The drinks were dropped off and forgotten quick. Paul and Roxy had already pulled back from the dance floor chaos, settling into a small corner. Two chairs facing each other, a round table between them. Its glassy surface caught every flicker of red and blue as the strobes swept across the club, painting their faces in brief flashes like they were caught in police lights.
Paul's gaze wandered for a second. The crowd was still moving like waves in a storm, but he wasn't part of it... not really. More like an actor who had stumbled into the wrong scene, trying to figure out if his role fit the script.
Then his eyes dropped to the table.
The seal had been broken long ago. A neat spread of white powder shimmered faintly under the neon spill, like sugar on black marble. Roxy's hands were already at work, steady, almost surgical, dragging the card to carve perfect little lines. His movements didn't shake, didn't hesitate. This wasn't some rookie trick - this was craft.
"Hmm…" Roxy leaned down, gave a quick sniff near the cut, then smirked. "Perfect."
The card clinked softly against the table as he set it aside. Then, casual as tying his shoes, he started rolling a note tight between his fingers.
Paul rested his elbow on the table, staring at the lines. Four of them, clean, sharp.
He thought back to the night before. "I know what I said clearly. The perfect escapism tool. When you're drowning in the abyss. You know that I would never do something like this, right? But here we are….." He pulled himself up. "But don't forget—"
"You ready for class?" Roxy grinned, offering the rolled note like it was a gift. "Nutritious meal for the fresh blood."
Paul smirked faintly, took it from him. "Sure will."
For a heartbeat, he hesitated. His eyes flicked across the room. Over the golden beer glowing in the light, over the crowd still moving like the world had no weight, over Roxy watching him like a hawk. Finally, his gaze fell back to the table. The white powder, a few inches away, seemed to whisper to him.
Free yourself from the chains holding you down.
I'm doing this for you.
He bent down. The rolled note kissed the table. His head dipped lower, breath dragging through it. A hard pull, sharp and greedy. The line vanished in a blink.
Then came the fire. It clawed through his nose, burning raw, tearing up his eyes, scraping down his throat. He jerked back quick, hissing air, tongue pressed to his teeth, trying not to cough. His vision split... everything doubled, tripled, then collapsed back into one.
When the sting dulled, Paul blinked up. Roxy was watching him, eyes gleaming, smirk tugging at his mouth.
"Did I fuck up?"
"Damn hot." Paul muttered under his breath.
Roxy only stretched his hand out, palm open. Paul placed the note back obediently, like a student returning chalk.
"Watch closely."
Paul nodded. Roxy bent forward, lined up. One nostril pinched shut, the other hovering a breath away from the powder. Then—shhhhkk—the line disappeared in under a second. Smooth, clean, ruthless.
He raised his head fast, chest tight, hand already reaching for the glass of beer. He gulped hard, half the drink gone before he finally slammed it back down with a loud thud.
"Haahh…" Roxy dragged air deep, exhaled heavy, a grin cutting across his face. "That's how you do it."
Paul clasped his hands together, shaking his head with a laugh. "Yes, sir."
He took the note back, staring at it like it held a verdict.
"There's no coming back from this one."
Without thinking much, his head lowered. He copied what he'd just seen. One nostril pinched, the other hovering inches above the powder. Then—shhhkk—the line vanished in under a second. Smooth. Clean. Ruthless.
The burn hit instantly, a blade sliding up his nose, down his throat. Paul choked under his breath, hand shooting for the beer.
"No need to rush," Roxy called, almost amused.
Paul steadied himself, lifted the glass, and took his time. The golden liquid went down in heavy swallows, fire chasing fire. His throat screamed, but he didn't stop until half the glass was gone. With a thud, he set it back down.
The after-effects crawled in fast, slipping through his veins. His vision rocked. Left, then right, left, then right. Like the whole room was swaying on water. Sleep tugged at his eyelids, his nose still burned raw, but underneath it all came a strange clarity. He shook his head hard, dragging himself back.
Hands over his mouth, he coughed out a laugh. "Dmmn…" Another shake of his head. "That hits the bill, alright."
Roxy smirked, lifting his beer like a toast. "Told you."
Paul rubbed at his nose, still chuckling. The lights sharpened, the crowd blurred into one glowing pulse, and the bass folded itself straight into his chest. His grin stayed... lazy, but alive.
Roxy raised his glass higher. "Now - welcome to the city proper."
Roxy plucked the note back, rolled it with a little flourish like a priest handling incense. He leaned in, pinched one nostril shut, and drew the line clean, sharp, merciless. A soundless hiss, then gone. He sat back, blinking once, letting the hit settle into his bloodstream with practiced ease.
Paul leaned away, but his eyes weren't on Roxy anymore. They drifted - drawn like moths - into the blur of bodies at the floor. Colors melted into each other, blue bleeding into red, red into black. The crowd wasn't people anymore, just a shifting organism, writhing, pulsing.
And then he saw them.
Two of them, tangled in the corner, mouths locked like they were drowning each other, like air didn't matter. The man's hand gripped her waist with such violence her spine arched, her dress cutting against her skin. Her nails dug into his neck, raking, desperate, like she wanted to leave proof that she existed in that moment. They moved with no rhythm, no shame, just hunger. Pure, animal need. Like the rest of the world had collapsed, and they were the last two alive.
Paul's lip curled faintly, but the words slipped out softer than he meant:
"Fucking animals…"
He told himself it was disgust, but the knot in his chest betrayed him. It wasn't disgust. Not really. It was the envy of watching people who didn't hesitate, who didn't think twice, who didn't stand outside their own life wondering if they belonged in it. They didn't care if anyone saw. They didn't care if tomorrow burned.
A bitter laugh slipped out under his breath. Must be nice, he thought. To not feel like you're forever staring through glass.
Roxy had been watching him the whole time. His smirk crooked wider, following Paul's gaze, and he leaned in just enough for his words to cut through the music.
"Looks fun, don't it?"
Paul was drawn to close the scene playing that he hadn't heard what Roxy said.
Roxy took a slow sip of his drink, setting it down with a deliberate thud.
"Still thinking about your little lady back home?"
Paul blinked, caught off guard. "…What?"
"You know what I'm talking about," Roxy said, grinning. "The one you mentioned before. Arguing, right? You brushed it off... called it girly stuff."
Paul gave a short laugh, shaking his head. "Yeah. Wasn't anything serious."
"Funny," Roxy leaned in, tapping the table with his finger. "The way you said it, didn't sound like nothing."
Paul's shoulders dropped. "It's just… same old thing. She didn't want me to go. And I kept telling her I had to. I even said we could both go together but... nah. She wouldn't budge."
Roxy lifted a brow, smirking. "Sounds like someone's stubborn."
"Yeah, she calmed down when I finally left. Even after coming here, first week was good. From her voice, everything sounded normal. Like nothing changed."
Roxy tilted his head, unimpressed. "First weeks are always sweet."
Paul nodded faintly. "But last week? Fuckin' different story. Suddenly she doesn't have time. This and that - busy with friends, school, whatever. I didn't blame her though. Part of that's on me too."
Roxy chuckled low. "Man, you're way too forgiving."
Paul rubbed at his face, frustration leaking in. "But yesterday? You know what she said? She doesn't know if we should continue. I mean... the fuck? What bullshit is that? Then she went on with excuses… Said she's confused, said long-distance never works, said she doesn't want to 'hold me back.'"
Roxy let out a dry laugh. "Classic lines. Heard 'em a million times."
"Yeah, well… that's when it hit me." Paul stared into his drink. "I either go back to my old world and be with her… or I adapt to this new one. I can't keep holding on to both at the same time."
Roxy leaned back, eyes narrowing. "So what's it gonna be then? What've you decided?"
Paul let out a short breath, shaking his head. "…That's what I've been thinking about. All the time."
Silence hung there for a minute then Roxy leaned forward, shaking the little packet once more, grinning like the night itself. "Round two?"
Paul hesitated... half a second, maybe... then dipped his head. "Fuck it."
They each bent down, sharp inhale. The burn hit first, then the rush. Paul sat back hard, a low breath slipping out between his teeth. His pulse was alive in his fingertips, his jaw tight but buzzing.
Beer reached him quickly this time. His eyes tried to gave him a warning but he didn't stopped until the glass left with only last sip of golden water.
He left out heavy breath out. "Dmmn…"
Roxy still haven't gotten out of the earlier topic, leaned back, smirk tugging his lips. "I know You'll figure it out, man. Always do."
Paul let out a short breath, half a laugh.
"Fuck you, mate. That's why I didn't spell it out earlier. I ain't some fourteen-year-old kid looking for advice. I'll handle it. Don't need the reminder."
Roxy threw his hands up in mock surrender, still grinning. "Fair enough. My bad, Doctor Love."
Paul shook his head, lips twitching.
A beat passed before Roxy leaned in again, elbow on the table, voice dropping into a playful drawl. "So… how about I line you up with some fine cheeks here instead? Forget the long-distance drama."
Paul tilted his head, smirk sneaking back. "That so?"
"Damn right," Roxy said, scanning the crowd like a man appraising art. "Whole buffet out there. Slim, thick, wild, classy. You name it, they're circling this floor. And most ain't here for deep talks, trust me."
Paul leaned in, amused now. "Alright then. Let's hear your expert picks."