Chapter Song:
Motherland – Natalie Merchant
Chapter Two – The Bar
The bar was crowded, it was a Friday after all. Given that most people had probably moved on to the clubs by this time there was luckily enough room to breathe, and maybe; order a drink.
A few groups still remained in the bar, most too drunk to get into any club with sensible doormen. In the furthest corners of the room a girl dressed in full party regalia (angel wings, devil horns and an inordinately short dress) sat on a sofa with her head nestled firmly into her sleeping friend's lap, which was drenched in sick. From a distance, the image seemed serene, until the stench dragged any onlookers back to reality. They were just two of the night's failed challengers.
Looking fresher than most; two black haired boys sat at the bar:
"I swear, it's not as bad as you think! Look – I'll ask him now" Shikamaru pleaded.
A large smile formed its way across his face: he knew his beseeching tone would only make him decline out of spite.
"Don't bother, seriously: don't" The other replied, raising a deadly finger.
"Sasuke, are you really going all pussy on me? Not even one shot?" The chiseled man adjusted his topknot as he jeered his drinking companion.
His eyes glanced over the bittersweet scene in the corner of the bar. Feeling the faint scent of vomit perverting his nose, he sneered and turned his attention back to his friend.
Sasuke raised an eyebrow as his lips curled upwards. Breaking eye contact for a moment, he took a reserved sip of his drink and placed it back on the cartoon coaster, covering the face of the animated animal the emblazoned it, an odd choice for a beer mascot he thought.
"Pussy? Are you really going all misogynist on me?" His attempt at mimicry made Shikamaru laugh heartily.
"Perhaps? I do hate women. Only straight women…" He made a dismissive gesture with his hand as he wiped his mouth lazily with the other. Stifling a burp, he continued:
"…Then again, lesbians are scary too. Maybe I do hate women? Damn. Good job I like dick right?" He raised his eyebrows and gave Sasuke a sharp poke in his shoulder.
The physical interaction caused Sasuke to give in to the banter.
"Oh my friend…You like anything with a shadow"
"Very funny, I think you're talking about Kiba? He's the sex addict. I have a very particular type actually." Shikamaru defended, returned the pointing gesture.
"And what type might that be? Having a pulse?"
"A pulse helps. But if I found Justin Bieber dead in my apartment, I'm not saying I would say no". He retorted dryly.
"Oh, okay, so my best friend is a potential necrophilliac". Sasuke nodded, swilling the ice around in his glass.
"Only for twinks…" He replied with a wink, turning to face the barman who had been listening in.
"Excuse me, can we get two shots of moonshine? It's fine, I know Neji."
The barman gave a silent, knowing nod and disappeared under the bar.
"If I end up like that…" Sasuke warned, nodding towards the idyllic scene in the corner.
"Oh come on, grow a pair"
"Yet more misogyny from the gender studies major? Just how low can you go Shikamaru?"
The barman reappeared with a black bottle, no label in sight. He quickly positioned two transparent shot glasses in front of the men and drooled the clear liquid from the bottle to the tips of the glasses. Sasuke groaned internally as he watched the gloopy substance stare back at him. Handing a glass to a reluctant Sasuke, Shikamaru held his own in the air, signaling a cheers.
"To my best friend in the whole wide world, Sasuke Uchiha". He smiled widely as he waited for the gesture to be returned.
Surprised by the sudden adoration, Sasuke laughed softly as his glass met the other. A barely audible clink shot through the air before both boys downed the liqueur.
"Ugh…Fuck" Sasuke groaned, closing his eyes as his stomach turned.
"Damn boy!" Shikamaru coughed, as the drink swam down his throat. The burning apparently satisfied his expectations.
"Okay!" Banging his shot glass down on the table as a sign of victory, Shikamaru wiped his mouth with his thumb and waved his finger in the air.
"Let's go. Fubar? Everyone's there"
Sasuke played with the two shot glasses, slightly annoyed at how they refused to slot into each other.
"Fine, but I really hate that club"
"I know, you're just too damn hipster"
Sasuke smirked.
"But you know Ino loves it. And the boys go mad for Kiba there. So I guess we have to take one for the team"
"Okay, let's go" Sasuke responded, stifling a yawn.
The two boys stood up simultaneously. Shikamaru left a note on the bar and thanked the barman. While he slipped his lithe frame into his jacket, Sasuke noticed the barman's eyes linger on his friend. No surprise; under the bar light Shikamaru's sharp cheekbones definitely worked to his advantage. Shikamaru must have noticed this too, the informal pleasantry turned into a brief conversation about their night, with Shikamaru using his signature close-mouthed smirk as he played with the blushing worker.
Waited for Shikamaru to stop flirting, Sasuke eyed the pink haired girl in the corner, still slobbering on her friend's lap. He noticed her from one of his lectures and smiled as she nuzzled deeper into her makeshift sick-saturated cushion. Her friend seemed the welcome the action, automatically resting her hand on the pink mass.
"Shikamaru."
"Okay, I'm coming!"
Shikamaru bid the barman a final goodbye and turned on his heel, following Sasuke out of the solid oak doors.
"He likes you" Sasuke commented as he stepped out onto the street, adjusting to the October chill. Winter was definitely coming, and he was glad he had brought a jacket. He checked himself over; he didn't look particularly dressed for an intense night at a gay club, but his jeans hugged his legs tightly and his black shirt, only accentuated his porcelain skin. He watched as his breath rose into the air like an apparition, bubbling up into a mushroom cloud before dispersing in the glare of the streetlight.
Shikamaru finally replied after pulling a box of cigarettes from his trouser pocket:
"Of course"
He offered Sasuke the box as his lips clasped around the stick.
"Menthol?" Sasuke asked.
"Of course" His friend repeated.
Sasuke took a cigarette from the box, while reaching into his own pocket for a lighter. A satisfying click broke the silence for a mere second before being replaced by the inaudible burning of a flickering light.
He inhaled deeply.
The two stood there for a second, letting the smoke fill their lungs.
"Come on, before they start charging at the door" Shikamaru urged, breaking the brief silence. He began walking steadily ahead.
The two arrived at the club, a queue already formed. Partygoers lined up the side of the conspicuous club, a significant number were topless and clad in body paint, glitter and ill-applied makeup. Sasuke once again looked over himself, feeling slightly overdressed.
"You know when you feel overdressed in your underwear? Not a good sign" He muttered to his friend. Shikamaru replied with a hearty laugh and walked past the lengthy queue to the redheaded promoter at the doors.
"Hey Gaara, room for two overdressed good-looking guys?" He beamed, leaning on the metal post separating the queue from the street, effectively nudging a sparkly patron to the side, much to her displeasure.
"Always. Hey Sasuke" He responded. Sasuke nodded in acknowledgment, shoving his hands deep into his pockets in a futile attempt to hide from the cold. He looked over at the half-naked queue and wondered how they were surviving the baltic air.
Gaara made a beckoning gesture to the two men, and they responded by offering their wrists. A firm stamp was placed on each one, sealing their fate.
"Hey! They didn't queue!" Squawked the same girl that Shikamaru had inadvertently shoved. She was obviously drunk, or high, Sasuke thought. For a second he thought he could make out a clump of powder in one of her nostrils.
"We're VIP doll". Shikamaru gave her a coy wink and turned to smirk at Sasuke before entering the door that Gaara had opened. The two boys made a turn and headed for the cloakroom.
"You fucked Gaara didn't you?"
Momentarily surprised by his friend's trademark bluntness, he laughed softly as he preemptively removed his jacket.
"What makes you say that?" Shikamaru replied, unzipping his coat.
Sasuke maintained a glare until Shikamaru met his gaze, smirking wildly.
"He gives great head…" He confessed, with the same smirk growing only bigger.
"Well if it means I don't have to pay, then I'll keep my silence"
A topless, muscular man took their coats in return for a pink ticket that read '443'. Sasuke made a mental note in case he lost it. The faint bass from the main room caused two coat hangers to buzz to the rhythm of the beat.
Making their way to the lion's den, their ears were greeted by glittery techno as the black doors swung open. The place was heaving. Sasuke couldn't discern whether it was the music or the screams from the crowd that won the volume battle. As they made their way to the bar, an apparently famous drag queen, draped in a flowing white cape; marched down the stage. A noticeable band of sweat formed at her forehead, which did little to spoil the flawless makeup, which was caked to perfection.
Sasuke noticed a few eyes linger on him as he followed his friend, but this was the game. A lingering stare, a disinterested smirk; a few well-chosen words and boom. You had yourself a mate to take home. Apart from the strobe lights that showered the bar incoherently in a dazzling cascade, the place was pretty dark, which made it hard to make out what was actually going on.
It wasn't long before Shikamaru found Ino's shoulder length blonde hair. It was dancing, as if to the beat, as she talked loudly to a girl at the bar. The girl seemed to be her antithesis. Her hair hung in a neat ponytail, her eyes were wide and seemed to be tracking every nuance of the blonde's animated rhetoric. Noticing her uncomfortable stance as she hugged her drink close to her chest, Sasuke felt glad he might not be the only one feeling awkward here.
Catching Shikamaru's eye, Ino snapped sharply away from her conversation, squeezing past one too many sweaty torsos to reach her friend.
"Babe!" She squealed loudly.
"Hey doll" Shikamaru replied, accepting the invitation for a suffocating embrace. Her enormous bosom seemed to flooded over him.
Their moment was brief however; a louder scream pierced the air as Ino noticed Sasuke standing behind Shikamaru.
"Sasuke!" She wailed, moving quickly towards him. Sasuke looked on in slight fear as two enormous breasts flew towards his face. "Why did she have to wear heels…" He mused.
He coughed lightly as she wrapped her arms around his neck, attempting to return her loving gesture. She dominated however, and swayed side to side, planting a kiss on his forehead she released him.
"You look fucking HOT babe! New haircut?" She exclaimed, giving him a once-over.
It was true: although he was overdressed, his black outfit added to his enigmatic nature, and showed off his slim figure. His laissez-faire ink-black hair hung at his shoulder, making his bone structure glisten under the strobe lights. He was indeed statuesque, and his sharp features and disinterested attitude perhaps appeared intimidating to those who didn't know him. Shikamaru smiled to himself, knowing the attention probably added to his friend's discomfort.
"Yeah it was getting too long. You look…tall' Sasuke replied with a smirk.
"I know right? Eight inches!" She shouted
"Me too!" Shikamaru added, laughing heavily. This seemed to interest of the barman who scanned over Shikamaru with an eager eye. Ino's dark-haired partner giggled softly.
"Oh guys, this is Hinata. I work with her at the store. This is her first time here!" Ino interjected, turning to her friend.
The girl offered a slight smile.
"Poor you" Shikamaru added, grinning at the conservatively dressed girl.
"Ino, where's Kiba?" He asked, as he nestled in between Hinata and Ino at the bar.
"Over there, talking to some twink". She nodded over to a tall muscular figure, who was leaning on the bar smiling viciously at a young-looking boy.
"I'll go and see if he needs a hand…" Shikamaru mumbled, eyeing his friend's prey.
"Threesome!" Ino clapped, before rummaging into her bag for her purse.
Shikamaru wandered across the sea of bodies until he reached his friend, who embraced him warmly with a kiss on the cheek. The young boy talking to Kiba eyed Shikamaru nervously before offering a plastic smile. Sasuke thought they looked like vultures hovering over an unsuspecting prey.
Snapping him out of his voyeurism, Ino shoved a dark drink into his hand and offered Hinata a different, clear liquid.
"Your favourite, amaretto." She whispered the last word delicately into his ear.
"Thank you, I'll get the next round" Sasuke replied. Ino responded with the same dismissive wave Shikamaru had used earlier.
Sasuke's eyes drifted to the crowd of people dancing by the stage, who were currently being whipped into a frenzy by the same drag queen who had since discarded her cape to reveal a tight–fitting catsuit. He pondered over the amount of cocaine that must be in the noses of these people in order to keep them dancing so violently for so long.
"Hey!"
He turned slightly to face Kiba, who offered him the standard hug and kiss greeting. He felt the man's muscles wrap around his torso and fleetingly wondered over how many hours of class he had missed to spend in the gym. His cologne seeped into Sasuke's nostrils, displacing the odour of vomit that clung dearly inside his sinuses, something he wasn't at all displeased with.
"It's been a while" Sasuke remarked, genuinely happy to see his old friend.
"I know right? How was New York? Is Itachi good?"
"Yeah he's fine. Still overworking; he got a promotion at his firm though so he can finally get the apartment"
"Nice! Oh this is Sai by the way"
Sasuke nodded at the shorter boy. He seemed young, definitely no more than nineteen. He thought he looked like himself, albeit slightly more feminine and all-round more petite. He was wearing a black mesh t-shirt that clung desperately to his thin frame that gave the impression that he was looking for attention.
The group exchanged pleasantries for a few minutes longer before Ino somehow convinced them all to occupy the dance floor. Sasuke appeared at odds to Ino's erratic movements; this wasn't really his kind of music, nor did he really know how to dance to it, so he bobbed his head casually while he sipped his drink. Hinata appeared equally baffled by the intermittent bass line, and turned her head downwards as she shuffled awkwardly. Ino however was dancing vivaciously, creating shapes with her body that were probably illegal in some countries, if not the one they were currently in.
Sasuke had a habit of drifting into himself in these moments; he had always found them peculiar. Not that he found it insufferable, the dancing was a welcome release from a stressful week of exams. It was just that he never really knew what to do with himself, when to smile; when to talk. He tried to enjoy the joy and anonymity of the act, he wasn't particularly alone but he didn't have to engage with anyone if he didn't want to. His thoughts could drift as far as they wanted around the impermeable racket. He found some humour in Sai's interchangeable hounding from both Shikamaru and Kiba. The two tall men seemed to enjoy the attention they were receiving, as was Sai, and Shikamaru's harsh beauty stood as a good foil to Kiba's tradition attractiveness.
At some point the music quitened, the drag queen on stage was handed a microphone and she took centre stage.
"Hold somebody close, this is a slow one…"
Sasuke smirked at the tacky melodrama as a monotonous piano began to sound across the club, annoying several wired dancers.
"Ugh…Let's go guys before this gets deep" Ino moaned.
The group agreed and headed towards to exit, making it just in time before the pitchy chorus reached fruition. Sasuke and Shikamaru got their coats from the same obviously tired cloakroom attendant and said farewell to the endless black walls as they entered once again onto the immaculate Californian pavement.
"Sasuke, you're staying in Cal for your postgrad right?" Ino asked, as she plucked a cigarette from Shikamaru's packet. Sasuke followed suit as his friend held out the box in his direction
"Yeah, UCI"
"Good, so I get to admire your pretty face for a while longer. You're such a cutie pie you know? A fucking stoic angel, that's what you are"
Sasuke smirked at the supposed compliment. They walked down the boulevard, chatting about how awful exams were, their plans for the year and other trivialities. Kiba had his arm around Shikamaru's neck, the two were probably talking about something vulgar, made more probable by Kiba's gestures.
"Where's that kid, Sai?" Sasuke observed, noting that pale boy's disappearance.
"Oh he was too prissy. I told him I was having a friend over so he couldn't come back. He wouldn't be able to handle me anyway" Kiba yawned.
"He did seem a bit uptight…" Hinata murmured, clutching her thin jacket to retain some heat.
They kept walking until they reached the bar Sasuke and Shikamaru had visited earlier. Sasuke felt happy at knowing he was so close to his bed.
"I'm just around the corner, I'll catch you guys later, get home safe"
The group bid him goodnight, and he turned the corner to his apartment block. He pulled a keycard from his wallet and held it up to the scanner as the lock clicked open. The three flights of stairs seemed to never end, each step only made his migraine worse; finally arriving at his apartment door felt like the end of an unwanted, dubstep filled journey.
He sluggishly unlocked the door and had already kicked off his shoes before it had a chance to swing shut. As though by muscle memory he immediately entered the kitchen, picked up a glass from the drainer and drowned it with water, downing it without taking a breath; before repeating the motion, but this time with several aspirin.
He pulled out the cigarette Shikamaru had left him from behind his ear and rolled it between his fingers before slotting it between his slightly dry lips. He paused for a moment to think about if he really should be smoking in his new apartment, before remembering the price of his rent and decided that he really didn't give a fuck.
He could still hear the distant generic techno beat ringing throughout his skull, and with each drag of his cigarette he could feel his lungs growing heavier. Walking slowly to the doors of his balcony, he pressed down the latch (mentally scolding himself for leaving it unclocked) and took a seat on the small, but comfortable balony. He could just make out the club from here, the lights were still on and there was still a half-naked queue outside. His eyes drifted away in disgust.
Across the gap to the adjacent block he ogled a suited man eating his breakfast. His phone read '07:43'. Shit.
A few more lengthy drags of his cigarette were taken before he flicked it casually over the balcony into the car park below. Taking an even deeper breath of the cold autumnal air, he returned into his apartment after admiring the skyline. He turned off the kitchen lights and blindly made his way to his bedroom.
Collapsing on the edge of his bed he peeled off his tight jeans before unbuttoning his shirt. He stood up and stretched upwards, groaning in pleasure before glancing at himself in the mirror. He slid off his boxers and looked over his naked body. Noticing Kiba's recent gain in muscle made him wonder if he should start the gym too. He had good genes however, and ate well, so his body was naturally lean. His abs were discernably defined and his legs were well built from the occasional run. He couldn't lie: the amount of topless men with flawless bodies had made him slightly horny. He toyed with the idea of masturbating as he gently stroked his semi-erect length in the reflection. Soon realising he was rock hard, his libido belied his tiredness. He ran his hands across his flat stomach down to a slight mass of pubic hair and gave himself one last scan before submitting himself to his bed.
He laid down on the plush mattress, spreading his legs and stroking his shaft gently. Closing his lids, he imagined an indiscernible figure rocking their body against his, biting his neck gently. The figure trailed a series of faint kisses down Sasuke's neck, over his belly button and across his navel, until he felt a soft exhalation of breath over the head. Without teasing, his dick entered a hot, moist cavern and he placed his hands over the head of his lover, forcing his thick cock deep into their throat. He kept this image perpetuated until he was close; he carried on roughly fucking the eager mouth until the figure managed to break free of Sasuke's ruthless grip just as he climaxed, catching some of his semen on his tongue. He entered the boy's mouth one last time before he opened his eyes and realised just how horny he was. He came everywhere. His upper chest was covered in the warm substance, and he reached for a tissue at the side of the bed to clean himself up. Wiping himself down, he discarded the soiled tissues and his brief lover into the bin next to his bed and wrapped his naked body in the thick duvet. He really wished he had saved that cigarette.
Charred with nicotine, he coughed gently as the noise of the club echoed on through his body. Glancing over at the empty space next to him, he sighed as his hand rested on the unused pillows that lay plump and fresh on the other side of the large bed. He wasn't sure what he felt in that moment, but for a second he wished he had felt the arch of the back of another male, or had the sound of silent snoring to detract from the war in his mind. Tiredness took over, however. He turned over and his lids bowed.