-rainbow cookie, tracob

13,

-

It was actually Jack who first brought up the idea of bringing Troye out of his shell. "We gotta get you to a party, man," he told him when Troye announced he'd be spending another Friday night in. "You've been at uni for two and a half months now, and you have, what, four friends?"

"Not that there's anything wrong with having a small group of friends," added Jacob defensively. "The size of your social circle is entirely your choice." Jack, I swear to god if you give this kid a complex about his social life-

"I think I'd like to have more friends," Troye said slowly. "I mean- it's not that you're not all great. But I like people."

"And people like you," Jack declared. "You're like Jacob, literally charming all the time."

Troye just looked simply delighted to be compared to Jacob. "So how do I get, like, invited to parties?"

"You just have to know people. And luckily," said Jack with a wiggle of his eyebrows, "you're friends with someone on the football team and this little socialite. Any of your friends throwing a party this weekend, Bix?"

"Erm. I wouldn't know," Jacob said honestly. He'd been spending most of his time this semester with Troye and the guys, at the expense of his friendships with all of the other misfits on campus. Which probably wasn't such a bad thing, in the end. The idea of Troye hanging out in some grungey, smoke-filled flat in the sketchy part of town was almost funny enough to laugh at.

Jack was undeterred. "What about you, Jed?"

"After I used my new team captain authority to scare them all out of drinking too hard and throwing off their game? Probably not."

"Damn. Okay. Uh, Adam?"

"We're art students. We don't really party...?"

"It's up to you, then, Jack," Jacob said with a smirk. "Your idea anyways."

"I just hang out with whoever's around me dorm," Jack replied with a shrug. "Although- I think one of the guys upstairs is having a little get-together tonight! Not like a party party, but. You know. People and alcohol in a room having a good time, so."

There was still some nervousness in Troye's face, but his eyes were bright and enthusiastic. "That sounds okay. Could we- is it okay if we go? If I go, I mean. But. We, really, because I don't want to go by myself."

"I'm in," Jacob immediately supplied. There's no way I'm sending you into a strange situation by yourself, that's for damn sure.

The others quickly chorused their agreement, and so a plan was set in motion. Jed and Jack had one last class of the day, and Adam insisted he needed to do some work back at their flat, so Troye and Jacob were left to their own devices for a few hours. Most of the time was spent watching a movie. The rest of it was Troye fretting and Jacob assuring him that yes, his outfit was fine, and no, he wasn't supposed to bring anything, and of course, Jacob would stay with him the entire night if he wanted.

They made their way to Jack's dorm, the designated meeting place, almost a half hour early. Jacob didn't mention how being early to a party was literally the only time punctuality was a bad thing. "Let's at least just hang out at Jack's room for a bit first," he said gently, guiding them to the other boy's door.

Inside, they found not only Jack, but also Adam, side by side on the bed looking at something on Jack's laptop. The smile Adam wore was brighter than any Jacob had ever seen him give, with his constant state of quiet, brooding contemplation. "What's this, then?" Jacob teased, making both of them jump in surprise. "Having fun without me?"