Hu Yetao inwardly cringed and turned to the wizard seated on the tall bar stool to his right. "Yeah...?" he replied, trying his best to avoid sounding wary or annoyed - even though he was both.
The wizard angled his body towards him a little with a toothy grin, half-empty pint in one hand. "Wow, you're so much shorter than I imagined."
Hu Yetao just looked at him blankly. "Sorry to disappoint you," he finally responded dryly before turning away, wishing the bartender would hurry up and come over so that he could order and then retreat to the safety of his table.
"Oh no, it's fine, I like 'em short," the man dismissed, as though that was a compliment.
For fuck's sake, Hu Yetao thought irritably, running a hand through his shower-dampened hair as he always did when frustrated with a situation. The man was an Alpha but looked to be at least twenty years older than him.
He shot the man a thin smile and turned away, trying to signal the bartender with wide, desperate eyes. It seemed to work as he caught Hu Yetao's gaze and made his way over.
Hu Yetao nearly sighed in relief. "Hi, can I get an order of chips and vinegar please?"
The barman nodded curtly and turned away to scribble on a soiled piece of parchment before sending the paper fluttering off to the kitchen.
"Is your boss here?"
Hu Yetao glanced at his unwanted companion while he handed over his money to the bartender. "My… what?" he replied distractedly.
The man's lips stretched into an oily smile that made Hu Yetao's skin crawl. "Your Alpha; that Wang boy."
Hu Yetao felt indignant rage flare up his spine and his hands clenched on the curved edge of the bar. "He is not my boss," he responded through clenched teeth.
The man laughed loudly, obnoxiously, and Hu Yetao had never wanted to punch someone quite so badly.
A fist suddenly connected with the man's cheek and sent him sprawling onto the floor.
Hu Yetao turned in surprise to see Zhou Keyu standing next to him.
"Sorry to step in but I thought if I punched him instead of you, it wouldn't make the papers," he offered in way of explanation, an amused smile on his face. "Bad publicity and all that."
The man groaned from his position on the floor and held a hand to his cheek as he blinked blearily up at Zhou Keyu in confusion, looking as though he'd ingested enough alcohol to keep him puzzled long enough for Hu Yetao to make his escape.
Hu Yetao turned his back on him. "You didn't have to do that," he said to Zhou Keyu, then narrowed suspicious eyes as he suddenly thought of something. "I'm not going to change my mind, you know."
Zhou Keyu grinned and followed Hu Yetao as he began to slowly push his way back through the crowd towards the Hogwart's tables.
"Then why haven't you told Oscar?"
Hu Yetao looked back over his shoulder. "About you? What makes you think I haven't?"
Zhou Keyu snorted. "Because he hasn't tried to rip my head off yet."
Hu Yetao rolled his eyes but turned back around without saying anything. In the wake of the inquiry, he'd honestly forgotten all about Zhou Keyu's offer, and now… well it just didn't seem important. It would feel like boasting if he suddenly told Oscar about it, or as if he was trying to make his mate jealous.
"I won't stop trying," Zhou Keyu suddenly said, voice pitched low enough so that the people around them couldn't hear. "Especially since you've yet to be claimed." His gaze pointedly dropped to Hu Yetao's unblemished neck a second before he turned and walked off to the other table.
Hu Yetao swallowed, hating that feeling of vulnerability that always washed over him any time someone mentioned the fact that he was "unclaimed," as though he was susceptible to random people just grabbing him and hauling him off to wherever they wanted; to do whatever they wanted.
He tried to shake it off as he walked over to his table and slid back into his seat.
"Where's Oscar?" he asked Zhang Xinyao, glancing at Fu Sichao, the only other occupant of their table, who appeared to be nodding off against the back of the seat.
"Too many late nights, that one," Zhang Xinyao observed with a smirk. "Toilets," he said, turning back to answer Hu Yetao's question before finishing off the remainder of his Butterbeer.
Hu Yetao nodded and sat back with a happy sigh as his order of warm, salted chips doused in vinegar arrived at the table and drifted down to rest in front of him. He dug in, blowing on each chip a moment before popping it into his mouth and chewing with a blissful groan.
Zhang Xinyao reached across to snatch a few from the grease-soaked paper tray.
"Here we are," Jing-Long announced, returning to the table suddenly, carrying a tray of what looked like many, many shot glasses filled with an amber liquid that appeared to be smoking.
Hu Yetao raised his brow as he slid into the booth next to Zhang Xinyao. "Erm, Jing-Long? What are all those?"
"Firewhiskey," he replied, glancing down at the twinkling glasses.
Hu Yetao blinked at him as he reached for another soggy chip. "Since when do you drink Firewhiskey? And why so many?"
Jing Long pushed the tray into the center of the table and folded her arms. "They're for you, well, for all of us really, but mostly for you to practice with."
"Huh?" Hu Yetao replied as he chewed, feeling as though he was missing something. "You know I don't like alcohol; it always gives me a massive headache."
"Yes but Oscar was just telling us about the party his mum is planning for the two of you, and he mentioned that he wished you had a little more practice at being… refined."
Hu Yetao frowned, slightly hurt by that comment; Oscar had never mentioned to him that he felt that way. "And drinking Firewhiskey makes you fall into that category?" he replied doubtfully.
Jing Long shrugged and glanced down at the loaded tray. "It's what Oscar always orders, isn't it?"
"I suppose," Hu Yetao replied blandly, following his gaze and grimacing at the shiny glasses which were still emitting a few wisps of smoke. "This many will get me pissed though."
"I'll help." Zhang Xinyao grinned and grabbed one of the glasses. "Cheers!"