Archive of Our Own ^beta

“Wanna bet?”

———

I want to strangle him.

Probably the first thing Rui thought to himself when he first saw Tsukasa.

He was merely walking through the casino, looking at the faces of dread, the faces of excitement of people throughout the tables. He didn’t need no money to have entertainment at a casino, it was more than enough.

But it was then a table caught his attention, making him take a small peak at the gentlemen’s name tag.

Tsukasa? He was probably winning. Rui assumes. The grey haired girl beside the blonde seemed to be whispering to him every few seconds, to which Tsukasa would merely nod and look up to his opponent calmly.

Being calm wasn’t a bad tactic to scare your opponent, it was a common and actually, good tactic. Yet, little can actually make people believe you. Though Tsukasa seemed to be different in Rui’s eyes.

The blonde crossed his feet, had slick back hair that looked as if it’d been ruffled many times, slight smeared lipstick with a few more marks exposed around his neck due to his loose button up. Different from others who wear Rolex watches, he wore a simple silver watch that showed no brand.

Popping in a toffee in his mouth, Rui stopped his tracks, looking into the set of cards Tsukasa bet on.

“Ooh, tough luck.”

Rui whispered, assuming the lost already. Sensing no more fun, he turned his back, about to walk away.

“Congratulations sir! It’s your fifth win!”

Tsukasa thanked the guy in charge, calmly stacking his tokens. He combed back his hair before listening to the girl beside him whisper again.

Taken aback, Rui took a sit in the audience, chewing on his toffee, guessing Tsukasa’s next move.

He could play nice and bet ten token like everyone else. Or he could play weak and only bet two tokens. But wait, how about betting three? It’s a safe idea for the cards he’s playing.

Thoughts kept popping in Rui’s head, and while the blonde was not within touching distance, Rui was determined to guess what the blonde was thinking.

Maybe he isn’t as fun as I assumed. Maybe he’s just playing smart. Maybe he’s playing nice.

He was coping, but Rui’s face gave him away, showing his curiosity in his gaze.

And when Rui expected the blonde to bet five tokens or less, his eyes widened before smirking to the next words from the latter.

“All in.”

———

“Oh god, Nene. This is scary.”

Once the two left the casino, Tsukasa immediately sighed out of relief.

“Truly one to be an actor, you’re good at playing with emotions.”

Nene walking down the streets, checking the money in their accounts.

Tsukasa shivered and tried to shake away his goosebumps. Every time he steps into the casino, he feels like he’s another person. Calm, collected, cold. His partner in crime, Nene, helping him win lots. But the second he leaves the casino, his actor fatigue leaves, making him shake in fear.

Though, the numbers in the bank account don’t lie, and while Tsukasa wasn’t exactly poor, somehow regarded rich too, people like pretty things, nothing to be ashamed about.

And is money pretty? Maybe.

But to Rui who was looking at the duo from a rooftop, Tsukasa was prettier.

“I’m going all in for you.”

———

“Fuck- I feel crazy…”

Hissing, Tsukasa mumbled while splashing water into his face for the millionth time.

Finally taking a break, he excused himself to the bathroom, checking for no signs of life in the room, he looked himself in the mirror, immediately getting off guard.

The lipstick marks on his neck by Nene, a tactic to scare off his opponents, telling people that he had better things to do instead of gambling, when he had no bitches at all in the first place.

The slightly messy hair, a tactic for men to be weary, that he wasn’t afraid of putting up a fight with his anger issues. When actually Tsukasa’s hand shake even at the thought of throwing a punch.

And the V-neck shirt with concealer? Women fall for it so much. Nene approved.

He was basically drowning himself in tap water, when the bathroom door suddenly opens, revealing a purple-haired man with a slight smirk, leaning against the door.

“Wanna bet?”

———

The bet was that Rui would help Tsukasa with the next gamble. The same game Nene helped Tsukasa win time and time again.

If Rui could help Tsukasa win more than Nene’s ‘best score’, Tsukasa had to ‘trash’ Nene, make Rui his new ‘friend’.

Sitting down the table, the banker started to handing the cards to the players.

To the other people, it looked like the usual duo broke, the calm blonde joined with confident purple-haired.

Yet actually, it was a sweaty blonde and his partner chucking to himself.

Looking at the cards they had, Tsukasa almost wanted to run away in fear. There’s no way they’d win.

Usually Nene would advise him to play safe, bet the minimum. If he won? Lucky~ If he didn’t? Then at least he didn’t lose much.

At this instance, he peeked into Rui’s eyes. He assumed that Rui would ask him to bet three tokens, at most five. But when he saw the slight smirk and his smug eyes, he knew he was in for a tough night.

“All in please.”

———

Tsukasa won lots and lots that night, beating his score with Nene long before. When asked about the initial bet, Rui simply chuckled. He knew his goal, but he knew to play nice sometimes, simply laughing it off.

So while Tsukasa sometimes would play partnered with Nene, he can’t help but sometimes glance at Rui when playing with Nene.

Maybe I could win more with him. Maybe this game could be more fun with him. Maybe I can have more thrill with him.

Wait, his eyes widened mid-game. He shouldn’t be thinking about this. Playing safe is the way. No risk. Money is more important. What risk. What fun. He had no time for that.

Despite, Rui who was in the audience sensed the blonde falling into the trap, chuckling to himself.

“Let’s fall into the risky trap, taste the thrill.”

———

If you sat beside Tsukasa during gambles, you’d find out that he always has a tint of pink on his cheeks when he’s gambling.

You’d also find out that he hums while thinking.

You’d also find out that his eyes narrow when he checks the status of his opponents.

That’s all the observations of Rui when helping him on his game.

I want to strangle him.

The thought popped up again.

I want him at my mercy. I want to lock him up, begging me to let him out when I’m his only hope.

I want to choke him, see his blood rush to his cheeks, flushed cheeks, parted lips. Weak and hopeless, still hanging onto the slight smile.

Was Rui scared of himself at his thoughts? He doubts. Sure he would be regarded as a murderer if there was a mind reader, but no one would say a thing when you’re already sweating at your cards, and there’s a smug man, looking all lovesick at your opponent.

“Ten tokens.”

“I’m winning for sure! Thirty tokens!”

“Um… three tokens…”

The banker turned to Tsukasa lastly, and Tsukasa looked at his cards, smiling. And without even waiting for the advice from his partner, he shrugged and set down his cards.

“All in please.”

———

If I had a nickel for the times Tsukasa said “all in” the whole night, I’d have five. Though to Tsukasa, it wasn’t considered much.

The adrenaline. The dopamine. The blood rush.

Was the risk always his fun? Was the price always that close to him? Was the truth to life this easy?

Tsukasa wonders sometimes, but his doubts quickly fade whenever he pushes all his tokens with Rui beside him.

The thrill was still there whenever he did that, but he knew his own fate. Whether he’s lose the game and loose the tokens, or that he’d get the load back, it didn’t matter anymore.

And to Rui, oh he was having fun. Not that they were drowning in tokens, but with the money, they maybe could buy a mansion in cash now.

The smile and smirk on Tsukasa’s face was more and more genuine, blending with his usual actor charm, Rui felt more and more motivated.

I want to see more of him.

I want to see more faces he can make.

I want to make him laugh out of excitement.

I want him to laugh but cry out of thrill.

Rui felt crazy every time he had these thoughts, but when he saw his partner pushing his tokens into the centre again with a bright grin, he feels reassured.

This is my doing.

I went all in.

———

How did it become this? We never know.

But for some fun, Rui and Tsukasa decided to have a gamble against each other.

And of course, to Tsukasa who was hooked on the fun already, and to Rui who was long obsessed with Tsukasa, the both accepted with a smile.

The banker walked into the scene, shuffling the cards. At the meantime, you could see Rui and Tsukasa looking to each others eyes.

Maybe he’d play nice for once?

Or maybe he’d play safe because of me?

Oh wait, he could bet the minimum right?

Thoughts filled the both, not being able to hide the smiles anymore.

“Gentlemen, your bet?”

To which the both chuckled and leaned back, saying in unison.

Only for you.

“All in please.”