Chương 133: Chapter 132 – Brewing a Cup of Friendship

Elios stood next to Trula while he fumbled with the key to his apartment door.

"Here let me do that," Elios said, taking the keys out of Trula's hand and unlocking the door with ease.

"Let's get you inside before you fall down." He laughed, trying to keep hold of Trula, who was swaying precariously from side to side.

"You knows sumthin' Eeliosis, you's actually a pretsy good guy." Trula said, throwing his arms around Elios and giving him a sloppy hug.

"Tank yous for tonight." he hiccup.

'Scuse me." He giggled.

"Hows about we has ourselves a nighty night cap?" he asked, stumbling backward and into the door frame.

"Let's get you settled inside and maybe I'll make us a nice pot of emberbrew," Elios said, helping Trula stay on his feet. Trula threw his arm around Elios, his legs weakening under him, causing Elios to struggle to carry his weight into the apartment.

"Careful there buddy, lets get you…" he grunted feeling Trula start sliding downward.

"On the sofa."

"Okie dokies, yous in charge here." Trula said, stumbling.

"You knows what Eelees?" he mumbled, "you's is my bestest best friend in these entire worlds," he said, grinning widely. The strong smell of alcohol and bad breath made Elios turn his head.

"That's great buddy but let's…get…you…" he began as he finagled Trula into a better position to get him onto the sofa, "situated, then we can talk about anything you want." Trula looked at Elios wide eyed as his bottom hit the cushion on the sofa.

"Anyfin?" Trula asked.

"You means I can tells you anyfin?" he slurred, his eyes trying to focus on Elios.

"That's right, buddy, you can tell me anything," Elios said, as he scanned Trula's small but efficient apartment. He walked back to the door, realizing in the process of getting Trula into the apartment the door had not closed completely behind them. He flipped the light switch by the door, illuminating the apartment and causing Trula to cover his eyes.

"Toos bright!" Trula complained, shielding his eyes.

"Puts the little lights on in the kitchen," he said. Elios made his way into what was more a kitchenette than what he would describe as a kitchen, he flipped on the switch then returned to the hall and shut off the overhead lights.

"There, that better?" Elios asked, moving closer to Trula and taking a seat in the chair by the sofa.

"Yuppers, dat is much betterer," Trula said, before belching loudly.

"Stanks, eyes really dos 'preciate eberyting you did tosnight. I'm lucky to have me a friend like yous. You knows sumfin, I never thoughts I could evers be so bery lucky to haves me a friends likes you," he said, his face suddenly serious.

"Most peoples would have left me at the door to the building, but not yous…" he said pointing wildly at Elios.

"Yous broughted me all the way up here and made sure I was okays," he hiccuped again, "that says lots about you Eelios." Elios looked at him for the first time as a man with feelings, instead of simply a tool to get what he needed. It was at that moment he realized that he and Trula were not so different. Maybe after this, they would truly become friends.

"Of course, I brought you all the way up here, I couldn't just leave you to your own devices with you like this, Trula. How about that cup of emberbrew, or maybe some water?" Elios said, watching Trula's eyes flutter.

"You still with me, Trula, buddy." Trula opened his eyes wide.

"Yup, I'm still witch you," he said, grinning.

"The world was just spinning a whittle to fast there for a second and I needed to catch up." He snickered.

"I just realized I'm not bein' to hospit… hobispit… hosptiable now am I? I can goes makes you some emberbrews and maybes a snack or sumfin," he said, trying to get up off the sofa. Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

"No, you stay there," Elios laughed, "I'll go get it," he said standing up and walking toward the kitchen area.

"Okays, my legs don's seem to wanna work very much right now anyways," Trula said, watching Elios open different cupboards.

"Next one ober, third shelfs in the back, I have emberbrew and fillers." Elios opened the cupboard and took down the emberbrew and filters, then reached for the emberbrew maker on the counter.

"Got it, thanks," he called out to Trula. While making the emberbrew his mind reeled. Well this is not the way I envisioned tonight going. Why do you have to be so damn likeable? he asked himself. This would be a lot easier if I still saw you as the bumbling idiot I thought you were at work… but no… you have to be a genuinely nice guy, who needs a friend, he thought watching the Emberbrew drip down into the pot.

Just because he tells you something and you use it, it's not going to hurt him, only the top dogs, so, go for it. His mind clarified. Who knows, what you do with the information may benefit him in the long run too. he thought searching the cupboards for mugs. Finding them, he took two down, before picking up the pot.

"Black one sugar, right?" he asked, calling out over his shoulder.

"You knows me so well!" Trula replied loudly, then made a shh motion with his finger to his lips.

"No needs to be so loud." Elios shook his head, watching Trula. Then reached for the sugar bowl.

"Do you want me to fix you something to eat?" Elios called out.

"No, I is good, just da emberbrew pweese," Trula said, wistfully playing with his fingers in the air.

"You conducting an orchestra or something?" Elios asked, carrying the emberbrew to Trula.

"I'm going to put this here," he said, placing the steaming hot mug on the table in front of him.

"Let it cool down a bit before you take it," he said, turning and sitting in the chair.

"I don't want you to burn yourself." He smiled at Trula.

"Before we left the bar, you said you wanted to tell me something about work," he said, casually, taking a sip of his emberbrew.

"Nos I should keeps my mouf shut," Trula said, shaking his head.

"It's one of doze tings dat can get someone like me in lots of trouble," he said.

"It's okay, Trula. I just know that it was really bugging you. I figured getting it off your chest might help you sort things out," he said, giving Trula a heartfelt glance.

"I know what it's like not to have anyone to talk to," he began, nodding his head empathetically, "I know how all kinds of stuff just builds up over time." Trula looked back at him, feeling his words.

"But… I get it. If you don't want to talk about it, I get it," Elios said, then took another sip of his emberbrew.

"Yous my frien, right?" Trula asked, searching Elios' eyes.

"Would I be here if I wasn't?" he asked.

"I dunno, would you be here if you was just tending to be my frien' so you could find out stuff?" Trula asked, immediately casting his eyes downward.

"Yous never spent times like dis with me befores and I dunno, it just seems funny, that on my worstest… my worst day, yous shows up bein' all nice and stuff," Trula said, in a voice tinged with overwhelming sadness.

"No one ever wants to just bees my frien', they just come arounds when I have sumfin day want." Elios' heart clenched at this. You have to stick to the friend if you are going to succeed, it's the only way to make things better, not just for yourself but for him too, his mind screamed. He sighed heavily and took a sip of emberbrew before placing the mug on the table and leaning forward to look into Trula's misty bloodshot eyes.

"Trula, I can promise you, I am not here to hurt you. I only want to help you. I care about you," he paused, realizing that he actually did care for this drunken fool in front of him.

"I will not do anything to intentionally hurt you in any way." He sighed, "I don't have friends either, and I am hoping that this is just the beginning of a long-lasting friendship."

"You really means dat?" Trula asked, his eyes pleading for the truth.

"Yes, Trula, I really mean that. Tell me. Don't tell me. That's up to you, but please know that either way, I am still going to be your friend when the sun comes up in the morning," he said, with sincerity that surprised even him.

"Yous probis?" Trula asked.

"I have never spoken words truer in my entire life, I swear," Elios said.

"I think your emberbrew is cool enough for you to drink now if you'd like some."