tmrmaryâ:
party crashers | danicamp + jowards
The moments where they were breathing over each other might have lasted for just a few seconds, but every rushing exhale felt like decades worth of thirst quenched and lived in. Tahir could feel the pounding of his heart echo between his ears, as the pumping of his blood vibrated throughout his nervous system. As his fingertips slowly started reaching consciousness, he realized his hand still cupped the side of Ashaâs face. With her, Tahir pulled away, coming into that funny feeling where he could have bet she was thinking a bit too hard over the kiss as it was happening. His eyes locked up to her gaze again to confirm how she was doing. He had no words to say - only thoughts of whether she could still taste the gin from his lips, and the secret desire to do that again.
Meanwhile, just a couple feet away, the two newly affectionate acquaintances were unbeknownst to a conversation between their mutual friend and a couple of his other closest mates. You see, once Lochlan picked up on an instinct he had, he was quick to follow it until it lead him to uncover either a confirmation to his suspicion or an entirely new truth for him to learn. And so when it came down to approaching one of his closest friends Junior, just because it was his Bachelor Party did not mean Lochlan would any less hesitate to pull him aside.
âHey man, you alright?â Lochlan inquired, his eyebrows narrowing with the slight squint of his stare. Junior, still as head empty as a white snake, sipped on his latest drinks. His eyes spaced out through an invisible glare, as he stepped out to Lochlanâs call. âWhat?â âHe said-â Lochlan stopped the other man from trying to help by resting his head on his shoulder. âMick.â He settled him. A subtle Iâll take it from here, but thank you. He was the more delicate one of the two. â⌠Youâre worried over her? Right?âÂ
For Junior, the phrase was ultimately too vague. Her on this night of all nights could have been anyone. Asha, Danica, the intoxicated girl dancing and hitting on Mick when he clearly he didnât swing in that direction. After no response, Lochlan made sure to clarify before continuing. He knew Juniorâs tells well, which is why his friends often wondered if he was a skilled legilimens or he was just innate at reading minds. âIâm not talking about Amy. Iâm sure sheâs having plenty fun with her friends.â Junior took another sip into his drink. He honestly hadnât even imagined Lochlan was speaking about Amy.
âI mean Asha⌠youâre worried about her and Tahir fonding over each other.â That funny feeling in the pit of his stomach returned again. It wasnât like Junior could understand and still, something inside his chest spoke to him like he had to come clean about a secret. One he didnât even know about himself. âI am, a bit, yeah?â Junior glanced over for a second, checking to see the two people he was mentioning werenât actually listening.Â
Itâs probably nothing. Junior meant to say that out loud. His throat tightened up. Lochlan seemed as if he was on the brink of a callout. He was close to reading the signs his body was trying to give to him, but before he could process his thoughts out loud, Lochlan was already coming in to put him at ease. âTahir is a gentleman. He out of all of us knows how important Asha is to you. If thereâs anyone who would respect her and treat her right-â
They werenât the words Junior expected to hear from Lochlan. But it made sense, right? He was just looking out for his two best friends? It was normal⌠why was he so fixated on whether or not Asha might actually have feelings for Tahir? Just then, in those thoughts, Juniorâs habit of looking over to his best friends stroke again. However, this time, when he expected to see the same smiles and giggles he had seen throughout the night - this time he was watching his two best friends share an intimate moment together. A kiss.
Juniorâs eyes whipped back to Lochlan. The confused âOh.â face from earlier returned. Then he quickly hid behind another sip of his drink and a turn of his body towards the bar. Mick could already be heard making sounds assumingly obnoxious enough for even Tahir and Asha to pick up through the loud, crowded roars of the room.Â
And Lochlan, knowing well that love was a lot more complicated then most people could understand, even when you held the power to change soothe those circumstances simple, knew that wasnât just any look in Juniorâs eye. Definitely not his first instinct. Definitely not a confirmation of his suspicion - but the uncovering of a new truth he wasnât at all expecting from Juniorâs Bachelor Party.
It was Mickâs unmistakably rowdy cries that brought the smile back to Ashaâs features. The apprehension trembling just below the surface of what sheâd done dissipated as she heard the sound of her new friend whose presence already sparked joy in her. Combined with the sight of Tahirâs lovely and understanding eyes, Asha relaxed visibly and licked her lips. She did still taste the gin from his kiss and it sent a shiver down her spine. She bowed her forehead to Tahirâs chest affectionately, hiding the laugh that escaped her to know that theyâd been not just spotted kissing but being made fun of for it too. Like friends should. She slipped a hand to Tahirâs waist, holding his shirt lightly by his side as she tilted her chin in Mickâs direction to spare him a glance and an equally obnoxious tongue. This was what being with someone was supposed to feel like. Playful and unapologetic, public and warm. Being with Tahir was what she should be looking forward to now thatâŚ
Asha shifted her gaze just a little further to Junior and Lochlan standing by the bar, only one of them peering in their direction, and not the one she hadâŚhoped. The sight of the groom-to-beâs back implied to her that he hadnât even noticed, wasnât even aware, just as he hadnât been for the better part of a year. Asha wanted to wet her throat with a drink but wouldnât dare near the bar, not now, not like this. So instead, her hand turned to lightly tangle with Tahirâs and she reached up on her tiptoes to offer him an excited whisper of, âLetâs dance.â
As the high began to slowly dissipate, the pumping of his blood quieting its own roars, Tahirâs breathing came back into a normal pulse. His eyes filling back in with animated life, as he brought himself back into the present moment. Tahir was obviously still moved from the kiss they shared. Though, he still caught on to the shift of Ashaâs gaze. That one look couldâve written compounded sonnet after sonnet, but before he could even process the moment, Tahirâs fingers were being whisked away by Ashaâs hand with an offer he would not dare refuse. His own focus fixed on her once again. A soft smile shown in his eyes as well as his lips. âOf course.â Tahir followed Asha blindly wherever she took them, admiring so well just how lovely and fun spirited the woman he clung to could be. Yet, something in him was still prickling to peel back the thoughts that hid behind her mind. Tahir would just not pull himself from the present moment to do so. Not just yet.
As for the boys back at the bar, the three of them could clearly feel a halt at the conversation. Juniorâs overly stimulated mind was rushing to and fro, unsure of whether he couldnât pick apart his feelings because the words hadnât taken shape or from all the booze intake in his system. He loved his bestest friends dearly, but even in their joy, something still poked at him at the side of his gut. Junior was so internally flustered, for a moment, the thought of actually missing his sisterâs presence happened to pass through his mind.Â
In moments like these, Lochlan was known to never be one to hold back his tongue. His words did not strike as snakes like that of Juniorâs sisters, or even bubble out without filter like Mick, but they were earnest and they were direct, without cover or reservation. However, this was a sensitive moment to approach. After all, Junior should be celebrated and celebrating. Discussions shouldnât be revolved around complex entanglements of the heart - as Lochlan stood there convinced this matter surely was. But before Lochlan could make up his mind, or even Mick could interrupt for another shot, it was Junior to break the momentary silence.Â
âIâm happy for them.â He blurted. âI am.â Juniorâs voice was normal pitched, slightly tense, but not enough to cause any sudden alarm. In all this, Mick had already called for the next round, and as Junior reached for his straight Daisyroot Draught, he stuttered, âW-Weird, pfft. Yeah...â A chuckle intervening to play off the moment. âBut itâs Tahir. Itâs Asha! Iâve got Amy.â Not sure why the last thought popped out. âAmy got me.â His lips awkwardly curled, followed by a quick sip of his drink and another robust chuckle forced from the pit of his stomach. âTheyâre great. I love them. Weâre great!â
Mick smiled, patting Junior on the back, but not spending too much time to marinate before he passed over the next couple of shots. And Lochlan... well, in his belief, it was the fault of their own for a friend to feel sorry for another. When as their friend, instead of looking down, you can bend over and place their hand over your shoulder to pull them up. Yet, in the corner of his heart, within the own secret guilt he harbored, Lochlan felt seen. And therefore, an ounce of pity unadmittedly slipped into his very being.Â














