Blood On The Rocks (Catherine/Doku)

What would one more shot hurt, throwing another down the hatch, something about that burn in your throat, and feeling your head pounding got the blood flowing. Damn, everything was spinning... woah, there were two Catherines...

The bell to the bar would sound, as the older man left for the night. Leaving the bar empty, just the two drunk Fullbringer. As Catherine put her head down, Doku would mimic her from the opposite side of the bar, pressing her cheek against the wood as he looked at the woman. As she shot up, so did he. Dramatically shaking his head, keeping up his tease.

"Nonononono... I'm not shamin ya. I tink we all like someting not normmmal. Like all of those weird fuckin doods who love feet- Likeee I'm into anime babes~"

That much was apparent, Catherine had SEEN his bedroom... and the posters, figures, and manga he had around the apartment. The nerd was just being more bold and honest in this drunken state.

Oh, she was feeling all floaty and awkward... Must've had too many glasses, not that it wasn't alright. There wasn't much reason for her to be as afraid; her stomach turned and her heart raced, but that was normal. This was normal. She wasn't scared. This was fine. She was in control.

"Well'I fucken' don't..." Her mind dwelled on the subject for a bit as it was sheer will keeping her arms aloft, "..I don't like tearin the bastards open... Watchin' the life leave their 'orrid eyes... Smellin' the crisp iron..."

Her gaze was distant for a moment, blinking slowly. Felt like the world was floating away for a second... Some twitch of the nerve or willful whim, no one could logically explain her arms simultaneously giving out from under her yet yanking her in to pull her face to slam into the bar's surface with a sizable THUD.

"Awake!" A yell indicated her thankfully still having consciousness after slamming her head face first in, though a trickle of red began forking from her nose, "Awake. Y'say somethin'..?"

Doku was done, no way he could handle another one, he wasn't drunk enough to do something that stupid. He valued his liver. His gaze wasn't exactly focused on Catherine, there was a little bug, buzzing through the air and his attention was glued to it as Catherine trailed off about ripping open Hollows. It was nice... he had a lot of thoughts about that fly. However, he quickly looked at Catherine as her face slammed down on the bar.

He was silent for a moment as he was processing what transpired. "Yor nose is bleeding..." Rather soon, the nearly empty bottle was snatched off the bar and placed back onto the shelf behind him. "Yor cut off..."

Though they were arguably both just as drunk. So in a way, he was cutting himself off. He sunk behind the counter as he rummaged through a couple of drawers. Soon returning with a cloth. Leaning over the table he would try to clean the blood from her nose. "Lemme get it..."

There was a distinct coppery taste in her mouth when he pointed that out, prompting her to ineloquently place her hand on her upper lip. Was she really bleeding? It didn't feel like she was, everything felt too warm for that. An unsteady hand retracted from her face, wavering gaze fixed on the red tones smearing her pale hand. Blood roared in her ears at the sight, she hardly reacted to him cutting her supply off for the night.

The room spun at a nauseating slow pace, it felt smaller with every inch it twisted, so small that it caged up the oxygen in her lungs. Her hand obtained a slight tremor, the rest of her body suspiciously stiff as she couldn't help but stare wide-eyed, her shoulders bunching at a sight she didn't want to remember, a memory upheaved by such a simple reminder. She wanted to throw up. She wanted to run away. She wanted...

Something moved in her field of vision. Hardly a thought prompted her to throw herself back, causing her and the chair to take a nasty spill to the ground, ending in her lying on the ground barely attached to the seat and breathing rapidly. Her heart felt ready to burst.

Everything went silent for a moment, no response from Catherine meant Doku couldn't dig into her anymore. With that downtime he walks from behind the counter, pushing in a few stools. Unable to walk in a straight line, bumping into a few of the stools as he made his way to the door. Pulling down on the lever for the open sign, as the lights in the window dissipated, leaving a darker atmosphere in the bar itself.

A second, louder thud would cause his head to almost break as he turned around. Did she fall out of her chair? Well, that was his first reaction, she was plastered after all. As he walked closer he would softly kick her side. "You gud?"

The next thing he noticed was her rapid breathing, yeah this was DEFINITELY not good. He would crouch down. "Breattttth Catrien... Breath..." Despite his speech being slurred, he tried to speak calmly. Hoping to calm the woman down. Once that was done he would reach into his pocket, grabbing his phone and waving it at her. "Shouldddd I call for someone-?"

Can't be dying. Can't be. It can't be happening. Her hands balled into tight fists, body locking in on itself as tension wracked her being. Her body. Her body. She needed to check for wounds. Her arms weren't working. Did she lose those without noticing? No, no she felt her fists... What was broken, then? What was bleeding? Horrible scenarios crowded her thoughts, various imaginings and memories of her injuries jumbling together behind her eyes as the repeated desire to check herself for injuries radiated the spaces of her thoughts into a terrible, itching obsession...

Doku was above her. Doku was saying something.

"...Am I in half..?" The question came out tiredly. Several days worth of exhaustion were catching up on her in their own ways, "I can't.. Die Doku.. I can't die yet... I haven't done everything... I haven't learned everything..."

She bit her lip so hard red beaded between her white canines, a deep gasp predating her words, "...Iss not fair... Why do I gotter clean their shite up..?"

Well. All of this was happening so fast, the poor girl was having an episode of some kind, and the drunk bartender was trying his best to assist her. He placed his hands flat, squatting a bit to get closer. Fanning her slowly, trying to help her in any way he really could. At least she was talking and not blacked out.

"Half. No, yor just wasted." Hopefully, this little banter would keep her calm. "Yep. You're not gonna die..." He paused for her. "Want some watter?" Maybe that would help. He kept fanning her. "Talk to me hereee. Wha do you need me to do? Let your favorite bartender hellllp"

He was a lot closer, squatting the woman not exactly sure how to handle the situation. He held his phone in his other hand, ready to call if things got too bad.

Half. Half? Why did she think half? Oh. It was an unpleasant memory. Right. She wasn't in half. Even if her gut was screaming as if it were, it was a lie. Her body lied to her all the time. Liar, she'd curse her own flesh, her face scrunching as she strained to listen to what Doku said. Not gonna die, not gonna die... That was relieving, in a way. See, she wasn't going to die. She was fine. She was alive. Alive...

"..Would ya really give water ta such a piece of shite, though?" Relief washed with humor as she felt an ease into a shaking laugh, "Woulda figured you'd be excited to see me die. Anyone would be. Anyone should be. Excited. World would cheer."

Her laughter subsided for a moment, breathing heavily, "..Oh, I am thirsty.."

Was all the purple haired man could muster. He’d rise from the squat and return to the back of the counter. A small fridge sat behind the bar. With the use of his fullbring, he’d stick his hand through the fridge door and search for a bottle of water. Once his hand exited he now held the cold plastic bottle.

He would return to the red-head assuming a squat above her again, looking down at the woman in rough shape. She’d feel some of the cold water hit her face suddenly, as he poured a bit of the water on her face.

“Of course I’d give ya watter… yor one of my bestttt cusstimars. Who else is gonna listen to me rant about my girllll problem, and who elze am I gonna tease about likin blood?”

Doku held the water bottle by its cap, with two fingers dangling it over Catherine offering it to her.

How long was she lying down for, now? Her arms splayed above her head, pelvis uncomfortably pressed into the back of the chair. Not that she cared. Where'd Doku go? It felt like he was gone in a blink... Did he leave?

A yelp came from her as she felt the icy touch of water nip her face, racing her hands up to rub her features. Oh. There he was. Why did she feel relieved? Even so, it didn't stop the sinking. That look of creeping misery was displayed plain on her face as she sat up to accept the water, fumbling a bit on the way up.

"..Doku.." A shaking hand took the bottle and brought it close to her lips, "...I dun't deser'e yeh... M'not good 'nuff..."

Then she tilted her head back, taking a massive drink of the cold liquid. It felt like her innards froze.