Oh life~ this chapter was meant to be longer since I wanted to wrap the whole nightclub plotline here but it just couldn't happen so... stay tuned for some more possibly spicy shenans next chapter~
Disclaimer:
I do not condone underage drinking under any circumstance, these are characters in a story, what they do and how they act shouldn't be imitated in real life.
It is not ok to pressure your friends into consuming any substance if they are unsure about it or don't want to do so. Sadly many people do it with "good" intentions but people's boundaries should always be respected.
Warning:
Description of alcohol consumption and underage drinking.
Non-consensual drink spicing
Skip ahead if these subjects trigger you.
Thump, thump.
Her heartbeat quickened and surged with the drums.
Thump, thump.
Warmth bloomed in her chest and stretched to her limbs, the strain of continuous motion bringing a subtle glisten to the exposed skin.
Thump, thump.
Colors began to melt together as enjoyment brought her eyelids low.
Unfocused her gaze was of little use in keeping track of the sea of bodies swaying around her but she remained aware of the proximity of strangers and friends out of pure instinct, her familiarity with the scene once more made evident by her body's learnt reactions as it followed the flow without a hitch.
Wayward brushes of cloth and skin set her awakened senses ablaze. The desire for physical contact was an unexpected thing but she let it settle with the other drunken cravings brought forth by alcohol as it continued to strip her of her inhibitions.
Tesem had believed that with the latest object of her emotional and physical interest out of the picture her hormones would remain tame if not completely dormant throughout the evening, but it seemed that the warmth and smell of dozens of youthful bodies accompanied by the visage of beautiful and polished faces were too great a temptation.
It wasn't long before the trio of friends broke formation and like sharks after spilled blood suitors of all sorts came forth to try their luck with the gorgeous females. Many went after the tall blonde and the exotic foreigner with more than a sensuous dance in mind but few came even close to keeping up with the unruly girls and thus abandoned their pursuit for easier conquests.
A few others made the mistake of confusing Anzu's spirited display for an invitation to claim her as their partner and thus found themselves frustratingly denied when she retreated into the protective embrace of her two friends who, if provoked enough, became more akin to panthers rather than alluring temptresses.
She couldn't fault the blue-eyed brunette for feeling apprehensive of the many strangers that gravitated into their space. One needn't be a psychic to know that the intentions of many were less than honorable and while Tesem found the hunger displayed in their eyes thrilling if only as a thing to toy with, for her friend it could easily evoke a past incident that was anything but fun to remember. She was no stranger to the after-effects of trauma so she halted her own personal party to offer Anzu a lifeline.
As one melody ended and changed to something tamer she took the chance to signal Anzu to follow her to the edge of the dancefloor so they could share a few words. "I can try to convince the guys to join us if you want. I am sure most leeches will leave us alone if they see us dancing in a group with other men."
"I don't believe that Yugi or Jonouchi really want to dance." The sadness in the girl's reply showed a vulnerability Tesem wasn't prepared for but the girl was quick to amend the slip with an annoyed remark. "Seriously, these guys don't know what is good for them."
Damn, you really fell for the nameless Pharaoh, didn't you? It made her feel bad beyond all selfishness to know the unrequited nature of her friend's feelings but she knew it was best not to chime in, either the spirit's current indifference would change or Anzu's interest would wane. Her personal preference of what outcome would come to be left her feeling like a bad friend.
"Jonouchi will be easy, it is Yami who will present more of a challenge."
"Yami?"
Ah shit. "Um—" She wanted to believe that she wasn't a coward, and it was true most of the time but in that moment she couldn't help but avert her eyes.
"You know about the other Yugi?"
"Yeah, Yugi told me of him a while back and I came up with the nickname to differentiate." Her finger started tapping the black fabric of her shorts and she crossed her arms to stop the fidgeting. The voice in her head laughed a deep and unnerving laugh as it evoked the memory of that one time she had told Yugi that skipping information on purpose was still lying. Hypocrisy doesn't suit us.
And how exactly does telling her the details of our first encounter help right this second? We can't be that selfish. And when had 'we' become a thing when she was speaking to the entity residing in her mindspace? Goddamned Winged Hound or whatever she was supposed to call the blasted thing, it's weird way of speaking was starting to rub off on her.
"It isn't a bad name."
When she looked back at Anzu's face the girl was sporting a kind smile that partially dispelled her building worries. She had been overthinking, again, the fear of losing someone due to her most egotistical desires hanging over her head like a pesky stormcloud. "Fitting right?"
"Yeah…" The following pause fell heavy upon them, the background noise dulling as hesitance and uncertainty hung between the girls.
When Anzu finally broke the silence she did so to prove how braver she was compared to what most people first assumed. "Tesem-chan, I am not blind you know? I can tell that we both fancy the same person."
Tesem wanted to say that it wasn't the same person but upon reflecting on her earlier thoughts she chose to keep her mouth shut. Different personalities but the same body. Even if one wanted Yami and the other had eyes for only Yugi, the closeness with which the lives of both boys were entwined made the distinction almost insignificant. Things would be too messy if one tried to separate the duo.
"I just want you to know that no matter what, we are still friends. It is up to him to choose in the end so let's not allow this to get between us."
The egyptian girl was rendered speechless as she gawked at her friend. She would later blame the alcohol for making her emotional as her eyes moistened up and she couldn't help but embrace the brunette teen with unbound affection. "I am so glad to hear that Anzu-chan." The relief she felt simply couldn't be put down to words.
When they pulled apart it was with honest smiles and a bond strengthened by honesty. As they walked in opposite directions she internally vowed to be as good a friend to Anzu as she could, the girl truly deserved it.
She made her way back to the table where Jonouchi and Yami still remained, now surrounded by a couple other duellists that knew them from previous tournaments.
"Oi Tesem-chan! Let me introduce you to these losers." Jonouchi beckoned as he spotted her, earning a punch to the shoulder from a dark-haired boy sitting in the ottoman she had been sitting at before. "These are Kajiki Ryota, Insekuta Haga and Dainaso Ryuzaki" In order there was the boy who punched Jonouchi, tall and fit with a shark smile and a dorky sort of charm about him. Then perched on the arm of Jonouchi's couch likely to seem taller than he actually was, a short nerdy looking boy with a malicious smirk and a higher-than-thou air that instantly earned her dislike. Lastly there was the same brown-haired teen she had spotted earlier prowling the outskirts of the dance floor, looking just as horny and graceless now that he was eyeing her up and down as if she were a goddamned steak from the chair previously occupied by Anzu.
"A pleasure to meet you guys." She said looking at the first boy specifically so her words weren't a complete lie. She got the feeling that Ryota was the only decent guy amongst this new lot of acquaintances.
"Do you want to take a seat?" Ryūzaki asked in a tone of voice she supposed he believed to be irresistible.
She came to stop behind Yami's armchair and casually rested her elbows on the backrest as she leaned forward. "Actually I came to fetch these guys but since you are here I suppose I should invite you too."
Yami looked up, smug and challenging, already knowing what she was going to ask and very clearly still adamant on his answer.
She tilted her head down and made eye contact as she spoke anyways, not as easily deterred as their blonde elder. "Mai-san, Anzu and I are missing dancing honestly guys you are missing all of the fun over here."
Hesitation and a quirked brow were her immediate answer so she continued before she could receive a spoken denial. "I get that you may be nervous about it but you shouldn't, if you don't have the moves it is alright, we can all just mess around as a group." Nothing.
"I mean, we were hoping to keep this as an outing amongst friends but there are plenty of boys and girls out there looking for a partner so the girls and I could get our game on if you really don't want to…" Now that did the trick.
"Hey hey hey! There is no need for that. We were just finishing our drinks, right Yug?" The red eyed teen remained unresponsive, still holding Tesem's gaze, but despite the lack of an answer Jonouchi had heard enough. He promptly stood and started to make his way toward the open where a very alluring blonde and a blue-eyed brunette were waiting. "Ryota, you coming?"
The teen with spiky hair that rivaled Yugi's hairstyle in its disregard for the laws of gravity lit up like a lamp. "Yesssir!" Like that the two tallest guys amongst them were gone leaving only the prideful spirit and the pair of weirdos she wasn't even remotely interested in getting to know better.
The two outsiders lingered, making comments about how they would rather have another drink and how dancing was kind of overrated. She had to be grateful for how distracting Yami's crimson stare was or else she wouldn't have been able to contain the urge to roll her eyes.
Tesem spared the awkward kids a questioning glance before she conjured her sweetest smile. "Then by all means go fetch another drink, I'd love it if you could get me something too if you don't mind." Too thick to read into her dismissal the weird duo scrambled away in a futile quest for more booze.
They were doomed to fail of course. Even if they hadn't sported a star on their hands which marked them as minors they were so clearly underage that no soul within 10 miles would have sold them any liquor anyways.
"Are you done scouting the competition?"
"Not really but someone saw fit to interrupt me in the middle of it so I guess I won't be doing that tonight."
"Good."
"Mhm." He made no move to stand, at all. He actually had the galt to get more comfortable in his seat with his legs casually crossed to the side and his head lazily resting against his hand while he propped his elbow on the arm of his chair.
"So…" She left the sentence hanging in the air, a clear cue for him to answer her previous invitation.
Nothing, he even dared to grin at her, the entitled prick.
"Are you that bad at dancing or is playing hard to get really that entertaining for you?"
"To be honest I am not sure whether I am good or bad at it, Yugi doesn't really go out like this so I haven't had the chance to try." He shrugged casually, taking more than a little satisfaction from her startled expression as it was clear that she expected a comeback rather than such an honest and vulnerable truth. "Plus, it is quite amusing to see how far you are willing to go to get me to do anything."
"I didn't know, I—" No, apologizing was a bit too far, he was still being an ass. "Very well." She incorporated and swiftly walked around his seat and the empty ottoman to plop down on the couch, carelessly stretching over the space intended for two until her head was resting in one arm and her legs were hanging over the other.
"What do you think you are doing now?" He didn't even bother hiding his intrigue, he found himself more preoccupied with stopping his gaze from wandering down the length of her legs.
"Missing out on the fun with you."
"Weren't you worried about Anzu and Mai?" He asked plainly, showing not a single hint of the guilt she had hoped for.
"Not anymore. They are in good hands now."
"I noticed. You were clever about that." He pointed toward Jonouchi who had found his way to Mai's side and no longer showed any trace of the reluctance that had kept him from the dancefloor before.
Close to them were Anzu and the seafaring duellist hitting it off just fine, the girl clearly more at ease now that the presence of two friends was effectively warding off most of the unwanted male attention from earlier, although her gaze still drifted to their table now and again with undying hope.
"Is that a compliment?" Tesem feigned a shocked expression.
"If you say so. You did overdo it a little."
"It isn't my fault that men only ever listen when you wound their pride or make them feel jealous." She shook her head and then added as an afterthought. "It is a shame that you haven't decided to give Anzu a chance or else I would have gotten you both."
Tesem would have liked to think that her reasons to bring the subject up were mainly for Anzu's sake but there was also a tinge of curiosity that was just her own.
She couldn't hear him sigh above the music but she did spy the tell-tale rise and fall of his shoulders when he did so.
"You know, Yugi fancied her, before you came along at least."
Ensnared by the change of subject she rolled on her side to better look at him while his eyes remained on the table between them.
She had suspected as much after hanging with the group for a couple of weeks but the confirmation still made her chest constrict.
It was no longer envy but rather the unpleasant feeling of having intruded upon what could have been a good thing that bothered her.
"I just wanted to see him happy so I tried to help with that but I guess I helped too much." His eyes widened a fraction and it was as if he suddenly realized what he had just said and to whom, the regret that had slipped unfiltered into his speech revealing too much for his liking.
He looked up and met unblinking eyes but before he could say anything else or backtrack to save face Tesem suddenly sat up and started reaching for something beneath the table.
"What are you-"
"This conversation is just asking for more alcohol. Where did Mai put them… aja!" From their elder's backpack she produced another round of beer cans and a small jar filled with clear liquid which was in fact sake. Without missing a beat she passed a golden can to the spirit and opened her own.
"Kanpai." They both said in unison before taking a deep swig. He never took his gaze off of her as he tilted his head back to pour the fizzy liquid down his throat.
Trust was a recent addition to his character after months of Yugi's persuasion and many bonding experiences, and while he was committed to become a little more open for friendship's sake it could be hard sometimes, especially when it came to the deepest secrets inside his heart which not even his headmate got to see yet.
"So…" She eyed her beverage, swirling it inside its container as she went back to the subject he had for some inexplicable reason brought up, surmising if only for the sake of masochism. "...Yugi used to like Anzu but she ended up liking you instead."
"Pretty much."
"What a mess."
"Yeah."
Another pause accented by a queerly synchronized sip. The openness they were sharing was completely uncharted territory, likely available solely due to the alcohol coursing through their veins. Clearly they were both uncertain about where this was taking them and despite the many layers of disguise carefully constructed by the spirit he still looked somewhat uncomfortable in his boots.
Perhaps if it were Yugi in his stead she would have refrained from pushing the matter any further but with him her curiosity was too great.
"What about you? Has anybody ever managed to catch your attention?"
"Intimacy isn't really a realistic aspiration when you live inside an ancient artifact, wouldn't you agree?" He glanced up and regarded her with a smile that beneath his usual brand of brazen charm looked almost wistful and sad.
"I guess you are right." She itched to offer comfort whether through words or a reassuring touch but the way his expression hardened as if showing anything but strength was a shameful thing for him reminded her that such boundaries weren't ready to be meddled with. Instead her reflections turned inward to the entity linked to her choker and the bond she knew firsthand. "It must be really hard to become close to anyone like that but at least Yugi has been there for you."
The mention of the bright amethyst-eyed boy within the context of their conversation had a strange effect on him. He averted his eyes, took a sip, seemed to be about to say something, thought better of it and took a sip again.
The cogs in her brain turned and turned, slowed by the booze but not nearly to the point of stupidity. Honestly it bordered on insulting for her wits that it took her this long to figure it out. "Yami. Do you have feelings for—"
"Hello, hellooo!" Dragged in an obnoxiously high and unpleasant tone Haga's voice cut her words short like a knife.
For fuck's sake.
"We are back. Missed us?" Now the evident slur in Ryuzaki's voice proved her previous assumptions wrong. It seemed like the pair of duellists had been perfectly capable of getting their hands on something that was way too strong for them. Blast her luck.
She witnessed the puzzle's spirit build his defenses back up faster than a heartbeat, all because of the untimely interruption.
Left to stew with her curiosity and lack of answers, Tesem found herself lacking any more excuses to continue censoring her thoughts for the sake of such unpleasant company. "Not really. I honestly thought that you were gone for good."
The poison in her words brought a sharp smile to her companion's lips. Fully recovered from his lapse in judgment he adopted a cold and arrogant expression which reminded her of the first time they ever met after her coming to Japan. She quite liked how empowering his presence could be when one wasn't the direct object of his contempt.
"Nu-hu. We always deliver doll." The short brunette said, tossing her a wink as he approached, too confident for his own good. "Here is your drink."
"That is fine, I haven't finished my own— oh gods just sit over there." The prepubescent trainwreck paid her no mind as he stumbled his way around Yami's chair, a perfectly unoccupied seat and finally crashed right on the couch she had claimed earlier. He had brought a glass of something in his hand and the liquid very nearly spilled on her lap, a few stray droplets managing to hit her thigh which elicited a disgusted hiss from her.
"Oh I am terribly sorry, love. Haga, pass me a napkin please." And suddenly the blue haired weirdo was at her left, sitting once more on the arm of the couch, effectively leeching away the last bit of personal space she had left. They couldn't be intoxicated enough to believe she would let them clean her off, right?
"These guys have a death wish." The traces of laughter in Yami's voice had her properly fuming which led her to make the mistake of taking her eyes off the pestering drunkards for just a second.
"Say ahh." That was her only warning before the glass was pushed and tipped onto her mouth. Opening her mouth to protest only facilitated the entry of a sickly sweet beverage that tasted like cheap oj mixed with something like vodka or tequila, it was bile. She forced down the first gulp and then sputtered when some came in the wrong way.
Coughing and cursing she finally seized the hand holding the goddamned glass and dug her nails in hard until she got the offending appendage to retreat with a pained wince from the owner.
"The, *cof* fuck, *hack* is wrong with you?"
Her throat burned something mean and her eyes watered as she struggled to control her breathing. Somehow the two previous DM champions from Japan still couldn't get the hint. They both muttered apologies through the ugliest sounding laughter she had ever heard.
If ever slaughter could be justified it is now, we may be able to get away with it.
For once she had to agree with the violent suggestions of her headmate but just when she looked up ready to pop one of the drunken jerks in the teeth she found one of them being dragged off the couch while the other scurried away much like the cockroaches he fancied in his deck.
"Hey hey hey, take it easy mate. We were only having some fun. No harm done." Caught by the front of his shirt Dinosaur Ryuzaki flailed helplessly as he pleaded with the looming form of none other than Yami, crimson irises ablaze and murder written all over his expression.
"What did you give her?" Gravely spoken those words rumbled deep and threatening. If that voice couldn't birth the fear of God in anyone, Tesem didn't know what could.
"It was just vodka and juice man, some dude over there was giving it away for anyone who said they were a duellist." The hopes that his admission would earn him his freedom died for the purple-banged teen when the grip on his clothes tightened and he continued to be forced to gaze up at the very depths of hell.
"It is alright." Despite the anger still contained beneath her icy gaze she managed to give her words a soothing pitch. When the only answer she received was a stiff glance she knew that the situation was more dire than expected.
The master of the sennen puzzle was a dangerous man, the power to end a life was well within his reach.
It was an easy truth to forget after sharing their everyday life with mostly ordinary happenings and silly anecdotes to look back to, but one should never forget that there had been a time when harming and mentally crippling those who wronged him had been a frequent affair for the spirit of the Pharaoh.
Feeling like her previous idea about murder was perhaps a little excessive she stood from her perch and slowly stepped up to Yami's side. Tentatively she lifted a hand to grace the skin of his bicep in order to steal his attention from the object of his wrath. The tension beneath her touch didn't diminish but this time when he looked at her his eyes lingered. "It isn't worth it." She stated firmly.
He searched her gaze, fleeting between both her eyes before he turned to look at the flailing boy with distaste. "Scram." With that he let go.
Ryuzaki needn't be told twice. Finally released, the dinosaur enthusiast had sobered up enough to know that a quick retreat was best for him. Scrambling to his feet he finally found his way out of their sight tripping with the furniture and his own feet on the way.
"Ugh. Goddamned morons." She mumbled as she watched the graceless fool flee from view. She grabbed the napkin which had been discarded on the couch and rubbed the residue of juice and booze off of her lips and chin.
"Are you alright?" Laced with concern the Pharaoh's voice still held some tension from before.
His narrowed gaze remained trained on the section of the club where Ryuzaki and Haga had run off to but she found this divided attention more soothing than if he were fretting over her to check if she was well. The least thing she needed after a bad experience was physical contact, she was just the kind of person who required space and not hugs.
"I have been better but I'll live." She reached for her beer and took a tiny sip to wash down the acid aftertaste of cheap juice and vodka before adding with a halfhearted smile. "You have a scary angry face by the way. Remind me to never mess with you in the future." Dry humor was her emotional buffer of choice. She couldn't allow the mood to be destroyed so easily, her escapade couldn't be ruined by something so stupid.
"Those two crossed a line and it wasn't the first time either. I don't believe you could do anything remotely as bad."
"Wanna bet?" She was just teasing but what was meant as a harmless jibe birthed a strange feeling in her gut which she didn't really enjoy. Like having forgotten the what and the who of an old but important promise.
He didn't seem to catch the slight shift in her expression, having turned to retrieve his own beer which happened to be the rightest remedy for the lasting desire to psychologically damage someone via magical means, so his chuckle came honest and oblivious after he had swallowed.
Suddenly feeling restless she tossed a longing glance toward the dance floor where more people had joined the fray to test their moves after having had a healthy dose of liquid courage.
"We could move to one of the tables over there." He offered, way closer to her right ear than she had expected. It took every ounce of self-restraint in her to suppress a little jolt.
"Have you finally decided to stop being a buzzkill?"
"Careful there, I may just change my mind." He said this even as he reached down to retrieve the backpack still filled with goodies.
"Oh, 'scuse me." She reached for Anzu's unfinished soju bottle, purposely bumping his side gently with her shoulder as she pulled back. "I should be grateful for your majesty's thoughtfulness, please pardon my offenses."
He looked at her like a parent would a misbehaving child, unsure whether to be annoyed or amused by her antics. "You are forgiven." He settled on amusement as he started moving toward their new table, choosing to forget the small tingle that ran through his frame when she called him for what had once been his title for the second time that evening.
They found their friends and by some miracle came across an available table, just vacated by a group that claimed some of their friends were feeling unwell, which forced them to cut their evening's leisure short.
Although Tesem felt for those strangers she was far too immersed in her own enjoyment to really dwell on their misfortune. In hindsight perhaps she should have paid more attention to the red flags.
"You are looking a little out of breath, Katsuya." He snorted at her taunt and Tesem chuckled with overflowing mirth. "Be good to him Mai, you could kill a man on the dancefloor with those moves."
"Are you kidding? Jonouchi here was holding back on us, the boy can dance after all." Mai complimented with ease, making the blonde puff out his chest and rub under his nose with overbearing pride.
"Really? How about you Ryota?"
"Oh I am like the ocean, wild and untamed as I crash on the dancefloor like waves-"
"He nearly knocked someone over." Anzu interrupted, hiding her laughter behind her hand.
"Yeah, my boy was flailing like a drowning man, we are lucky no-one was injured." Jonouchi said with a massive grin.
"Hey! I am just too passionate for you all to handle."
This elicited more laughter from the group of friends but the seafarer didn't appear the least bit bothered by it and continued to smile and jest as they gathered around the new table.
With only four stools available and one already occupied by the loaded backpack Jonouchi, Yami and Tesem decided to stand while Mai, Anzu and Ryota took a seat.
"I am not quite danced out yet but how about we take a break to play another game?" Saying this Mai reached inside her bag and swiftly produced the deck of playing cards from earlier, her gaze drifting to pointedly land on the ruby eyed spirit.
He smiled the same way he did when challenged to a duel, basically delighted to be presented with a test of skill of any sort.
"Ohh, are we playing poker?" Tesem inquired and leaned closer, evidently excited by the idea of such a classic game.
"We are." Mai confirmed as she began to shuffle the cards with the deftness of one who was used to handling a deck on a daily basis.
"I don't really know how to play." Anzu interjected, scratching her chin with a frown appearing in her sweet features.
"Me neither." The sea obsessed duellist admitted too.
"We could teach you on the go but I don't think Yugi will go easy on you even if we asked so you can watch if you prefer." Everyone agreed with Mai's statement while the spirit huffed and crossed his arms, unapologetic of his extreme competitiveness.
Anzu happily settled with just watching while Ryota bravely decided to take on the challenge despite his lack of experience.
"What are the stakes?" The song changed and the lights shifted to reds and purples to fit a new vibe of electric guitar and deep rumbling drums. Under the new colored filter that their world was cast under the spirit looked proper devilish.
His smile alone was quite unnerving.
Watching him she wondered if he was aware of how much he looked like a proper villain sometimes.
"As much as I'd love robbing you all blind I don't think money would be as fun this time. Let's make this a drink poker tournament."
Jonouchi sighed in relief while Yami's expression hardened in a display of displeasure he couldn't quite mask this time.
"Mai-san, are side-bets allowed?" Tesem inquired with a mischievous glint in her eye.
When the blonde woman nodded she turned to the spirit and said. "I'll bet you. If I win you have to dance with us, no ifs or buts, a gaming debt is a debt of honor."
"And if you lose?" He looked intrigued enough, close enough to take the bait.
"I'll do your bidding for one whole day of your choosing. Do you accept?" Fairness be damned, she had to lure him in somehow and the buzz in her head convinced her that selling her soul to the devil for one day wasn't as bad a thing.
"Alright, game on."
His acceptance although not without a touch of reluctance was victory enough. Similar to him, the idea of a proper challenge filled her chest with glee. It made it too easy to ignore the growing blurriness at the edge of her vision or the way the lights had begun to stammer and blink of their own accord.
A warning rang from her subconscious but she ignored it, not by choice but due to the slowly increasing numbness of her thoughts. It had to be the effects of alcohol, even though she hadn't drank that much, she would be fine if she stopped drinking for a while.
It took her resilient body exactly 40 minutes to finally give up, and then she wasn't fine anymore.
.oOoOoOo.
Somewhere above in the more exclusive part of the club a man hissed commands into a radio. "Keep it on the down low, we have to take care of things without making a scene… yes, I believe that they are using roofies, have an ambulance on standby."
Any other puzzleshippers in da house? *wink wink*