drama club {boyxboy} {willxnico}

The Downhill Part

   "Fantastic show, everybody!" Brunner clapped. "You are all free from this play! Reviews will be coming out next week. Enjoy your Friday."

  Applause erupted throughout the room as we all sat, wide-eyed and beaming. Although none of us were going to admit how disappointed we were that the show had to end so soon, it settled over the room and nobody had to say it. But we put on a show to be remembered for awhile, and that was enough for all of us.

   I turned to Nico, who smiled widely and jumped onto my torso as I held in air. He ran his hands through my hair as we kissed in excitement. People around us starting popping party pipers and confetti flew and got tangled in our hair. I pushed him up against the wall and the rest of the cast ooed as we put on a show for everybody backstage.

   "Save it for the party," Magnus winked. "remember guys, party at my place! Starting now!" Alex jumped on his back and Magnus cheerfully carried his partner out of the room, many people following. I let Nico stretch his legs out as I placed him back on the floor, kissing him one last time. He fanned himself.

   "If we would have continued, well, let's not talk about that," Nico smiled, flirtatiously, still running his words together.

   I put my arm around him and my other hand gripped a water bottle filled with Fireball. "Let's go party, yeah?"

   "Of course," he said, standing on his tippy-toes to kiss my cheek.

—

   "Take it off! Take it off!"

   Magnus stood on the counter top, drunk as a dog, stripping off his t-shirt in the middle of the kitchen. "Suck my dick!"

   Everybody cheered as he threw his shirt across the room and Alex caught it, soon crawling up to join their half-naked boyfriend.

   "I never get bored at Magnus's parties," Nico whispered.

   I took one more swig tequila and smiled, the burning sensation had numbed to comfort. "Who does?" I asked.

   "You'd have to be a real prude," he trailed off, Suddenly and gave me a quizzical glance. "Will...after yesterday, don't you think you should be taking it easy?"

    I laughed. "I won't puke everywhere again, okay?"

   "No, I meant that maybe you probably shouldn't be drinking," Nico said.

   I raised an eyebrow. "It was just an accident, Nico? I don't know why you're being so...I don't know. It doesn't matter, everybody else is drinking."

   "Not everybody else has someone to tell them not to," he said, his eyes telling me something else.

   I groaned. "You mean not everybody has an alcoholic dad?"

   "That, too." Nico shuffled his feet awkwardly.

   "God, you and Magnus. You know what? Neither of you can say anything about my life. It doesn't affect you in any way shape or form."

   "I thought we already established that it does," Nico huffed angrily, flashing his promise ring. "You know what, Will? I don't want to spend my time with you if you're going to be a prick."

   "You gonna go hang out with Percy? Tell him everything? Turn me into a bad guy?"

   "Fuck off for now, okay?" Nico said, walking away with stormy footsteps. I watched him walk off and I felt instant regret, a feeling I was so tired of feeling.

   I walked back to the bar, where I would spend the next hour.

   An hour passed and more people had shown up, the house almost completely full, with people sprawled out on the lawn playing football. From the corner of the room, I could see everything. People escaping into the various rooms to fuck and people getting into fights. I saw Percy and Annabeth, who had just finished talking. Percy's eyes were red and puffy as he stormed out of the house and Annabeth looked struck with guilt. I walked over to her.

   "Hey," I slurred.

   She sighed. "Hey, Will. You smell disgusting."

   "You okay?"

   She looked behind her shoulder, where Percy was, and then back up for me. "I don't have time for boys. I want to get out of this shit hole. I don't want to be reminded—" her voice caught for just a second, "I don't want to be reminded of Luke everyday."

   "Yeah," I said, looking down at my feet. "Well, I hope you do. Fuck boys, right? Who needs 'em."

   "I'm proud of you for coming out," she said. "finding someone who will make you move on. You haven't been stalking our house lately, so, I guess it's a good sign."

   I chuckled. "God, I don't know. I don't think I'll ever move on."

   "Nobody truly does. We just learn how to live with it," Annabeth said. "So, I guess we do move on, but not in the way it's supposed to mean. The pain just hurts less with time."

   "I miss you, 'Beth. I miss skipping rocks."

   "I miss you, too," she said, her eyes darting towards her crossed hands. "but I also miss Luke. And whenever I see you—" she broke off again, looking off for something she seemed to have lost. She bowed her head. "I know you had no control over it, Will. And you shouldn't blame yourself. But I just can't help but think if it was me who was there with him, who had noticed something off. I wondered if things would have been different if I were there instead of you. I'd liked to think I wouldn't have left him like you did. I know I shouldn't think that...but I can't help it."

    I inhaled. "I'm sorry, 'Beth," I said, my face feeling hot as I surged through the crowd to get away from her.

   I saw Mallory and instantly went to her for support. "Hey, MowMow." I put my arm around her, my eyes flickering up and catching Nico's eyes as he talked to some of his friends. I smiled and bit my lip.

   "What's up, Willie?"

   "You look super hot today. Not my type, but still hot," I purred in her ear. I immediately saw Nico walking towards us. My plan had worked.

   "Will, can we go talk?"

   "Toodles," I waved at Mallory as Nico dragged me into one of the bedrooms.

   As soon as the door closed, I pulled him close and kissed him. He pulled away his lips from mine and steadied himself on his feet. "No, I don't want to kiss you, Will," he said. "Who are you, right now?"

   "Who I was always meant to be. A boy meant for you," I winked.

   "You're being an asshole. You should stop drinking, Will," he said, crossing his arms.

   "Oh my God, fucking drop it Nico! It's just a drink."

   "No! Nothing is just a drink with you, Will," his voice was raised. "It's never going to be that simple. You need to grow the fuck up."

   "I need to grow the fuck up? You've been sheltered your entire life. Everything is going great for you, huh? Everything always does! My life is fucked but you've always been lucky."

   "Don't you play the victim card," Nico growled. "I don't care what shit you've been through. You decide who you are."

   "Can we just skip to the make-up fuck? I'm horny and you're right or whatever."

   Tears welled up in Nico's eyes. I felt an aggressive shove as I fell into the wall behind me and thud my head. Nico took off in a sprint as I sat there, flabbergasted.

   "Fuck," i whispered, rubbing my sore head.