Tosser~ a James Cook fanfic~

Pandora~3

The guy was standing with his friends in the corner all laughing obnoxiously. They all looked like they came straight from a catalogue of annoying rich kids, all loud confidence and expensive jackets. The guy she was eyeing was fairly tall with tousled blonde hair and a grin that hinted he knew how to charm his way through life. She quickly looked away—probably just another arrogant prick.

But when she turned back to her half-empty beer, she felt that familiar tug, like an itch she couldn't scratch. Her gaze drifted sideways, landing on Cook, who was lounging across the room with his usual effortless ease, completely at home in the chaos. He was laughing, arms draped around a few girls who seemed utterly captivated by him. The sight made something in her twist painfully, and she forced herself to look away. He was clearly enjoying himself and she needed to stop letting him live in her head rent-free.

Almost as if summoned by her thoughts, she noticed the guy from the corner now weaving his way through the crowd toward her. He sauntered up beside her with a smirk, leaning against the counter as though they'd known each other for ages.

"You look like you're in need of some company," he said, voice low and smooth, that smirk still dancing on his lips.

She raised an eyebrow, slightly amused. "Yeah? You here to save me?" she joked in a sarcastic tone

Theo shrugged, his eyes gleaming with mischief. "I don't know. You tell me—you're the one stealing the spotlight, Sexy Poo." He winked, clearly amused by the absurd nickname written in bold letters on her ridiculous pink pyjamas.

Tess rolled her eyes, fighting the small smile that crept onto her face. "You gonna give me grief for this too?"

He chuckled, leaning in just enough that she could feel the warmth between them. "Actually, I was just thinking you've got this whole 'hot mess' vibe perfected. It's... kinda charming."

She laughed, this time genuinely, feeling some of the weight of the evening start to lift. "I don't think that's a compliment."

"Oh, it is. Trust me." His smirk softened, and for a moment, she let herself enjoy the flirtation, the easy banter. It felt nice to escape the mess that had become her night.

But just as she started to relax, she caught sight of Cook across the room, his gaze fixed on them, his expression darkening. He wasn't laughing now; instead, he was staring them down with a look she couldn't quite decipher, his jaw tight. The tension returned instantly, but this time, it only pushed her to lean into Theo's presence a little more.

Let him see it.

"So, what's your name then?" Tess asked, cutting through the tension with a flick of curiosity. If she was going to endure his teasing, at least she'd know who she was dealing with.

"Theo," he replied smoothly, his grin widening as if he knew exactly what kind of reaction his name would get.

"Tess," she replied dryly.

"Tess," Theo repeated, savouring the name on his tongue. "Nice to meet you. Though, I gotta ask, how exactly did you end up at this disaster of a party?"

Tess raised an eyebrow, half-smiling. "I could ask you the same thing. You look like you should be anywhere but here," she teased, eyeing his outfit—expensive, perfectly put-together in that "I don't care, but I do" kind of way. "You don't strike me as a 'Danny's friends' kind of guy." she said, nodding towards Danny who was doing something ridiculous, as always.

Theo chuckled, leaning back against the counter casually. "Well, you're not wrong. My friend's cousin invited me. We had nothing better to do" He paused, giving her a sideways glance. "So, what about you? What's your excuse for being here? I'd have thought you'd have better places to be than at some sketchy house party in the middle of nowhere."