#mere tag

They hadn’t said more than a handful of words to each other in the 2 years since they broke up but Nico still felt his heart start to race when he saw Nolan tucked into a booth at the back of the bar. He should have done better at making sure Jack picked a bar away from the main crowd of “All Stars” but, what’s done is done. It’s a big, crowded bar, should be easy enough to avoid Nolan, right?

Wrong.

It’s like every time he turns around, there Nolan is. The first time he thinks it’s just a coincidence but then it becomes very obvious that Nolan is circling him like a shark.

Nico goes to the bar to get shots for him and Jack, Nolan perches on a stool just a couple seats down from Nico and raises his glass towards him.

Nico goes to where MacKinnon and Crosby are standing near the back, Nolan leans against the wall just out of earshot but still in Nico’s sightline.

Nico washes his hands after using the disgusting bar bathroom when, lo and behold, who else but Nolan walks through the door. Nico ignores the chipped tooth grin and walks right past him through the door back towards Jack and Quinn, making a quick pitstop to get them all shots on the way.

He thinks maybe he’s safe. They do their shots and watch a few of the other guys on the dance floor when Nico sees Quinn beckoning someone towards their table.

“Patty!” Quinn yells. And, fuck, Nico doesn’t even know how Quinn and Nolan know each other but he can’t handle Nolan squeezing into the booth with them so he nudges Jack’s side.

“Make out with me?”

Jack looks stunned and stammers out a “What?”

“Nolan- Patty- is my ex and he’s driving me crazy tonight. Make out with me and maybe he’ll stop?”

“Okay I just thought I heard you wrong, no explanation needed. I’ve been waiting on you to make a move.”

Before Nico has a chance to process Jack’s words his hand is cupping the back of his neck and he practically melts into the hot, wet press of Jack’s mouth on his.

Nico doesn’t know when his eyes closed but when he opens them and looks over Jack’s shoulder he sees Nolan, surprise written all over his face. Nolan holds up his hands in surrender and slinks off to another part of the bar and Nico sighs, closes his eyes and focuses on Jack, reaches up to tangle his fingers in the hair at the base of his neck.

“That was nice,” Nico says when Jack finally pulls away to catch his breath.

“‘That was nice.’” Jack parrots back. Nico squawks and reaches out to shove at Jack who intercepts his hand and laces their fingers together. “Want to come back to my room? Quinn can go find somewhere else to crash.”

Nico nods, excitedly and shoves his own room key towards Quinn.

“Here, I have a single. It’s yours for the night.”