Ruki was in a dark place- his mind clouded with distortion. His whole body ached; his throat burning constantly as he released the toxins inside of him which, before, had seemed so pleasant. He didn't know where he was (nor did he care) but he knew that the girl he'd just met was near; helping him. He couldn't understand why- what had he done to deserve help? The situation he was in; was, after all, his own fault. He'd gotten drunk enough to throw up, sure, millions of times- but people usually just left him alone to deal with his own problems. He wasn't used to the attention. The girl had told him that her name was Miro; an uncommon, pretty name. He thought she suited 'Tink' more though; as her dress reminded him of magical places full of faries and butterflies-

Dear God- how drunk are you?

Ruki retched again, hurling, a hand rubbing his back. It hurt more than the previous times before- maybe all he had left was just raw stomach acid. The stench was terrible from the sink where he'd thrown up; but he couldn't muster the strength to motivate himself.

Ruki looked up, his forehead creased. Reita looked back at him, an eyebrow raised in confusion. He sighed, disappointed, positioning his head back over the sink.

Come on, Ruk- give the girl a break. Do you actually think someone like her's gonna sit around and watch you vomit?

Ruki's vision suddenly began to haze; his eyes glazing over rapidly. He felt his knees giving way under him- everything feeling crushingly heavy.

I'm going to faint, he thought, amazed.

The ground rushed up around him as he lost his feet; falling back onto the hard linoleum floor. He braced his body for the impact, but none came; only hands holding him.

He exhaled one last time- and then, he knew silence.

Aoi lowered his sunglasses at Taeko, smiling at her. He didn't know how he was doing it; sober, he'd never have been able to look at her like he was, or, think the ideas he was thinking (at least, not with her or anyone else around). He didn't want her to think that he was checking her out as if she were a piece of meat. The skull and crossbone necklace she wore drew his gaze to her neckline; its faux ruby eyes gently winking at him in the gloom.

Taeko eyed him almost angrily. Sure, he was hot as hell, but come on- staring right at her boobs? She turned herself to the side, looking away from him huffily.

"I have eyes, you know." She remarked crossly.

Feisty, eh? Aoi liked that. He knew he'd probably blown his chances if he'd had any at all- so, although the shy part in him was screaming for him to stop- he figured it couldn't hurt much to keep trying.

"If you must know," he retorted smoothly, his eyes returning to her face, "I was looking at your necklace. Flatter me, why don't you?"

Taeko looked back into his smiling, deep brown eyes and immediately felt embarrassed. She turned back to face him, smoothing her skirt awkwardly.

"I-I'm sorry." She stammered, blushing. What had she been thinking? Hadn't she been checking him out just as much? Maybe she had been flattering herself. She turned to leave, feeling stupid.

"What's the hurry?"

Taeko halted, surprised; turning back around to face the ravishing, mysterious Valkyrie.

"What?"

Aoi smirked, took another drag of his cigarette and tapped it into the jade ashtray beside his hand. The room around them was so quiet- he could actually hear the soft sound the ash made as it settled. He couldn't stop looking at her and thinking things he shouldn't- how cocky was he to think that she, pretty as she was, would see him as anything more attractive than a doorstop?

It'll be fun finding out, he thought pessimistically; his self esteem trying hard to claw down his confidence, and- even if she does- she's probably a psycho. Every girl you've ever been with- no, associated with- has been nuts, haven't they, Shiroyama-san?

He almost shuddered; trying to block out the memories, but still, amazingly, managed to retain his expression. He hoped to God the alcohol wasn't wearing off. He picked up a poker chip and rolled it back and forth between his knuckles.

"I don't even know your name." He said casually, although his heart was pounding hard enough to break through his chest. Even his body-well, the 'sensible' part, anyway- was telling him to give up. The not-so-sensible part was teaming up with the alcohol and trying to make him hard. He had to admit that it was an interesting little tug-of-war.

Taeko raised her eyebrow, smiling. He seemed so calm; like he hadn't minded. She wondered if she hadn't been misplaced in her thinking, after all.

"I don't know yours, either," She replied, coyly; putting a finger to her chin to mimic thought, "a gentleman introduces himself first, doesn't he?"

Aoi laughed, stubbing out his cigarette. He especially liked how she hadn't made a comment about it. Most girls eyed it disgustingly and judged him.

"Gentlemen also don't smoke around women and play poker." He replied; her eyes meeting the chip at his knuckles.

"Nice trick."

"I've got a few of those." He said, smiling. Her eyes widened a little.

My God, he thought, amazed, Me- Aoi Shiroyama- actually being smooth?

He stopped playing with the chip and flicked it up in the air. It span three times, landed on its side, rolled in a circle and finally fell on its front in the middle of the table.

He wondered tantalisingly how she'd look on her front, over the table.

Stop it, Aoi scolded himself, don't push your luck. He immediately started to feel himself stirring again- worse this time. He was glad that he had a poker table to hide behind; his jeans were tight.

Taeko dug her purple nails into her palm and fought hard to bring herself back to the situation at hand and away from the thoughts she was having. Had she known what Aoi was thinking, they both would probably have skipped the small talk.

She heard the videogamers switching off next door and searched the room frantically for bags; preparing herself for an unpleasant interruption. However, nobody came in. She exhaled gently in relief, her eyes staring at the chip which had just stopped rolling.

"Nice to know I 'exhilarate you', so to speak." Aoi said, smirking, still not believing what he was saying.

"Tch," Taeko replied, laughing with faux-mockery, "that would be flattering you though, wouldn't it?"

This just keeps getting better and better. Aoi thought to himself. He bobbed the piercing in his lip with his tongue- a habit of his when he was thinking. The texture of it, however, wasn't helping.

"I don't get much," he replied, his voice earnest, "so, it never hurts."

"Yeah, right." Taeko said, flatly. "Like that's true."

Taeko realised how drunk she actually was. She never would have told him that when sober; under possibly even pain of death. Amazingly though, she didn't even care- she knew he wouldn't mind.

Aoi, however, actually felt amazing. It was the first compliment he'd gotten from a woman for about six months- the last one was from his mother, remarking on his haircut. It'd been a far longer time since then that he'd been laid- not that he was expecting to be tonight by 'Miss. Anon. Burgundy'- but the thought annoyingly crept into his mind as easily and as naturally as the act itself; or, at least supposedly. He looked away from her- eying the poker table.

An idea came to mind. A crazy, stupid idea that was pretty much 'make or break'. He picked up the chip, positioning it between the two fingers that had held his Malboro Menthol earlier.

"Do you play?" He asked Taeko softly, his brown eyes turning back to her.

Taeko laughed; almost thinking she'd misheard him. She looked side to side, as if she expected him to be asking someone else; but, of course, she was alone. All of a sudden, she felt nervous again.

"A little," She replied, as casually as she could while tossing back her hair, "why?"

"Because I want to know your name."

"You're quite the persistent one, aren't you?"

"I thought women liked men with 'stamina'."

Taeko blushed, fiercely. She really hoped it wasn't obvious.

"And what do I get if I win?"

"The 'gentleman approach'," Aoi replied, smiling, "and a drink on me, if you'll take it. Incidentally, you're even more adorable when you blush."

Taeko looked at the floor; sweat trickling between her breasts in an alluring stream. Aoi held his breath- the calm face he'd put on felt close to shattering. There was a brief pause before she spoke.

"Deal." She replied, softly.