𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙗𝙡𝙚 𝙒𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙊𝙥𝙚𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙐𝙥.

Party.

West stepped into the frat house, his polished Air Force 1s tapping against the hardwood floor as he scanned the crowd. The faint smell of cheap beer and sweaty bodies mingled with the pulsating bass of music, but he barely flinched. The scene was chaotic, sure, but manageable. He'd dealt with worse.

Then, a familiar voice cut through the noise, "Damn, West. Didn't think you'd actually show up."

West turned, his sharp gaze landing on Roy, who was leaning casually against a banister like he owned the place. His shirt was unbuttoned just enough to be suggestive, and his grin was cocky enough to match.

"I had nothing better to do."

Roy nodded, giving him an approving once-over. "Well, I gotta say, you clean up nice."

The comment hit West unexpectedly, and a blush crept up his neck. Reflexively, he brushed his hands over his white short-sleeved button-up and adjusted his beige chinos, as if smoothing imaginary wrinkles could calm his sudden nerves.

He cleared his throat, his gaze flicking downward, "Thanks."

Roy chuckled at West's embarrassment, it was cute. "Don't get all shy on me now, man. I don't bite… unless you're into that."

West's head snapped up, his lips parting in surprise, but Roy didn't let the moment linger. "C'mon, you want a drink?"

"I don’t drink."

Roy raised an eyebrow, genuinely intrigued.

"Really? At a party? Bold move. Alright, soda it is."

He grabbed a cup, poured some Sprite from a nearby cooler, and handed it over with a flourish. "For the distinguished gentleman."

West smirked despite himself and took the cup.

"Let's sit." Roy said, gesturing towards a quiet corner, away from the chaos of the party. "I wanna know more about Weston."

West followed, settling into the worn couch across from Roy. "Not much to know." He responded with a shrug, leaning back against the couch with his legs sprawled slightly.

"Oh, I doubt that..." Roy countered, leaning forward, his elbows on his knees.
"You're like… a Rubik's Cube. Complicated, frustrating, and kind of addictive."

West chuckled, shaking his head. "That your go-to line, or am I just lucky?"

"You're definitely lucky." Roy shot back with a playful grin.

West sipped his Sprite, eyeing Roy over the rim of his cup. "You don't know what you're getting yourself into."

"Try me."

West's smile faltered for just a moment, his thoughts flickering to Killian.
Killian's voice, Killian's steady encouragement to audition again. The sharp pull of loyalty kept him grounded, even as the flirtation danced dangerously close to something more.

"You've got guts, I'll give you that." West deflected, "But you might wanna save some of that charm for someone who's buying."

"And what makes you think you're not?"

"Because I'm not for sale."

Roy studied him for a beat, his grin softening into something more genuine. "Fair enough. But I'm still glad you're here. Makes the night… interesting."

West glanced away, taking another sip of his drink to hide the faint pull of a smile. "Yeah, well. Don't get used to it."

Roy laughed, but he didn't press further, sensing the unspoken line West wouldn't cross. Instead, they fell into a rhythm of banter, Roy keeping things light and funny, while West's sharp wit and occasional unfunny jokes kept the conversation dynamic.

And though West couldn't ignore the slight spark of attraction, he kept it carefully in check, his mind drifting back to Killian like a compass pointing north. For now, the party was a distraction, nothing more.
--

An hour into the party, Lia and Franny finally arrived, their laughter cutting through the pulsing music as they wove through the crowded room. Lia's sharp eyes scanned the room until they landed on Roy, sitting comfortably on a worn couch with none other than West beside him. Her steps slowed as she took in the scene, her expression hardening slightly. Franny, sensing the shift, gave her a nudge before leading the way over to them.

"Hey, Roy." Franny greeted, her voice light and warm.

"Sup." Lia said, crossing her arms and leveling Roy with a look that managed to feel like both a challenge and a test.

Roy glanced up, a grin spreading across his face. "Ladies! You remember West, right?"

Lia's gaze flicked to West, who raised his cup in a casual salute.

"Yeah.... What's he doing here? This party was invite-only. Did you invite him, Roy?"

Roy leaned back in his seat, "Sure did." He responded confidently.

"Okay… why?" Lia pressed, tilting her head, her tone less curious and more pointed.

Roy shrugged. "Why not? Can't we all just hang out and have a good time?"

Franny chimed in quickly, sensing the tension. 'That's a great idea." She acknowledged, her tone kind but firm, a reminder that Lia wasn't the only one there.

Lia's eyes flicked to Franny, catching the soft smile on her face. It disarmed her, just a little. Despite herself, Lia sighed and waved a hand dismissively. "Fine, whatever."

Roy shot Franny a grateful look and gestured for them to join. Soon enough, drinks were poured, and the conversation started to flow. Lia, predictably, loosened up after a couple of rounds and her sharp edges softened into something friendlier.

West, sipping on his soda, leaned back in his seat and finally spoke. "So, how'd you guys meet?"

Lia and Franny exchanged a quick glance before Lia answered.

"We grew up together. Same neighborhood."

"Yeah." Franny added with a fond smile. "Roy's like our little brother."

West's eyebrows lifted slightly, intrigued. "If you're so close, why isn't he in the band?"

Roy chuckled, shaking his head. "Didn't wanna."

Lia smirked, her inhibitions slipping just enough to let her tease him.

"He has stage fright."

"And I have stage fright." Roy admitted with a self-deprecating laugh, raising his cup like it was a toast.

West tilted his head, an unreadable but curious expression on his face. "Huh. That's… surprising."

Roy leaned forward slightly, a mischievous glint in his eye. "Why? Cause I'm so charming and outgoing?"

"Something like that."

"I don't need to be on stage. I'm their manager. Someone's gotta make sure they don't blow all their money on stupid shit."

"Like glitter cannons." Lia added with a grin, clearly enjoying herself now.

Franny laughed. "Or fog machines."

West chuckled, watching the ease between them. "Makes sense. So that's why you're studying music too?"

Roy nodded, "Yeah. I've got the brains, they've got the talent. It works."

"Brains, huh?"

Roy shot West a look, feigning offense. "Hey, managing a band isn't easy. You'd be surprised how much work goes into making these two look good."

"You make it sound like a full-time job." West smirked.

"Because it is." Roy shot back with a laugh.

Lia leaned back, drink in hand, watching the two of them trade remarks like verbal sparring partners. Against her better judgment, she found herself smiling. The way Roy seemed to draw out West's sharper edges was unexpectedly amusing, and although she'd been skeptical of his presence earlier, West wasn't all that bad. For now, she let herself relax, quietly enjoying the back-and-forth as the music thumped on in the background.
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