#dawson threads.

"do you ever feel weird about it, though? us sharing a bed whenever we get wasted?"

"i don't understand why anyone else has to matter in this... i only care about you."

"look, i don't mind. i had like one drink, i can drive you home. we can even spend the whole time in silence if talking to me sounds that painful."

for most of the trip, he'd stay in town near the skating rink so he could 'keep up with practice', but it was christmas eve and he was expected to stay the night with the rest of the family. he was eager for a drink, intending to get through the night as smoothly as possible, but as he made his way into the living room, he spied an unfamiliar figure. he blinked in confusion, looking past her towards his brother declan who made his way to where he presumed their father was, in the fancier of the three living rooms where his fully stocked bar proudly stood. it clicked then, a detail he'd brushed over in the family group chat. "hey, you uh, you must be ryan's girlfriend. it's so nice to meet you, i'm the older brother, dawson." he said as he approached, offering out a hand automatically.

"what do you think the likelihood is of someone waking up any time soon?" dawson asked the question as if it was casual, glancing at rosalia beside him with a playful grin. "i should clarify... how likely do you think it'd be of someone waking you up if i started fucking you right now?"

"can i tell you a secret?" dawson asked the question out of the blue, having already gone through the niceties much earlier that day. by now, being around juniper had more of a dull ache than a sharp sting. it was just nice to see her again, to talk to her as if they were friends and not bitter exes, or something. he didn't even wait for her to say yes, he just leaned in closer to keep his voice low. "i definitely thought they were gonna break up. i should've known after hashtag 'halloweengate' didn't do it, but i would've put money on it right after we graduated."

"come on, taylor, there's no way that's a serious offer. don't mess with me." the thing was, dawson really wasn't sure that was the case. he was frazzled, a little upset over the breakup but admittedly more upset at the idea of going home to his family single and alone again. if anything, her offering to pretend to be his girlfriend was a lifeline, one he was nervous to reach out for.

admittedly it's been a concerted effort not to stare at kit the whole damn night. and now only that, for all his effort, dawson has been failing in his attempts to not do it. things just feel different between them, which he supposes makes a lot of sense considering what they did two weeks prior. this time, though, as he peers at him across the room, their eyes meet briefly and he immediately looks bashfully down at the floor. as kit crosses the room to him, he takes a sip of the soda he's been nursing after quitting on alcohol early in the night. he's got practice in the morning, but he rarely says no when it comes to going out with their friends. "hey." he greets softly, noting the slightly pink hue to the other's cheeks and a look in his eye that feels affectionate. "you having fun still, or thinking you wanna head out soon?"