Saphielle was blushing once more as the bartender brought her over a drink.

The night seemed to pass about as expected, though Rhenakos lasted much, MUCH longer against Hana than any mere human should have. Most would have pointed out that Rhenakos’ demon blood gave him an advantage in that aspect, but anyone who knew him would attribute it to his stubborn tenacity and inability to know when to give up. Saphielle was, without a doubt, trying very hard to get Lewis to notice her, but his attention was anywhere but. There were a few times where she managed to catch his gaze, and it ended with her blushing and looking away, and Lewis rolling his eyes.

It was the last drink that Rhenajos had in hand. He downed it in a single gulp, and looked Lewis dead in the eye. “You take Sapphy here…and I get a night with Simone. Sound good?”

“No,” Lewis said flatly.

Sapphielle cocked her head to the side. “S…imone?”

As Rhenakos fell out of his chair, Lewis turned to the blonde woman, nodding. “My wife. She’s at home with the kids. And I love her more than anything…so I’m sorry, but I don’t think I can accept the offer for drinks.”

Hana was watching the drama unfold. “You are such a slut,” She spoke to Rhenakos, “Everyone knows that no one gets between Lewis and Simone.” There was an eyeroll from the werewolf. “You aren’t Simone’s type anyways even if she had one.”

Once Rhenakos was on the floor Hana chuckled, “Like you would be conscious enough for a night with Simone. You drunken log.” She got a quill and inkwell from the barkeep and began to draw on his face. “Do… You want a turn?” She held up the quill to Lewis. “Time for revengeeee.”

Lewis took the quill without hesitation and went to get busy on defiling poor Rhenakos’s face. Hana had already drawn a kitty nose and whiskers. “First asshole out for the night as usual,” Hana hummed.

“Um,” Saphielle was quick as she grabbed Lewis and kissed him, “Please! Reconsider… Sometimes things happen for a reason?”

Hana rolled her eyes. This girl.

When Saphielle stole the kiss, Xeik spat out his drink in response. Lewis recoiled as though he had been stabbed, and glared at the woman with disdain. She wanted him to reconsider, but the way she was talking and acting, it was as though she were desperate.

“No reconsidering,” Lewis replied, wiping his mouth with a disgusted look.

“If Simone were here, you’d be dead,” Xeik replied, a look of shock still plastered across his face.

“I-I can be your mistress, even,” Saphielle said, her eyes watering. “Just for you. No one else. You can have me whenever and wherever, in secret even. We don’t have to tell.”

“You need help,” Lewis said as he stood up. “Stay away from me…” He could feel Simone wondering what happened. Their emotions, especially the heavier ones, were almost impossible to hide. It was easy to show Simone what had happened, and she seemed to share a similar state of shock.

Just…don’t kill her. There’s obviously something wrong here…

Saphielle was taken back. “But I!” She frowned a bit and left the group.

Hana tilted her head, “There are weird ones everywhere. Here this will make you feel better.” She handed the inkwell to him.

As long as she knows she’s not getting anything from you it’s kinda funny watching the shoe on the other foot.

–

A few days later Xeik and Lewis rounded up all the kids and were headed for Benin. “It’ll just be for a few hours I promise.” Simone kissed him and rubbed her nose against him. “Thank you for helping with all the kids Xeik.” She ran off for a guild meeting since she had a little bit more responsibilities these days.

Alshaya held Xeik’s hand so she couldn’t run off, “I still think you’re a cheater.” She was sly as she spoke to her uncle but held his hand as directed by Lewis. “Hey, Daddy that pretty woman is watching you.” Saphielle was behind a stand watching Lewis from around the corner.

It was a funny thing, the two going out with all of the kids. Lewis had Lila on his back, and Xeik had Janus. It was, originally, to be the other way around, but Lila was somewhat demanding, and it ended up being Lila with Lewis. Janus didn’t seem to mind. If anything, he was only mildly displeased with the situation since Simone wasn’t there, but otherwise content about not having to walk anywhere.

It was Alshaya that noticed her first, and when she pointed, Lewis followed the finger to see the woman from the other night.

“Oh for the love of Angela…” Lewis cursed. The moment he said something, though, was when she disappeared.

Xeik looked at Lewis. “What?” He didn’t see the woman.

“It was the crazy woman from the other night,” Lewis said with a glare.

“You sure?” He sighed when Alshaya went on about his ‘cheating’ and the subject was dropped, at least for the time being. It wasn’t until a bit later, when Xeik went his own way to look for a gift for Mia, that Lewis saw her again.

Alshaya had stayed with Lewis, being offended at the fact that Xeik was getting a gift and ‘blatantly cheating in front of her.’ It was amusing, but Lewis really did wonder how long this infatuation would last. She was pouting, and tugging on Lewis’ arm.

“Daddy, Xeik is a liar and a cheater. He’s supposed to be mine.” Alshaya huffed, amusingly like Mia.

“You know,” a woman said as she walked up behind them. “You could just take him for yourself. I’m sure if you try hard enough, he’ll respond. If that doesn’t work…”

Lewis didn’t want to turn around, but knew he had to. “Just ignore the crazy lady, Shaya…” He glared at her as he met her gaze. “Leave.”