0TP Meme: I'm Buying The Drinks Next Time

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These are all from the 0tp ("No"-TP) Meme I asked for prompts for yesterday. I realize this gives away some of the numbers, so I'll probably stop taking prompts at this point.

NOTE: This post originally contained three fics; I've separated them into original posts for tagging/archiving. Sorry for the confusion! I should've just posted them separately in the first place...

I'm Buying The Drinks Next Time

Fandom: FFIV/FFVIII
Characters: Edge, Irvine
Rating: G

Prompt: 3 (Irvine), 9 (Edge), "strawberries"


"That's your third rejection," Irvine said. "Pony up."

Edge sunk into the seat, his mouth in a pout. "I don't understand this place," he muttered, but dutifully raised an arm to signal the bartender. After he'd shouted something unintelligible in the girl's ear and forked over money for the next round, he turned back to his drink, and sulked. "What does a guy have to do around here?"

"I guess the girls just aren't going for the 'I'm a prince back home' line," Irvine replied with a smirk. The bartender set the shot glasses right behind the beers they'd both been nursing intermittently; Irvine gave her a wink.

Edge snorted. "Hey, I didn't see that redhead falling for your 'lonesome cowboy' shtick, either."

Irvine shrugged. "Can't win 'em all," he said. "C'mon, pay up."

They raised shot glasses at each other, and then downed the drink. Edge took a long pull out of his mug afterward.

"Not that I'm complaining about your lame game," Irvine pointed out. "This is the cheapest night I've had out since the last time I came out with Squall."

"Yeah, well, there's one more coming to you," Edge said with a smirk.

The bartender approached, a smirk gracing her face as well, carrying two glasses. The drink she set down in front of Irvine was tall, frosted, and full of something pinker than Selphie's last party.

"All for you." Edge grinned. "I hear the ladies really like strawberries."

Irvine couldn't help but laugh. "If you think this drink's gonna hurt my game, then you're definitely gonna lose," he said, raising it high to toast. "I'm secure in my masculinity, and I like strawberries, too."

Edge shook his head, and then winked at the bartender. She turned, and delivered the other pink drink to a tall, thin blonde sitting at the other end of the bar.

"Good choice, my man," Irvine murmured.

The man sitting beside the blonde -- also tall, dark-skinned, and huge -- glanced down at the drink, and then up towards Irvine, who was still holding his drink up in semblance of a toast. The man's face darkened, and he put his arm around the blonde, who was sipping the drink and chattering at her friend. He narrowed his eyes at Irvine, and slammed one thick ham-like fist down onto the bar. Glasses rattled.

"I thought so," Edge replied happily.

- - -

A Poor Choice Indeed (FFIV/FFXII; Rydia, Ashe, Edge, Balthier; PG) has been relocated to its own post.

Guardian of Respite (FFVIII/FFX; Auron/Quistis; PG-13) has been relocated to its own post.