The rasping music from the jukebox tangles with the low murmur of booze-drenched conversations. The bar reeks of stale tobacco and sour sweat, and the drunks' laughter bursts into hoarse cackles between slugs of liquor.
Dave slams his empty bottle down on the bar with a dull thunk. The bitter taste of beer still burns at the back of his throat. Beside him, Heinz maintains his usual relaxed posture, long fingers idly playing with the glass bottle, though his eyes never stop scanning the room with that ever-calculating gaze.
"You don't seem very drunk," Dave says, raising an eyebrow.
Heinz tilts his head slightly, offering a faint smile.
"I have my methods."
"Methods? Don't tell me you can magic the booze out of your system."
"Not exactly. But... something like that."
Dave snorts and is about to throw in a snide remark when a soft, teasing laugh cuts through the air.
"Well, well… look what we've got here," purrs a playful voice.
Both Dave and Heinz turn their heads at the same time. In front of them stands a woman with sharp eyes and red lips curved into a smile full of intent. Her short dress and leather jacket make her fit right in with the bar's brand of elegant decay.
"Two men far too handsome for a place like this," she says, leaning onto the bar. Her sweet perfume clashes with the stench of alcohol.
Dave crosses his arms, eyeing her with a crooked grin.
"Well, what can I say? Being beautiful's a curse."
The woman laughs, flashing a row of sharp white teeth. Then her dark eyes slide toward Heinz, slow and deliberate. He watches her in silence, expression unreadable.
"And you…" Her finger glides along the bar until it hovers inches from Heinz's hand. "You've got a… vibe. Intriguing."
Dave lets out a chuckle.
"Oh, he's definitely that. A walking riddle."
Unbothered, Heinz simply raises his eyes and offers one of his signature ambiguous smiles.
"Is that so?"
"Mhm," she says, leaning in closer. "And I love riddles."
Dave watches the scene, amused, though something about it irritates him in a way he doesn't quite understand. Maybe it's the alcohol. Or maybe it's the way she completely ignores him and zeroes in on Heinz.
Before he can say anything, a loud crash shatters the moment.
One of the drunks in the back has hurled a glass against the wall and is now shouting incoherently at another man whose nose is bleeding. The atmosphere shifts instantly.
"Here we go…" Dave mutters, elbow on the bar, voice thick with resignation.
The woman sighs and steps back with practiced grace, like she's seen this a hundred times.
"Always the same in this dump…"
Another glass smashes against a nearby table, the sound of shattering mixing with the growled insults of staggering men. A tall, broad guy stumbles into the middle of it all, yelling something about "his money" before lunging at another man with fists raised.
Dave and Heinz remain still, watching.
"Should we do something?" Heinz asks calmly.
Dave shrugs.
"Nah. They'll either kill each other or pass out in five minutes."
But just then, a chair comes flying in their direction.
Dave dodges it by instinct, and the wood splinters as it slams into the bar. The woman jumps back with a startled gasp.
"Hey!" Dave growls, turning to the brawlers. "Could you maybe kill each other without throwing shit our way?"
No one listens. The bar has devolved into full chaos—shouts, punches, and drunken bodies flailing.
Heinz stands with his usual detached elegance.
"I think it's time we leave."
Dave sighs and gets up too.
"Yeah, before we have to start kicking ass by accident."
The woman casts them one last look and lets out an exaggerated sigh.
"And just when the night was getting interesting…"
Dave winks at her as he heads for the door.
"We can always come back when the smoke clears."
She smirks.
"Maybe I will."
With that, Dave and Heinz slip through the chaos and step out into the cold night, leaving behind the raspy music and the smell of spilled liquor.
The fresh air slaps Dave in the face, clearing the booze fog a little.
"Fun night, huh?" he says with a sideways grin.
Heinz exhales something that might pass for a laugh.
"Interesting, at least."
Dave stretches his arms lazily as they walk down the empty street.
"Well, now that we've dodged the disaster…"
Heinz pauses, looking up at the pale moon above them. His expression darkens slightly.
"The portal… still isn't working."
Dave groans.
"Great. Back to the shitshow."
But as they walk through the city, something lingers in Dave's mind. Something about the woman in the bar. Something about the way Heinz looked at her.
And something about how that stupid, nagging irritation still hasn't gone away—like an itch buried deep in the back of his mind.