Disclaimer: Nope, don't own Tekken.

Author's Note: I'm not one to write out of spite, but I have this time because well and truly, I cannot believe how atrocious this section is becoming. Poor grammar. Horrid spelling mistakes. Such little research. Abuse to and no respect for characters. It pains me to see what this place has become, what people now call 'talent' and 'a good story'.

I'm not saying that I'm 'talented' or 'a good writer' or that 'everyone sucks' or that 'I'm better than all of you' because I know that's not the case; but I do knowI can do better than the bullshit fan fiction I have just read in my fucking home section. I will not name names, nor name pairings, content, or anything of the like. But I'm just fucking horrified. I know there are good authors here, I know you guys can all do really awesome things – but why aren't you?

Either way I hope you guys can try and enjoy this fic, at least. I guess any motivation's good motivation :/

LOVE GAME

There's this kid who walks into the bar and orders a fucking buttery nipple – sounds weird, yeah, but it's a legitimate drink – reads his book, analyses the time every half an hour before packing up shop, tugging his scarf and leaving within two hours to go to whatever fancy, metrosexual apartment he's got out in whoop whoop. Everyday. Without fail.

Alright maybe he's not a kid – he's clearly a man with a hell of a body and judging by the books he reads – today's is something about molecular structures and atoms and all this other fancy science shit that I can't pronounce and don't care for – he's got quite a brain stashed up in there. Brains and brawn's pretty hard to find nowadays, and I hate to sound like I'm demeaning myself but I only tick one of those boxes. And the 'unbelievably sexy' box. That one's invisible.

So maybe I'm kinda interested but have kept my mouth shut this whole time. It's not like this place shuns gays or whatever but there's been too many awkward and bad experiences back in Korea to let me be entirely comfortable with who I am. Honestly I'm still not entirely comfortable with who I am but… I gotta live with it and I gotta accept it one day, right? Maybe it can start with this guy – the same guy who's getting up and leaving, because two hours for such a goody-two-shoes in this place is way too long.

Dammit! Didn't get to talk to him again.

The pool table's suddenly not so interesting anymore, and I'm walking towards the bar tender – and I peer at the nametag on her shirt before talking to her, "So… Asuka…" There's a leer, and I think she thinks I'm gawking at her tits. No offence to her but they look more like balloons, plus the name's written in really fucking tiny English, so it makes it hard for someone who didn't learn English as a first language to read, "The hell is that guy anyway? It's been what, four months? Everyday? Same shit?" I look to where he'd been, "All he does is chat you up."

Asuka's a nice girl – we're not exactly as thick as thieves – and I keep forgetting her name but I know she's only here for the money and quietly crinkles her nose at any alcohol that's super strong – but we've both gotten each other out of shit before. Like that one time that Spanish dude insisted that he give her breasts a 'thorough inspection for cancer' – the fuck is that kind of shit? Anyway, she doesn't know all that much about me, but she knows I'm a relatively friendly face I guess; and she speaks, her face somewhere between annoyed and horrified as she cleans a glass, "Chat me up? Excuse me buster, but that man's my cousin! He's moved from Tokyo to attend the University here in Osaka because of family issues."

See? Brainiac.

"Chat me up…" she scoffs, rolling her eyes and turning away from me, placing the glass back on the shelf, "Hwoarang, that's not cool. You've given me bad mental images. Really bad mental images!" She's now looking at me again, making the weirdest face for a few moments before speaking again, "His name's Jin Kazama. Hasn't been out here for too long, about six months or so. He comes here to study because he claims that something smells funny back at the University library, and he doesn't get any peace and quiet in his room on campus."

"And he thinks he can get some peace and quiet in here?"

She shrugs and looks further down the table, noting a blonde guy – or girl? I can't tell from here – waving and asking for her attention, and they sorta look like they're friends anyhow. She makes an 'excuse me' face and I'm left alone again, huffing and half-leaning against a rickety stool. So, Jin Kazama? University student… from Tokyo, a cousin of … Whatsername, and thinks this is a great place to get some 'peace and quiet'.

Alright, I might be going after a weirdo. Great.

Jin's there the next day again – today's book is called the "Textbook Of Polymer Science" - and he's still sipping on his buttery nipple drink. Whatsername's chatting with him again, and he laughs a little when she drops a glass. She shouts something in Japanese before grabbing a broom in an attempt to clean it up. I'm not playing pool this time – lost my money yesterday – shut up, I know you're laughing – I'm just leaning against the wall and smoking. That's the cool thing about this bar, I can smoke in it and nobody gives a shit. Everywhere else it's all 'do that outside', or 'get that chimney out of here', or any other variation.

Whatsername spots me and waves me over enthusiastically, as though it's a not-so-silent invite to get me to chat with Kazama. With the smallest shrug I can muster, I move from the wall and lumber over, sliding between all sorts of figures to get to him – this is my first opportunity to really get to know him and see if he's worth my time or not. We'll see what happens I guess.

"Hey, Ayumi," I say.

"Asuka," she corrects with a half-hearted smirk.

"Not my fault that your name is written in tiny ass English on that stupid nametag."

She playfully feigns a hurt expression before telling me to plant my ass down on that stool while she goes and finds some soju for me from the back so I have something to do instead of smoking – and then she shouts out that its not gonna be free, so I'm already fishing out some yen from my back pocket. The cigarette's lodged firmly between my teeth as I growl out some Korean obscenities – stupid money being so annoying to get out –

- and then Jin speaks to me, his eyes never leaving the words on the polymer science book thing, "Do you mind not smoking next to me?"

Well well well, listen to him. Proper. Pronounced. Pompous, too.

"'Kay."

The cigarette's not in my mouth anymore, but in between my fingers. Soon enough, it migrates to a place behind Jin's ear, still puffing out the grey haze – and, bewildered, he looks towards me with a surprised and, like Asuka's yesterday, weird expression. He seems to falter at whatever look's on my face too – the corner of my lip's twitched up into a smile, and I'm hoping I seem half-amused and cool instead of fucking creepy.

For a fleeting moment, I see a ghost of a smile on his lips too, and it enforces a tiny bit of hope in me. He reaches for the cigarette from behind his ear and then goes to stub it out in the ashtray between us, his eyes never once leaving mine. They're kinda different to mine, they're a lot darker. It's almost like they're black. And then in one swift motion, he's back to reading his book, taking his finger away from the sentence he was last reading.

"So Asako says that you come here for 'peace and quiet'," I say, turning away and looking at my reflection in the glasses opposite me.

"Asuka."

"Right right, Asuka," stupid name, "Why don't you just go to her place to read or something?"

"Her place is messy."

"Well aren't you just Little Mister Fussy?"

"Quite," he states monotonously.

"Maybe you should pull that stick out of your ass and just pick somewhere to read."

His finger's on another sentence as he turns to look at me, thick eyebrows furrowing slightly. I see a slight smile as he responds to my statement, "I did pull my stick out of my ass and pick somewhere to read – right here in the Iron Fist bar. It may not be the most convenient place but at least I have somebody to talk to," and by that he means As… Whatsername, "It took some time but I believe I can read anywhere noisy now, considering how much time I've spent in here so far."

"Every day, two hours a day, with a buttery nipple or two," I hate that I know that. That I come here often enough to be able to say that. It sounds so… creepy. Fuck's sake, Hwoarang. You're not that lame.

"Yes."

…Can't help myself, "…Why do you order the same drink every fuckin' day?"

"It's creamy and sweet," he says as though he's surprised at my question, reading again, "I like that."

"You really should try other drinks. Try some of my soju when Ayane gets back."

"Asuka."

"Right right."

Speak of the devil, she's back with a bottle, and she grabs a glass and pours it, huffing something in what sounds like nasty Japanese. Jin responds in the same language, evoking some bubbly laughter out of her, and god dammit now I feel like a third wheel. Soon enough, she pushes the glass in front of me, and I stuff the money in her hand in return, taking a swig.

I'm about to interject into their conversation when suddenly As – Asuka – gives a loud shout and literally bounds over the countertop between us, shouting all sorts of shit at some guy behind us. We both turn to look and notice a silver-haired man who's – well, okay, he's kinda stripping off his clothes, or trying to anyway because he's so fucking drunk – and he's dancing on a table and singing some Japanese shit. That's something I don't see here everyday.

There's a bit of soju left in my glass. Looking to Jin with a sly smirk, I push it towards him, watching as the glass presses harshly against his muscled arm and leaving my fingers around it. He stops reading again and looks down on it, and then up to me, eyebrows raised a little as though he's surprised that I was serious, "Try it. It's not much."

And then he smiles, pushing the glass back to me, and for a moment our fingers are touching and I shouldn't feel like a retarded teenager because of it, "You seem to enjoy it. Please finish it. It would be better off with you rather than me," and then he lets go and it pisses me off and he's starting to fucking stand up again and tug his fucking scarf, "Besides, I must leave. I will see you another day."

So I'm left there with a glass with a tiny bit of soju left in it, a screaming barmaid behind me, and a whole lot of 'well, shit' going on in my chest.

Asuka's not in today, but Jin is.

"Where's Asuka?" I ask in a seemingly-unamused-but-I'm-seriously-curious tone, leaning against the tabletop beside him. And yes, I was considerate this time and chose to forego the cigarette with some Black Black gum. It's caffeinated chewing gum. Do you know how goddamn awesome that is? Caffeinated chewing gum. Caffeinated!

He's still busy in his book – I haven't cared to note what this one is today – but he still answers me, "You recall what happened last night, yes? She beat up that Chaolan person?" I nod, "Well her boss has suspended her for today. The current barmaid for these hours is somebody by the name of Lili. She is rather rude and has even attempted to flirt with me," He pulls out a folded piece of paper, and I note how it's sorta wet, "She put this in my drink, and it has her number on it."

Alright, can't help it – I start to laugh, "Shit, talk about subtle."

He laughs too and looks at me, eyes glittering under the tungsten light, "Indeed!" and then he's reading again like the little shit he is. He's gotta learn to take his eyes off of a goddamn book for more than five seconds in here! I'm not worth lookin' at? "And women wonder why I don't spare them a proper glance."

WHOAAAA.

Whoa whoa whoa back up. Was that a secret 'I'm gay' confession? If so, then yes!

…Fuck, what do I say?

"…Ones like that anyway," I force myself to say, watching the tall blonde saunter back this way and give Jin a 'friendly' wink. He notices and turns to face away from her slightly, facing closer towards me but still buried in his book. He reaches out and grabs his buttery nipple, downing it until there's nothing left, and his licking his lips to get what remains of the taste.

It's then that I get a crazy idea. And I dunno why.

So I wave the barmaid over, and she looks at me warily – and admiring my awesomeness and overall sexiness, of course, like every other goddamn woman around except Asuka – before asking me what it is that I want. I grin and pat Jin on the shoulder roughly, leaving my hand there afterwards, and my fingers unintentionally dig into his skin a little, "Get this man a redheaded slut."

Jin silently splutters, and Lili nods and says something about getting it as quick as she can, heading off to go get a shot glass and the wanted contents. When she's out of earshot, he closes up his book and leaves it on the counter, looking at me with wide eyes, completely and utterly bewildered, "What did you just order?"

"A cocktail."

"It sounds like you ordered a prostitute!"

Laughter bubbles up in the back of my throat, and I shake it away, "Nooo, it's a cocktail. You drink it in shots. 'Sides, you need to stop drinking buttery nipples. There's a fuckton of other really nice drinks to try, and I'm thinkin' you can start with a redheaded slut," and there's this stupid smirk on my face.

Lili returns and slips the drink under Jin's nose just as I push cash towards her manicured nails – and she snatches it up with such an animalistic precision that I almost feel sorry for whatever guy she ends up fucking tonight. I'm still leaning against the tabletop, pushing the drink a tiny bit closer to him, and I'm still smirking, "Let's make a game out of it."

"I'm not interested in love games," he says idly, looking between myself and the drink.

"Try it."

Figuring there's really nothing left to lose, he downs it in one go – something I didn't quite expect him to do – and licks his lips again in a stupidly inviting way – and it's probably unintentional, too. He looks up at me with a grin and says, clearly surprised in what he's about to say, "I quite liked that."

Pushing more yen towards Lili, she refills his glass, standing tall and at the ready thereafter, "Have another."

And so he drinks it again, and I haven't noticed but I've unintentionally lorded closer to him, my gaze focused on his lips. He then goes to fish money out of his own pocket to most likely get another shot – but I reach out and grab his arm, stopping him, pushing more of my own money towards Lili and she again snatches it and refills it. And Jin and I haven't stopped gazing at each other as I say with an unusually dark tone, "Again."

Raise. Part. Down. Slam.

"Again."

Pay. Raise. Part. Down. Slam.

I'm leaning in so close that I can almost taste it in the air, "Again."

But instead, Jin pushes away the glass and grabs my jaw, pulling me into a kiss – and his eyes are dark in the fleeting seconds that I see them before I'm blinded in my own self-satisfaction. It's almost like I can hear his thoughts, like he's saying to me in my own mind – you're my redheaded slut – and there's an ache in my chest, but it's not a bad one this time.

And then there's a wall at my back and stuff's being melted together. He's very strong.

"So, Jin," I eventually say, sorta dazed but in a happy state, and my arms are lazily hanging around his neck and over his shoulder I can see one very angry Lili, "My apartment's pretty quiet. And I've got a couple of books that are just collecting dust on the shelf. Wanna come over and read 'em?"