love the lonely

shaking his head in a poor impersonation of a wet puppy, though he didn’t have enough hair to be spilling much water, liam plopped down on the sand next to his tiny pile of things, rummagging through them until he produced his pack of cigarettes and a lighter. “want one?” he offered his closest neighbor, holding out the box in their direction. “i gotta have a smoke after swimming, you know, same urge i get after sex – it’s like physical activity demands i ruin my lungs a little more, since they’ve just proven they’re still healthy enough for me to work out or whatever.”

Picnic blanket laid out on the rocky beach Frankie had positioned herself on that day, she finally spotted a familiar head of blonde hair walking by and waved over to Seth. “Want a strawberry?” she asked him, sitting back on her elbows and offering up the fruit she had in a small basket beside her. “Got them from this market down the road. And they were selling this sketchy-looking homemade wine. Bought some of that too. It’s actually not bad, kind of tastes like alcoholic juice.” @setheldridges

Turning to take in the wave of a hand caught in his peripheral vision, a wide grin blossomed on Seth’s face as he noticed Frankie. Settling down beside her on the picnic blanket, he plucked a strawberry from the basket. “Don’t mind if I do,” he allowed before taking a bite into the berry, a small accumulation of juice dripping at the corner of his mouth. Wiping it clean with his wrist, the blond plopped the remaining bit of strawberry into his mouth and wiped the stickiness on the sides of his blue swim trunks. “I would rate that strawberry a solid 4.5 out of 5. Overall, good purchase,” he assessed, a smirk tugging at the corners of his lips at how close he sounded to a reviewer on Amazon. At the mention of the wine, Seth tilted his head slightly. “Alcoholic juice. Isn’t that all wine?” he questioned, a grin forming on his mouth.

“I mean, if I wanted actual protein I’d order a burger,” he said, pointing his fork at Seth’s now empty plate. “Oh, delicious. Here’s the thing. It’s still kind of gross to hear, but at least they’re not like…alive and wiggling around in your coffee, you know? There’s something about watching a fucking beetle crawl out from under a lettuce leaf and strut around on your plate like it owns the place. Cocky little bugs.” Anyone know knew Aedan knew he had a tendency to be dramatic in his storytelling—no doubt a habit acquired from spending so much time on YouTube—so it was always fun to rope someone unsuspecting into his stories only to let them down with an anticlimactic ending. He grinned once he finished, laughing along with Seth. “He could totally get it. I love him. But thanks, I really appreciate the sympathy. It’s just…so hard.” He shook his head, heaving a pretend sigh. “I swear every time I go in there the people at the desk glare at me like this expect it to happen again. That’s the real reason I always wear these headphones, you know. So in case any sound comes blasting out, the only person I hurt is myself.”

“As would I, but bugs are common cuisine in some parts of the world,” Seth acknowledged, a small shrug rolling his shoulders. The blond couldn’t help but chuckle at the image the other painted of a beetle crawling out from underneath the safe haven of his salad and strutting around the plate in clear view as if it were a runway model. “Right? Where did they even get that confidence from? We’re actual giants compared to them. I’d be a little more cautious if I felt the need to disrespect a giant’s food,” Seth pointed out, blue eyes scanning the table for any sign of the long lost insect that’d sparked this discussion in the first place. He nodded as the other agreed with his sentiment regarding Markiplier. “It’s like, every time I hear from him, he’s doing something for charity or making a video where he gets emotional from gratitude to his supporters. What a beautiful soul,” he gushed, expression growing faux stoic as his companion dramatized the difficulty of his experience. Reaching forward, Seth rested his hand on top of the other’s, meeting his eyes with feigned intensity. “You’re a true hero, playing Russian roulette with your eardrums for the good of the people.”

Max smiled at the mention of his mother. She loved her own mother, despite her mother’s unorthodox ways of life.  Her mother rarely gave words of advice, for her mother believed that life was the best teacher. “Your mother sounds wise and kind.” Looking at him, she could see it. His eyes were kind but there was something else there, not wanting to stare, she looked away briefly. A small laugh escaped her lips. “The one toy my mother never let me play with.” Referring to the ouija board, “I usually just stick to crystal balls.” She mused, her eyes wandering over to his hot cheeks, laughing once more. “I’ve made you blush.” Humming now, “I’d have your baby.”

Nodding a couple of times, a soft smile emerged on Seth’s features. “She is. She’s the strongest person I know. She taught me the real value of being kind to other people and how there’s strength in not letting the world harden you. So many people see the shitty parts of humanity and let that shape their entire worldview. But if you do that, you close yourself off from other people and how they could positively affect your life, you know?” He chuckled at that, the serious underbelly of the so called “toy” mocking the definition itself. “Good. That means your mom loves you. What parent would knowingly want their child to conjure demons? Seems a little dangerous.” Sitting up a bit straighter, Seth leaned forward in interest. “Like an actual crystal ball for fortune telling or a toy?” At the mention of his blushed cheeks, he rose his hands to cover the heat of them, blue eyes widening at her next words. A smirk crept onto his lips. “Wait. Are you saying that in an attempt to make me blush more?”

With every touch that Seth gave, every hug he gave - the feeling felt like Eros was right at home. In fact, the only sensation that conveys anything to the caliber of Seth’s hug was Cas’ embrace. Maybe things were getting over-complicated in the boy’s mess of a mind, but maybe his love for Seth crossed borders that are labeled as platonic. Yes, he’s felt this way before but once he got a boyfriend, they were pushed to the side and hindered greatly. The moment was getting heated and quite touchy-feely, but thankfully Seth ruined it with his coquettish humor. Eros chuckled, clearly off guard before his hauling into the pool. Skin wet with the slight smell of chlorine flooding his nostrils, the brunette splashed in the water a bit as he was attempting to regain his composure. “Oh, you fucking asshole!” Eros yelled out before pulling the male into the pool with him. A bit of water thrown at Seth later, Eros wrapped his arms around the male and straddled him like he’d do sometimes, legs tight around the blonde’s waist. Any normal person would think gestures like that are romantic, and Eros wouldn’t dare do this in front of Cas, but Seth and Eros just redefine what usually is platonic and romantic. The lines are always blurred for the duo, which makes things just a little more fun at times. “You are so fucking lucky that this water is deep or else I would’ve fucking drowned you..” He said as he held onto his best friend like he was holding on for dear life. “Okay, flirtatious innuendos aside, you literally need to keep me in your arms before I fucking die.” The spitfire mumbled.

Childish grin in place as he watched Eros resurface from underneath the chlorinated pool water, Seth attempted to dodge the splash with a quick sidestep. “I had to see if you’d make good on your promise to drown me. Call me a sucker for punishment,” he called out, his voice echoing slightly in the indoor pool area. The words were barely out of his mouth by the time Eros pulled him in after him. Forcefully resurfacing by bouncing himself against the pool’s bottom, Seth shook the water from his hair and wiped his eyes. “I should’ve expected that,” he noted, a smile on his lips as the other clung to him. Was this crossing a boundary? Maybe, but Eros had initiated contact this time. Surely, he would tell Seth if something crossed a line. Granted, the blond was a bit confused where the line actually was if words ventured past it but Eros legs wrapped around his waist didn’t. Still, he was more than happy to let the line’s location fall on Eros’ shoulders to decide and just focus on spending time with his best friend as he always had, touches that bordered on questionably platonic and all. “Face it. You’d miss me too much if I drowned,” Seth challenged, a pout tugging at his lower lip as he traced an invisible tear path down his cheek with his index finger. Maneuvering them over to the ladder, a smirk was clear on the blond’s lips. “There. You’re completely safe. You’re free to hop out and meet me at the shallow end if you’re ready to collect your piggyback ride.”

“Uhhh, honestly? It was… stupid,” Gabe chuckled, shaking his head, suddenly embarrassed. He felt more sober than ever at that moment as opposed to when all the action was going down, glass fall everywhere and bruised knuckles. “Long story short, got into an altercation with some asshole. Foot twisted the wrong way at some point… broken glass was involved…” He knit his eyebrows together, nearly reflecting the vagueness of the infamous Vine. Frowning at the redness of his knuckles, his reflexive defense was to bury them under his crossed arms, now spreading leftover blood onto his already dirty white t-shirt. “Yeah. Clumsy me. Guess I gotta be escorted to bars now. It’s all Weenie Hut Jr. for me from now on.”

Sensing the other’s humiliation towards the subject, Seth offered him a sympathetic smile. “I’m not judging you,” he reassured, knowing he himself could end up in a similar situation if he witnessed something that upset him. The blond didn’t necessarily have a penchant for aggression, but he did have a strong sense of justice, something that had gotten him in a few unsavory predicaments in the past. He helped the other into the passenger side seat of his truck. The red of his companion’s knuckles caught his eye, and he reached to gently uncover them from the confines of crossed arms and into the dull glow of the street light’s light. Studying them carefully, the Spongebob reference cracked his stoic expression, a light chuckle escaping. “More like Super Weenie Hut Jr.,” he teased, a playful glint in his eyes as his gaze flit up to meet the other’s. Neutralizing his features again, Seth gestured vaguely towards his backseat. “The first aid kit’s in the back. Point me in the direction of all your booboos and I’ll get what we need.”

Her smile mirrored his, she knew it did, watching the way it reached his eyes like that; how was she not supposed to be wearing her own? Knowing that she did that, a kind of pride swelled in her. Having that affect on him was thrilling, she couldn’t remember the last time she felt like that, like she could have someone wrapped around her finger if she wanted to. “I’m just great, Seth, duh. When are you going to accept it?” She was joking, obviously, even accompanying the words with a flip of her hair. Fuck, she couldn’t wait to not be blonde anymore. “Baby, if you want me to sing your praises, all you gotta do is ask.” Under the table, she locked one of her ankles around his. That stupid wink was going to be the death of her, but she could play this game. “Yes, you can give gifts all eight days. You don’t have to, though, and if you do, it’s typically little things. Last year, the most expensive thing I got my mom was a bottle of her favorite perfume. Hanukkah isn’t really that big of a holiday, but since it’s so close to Christmas, it’s a ‘big deal’,” she used air quotes then, before her hand dropped to the table, palm up, fingers apart, an invitation. She grinned at him, all teeth. “Name a time and place, and we can talk about it all you want.”

He shook his head fondly at her response, grin still as wide as when it’d first blossomed on his face. How could he stop smiling like he was when she was smiling like that in front of him? “It may take a little time, but we’ll get there. One day, I’ll stop doubting your prowess,” he teased, finally allowing the cartoonish grin to deflate as he tore off another piece of the danish, raising it slightly to draw attention to it. “Do you want any of this? I feel bad eating all of it,” he admitted, a light chuckle passing through his lips. Quirking up a brow at the premise of Rory being willing to sing his praises any time he asked, a smirk tugged at the corners of his lips. “It’s weird because I usually don’t like when someone gives me compliments. I just never know how to respond to them. But yours are different somehow. I guess they’re just sweeter coming out of your mouth,” he proposed, blue eyes flitting to scan across her lips before meeting her eyes again. “Eight presents, huh? I guess I better start figuring out what to get. What’ve been some of your favorite gifts from past hannukahs?” Leaning forward in interest, he clasped his hands together for a split second until he noticed Rory’s on the table and began tracing the lines along her palm as she had done to him earlier. He met her gaze after she uttered the proposition, tucking his lower lip between his teeth. “Whenever. I’m at your mercy.”

Beau’s heart hammered wildly in his chest as he continued to have some sort of Western stand off with the jacked boy in front of him. He was far from worried about getting hurt himself, having a bit of a habit of getting himself mixed into bad situations from wanting to make better of them, but the fact that Seth was caught in the middle was the reason he was so nervous. The idea of the dude in front of him wanting to harm Seth in any way for something he knew his ex wouldn’t have done had Beau swallowing thickly, practically flush against Seth as if he were using himself as a human shield. “Just… take a deep breath. In through your nose out through -,” he started, almost desperate for the guy in front of him to see reason, but before he could even continue said boy spat out, “Shut up, this isn’t fucking yoga, bitch.” Blinking in shock at his aggression, a frown found his way onto Beau’s face as Seth continued to plead his case. He was generally one of the most patient people that he knew, a trait he valued about himself, but this guy was seriously pushing his luck. “Come on. It’s obvious that Seth isn’t lying, let’s just… call a truce or something. Okay?” he raised a brow at the frat boy - Nate, his friends had shouted when they realized this situation just wasn’t interesting any more - but it seemed to do little to settle him. The moment he took a step closer, the same threatening glare on his face, Beau immediately held his hands up to block Nate from taking another step closer, “I don’t want to hurt you or do anything stupid. I don’t like fighting, but if you don’t leave my friend alone, I will. He didn’t do anything wrong!” It was a bit concerning, how Beau sounded more scared than threatening, but his words stood true. Glancing at Seth over his shoulder, Beau quickly murmured, “You should go. I’ll figure this out.” he knew that even if he begged, Seth probably wouldn’t leave him to deal with this on his own, but common logic failed Beau at the moment, Seth’s safety the only thing he could properly focus on then.

Seth could practically feel the nervous energy radiating off of his ex, and he grabbed his hand in an attempt to ease him if only slightly, interlocking their fingers and giving his hand a soft squeeze. In truth, he felt nervous too, more so now that Beau had involved himself with the misunderstanding, but any sort of conflict was enough to awaken his nerves. He’d been in physical fights before, had his fair share of bloody noses and split lips from scuffles where he’d felt the need to defend either himself or someone who needed it, but he never particularly liked fighting with anyone. If something was able to be talked out and resolved through words, it made more sense to seek that option. As the frat bro barked out an aggressive command Beau’s way, Seth locked his jaw. “Don’t talk to him like that,” he ordered sharply, protective instinct peeking through. On most days, the blond could easily be compared to a gentle and loving Labrador Retriever, but when the right buttons were pushed, occasionally he could appear more like someone’s guard dog Doberman. When the frat boy stepped forward towards Beau, Seth was ready to step in front of his ex and defend him, a mission only halted as the other turned around and requested he leave. “Beau,” he spoke, an incredulous laugh coating his  name, brows furrowed in sheer disbelief. “I would literally have a knife fight with this guy before I let him hurt you. There’s no fucking way I’m leaving you alone with him.” Redirecting his gaze back to Nate, Seth stepped in front of Beau, eyeing the other from head to toe before readjusting his stare back into the other’s eyes. “I fully intend to try to reason with you until you deliver the first blow. All I ask is that if it should come to that, you keep it between us. Beau has no part in this disagreement.” He paused, letting out a soft sigh. “That said, I’d much rather settle this nonviolently. What can I do to settle this?”

One of the many joys of being a theater major was that Teddy was hardly shy when it came to attention. In fact, the second that the childish goading came from the people surrounding them, he acted put out, waving them all off, but the broad smile on his face gave him away. Every second of it, it caused Teddy to beam and laugh and snicker - it was fun, sometimes, to be in the spotlight of such an intimate situation. However, the second Seth criticized the kiss Teddy gave him, the squeals and gasps from his peers sounded more like a challenge. Raising a brow at the other, Teddy let out a scandalized scoff, continuing to play up the entire scenario, “Jeez Louise - is this the same Seth Eldridge that probably helped at least three grandmas cross the street today after rescuing a cat from a tree or Mr. Christian Grey in the flesh. Label me spanked,” he teased, repositioning himself from his somewhat awkwardly hunkered stance so that he was resting on his knees, far more comfortable considering he was, apparently, going to be staying there for longer than expected. “Fine. As you wish,” he murmured, leaning in closer as he spoke. One hand resting on the blond’s thigh, Teddy paused just before he could properly seal the deal, so close that their lips were already brushing against each other’s. Instead, an open mouthed grin appeared on his feature’s as his tongue licked delicately at Seth’s bottom lip, an Elio to Oliver from Call Me By Your Name move, before his free hand grabbed a fistful of the other’s soft blond hair and pulled him in to close the tiny gap between them. Teddy didn’t want to disappoint - and it wasn’t exactly hard to kiss Seth like he wanted to, considering the fact that Teddy had probably thought about doing so every time he’d been around Seth. The other boy had a sort of atmosphere to him that was intoxicating to Teddy, it felt as if everything about Seth was natural and sweet, but his theory that his counterpart had a rougher side to him apparently stood true. It had Teddy hoping to leave Seth breathless and wanting more. After a good minute, Teddy was practically in Seth’s lap at this point, not even realizing he’d gotten so close until someone grabbed him by the arm and all but yanked him away from the other, “Okay, okay! Y’all proved your point, continue this somewhere else or go back to your spot, Lawrence.” Sticking his tongue out at the guy that’d ripped them apart, Teddy immediately clambered to his feet. He didn’t even have the decency to look bashful as he held out a hand to Seth, quirked brow and smirk on his face as he asked, “You coming?”

It wasn’t typically in Seth’s nature to be so openly demanding, especially not regarding PDA or for something as trivial as a dare in a game. But the mix of alcohol in his veins and the confirmation that Teddy found him to be “the hottest person in the room” had the usually laid-back and low-key blond feeling confident. The assumption that the other’s own confidence wasn’t likely to quell in the face of a challenge only fanned the flames the vodka had ignited, and Seth found himself grinning as Teddy stepped up and made a joke at his expense. “Is that a request? Would you like me to fetch a whip?” he teased, ignoring the critical voice in his head that longed to complain about the characterization of Christian Grey and his abusive behavior and instead opting to keep the tone playful. This was hardly the time for that conversation. And besides, any points of argument were muted as the brunette moved in closer. An instinctive hand moved to cup his jaw, thumb rubbing softly along the skin underneath it as blue eyes flitted between his features. And then, lips brushing against each other’s, Seth was no longer left to focus on the intricacies of Teddy’s face. Eyelids fluttering closed, he focused on the sensation of the other’s lips on his and the sheer possibility of what his challenge would allow this kiss to become. A smirk tugged on his features as he felt him lick at his lower lip, his own tongue swiping over the expanse of pink flesh as he met his companion’s gaze. And then he was being pulled in, all anticipation and want as he met the other’s lips again. There was a definite attraction there. Teddy’s seemingly effortless confidence and the carefree attitude he displayed in most situations drew Seth in, made him want to uncover the cause. He wanted to know his philosophy on life, his opinions on things, in general. An activity only to be enhanced by how attractive he found the other to be. Nails lightly skating down his back, Seth cupped his ass when his hands had finally made their descent down. Smirking against his lips, the blond delivered a sharp ‘pop’ to his left ass cheek in a moment of boldness. And then, they were being pulled apart, and the reality of their surroundings filled Seth’s mind. Combing a self-conscious hand through his blond hair, he averted his gaze from the group, only glancing up to meet Teddy’s eyes when he directed a question his way. He couldn’t help but chuckle at how unaffected the other seemed, pulling himself up by the hand extended to him and dragging him outside of the party. Glancing over at his companion, Seth offered him a sheepish smile. “Sorry if I was a little overboard at the end there. I had to know if the spanking comment had some weight behind it.”

Seth’s soft touch made Eros naturally smile and curl into him more. His best friend was there through everything and always had the best advice. Eros hid his face as his cheeks flushed brighter, the charm and wholesome nature of Seth never failing to get a reaction out of him. “You always know the right things to say.” The compliment emitted through his lips as he, as platonically as he could with a handful of the others locks, pressed a kiss against his cheek before cuddling against him once more. “Oh, cool. I think we know from the numerous amount of sweaters I’ve stole from you over the years that I look pretty damn good in your stuff, Sethy.” The smirk grew in size as he proceeded to change his top to the blonde’s, playfully twirling around as if he was a Victoria’s Secret model on the runway. His flamboyant scene of modeling the other’s clothes soon came to an end when he was faced with the threat. “Excuse me? Listen, blondie - I think you’ve known me long enough to know that I put up a fight. Try it if you can but I’ll literally drown you.” As soon as the two got near the pool. Eros looked at the water and back at Seth. “Try anything and I swear, I’ll beat you up.” He joked.

A deep smirk lining his lips at the other’s reaction, Seth pinched the redness of his cheek. “I do my best,” he returned, a purposely goofy smile on his mouth to deflect from the compliment. It wasn’t necessarily true, the prospect of the blond always having the right words. But he’d rather keep things lighthearted for the time being. He welcomed his best friend into his arms as he began to cuddle into him, ignoring the faint pink that burned his cheeks at the previous gesture.  Wrapping his arms around him completely, Seth gave him a small squeeze before untangling from the hug. “I won’t deny it,” he spoke simply, not wanting to add too much in fear that he’d unknowingly cross another line. He didn’t want Eros to feel like he didn’t respect his relationship with Cas. Biting his lower lip to keep from laughing at Eros’ model roleplay, he simply shook his head fondly. He envied that quality about his best friend. If there was something that could be said about Eros, it was that he never toned himself down for someone else’s sake. He was 100% authentically him, something that had drawn Seth to him in the first place. At the threat, he simply scoffed, raising a brow at him. “Hot. How’d you know I have a waterboarding kink?” It was an obvious joke, evidence presented in the abrupt laugh that shortly followed. As they approached the pool, Seth put on his best mock innocent expression, whistling softly for comedic effect. “Like this?” The question was barely out of his mouth before he pushed the other into the water.

lottie: u can stop with the logic and the actual sense, it does not feel like the advice i should get

“Extra protein, right. Sounds like a bunch of lies. The same kind of lies people tell you to buy expensive protein drinks.” Aedan crumpled up his napkin, watching warily as Seth continued to munch on his fries. He usually wasn’t a squeamish person but things that didn’t belong in his food being in his food definitely squicked him out, just a bit. Seth was joking, obviously, but Aedan couldn’t resist taking it just a bit farther. “Don’t tell anyone,” he began with a completely straight face, “but a couple months ago…something happened that’s been haunting me. I went to the library to finish up some final project shit, and when I opened my laptop—the last YouTube video I was watching started blasting out the speakers at top volume. It was Markiplier screaming at Getting Over It and basically the entire library stared and shushed me. I haven’t lived it down since and I sincerely believe the universe is punishing me for it.”

“Technically, there’s not much protein to be had in one small beetle, so you might be right.” Seth scrunched his nose in distaste. “I’ve never tasted a good protein shake. I’m not even sure there’s such a thing.” Noticing the judgement from his companion, the blond frowned. “The average coffee drinker unknowingly consumes almost 140,000 insect fragments every year. If there’s a beetle in my fries, which I didn’t see, then it’s probably not the first I’ve had this year.” The fact wasn’t a comfort to Seth, but he was frugal and had already eaten most of his meal anyway. If a beetle had ventured onto his plate, it was probably already in his stomach. He leaned in a bit as the other began his ‘confession’, blue eyes studying his expression intently. He dissolved into laughter at the end of his story. “I’ll be completely honest with you. I know next to nothing about gaming, but Markiplier could get it if he wanted. He’s a good looking man and a total sweetheart.” Expression growing stoic for effect, Seth met the other’s eyes. “I’m sorry about your tragic twist of fate. You don’t deserve what happened to you. No one does.”

Eyebrows knitting in a knee jerk, entirely subconscious reaction to his response, Lana felt a little like a miscreant puppy bopped on the nose with a rolled up newspaper, a sharp plummet taking place inside her chest like she’d confidently set foot onto the next step down in the stairs only to find there wasn’t one. As nonsensical and irrational as it was, somewhere along the way Lana’s brain had been hardwired to believe that being an object of desire was the only way one knew they were a person at all. So, in the wake of Seth’s seemingly innocent – and, undoubtedly, nothing but polite – confession, all Lana could seem to do was dejectedly retract slightly, increasing their personal space. Suddenly, she felt a little embarrassed at assuming he wouldn’t have minded the close proximity in the first place. “Oh,” she stated simply, corners of her lips tweaking with a lame smile that she made up for by rolling her eyes and ushering out a laugh. “Yeah, sorry. Duh. Not everyone, um… I mean… Stupid question.” Attempting to keep up with the now monotonous sounding drone of frat-ish bass in the building in spite of her falter, she toyed absently with a few locks of baby hair at the base of Seth’s neck, thumb sifting the shortest of the bunch as she searched for her typical, sunshine-bright nonchalance. “For the record, though, I always want to kiss everyone. Kissing’s, like… one of my favourite things, I think. Better than sliced bread. Definitely better than the Avengers movies – not that it’s hard, no offence.”

Her reaction to his answer had been instantaneous, a dejected, hollow look replacing the typically vibrant expression in her lively brown eyes. And when she added to the space between them, it became glaringly obvious that what he’d said had upset her. It wasn’t meant to be a rejection. If anything, it had been an acknowledgement of boundaries, a sign of his respect for her. He never wanted anyone to feel pressured by him, so he was cautious of the other person’s comfort. But of course, intentions meant nothing when your words left wreckage behind, so it was time to begin picking up the pieces. Brows furrowed and a pained expression in his eyes, Seth frowned as Lana backtracked. After she finished speaking, he took her face in his hands, thumb rubbing along the soft skin of her cheek. He planted a kiss to her forehead and then the tip of her nose and then planted a final kiss to her lips, firm but gentle. Blue eyes staring back into her brown ones, Seth offered her a sad smile, knowing all too well what it was like to look for your value in another’s opinion. “You’re absolutely beautiful, Lana. But you were also beautiful before I told you that and before you knew that I thought so.” He paused for a moment, chewing on his cheek as he tried to gather the words he needed to get his point across. “I know it’s hard. I still struggle with it myself, but your opinion of yourself has to be more important than anyone else’s. Once you get there, you’ll be untouchable. We’ll both be untouchable.” It could be a bit anxiety inducing, having your insecurities splayed out in front of another person, but Seth hoped that including himself into the narrative would make her feel less singled out.

“You know,” Rory said, nails scratching lightly on the wooden tabletop, “that’s fucking brave. At least, I think so. To work harder at not caring what other people think about you? It takes so much - like, it takes a lot of balls to do that. So I’m really glad you’re doing it, ‘cause you’re fuckin’ incredible and if someone dislikes you, it’s really their loss.” She said it so matter-of-factly, too, like that was just the simplest thing that could ever come out of her mouth. And sometimes, she felt like it was; the way she felt about people was sometimes just so easy. Why couldn’t it always be this easy? The grin he wore made her heart do something stupid in her chest and she didn’t know if she liked it or not just yet. Crushes were dangerous. “Shut your face. You know I adore you.” Simple. Easy. “What do you want to know about it? And you don’t have to get me anything, don’t be silly!” But - okay. She could definitely get behind flirting-Seth. Or like, ask him to get behind her, whatever. “A coffee shop really isn’t the best place for me to talk about how much I like you teasing me, either.” 

A wide smile overtook his features, and he found himself propping his arm in front of his face to self-consciously cover it. He knew he probably looked a little ridiculous. Hell, he felt a little ridiculous at how easily her words had affected him, but this wasn’t a sentiment he tended to share unless he thought sharing it could benefit someone else in some way. And even then, he tried not to dwell on his side of it if he could help it. Rory’s validation felt like a breath of fresh air, like breathing again after holding your breath for too long. “You know exactly what to say to make me feel better. I wasn’t having the best day before I came in here, but now I’m smiling like a child who just got told they’re getting a puppy. How do you do that?” he teased, narrowing his eyes in mock suspicion. Her next words unleashed a cage of butterflies into his stomach. “Maybe I just wanted to hear you say that,” he joked, shooting her a wink before allowing a smile to settle on his mouth, playful and boyish. “I know that. I want to! I just need to know the protocol for gift giving during hanukah. Although, I definitely wouldn’t turn down any childhood stories about the holiday season.” Gnawing at his lower lip, his blue eyes flit up to meet her hazel ones. “Definitely not, but I would love to hear a little bit more about that.”

Aedan made a face at the other’s comment. “I’m gonna…fucking throw up, thanks.” He nudged the plate farther away from him till it was practically at the end of the table and eyeing his glass of Coke suspiciously before taking a careful sip. “Maybe this is the universe’s way of telling me I shouldn’t have gone out for lunch when I have plenty of bread for peanut butter and jelly at home. Anyway. Was your food okay?”

Seth couldn’t help but laugh at the other’s reaction in spite of himself. In truth, the picture he painted could’ve been a reality in his burger. But alas, he’d scarfed it down and would likely never know. “It’s just extra protein. The cook must’ve known you were missing it with your salad,” he teased, taking a sip of his sweet tea with reckless abandon. Seth furrowed his brows, rustling around his fries for a moment before picking one up and plopping it in his mouth. “You seem really focused on the idea that this is some sort of punishment. Do you have a guilty conscience?” He quirked up a brow at the other, a smirk revealing his playful intent as it settled on his lips. Surveying his plate, occupied only by a the splotches of sauce that fell from his burger and leftover fries, Seth nodded. “My food was great. I’m a little worried now though.”

Amidst a game of truth or dare Teddy wasn’t even aware he was a part of, his head shot forward when he heard someone call his name. Quickly swallowing his mouthful of beer, Teddy turned to the person that’d called him, setting his solo cup onto the floor in front of where he was currently sat cross legged, “Alright, hit me. Dare, thot!” The second he said dare, the blonde who was currently attempting to come up with something let out a squeal when her redheaded friend leaned in and whispered something into her ear, “Cool - then I dare you to kiss who you think is the hottest person in the room!” Almost immediately, gasps and cheers exploded around Teddy, causing him to burst into laughter, flipping off a friend that shoved him while wolf whistling as Teddy rose to his feet. “Croikey. Didn’t realize I was surrounded by fucking perverts, the lot of you!” he cried dramatically, eyes scanning the room as he picked his victim. Gaze finally landing on a familiar face, Teddy grinned as he moved through the crowd of people and approached the other, “Hi. Sorry, I’m just gonna, -” without further explanation, Teddy cupped his counterpart’s face, placing a quick kiss to their lips with a Mwah!

Seth sat crosslegged in the circle of truth or dare participants, the concoction of vodka and Sprite in his red solo cup proving to be a good choice for quelling his usually frazzled nerves in party settings. It was only natural that he’d gravitated towards the group in the first place, preferring relatively organized chaos over the unadulterated, every-man-for-himself kind. Glancing up from his cup as he noted it was his friend’s turn, Seth set it in front of him after a quick sip. After the dare was revealed, the blond joined in with a childish ‘oooh’ before dissolving into a laugh at how ridiculous it felt. His blue eyes scanned the area, taking note of everyone’s reaction before rolling his eyes dismissively. There was something to be said about the fact that the drunk gawked and cheered like they were watching some sort of elaborate show with trained monkeys at the zoo when it came to two people being dared to kiss each other, but it quickly slipped Seth’s mind as Teddy locked eyes with him and began approaching him. Suddenly, his face was in his hands and a fleeting peck was planted against his lips. A frown took residence on his face. “That’s it? I think everyone here was expecting a little more than a ‘mom kissing her child goodbye on the first day of school’ kiss,” Seth ranted, gesturing towards the group and eliciting cheers from several of them before turning his attention back to Teddy. “Now, I want you to kiss me again, but this time, I want you to kiss me like you fucking want it.”