"I don't know. I think that's up to you to decide."

If you asked someone like Cian, he'd probably agree. His mother and father, they'd disagree. Morally gray, not particularly caring.

But, did she have a say in his nature, since she too was Rocket? Perhaps not.

Ceri's hand was warm in his, and Eli found that he didn't quite mind it when he was the one initiating the hand holding rather than being surprised. He chuckled.

"Done and done."

Of course, Eli being Eli, he didn't quite catch her innuendo. Perhaps she'd have to explain later...

Elliott glanced back over at her when she squeezed his hand. She seemed to have something to say. His eyebrows raised, waiting for her exclamation.

When it did, his face exploded into another red blush.

"Cute? I ain't cute!"

No, of course he wasn't cute. He was rugged, tough, and a bad boy. There was no way in hell Elliott Jenkins was cute. How dare Ceri call him that!

Eli pouted as they walked the rest of the way there, ignoring the fact she called him a cutie. He kept his mouth shut because he was afraid he was going to say something stupid in retort like "no, you're cute!"

Walking into the bar, he let go of her hand to hold the door open for her.

"Bar seating or booth?" he asked.

Lady's choice.

Ceri seemed to pout at his denial. He couldn't help but chuckle at her, amused by her defiance. So, he decided, for once, he'd let the cute comment slide.

Just this once.

"Booth it is."

He liked privacy. That meant that people didn't have to stare at him, nor did he have to worry about potential fans spotting him and asking for pictures or autographs. Good riddance.

He allowed her to slide in first before following. A round of shots was ordered as well as a couple pints of beer.

"Show be what you got."

She was a little too close for comfort. However, Elliott had a feeling that if he tried to scoot over even a little bit, Ceri would follow in suit. Whether or not it was to annoy him... he was starting to wonder.

He took the other shot glass, raising it with hers to meet her cheers before she downed her shot. Well, if he still had doubts about her ability to take a shot, it was gone now.

"You're on."

Elliott downed his with his head tilted back, one gulp. The glass came back to rest on the table after he sighed, the burning sensation traveling down his throat as he reached for his own pint glass.

"You proved me wrong. I seriously believed that you couldn't take a shot."

"More than me? Is that a challenge?"

Of course, that meant that more shots were going to be ordered to be taken, one by one. Eli was sure he was going to have her beat with his size and height difference.

Even when he felt a bit fucked up, he was confident he'd win the shot war.

His beer sloshed a bit as he pulled it over, smirking over at her after a few more shots in.

"How you feelin', missy?"

Elliott noticed a her cheeks were pink from the shots they had taken. He couldn't help but laugh, pointing at her cheeks before poking at one of them.

"You're really pink, you know?"

He drank from his pint glass, humming contently.

"I'm great. Stupendous."

He was grinning cheek to cheek, like his embarrassed state was gone. Alcohol was a miracle, wasn't it?

Ceri? Cute? Elliott couldn't say he really considered it. His cheeks turned red, to match hers in her drunken stupor.

"You? Cute? I, uh... I mean... uh..."

He stammered, unsure what to say. Did he think she was cute? Was it his true thoughts or was it his own intoxicated state?

"Maybe a little."

That was the best she was going to get out of Eli. He went to hide his face in his drink, practically chugging the rest. Whew, he could feel all of it in his system now.

"I'll let you know, I was one of the fucking smartest people in my class before I left Rustboro!" he exclaimed, standing up from the table.

He pounded his fist against the table, trying to emphasize the point.