#gawd it took me until 11pm to finish this and now I have to write tomorrow's post too

[zaffrenotes]

[TRR] Waterloo

Book: The Royal Romance, Sojourn series Pairing: Liam x Trina Rating/Warnings: PG (suggestive language) Author’s Note: * All main characters belong to Pixelberry, I’m just borrowing them * OCs are my creation * 31 days of ficlets and one shots using Jasmine’s Situational Summer Prompts – Super soaker battles *  Word Count: +/- 2000

Perma/TRR Taglist: @ao719​ @blackcatkita​ @brightpinkpeppercorn​ @gibbles82​ @innerpostmentality​ @loveellamae​ @smalltalk88​ @thecordoniandiaries​ // @aestheticartsx​ @aworldoffandoms​ @bascmve01​ @bbrandy2002​ @burnsoslow​ @custaroonie​ @darley1101​ @dcbbw​ @gardeningourmet​ @hopefulmoonobject​ @iplaydrake​ @lodberg​ @lovemychoices​ @missevabean​ @rainbowsinthestorm​ @superharriet​ @the-soot-sprite​

Liam sighed listlessly as he swirled the single malt whisky in his hand, before knocking it back in one swift movement. He swallowed hard and felt the liquor warm his insides, setting the empty glass on the bar, before turning back to the bright green felt and colorful balls on the billiard table. Drake stood off to his side and wordlessly handed him a pool cue. Liam pushed his sleeves up again and took the cue from Drake, walking around the table to determine his next move.

He narrowed his eyes on a target, lined up his shot, and struck the cue ball. With a clack, a solid ball rolled into a corner pocket, and he nodded his head to Drake to take his turn. When he wrapped his hands around the top of the cue stick, he wobbled ever so slightly, and reached out to grab the edge of the table.

Drake’s brows pinched together as he rubbed chalk on the end of his stick, looking over to Liam. “You alright? Should we order some food?”

Liam’s lips curved down and he waved dismissively at Drake’s suggestion, walking over to take a seat. “I’m good.”

Drake laughed softly on the other side of the table, still playing the game. “No you are not,” he chuckled. “Your face has been turning pink for the last half hour.”

Liam scoffed at the claim. “It’s August in New York and these lamps are warm. The whole city is warm.”

“You’re turning into a sour drunk,” Drake chuckled again. He turned his attention to the bar and waited until he made eye contact with a tall brunette, mouthed the word water, then flashed her a peace sign. She smiled and nodded as she finished wiping down the glass in her hands, plucked two fresh ones from the stack she’d been cleaning, and filled them with ice, before filling them with water. She called out to a waitress passing by and set the glasses on the bar, and the waitress brought them over to Drake and Liam, along with a fresh bowl of peanuts.

Liam smiled politely at the young woman that set the glasses of water in front of him, and cracked open a few peanuts, popping them into his mouth. “Are you going to take your turn or what?” He looked over to Drake, who was still circling the table.

They’d been hanging out at The Whiskey Ward all night, just so Liam could get out of the apartment for a while. Even though he and Katrina had his visit on both of their calendars, her schedule changed on the fly, depending on her workload as an intern. Sometimes she kept regular office hours, but other times, when the firm acquired an important client, she stayed in the bullpen late into the night to do research or organize data for the lawyers. It was what she needed to do, to accrue the knowledge and firsthand experience while she pursued her degree, and Liam supported all of that…but it was human to feel the pang of disappointment when their plans would fall through.

So Drake took him to one of his favorite bars. Drowning his sorrows at Copper & Oak was out of the question, even if he could have access to a plethora of high end liquor; the small space of Drake’s workplace didn’t offer much in terms of claiming a seat for hours at a time. Whiskey Ward had a larger space, with real tables and chairs that weren’t bolted to the floor, with the added bonus of a pool table.

Liam’s meetings at the Cordonian Embassy wrapped up earlier that afternoon, and he’d scheduled the rest of the week to himself to spend time with Katrina and Drake, since they’d stayed in the city for another summer. He’d intended to go to dinner with Katrina, but something came up with a case; as part of the intern team, she and four others had to compile something for one of the partners. She promised to make it up to him before he had to go back to Cordonia.

“Make your move or give up the table, there’s at least two people staring at us to finish,” Liam said, taking a long drink of water. He felt his phone buzz in his pocket as Drake took his turn. Pulling the phone out from his pants pocket, the screen flashed with the time as he pressed his finger to the back to unlock it; it was nearly midnight. There was a new text from Katrina: wrapping up in an hour or so, late night snack when you get back?

He texted her back a reply, and took another sip of water from his glass. Eventually he and Drake finished up their game and walked over to the bar to settle their tab. “Put your money away.”

Drake elbowed him lightly. “Your money’s no good here, Li.” Liam pulled a twenty from his wallet and then cursed in Greek. The rest of the bills were Euros. Next to him, Drake laughed quietly as he pulled cash from his wallet to cover the difference. “Told ya.”

Liam chuckled and rubbed a hand across his forehead. “Skáse, malakia,” he laughed again.

“I will not shut up, asshole,” Drake grinned. He handed over the bills to the brunette bartender from earlier, waving his hand with a small motion for her to keep the extra twenty he’d included as a tip for their drinks. “Thanks Leigh, see you next week!”

Liam and Drake made their way out of the bar and began walking down the street. “Next week?”

“Some of the other bartenders and I get together when our shifts line up and we grab a slice to unwind, or find someone else’s bar to get a drink,” Drake explained. “Just to decompress after slinging drinks and playing therapist for seven or eight hours,” he added. “Speaking of slices, you hungry?”

“Trina mentioned getting something to eat once she gets home from work, but I’m not sure if she meant fixing something at home or picking something up.”

“We’ve got plenty to graze on, but we can stop at the bodega just in case.” The two of them walked back to the apartment and chatted, with Drake catching Liam up on some of the weekend trips he’d gone on with Lyssa; Liam caught Drake up with what was happening with their friends back in Cordonia. They stopped at a bodega near the building and picked up a variety of snacks – mostly chips, along with a pint of ice cream for Katrina.

Liam sighed quietly in the elevator, leaning his head against one of the side walls and yawned. He and Drake walked down the hallway with their shopping bags, and Drake unlocked the door, but he didn’t move from where he stood outside the threshold. Not paying attention, Liam bumped right into his friend. “The hell?”

“Dude,” Drake breathed out quietly. “Why in the FUCK does my home look like Dexter’s kill room right now?”

Liam peered over Drake’s shoulder, and his eyes went wide. The main living area at the end of the hall entryway looked disturbing. Clear plastic tarps were laid out over the floor and most of the furniture, and the entire room was cast in neon green light from one of the light strips behind the television. “Is that a note on the door?”

Drake pulled an envelope taped over the peephole and scanned over the note, written in Katrina’s handwriting. “I’m hiding somewhere in the apartment. You have five minutes to change into clothes you don’t mind getting wet. Your weapon can be found in the coat closet. When the lights change to pink, it’s time to go to water gun war! PS – Drake, there’s a gun for you if you want to play too. XOXO, Trina.” He shook his head and tucked the note back into the envelope. “Your fiancée is so. Goddamn. Weird!”

Liam clapped him on the shoulder, wide grin spreading across his face. “I hope her work thing wasn’t an excuse to plastic wrap the apartment.” He stepped inside ahead of Drake and slipped his shoes off by the entry way, walking carefully across the plastic in his dress socks. He worked quickly to put the snacks away, stuffing the ice cream in the freezer and piling the chips together on the counter.

Drake followed him into the kitchen, holding up a pair of water guns he found in the coat closet. “I repeat. Weird.”

Both of their phones buzzed, and they went to read a text message from Katrina. 

You both love me for it. I didn’t use work as an excuse. FOUR MINUTES, GENTLEMEN!

“Okay seriously, where could she be hiding?” Drake shook his head. “She didn’t tarp the rooms or the bathroom, and there aren’t many places to hide!”

“You’d be surprised at how flexible she is to get into small spaces,” Liam grinned.

“Ohmygod I didn’t need to know that!” Drake tossed a gun at Liam.

Liam tried to stifle a laugh but snorted instead. He fiddled with the gun to open the nozzle and filled it with water from the kitchen sink. “You in?” he asked, raising a brow at Drake.

“Not like I’m doing anything right now,” he chuckled. “See you in four!” He walked off at a brisk pace towards his room.

Liam finished filling his water gun and took it with him to Trina’s bedroom, where he quickly changed into a pair of grey shorts and a black undershirt. He left his phone in the room for safe keeping and went back out to the main living area, where Drake was standing. He’d changed into a pair of swim trunks and a grey shirt.

The lights in the apartment dimmed, and the LED lights from the tv bathed everything in an odd green light. Liam and Drake looked at each other, unsure of what to expect next, before the lights switched to neon pink and pulsed. Katrina seemed to be enjoying the remote control lights. They both held their water guns close to their chests, ready to fire, muscles tense and alert as they both scanned the room for some kind of spot where Katrina had hidden herself.

The wireless speaker in the room began to blast an all too familiar 70s pop song of the Swedish variety. Drake and Liam closed their eyes and laughed.

Their eyes flew open when they heard the large pantry door swing open, and Katrina aimed her gun at Liam, even though Drake was a closer target. She had a wild smile on her face as she shot water at him, and then Drake, who screamed out of shock at how cold the water was.

The three friends spent several minutes chasing each other and firing their water guns at each other to the tune of ABBA’s greatest hits. Liam’s sides hurt from laughing too much, and only when all of their guns were devoid of their aqua ammo was he able to get within reach of Katrina. She was standing on the couch, nearly eye level with him, and he wrapped his arms around her in a tight embrace, before kissing her, his lips spread into a smile the whole time. “I love you so much.”

“I love you too,” she replied. “Thought this might make up for having to work late tonight.” Anything else she tried to say was silenced by Liam kissing her again.

“I have such weird friends, with HORRIBLE TASTE IN MUSIC!” Drake sighed. He was starfished on the floor, half soaked from the fight.

Katrina pulled herself away from Liam’s lips. “You LOVE IT!” She shook with laughter and kissed Liam again. “Break for snacks, and another round?”

“Might as well make use of your effort to tarp half the apartment.” He smiled again and kissed the tip of her nose. “Salty or sweet?”

“Sweet…for now,” she answered, winking at him. He grinned at her and playfully bit at the air.