Sixth Year Singles: Sad or Slutty? (All Sixth Years Welcome)

Ahh, Kai couldn't help but laugh, a little embarrassed that Lachlan was so concerned for him. He didn't know people were, like, actually thinking about him. It was weird, having eyes on him at all, people asking him about his boyfriend. The two of them cuddled and kissed so openly, that everyone knew, didn't they? It was... Strange. He couldn't tell if Tobias was just popular, or if that's just what happened when people dated. "Awh, c'mon, dad. Y'don't gotta give me the talk, this isn't my... first rodeo, or whatever," He scratched his chin and squinted at himself, giggling goofy. His nerves were, admittedly, easing now that Lachlan was joking around with him. It felt better when they could joke about these things, as it allowed them to acknowledge it while simultaneously trivializing it, and that's the best way to get over something that made you anxious.

Before he could say another word, Tobias was at his side, hugging his waist and kissing his cheek. "Oh. Yeah!" He nodded and grinned over at the Slytherin, "Lachlan is, like, a total bruv." But that didn't seem to really matter to Tobias, as he cut in between them nonetheless, continuing his sweet affections and so on. Kai blinked a few times, confused with what was happening and why Tobias seemed intent on leaving again. The Hufflepuff shook his head yet again, fluffy pink clouds falling gently, but not long enough to touch his shoulders quite yet.

"Noooo, I told you, it's fine. I was jus' shootin' shit, y'know. Like, let's jus' chill. Lachlan n' me haven' talked since--" Since Dani, wasn't it? He didn't want to touch on that. "-- Like, forever ago." He uncapped the whiskey then, gulping down a few painful looking gulps, eyes on his boyfriend and mouth still managing to smile. While he'd rather get the fuck away from Llewellyn, whom was speaking to Edmund now (and Edmund was smiling. And she was calling a cab. And Kai's stomach was sick, etc etc.), Kai was rather content with staying. Especially now that he felt a little more welcome.

After a pause, he chugged a bit more of the bottle.

"Hey, you could have asked dipshit," Bridgette grinned as Edmund downed a shot. She had hung out with him in class, and ate with him a few times in the great hall, but never like this. She didn't know who he partied with, but she had to admit, his name hadn't popped in her head when she thought of who might be there that night. 

"...Just fuck me up, fam." Kai said when he approached the bar, and Bridgette grabbed her drink, raising it, "Cheers to that," Bridgette took a long drink. 

"You would look good in a bowtie," she heard Edmund say and giggled. She had a strong belief that everyone was pansexual until noted otherwise, and to her, it definitely looked like Edmund was hitting on Llewellyn. Though he also talked to first-years like that, so who knew? What she did gather, was that she was starting to relax, and Edmund clearly was too. 

When Ana approached the bar, Bridgette downed the third shot. Maybe she should have gone a little more slowly, but what the hell. "I still don't drink," Ana's delicate hands clasped together under her chin. The red glow of her bracelet lit her pale skin and cast interesting shadows from her hands. Bridgette had a thing for hands for some reason. Not like anything extreme, but she couldn't help but imagine how Ana's soft fingers would feel on her skin. "But I would love a cola. Virgin." The words dripped from her red lips. Bridgette's mouth went dry, and she suddenly got mad at the red bracelet on her wrist. And the fact that she didn't see a blue one. 

But straight girls made out with other girls all the time for fun. It was what they did to get men to pay attention to them, to fulfill a quick fantasy that didn't count to them as anything but straight. Bridgette could totally settle for biting that red lip. Bridgette was frozen in thought, staring at Ana's red lips. Realizing she was staring, she broke into a grin and reached under the bar, grabbing a can of cola and a glass. She poured it for the girl, staring still. Ana's pale skin was covered by a letterman jacket, and lace over her chest from the dress she was wearing. It did not show much skin, and it caused Bridgette's imagination to run wild. "You make me feel like an alcoholic," Bridgette smirked, passing over the glass and tossing the can. She leaned back onto the bar again, placing her almost finished margarita between them. "I would have pegged you as the drinking type." She trailed a finger along the rim of her drink, getting some of the sugar. She opened her mouth and pressed her finger against her tongue, tasting the sweet crystals. "I also didn't expect you to show up," Bridgette shrugged, now staring at her drink, "Though I have to admit, I hoped you would." Bridgette peeked up through her long lashes at Ana, a smile playing at the corner of her mouth, trying to gauge her reaction. 

Edmund's brother left, and he noted an absent feeling of anxiety. Damn, he had a good drink. Watching Llewellyn ramble nervously, he now realized that what he said was probably more along the lines of how he would talk to a girl that he knew had a crush on him. Why had he said that? Though he had to admit, the idea of the long haired boy with soft features dressed to the nines gave him a good feeling. Edmund was immediately filled with the anxiety he thought wasn't there. He looked around, noting that everyone was wrapped up in their own conversations, not paying them any attention. It was a good time, he thought, to talk to this kid a little more and figure out what that good feeling was. 

"... Headbanging in a bow tie can't be comfortable." Llewellyn stammered, and Edmund felt the grin return to his face. The guy turned to leave and Edmund reached out, placing a hand on his arm. As he did it, he immediately regretted it. He had no right to touch a stranger like that. What was he thinking? That you want to talk to him. A little voice in his head said. He debated doing the right thing and letting Llewellyn go, but settled on the more risky option. 

"Sorry," he said quietly, removing his hand and wiping it on his trousers, "I'd like someone to chat to if you don't mind." Maybe if he played the sad lonely man, Llewellyn would take pity on him. 

Lachlan stepped back so Toby could push between them. If Tobias wanted to dig himself a nice, deep hole, there was no way Lachlan was going to stop him. If it turned out the hole was not so deep, Lachlan thought he could endure Toby's company for one night for the sake of proving to the other boy that he didn't own Kai.

"Yeah, me and Kai go way back," he said.

He would have loved to add something about being "like that", a pair of crossed fingers to indicate just how close "like that" was. But Lachlan was learning that things he thought of as simple facts of life were sometimes terribly embarrassing for Kai, and what with the drinking, he seemed on edge enough already.

Instead, he shrugged.

"I don't mind if you wanna go make out in the corner. I'm not going anywhere."

[ outfit. | wearing a blue bracelet. ]

How to get Ren Kim to willingly leave his dorm: Booze. And he didn't even have to question whether or not there'd be booze. Anything that had Quidditch players leading the parade involved copious amounts of booze, that was a simple fact. They knew how to party. Hell, even Ren knew this, but then again he was an absolute alcoholic at this point in his life. But, he was a bit nervous initially, as he tended to be. Half the reason he didn't show up earlier was because he had to choose whether or not he wanted to wear a sweater. A little voice in his head had told him that, maybe, the sweater was a little nerdy. He wasn't sure if he really cared, but... the castle was cool that night, and he would likely just peel it off when drunk and pressed against other people in a crowded room.

But he kind of missed the memo that it was a singles party. The table of bracelets left him at a loss for words, as it raised a lot of questions that he didn't have answers to. Did he care for something serious? Did he want to make out with someone? Well, yeah, he did, but he didn't want to seem desperate. He definitely wasn't desperate. He was just very much willing. Deciding to forgo his intentions, he simply clipped on a blue bracelet as he made his way into the enchanted lounge. When he was properly boozed up, none of this would matter, and he wouldn't even be thinking about it.

Ren's initial course of action was to approach the bar. But. His brother's figure was unmistakable, sitting so casually with his little pen scribbling tediously. Why the fuck was he even here? Squinted black eyes couldn't help but linger, but he knew better than to attempt to round Jasper up. Things didn't work like that. Instead, he decided he'd simply keep an eye on the boy. If he saw a guy approach him, he'd snap their neck. Simple as that. Very clean, very organized, just as Jasper would want.

So he stepped back, keeping his distance, glancing around the main room. There was absolutely no way he'd speak to anyone until he was drunk, even if his gaze may taken a double take at Amethyst and her... unfortunate taste in attire. Out of his league, out of his mind, and he needed to down at least two bottles of vodka before gathering that amount of courage. And so, he found himself a bottle, leaned against any empty wall, and took to downing it. Pregame, as some would call it, before he actually fell into his normal habit of shots and snowballs and whatever else that would kill him that night.

Brow furrowing at Lachlan's make out comment, Kai tilted his head, his grin unsure and questioning. Maybe it was just the air, but it felt a little tense now. He knew Lachlan was just joking around, innocent and so on, but it felt a little, well, Not Okay. Kai didn't really like the idea that he and Tobias were just there to make out. But... His thoughts went back to before, about how he didn't want to talk. That tone had suddenly changed, didn't it? And now that Tobias was back, he was sort of caving back into himself. He wished he wasn't like this around his boyfriend, too afraid to show his true colors. Tobias deserved more than that.

But when Tobias pulled him close, making a comment Kai didn't understand-- about Llewellyn, of all people-- a lump grew in his throat. His expression fell blank, the gears in his head obviously turning to their utmost capacity. What did Llewellyn say about him and his friends? And why was Lachlan involved, for that matter? Was Tobias talking to Llewellyn behind his back? About him? About Kai? About who he hung out with? What did that matter? What did that matter? What did that matter? A broken smile cracked against his cheeks, the anxiety absolutely eating him alive. Why would Tobias ever bring up Llewellyn, of all people. Of all people. All the people. He was just trying to talk to Lachlan, and now Llewellyn was talking about Kai and his friends.

And then Tobias continued.

A gurgling laugh escaped Kai then, past the burn of the firewhiskey he had just downed. He understood now.

Memories flooded in. His sister tearing him apart for his escapades. His mother telling him, repeatedly, that he wasn't meant to touch other people. Men shouldn't touch other people. He was quiet and soft, that's why she liked him. She liked how he listened to her, let her mold him into the opposite of his father. Kai knew this. He wanted this. But something in him was snapping under the weight of it all. There were better ways to take in his mother's lessons, but Kai couldn't help but feel like he was following a path that he didn't want to follow. Llewellyn implied some nasty things about Kai, didn't he? And Tobias was agreeing with him. Kai just wanted to have a good time, he wanted to make people happy. But he always felt so guilty after he spent intimate time with people. The feeling of regret and fear that had soaked into him when Tobias took him in his mouth. The guilt of touching people past platonic intentions. He understood the difference now, or at least he thought he did as the booze settled into him.

It snapped then.

"Nah, I didn' fuck Lachlan, but I wan'ed to," Kai's smile was wide, but his eyes were no longer focused. Distant and hurt. He pulled away from Tobias, not because he knew the panic and fear had spawned from his comment, but because Kai didn't feel himself as worth touching in that moment. "Yeah, y'know. Whateve' Llewellyn told ye' is righ'. Total loose goose. I'm jus' shit in bed, so people don' know the diff," Stepping back again, shrugging helplessly, leaving the whiskey on the counter. Everything in his being was telling him to fucking stop. Don't take it out on anyone else. No one deserved this. Tobias didn't deserve this. He finally had felt normal around Lachlan, and now he was fucking it up again.

But he couldn't help but feel absolutely, excruciatingly furious with Llewellyn. Even if he hadn't made the comment. Even if it was misdirected.

He felt a tearing in his gut. And red rings rimmed his eyes. But he didn't feel like crying for once. He felt like screaming; he was too tired to scream.

"Gonna... go now. Maybe I'll make some new 'friends' along the way. Tha's jus' what I do," Turning then, arms wrapped around himself, trying to remain normal as he passed through the crowd. All he could feel was his chest ripping open, his gut twisting into itself. Inside, he suddenly felt nothing. His emotions were just as tired as he was.

He'd been about ready to fuck off, but he felt an unanticipated hand catch his arm before he was able to sulk into a corner elsewhere where he could simmer in his own self loathing. Haltingly he shuffled back towards the bar before letting a boyish grin crack his previously sheepish features. He hadn't expected his comment to be acknowledged, let alone draw a positive response from Lachlan's brother. Lachlan's Brother? He had to quit calling him that. This was someone different, and something new. If he'd said something like that to Lachlan he probably would have rolled his eyes or looked bored or hexed him or something. If it had been anyone else, there was a strong likelihood that they would have written him off for the dumb stumbling burnout stereotype that so many of his classmates pigeonholed him into. Shaking out his hair a little, he eyed Edmund's green bracelet he fell back into his doubts however. Maybe he really was just feeling kind of lonely? Either way, Llewellyn wanted to indulge. 

Even if it was for a couple minutes he could forget about all the shitty things that had been going on and feel relatively normal. 

But he was crap at gauging these sorts of situations, and as he slid into the chair beside Edmund and settled, he removed his jacket and hanging it across the back with a modest nod of his head. He heard Ana's greeting and took a moment to exchange an uncertain glance with the blonde. Maybe, if she wasn't feeling extra bitchy, she would bail him out if the night started tanking. His gaze flitted back to Edmund.

"Yeah. Okay, sure. I can stay. I just didn't want to bother you was all," he explained, pointedly staring at Edmund's wrist, not wanting his attempted exit to seem rude. "I'm not really great at this kind of thing. I mean I go to parties a lot and stuff, but the bracelets thing is... weird. It's like, hey, I can't space out and just hide behind a plant or pet a cat or make friends with the jukebox. It's kind of just all out there, isn't it? Because I don't really tell people, and I think I'm freaking out a little bit." The words just kind of spilled out and didn't stop. 

Leaning forward on the bar he propped he elbows up, snaking an arm around and rubbing the back of his neck. Man, what a freakin' train wreck. Before Edmund had enough time to really sort through the garbage that kept piling up, he changed gears. "I don't... usually see you around at parties," he pointed out, wondering what the reasoning behind the guest appearance. 

But then Tobias's voice carried out over the rest. Something about it was grating and hard to ignore, especially when he alluded towards Llewellyn. His shoulders snaked up but he tried his best to ignore the comment, but it had quickly caused the corners of his mouth and eyes to pull downwards. Then, he heard another voice. A voice that mentioned his name, and one that he knew all too well, and the hurt that had bled into the Irish accent about things he might have said when he was less than his best. Tangling his fingers into his curls he tried his best to disappear. "Oh fuck," he breathed quietly, forgetting for a moment that Edmund was beside him as he fought the urge to jump up from his stool and apologize to Kai for... for, well, everything. 

It was impossible for Lachlan to be happy hearing that Kai had wanted to fuck him when he was watching the guy fall apart. He wanted to smile for Kai, let him know that someone was on his side, but he felt paralysed, with this look of shock on his face.

But then they were both gone, Kai upset and Toby trying to apologise. Lachlan followed more slowly, because he kinda wanted to see how this was going to play out.

Bridgette's fingers seemed to dip into all the conversations around them, and it was a bit... intimidating. If only because Ana was already so unsure of herself. This, of course, meant that she was a bit annoyed that the girl was interested in other things that weren't Ana, despite Ana not even making her presence welcome yet. It was stupid. Ridiculous. There was no reason Ana should ever feel unappreciated with someone she spent most of her time spitting at whenever they were near each other. Would she be acting this way if it was any other girl? Did she pick Bridgette simply because she was there?

The girl sometimes said flirtatious things to Ana. She wasn't stupid. She knew what the fuck a flirtation was. Maybe that's why she was tempted at all.

But that was stupid. Ana tapped her fingers against her wrist as Bridgette poured her drink, pale eyes glued to the Ravenclaw's hands. She had a bad habit of watching people's fingers work when she was nervous. No. This would amount to nothing. She was drowning in hubris because her friend was getting a handie in the corner from a clone, and all she wanted was to feel comfortable in her own skin for once. But it wasn't possible. She wasn't comfortable with who she was. It was stupidly painful. But following the line of fire, Bridgette's thin finger reaching her lips, her pink tongue kissing it softly...

Wow. Ana was so gay. It was unavoidable. Who knew?

Her bitch face didn't give in, however, despite how much she panicked inwardly when she caught herself staring. Instead, her gaze pulled back to the Ravenclaw's amused stare. She wasn't sure how she was supposed to feel. But her expression, bless its heart, simply glared the girl down. "If you want to see me fight a lamp and scream profanities, I'll toss back half a glass of vodka and put on a show," A reference that only Aaron would truly understand, but an amusing tidbit nonetheless, "Of course, that's me on a regular basis, isn't it?" Popping her lips and smiling, she pulled her drink closer to her. She sipped from it a little bit, careful not to smudge her lipstick, but ultimately trying to relax her stomach. Soda always helped ease its demon-like churning whenever it was throwing a fit.

"I also didn't expect you to show up," The girl began, "Though I have to admit, I hoped you would."

Ana's eyes turned away then, sipping her drink to pretend that's what was biting her tongue, and not her own teeth. Drama unfolded down the bar, boys bonking boys and crying over boys and Ana didn't really give a shit. But it gave her a chance to look away and think about what to say. She couldn't really think of anything to say. "Well, my friend begged me to come and then ditched me," She lied, feigning disinterest because she was a moron, "And... Well. Maybe it piqued my interest, I don't know." A finger traced the rim of her glass, smearing the lipstick mark and humming inaudibly under the music and the crowd. The vibrations tickled her skin and she pulled it away.

God. Queen of Confidence, and Ana couldn't even speak to a girl like a normal person. A scoff, and she closed her eyes and pressed her fingers to her forehead. If she had any dignity, she would find somewhere else to wallow in her ridiculous issues.

Figures that Ren couldn't get away with lingering in the shadows. Not that he minded Liz's attention, but being scolded like a puppy certainly made him feel adequately infantilized. There was a small pause as he considered her request, before finally dragging his scrawny ass from the wall. Stepping into the bar area once more, his eyes locked with Jasper and the two of them seemed to have an unspoken agreement: They would keep their distance from each other. Figures that the Kim brothers were both the type to indulge in liquor and sex. Ren could only assume they got it from Duri. Or maybe Jasper even got it from his big brother, perish the fucking thought.

"Reeves," The Slytherin greeted her, placing his bottle on the bar. The bar now seemed much emptier since he last looked at it, and that helped relax him a bit. Two Quidditch captains stood behind the counter, and it only made sense for a third to come loitering around. If it had been anyone else to go yelling his name, he wondered if he would have ducked into another room to avoid anyone looking at him. Avoid Jasper knowing he, too, was there. He leaned against the bar, long fingers pressed against his vodka bottle.

Another pause. "Figures you're around. Would you mind getting me something that could potentially burst my liver?" He asked, calm and clear as always. A lone hand tugged on his earlobe. He only wished he was a bit drunker before anyone tried speaking to him.