Catboy

31

It was the same club.

The club where Lloyd and Ky had first met; the club that Julian had lost so much sleep over. The music was blaring through the speakers, throngs of people shoving against each other on the dance floor. Normally, it would have made Julian feel sick.

But tonight wasn't exactly normal. His hand was linked with Lloyd's, the two of them making their way over to the bar. They were followed by Ky, Arin and Lawrence. They'd had to sneak Lloyd and Lawrence in, but it hadn't been too much of an issue- Ky was close friends with security.

The bartender on duty grinned when he spotted the five of them. "Ky! It's been so long." Ky rolled her eyes at the sarcasm, smiling in return. Her pink hair was neatly tied back, her dark lipstick slightly smudged at the edges. Julian hadn't missed the way Arin'd been wiping his mouth as the two of them came to the apartment to pick the rest of them up.

"I know, right?" Ky smiled. "Anyway, I'm gonna need a round of shots. Fireballs. Oh, and-" she glanced at Lawrence- "grab us a Coke too. Just put it on my tab, I'll work it off later."

Lloyd grinned at Julian. He was wearing the sunglasses he always wore to go clubbing, and he'd let Julian smudge a thick layer of concealer over his tree. Under the mess of technicoloured lights, it just looked like a burn scar of sorts. He had to be careful- the college he'd been accepted to had warned him that any underage drinking would see him lose his scholarship. Given how characteristic the tree was, it had been important that nobody recognized it.

"So, you come here often?" Julian rolled his eyes at that.

"Shut up," he replied, leaning down and pulling Lloyd into a kiss. "At least I'm legal now."

"How many times do I have to say happy birthday? Jeez," Lloyd smirked. "Just because you're eighteen doesn't mean I've gotta put up with your bullshit."

"Oh, you so do," Julian teased, planting a kiss on Lloyd's forehead. "I'm the birthday boy, remember?"

"Everyone remembers," Ky interrupted, emerging next to the two. She brandished a tray of shots with one hand, the other one intertwined with Arin's. "Happy birthday, bitch. Drink up," she added with a smile. "Not as if you haven't done it before."

"What are these?" Lloyd picked one up, one eyebrow raised. Ky let go of Arin's hand and knocked hers back, grinning.

"Fireballs!" She smiled. "The best drink known to mankind."

"Sounds weird." Lloyd swallowed his before grimacing. "Yep, I was right. It's weird."

Ky rolled her eyes before offering one to Julian. "Ignore him. These are the alphas of all shots." Julian hesitated for a second. "Come on! I'm a freaking bartender, dude!" Julian took the shot and swallowed it.

"Oh, that's disgusting," Julian said, wiping his mouth. "Fucking hell. Ew."

Ky glared at the two of them in mock outrage. "Well, fuck you guys too."

"No thanks," Lloyd sang. "I think Arin's pretty much got you covered in that department."

Ky sighed, but she couldn't hide the blush starting to creep up her cheeks. "Go dance, you two."

"Don't have to tell me twice." And with that, Lloyd pulled Julian onto the dance floor.

Everything was a mess of colour and light. Music was blasting through massive speakers, the floor vibrating with every beat. The whole world was blurry, colours and sounds colliding around hundreds of partygoers. It was exactly as it had been, those few months ago- but somehow, so much better. So much more beautiful.