Crazy Old Dwarf

"Where is Takar? He was supposed to be here an hour ago," the old dwarf grumbled.
"Oh, come on now, Darnec. You worry too much about the boy," Bromwyn chuckled, her lovely sound radiating throughout the room.
"I do not!" he exclaimed. Bromwyn's pointy ears twitched as her laughing continued. Darnec's face reddened at his outburtst. "Alright, alright. Fine, maybe a little bit," he said, subdued.
That only made her laugh harder. Rolling her eyes, she stood up from the chair and walked toward the entryway of the old dwarf's home.
"I'll be back shortly. We'll need some ale for the celebration. Takar is finally coming home!" And with that, she was gone and out of sight.
Darnec sat in silence, waiting impatiently. The boy knows not to do this to me. How many years have I let him live with me? I beat the thought senseless, ingrained it into his head so I wouldn't have to worry so much.
Humph.
"And after all these years, he still can't be bothered to arrive at a decent hour."
The dwarf folded his arms and flopped his head on the table. How much longer was he supposed to just sit here and wait?
"I give him twenty minutes, and then Bromwyn and I will drink the ale and eat the cheese ourselves," he huffed again.
A muffled noise that sounded oddly like "I'll help too!" came from somewhere. Darnec lifted his head and searched his home with his eyes. There was no one near, and yet he was sure he heard someone.
"Bah. There's no one here. I'm just getting old," he concluded, placing his head on his arms again.
"You're not that old," the small voice said again. Darnec ignored the "comment" that didn't exist. It's all in my head, he thought. But then he felt something on his hand, crawling across and ending on the table.
Lifting his head, Darnec saw the culprit with the quiet, muffled voice.
A small grey mouse sat perched on his table now, staring at him with beady eyes.
Well, isn't he cute? he thought. Then his eyes widened, his heart sped up and a scream ripped from his throat.
"Ahhh!"
Jumping up out of his chair, Darnec flew across the kitchen to the other side. Staring at the small rodent, he stumbled upon his words.
"How are you-You can't-That doens't make-Bah!"
"Are you done yet?" the little mouse questioned.
"No, no. You're just my imagination. You can't talk. In fact, I'm sure you're not even here. Be gone with you!" Darnec waved his hand in dismissal.
The mouse's eyes narrowed. "You must be crazy," it stated, matter-of-factly.
"Oh well," it continued. "Better talking to you than no one. You're Darnec, right? My name's Milo. I live up the path outside your doors a little ways. Except in the winters. Then I live inside your house in that corner over there. It really is quite warm in here during the cold months, did you know that? It's lovely and I enjoy myself. I just wish I was able to take care of myself sometimes. It can get to be quite a bother always having to depend on other people. Hopefully one day I'll be able to-"
"Shut up!" Darnec exlaimed. His eyes were bugging out of his head, his insides twisting into knots.
"You live in my house?! How long have you been here? How can you talk? What kind of name is Milo? How have I never noticed you before? If you've lived here so long, why have I never seen you?" The questions fell from his tongue like one trying to hold water in their hands.
"Questions, questions. I thought you told me to shut up?" Milo asked innocently.
"Answer them. Now." Darnec was angry.
"Well, I've been here a few years now. All animals can talk, silly. Milo was given to me by my mother, thank you very much, so pipe it. I don't generally make appearances with large crowds around. Ok, fine, really it's more I don't make appearances ever, but it was just you, and I thought you were funny and kinda bored. And frustrated. Boy were you frustrated! I haven't seen you like that in a really long time. Not since Takar lived here which has been at least a year now right?"
Darnec stood, flabbergasted. This was not happening.
"I know, you're probably thinking, 'This is so not happening." But it is. Perhaps you should come sit down again. You look like you're about to pass out. Your face is all white and pasty."
Darnec touched his face with his fingertips, which were clammy. Slowly, he walked toward his table while keeping eye contact with the intruder.
"So, how about that ale you have stored in the wall over there for safe keeping? Do you suppose we could pull out some of that?"
"What? You think you deserve a drink, eh? Intruding upon my house and then expecting rewards?"
"Well, no, not exactly. I just figured, it's probably going to be a while until anyone actually gets here, so we may as well celebrate our meeting in the meantime!" Milo said brightly. "Alright, fine," he said, noticing Darnec wasn't going to move, "I'll just go get it myself."
Hopping down off the table, he ran toward the wall on the far side of the house.
"Oh, no you don't!" Darnec exlaimed, knocking over his chair as he jumped up. "I'll be getting that, thank you very much. Besides," he added as an afterthought, "you'd probaby crush yourself anyway."
Pulling out the hidden ale, Darnec then went to the table. Milo came a few moments later, scampering up the table leg with a cup size all his own.
Darnec poured some ale into his mug, then let little Milo scoop some into his own.
"Ah," Milo sighed in contentment, lifting his mug in the air. "To newfound friends!" he toasted. Darnec slowly raised his own mug and they smashed together, the froth dripping on the sides. Milo chugged his first mug in seconds, pleading for more with his hope filled eyes. Darnec rolled his own and gestured with his hand for Milo to take more.
"Aw, thanks pal! You're the best."
Darnec grumbled something inaudible.
"What was that?"
Again, some sound came out, but nothing comprehensible.
"I still can't hear you, you know."
"I said, 'You're welcome!'" a frustrated dwarf yelled.
"Hey now," Milo soothed, "don't get all worked up in a tussle. Have some more ale. Relax a bit."
The dwarf didn't need to be told twice. Within minutes, six mugs of ale had been downed, with a seventh on the way. Darnec was wasted.
"Novothy knoves va twouvle A've seen. Novothy knoves ma sawow..." he drunkenly sang. A noise came from the front door and Darnec flopped his eyes in that direction.
"That's beautiful, Darnec," Bromwyn chuckled as she walked into the home. Takar followed behind her.
"Definitely a one of a kind singing voice!" Takar chided. "Couldn't wait to celebrate until I got home, eh?"
"Iz not ma faulz. Milooo mathe ma thew iz."
The elf and boy stared at their friend. He was so drunk.
"Who is Milo?" Takar asked, looking around for someone else in the house, seeing no one.
"Ze mouze!" he exclaimed, pointing to the table where Milo was. But as Bromwyn and Takar contiued to stare, he followed his own finger to see there was nothing there. No sign of Milo anywhere.
"The...mouse, Darnec? Are you sure you didn't just make him up?"
"He vaz zere! A zveaw he vaz zere!"
"Oh, Darnec. Of course he was. Milo the mouse will return soon, I'm sure. How I've missed you, you crazy old dwarf," Takar came over and patted him on the back. "The antics and imaginings of you will never tire me," he said with a chukle.
Darnec continued to search frantically for his newfound friend. How could Milo do this to him? Make him look like a fool. He could have at least had the decency to show himself!
And then he looked on the chair, in the far corner by where Milo said he lived during the winter months. With a grin on his face, a twinkle in his eye, Milo winked, waved his paw in the air and scampered off.