Why hello there, dear reader. Welcome to the humble beginnings of my first serious multi-chapter story. It's a big one, updates will be every other day (English time, sorry if it turns out different over the pond) as the story has already been written, just needs editing along the way. If you have any questions, feel free to leave them in a review, I shall answer at the start of the next chapter. This will take about a month to be fully uploaded, hope you enjoy the ride! :D
Note: Everyone in this story is of legal drinking age, (In the UK that's 18). All characters are 18/19. In no way am I promoting underage drinking!
Warnings: Swearing, alcohol, fluff, OOC-ness, britishness, maybe a lime or two.
Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot.
Right, now that's out of the way, onto the story!
Chapter 1- Musings
It was just another average day in the city of Domino. The sun was shining through a veil of light clouds and everyone was going about their daily business as usual. It was just an average Friday.
Joey stared at the clock with a feigned look of interest on his face. It was the last class of the day and only a few more minutes to go before it was over. The trouble was, the more he looked at it, the slower the second hand seemed to go. It was as though it was an elaborate plot to annoy the hell out of him. Letting out a sigh, Joey stretched and yawned before resuming the look of interest he had long since perfected. His eyes glazed over and his attention wandered away from the teacher, and his thoughts turned to the amazing party he was planning for that night.
Everyone was going to be there; even the shy Ryou had accepted his invite. Joey had been quite surprised when the white haired Brit had come over to him earlier in the day and said he would have loved to come, as long as he could bring Bakura as well. As Joey was a firm believer in the statement 'the more the merrier' he had agreed- he got on alright with Bakura even if he could be a little rude at times and he was sure the rest of the group wouldn't mind.
Of course he had invited Yugi and Yami, they had both accepted, so had Tristan, Duke, Tea and Malik; even the Egyptian's housemate Marik was coming. Earlier that week, he had also invited Mai, and although she was unsure as to whether she could go, she had agreed to stop by if she could get there. As it was, Joey had managed to plan a night with all his close friends that he would make sure none of them forgot in a hurry.
The sound of freedom rang in the distance, snapping the blonde out of his trance so abruptly that his elbow slipped off the edge of his desk and he landed in an undignified heap on the floor.
"Ow…" he groaned as he picked himself up amid the giggles of his classmates. He proceeded to pack his books up into his bag before heading across the classroom towards the door, ignoring a group of girls who were sniggering at him in the corner. Damn he needed to stop spacing so hard. He had almost reached the door when:
"Katsuya!"
The blonde groaned before turning to the teacher. He was hoping she hadn't noticed his total lack of attention during the last two hours of her class, as he didn't think he could endure yet another detention this term, not when the only thing he wanted to do was go home and get ready for the evening, but as he sloped back to her desk, he realised he probably hadn't been very successful.
"Katsuya, were you paying any attention to me at all just then?" his teacher asked as he came to a stop in front of her, pursing her lips and glaring at him.
"Um, sure…" he said, running a hand through his blonde hair. "Course I was listening."
She merely looked at him over the top of her glasses as he stood there awkwardly. And then the rant started. Did he know he wouldn't get anywhere without working hard now? Not to mention no decent job in later life? Not forgetting the fact that he really was a bright boy and if only he worked a bit harder… And so it went on. Joey crossed his arms and pretended to be interested again. It was going to be a while before he got out of here…
xxx
"Yami!"
Yami Yugi turned his head to the source of the voice and was pleased to see Yugi making his way towards him through the crowd of students departing the school for the weekend. He pushed himself off the wall he had been leaning on and his face broke out in a smile as the smaller teen finally made it to where he was.
"Hello, Yugi. Good day I take it?" Yami asked him.
Yugi nodded brightly. "Have you got your things for tonight? You're still getting ready at mine aren't you?"
Yami indicated the carrier bag of clothes at his feet. "Everything's here. I even remembered to grab a little bottle of something on my way out as I figured you wouldn't have any to bring tonight what with your grandpa being home. It was pretty difficult trying to carry it round school without anyone noticing though," he smirked. "I'm pretty sure at least two teachers heard it move around but they didn't say anything of course."
"Well you're right that I won't have anything for Joeys," Yugi admitted. "But Yami… I've never actually had much alcohol before. I don't want to make an idiot of myself in front of everyone," he said, blushing slightly.
Yami merely chuckled. "You don't have to have any if you don't want to, no-one's going to force you to drink," he reassured the smaller boy.
"But I kind of want to…" Yugi said as he stared at the ground and shuffled his feet slightly.
Yami sighed. "Look, you're going to be with your friends tonight and I can imagine that quite a few of them might end up a little tipsy. Don't worry about it! I know I've made an idiot of myself a few times before and so have a couple of the others, Joey especially."
Yugi looked a little less concerned and resolved to at least try whatever Yami had bought, who knew, he might be able to let loose a little and then anything could happen.
"Shall we get going then?" Yami asked. "We don't want to get shouted at for loitering on school premises after all."
Yugi nodded as they set of walking and his amethyst eyes sparkled as he started talking about something that had happened in his psychology class. Apparently Malik had decided to play a prank on the teacher which had involved a water balloon, a pin and- worryingly- duct tape. Yami shook his head disbelievingly as he listened. He remembered when Malik had first moved here a few years ago from Egypt along with Marik, he had been a lot tamer and would never have dreamed of pranking a teacher. He guessed Marik was leading him astray.
"Malik's going to Joey's tonight isn't he?" Yugi asked as they neared his house.
"I believe so," Yami nodded. "He's bringing Marik too I think, should be an interesting night at least," he said, remembering the last time he had been in the same room as Malik's roommate and alcohol. The outcome had only been mildly dangerous, and Marik had argued that it was ok to do it again as the police hadn't even got involved. Apparently that was a regular thing with Marik and Yami had decided not to question it.
Yugi shuddered. "I can't say I'm too fond of Marik, but if Joey invited him I guess I have no right to question him…"
Yami chuckled. "You have nothing to fear, Yugi. Marik is fine once you get to know him- he isn't half as horrible as he makes out to be." At this Yami paused before deciding to press on. "If you like I'll stay with you for the whole night. He won't do anything if I'm there because he knows I can take him in a fight."
"I hope it doesn't come to that!" Yugi exclaimed, but smiled gratefully as they turned onto his street. "Thanks though, Yami. You're a really good friend."
The taller boy could only half return his smile. If only Yugi could see that he didn't want to be just a 'really good friend' then things would be a lot easier for him. He couldn't pinpoint the exact moment he had fallen for the boy, but Yugi remained oblivious to that fact and would probably continue to be so. There was something so innocent about him that made Yami want to just hold him close and protect him from all the evil in the world. But as it was he would just have to content himself with being a friend. For now.
