How We Got Lost in the Woods (And How You Brought Me Back the Light) | lava

Part #1

[this is one HUGE cliché overflowing with angst but I'm having so much fun working on it so I don't care :D yay, high school drama!!]

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October

The loud thump of the beat, the energetic bodies bumping into each other, the flashing lights... It was the perfect drink, intoxicating enough, sense-numbing enough for him to let loose, to spread his arms and let the waves take him on another journey. He almost didn't need the bottles of alcohol. Almost. Why rid himself of another of life's joys?

Dionysus had a point.

Kai stumbled through the crowd of rowdy teenagers, a blessed smile on his face. He was just enough drunk to still have his senses intact while being completely separated from the reality of his life outside that house.

Was there anything better than getting wasted at a high school party with your best friend?

That is, if he could only find Cole in the stormy sea of jumping and swaying bodies. There was a bottle of Jameson hidden under his jacket waiting to be finished by the two of them. Through the years Kai mastered his detective abilities to find people's stashes, this being a great and proven find for the two of them. The only shame was how little there was left. Still better than the cheap beer god knows who provided.

Kai's eyes steadily scanned the room but it was to barely any use. It was dark, the lights were flashing too fast and there were too many of their classmates. He carried on, pushing through the crowd until he got to a wall to catch his breath. His phone was dead, as it was most of the time, so that was out of the question. All he could do was hope Cole would show himself soon, his tongue was itching to get a taste of the liquor.

Pulling the bottle out, Kai rubbed his thumb over the label, the liquid inside shimmering in the light, the glass reflecting the colours shining above them. Kai looked up to search the room again. Regarding that pointless, he moved over to the glass doors – maybe he should've tried that first, Cole did tend to avoid the crowd as much as possible, he preferred to stay near like an orbiting planet rather than join the centre as the sun he was.

Kai stared outside, at the terrace, where he – and anyone, really – could see what were clearly Cole's heavenly lips being assaulted by the green-headed asshole from the 4th year. Kai stared at Cole's hands brushing through and pulling at lank hair the colour of a swamp or vomit as he pulled out the bottle to take a huge sip. If only it was bleach. Or better yet – a human eraser.

Then again, could he even be considered human?

...

Kai loved the sound of a match being set alight. It was the sole reason he avoided using lighters – for the pure joy of setting something on fire on his own accord. Not to mention what a stress relief it was to shake the tiny box in his pocket. He almost didn't need cigarettes. Almost. However, that night would be too much even for the most level-headed person like Zane. If Zane was so hopelessly in love with their best friend.

Kai put the cigarette in his mouth, summoning all his will to push back the image of Cole's lips.

Cole not being aware of anything and them staying friends despite everything was completely on Kai. But he was aware of that fact and he was content with it. Somewhat. It was, after all, his own choice not to tell Cole even a minuscule fact like how he always found men more attractive or that he was in love with him for years. It was a choice, Kai's choice.

And of course, Kai knew Cole would eventually find someone. Cole did have crushes and he did speak about them with Kai. But the green hair made him want to spew out his whole soul.