Chapter Text
Falst, like many others his age, goes to University. Specifically the University of Argist, where he spends his days studying, attending classes, and being a loner. Well… Sometimes he talks to Dainix.
You see, Falst doesn't have many friends, mainly because he doesn't really know how to talk to people. But Dainix? Dainix is irritatingly good at talking to people. It's maybe the one thing that Falst doesn't like about him, if there's anything to dislike at all.
The second worst thing is that he's actually very pleasant to be around. He's friendly, funny, makes great conversation, and he's also incredibly sincere and understanding. Like, what's his deal???
And that's the third thing, Falst doesn't know where any of this is coming from. Before he met Dainix (or rather, before Dainix met him) he was completely alone, and he was doing fine! Didn't need anyone then! But now he gets all weird if he doesn't talk to Dainix every few days, or god forbid he notices he hasn't showed up for class. They met in the first place because some of their classes overlap, so it's even easier to find him— or maybe it's much harder to avoid him, but Falst would never avoid Dainix, and that's weird, weird for Falst at least. They've even started sitting next to each-other in classes, so it's even more noticeable when Dainix isn't around.
But whatever, so he talks to someone sometimes, big deal.
Well, okay, maybe it is.
You see, last week, they had been sitting together in their last class of the day, taking notes and listening to the teacher. Dainix hadn't slept well that night, and Falst's eyes would dart over whenever he noticed Dainix yawn or shift in his seat. Not terribly different from most other Thursdays. But after they left the lecture hall and before they went their separate ways, Dainix stopped him.
Apparently, Dainix has a Board Game club with his other friends that he hosts at his house every week, and he asked Falst if he'd like to join them next week.
Sure, so Dainix plays board games that he's not terribly interested in with his friends that Falst's never met, cool.
So why did he say yes?
Because he said yes! And now he's taking the bus to Dainix's flat a week later, carrying a family sized bag of pretzels because he's supposed to be bringing snacks.
Board games!? Falst's never even played a board game! Sure he can manoeuvre his way around a deck of cards alright, but a board game? With Dainix's other friends he knows barely anything about? He's not sure why, but he's suddenly very preoccupied with trying to not make a fool of himself…
He's spent the ride clutching to his bag of pretzels and staring out the window, bouncing his leg nervously. Eventually the bus arrives at his stop and he gets out, pulling out his phone to make sure he's walking the rest of the way in the right direction. A bit further down the street he arrives to a orange metal door, with a small window to the inside. On the right there's a handwritten list of names and buttons. Falst finds the one with Dainix's on it and presses it. It lets out a mechanical whine and a voice comes through the speaker.
"Hello? Falst?" It's Dainix alright, just if he was radioing in from space or something.
"Yup its me" Falst replies, "On time as promised". The sarcasm is light,but obvious.
… Nothing.
"..Hello??" Dainix's voice comes through the speaker again.
Ah, he can't hear him. Falst sends a text letting him know he's here.
The door buzzes to let Falst in and laughter comes through the speakers.
"You have to hold the button to speak! Come in!"
Falst pushes the surprisingly heavy door open and makes his way over to the lift, which also has a surprisingly heavy door he needs to open. The lift arrives, he waits for the doors to open, opens the other door and closes it behind him, waiting for the first doors to close. He presses the button to take him to the 6th floor and waits. On the way up, he sends Dainix another message.
"I thought the button rang the doorbell?"
"I never said it didn't :)"
Falst let out a laugh that was more like a huff and then put his phone away. The lift eventually arrives and Falst goes out the many doors just to walk to 3ft to Dainix's front door.
No doubt about it, door 3 on the 6th floor. Door 6-3, like he said. Falst triple checks the message Dainix had sent and it was definitely his.
Falst's chest begins to tighten ever so slightly and his grip on the bag of pretzels with it. He feels clumsy despite standing dead-straight.
…This was a mistake. He could leave perfectly well. Go down the lift again, out the door and make sure to burn the bridge on his way to the bus-stop. He didn't need anyone and he was perfectly fine on his own.
It would be so easy to leave…
Well, it would be if the idea didn't make him so sad…
Fuck it, he came all this way and he's not going to pussy out when he's right at the front door!
Does he ring the doorbell? Knock? Maybe he should just text him… BAH!!
Fuck it! He knocks on the door three times with purpose! And maybe he was a bit loud, whoops.
"Coming!" He hears Dainix from behind the door. Definitely no going back now.
The front door opens and out comes Dainix from inside.
He's a whole head taller than Falst, with a lot of orange hair he tied into a ponytail that fell over his shoulder. He's wearing a Black Metallica tank-top, light coloured ripped jeans and slippers with no socks, despite it being the middle of Autumn. Falst has on his signature black hoodie, jeans and combat-boot combo, an appropriate outfit for the weather. Dainix's outfit wasn't surprising though, Falst knows he's always warm somehow.
"Hey Falst! Glad you could make it!" Dainix says as warmly as ever.
"Hi!" Falst says, "I uh, brought the snacks?" and lifts up the bag of pretzels.
"Nice!" Dainix takes the bag, "I'll get a bowl for these, go ahead and take a seat, I'll be there in a minute!" Dainix says as he makes his way to the kitchen, gesturing to the room beyond the entrance.
Falst creeps into the living room and finds that Dainix's place is, surprisingly nice? For a university student that is. The furniture's nice and matching, as well as pulling double duty in dividing the space between dining and living areas. Nice curtains, he even put up wallpaper in some spots.
Falst's eye is forcibly drawn to the wooden dining table where Dainix's other friends are already seated.
The chair at the head of the table is empty, presumably where Dainix sat usually.
To his immediate left is Kendal, who's as blond as Dainix said he was with the bluest eyes Falst had ever seen, wearing a cream fisherman's jumper, a pair of wide legged jeans and some really comfy looking boots. Next to him is probably Alinua, as they're apparently stuck together like glue. She'd dyed her hair a light pink which stands out against her dark skin, and she's wearing purple overalls over a black and white striped shirt, with Uggs as her shoe of choice. They both smile warmly and wave at Falst, who shyly waves back.
On the right side of the table is a woman with a very obvious tan & tan-lines, white hair and grey eyes, whom judging by the giant lightning scar on her right arm and scattering of mysterious bruises must be Tess, the woman that supposedly fought a bear and won. She's dressed sportily, with a simple black tank-top over an electric yellow tracksuit and trainers, it reminds Falst a bit of Kill Bill. She greets Falst with and enthusiastic Hey! and a big wave. Falst manages a Hey back, but not much else.
Next to her is probably Erin, and Falst's not surprised that he looked like that. Dainix had described him as an academic (sometimes to his detriment) and the guy has on a white shirt with a cream waist-coat, black slacks AND dress shoes! But what stands out is where his appearance differed. He looks like a filthy prep in almost every way except for his hair which he's dyed a dark purple, and his rolled up sleeves that reveal that his forearms were covered in tattoos of roses that seem to go further up his arm, it gives Falst the impression that maybe this guy won't be such a stickler as he initially thought. He's pretty engrossed with a little rule pamphlet, so he gives Falst a curt nod and then goes back to reading.
Falst takes the empty seat on the other end of the table and waits for Dainix to come back with the snack bowl, which feels like it's taking forever. The other's don't take much notice of him, and Falst feels seriously out of place. He feels a bit trapped, but he wants to try.
Dainix finally returns and introduces everyone, which is when Falst finds out he had guessed everyone's identity correctly, small victories I guess. Alinua and Kendal have been friends for longer than anyone here's known them and share a flat together. Erin and Tess don't live together but are apparently adopted siblings, which Falst had not been expecting. And apparently everyone here has a fun story as to how they met Dainix in the first place, and if Falst's first meeting with him is any indication, he believes it wholeheartedly.
Then Dainix explains how game night works:
They rotate and take turns bringing a game every week, and snacks are brought by whoever can bring them. This week Kendal and Alinua have brought a new card-game called Sushi Go! Which has cute little drawing of different sushi dishes on the cover. No-one has played it before, which Falst suspects is why Dainix chose to invite him this week, but whatever.
The rules are simple:
The cards have different kinds of sushi and sushi adjacent dishes on them and are each assigned a different amount of points. Certain cards also have special ways they have to or can be played.
At the start of each round, each player is given a hand of 6 cards. Each person takes one card from their deck and adds it to their "Plate", and then passes the hand to the person on their left. The round ends after all the cards have been taken. The goal is to acquire as many points as you can.
After each round everyone's points are written down, and at the end of three rounds everyone's total points are added up and the person with the most points by the end of the game wins.
The first round is pretty chill. Everyone's figuring out the rules together and being very open and helpful with each other, and at the end Alinua has the most points.
The next round, however, is very different. Everyone's gotten the rules mostly down and Falst gets the impression that someone is playing… Efficiently, would be the word. This is the round Falst starts feeling bad. Everyone clearly has more experience and his stupid nerves are making him clumsy with his strategy and cards. Plus, whoever the try-hard is isn't making things easier. And speaking of… When the round ends Erin ends up having the most points, way more points than Alinua had gathered when she won last round.
Erin looks very pleased with himself, it irritates Falst to no end. When the point are tallied, however, everyone groaned.
"Alright!" Tess says abruptly "I vote to invoke Sabotage! Who's with me?"
Everyone's nodding and humming in agreement but Falst is very confused.
"Wait, wait a minute. What's Sabotage?" He asks
"Well, you see-" Dainix starts, resting his elbows on the table and clasping his hands "-We all love Erin very much, he's a good friend and we want to include him in things! However, Erin likes to, uh, optimize his play-style as much as possible in accordance to the rules of the game and-"
"He's a awful little Min-Maxer who doesn't know how to have fun." Tess interjects.
"I disagree with that statement, I have a lot of fun playing games." Erin replies.
"You also curiously chose not to mention the 'little' comment-" Erin swats at Tess for that.
"…Essentially yeah, no offence." Dainix continues, Erin gestures that he's not offended "So sometimes, if Erin seems to be playing the game too efficiently we can invoke Sabotage, which just means we play the game normally except with the added rule that everyone has to play against Erin. The game is won if anyone other than him wins"
"So… You're telling me Game Night has, Game Modes?" Falst can't hide the amusement in his voice.
Everyone finds the concept equally delightful, Dainix laughs "Essentially yeah!"
"Usually we take a vote on it, but some games have Sabotage as a permanent rule" Alinua adds "Like Monopoly"
Falst shudders internally. He doesn't know them that well but from what he's heard, playing Monopoly with Erin sounds like a nightmare.
Tess speaks up again "So are we screwing Erin over? all if favour say 'I' !"
"I~~~~" Says everyone -except Erin-, and they begin to get ready for the third round.
Falst, admittedly finds the concept a bit strange, but everyone seems fine with it, so he guesses it's a testament to how well they get along with each-other.
All against Erin huh? Falst doesn't want to sound mean, but the idea is very motivating.
The third round begins, and Falst is focused. Erin's to his direct left, and that gives him the advantage in screwing him over. It really seems to give him the advantage, actually, because it becomes a running gag for Erin to sigh whenever he's handed Falst's hand, with everyone starting to anticipate it and sighing with him. In the end Tess ends up with the most points, because her strategy of hoarding as many Pudding cards as possible finally pays off.
Unfortunately, when all the points are added up, Erin's still the one on top. Annoying but fine, he still lost two out of three rounds.
They played a few more games, with Falst getting to know the others in little ways, like how they played, how they talked, and little Fun-Facts they bring up during idle conversation.
Eventually though, the night comes to an end, and everyone starts packing up to leave. Falst wanders off from the table and is taking a look at the books and other things on Dainix's shelf. He's not spying, just keeping himself busy while the others chat back at the table. He's seeing what else Dainix likes, it was tactical.
"Helloo~!" Says Dainix from behind him "These books are so old, they're my parent's"
"It's kinda cool if I'm being honest" Falst replies
"Yeah?"
"Yeah. I only have school textbooks and the occasional sci-fi novel on my shelves"
"You know Erin likes sci-fi too, maybe you should chat to him about it sometime"
Falst scoffs "I appreciate the blatant attempt at helping me socialize with your friends, but I don't read that much sci-fi"
"You know… you did seem much more invested once Sabotage was invoked"
"OH would you look at the time-" Dainix laughs, like Falst hoped he would.
"Speaking of, before you go-" Dainix starts and Falst turnes to face him, "I was talking about it with the others and we want to invite you permanently to Game Night. If you're interested"
Falst kinda, freezes? It's like the earth stops for a moment. Or rather like he's completely aware of the situation, of himself.
It's a weird feeling is what I'm getting at, like he's surprised. He's never… Had a group to hang out with before. But he barely knows these people, and they barely know him! Why would they want to invite him? And yet they do. And, as much as he hates to admit it, Falst had fun. He didn't even notice, but at some point he stopped feeling nervous. He thinks he even laughed once or twice. It was actually a surprisingly pleasant evening…
"Falst? are you still with me?" Dainix asks.
"huh? oh, yeah" He must've zoned out
"You good?"
"Yeah you just, surprised me? I don't- I just, wasn't expecting that I guess…"
Dainix gives him a horribly soft look, the kind that would piss Falst off if it weren't from Dainix
"You're a nice person Falst." Dainix blatantly states "I enjoy hanging out with you, and the others did as well."
Falst's not prepared for the sudden attack of sincerity, but he never is with Dainix. He turnes away and rolles up his sleeves. Dainix's probably radiating his excessive heat onto him, or something… Falst grunts in response.
Dainix keeps smiling "So, will we see you next week?"
Falst takes a moment to decide. He goes over the events of the evening, how he felt. He considers all he knows so far about the others and how he feels about them. And, terrifyingly, he considers his own feelings on the matter.
"…Sure. Yeah, I'll be there."
