Games
Truth Or Dare
By steelphoenix
Disclaimer: I don't own Rurouni Kenshin, or any of its characters.
Author's Notes: No, I'm not dead! I know I haven't written anything in a while, but life kinda got in the way... anyway, welcome to my new story!
This is a series of one-shots relating to various games. This will contain lots of romance, humour, OOC-ness, half-naked bishounen, and general insanity. So far, I've got four chapters lined up – send me suggestions if you want, with the game and which pairing you want… I'll do my best! By the way, most of these are AU, and unless specifically stated, completely unlinked to each other.
This chapter is AU, and set in modern times.
This chapter has shin-no-shibo, Silver Miko, and MoonPhoenix to blame for its conception, therefore I dedicate it to them. You'll find out what I mean by the end of the story.
Language Notes: Yes, even in this… /sigh/ I'm sad, aren't I? Anyway…
Sake is rice wine (Very nice, and very alcoholic).
Ninjutsu and kenpo are martial arts, based on the techniques of the ancient ninjas.
'Kami-sama' is Japanese for God.
Warnings: PG-13 for language and references. Anything else is your own dirty mind.
"…Actually, it's Truth, Dare or Drink. You tell a truth, you take a dare, or you have a drink," explained Megumi, a slightly sly smile on her face. "And if you tell a lie, or fail in the dare, you have a drink anyway. If you dare someone, and they win, you take a drink. If you ask for a truth, and they tell the truth, you take a drink."
There was a mass groan from her victims – er, fellow participants. This would be an easy enough game for those with cast-iron constitutions, like Sano, but those who had less tolerance for alcohol – Kaoru or Misao, for example – were bound to end up more than a little tipsy by the end of it.
The evil smile deepened as she produced a dice, and said, "Each roll the dice. Whoever gets the highest number starts. If you roll the same number as someone else, you both take a drink, and roll again."
The dice went around the circle – Misao rolling a one, Kenshin and Kaoru both rolling three (blushes passing over the glasses), Sano two, and Megumi five.
The fox-woman held her breath as Aoshi rolled the dice. It'll really suck if I have to start my own game…
With a clunk, the cube hit the table, displaying a four. Megumi sighed internally. Oh well… Iceman would've wrecked it if he'd started… Well, at least I know what's a good starter…
The sly smile never left her face. "Truth…"
---
The game wound on, with more Truths and Drinks than Dares. The six had become quite loud.
Beside her initial drink, Kaoru had told a lie, and Sano had picked up on it, so she'd had to have a drink. That had led to her choosing 'Drink' for the next round, too embarrassed to do anything else. She was now very friendly, and was currently leaning against a (very red) Kenshin.
The redhead also matched his hair for another reason: He too had fallen afoul of the game. Feeling confident, he'd chosen 'Dare'. This was a mistake, as the girls had formulated a dare that the shy Kenshin would never carry out: a slightly-drunk, giggling Kaoru had suggested a strip show. Megumi had warped it to a poledance on one of the streetlights on the road outside. Kenshin's face was as red as his hair as he refused, and a shot of sake had slipped down his throat.
Misao had also, foolishly, chosen 'Dare'. Sano, grinning evilly, had suggested using her ninjutsu skills to pull the washing off the line of the next-door neighbour. The catch was that the washing line was right outside the kitchen window, and could be clearly seen. When she returned, triumphant, with a basket of washing, Sano had conceded, and downed the sake with good grace and much laughter.
The rooster-headed man was in the best shape – he could drink sake like it was water, and the shots he'd had had not affected him in any way. Megumi was also not too badly off – she had some tolerance, but she'd been cunning enough to play the game so that she didn't have to down many shots at all.
Aoshi had so far avoided any drinks of his own – he'd stuck with 'Truth'. His tolerances were low, and he wanted to avoid them as much as possible. It hadn't been too embarrassing – so far. He was just praying that no-one would ask what he felt for Misao. Megumi had been quizzing him about it last week, and he was hoping-against-hope that she wouldn't remember.
I may even have to take a 'Dare' next time…
---
The dice went around again, and this time, (unluckily for Aoshi) he rolled a six. Damn… I don't think there's any way I'm going to get out of this…
Misao, however, promptly rolled a six as well. Megumi's foxy grin promptly made a reappearance – it had been somewhat subdued since she'd had to tell Truth that she did, in fact, like Sano.
"Alright. Drink, you two!" Sano, who was handling the bottles (he had been voted to the task, since he had the most experience), poured a dish of sake for Misao, and handed another to Aoshi.
Quickly downing the shot, he rolled the dice. It came up on five. Throwing it to Misao, who was still juggling her half-drunk sake, he desperately hoped that the girl would roll differently. Admittedly, he'd probably be the one to take the challenge, but at least he wouldn't have to drink any more. The first dish was making him feel warm inside already.
Misao grinned at him, and threw. The dice landed on…
"I don't believe this…" said Sano.
…five. Aoshi groaned internally. This was just not possible… it was a one-in-thirty-six chance, and they had to get it…
---
Oh no, thought Misao as the dice turned over and plopped down on five. Not another drink! She was beginning to feel her head fuzzing, even after only one shot.
Sano handed her the dish of sake, and she drained it faster than she had the previous one, wanting to get this over with. With a slightly unsteady wobble to her hand, she lifted the dice and threw.
It dropped onto a one.
Kenshin (somewhat unsteadily) scooped up the dice, and handed it to Aoshi. "Do you think he'll get something different?" he asked Kaoru, who still leaned against his shoulder.
"Mmmm…" replied Kaoru, looking up at him. "I think so… it wouldn't be interesting otherwise…"
The redhead turned his head to look down at her, and much to the amazement of all, their faces collided. Which turned into a kiss.
"Ohmyfrickin'Godwhatishappeningtotheworld?" was Sano's comment, extremely fast and disbelieving. Misao agreed. There was no way Kenshin and Kaoru, even though they'd fancied each other for a long time, would admit to the fact, they were too shy.
Who knows… if Kenshin and Kaoru are kissing, I might get near Aoshi for once… she thought, but then banished the traitorous idea. NO! BAD MISAO! BAD! NO THINKING ABOUT AOSHI!
Megumi's foxy laugh brought everyone, including the kissing couple, back to their senses. Kenshin and Kaoru invented five new shades of red apiece, and they pulled apart. Then, as they saw that their friends were grinning at them, they relaxed.
Misao grinned across at them. "Why did it take you so long?" she asked, rhetorically.
Both ducked their heads, and Kenshin muttered, "Umm… let's just get back to the game, okay?"
Knowing smiles passed around the circle, and Megumi prompted, "Aoshi, you roll." The tall man followed her direction, and threw the dice. He was relieved when it turned up a three.
---
"So, Truth, Dare, or Drink?"
"Hmmm…" Aoshi considered for a moment. That romantic episode would have reminded Megumi of her information on himself and Misao, and he certainly couldn't drink…
His face remained expressionless as he said, "Dare."
"Hmmm…" Megumi imitated Aoshi's actions of a second ago. "Well… I think you should be going to the shop soon… we're nearly out of sake…"
Kaoru, recovering from her embarrassment, popped her head up from where it rested on Kenshin's shoulder. "Wearing nothing but his underpants."
"What's with you and lack of clothing tonight, Kaoru?" asked Misao, then she grinned evilly. "Or is that self-evident…?"
Kaoru dived back into the shelter of Kenshin's shoulder, discovering another shade of red while she was at it.
Sano grinned wickedly. "I have an even better idea…" he leaped up from where he was seated, and rushed off to his bedroom. He reappeared a few moments later, clutching a bundle of something shiny and black. "A friend of mine gave these to me as a joke… I never thought they'd be useful!"
He handed the bundle to Aoshi. "Wear these, and I promise you I'll never tease you about the trenchcoat ever again." Aoshi's white coat had been a constant source of amusement for Sano, and for him to promise to give it up was somewhat remarkable… if he was promising that, then this would be an interesting outfit…
"Very well," said Aoshi, and with the bundle firmly in hand, strolled off to the bathroom.
Behind him, Sano grinned. "Oh, I would pay to see that man's face when he realises what they are…"
---
Sano wouldn't have been disappointed. Aoshi's mouth hung open as he contemplated a pair of long, black, leather trousers. Complete with studded belt.
"No. Way. No. Frickin'. Way. Am I ever. Ever. Going to wear these." was the first thing he said. But then, as he considered it, he realised that this was an easy dare. The others – Sano certainly – were banking on him being too shy, as Kenshin was with the 'poledance' dare.
At least he wasn't naked…
So he stripped, and pulled on the trousers.
Or rather, tried to. He had discovered, through trial and error (mostly error) that you can't wear skin-tight leather trousers with boxers.
Muttering, he peeled off the sticky fabric, yanked off the boxers and tried again. This time he was more successful, but he only found the true design of the trousers when he'd actually pulled them up.
They were hipsters. Actually, they were so low-slung, it was almost unbelievable that they would actually stay up of their own volition.
Aoshi discovered how they did when he tried to bend down to pick up his discarded clothes. The leather stuck firmly to his backside, allowing very little room to move at all. Muttering again, he knelt (very carefully), and folded the clothes into a neat pile, then opened the bathroom door.
Dropping the pile of clothes in the hallway, he waited for a few seconds, breathing deeply and regaining his calm. Only then did he open the lounge door.
---
Sano's grin, and comment, as Aoshi left the room, was too intriguing for Misao not to say, "What clothes are they?"
The wide grin was still in place as Sano turned to Misao. "Leather trousers."
Misao's face instantly matched the shade of Kaoru's a few minutes ago.
She was also having a lot of trouble keeping her mind in check. Aoshi in leather… Aoshi in… NO! BAD MISAO! BAD! But this is Aoshi… in leather trousers… NO! BAD!
There was a thump of something soft hitting the floor. Sano remarked, "You ladies'll enjoy this…"
And then the door swung open.
Aoshi strolled into the room, in nothing but a pair of leather pants and a studded belt.
All jaws, even Sano's, dropped.
Aoshi had a magnificent physique, sculpted by years' worth of kenpo and ninjutsu, and the fact that the leather was practically glued to his skin outlined every muscle to perfection.
Sano whistled. "I never looked as good in those as you, mate! Keep them!"
Kenshin grinned, and whispered something in Kaoru's ear, which caused her to go red, and her jaw to drop even further.
Megumi was grinning in appreciation.
And Misao was almost drooling.
Wow… was her only thought. Then another intruded. I wouldn't mind that in my room… That promptly set off thoughts of an entirely different kind, and she didn't even try to stop them.
"Okay, off to the shop with you!" said Sano, and Aoshi, with a quick nod to the watchers, headed out the door again.
A couple of minutes later, Megumi snapped her fingers in front of Misao's face, but the short girl was still absorbed in contemplation of the doorway where Aoshi had left.
"I think we can safely assume what she's thinking about…" she said to Sano, and poked Misao, who jumped, rapidly recalled to reality.
"You fancy our Greek God there, don't you?" Megumi asked.
Misao blushed, and replied, "Especially like that…" then realised what she'd said. The sake had obviously gotten to her more than she realised. "No! Yes! I mean…"
The fox-woman grinned. "It's understandable, Misao… very understandable…" She peered over at the couch, where the new set of lovebirds had ensconced themselves. "Mind you, Kaoru'd probably like Kenshin better, and I think Sano'd look better than Aoshi… it's all a matter of taste…" she snickered at her own admission. "Still, all our guys'd look good in leather…"
"Mhmmm…" agreed Misao, still overwhelmed by the image of Aoshi in leather trousers, and now having conflicting images of Kenshin and Sano as well.
"You'd better stop confusing her, Fox," said Sano, "Or she won't know what to think!"
The teasing continued for quite a while.
---
Nearly quarter of an hour later, Aoshi walked back into the house, laden with a plastic bag full of four bottles of sake. He was still contemplating what he'd seen in the lounge. The reactions were incredible – especially Misao's.
That cute pout as she took in his attire, and then the pink, exquisitely-shaped mouth slowly dropping open.
The expression in her eyes, he was hoping, was attraction.
Kami-sama certainly knew that he had attraction – at the very least – for her.
The lounge door swung open, and Misao rushed out, extremely red, and almost bumped into Aoshi. He put the bag down, and reached out. "What's the matter, Misao?"
"Oh, oh, nothing," she lied hurriedly, trying to keep calm. Here was the object of her affection, still practically naked, and she had no excuse to be here… "Just Sano and Megumi teasing me…"
"What about?" he asked, hoping that she wasn't too hurt by their friends' banter.
"About liking you!" she blurted out, then her hand flew to her mouth, realising that while she had meant to say 'About getting drunk', she'd given away her true dilemma. Damn sake… her mind muttered.
"Oh," was Aoshi's only answer. It wasn't every day that the girl you'd been attracted to almost since you met her, said that the feeling was mutual.
Taking his single-word sentence completely the wrong way, Misao hurriedly said, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that…" and turned away, heading for the kitchen.
"No! Misao!" his shout was clearly heard by all, and then his voice became low and more intense. "Really, Misao, I… I like you too… more than like you… and… well… oh, fuck it!"
It was as much the uncharacteristic swearword as what he said that made Misao turn back. In three strides, he reached her. Then he pulled her close, turned up her chin, and kissed her firmly on the lips.
It was very much a kiss they had been waiting for.
And it was well worth the wait – sweet, heartfelt, and long.
When he finally set her down, wolf-whistles and giggles were heard from the end of the corridor.
"Oh, shut up, you two," Aoshi shot at Kenshin and Kaoru, "You didn't do much better!" at which the aforementioned couple went red (again). "And at least I got kissed," he snapped to Sano.
"Fine then," replied the rooster-headed man. He grabbed Megumi, and kissed her. For which he received a slap, and a kiss in return. Misao shook her head at the antics of the fox and the rooster.
"Are you going to stay in those trousers all night?" she whispered to Aoshi.
"Only if you want me to…" was the sly reply.
Misao giggled gently. "Definitely."
Author's Notes: Aaaah, Aoshi-sama in nothing but leather trousers… /drools/ I kept getting distracted when I was writing this… If you ever have the chance, read one of shin-no-shibo, Silver Miko, or MoonPhoenix's 'Aoshi-sama-in-leather' fics… very amusing, and soooooo hooooottttt... /drools/
Battousai, a.k.a. one of Nix's Muses: Nix-chan, stop drooling. Shinomori won't like it at all… and neither will Makimachi.
Nix: Meh… /goes back to drooling/
Battousai: I'll tell Makimachi you were keeping pictures of Shinomori away from her…
…okay… anyway, on with the Author's Notes/strikes heroic pose, falls over/
So much fluff! And SO MANY KISSES! I swear, I'm addicted to meringue – YAY for fluffy-and-sweet! And I manage KxK and SxM in a chapter that's supposed to be AxM!
I am also insane, certifiably so. I have just spent over four hours typing this and it'sthreefortyseveninthemorningandI'mtired… /falls off chair, begins snoring on the floor/
Rurouni, a.k.a. Nix's other Muse /gently shakes Nix/ Oh well. That's all for now, that it is. This one thinks that Nix-dono is a little tired, that she is… The only other thing to say is 'Please Review', that it is!