It’s like the Cantina Scene
It's like the Cantina Scene
MAX
The thumping is so loud I can feel it in my chest. It's perfect.
Last Call on a Saturday night is exactly what I needed after this week. Midterms are over, I've got no dates lined up to stress about, and I'm here to dance with my friends and have a good time.
Luca and Del are in their own little world near the edge of the dance floor, swaying against each other.
Del's mostly swaying, probably a good call since we've seen more than once that Del's coordination on land is "questionable at best." But they're smiling at each other like they are alone on the packed dance floor, and it's stupidly cute.
Haru and Elliot are dancing nearby, Haru talking animatedly while Elliot does that thing where he's perfectly in sync with the music without seeming to try.
How does he get his body to move like that? Show-off.
JP's somewhere in the crowd, and Leo's getting us waters from the bar. I'm dancing with a guy named Josh, or maybe John, who's got nice shoulders and keeps complimenting my hair. It's fun. Easy. No pressure.
"You want another drink?" Josh-maybe-John shouts over the music.
"I'm good, thanks!" I shout back, and he nods and spins me under his arm, which makes me laugh because I definitely don't have the coordination for that, but I manage not to fall over, so I'm calling it a win.
The song changes to one with a faster beat, and I'm about to suggest we keep dancing when I catch sight of JP across the floor.
He's talking to someone, a guy, older than us, early thirties maybe, really attractive in that put-together way that makes you think he's got his life figured out.
I've seen JP dance with him before. A few times, actually.
But right now they're not dancing. They're having what looks like a heated conversation, JP's arms crossed, the other guy gesturing, his face frustrated but not angry.
JP shakes his head, says something short, and turns away.
The guy watches him go, that frustrated look deepening, but he doesn't follow.
JP's walking back toward us now, weaving through the crowd, and when he reaches our group, he gives us all a small shake of his head.
"You okay?" I ask, leaning close so he can hear me.
"Fine," JP says. "Don't want to talk about it."
I search his face for a second, he looks more annoyed than upset. "Okay." If JP wants to talk, he'll talk. Pushing never works with him.
"Dance with me," JP says, already pulling me into the rhythm of the music, and I go willingly because that's what we do. Josh-maybe-John has a different guy pressed up against him now.
JP and I dance, we laugh, we won't talk about whatever just happened until he's ready.
After a few songs, he seems more relaxed, and I drift away to get some more water.
When I come back, there's a bear of a guy smiling at me, tall, broad, the kind of build that makes you feel small in a good way, and he gestures to the dance floor.
"Yeah?" he asks.
"Yeah," I say, grinning.
We fall into the music easily, and I'm thinking maybe I do have a type, these bigger guys, taller guys, the ones who make me feel like I could melt into them, and I'm having fun.
Really good fun. The kind where you forget to overthink and just move.
And then someone's hands are on my hips.
Not the guy I was dancing with. Someone behind me. Pulling me back, hard, against…
Oh no, he didn't! That's a d-i-c-k. A chubby d-i-c-k pressed right against my lower back. Some random guy is grinding against me, and his hands are gripping my hips like he has a right to, and I didn't… I didn't say he could.
"Hey there, pretty boy," a voice rumbles in my ear, low and way too close. His breath is hot on my neck. I try to step forward, but his grip tightens.
"Where you going?" He pulls me tighter against him. "Let me get a good look at you first." He spins me slightly, enough that I can see his face, older, maybe forty, scruffy beard, eyes raking over me like I'm something he's considering buying.
"Yeah," he says, grinning. "You're perfect."
My brain stutters. What?
"You're a virgin, aren't you?"
How… How does he know that?
"Fuck, I can always tell," he continues, leaning in so close I can smell the whiskey on his breath. "You've got that look. All wide-eyed and nervous. It's cute."
Holy hand grenades, what did he just say to me? My body goes rigid, and he laughs, low and pleased.
"Yeah, thought so. Don't worry, baby boy. I'm gonna take real good care of you. Gonna pop that cherry, wreck you so good you won't walk straight for a week—"
Oh, heck nope. Nope, nope, nope. He's moving. We're moving. Backward.
"Come on," he murmurs, hand sliding to the small of my back, turning me, pressing, guiding. "Let's go somewhere we can be alone. Somewhere I can really—"
This is Last Call. This doesn't happen here. I try to pull away, but he's strong, and my body won't cooperate, won't fight properly; everything's locked up… Leo. I search the crowd, heart hammering, and… There.
Leo's already moving toward me, his eyes locked on mine, and I see the exact moment he registers something really bad's happening. His jaw’s set and his shoulders are squared; nothing soft about him now.
JP's right behind him. Haru and Elliot, too. And then Luca and Del appear from the other side. My friends form a circle around us, and the guy lets go of me, stepping slightly back, annoyed.
"The fuck?" he says. "We're dancing."
"He doesn't look like he wants to dance," Leo says, and his voice is cold. Flat… Scary.
I take a step toward Leo, toward safety, but the guy's hand clamps around my wrist, yanking me back. "Mind your business, kid."
"Max is my business," Leo says.
"Look, he's fine," the guy says, still holding me. "We're just dancing."
"Back off." Leo's voice drops even lower.
"Or what?" The guy takes a step toward Leo. "You gonna make me, string bean?"
And then Leo stands up straight. I've seen Leo hunch a million times; he's always trying to make himself smaller, less noticeable, but right now, he's not hunching. He's standing at his full six-foot-one, shoulders back, and the look on his face is absolutely ferocious.
Blasters! Leo's really mad. I've never seen him look like that.
The guy falters, just slightly, because Leo's actually taller than him and about five hundred percent more terrifying than anyone expects from the guy who speaks in percentages and forgets to shave.
Leo reaches for me, and I go to him immediately, letting him pull me behind him, and the asshole's face goes red.
"You fucker—"
But then there's a giant hand on the guy's shoulder, and I see Ryker, the bouncer, the gorgeous mountain of a man who's been working here forever, with another bouncer right beside him.
"We got a problem here?" Ryker asks, his voice calm but with an edge that suggests the problem is about to be removed.
"These kids—" the asshole starts.
"These Men… are regulars," Ryker interrupts. "You're not. Let's go."
"I didn't do anything—"
"You've got three seconds to walk out on your own, or I'm dragging you.
Your choice." The guy looks like he wants to argue, but Ryker stares him down until he finally throws up his hands and stalks toward the exit, both bouncers following him out.
The second he's gone, all the adrenaline drains out of me, and I realize I'm shaking.
"Max?" Leo's hands on my shoulders are gentle, and the scary expression is gone, replaced with concern. "You okay?"
"I… yeah. Yeah, I'm okay." I am… I think.
My brain's still catching up. "I'm… holy motherboard, I'm strong, you know? How did he… I should've been able to—"
"He was twice your size and a Gaesaekki," JP says firmly. "This wasn't your fault."
Haru's got his arm around me now, too, and Luca's hovering with Del hugging him from behind, and Elliot's doing a silent protective thing where he's there, solid and steady. Ryker comes back over, his expression apologetic.
"I'm really sorry," he says. "No one should feel unsafe here. This is my cousin's bar, and we don't tolerate that shit. You guys okay?"
"Yeah," I manage. "Thanks for… yeah. Thank you."
Ryker nods toward the bar. "Go grab a round or two on me. Tell Danny I said so. And if anyone ever gives you trouble, you get loud, alright? Someone will find me. Got it?"
"Got it," Leo says, his hand still on my shoulder. We make our way to the bar, and the flirty bartender, Danny, apparently, pours us shots and beers without even asking what we want. Just lines them up with a sympathetic smile.
I down the shot immediately. Then a beer, and then I signal for another because you know what? Fuck that guy. I'm not letting some small-dicked creep wreck my night. That was close, too close, but I'm fine. I'm here with my friends, and I'm not going to let him destroy my night.
"Another round," I tell Danny.
"Max—" Leo starts.
"I'm good," I say firmly. "I'm… I'm… pissed. I came here to dance and have fun, and that's exactly what I'm going to do." JP's watching me carefully, but after a moment, he nods. "Okay."
The next shot goes down easier. And then, like the universe is on my side for once, ‘Shake It Off’ starts playing. I laugh. "See?" I say, grinning at the guys. "Taylor gets it! We're gonna shake it off!"
I start to shake the bum my mother gave me.
Haru lights up immediately. "Yes! We shake!
" Grabbing his hand, I pull him back onto the dance floor, and the others follow because this is how we roll.
Screw that guy, not literally, big blast no, but metaphorically screwing him and his creepy hands and his… small dink.
Nope. Not thinking about it. Taylor Swift. We're thinking about Taylor Swift and dancing and…
Haru's doing something weird with his arms, spinning in a circle and nearly taking out Elliot, and it's hilarious. Leo's still hovering, his protective mode clearly not switched off yet, and I catch his eye and give him my best pleading look.
"Come on, Leo," I call over the music. "I'm fine. Dance with me."
He hesitates, so I add the smile and the big eyes. The ones he can never resist. His shoulders drop slightly, and he shakes his head, but he's smiling now, too. "You're ridiculous."
"And you love me for it. Now dance!" He dances.
We all do. The circle's tight as we dance; nobody else is allowed in.
No other boys allowed! Luca laughs at whatever Del is whispering in his ear.
Elliot's swaying with his eyes closed, JP's grinning and moving like he's shaking off what happened earlier.
And Leo's right here, next to me, watching me with this mix of protectiveness and fondness that makes me warm. I spin, laughing, and catch sight of all of them, my people, my geeks, my absolute favorite humans, and yeah.
This is like that cantina scene in Star Wars, except with less murder and better music. And nobody's getting their arm cut off. That's a plus. Definitely a plus.
The music shifts into a song with a heavier beat, and I throw my hands up, letting the rhythm take over, letting everything else fade away. I'm tipsy and happy and surrounded by the best guys in the world.
I really need to pee. Not now, though. Later. Definitely later. Maybe soon?