Chapter Text
For the most part, Zanka liked college. Pit University had been his second choice, so he had no complaints about that, and aside from some class mix-ups and all-nighters to cram for finals, two years had been going smoothly. The campus was large, split between the Arts and STEM, with plenty of extra rooms and a huge library. The students varied in majors, from advanced med to illustration, but it was easy to find a group of people you fit in with. The dorms were nice too, split with girls on the first floor and boys on the second, and Zanka had the luxury of rooming with someone he actually liked and didn’t talk his ear off. Yeah, overall college was good. Decent food, nice campus, and AC—which was a non-negotiable for Zanka. However, there was one thing that Zanka couldn’t stand for his life.
”Come on Zanka,” Riyo said. “It’ll be fun, and there will be free drinks and food.”
Zanka was currently sitting on the ground between Riyo’s legs as she sat on a chair above him. The smell of bleach was strong in her dorm, and Zanka’s scalp tingled as she touched up his roots, and had spent the last hour trying to convince him to come to some party or other being hosted in the city. In Zanka’s mind, there was not a worse way he could spend his night. Not to mention, he had a shitload of work to do, and he had no interest in falling behind on it.
“Thanks for the offer but I’m good,” He replied, and instantly reaped what he sewed as a large glob of bleach fell onto the t-shirt he was wearing. “Riyo!”
”Sorry,” the redhead sing-songed, with no actual apology, taking a damp cloth that they had on standby and wiping it off. “Why not though? You never go to parties, you never do anything actually.”
”Thanks for that,” he grumbled.
She was correct for the most part, however, Zanka could not for the life of him figure out what was so appealing about college parties. The one time he was stupid enough to go to one was last year when he was a gullible freshman and had left with no shirt, a bleeding lip, the taste of vomit in his mouth, and smelling like straight strawberry liquor. Not to mention he had to drop thirty dollars on an uber to get him and Follo back to campus, and then another twenty when Follo had thrown up in the car. All to say, he did not intend to repeat that experience, even now as he was a junior.
“Rudo and Amo are going,” Riyo commented, casually. “I could use some help making sure they don’t pass out in a ditch somewhere”
Now that caught Zanka’s attention, and his neck snapped around, not caring for the specks of bleach that flew off his hair.
”You’re joking,” he said, voice incredulous. “Why the hell would you tell them about it?”
Riyo lifted her hands in defense.
”I didn’t. I’m not that mean,” she replied. “They heard it from someone else and Rudo is adamant in going, and you know that means Amo will go too. Those two are some locked in lovebirds.”
Zanka groaned. Great, just great, two freshmen straight from the nursery throwing themselves into what most likely will turn into a rave rather than a party, he could only imagine how well that would go.
”You're his sister,” he argued. “Can’t you just tell him that it’s a bad idea?”
”Adpoted,” she retorted.
”That still makes you his sister!”
Riyo simply shrugged and grabbed Zanka’s head, cracking his neck to make him face forward, continuing to load bleach onto his already very much dead hair.
”Yeah I may be his sister but he is also a freshman in college and a fully grown adult, not to mention it might be nice for him to get out and make some friends. You know how he gets around new people,” Riyo continued, taking some saran wrap and beginning to wrap it around Zanka’s head.
Zanka did know. While he wasn’t related to either Riyo or Rudo, he had grown up around them and spent so much time over at their house he might as well be considered one of their siblings. Growing up, Riyo and Rudo had entered the same school as him. It was a prestigious one, and no doubt they needed aid in going there. The two had been outcast by the other students, and for a while Zanka followed his classmate’s discrimination. It was only after Zanka had been sent to school with no lunch after talking back to his father, did he interact with them. It had been year five maybe? Probably earlier, and Zanka was sitting in his seat when Riyo had come up to him and asked why he wasn’t eating. The blonde had replied with a blunt ‘why do you care,’ but instead of being put off she sat at the desk next to him, scraping half of her food out of her lunch container onto the lid and passed the remainder that was still in the box to him. That was the day he requested a seat change to sit next to her. Enjin had always been incredibly nice to him too, offering him late rides home or sleepovers during school nights because he knew how bad Zanka’s home life was. Zanka owed Enjin, big time, for all that he did. Yet somehow the only thing Enjin asked of him in return was to watch out for Riyo and Rudo—especially Rudo—so Zanka did that to the best of his ability. Right now he was torn between avoiding a massive hangover and dealing with three drunk cases (Riyo included because while he held his liquor about as well as she did, he was better at cutting himself off) and a stupid feeling of responsibility over the sophomore and two freshmen. He groaned internally, because Riyo had cornered him and was probably aware of it too.
“Fine,” he sighed. “But we’re taking your car and I’m driving there and back. I’m also cutting you off, I’m not about to play baby sitter so you can get wasted again.”
”When have I ever gotten wasted on you?” Riyo exclaimed, rolling her eyes in mock defense.
”A better question is when have you not?” Zanka muttered back, smiling slightly as she let out a fake gasp.
He felt Riyo smile as she finished off the Saran Wrap and tapped his shoulders to signal him to get up.
“Actually though, I'm excited,” she said, beginning to dump the bleach products into the trash. “I heard it’s a new school band playing and that they're pretty good.”
”I don’t really care who’s playing,” Zanka admitted, picking slightly at the plastic covering his head. “The speakers are gonna be cranked up so loud I’m not gonna hear a lick of the actual music, just static and the bass occasionally.”
“That’s what makes it fun though,” Riyo said, spinning in her desk chair. “Plus, because it’s so loud you wont have to talk to anyone. Isn’t that appealing?”
Zanka snorted at that.
”Yeah, whatever,” he said. “All I hear is I’m going to have to email Dr. Gris to tell him that I need an extension because my friends are drunks.”
“That sounds like a good excuse to me,” Riyo shrugged. “Anyway, the music starts at nine so make sure to be in the parking lot at eight-thirty, and also don’t wear a bum outfit.”
“I’ll wear whatever I want,” Zanka replied back. “Yer not going to be dragging me into a mosh pit that's for sure.”
Zanka only fully came to terms with what he signed up for around eight forty-five, when synth pop was blasting from Riyo’s old car speakers and Amo and Riyo sang loudly along to the incoherent lyrics. Zanka couldn’t tell whether he should savor this moment when all four of them were sober enough to sing along to shitty music, or to slam his thumb on the audio button and savor peace and quiet until they got to the place. He couldn’t help but agree with Riyo though, it was nice seeing Rudo push his own boundaries to try and meet some new people, and he was even more impressed with Amo being cool coming along. He remembered he had been in the living room with Enjin and Riyo when Rudo had come home with the girl. Enjin had practically exploded when Rudo had introduced her as his girlfriend, and Riyo had to console him through tears of happiness and ‘I never thought he’d actually have the balls’ comments. Zanka remembered Rudo's humiliated expression and Amo trying to hold back laughs. Even now, three years later, the two were as close as two people could get.
“Well, well,” Riyo said, turning the volume of the music down. “You actually didn’t dress like a bum, though I will admit you could’ve gone sluttier with it.”
Zanka rolled his eyes. He didn’t care much to dress up, and would actually consider the outfit he picked out to be a completely fine one for a party he didn’t want to go to. He had picked out a plain gray crewneck that was a bit frayed on the ends. The back had been spray-painted by one of Enjin’s friends named August, which added a little bit of something or other. Along with the crewneck he wore a pair of loose baggy jeans and laced-up boots. The only accessories he wore were the earrings that he wore every day anyway so that hardly counted.
“I’m wearing what I wear every day,” Zanka replied. “Also I don’t know what you mean by ‘sluttier’ but in case you forgot I’m the designated driver and don’t really intend to be hit on tonight.”
”You don’t even realize when people hit on you,” Riyo replied. “If you can’t even pick up what someone is dropping down I don’t know how the hell you’d intend to be hit on.”
”Plus once people get a close look at your face they probably regret their decision,” Rudo piped up from the back.
”Shut up,” Zanka shot back at both of them. “Rudo I don’t know how the hell you’re talking when your smile is downright terrifying. I’m surprised Amo doesn’t scream from fear every time she sees it.”
“I like it,” Amo replied. “It’s genuine.”
”Genuinely horrifying,” Riyo countered. “I’m on Zanka’s side with this one.”
Rudo looked ready to start yelling at both of them but before he could, Riyo cranked the volume back up and the car was once again filled with music that sounded like Unicorn Burps and Princess vape bubbles. The drive to the venue wasn’t a horrible one, twenty minutes once they got off campus with an extra ten to find parking in the city. Pit University was on the very edge of a large city called Sphere, which was a large mix of modern buildings and old ones, old railroads and new highways. Some buildings were completely decked out in graffiti while others stood completely made of glass. The place they were going was on the more gritty side of the city, a large venue that local bands rented for shows, and because most of those bands were from the University, the venue barely ever turned events from them down. The surrounding area was mostly garage buildings with small apartments stacked on top, the kind where the windows were cracked and the metal window frames rusted. The road was bumpy under Riyo’s old Cadillac, but that was hardly the biggest of Zanka’s problems. The Venue wasn’t even in sight yet and he could already hear the loud ass speakers sending practical shockwaves throughout the surrounding neighborhoods.
“Oh hell yeah!” Rudo yelled, just as Zanka thought, “Oh hell no.”
He pulled over to the curb, ignoring Riyo’s protests to drive closer, and turned the engine off. Rudo and Amo instantly climbed out, quickly followed by Riyo, and then Zanka. He internally groaned as they turned the corner and practically saw people spilling out of the open venue. It was clear the fee people had given up and where now smoking blunts from god-knows-where, and as Zanka’s eyes traveled over the crowd, the more he regretted agreeing to this. There were two people smoking off of a fire escape that he doubted belonged to either of them, a group of girls were all collectively rubbing each other's backs while they took turns throwing up, and several guys were simply standing around passing each other something that was most likely acid or ibuprofen—no there was no in between.
It’s nine fifteen, Zanka thought. At this point just make the pregame the party.
In the thirty seconds he hadn't been actively looking at them, Rudo and Amo had disappeared and Riyo was handing thirty bucks to a guy and pointing at Zanka, who waved awkwardly. The redhead shot him a smile before disappearing into the throngs of people and Zanka had no doubt that the next time he saw her he’d have to pry her off a guy, a girl, or most likely a bottle. Zanka stood there for another awkward moment, and only moved when some of the other people began looking at him weird. The guy at the front gave him a pink wristband, which was access for drinks apparently since Riyo paid, and Zanka forced a thanks before pushing into the throngs inside. The Venue was a hollowed out garage, covered in graffiti and colored lights with a few large dusty couches lying around, no doubt stained with every fluid known to man. Speakers were positioned around the whole place with the largest ones being near the lifted wood platforms where bands played, and this specific band had cranked them past their limit. Zanka only heard snippets of the singer’s voice over the drums and bass, as well as the shouts of the crowd.
He pushed his way through the crowd to the drinks table, and on sight of his wristband, was tossed a can of god-knows-what. Zanka turned, cracking it open and taking a sip he recognized the taste of cut water and grimaced. From this angle he could see the platform where the band was performing, and he scrunched his brow to see if he could make any of the faces out. There was a blue-haired girl that he recognized from Bioformatics on the electric guitar, but he couldn’t remember her name. Another woman with dark skin was on the keyboard, she was vibing to the music, and had a microphone up to her lips and occasionally chimed in with the main singer. There was a man on the drums who reminded Zanka that college was open to all ages, and lastly there was what looked like the leader. He was a tall guy with long dreadlocks and skin that glowed under the colored lights. He was singing enthusiastically into the microphone as his fingers played what Zanka made out as a bass. The blonde couldn’t help but think he recognized the guy from somewhere but he couldn’t remember where and it annoyed him. As he took another swig of the cutwater some of the singer’s words fought their way through the old speakers.
Girl, can’t you hurt me? Wear me down?
You’re an animal disguised in a bloodstained nightgown
I ain’t opposed
I ain’t afraid
But I want this sex to leave me needing first aid
Zanka felt a shiver of something uncomfortable crawl down his spine. He wasn’t a prude in any way, shape, or form, but something in the way the man sang was like he had licked Zanka’s eardrums. The rest of the people seemed to be vibing to it, in fact, Zanka could spot more than ten people whose movements could be counted as thrashing seizures rather than actual dancing. He vaguely wondered if being in a band on campus made you some kind of micro-celebrity, and if so, what perks aside from girls offering to support your path to fame it came with.
He felt a tap on his shoulder and turned around to a girl who was asking him to move since he was blocking the drinks table, and he quickly apologized before walking quickly away, and almost instantly getting swept up in the crowd. Everyone was sweating already, and Zanka attempted to not flinch and gag from the feel and smell of it. Despite it being late winter, the Venue was hot as fuck, and the colliding bodies didn’t help with the clogged air. More than once Zanka felt a guy's chest grind up behind him or a girl’s butt in front, and he would instantly dash away. Zanka wasn’t much for touching aside from a friendly hug or pat on the head from Enjin, which was yet another reason Zanka didn’t like parties. As Zanka pushed his way from out of the crowd to the opposite end of the platform, he caught a glimpse of familiar orange and black hair and instantly whipped in Amo’s direction, and groaned internally as he saw what was happening. Amo, who was clearly uncomfortable, was being pinned in a corner by a man who Zanka would consider a super-senior for college. Amo’s face was flushed, and she was clearly under some kind of influence, yet Zanka managed to make out a few words as he stomped over.
“No thank you,” Amo was saying. “I have a boyfriend.”
”Really?” The man said back, practically leering. “Well I don’t see him right now? Where’s he off too?”
Amo didn’t get a chance to answer as Zanka closed in, shoving the man hard in the side.
“It doesn’t matter, creep,” Zanka said, firmly. “Back off, she’s clearly not interested.”
The man was clearly not happy, and now that Zanka could see him more clearly he could tell the man was too old for college, and probably just snuck in here to harass people. He snarled, stopping a foot short of Zanka who stepped between him and Amo.
”What?” The man said, attempting to regain his composure. “You her man? I highly doubt it with how gay you look.”
”No I’m not,” Zanka replied, as coolly as he could with a man two-feet taller than him glaring like a kid whose candy had been taken away. “And it doesn’t matter if I’m gay or not, all you're telling me is that it takes one to know one.”
Zanka tried to ignore the people around them who had started to look their way.
“Look man,” he said. “I don’t want to fight, just maybe take the hint that she’s clearly not interested—
His last words were cut off as the man placed a bad placed punch to his shoulder and Zanka stumbled back into the wall, yelping slightly in pain. Great, just great, if this wasn’t god telling him to spend the rest of his life being in bed by nine pm sharp Zanka didn’t know what to make of it. He stood as the man stalked towards him and avoided the next swing of his fist and balled his hands, shoving the man back. The man stumbled sluggishly, and Zanka couldn't help but be grateful for his obvious intoxication, but it was canceled out as more and more people started turning their way, and even some started cheering. The man looked practically furious now, Zanka might’ve made a run for it if there wasn't a wall to his right, crowd to his left, and a big angry man front and center. He wondered vaguely why the party couldn’t have been shot up and everyone be effective rather than just him, and as he crossed his arms over his face as the man slammed into him and the two went tumbling back, he prayed that this was a good enough excuse for Dr. Gris on why his work was late.
Zanka blindly shoved at the man, pummeled him, even gave a well-placed kick to the crotch, the man wouldn’t budge. He was dead weight and Zanka would soon match that by just being dead, he felt a blow land on his side, and he let out a yell of pain. There was a wringing in his ears and yelling all around him, and just as he felt the man lift his fist to most likely break Zanka’s nose, there was a loud thump and twang and a high-pitched wringing broke through the room, causing everyone to clamp their hands over their ears. Zanka felt someone push the man off of him and the sound of the speakers reverberating around the room paused. Zanka lowered his hands and carefully pried open his eyes to the sound of clambering voices, the music gone. Standing above him was the main guy from the band, bass in hand, and even from this angle Zanka could tell the strings were broken. He also felt something sharp under his head, and turning he saw what he had landed against. One of the large speakers which now had a shattered dent in it. He turned back, heart racing, mind not even beginning to wrap around what had just happened, when the bassist’s voice cut through his groggy thoughts.
”Man, you’re paying for that, and new bass strings for me.”
”Huh?” Zanka said, dumbly, looking around.
“You broke the damn speaker, man. I ain’t paying for that, and I knocked out the guy that was gonna beat you’re ass, you owe me new strings.”
Zanka could barely think, but what he did manage to piece together was that he had just gotten in a fight with a fully-grown man, the bassist had come to his ‘rescue’ and used his instrument to knock the guy out, and Zanka was currently being told he had to drop three-hundred dollars on a new speaker and new strings for this man. On top of all of that his eyes had just landed on the lovely sight of Riyo throwing up into her bag on one of the couches, and both Amo and Rudo staring at him awkwardly.
Great, He thought, seethingly. Just great, I am never going out ever again.