𝙱𝚊𝚍 𝙸𝚍𝚎𝚊𝚜 - 𝙺. 𝙱𝚘𝚔𝚞𝚝𝚘 𝚡 𝙾𝙲

Chapter Two

Idoki's expectations of that evening were as follows: meet new friends, have a few drinks and share some laughs, then go back to her new home and sleep like a baby. 

Of course, that's not what happened when she, Hinata, and Yachi walked into the pub that night. Raucous laughter assaulted their ears the minute they stepped through the threshold,  a group of people crowded around several pushed together tables hooted and hollered as one begrudgingly slurped back a shot, shuddering from the taste.  

"Would you look at what the cat dragged in."   

A Cheshire grin curled up Kuroo's lips as his attention was grabbed by the motion out of the corner of his eye. Leaning back in his seat, he called out to his friend a few seats down. "Hey, Birthday boy! Chibi-chan’s one and two are here, and look," he glanced back over his shoulder, noting the extra person present. "They even brought a little gumdrop with them."   

"Eh?" Bokuto's head swivelled towards Kuroo's voice and the man pointed towards the door, the group of three heading towards them as Hinata excitedly pulled Idoki to the head of the table.  

"Everyone!" Hinata called out for their attention, waving his arms with purpose before pointing them dramatically to the redhead beside him. "This is Idoki-chan! She's Hitoka's best friend from when they were kids. You know, the one whose family has a farm in Kamikawa? She's new to town and doesn't really know anyone other than us, so everyone be really nice to her, okay?"  

Standing before the loud-mouthed group of friends, dressed in a forest green fit and flare dress with cap sleeves that flattered her curvaceous hourglass figure, Idoki gave a friendly wave as she smiled after being introduced. Having a dozen or so pairs of eyes on her at once was a little intimidating but most everyone gave her a polite smile in return, easing her into a sincere greeting. "Hi, thank you for having me. I look forward to getting to know you all better!"  

"Any friend of Hinata's is a friend of mine," Bokuto beamed from his seat at the other end of the table as he returned her wave with one of his own. "And you're here on the best day, Doki-chan because today is my birthday!"  

"Today isn't your birthday, Bokuto-san," Akaashi, seated across from him, pointed out. "Your birthday is on Monday."  

"It's practically my birthday, Akaashi! Everyone wouldn't be here if it wasn't," the man shrugged before pointing out a few empty chairs beside his unenthusiastic best friend. "Come join the party, we’re about to start round two!" 

“Round two?” Yachi’s head tilted to the side, now taking note of the empty shot glasses and beer bottles scattered across the tables and realizing just as quickly as she had asked.  

Idoki’s smile widened as she came to the same conclusion as Yachi. Having grown up in a relatively remote community, drinking games weren’t exactly an uncommon practice. In fact, her father was an expert brewer of moonshine and throughout the years had passed along that expertise to all of his children, which included having to test each batch made. In doing so, Idoki and her trio of brothers had an impressive tolerance for alcohol and when it came to drinking games, Ichigo was a seasoned professional.  

Settling down in the seat next to Akaashi with Yachi and Hinata on her right, Idoki excitedly tapped her fingertips on the table, her bright hazel eyes connecting with the spikey grey-haired man across from her after a round of brief introductions. “What’s the game?”  

“Only the best drinking game of all time, Doki-chan!”  

“It’s not that great,” Kenma sighed from beside him before Kuroo jostled his shoulder and chimed in.  

“You just say that because you always lose,” Kuroo pointed out with a matter-of-fact smirk.  

“Do not.”