Rivalry or? [dreamnoblade]

Chapter 3: Drinking in a Crappy Bar

Techno was congratulated for his victory with more yelling from Wilbur. He had regretted what he said almost immediately. "What are you doing giving them free exposure!" After watching Dream's moves time and time again, he had zero confidence he'd be able to win a fight. "Do you have any idea what PR nightmare you created?" Even if he could beat him in a fight, Dream was so charismatic that he could easily twist it to be an underdog story. "First you're late, now you're picking fights."
Wilbur continued to ramble as Techno took off his cut up and blood ridden outfit and changed into his street clothes. "Thanks for the new sword." He said, about to head out the door. Wilbur stopped him.
While he was his manager, Wilbur was also his long time friend. He could tell something was wrong. "Wait, wait, don't worry too much, this is the kind of thing I'm here for, isn't it?" Techno barely responded. "It'll be alright, just go home and take a break, read a book, do whatever. We can talk about it tomorrow." Techno nodded and Wilbur let him go.
The streets were a buzz with people talking about the new rivalry. Techno didn't want to hear any of it, so he speed walked to the edge of town, where word was yet to reach. He'd rarely been in the area, so he was just stumbling around aimlessly for a while before he found a small bar. He needed a drink. He wasn't one to get drunk, he rarely even drank alcohol, but today was not a good day. He ordered a beer and a plate of whatever slop they sold just to make himself feel better about day drinking. After two beers and a fifth of the food, he heard a voice he was too drunk to try and recognize.
"Not many drink this early, did something happen?"

The crowds around the coliseum were thick, and it was a struggle to get through them, even for Dream. As he walked back home he noticed the meat and corn stall and thought about how much money they could've made if their show was today. Though it would also be chaos, so it was probably for the best. He took the scenic route home because he was in a good mood, which mostly meant a detour through the rich neighborhood. He was almost at his little shack when he noticed there was someone at the bar next door. No one ever goes to that bar, it's infamous for its terrible... everything. As he stopped to get a better look, he noticed a tuft of pinkish hair. No way, it couldn't be that guy, Dream would've know if he lived this close to his house. Staring more intently, he noticed the man pick at his food for a bit before drowning half a pint of beer. Something definitely happened. Ignoring all common sense, Dream walked up to the man and started a conversation.
"I challenged someone, it was a huge mistake." He eventually admitted.
"Like, to a fight?" The man nodded. "What's so bad about that?"
"I'm not going to win." He said, asking for another pint.
"Why so confident you'll lose? You look really strong to me."
"You haven't met this guy, he's so much better than me. Not just physically, he's popular too."
"Well why'd you challenge him in the first place?"
"I don't know, pride? Selfishness? Adrenaline?" He said as he took a swig of beer.
Dream was stunned. This socially awkward guy challenged someone to a fight out of pride? When he wouldn't even try one of our games? There was much more to this guy than he'd thought. "You always feel you can do it in the moment, but real life can hit like a brick." He said, reminded of his own hardships.
"What happened to you?"
"I'm planning something, but I don't know if it'll work out. It's been really stressful."
"That sucks man. Beer?"
Dream wasn't opposed to drinking, but it was usually at parties or celebrations. However, something about seeing this gruff man trying to make him feel better despite his own problems made him unable to refuse.

Techno hadn't realized how much of a blabber mouth he was when he was drunk. Less than minute after meeting this dorky blonde stranger, and he was already bearing his heart out. It was good that he was still sane enough to not reveal his identity, and that this guy hadn't heard about the challenge yet, and that he was so understanding. But when the stranger started bearing his own heart, he knew he wasn't drunk enough because he could feel every awkward second. Luckily, the stranger accepted his beer.
They continued going back and forth sharing their problems, big and small. When Techno was talking, the stranger was listening and soothing. When the stranger was talking, Techno kept interrupting to insult whoever the story was about. He was glad the guy laughed instead of getting angry. It was a cute laugh. The drunker they got, the closer they got, clinging on to each other out of sympathy, sloppily caring for each other the way only drunk people do.
"You know, the guy. The guy, I'm gonna fight?" Techno said later into the evening.
"Yeah?" The stranger responded while absentmindedly playing with the other's hand.
"The worst, the absolute worst thing... is that he's likable. And charming. No one, no one ever likes me!"
The stranger suddenly looked up at him, stopping his fidgeting. "I like you."
For the first time, Techno got a good look at this guys face, his emerald eyes, his long blonde lashes, his nose, the freckles smattered everywhere, his small naturally pink lips. "You met me today." He said, looking back at his beer.
"Sure, but I've seen you around a lot." The stranger said, continuing with his fidgeting. "I've seen how awkward you are, I've seen your confident walk, the way you never count your coins when buying things. You try not to stand out, don't you? Well it doesn't work for me, I can spot you a mile away." His hands slowed down, teasing the idea of interlocking with the other's. "And if there's one thing I know, it's that I definitely like you." He said, almost more to himself than anyone else.
Techno's fingers were now completely intertwined in the stranger's. "I don't do one night stands." He said.
The stranger giggled. "Neither do I, I just wanted to hold hands. Can't I?" The way the stranger looked up at Techno, he couldn't refuse. In fact, he just squeezed back.

After a few more beers the owner told them the bar was closing soon.
The man grumbled, "Ugh, I live, so so far away. This is gonna suck."
"I'll drop you off!" Dream said proudly, standing up. But within a second, his vision started spinning and he could feel something rise up in his stomach. He flopped back down on the stool, unable to get back up. Both of them being drunken messes, the owner had to drag them out, dumping them in front of the door. "What are we gonna do now?" Dream pouted.
"No. No way I'm going all, all the way back to... y'know." The man mumbled.
Dream glanced around looking for who knows what. "Huh, that kinda looks like my place. Weird." He closed his eyes to burp. "Wait, is that my house?" He stumbled upright, leaning heavily against the wall, until he made it to the front door. In a practiced motion barely interfered with by the beer, Dream unlocked his front door. "Hey! Guy, over here!"
The man stumbled upright in a similar manner to the other. Groaning about the headache already forming, he said, "This is your place?"
"Yeah, weird, isn't it? You can stay the night!" A drunken grin appeared on his face. "But first, you have to give me a kiss."
"What?"
"You're dropping me off at my place, that means you have to kiss me goodbye." He said in a jumbled game of association.
The man seemed too drunk to think. "K." He puckered up, grabbed Dream's shoulder, and leaned forward. Dream was not expecting this new weight and had to sloppily readjust himself in order to avoid falling over. Which resulted in the man's kiss landing on the corner of Dream's eye. Neither cared and they entered the house. It was small and cramped, only one room. Dream automatically headed towards the bed while the man reached for whatever looked soft, which happened to be a green throw blanket, which he wrapped himself in and flopped on the floor. They were both out in seconds.