a bizarre drabble in which bedsywill college rivals is made possible . Ignore the timeline frankly. take some obvious repression and pigtail-tugging style drunk flirting at a nondescript party under the cut
The back porch is spacious enough that Will could sit on one of the plastic chairs if he felt like it. He presses his hands into the rough concrete of the steps instead, feels the indents on his skin start to form. Everything feels distant, like it's not really happening. It's probably the fault of the shots he took earlier.
He's trying not to anxiously pant, watches his breath puff out into the cold air. It's not snowing yet, but it's cold enough to make Will put his hood up and tuck his hands back in his pockets. He knows he should be trying to pick up like everybody else tonight. The thought runs sour, coats his tongue. He spits it out onto the dead grass, ignores the nausea building in his stomach.
So, Will's sitting outside and trying not to have a low-grade anxiety attack. The results as to whether he's succeeding are unclear. Whatever, he's never been great at being alone. He fumbles in his pockets and fishes out his phone. Scrolls mindlessly for a few minutes, barely registers his screen.
When the back door opens, he resists the urge to flinch. Only barely succeeds, and he's pretty sure he just made a noise he doesn't want to address. His face burns. Of course, it's Bedard stumbling out of the house. The sigh Will lets out is immediate and tastefully melodramatic. Fucking Connor Bedard, of all people.
Bedard's infuriating. Not just to play against, because that's a given. But the smug way he holds himself and the wealth of attention he soaks up from everyone as Canada's golden boy makes Will twitch with annoyance.
And well, Will knows people. He's nothing if not skilled at networking. So he's heard the rumors about Connor, that he likes to get piss drunk and sleep with whatever girl glances in his direction. Heard that he gave a teammate shitty head once. But that was probably a joke, has to be. Regardless, he's a bit of a whore if you ask Will.
His eyes trace Bedard's body slowly, looking up from the concrete with feigned nonchalance. He's wearing jeans that are obscenely tight and Will's brain stutters before he catches himself and drags his eyes upwards. He's just observing the situation, nothing out of the ordinary.
Bedard's eyes are glassy and his face is flushed red. His lips look raw, like he's been biting them all night. They're so pink, his brain unhelpfully chimes in, like this is the most important information he could hope to receive. Will resists the urge to offer him the chapstick in his pocket. He's got no idea what Bedard's been doing tonight and he doesn't want to pick up an STD because he felt like being nice.
It seems like the fifteen odd seconds of not-checking out the guy in front of him have finally registered in Bedard's brain because he slurs out, "Smith! How's it going?"
It's like he thinks they're buddies or something. Or maybe he's just fucking with him. Will narrows his eyes.
"Bedard," he flatly replies. The urge to hiccup is creeping in and he scrunches his face involuntarily.
Bedard looks at him, something unreadable in his expression passing by before he grins and barks out, "So like, I know you're a bit of a bitch-"
Will lets out an annoyed squawk, "Dude, what?"
"See like, you're always, always interrupting me," Bedard snorts, then points a shaky finger in his direction, "Bitch move."
"You're an idiot," Will bites out and resists the urge to do something stupid, like smile. Bedard's such an ass it comes all the way back around to being funny again. Sometimes. Most of the time it just makes him roll his eyes.
Bedard laughs, cheeks somehow redder than before. He mutters something under his breath that sounds suspiciously like, "Takes one to know one."
Will crosses his arms. He needs another drink already. He squints his eyes at Bedard's hands and the can he's holding in his right. Pauses. He thinks about it for a moment and then discards the thought of snatching it out of his hand. He's not a child.