Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous

[dazz]

By the time Bobby completed his abysmal version of the rock-lullabye, it almost seemed he put himself to sleep. The alcohol seemed to be kicking in with greater force by the moment as he kind of slid backwards until he was lying on the floor and cuddling with the instrument.

"Glad you like it. Itsh going to be on the album. Maybe if you're lucky I'll autograv it for you."

Ali was on the edge of laughter as Bobby slurred his words.

Aw, lookit the cute little lightweight...

She kept the joke to herself and let Bobby recover on his own. Still less than steady, he sat up again and spared her another heart attack as he still retained enough motor skills to put her guitar back with care and shut off the buzzing amp. Then he looked at her, fists on his hips, and asked,

"Did you take my drink?"

Not yet, but maybe I should be cuttin' you off soon...

But instead, Ali decided to at least let him finish the drink he had going before she'd start leaving the alcohol out of the mix in his next round. Jerking a thumb behind her, she replied.

"Nah, it's still sittin' on the bar. I'll letcha have it if you can get it. Without fallin' flat on yer ass, that is."

That sickly-sweet smile was on her lips again.

[Bobby Drake]

"Nah, it's still sittin' on the bar,” Dazz said as she motioned over to the bar area. Bobby looked over there and spotted it on the counter, but didn’t move his fists from his hips. Just out of principle. Whatever that means.

“I'll letcha have it if you can get it. Without fallin' flat on yer ass, that is."

Fists still on hips, he turned again back to her and narrowed his eyes. “If you think I’m drunk then you’ve got another thing coming cuz,” he nodded his head for a moment of silence before finishing “I’m not.”

Then to show her, he marched over to the bar to fetch his drink. Marching in shag carpet left something to be desired, and he suspected it probably didn’t come off as ‘imperial’ as he’d hoped, but he did manage to not fall at all, and grabbed his drink with an attitude, spinning back to her triumphantly.

He immediately burst into laughter. She had a funny look on her face!

Holding his sides, Bobby waved at her and somehow managed not to spill his drink. “I was all,” his feet stomped up and down, “And then you were all,” He tried making the face she was making.

Evidently you had to be there.

[dazz]

"If you think I'm drunk then you've got another thing coming cuz...I'm not."

The rockstar was not intimidated in the least by Bobby's glare or oh-so-stern hands on his hips. What was he, a chick? Either way, it served to make the situation all the more amusing from Ali's perspective. She threw him a look that said I'd like to see you try.

And try he did. Like a complete idiot, he didn't just walk, he marched across the room back to the bar. Er...well, it kinda looked like marching. It wasn't exactly regal, but he did get his small victory when he didn't fall over. Reaching the bar, he grabbed for his glass and spun around to face her, the cocktail almost spilling as it swirled dangerously close to the edge of the glass. She was making a face, and apparently it was a good one as Bobby burst quite suddenly into hysterics.

"I was all...And then you were all..."

Ali's expression was decidedly nervous, and that had to be the funny part. Sure, ha hadn't spilled it yet, but she could just see the drink getting perilously close to the rim, sloghing around in the glass as he laughed, gestured, and felt the need to recreate the damn marching.

"I know, Bobby. I was there," she replied when he'd be able to hear her over the laugher.

[Bobby Drake]

Dazz didn't find the whole thing as funny as Bobby did, but he wrote it off that she must be drunk or something. Chicks can't hold their liquor like dudes. Established fact. To prove himself further, Bobby guzzled down what was left of his drink, sploshing some of it over his (borrowed?) T-shirt in the process as it dribbled down his chin.

"Sssooo," he said as he looked at the empty glass. "How about a little wager..." He was moving around to the other side of the bar, trying to remember what it was that she had done in making his drink. Vodka...he remembered that, and poured some into his glass. And...orange juice? Sounds good!

Glass full, he turned around and smiled.

"Any video games you got that you think you're good at?" It sounded real challenging.

[dazz]

Ali watched Bobby with an amused smirk on her lips. Feeling obliged to chug his prized drink, he ended up with his second wet shirt of the day and then went on to make himself another drink. She could tell by the scrunched up faxe that he was trying to duplicate her scandalous concoction, but ended up with a stout screwdriver in his glass. Alcohol and OJ dangerously close to the glass' rim, he turned to her and grinned like an idiot. After the impromptu performance, he seemed set with the bar and wanted to go back to the juvenile game room.

"Any video game you got that you think you're good at?"

Ali did her her best not to laugh at him again. He didn't look, move, or sound quite right any more. This was as good an excuse as any to keep from drinking himself to death.

"Oh, I just might. I don't have an entire room full of 'em for nothing. Bet I can kick your scrawny butt in...just about anything. Mortal Kombat, Smackdown vs. Raw, Pong...you name it."

With that, Ali stood from her perched seat on the pool table and began backing toward the door, coaxing him to follow with a finger.

"Oh, and grab my drink while you're over there, and watch the carpet."

Bobby needed to be cut off, but Ali was fine. Not only was she good enough to walk in a straight line, it was a backward straight line. He couldn't say anything to her.

[Bobby Drake]

"Oh, I just might. I don't have an entire room full of 'em for nothing. Bet I can kick your scrawny butt in...just about anything. Mortal Kombat, Smackdown vs. Raw, Pong...you name it."

Bobby looked at her with shock and awe. Oh no she didn’!

She must not have known that a young and hormonal boy who didn’t have any real action in his life, and had all the major video game systems at his home could only be good at one thing really. Well...two maybe.

Okay. One.

"Oh, and grab my drink while you're over there, and watch the carpet."

She was already off, walking all sexily back toward the other game room. “What am I, your biyatch?” Regardless of what her answer was, Bobby hastily grabbed the drinks and hurried to catch up with her. The challenge had him distracted from just how hard it was to walk in a straight line. He swaggered a little, but didn’t spill a drop.

“You name the game, I’ll teach you shame.”

He handed her glass to her, and added a flirtatious look with his eyes, and a warm smile.

"I cooled your drink off a little..."

[dazz]

Ali expected a challenge from Bobby, given his initial excitement about the game room that sent him bounding indoors in the first place. However, she was confident in her own 1337 sk1llz that she could take him down. And even if he was too good, well... Ali never claimed to be above dirty tactics like distraction, for example.

Grinning wickedly for ear to ear, Ali waited for Bobby to follow her out of the bar and back into the hallway, drinks in hand. He questioned it, rather jokingly, and she answered him in a similar.

"Yeah ya are, so suck it."

She punctuated her joke with crossed hands and a quick pelvic thrust before laughing her head off again at the absurdity of it all.

"You name the game, I'll teach you shame."

Ali was still grinning like an idiot herself. Cooly, she replied.

"Careful Bobby, them's fightin' words and me and shame don't mix well at all."

Taking the newly chilled drink, the rockstar continued bounding down the hall until they were back in the game room, the blanket Bobby had covered himself still half on the floor and the camera resting on it's now-smaller pillar of ice. The camera was fine, but her carpet was looking a tad soggy. She'd deal with it later, though.

Stopping once inside, Ali looked thoughtfully around the room. Arcade style? Console? So many possibilities...

Just not Wii. Shaking a little controller up and down to win? Boys tended to win those games, and while she could guess, Ali refused to think about why.

"So, PS3. Virtua Fighter 5. Let's see ya kick my ass there."

She took a deep gulp from her drink before setting it down and making her way to the television, fiddling with cords and buttons for a moment before popping the disc in and turning it all on. Grabbing two of the wireless controllers, she tossed one to Bobby before dropping herself onto the couch with so semblance of grace.

[Bobby Drake]

“Yeah ya are, so suck it.”

Oh daaayyyyyyyymn!

Ali Blaire just told him to suck it. HOW HOT WAS THAT??

But she was already replying to his other challenge. “Careful Bobby, them’s fightin’ words and me and shame don’t mix well at all.” Feeling light-headed from the combination of alcohol and consciousness, Bobby slumped down in the super soft couch, enjoying the cool feeling of the fabric against his skin.

”So, PS3, Virtua Fighter 5. Let’s see you kick my ass there.”

Taking a quick sip, she set her drink down and made for the television, bent over to mess with the cords in such a way that left Bobby with a sweet view. He grinned drunkenly as he watched her through half-lidded eyes.

Something of a wistful expression made its way to his face. “You know,” he said a little tiredly, “you’re the coolest chick I’ve ever met.” Usually he was pretty secretive about his feelings and crap, but right now the alcohol was unlocking something honest in him. “I mean it. You should give lessons or something.”

He was looking over at her with that big goofy drunken grin as she sat next to him now.

[dazz]

Ali had a feeling, as she bent down to try and untangle the needed cord, that Bobby's eyes were fixed on her again. She would actually have been surprised if they weren't when she took a quick peek back at him. Her suspicion confirmed, the rock star went back to untangling the mess in her hands. That was the problem with having such a selection of the gaming consoles. They didn't make splitters big enough for her to avoid this much hassle.

Eventually, the desired black cord was freed and everything was connected properly. Joining Bobby on the couch, she found it kind of cute how he looked ready to fall asleep. He was drunk tired and half curled into the overstuffed couch. Ali didn't watch this for more than a beat though, turning her attention to the screen ahead as the main menu appeared. Checking the game options, she kept an ear tuned to Bobby as he spoke.

“You know, you’re the coolest chick I’ve ever met. I mean it. You should give lessons or something.”

Ali spared him another glance as she was deciding on her character. Bobby was grinning wider than ever, his eyes bright but drooping. It was contagious, and she found herself grinning right back.

"Yeah, I'm pretty awesome, aren't I?" She paused and laughed, purposely sounding so full of herself. What she said next, however, she meant. "Thanks, Bobby. I appreciate that. Now..."

A few more clicks of the controller in her hand, it was Bobby's turn to pick his character.

"Ready for an ass whoopin'?"

[Bobby Drake]

"Yeah, I'm pretty awesome, aren't I?" Bobby laughed along with her before she continued. "Thanks, Bobby. I appreciate that. Now..."

The television caught his attention suddenly.

"Ready for an ass whoopin'?"

Perking up to the best of his ability, Bobby leaned forward to look closer at the controller. He'd used it a million times before, but something looked weird about it. The wires were coming out of the wrong side and all the buttons seemed reversed or something. "What the-" He looked over at Dazz in a drunken confusion. "You got some kind of special controllers or sumthin?"

It never occurred to him that it was upside down.

[dazz]

Bobby's attention was drawn away by the television as soon as he was up. Ali watched the screen, curious which fighter he'd go for. A little insight as to how he thought of himself in a kung-fu sorta setting. But after a moment, nothing seemed to be happening and then he ended up back two screens.

An eyebrow raised, Ali turned to look back at Bobby, who stared confused at the controller in his hand.

"What the--? You got some kind of special controllers or sumthin?"

He was looking at her for an explanation, almost accusatory. She could imagine his thoughts, that she was cheating. Had to be, 'cause otherwise there'd be no way she could beat him.

For a moment, she considered saying yes to his question. But as it would make the game rather awkward, she decided not to. Ali leaned over him to grab the controller out of his hand, not caring at all about the oh-so-close proximity. Yanking it deftly from his fingers, she spun it around and placed it back on his lap, facing the right way this time.

"There ya go, man."

Leaning back, Ali pulled her legs up onto the couch and sat crosslegged, re-selecting her own character and setting it up a second time for Bobby.

"Now are you ready for the ass whoopin'?"

When she asked again, she was playfully impatient.

[Bobby Drake]

Bobby felt extremely embarrassed when Dazz reached over and spun the controller around for him. It made him look like a tard, and really he was just wasted. You know, toasted, shnockered, plastered, ripped, torn, shredded...whatever.

"There ya go, man."

He couldn't hold it back. Lips pursed together he blew out a disbelieving snort of a laugh. Looking over at Dazz just after she uttered the challenge again, Bobby was laughing drunkenly. "I think I might be a liiiiiitttle drunk." He was holding his fingers a half inch apart in front of her face.

But he could still beat her. Turning back toward the television, he scrolled down and picked his fighter. Gravity was pulling him down into the couch and he realized he was leaning against her. "Hope this is cool. Because it's comfortable, and you're soft."

He didn't mean it creepy, and was focused solely on the loading game.

[dazz]

After righting his controller, Bobby let out a snorting laugh that was more along the lines of something she might do. Cracking a grin, she kept her eyes on the screen before Bobby's fingers were in front of her face.

"I think I might be a liiiiiitttle drunk."

Ali couldn't help but crack up. He was more than a liiiiiitttle drunk, but at least he was finally acknowledging it. Stilling grinning like a cute little idiot, Bobby concentrated on the game and selected his fighter. But every couple of seconds, he seemed to be closer and closer until finally Ali realized he was leaning on her. He hadn't moved over intentionally, but rather it was a slow fall.

"Hope this is cool. Because it's comfortable, and you're soft."

Ali made an odd face but it wasn't a bad one. Taking the words alone, what he said sounded back, but the tone was harmless. Shrugging, then quickly apologizing for hitting him in the head with her shoulder, she let him stay.

"Oops, sorry! It's cool though."

They were both focused on the game ahead as it loaded. There was a moment of silence, but it was suddenly broken by the game.

'FIGHT!'

Ali didn't waste a moment before she was mashing buttons trying to kick her new friend's ass.

[Bobby Drake]

Not really trying to hit on her or anything. Bobby didn't think it would be any problem. A sharp jab of a shoulder to the side of his head told him he might have been mistaken. Looking up at her, she quickly apologized.

"Oops, sorry! It's cool though."

And then the game began with one sharp verbal command.

Bobby had played this game a thousand times, and his fingers knew exactly where to go. It was a pretty good fight, though Bobby had to call out taunts like, "You fight like a chick," and he certainly couldn't help the fact that his tongue was sticking out the corner of his mouth again. It was what he did when he was like concentrating and junk.

At the end of the first round, it was as close as it could have been...but Ali actually won.

"Okay, I let you win that one," he said leaning forward a little and putting on his game face. "Now I'm really going to try." And when the second verbal command came, he would.

[dazz]

The game yelled for them to begin. Both Ali and Bobby began mashing buttons, trying to slaughter each others' virtual selves. It was a tough round, going blow for not-actually-happening blow. Ali had expected the alcohol to hamper Bobby's skills, but this made it more than clear that he played a lot of video games. Ali was threatened, but she kept it on the downlow. Bobby didn't, feeling the need to call out taunts like "You fight like a chick!" In response, Ali only snickered at his need to have his tongue out the side of his mouth.

Finally, after a hardfought battle, Ali finished him off.

"Woohoo!"

She threw her free arm up in victory.

"Ooh, I told ya you'd suck it."

Ali was just laughing her head off, a wicked grin on her face as always. But Bobby was the playfully sore loser.

"Okay, I let you win that one." And his game face was on. "Now I'm really going to try."

That sounded like a challenge to her.

"We'll see what good that does..."

A few more seconds and the game shouted again.

"FIGHT!"

And they were off in round to. Bobby's efforts were noticeable, as the second round was much harder. She even contemplated a distraction, but decided to be a clean player. After some time, though, she wished she'd done otherwise. Because Bobby just won.

"What? Aww! Tryin' to show me up in my own home?"

She threw an accusatory glance at the boy propped on her shoulder.

"Oh, it's on."