“So that leaves just us three, right?” Killian sighed, with a look around the table where they were the only ones left. “I’ll go get more drinks.”
As Killian stood up and scooted past Tristan rather wobbly, the latter caught him by his sleeve.
“I don’t think we need any more.” He said with a glance over at Hibiki, who was firmly in the grip of alcohol if he were to judge by the amount of inane giggling over anything and everything.
“It’s not for you, it’s for me.” Killian said, and Tristan let go with a sigh, well aware he couldn’t stop Killian from doing anything. Instead he resigned to being left with Hibiki, as he watched his Killian try to walk to the bar pretending to be less drunk than he was.

“I hope you didn’t feel left out tonight?” He asked with a smile, somewhat worried that there’d been too little space to for Hibiki to have his say. But the latter just shook his head, resting – possibly supporting – his head on both his hands, elbows on the table.
“Do you really race motorcycles?” Tristan asked, having been intrigued before, but unable to elaborate on the topic. Hibiki nodded and picked his phone up from the table, swiping through a few pictures before he apparently got the right one.
He held up an image of him on a sun-laden dust track, leaning against a black and red dirt bike while wearing a same coloured racing suit with the names of a few sponsors on the chest and arms. Hibiki swiped once, to show another picture of three other people and him dressed in the same gear, clearly in some sort of promotional setting.
“How did you get into that sport?” Tristan asked, curious as to how a tiny Japanese honours student managed to get involved in such a thing. Hibiki smiled and took his phone back, typing for a short while. He seemed to have a bit more difficulty with it, occasionally frowning a little frustrated and retracing his words.

‘When I went to America, I tried to rebrand myself? You know, sheltered, 14 year old nerdy kid, new environment. I went a bit wild west, except, with punk and motorcycles? There’s no real philosophical awakening or so, I just thought it was really cool, so I nagged my parents for three months and they gave in. It sort of stuck.’

“And now you’re stuck with nerds again.” Tristan said with a smile, leaning onto his elbow as well.

‘I don’t think I stopped being a nerd.’

Hibiki giggled again, before typing quickly a second time.

‘What are your hobbies?’

“Reading, mostly, to be honest I spend most of my time on studying and debate.”

‘What do you like to read? I’ve read a lot of crime books, mysteries, detectives, anything like that.’

“I read anything that catches my interest, as long as it’s well written, mostly historical things though. I’m really quite boring.” Tristan said, slightly embarrassed, but Hibiki staunchly shook his head.

‘You’re still pretty cool in your own way. It’s not bad to be smart.’

“You’re quite the ray of sunshine, aren’t you?” Tristan said with a slight smile, causing Hibiki to grin widely.

‘That’s what my parents like to think, yeah.’

Tristan chuckled a little, but then looked around the bar for Killian, who hadn’t returned yet. Despite it still being reasonably full, people had begun to leave more than entered – enough that it wouldn’t take Killian this long to get his drink.
“I think we’ve been ditched.” Tristan mumbled, causing Hibiki to look around as well.

‘Do you live far from here?’

“About a mile, it’s basically down the road. I don't want to leave him though.” Tristan said with a shake of his head, until finally he caught a sight of his tall friend at the bar. Immediately the situation became clear, as he was chatting up two girls like the next reincarnation of Casanova.
Tristan groaned and laid his head on the table.
“He does this every time…”
Through his woes, he heard Hibiki giggle again, and the soft sound was accompanied by an even softer, sympathetic pat on his head. Tristan sat up and sighed, running his hand through his hair to straighten it out again. Meanwhile Hibiki typed on his phone, very deliberately and with a bit of effort.

'Someone will pick me up at 12, I'm sure they won't mind bringing you home?’

“Thanks, I'm more worried about him though.”

'You can't really walk him home.’

“Yeah, you're right… are you sure it's okay if I come with you?”
Hibiki shrugged and smiled.

A few seconds later, Killian sauntered up with a wide grin on his face. Tristan simply looked up with a knowing smile, while Hibiki tried his very best not to giggle – without much success.
“So er… I talked to these two lasses, and I think I'll go with them. You can find the way home, right Triss?”
“I'll live.”
“Brilliant. And I'll see you around Asian buddy.” Killian made a single finger gun at Hibiki, then nonchalantly staggered away again.
Tristan put his head in both his hands in the knowledge that he was friends with an idiot. A moment later he looked up to see Hibiki lean forward slightly and rest his head on his arms.
“Are you alright?”
Hibiki answered by making a twirling gesture with his hand above his head.
“Is it the alcohol?” A nod confirmed his suspicions. “We could wait outside if you want? Fresh air might help.”
Reluctantly, Hibiki nodded again.