Guts

The party's already loud, crowded, messy someone's idea of fun.

You're not even planning to play until someone drags you into the circle anyway. The bottle spins, clinking against the floor, everyone leaning in. When it lands on you first, there's already a reaction people whistling, calling out. Then it spins again.

And lands on Henry. The whole room goes off.

Loud teasing, someone laughing like they already know this is about to be a disaster. Henry just shakes his head, muttering something under his breath, but he's already looking at you. "Yeah, yeah, real funny," he snaps at them but he still gets up.

As you both walk toward the closet, the Bowers gang is immediately on him Victor grinning, Belch shoving his Shoulder, Patrick just watching. "Don't screw it up," Belch says. Henry flips him off without even turning around.

The door shuts, and everything muffles. Outside is still loud, but in there it's quieter. For a second, he just stands there like he's deciding something. Then he looks at you, "You gonna make this weird, or?" You don't step back. If anything, you hold his gaze like you're daring him to do something first. That's what does it. He steps in the kiss isn't soft. It's quick, a little rough around the edges.

There's a brief pause after, both of you are still close, breathing a little heavier than before. No awkward apology.

No backing off. Just that same tension, stronger now. From outside, the banging starts.

"Time's ticking!" "Yall alive in there or what?" Henry rolls his eyes but he doesn't move right away. Like he's not in a rush to open that door.

When you finally step out, the room immediately reacts again. Louder this time. Victor's the first to say something, "you finally got kissed by a girl" grinning like he's been waiting for it. Belch laughs, shoving Henry again. Even Patrick looks a little more interested now.

You don't get intimidated by Henry you match him.

The first time he snaps at someone and expects you to flinch, you don't. You just tilt your head, watching him like you're trying to decide something. It throws him off for a second. Not enough for anyone else to notice but you see it.

You argue with him, but not in a normal way. It's not emotional it's sharp, fast, almost like you're both trying to outdo each other. He'll shove someone. You'll say something worse. And instead of getting mad at you he grins.

There's this constant push and pull. Who's louder, who's meaner, who goes further. Except sometimes, you don't even need to try.

You just naturally meet him at that level.

People start noticing that when you're both around, things escalate faster. Like you feed into each other without even trying.

Someone says something wrong, and both of you react at the same time not hesitating, not softening it.

He respects you in the only way he knows how. Not gently. Not openly. But he doesn't treat you like everyone else. You're not someone he controls you're someone he measures himself against.

There are moments where it goes quiet between you.