Greetings my loves!
First off, I'd like to thank the few of you who have given this story a chance. I get so excited when I see new people joining in! Hopefully this chapter makes up for the shortness of the first one. Things get a little more involved here, so brace yourselves for impact!
Sora refused to accept that life continued on after his heart was broken. He couldn't find it in himself to pretend as if everything was okay, when in fact nothing was okay. His chest felt empty, his stomach was constantly twisted in knots, and his god forsaken eyes wouldn't stop pouring tears. To make matters worse, today was fucking Valentine's Day. For some reason, Kairi insisted on keeping in touch with Sora, dangling herself in front of him and reminding him of her presence, but never closing the gap. He knew the conversations between them made the possibility of moving on much more difficult for him, but in his vulnerable state, he had no boundaries. No matter how pissed off he was for what she did to him, he couldn't find the strength to tell her to leave him alone.
The day following 'The Incident' – Sora had coined the term – he actually made an attempt to go to class. Sora soon discovered that the mere sight of Kairi caused his guts to wretch, and he would get the urge to find the nearest bathroom to expel his nerves. Nobody warned him how painful heartbreak would be – physically and emotionally. So he resorted to hiding away in shame, making a dwelling for himself in his dorm room. His bed was beginning to look like a dragon's nest from his hoard of tissues, chips, and other nonsense that he was too lazy to throw away. The pile was pretty sizable, as one would expect after about one week's worth of buildup.
Earlier in the day, Sora had found the courage to leave the comfort of his dorm – not to attend class or anything, but to get a breath of fresh air and increase the possibility of healthy human interaction. Roxas was a great support for Sora within the last week, but he suspected Roxas was getting a bit disgusted by Sora's nest he built in the bed, since he noticed Roxas started distancing himself the last couple days. Sora figured other human interaction would likely be beneficial anyway.
Sora immediately regretted his decision upon witnessing his worst fear as he walked into the main building where most people congregated when they were bored. Directly in the lobby of the main building of Salisbury State, in front of the large fireplace in the middle of the room, he saw Cloud and Kairi – together. Not innocently hanging out, either, but together, together. Sora watched as Kairi sat innocently on the couch and Cloud descended onto his knees, his big dumb boots awkwardly snagging the carpet as he embraced Kairi's hand with both of his, their eyes fixated on each other and stupidly smiling at one another. Sora saw Cloud kiss Kairi's hand as she giggled, which is all he could stomach before he ran into the bathroom to vomit. He was pretty sure neither of them saw him, but he wanted to keep it that way. He didn't want to know how much further the interaction between the two proceeded.
So this is how Sora ended up back in his dragon's nest, cursing at this stupid fucking holiday, at his stupid fucking phone, and his stupid fucking heart. To hell with emotions – they were pesky little buggers.
His face was buried in his pillow when he heard the door to his dorm room click open and softly push shut in a matter of seconds. He heard Roxas's footsteps approaching the bedroom slowly. Sora figured Roxas was afraid of what he would come home to on a daily basis. To his surprise, however, he felt the edge of the bed slightly cave in as Roxas sat next to Sora's limp body. He felt a hand softly place itself in the middle of his back.
"Sora…" Roxas started, his voice filled with concern.
As much as Sora appreciated the touch, he was in no mood to talk. "Please, go away Roxas," he groaned into the pillow.
The hand on his back withdrew, and Sora felt relief that Roxas listened for once. Suddenly, he heard a loud THWAP! and felt a hot sting on his ass cheek, causing him to nearly leap into a sitting position.
"What the fuck, Roxas!" Sora spat, rubbing the sore cheek that Roxas had violently assaulted.
"Seriously dude, you need to pull yourself together." Roxas stood up, totally unfazed by Sora's glare. "You look like shit."
Sora's eyes narrowed, trying to concentrate all rage into his stare in the hope that Roxas would feel heat emitting from the fire in his eyes.
"And you smell a bit," Roxas continued, taking a whiff of the surrounding area around Sora. "Actually, you smell a lot. It's bad. I'm pretty sure I could smell you from the hallway."
Sora closed his eyes, rubbing them with one hand. "I really don't have the energy to care to shower right now," he muttered, knowing how embarrassing it was to admit.
Roxas shook his head. "Then I'll drag you in there and wash your dirty ass myself." He offered his hand to his roommate, his expression unchanging, proving to Sora that he was dead serious.
"Fine, fine. But stay away from the bathroom. I'm perfectly capable of bathing myself." Sora hopped off the bed, making his way towards the closet to grab a towel.
"Finally," Roxas whispered under his breath, barely audible enough for Sora to hear. "And don't forget to wash your twig and berries either!" he yelled towards the bathroom as he watched Sora pathetically drag his feet in that direction, proud of his good deed of the day.
Sora physically cringed as he shut the bathroom door behind him. He stepped into the shower and let the lukewarm water pelt his chest. He took a deep breath as the water grew warmer, not realizing how revitalizing it would feel to wash the grime off his body. Maybe Roxas had a point – he was pretty rank. Sora turned up his nose as he smelled body odor emanating from his armpits. Sora ran his hands through his chocolate locks, being sure to lather the shampoo into his hair and rinse away the grease that had built up from the last few days of neglect.
Sora heard the bathroom door open and close, immediately realizing he forgot to lock the door. Fuck. He should've known better than to allow Roxas any opportunity for entry into his privacy.
"You're coming with me to visit Axel at work tonight," Roxas almost-yelled over the sound of running water so Sora could hear him.
"Are we really having this conversation right now?" Sora inquired, the least bit impressed at Roxas's rude intrusion.
"It's not a question, Sora. You need to get out of this fucking dorm," Roxas retorted in a matter-of-fact tone.
For the first time, Sora actually contemplated Roxas's point. He quite liked the thought of being away from Salisbury State, even if it was only a few minutes away by car. Sora never actually went to the strip club, but judging by Roxas's trips to and from the place, he figured it wasn't terribly far away from the campus. He shut the water off when he finished rinsing and poked his head out from the shower curtain, making eye contact with Roxas. "If I go, what do I get in return?"
Roxas was leaning his back against the sink, arms crossed. "None of this 'if' business. I told you there's not an option. Besides, Axel told me the eye candy is working tonight."
Sora's eyes widened. "Eye candy?"
"Yeah, the hot dancer I told you about. His name is Riku. Apparently he's a bartender too. He and Axel are bartending together tonight." Roxas was smiling brightly, obviously excited about the prospect.
"I don't know if you noticed, Roxas, but I'm not exactly gay," Sora pointed out.
Roxas chuckled. "You're not exactly straight, either." After noticing the puzzled look in Sora's expression, he continued, "Trust me, my gay-dar is impeccable. You never know until you try, my friend."
Sora rolled his eyes, disappearing behind the shower curtain once again. "Please get out so I can get dressed."
"Oh no, I'm picking your outfit for tonight. You need to look your best… just in case."
"In case of what?" Sora had no idea what Roxas meant by that comment, but he didn't get a response since the blonde had disappeared from the bathroom without a trace.
Sora wrapped himself in the towel and exited the bathroom. At this point he was just going through the motions, allowing Roxas to guide him into the unknown that was the remainder of the night. He figured it was better than sulking alone in the darkness of the dorm.
Roxas brought a bundle of folded clothes to the wet brunette, holding them like the holy grail. "Behold! My ever-so flattering outfit, specifically chosen for my liege." Sora took the bundle of clothing and inspected them. He and Roxas were practically the same height and size, so it would make sense for Sora to fit into his clothes. He pulled the lightly worn jeans over his hips, realizing how comfortably they fit. Following the jeans, he pulled the white button-up shirt over his arms, taking his time with fastening each button up to his collarbones. Roxas shook his head and tapped the first two buttons, hinting for Sora to undo them so part of his chest could be exposed. Sora did as he was told, trusting that his blonde roommate knew what looked best. Sora looked down at the exposure, placing his hand over his tanned skin, slightly embarrassed. He never put so much effort into his appearance before. As he was looking down, he noticed the shoes Roxas had placed next to Sora's feet. They were black Calvin Klein dress shoes, shining in the lighting of the room. He slid his feet into them, automatically feeling better than he had in what felt like ages.
Sora noticed Roxas beaming at the brand-new looking brunette. "Damn, Sora. I'm gonna have to beat the men and women away with a stick. Before we leave, one last finishing touch." Roxas momentarily disappeared into another room while Sora inspected himself in the mirror hanging in the bedroom. He looked like a completely different person, aside from his stubborn hair style, which he had learned a long time ago was hopeless to attempt training differently. When Roxas reappeared, he had a bottle of Armani cologne in his hand. "This is for your smelly ass," he laughed as he sprayed twice around Sora's chest. His roommate gave him a once-over to be sure he was presentable, then nodded as if to say you're ready.
Sora didn't mention it, but he was eternally grateful toward Roxas, who may have inadvertently saved his life tonight.
xXx
Roxas dragged a very hesitant Sora into the bar/club/whatever-it-was-called, bypassing the large red-headed bouncer standing guard at the entrance. Sora tried his best to avoid eye contact with the man, whose presence alone was infinitely intimidating. Roxas simply nodded at the bouncer, offering a confident wave in greeting. Sora looked at the glowing neon sign above the building which read 'sHE'. He couldn't help but find the name intimidating as well, not knowing what the hell to expect inside.
Upon entering, Sora first noticed how dark it was, the only light source emitting a violet glow around the area. To Sora's surprise, the purple glow was quite aesthetically pleasing, not to mention flattering for everyone inside. The bar was directly to the left, which held about ten bar stools (most of which were empty, Sora noted) along the length of the bar. High-top tables were littered around the remainder of the floor, which were also fairly empty. Beyond the bar area, though, was a small set of steps that led into the larger portion of the building – this was where the action took place, it seemed. Most of the floor was covered with a large raised stage, with two poles on each end. In front of the stage were booths along the walls, small tables set in front of them. Men and women were walking around this area, all scantily clad; most likely to entice patrons to throw all their cash in their direction. Guess this isn't just a gay club, then… Sora thought to himself. The entire floor had a slight smoky mist gathering throughout the building – maybe to maintain some sort of anonymity for the clients and dancers alike. A few dancers were giving lap dances to their customers in the lower area. Sora was a bit surprised to see that none of these dancers were naked like he had expected.
"Axel!" Roxas yelled, in close proximity to Sora's ear, breaking him out of his trance. He was waving at the red-headed bartender, who returned his greeting with a bright smile. The volume of Roxas's voice made Sora to realize how loud the music was blaring in the building.
The two boys occupied two bar stools next to each other – they had their pick of practically any seat along the bar, which made things easier. Despite what Roxas was telling Sora earlier, Axel was the only person behind the bar. The elusive 'Riku' these two were so obsessed with was nowhere to be seen.
"Well, well, well… Look who decided to join the fun," Axel teased, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips.
"I didn't have much of a choice," Sora confessed, shooting a look at the culprit sitting next to him. Roxas shrugged, obviously proud of this feat, which was nearly impossible until this very moment.
"Happy Valentine's Day, Ax." Roxas offered, leaning over the bar with his lips puckered. Axel obliged the invitation, giving the blonde a deep kiss. Sora grimaced; the sight of any happy couple was disgusting to him these days. As they say, misery loves company.
Axel pulled four shot glasses out from underneath the bar, lining them in front of the two boys on the opposite side. "We're doing some shots in celebration of this occasion," the red-headed man explained, grabbing a bottle of whiskey and pouring each shot with grace.
Sora counted the four shot glasses, confusion worn on his face. "You pouring two for yourself or something?"
Axel laughed. "I'm at work, short-stuff. I'm not that irresponsible. This is for my co-worker." He looked around as though he didn't know where this co-worker disappeared to. "We'll have to wait until he comes back."
As if on cue, a tall silver haired employee emerged from a door that was hidden behind the bar on the far side from where Sora and Roxas were seated. He was wiping his hands on a bar towel as he approached the group. The world seemed to slow down as he got closer – Sora's eyes widened when the man looked at him.
"Speak of the devil," Axel smiled, obviously enjoying the sight of his co-worker. "We were just about to do a shot. I already poured one for you."
"Jameson? You know me so well," he said, a smirk playing on his lips. He immediately turned to lock eyes with Sora, whose mouth was slightly agape. "Who's this handsome little thing?" He cocked his head slightly, inspecting the brunette. At Sora's silence, he offered his hand. "Riku."
Roxas nudged Sora's ribs, bringing him back to reality. He took the hand in an embrace in order to hold up appearances. "S-Sora." Handsome? Sora bit his lip, trying to compose himself as he stared at Riku's deep green eyes.
Axel broke the awkward moment, possibly sensing how uncomfortable Sora was feeling. "Short-stuff here is the reason for our celebration. He got dumped not too long ago, and Roxas finally convinced the poor sap to get out."
Riku clapped his hands and rubbed them together in anticipation. "Well, let's not waste any more time, then." He grabbed the shot glass that was reserved for him, and the rest followed suit. "To Sora," Riku smirked, subtly winking at the brunette before throwing back his shot like an expert.
Sora couldn't remember the last time he drank alcohol, let alone the last time he took a straight shot of it. But the sudden desire to impress Riku washed over him, compelling him to take the shot without hesitation. Almost immediately, he started coughing from the sudden bitter taste that invaded his taste buds. His head shook, with his lips puckered together in an involuntary reaction to the aftertaste. Riku placed a small souffle cup of pickle juice in front of the suffering brunette. Sora threw it down his gullet in an act of desperation, warranting a small chuckle from Riku.
Roxas patted Sora's back, proud of his friend for finally taking part in his antics. "This is going to be the start of a beautiful new life for you, Sora."
However, Sora was still apprehensive. "Whatever. Don't get used to it," he groaned, dismissing the thought.
"So, what are you two drinking?" Axel inquired in an attempt to bring back his professionalism.
Roxas replied with such confidence, "My usual Jack and Coke, sir." Axel turned to Sora, awaiting his response. Sora's eyes darted around, indicating he had no clue how to respond.
"I can make Sora's drink," Riku interrupted. "Let's see if I can figure out what you like." Riku's voice was low and sultry, which made Sora question if the silver haired bartender was still referring to alcoholic beverages.
Once Riku turned his back, Roxas nudged Sora again, as if to say 'What do you think?' Sora returned a look to the blonde, which likely translated to something along the lines of 'Whoa.' Roxas smirked, a clear indication of 'I told you so.'
Sora's gaze traveled to inspect Riku's figure as he was prepping the drink. He wasn't dressed as provocatively as the other employees, which Sora figured was because the bartenders' uniforms didn't need to be as revealing. On the other hand, Sora couldn't help but notice how incredibly striking Riku looked. His features were prominent but soft, his build was strong and toned, his hair was cut perfectly to frame his face, and his eyes – his eyes were unbelievable. Sora easily understood why the two love-birds were so fixated on this guy. Maybe it was the alcohol setting in, or maybe it was the lighting, but Sora was impressed.
Riku turned around to face Sora once again, placing a yellow-ish drink in front of him. "It's called a Green Tea. Let me know what you think." Riku stood there, waiting for Sora to try his masterpiece.
Sora took a sip, his jaw dropping. "Holy shit, this is delicious!" His eyes shined brightly, going back to take another sip. "You know what you're doing, Riku."
The bartender chuckled lightly, amused with Sora's reaction. "One of my many talents. You're not the first person to tell me that." His eyes fixated on Sora, seemingly getting darker. "I'm sure you'll tell say that to me again soon. Hopefully in a different setting next time." His smirk grew into something more sinister. Somehow Sora felt as though that comment had a lot more meaning behind it.
God damn, what a charmer.
I have to say, I am SO enjoying writing Riku's personality!
Please let me know your feedback - if shorter chapters are preferable, or if the longer chapters are fine. I'm hoping to update this story every two weeks, provided I continue writing the chapters at the speed I am now.
Love always.