“She’s bouncing like a pinball, singing every word she never knew, dancing with her eyes closed like she’s the only one in the room, her hair’s a perfect mess, falling out of that dress…”

Charlotte swayed back and forth, feeling the wind pass over her shoulders. Her strapless dress was doing a lousy job of protecting her against the November chill. But even though she felt it, her eyes stayed closed, and she stayed out in the middle of the dance floor that covered most of the new rooftop bar. Somewhere in front of her, a cover band was playing their version of a Billy Joel ballad. And somewhere behind her, Jules was sitting at a table watching her like a protective mother bear.

The lack of a job was starting to get to Charlotte, and sensing that, Jules offered to give her a worry free night out. Jules covered the drinks, and now covered her ass as she made sure no one got too close to her obviously drunk friend. Tequila could do that quick, especially when it was mixed with whiskey. And then mixed with vodka. For now it was worry free. By tomorrow morning, Jules figured Charlotte would have a lot to worry about; namely the massive hangover she was bound to have. But when she’d tried to slow Charlotte down, or at least keep her locked on one alcohol, it led to some chastising and arguments on Charlotte’s end.

The last argument had been about it being time to leave, in which Jules wanted to get Charlotte to bed but Charlotte wanted to carry on her carefree night. So when she realized there was no moving her, Jules called in the calvary. The army of one showed up a half hour later looking completely out of place in a suit. Jules quickly waved him down and watched him weave through the crowd.

“Sorry, I tried to get out of there as quickly as possible,” Darcy set his hand on Jules’ back and bent down to kiss her cheek.

She extended her neck so he could kiss her, and then returned her gaze to Charlotte. “I knew I’d texted you at an inopportune time,” Jules flicked her head out towards the dance floor, “I’ve been keeping an eye on our girl.”

Darcy followed the direction of her stare and found his girlfriend still swaying in time to the music on the dance floor, “what’s the damage?”

“Shot of tequila, two margaritas, a whiskey sour, and two vodka sodas,” Jules unclasped her wallet to make sure she had everything. “I also managed to get a couple french fries in her,”

Darcy sighed and looked back down at Jules, “alright. Thanks for looking out tonight. You need money for a car?” He reached in his jacket pocket and pulled out his wallet.

Jules set her hands on top of his, “no, it’s nothing. She’s done it for me so many times,” she flung the purse strap over her shoulder.

“You want me to walk you out to a car?”

Jules shook her head, “take care of our girl.” She stood on her tip toes and kissed Darcy’s cheek.

“Text me when you get home,” he tucked his wallet back into his pocket, smiling when she nodded in affirmation and walked towards the exit.

Once he watched her go, he looked out at Charlotte. She was dancing like she didn’t have a single care in the world; like she was alone in a room and the band was playing just for her. He took a moment to think about what he was in for tonight, and quickly realized that it didn’t matter. She could put him through hell and back, and he wouldn’t want it any other way.

Darcy walked out to Charlotte, coming up behind her on the dance floor. He wrapped his arms around her body, settling them on the front of her waist and started to sway with her. She didn’t miss a beat, and wondered if she even felt him there at all. With their movements and the way his hands held her in place tightly, the top of her dress started slipping; not catastrophically, but just a little bit, and Darcy lifted his hands, pulling the fabric up a little higher.

“You’re falling out of this dress, dear.” Satisfied with the placement of her dress, he continued on in swaying with her.

“Only because my boobs aren’t big enough to hold it up,” she smiled, tilting her head to the side to invite him in.

Darcy pressed his lips to her neck, “you let any boy touch you like this?”

“Only one boy,” Charlotte set her hands on top of his.

“How’d you know it was me?”

“I could smell your cologne,” she lifted her hand up and tangled her fingers in his hair. “It smells like cinnamon and graham crackers,”

“I didn’t know graham crackers could be sexy,” he smiled against her skin and then stood up straight, tapping on her hips. “How about we get out of here?”

Charlotte turned in his arms and thrust her hips forward, burying herself against his waist, “you gonna put your penis in me?” Her eyes were heavy; the alcohol surging through her body, “you can put it anywhere you want.”

Darcy moved to her left and set his right hand on her lower back, slowly and gently leading her out of the bar. He figured with the way she’d argued with Jules, if he tried to be too assertive with her, she’d be less likely to follow him out. So in trying to keep her distracted while he got her to the car, he knew he needed to keep her engaged in a conversation, “anywhere I want?”

Charlotte giggled and fell against Darcy as she stumbled with him. She looked up at him when she heard him say something to someone other than her, but immediately afterwards, he looked down at her and smiled when he saw her looking up at him. “My mouth,” she set her hand on his stomach. “My pussy,” she started to slide her hand downwards. “My ass,” she stopped her hand on his crotch, cupping her fingers over it, and bit her bottom lip.

Darcy blushed and stared at her. Almost at his car now, he took her hand off his crotch and laced his fingers with hers. “I don’t think we’re gonna do that tonight,” he looked up momentarily, taking a deep breath in when he came upon his car and opened up the passenger side door for Charlotte.

“Why not?” She asked as Darcy helped her up into the seat. She leaned her head back against the headrest and watched him reach across her body to buckle her in.

Before she could say anything else, Darcy closed the door and walked around the car, getting into his seat. He started the engine and pulled away from the curb, glancing over at Charlotte when she took his hand and placed it in her lap in between her legs.

“Don’t you like my ass?”

He swallowed hard and tightened his grip around the steering wheel, “I love your ass, dear.”

“Then put your penis in it,” she baited and pressed his fingers beneath her dress.

Darcy quickly looked over at her again before returning his eyes to the road, “not tonight, baby.”

Charlotte pouted and let go of his hand. She stared out the passenger side window, “if you really loved me, you’d fuck me in the ass.”

“In the morning you’ll understand this a little more, but dear, I love you so much that I’m not going to have anal sex with you tonight.” After noticing she was swaying a little bit in the seat, he looked over again to make sure she was okay. “I think that’s something you’re gonna want to be super conscious for,”

She let out a huff and placed her head back against the headrest with her eyes shut, “I’m spinning.”

Darcy cracked the window and sped up. He loved her, but also loved the leather interior of his car. “We’re almost home,”

“Darcy I’m gonna throw up,” she warned.

He sped up even more now, just a couple blocks from her apartment. “Look straight out the windshield. You’re getting car sick,” he glanced over to see that she had listened to him, but nonetheless still looked ill.

By the time he parked, Charlotte looked like she was going to lose it. Darcy hopped out of the car and went around to retrieve her. She was already halfway out when he got to her and she stumbled against him, moaning his name like she was seconds away from puking over him. But some form of higher being must’ve been looking out for them, because he managed to unlock the front door and herd her into the bathroom before that happened.

She collapsed by the toilet, circling her arms over the seat, and started heaving. Darcy knelt beside her, gathering her hair in a ponytail with one hand while the other rubbed her back soothingly. Since dating, neither of them had been sick, either by a virus or by drinking. And Darcy felt bad that she was having to go through this right now. It couldn’t have been any fun for her.

“Darcy,” she cried out, setting her cheek against the toilet seat.

“I know, I’m here,” he held her hair tightly to make sure none of it was going to get in the way of what was sure to come.

When Charlotte lifted her head, she wobbled, nearly falling backwards and hitting her head on the tile floor. Darcy figured he had a quick moment, and so he let go of her hair and repositioned himself behind her. She sat in between his legs and Darcy gathered her hair once more, now using his chest to keep her upright and her head safe. And not a moment too soon, as her body began the daunting task of trying to rid itself of the poison she’d put into herself.

She let out a soft cry after the first round, “I’m so gross. You can break up with me,”

He chuckled and pressed his lips to her bare shoulder. As he did so, he realized that in all the shuffling her dress had fallen from its proper place. “I’m not going to break up with you,”

Another heave, but nothing. “I’m a mess. You don’t even love me anymore,”

“That’s not true, dear. I love you even more,”

“How?” She protested, but was cut short by another heave with only a little more coming up. Darcy noted that it was all clear, and then thought about all the clear alcohol she’d consumed throughout the night. “Just leave me on the floor,”

Darcy lifted her dress back into place, “I’m not going anywhere.”

Charlotte wiped her eye, feeling a stray tear falling, and then pushed back against Darcy. “I want to lay down,”

He let her do what she wanted, but also made sure that in doing so, she laid with her back against the edge of the tub. “I’m gonna get you some water, okay?”

“Darcy,” she called out, sounding like a wounded animal, “don’t leave me.”

His heart broke a little bit and before he got up, he ran his hand through her hair, half caressing her and half keeping it out of her face in case she threw up again. “I’ll be right back. I’m just going to the kitchen,”

“Promise?”

“Promise,”

She nodded weakly and Darcy got up, practically running to the kitchen to grab a bottle of water and the bottle of ibuprofen. On his way back, he pet Chief’s head as he lounged on the couch, unaware of the craziness going on in the other room.

When Darcy got back, Charlotte was still in the same position. She was staring blankly and was basically dead weight in Darcy’s arms when he lifted her back into a sitting position and handed her the bottle of water. “You have to drink,”

“I don’t want to,” Charlotte pouted, turning her head to the side like a belligerent child.

“I know, but you have to.” Darcy’s persistence paid off when she took the bottle into her mouth and let him pour a small sip into her mouth. It was immediately followed up by her leaning forward and throwing up a little bit more.

After finishing for the time being, Charlotte’s new idea was to take her dress off. And as she leaned back against Darcy’s chest and tugged it over her head, her elbows nearly hit him in the face. He helped her out some, allowing her to do what she wanted with it, which was to toss it out of the bathroom. Temporarily placated, she sat in between his legs with her head settled against his chest, completely naked. Minutes later with his back against the bathroom wall, he looked down to find her eyes shut and her breathing evened out. He figured she was asleep or on her way to being asleep, and didn’t have the heart to move her. So he settled in for a long night and set his cheek down on the top of her head.

Notes

"Drunk Girl" by Chris Janson.

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