Our roundhouse kicks met in mid-air.

"Give up," I growled, dropping down low to avoid his follow up kick. I pushed up onto my arms and kicked my legs through, taking him out while he was unbalanced. Something went crack but by the time I was back on my feet, he had healed.

"Like I'd do that while we're having so much fun." He sent a flurry of punches my way and I blocked with my forearms, the sting like sharp rocks along my skin.

Time no longer existed – the outside world had faded away. It was just Ban and I trading blows. Two foxes battling for the alpha position. I wasn't sure who had the upper hand as we were quite evenly matched but I knew that it had to be me if I wanted to take the crown.

I counted his attacks and when the subtle pause as he switched from a jab to a cross came, I lashed out with an uppercut, socking him under the chin and lifting him a few inches off the ground. I followed through with a jab to his solar plexus that sent him flying.

I wiggled my fingers in glee. I felt fast, powerful, unstoppable thanks to the alcohol. I'd feel it in the morning but right now, there was no pain.

"That's all you have? My little brother could punch harder." I chuckled, sliding sideways as he charged. I grabbed the back of his neck and drove his face into the ground.

He flipped into a roll, taking me with him. I headbutted the ground then landed on my back, his next attack catching me on the hip as I rolled away, scrambling to my feet. The only two places he'd attack while I was flat on my back like a turtle was my chest and stomach.

And if he hit my gut, there'd be no end to a torrent of vomit. Even now all the sloshing was making me feel a bit green. I ignored it and dodged his punch that dented the ground. His growl of frustration had me dancing around him.

"I guess I'm still faster," I crowed, throwing jabs and elbows.

He ducked and wove past every attack I made. "I don't know, I'm doing a fine job of dodging you." Then he punched me in the face. Low blow – I wasn't trying to hit his face in respect. It was just a friendly match after all.

I stumbled back, blood gushing out of my nose. It healed quickly but I was left to spit out blood and wipe snot away. Sobriety was hitting me just as hard as his punches and wooziness had me swaying.

A hand held a tankard out to me and I couldn't resist a chug. The alcohol warmed my veins and I shook off the dizzy spell his punch had caused. Blood trickled down my lip and I swiped it away, a small breathless chuckle leaving me. I wouldn't let him best me. We'd made the rule we wouldn't use weapons but we'd said nothing about our abilities. Fire cascaded from my fingertips to my elbows, blazing red.

"Oh, so we're going to use powers now?"

"Uh, guys, I think you're-"

Both Ban and I held a hand up to King. "Shush," we cried in unison then narrowed back on each other.

"Fair game then?" Ban asked, readying himself. His left hand unfurled then clenched and I felt my strength leaving my body as quickly as my sensibility. The flames spluttered.

"Thief," I countered, the strength I lost returning. We stood in a gridlock. The muscles on his neck strained. "Give up, Ban!" I crowed. "I'm the best fox there ever is!"

The best fox there ever is – is that right English? I mulled over the words, rechecking the sentence. I didn't notice Ban's kick coming until it connected with my stomach.

All the air whoosh out of me but I managed to stop myself from flying away with lightning quick reflexes that had me digging my flaming claws into his calf and thigh.

"Not so quick," I wheezed, the overwhelming urge to vomit making me pause. I swallowed it down – as disgusting as that was – and swung Ban by the leg, throwing him against the side of the tavern.

"Don't break any windows," Meliodas sung out as he tottered and fell right into Elizabeth's lap.

I met him before he could stand back upright, breaking his nose with the palm of my hand and driving his head into the wall. It cracked the outside into an crater and I flinched, feeling Meliodas' glare at the back of my head.

"I'll fix it in the morning," I called out, grabbing Ban by the shoulders – he wasn't wearing a shirt so I couldn't very well grab the collars – and pulled him close. "Give up, Ban. I win."

He chuckled and broke free, retreating away. I spun and dropped into a crouch, digging my fingers into the ground. "Kitsune!" The power from the earth travelled through my fingers and I raised my head with teeth bared and a whole field of power throbbing in my veins.

"Physical Hunt!" But this time he wasn't aiming at me. I followed his gaze to Meliodas and my eyes widen, arms coming up fast to block his attack.

His grin came at me from the corner of my eye and I twisted, not fast enough as he delivered a punch strong enough to crack a few ribs. I tumbled like a weed before coming to a skidding halt underneath King. The bones instantly righted themselves, a sharp pang that reverberated through me.

The alcohol was the key in the lock of my powers, and I felt them surge through me. My vision was bathed in flames and for a split second, I saw the image of a fox flaming around my head.

I drew my arm back, the fire around me condescending into a single, slithering flame that fed into the palm of my hand. I closed my hand around it, the fire pooling out from my fingers and around my fist.

Ban readied himself, muscles bulging from the strength he'd absorbed from Meliodas. I grinned, feral and hyped. There was only one way this would end and that was with me being the victor!

He launched, a blur in the darkness. My vision sharpened, zeroed in on him, and I took a single step forward.

I swung my fist with all the power I had—

I blinked and the stars overhead winked back in response. The cold from the ground was seeping into my bones, sobering me up somewhat. Crickets buzzed around us, the only sound issuing.

Try as I might, I couldn't remember why I was on my back, nor how I got in this position. What had I been doing before? Hard to think past the fuzz in my brain so I turned my attention to feeling. I ached all over. Sitting up was a task all by itself and I felt my stomach roll dinner around like it was water in a bucket.

I was peppered in bruises, a motley collection that varied in sizes. The worst hit places were my arms, my stomach and the outside of my legs. A groan rose into the air and I looked up to see Ban sprawled on the ground at my side. He sat up; his jaw was swollen and a bruise bloomed around his right eye. Even as I watched, the puffiness was disappearing and he raked a hand through his hair.

"Damn, that was a good fight." He looked over at me with a crooked grin. "You're one hell of a mean fighter."

I faintly recalled a fight, flashes of movement and attacks. I grinned back at him then let the grass cushion my fall as I flopped back down – my stomach had gone from bucket of water to whirlpool.

"I learnt from the best," I heard myself mutter.

Ban tried to stand and fell back over, eyes unfocused. From the tavern came a roar and we peered at the shadowed hut, Diane snoring beside the tavern door. I guessed the others had gone off to bed and left us to sober up under the stars. A sense of peace washed over the scene, like we weren't hunted criminals but instead simple travellers.

"You know what's funny?" I said to the sky, not really intending for him to hum back in response. "I actually feel normal now. Like... I'm me again. So, I guess, thanks, Ban."

"I don't know how much of that credit I can take, considering I wasn't so pleased with you in the beginning."

"Wasn't? Does that mean you're warming up to me?" I huffed but didn't have the energy to move. "As in, we're friends now?"

"Friends?"

"Yeah. You know, I was pretty excited to meet you when I first met Meliodas and Elizabeth. I wanted to know what the human version of the Fox's sin of greed was. I mean, I know I'm the Fox of Greed but I wanted to see the type of person who'd taken my mantel while I was incapacitated."

"And you wanna be friends now?"

"Sure, why not. We've bonded over fighting and alcohol and not to mention we have the same skill sets. Sorry, I think I'm rambling."

"Meh. I'll probably forget all this in the morning anyway, buddy."

"You called me buddy!" I sat up and threw my arms around the man's shoulders. "Guess we really are friends."

"Yeah, yeah," he muttered. I didn't let go. "What are you doing?"

"Waiting for you to move so I can get a piggy-back ride."

~

"Thanksss for carrying me up the sstairsss, buddy," I said with a hiccup to punctuate the end of the sentence. A fresh bottle hung from my hand – someone had left it on the bar, still oozing foam from the neck.

As greedy foxes, we couldn't leave a perfectly untouched bottle of Vanya ale to sour, it'd be a waste of good alcohol.

Ban, who was under my arm instead of giving me a piggy-back, snatched the bottle from my hand and took a long swig. I stared at him, aghast, as he tipped the bottle over and only a few drops slithered out.

How dare he? I wanted to finish it!

I very nearly made us both fall down the stairs when I gave him a shove. He laughed at me as I grumbled and hung onto the bannister for dear life. The tavern was quiet and I was trying hard not to sound like an elephant as we headed for our rooms.

"Not fair that you get my room," Ban said, leading me straight to my door like a gentleman. I believed the only reason he'd come to it was because I was a support for him too.

"I had it first," I retorted. "Oh and just ssso we are clear." I hung off the doorframe and pointed a finger at his chest, nearly knocking him over. "I won the fight. I always win." 

A/N: I feel that my fight scenes are lacking a little in the descriptive department. I can see it in my head but I'm having a hard trouble writing it out so it doesn't sound like a boring dot point explanation. If anyone has any hints or even website links that could help me out, comment them below :)