From my Balcony - Chapter Three
Notes: I have no idea how to play poker. Thus, I was very vaugue with this chapter.
---
October
---
When Roxas rang the doorbell, he was afraid the tall, intimidating man was going to answer again. He didn't, thankfully. It was Axel. The blonde was ushered inside and shown into the dinning room.
"I still think it's weird to hang out away from the balcony." Roxas said, just like he had when Axel invited him over several minutes before.
"Yeah, the idea of being 'balcony buddies' is pretty cool, but it's starting to get cold and I hate the cold. So we should hang out inside more often." Axel replied. "Aright, everyone, this is Roxas," he announced to the three other people in the room.
"So you're the reason Axel is such a bitch about the balcony," said one of them, who was almost as short as Roxas.
"At least he keeps him away from anything… flammable," said the tall, intimidating man.
"I say," began the last man, who was almost as tall at the tall, intimidating man, "That we bet actually money in honor of Roxas joining us!"
"…No." came the answer from the intimidating man.
"You guys don't bet real money when you play poker?" Roxas asked.
"Not every week, at least," Axel started to answer.
"These suckers only use money when we play with the other eight friends of ours once a month," the less intimidating man finished.
"Luxord never lets us put in less than fifty dollars when we use money, we'd all be broke in a heartbeat." the shorter man added.
"Less would be worthless!" exclaimed the man Roxas could only assume was Luxord.
"Oh, I should have asked before I dragged you over here, but have you played poker before, Roxas?" Axel asked, and Roxas shook his head.
"Not really."
"Alright! That means I won't lose for once!" cried the short man in excitement.
"I doubt that," the intimidating man claimed. The shorter one pouted at him.
"You in, Axel?" Luxord asked.
"Nah, not yet. I'll just sit out for a couple rounds to teach the noob here."
Luxord nodded and dealt the cards. Axel explained the rules softly into Roxas' ear and walked him through his first few rounds.
"Alright, so now you have three of these kind of cards," he started.
"So I should get rid of these two?"
"Exactly."
"What if I don't get more cards like this? Is it still worth something?"
"No, they're worth jack as they are."
"…Okay."
Roxas placed two of his cards on the table and Luxord supplied him with two more, face up.
"Hell yeah!" Axel exclaimed for Roxas, as the blonde had no idea what had just happened. "Full house, bitches!"
"Damnit! You're done helping him, Axel!" the shorter man, who Roxas had found out was named Demyx, yelled.
The intimidating man who was apparently named Xemnas simply pushed his chips toward Roxas in silence.
"Alright, alright, someone get me some chips," Axel said, moving his seat farther away from Roxas.
Roxas spent the rest of the night constantly having to ask if his cards beat anyone else's. More often than not, Xemnas or Luxord would win, but there was the occasional set of cards that made Demyx howl in frustration which made Axel laugh hysterically. Demyx was the first to lose all his chips, with Roxas closely following. The other three lasted hours longer.
"Ah, I should get back. I still have school tomorrow." Roxas finally said as the hour approached eleven.
"Light weight!" Demyx called from the other room.
"It is kind of late. Come on," Axel said as he stood, "I'll apologize to your mom for keeping you out."
"Alright. Thanks for letting me play, guys," Roxas said to Xemnas and Luxord, who both nodded in response.
"Come play next week, we'll make you good at this game yet," Luxord said.
Roxas nodded as he followed Axel out the door.
---
When his mother asked what kind of card game kept people up so late and made them so noisy Roxas answered Egyptian War, and said nothing about the gambling.