Touko released a relaxed sigh after finishing off her fifth Bacardi breezer which was followed by her third fruity shot. The alcohol flowing through her system was doing wonders, as usual, and she reveled in the rare opportunity to drink without a care. So far Touya has been buying her drinks and she was not one to complain about free stuff.
After a visit to the washroom, the brunette and blond had concluded that the homework club friends were the ones Touya had been a tiny bit embarrassed about. They were a little on the weird side and a bit too passionate about their work, but they were good people and great company. They talked about other stuff other than work and drama.
Belle polished off her third beer and raised a skeptical brow at Touko's six bottle. "You sure you want to continue? We have only been here for three hours."
"Oh, my dear, the night is young and it is a weekend. I think I'm allowed to indulge on this. The last time I had a drop of alcohol was three months ago. My body is prepared."
"Is she a party animal? She's so cool," a woman whispered loudly into Touya's ear, eyes wide and adoring.
Touya chuckled and scooted closer to Touko's side, leaning onto the table and peering up into her face. "Is something bugging you? Is that why you're drinking quicker than normal?"
"Pffft, no," she snorted and chugged half of the bottle before slamming it back down onto the table before making a disgusting face." Yuck! Never chug that stuff, gross!"
"You never learn your lesson," Belle giggled, cheeks flushed with warmth. "Whenever you feel like you need to prove something you chug whatever drink is in your hand."
"Ah yes, remember the time with the vodka?" Touya recalled and dodged the hand that tried to swat at his head.
"Noooo, don't remember that!" Touko tried to whine and look sad but was unable to keep a wide smile off her face.
"Oh yes, all too well!" Belle joined in and scooted back before a hand could snatch her drink away. "I had to assist you, well tried to, to the women's bathroom but you couldn't make it! The looks on those mens faces as you cuddled that urinal, priceless!"
The group erupted into heartfelt laughter, including Touko herself, for a minute before settling down.
"Good times," Touko mused, taking a sip from her drink.
The group stayed for another hour, which Touko took advantage of and had two more breezers and skipped out on another shot after a dirty look from Belle. By the time she finally stood, she finally felt the full effects of the alcohol. She wobbled, stumbled, and couldn't help but giggle at everything.
"She's so cool," the homework club admirer whispered again.
"I knew this would go too far," Belle sighed, cheeks still flushed. She only had four drinks and one shot in the four hours that they were there and much more in control. "Come on, you drunk, let me walk you home."
"Don't worry about it Belle, I'll take her home," Touya volunteered, already helping a wobbling Touko to stand as still as possible.
"Are you sure?"
"Of course. Besides, you live in the opposite direction from her place, and only happens to be a five minute walk from here. It wouldn't be safe for you to walk alone for so far. I live much closer, so it isn't any problem."
"That's true. Alright, no funny business. If I hear that you tried to take advantage of her in this state—"
"Belle," Touya frowned disapprovingly at his friend, making her cheeks flush for a different reason - Embarrassment.
"Ah! I'm so sorry! I know you're respectful in all aspects and would never, it's just, I—uhm," Belle stuttered over her words before placing her hands on her cheeks. "I'm sorry!" Perhaps the alcohol was indeed effecting her. She was getting bold in making such accusations against a good friend!
"I understand," Touya smiled, no longer offended. "Touko is someone too dear to me, I would never hurt her."
"They are so cool."
On the way home Touko had verbal diarrhea. She could not stop talking about everything, excluding a certain someone. She would talk about the stuff they would pass by, school, homework, his friends.
Touya has been pleased that even if she found them odd, she liked them. Her approval did wonders for his confidence and feelings, not to mention his heart. He was going to have to break his scouts honor to Belle tonight, because he did not know if he could leave Touko's apartment without telling her his feelings and perhaps stealing a kiss as well.
He knew that she had danced around him. He knew she felt something more than friendship but had never expressed as much interest in him as he did in her. But he knew there was something there and that there was a chance she would date him. It was too bad he picked a night with the liquid of courage rummaging about him, it was like he was taking the cowards way out.
If she agrees to date him, hooray! If she rejects, he can blame it on the alcohol. It was a win-win situation anyways.
"—And this color! Did those decorators decide to close their eyes and point blindly at a color chart to decide on which color they were going to paint these houses? Honestly, I wouldn't agree with them if they offered to paint my walls for free!"
Touko babbled on, and she was happy to do so. She missed talking to her best guy friend, they had been busy with their own work and life that they did not get to talk much anymore besides through text or e-mails. At one point she had a crush on him, but that was it. She did not plan on taking it further unless her heart guided her towards that direction, but instead someone far more alluring had taken up her attention and she completely forgot Touya Black ever existed. It was certainly not healthy.
"Here we are," Touya announced, stopping outside the building.
"My hoooooome," Touko cheered and fished for her keys in her purse. After a minute of rummaging and cursing, she pulled out a slim white card and held into against a black box against the wall. After a few seconds there was a quiet beep and the sound of a door unlocking.
Touya moved quickly and opened the door before it would lock on them while still holding onto Touko's arm. She stumbled in after him, giving an unlady like snort at his amused look.
Due to it being a small building with only three floors, there was no elevators. Touya took on the difficult role of guiding his friend up the stairs while making sure she did not fall flat on her face, or ass. At times it was easy, she took it nice and slow, at other times she had a burst of inspiration and would try to jog up.
Touya had to wrap his arm around her mid section firmly to prevent her from sprinting off. She almost made it up two steps and tripped but he had grabbed the back of her shirt, thankful that it did not rip and was hopeful it would not stretch. He would get an earful if he ruined a woman's shirt.
"Sucha handful," Touya joked when she finally made it to the third floor, slightly huffing. "Next time you watch your alcohol intake. Or tell someone your problems before drinking."
"Pfft, okay, mom."
"Yes, yes," he steered them towards her apartment but stopped in his tracks when he saw a man leaning right beside the dark oak wood door. He went on high alert and started to look for any signs of danger or concealed weapons. Just because the man was doing nothing suspicious didn't mean that he wasn't.
They walked a bit more slowly and when Touko finally noticed they were not alone, he felt her stiffen and she appeared to look a bit more sober.
The green haired man finally looked up, looking between relief and annoyance until he spotted the other male, only then did he settle back on his expressionless look.
Touko dug into her bag again and pulled out another key much more quickly this time, a small silver one. She cleared her throat, waiting for Natural to move before inserting the key and opening her door.
"Touko." N's voice rumbled lowly and her name sounded blissfully sinful rolling off his tongue so smoothly.
She visibly shivered and turned to look at him. "Yes?"
"I have been waiting for you to show up at the market since this afternoon." His tone implicated that he was not pleased.
She frowned. "Oh? I wasn't aware that we had agreed to meet up."
The corner of his lips tugged downward, not expecting to be treated with such a cold attitude for no reason, at least one he did not know of. To his knowledge, he had done nothing to upset the young woman.
"Uhm, hey, my name is Touya Black, and you are... ?" Touya coughed to get their attention and moved to stand in Touko's doorway, making it clear that the other male was not invited.
"Pleased to meet you, my name is Natural."
"Likewise. So, listen, it seems like my friend here does not want to be bugged by you at the moment, so could you please leave." It was not a request, it was a demand.
But N ignored the male completely and kept his gaze onto the current object of his confusing affections. He absorbed the way her skin gave way to goosebumps under his gaze but did not break her own stare, eyes lowering to half mass.
"Uhm, why don't you both come in?" Touko said stupidly, not really thinking about what she said.
"What?" Both men snapped, staring as if she lost her cubes.
"Or, wow that made me sound like a harlot," she laughed nervously and shoved Touya out into the hall way with N. "How about you both leave. I'm not able minded right now and would not be great company. Thanks for walking me home Touya. Sorry I didn't hang out with you today, N. Maybe tomorrow?"
She closed the door and breathed a sigh of relief. She waited a couple seconds to listen for retreating footsteps but heard none. Curiously she peeked through the peep hole and saw the two men still standing there.
They were both sizing one another up. Touya appeared to stand a little taller, getting out of his slouch and squaring his shoulders with his chest puffed out. He still didn't reach Natural's height. It was awkward to watch, considering the green haired male did absolutely nothing to show off, choosing to just stand like he had since he got there hours ago.
Touyo gave a stiff nod and turned around, heading for the stairs. He was thinking too much of his wounded pride to tell the strange man to get out of the building as well.
Touko stood there and watched. One minute passed. Three. Five. He was not leaving. He stood there, hands in pockets, staring at the ground in front of her door. She sighed and opened up the block of wood, gesturing for him to come in. "You bum," she grumbled when he came inside. He did not comment.
"It was not very nice of you to keep me waiting all day," he sniffed delicately, sitting down the side of the couch he claimed some time ago.
"I didn't know we were scheduled to meet up." Touko locked the door, hung her purse up and removed her heels before dragging herself over to her side of the couch, legs curled under her.
"Haven't we been doing so for awhile now?"
"Yeah, but it should not always be expected. If I had some way to contact you to let you know I'm not available, and vice verse, then it wouldn't be a problem. Got a cell phone?"
"I do not."
'Figures,' she thought."How about we pick certain days to hang out then?"
"Which days work best for you?"
"Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday... Friday... Saturday."
"Touko, you just named every day of the week."
"I knooow!" She placed her face in her hands and whined. "I want to chill with you all the time but sometimes my friends will want to go out with me and I don't know how to get a hold of you if something like this happens again."
"Hmm," he hummed and stretched out his legs, tapping the left heel of his foot three times on the carpet before changing the subject. "Who was that man?"
"Touyaaaaa," she dragged out his name long and slow, a single browse raised. "He introduced himself, did you forget? It's not like you to forget. How could you forget?" Damn the alcohol surging through her system.
"What is your... 'relationship' with him?" He tried to sound nonchalant about it, and it only worked because drunk Touko was not able to decipher any deeper meaning behind his words.
"He's a friend of mine! A good friend that I have been neglecting lately... listen, listen," she gushed and scooted closer, voice dropping to a excited whisper. "I use to have a crush on him!"
"Oh, really?"
"Yes," she gave a unlady like snort. "I would hang around him and we would play the flirting game, both pretending like we didn't know where it was all headed!"
"I see." She missed the way his jaw bunched in annoyance.
"But then... You came along." She sat back and blinked repeatedly. "I got so caught up to your pace that I left Touya behind."
"And how does that make you feel?" He watched her movements like a hawk, eyes scanning every muscle movement in her face, looking for any signs of distress but found none.
"I don't know," she sighed. "Like, I don't feel unhappy that I don't feel anything for him anymore, but I do feel guilty. I know he still likes me. He may think I'm totally wasted right now, but he doesn't know that I had a big meal before drinking! I am smart." She smiled, pleased with herself.
"And how do you feel being caught up with me?"
She turned to look at him, hands clenching the sofa upon seeing the smoldering look in his eyes. Instead of answering she leaned forward and captured his lips with her own, bunching her shoulder blades together when she felt the electrical currents sensitize the back of her neck.
Touko felt a flicker of worry when he remained unresponsive but melted seconds later when he melded his lips against hers, tilting his head to slant them better against her own.
She sighed into the kiss and pulled herself closer by wrapping her arms around his neck, twitching slightly when he trailed his fingers along her jawline before tangling them into her locks. Her heart began to soar. He wasn't jerking away like before, wasn't closing himself down! It was exhilarating.
Feeling bolder with each exchanged kiss, Touko scooted aside until she was fully situated on his lap, trapping his legs within her own. A shiver ran up her spine when she felt a large hand lay on her hip, the thumb rubbing delicious circles on the exposed skin it found.
"Touko." His voice was husky when he spoke her name, breath coming out in short, rough pants.
"Mhmm," she moaned, trailing her lips sensually along his cheek and down until she got to his neck, inhaling sharply. She nearly wept in utter female appreciation at the musky male smell he held. Instead she settled for licking and sucking at the tender spot above his pulse and felt her mind begin to cloud.
Feeling his grip tighten on her hip sent thrills to her core. She opened her mouth, ready to nip his skin, perhaps make a angry red mark that would definitely stand out on his pale skin, but just as she opened her mouth, she slumped forward and groaned.
N could not believe what just happened.
She fell asleep. In the middle of... whatever they were doing.
His pants felt uncomfortably tight and his body had never felt this heated before. His breathing was quick and his heart wouldn't calm down. Just what was this woman doing to him?
. . .
A/N: You have full permission to throw your trash at me. I deserve it for being a lazy sack of poo. [plzforgivemeeeeee] Big thanks to my beta, Blackrose105 from dA, for checking this over!