Now we one, two, three, four, five shots deep

No better version I could pretend to be tonight

"It's her first time" Koa protests to Mateo, punching his friend gently on the arm. "And she's tiny. Not all of us can put booze away like you, Teo." Shaking his head, he turns a chagrined grimace back to Theea. "Ignore him- water is important. If you drink too much too hard it'll hit you all at once and you'll be fucking miserable tomorrow. Better to nurse a buzz." This is said with a sage nod and the superior tone of one with wisdom bestowed by twenty-four years of life.

Bartender boy is being weird; Koa's lips twist mistrustfully at his weirdly predatory grin. But he does as he's told, passing the water down the countertop despite the protests and jeers of his friends. "Get me another drink, then!" he grins at Kaisel. Which takes more than half a second, so Koa instead grabs the mojito out of his hand and raising it to his lips. Without breaking eye contact he begins to chug it down, draining the remaining liquid in four big gulps. "Better?"

And then Calypso volunteers body shots, and Mateo is covered in lime and salt, and maybe it's the mojito bringing him right on back to the days of their youth but Koa doesn't miss a beat. Snatching the shot off the counter, he winks at his friend before dropping down. The tongue on the botanist's chest is perhaps unnecessarily wet, but Koa's grinning wildly as he breaks away, throwing back the tequila shot and laughing at the burn. He reaches a hand to cup Mateo's head and pulls their faces together, stubble brushing stubble as he deftly takes the lime from between his friend's teeth. 

It isn't the first time they've put on a show like this, and it isn't the wildest one they've done. But Koa's flushed deeply as he sucks on the lime wedge, his face all but glowing - and not just because of the glitter he's inadvertently wiped off Mateo's skin. He's very aware of Sohalia behind him, and while he doesn't dare look back to see her reaction, he really, really wishes he could see her face.

k o a

the rumpus and ruckus are comfortable now

The bump of Calypso's hip against him rattles his core with a roil of desire. She is more than he could have hoped for, and gods help him, he's already at the mercy of her claws when she winks and seals his fate. Her gold isn't sunshine, warm and nourishing—she's the amber of oak-tempered liquor, all heat and bite, a flare of bad decisions wrapped around missing memories and nights worth remembering. Gods, he could drink that smile of hers with those sangria lips. He has half a mind to, the straw slipping free from his tongue, eyes shuttering as they trace the part of her mouth.

Like a splash though, the water Koa calls out for sweeps him into its current, focus snapped from her as foolish as it might be. He lashed out his admonishments at his cousin for it, who in turn swipes his drink. "Hey!" Kaisel complains with surprise that quickly turns smug as Koa stares him down. "Much," he admits with a a lopsided smile, gaze alight with the mischief running like a current between the gathering.

Theea is so fucking cute, he almost can't stand it. She's reminiscent of a baby kitten barely able to use the stairs when surrounded with this crowd. Kaisel laughs in response, though it isn't cruel, just utterly delighted at the fluster that the very thought of body shots causes her. The jaguar on his hip is kind enough to explain, and Mateo and Koa go a step further and demonstrate.

Kaisel roars his approval with shouts and jeers, hand slipping free of Caly's hip to cup around his mouth and accentuate the volume. He drums his hands in rapid smacks along Koa's shoulder, "Fuck yeah cuz, that's how it's done!" Alright, maybe tonight was saved with tequila and glitter afterall, and that broad grin could stay easily fastened on Koa's lips. Maybe. 

Kaisel turns back to Caly, his attention undivided on her now as he grabs one of the offered shots. "Me next," he says lowly, that lazy heat winding through him at the sight of her, the promise of her and that wine mouth darkening his own.

Kaisel

everybody come hang, let's go out with a bang

maybe smoking one more cigarette won't turn your lungs to ashes

The thoughts around him are a cacophony—sugar-laced, rum-soaked, edged in desire and glitter. But under it, Vesper tastes the static that used to be just noise. Now it’s more like a signal: Sohalia ’s disappointment curling in on itself like wilted petals; Koa ’s flare of pride and self-justification, loud and stubborn as a child stomping in boots too big. It’s not just annoying—it’s boring. Mr. Beige-Knight (Sorry Koa, you don't get to be a White Knight when you're making someone feel like shit 2ft away from you) wants to be the life of the party and the voice of reason, the protector and the provoker. And as for Sohalia... well. He tried. You're on your own, babe.

His gaze flicks toward the bar, to where Kaisel is very obviously about to attempt to eat his sister like she's a cocktail garnish. He promptly looks away, because while he'd sent his sister off to have fun, he certainly doesn't need to watch said fun unfold when he can already feel it sparkling in her thoughts.

Instead, he slides out from behind the bar, quiet as a shadow and just as deliberate. The line of shots he prepared is already gleaming in the low light, and he doesn’t hesitate—not in the direction he moves, not in the hand that reaches out to catch Mateo by the curls. "Think it's my turn," he murmurs, low and velvet-edged, as his fingers tangle gently but firmly in the back of the botanist’s hair, tipping his head back. He leans in, eyes half-lidded, and runs a slow, deliberate lick up the column of Mateo’s neck, just below his jaw, before dusting the same spot with salt. It gleams against his skin like moonlight.

Vesper straightens, the shot already in his other hand, but his grin is all teeth when he adds, voice low enough that only Mateo hears it: "Don’t need a lime. The only chaser I want—" he leans in again, "—is you." And then he licks the salt away, smooth and unhurried, downs the shot, and pulls Mateo into a kiss that burns like good tequila and wants to linger even longer. As for the rest of the kid hang, Vesper doesn't care if he looks (Caly side, she's free to look away). He’s not doing this for them, he’s doing it because he wants to.

But all it takes is gas to burn a city down with matches

Code 100% taken from the queeeeeeen herself, Sky <3

why icarus thought he'd find his place a little higher

A gasp of surprise leaves Calypso – though it matters little. She snickers her amusement as Koa steals the mojito from Kaisel and downs it, all while she drinks in the party around them. Mateo gets into motion with the acceptance of Caly’s own voluntelling him, and despite her small stature she really tries not to be too far behind – arm slipping from Kaisel to step forward to the bar to snag her own portions so that she isn’t as far behind, all while the cheering and excitement occurs from the body shot Koa takes from Mateo.

In this time, the wedge of lime is placed easily between her wine dark, red lips, and her blonde curls swept back from her shoulders to offer the expanse of her chest and the deep V the golden glittering dress makes. The salt is poured in a line, glittering like little diamonds as Kaisel’s voice rings out and her amber gaze drinks him in – ignoring her brother just as easily as he ignores her.

The lime wedge is plucked from her lips momentarily as she flashes her challenge to him. “You next, sweetheart.” It’s a golden purr and a challenge, carefully slipping that lime wedge back between her lips, straightening up at an angle that has her curved against the edge of the bar if only to force Kaisel to have to try a little harder to get to the lime. Something tells her he wouldn’t mind the view either way.

Calypso

it's curious, the flame of the fire

Theea

Yla

I’m still not sure if I’m surviving this party or being gently steamrolled by it, but at least now I’m smiling more than panicking. The people around me—this wild tangle of glitter and swagger and sea-soaked laughter—keep pulling me along like it’s second nature to include me.

I just hope I can keep up.

Koa ’s warmth hasn’t gone unnoticed, and I glance at him with a sheepish smile, cradling my frosty glass in one hand. “Noted, I’ll try not to end the night early,” I say, a dry little lilt at the edge of my words.

Then Calypso volunteers herself for body shots and says Mateo’s name like it’s an invitation to chaos, and I blink too slowly.

He peels off his shirt with practiced ease, jangles landing with a clink against the counter. That’s Mateo. Flora’s brother. My cousin, for all intents and purposes. Who’s now covered in lime and salt and very shirtless. I go still for a moment, a flush crawling up the back of my neck.

Then Koa dives in like it's the most natural thing in the world, licking salt from Mateo’s chest before throwing back the shot and stealing the lime from between his teeth. It’s bold. It’s loud. It’s a lot.

I don’t even realize I’ve stopped breathing until I’ve drained the last of my Torchline Float.

Then Vesper , of course, takes the whole game to another level entirely. He doesn’t just perform the body shot—he owns it. The kiss he plants on Mateo is a promise written in smoke, and it sends my heart stumbling in my chest.

Calypso’s laugh pulls my attention next—just in time to see her lean back, lips dark as wine, inviting Kaisel in with a wicked look that makes my stomach do something vaguely illegal. They move around each other like they’re playing a game I don’t know the rules to. It’s intimate, but effortless.

I turn, leaning across the bar, toward Sohalia and I laugh, “If I get any redder, I’m going to look sunburned. Is this a good time for another shot? Or do I lay down and reevaluate everything I know about kissing?”

occupation: aspiring beam of light

Sohalia

Sohalia leaned her elbows on the bar, her gaze fixed on Theea. "Definitely go for water. And food, when you can." Her gaze flitted towards Koa, her heart aching for how much care he was showing to the other girl. It was a strange sensation - part jealousy and part affection. He'd always been too good for the way Soh had treated him. She both loved and hated the reminder.

Water was passed around, and then Koa stole Kaisel's mojito, earning a small smile from Soh at their antics. Taking her own advice, she nabbed one of the water glasses and took a small sip, if only so she wouldn't have to go make herself another drink. Then body shots were called for, and Soh raised her brows, exchanging a look with Theea, who seemed to be just as flustered by the idea as the Luminary.

And then, much to Soh's surprise, Koa took the first one - and came away glowing, as though it had been thrilling. Soh had to admit that it looked like fun - and, if she was being honest, it was kind of hot. Her cheeks reddened, and her mouth went dry, and she took another sip of water for something to do with her hands. Vesper was next, but he pulled Mateo in for a kiss that lingered, and Soh quickly looked to Theea as the girl laughed. "Another shot. Definitely."

Soh grabbed one of the shot glasses, then paused. She'd never done a body shot, and frankly the whole vibe of the group was so far outside her comfort zone that she wasn't sure which way was up. But they were all laughing and having fun, and she was tired of feeling like an outsider.

"Hey, Koa," she called sweetly, holding up the shot glass she held between her fingers with a grin that might have been a touch wicked. "Are we only doing shots off of Caly and Mateo, or are you fair game?" He might have rejected her, but she could still want him, right?

if all of the days have no more light and all of our dreams are lost tonight

we show off our different scarlet letters

Flora nearly chokes on her drink as Sohalia —sweet, darling, always-so-careful Sohalia—calls out to Koa, a wicked little grin curling on her friend's lips. Flora's mouth drops open in shock that quickly melts into utter delight. "Oh my gods," she whispers to herself, impressed laughter bubbling behind the rim of her glass. Get it, Soh.

But as her gaze flicks to Kaisel —currently busy making moon eyes at Caly, who's slouched against the bar like the evening's sweetest temptation—a tiny thorn pricks in Flora's chest. It isn't jealousy exactly, but something sharper, more tangled, if only because the queen was denied such simple fun. Of course there's a stupid, messy knot tying too many of them together, a tangle that makes everything she wants feel unnecessarily off-limits. It’s infuriating, really, that Koa’s stupidly handsome face and indecision paired with Sohalia’s soft heart had somehow end up dictating who Flora got to touch, or tease, or flirt with.

Not that Kaisel seems too bothered by all these invisible strings—what with how he's eyeing up Caly's tits like they're the ripest bits of fruit he's ever seen—though should he look her way, the Doubletake will offer him a sly wink and bounce of her eyebrows. Someone deserved to have a bit of uncomplicated fun, and whatever her feelings about it all, Flora wanted that for Assborn.

Turning only to spy Mateo being devoured by #Vesper, Flora wrinkles her nose and pivots again. "Hey, Theea," she calls out instead, pushing away the flicker of frustration and flashing a bright, playful smile. "Wanna dance?" She tips her head toward the space cleared for it, music thrumming through the floorboards, hips already swaying like the beat was hers all along. "Food and water is one way of not getting drunk, but cardio is definitely my preferred method."

Mateo

Unable to respond to Koa without being at risk of choking on a lime, at least his friend has the decency to come and rescue it from his mouth since he's the one squawking about the dangers of alcohol. Grumbling a singularly unimpressed note at the needlessly slug-like train he leaves on his chest from his tongue, the botanist surrenders the lime with practiced ease, blowing the other man a kiss for good measure.

"You see?" Mateo purrs, straightening up a fraction - and seeming completely unaware of the predatory telepath preparing to steal his night away behind the bar. "Was that so difficult?" He even manages to tip a friendly wink towards Theea, his lips parting as well to cheer on Calypso and Kaisel, when all of a sudden Vesper is very much in his space.

"I think you might be right," he agrees with a wolfish smile, head tipping back willingly with or without the assistance for the fingers tangled in his hair. He doesn't quite manage to get out the I hoped you would say that regarding the lime, because soon enough he's playing the part of the chaser himself, tongue burning with the tequila as their lips meet.

Humming approvingly and hooking an arm around Vesper's neck, though he doesn't say it, his thoughts all but scream for them to get out of here - especially if he's going to be making moves like that.

if anything could fall at all, it's the world that falls away from me

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!

No better version I could pretend to be tonight

The shot goes over as well as Koa hoped, earing jeers and cheers in equal turn. Feeling quite satisfied with his performance, he winks at Mateo and takes a step back, elbows resting on the bar. Vesper is quick to swoop in and claim the spot that the Dragoon recently occupied; Koa raises his eyebrows as the young bartender sets about devouring his friend's face, as though Mateo were a puddle of smoke and sunlight and he was trying to lap up every last drop.

A glance to his right shows Calypso and Kaisel engaged in a similar level of oral gymnastics, and damn if everyone doesn't seem to be pairing off. Koa moves to turn to Theea, his smile bright in the glitter now coating his face and nose-

-and then Sohalia is there, a shot in her hand and a boldness in her eyes that makes Koa's stomach somersault.

"Uhh..." he falters, his cheeks flushing red. It feels like an excellent, terrible idea to let this happen, because on the one hand having Sohalia lick his chest and then suck a lime from between his lips is 100% something right out of his spank bank, and on the other he has been trying very hard to be good. To not lead her on more than he has as he sorts his messy emotions out - emotions that snarl and twist in his chest as he inadvertently glances back at Flora.

But his ex seems more focused on his cousin than him, which is something he is too drunk to parse just now. And maybe it's the hot pang of jealousy at her inattention that makes him do what he does next. Or it could be the the aching desire in his belly to join his friends in feeling smooth skin and hot lips on his body, to not be alone. There's also the way Sohalia's eyes glitter like pools of molten silver in the dusky light, begging him to dive into them, to let go of whatever stupid hang-up he's wearing like a badge of honor and let himself be wanted by this gorgeous, incredible girl.

Or maybe he's just drunk.

Whatever the reason (all of them, it's all of them), Koa makes the impetuous decision that fuck it, we ball. Emotions and feelings and being good haven't gotten him very far, and sometimes it's all way too much, making the right decision.

Sometimes, boys just want to have fun.

His expression shifting from bemused to easily, smokily charming, Koa pulls his shirt off to reveal the smooth bronze skin beneath. "Come and get it," Koa invites Sohalia, lip curled in a challenging smirk, one eyebrow raised high as he wonders if she'll actually follow through.

k o a

the rumpus and ruckus are comfortable now

The salt glitters like his gaze as he tracks her deft movements, the lime a smiling invitation poised between her lips. He’s never wondered what it feels like to be a lime—until now.

Everyone else fades as he closes in on Calypso, nothing but a moth to her glow. His hand slides to her hip, fingers spreading over the shimmering fabric that keeps her skin just out of reach, eyes roiling with want as the space between them disappears. His focus dips to the swell of her chest, his free hand (still curled around the shot) brushing the edge of her dress, yet another barrier against him. Maybe not for long, he thinks with a devilish grin, bowing over her, wholly possessive, as his tongue claims the space between her breasts. The salt lies above, so he drags his tongue upward—lips tucking a kiss here, a nibble there—tracing a path of promise until he finally sweeps up the grains with a grin.

He tilts the shot back swiftly, the least interesting part of this ordeal now, and he slides the empty glass into the pocket of her dress, right at the point where her fantastic chest forms the bottom of a heart. Free now, his hand finds the base of her neck, threading through heat and hair. He tilts, pressing into the crook of her hips as he leans to claim the chaser. Flora's voice is the only one that seems to penetrate the serenity he's found among Caly, and a marginal tilt of his head occurs, a beat of a pause before he continues as he seems to listen to what his doppleganger is getting up to now that she's back in the main room.

Caly’s exquisite lips hover close, brushing his, and he falls back into her without hesitation. He tilts one edge of his mouth to hers—red against red—while his tongue slips in from the other side, coaxing the lime free so he can have every inch of her. He tucks the citrus into his cheek, savoring a long, uninterrupted taste of her smile, teeth grazing her bottom lip before he reluctantly pulls away.

His hand slips free of her neck, but he remains close, the heat of his liquor and her body steadying him. The wedge spins lazily in his mouth, a green grin curling his lips as the rind pops free, juice puckering sharp on his tongue. "You're delicious." His voice is low, thick with pooling lust.

Kaisel

everybody come hang, let's go out with a bang

Sohalia

Sohalia was dimly aware that Flora had returned from the back room, and a small part of her whispered that maybe this wasn’t the best idea given the tangled web of history between the three of them - but it was only a small part, and Sohalia was just intoxicated enough that it took very little to silence it. Instead, she came around the bar, shot in hand, eyes locked on Koa. The last time she’d teased him like this, she’d hesitated at the last minute - and right now, visions of what might have happened if she hadn’t danced behind her eyes as she approached.

She’d never done a body shot before, but she’d now watched a few, and they didn’t seem particularly complicated. There was a playful little smirk on her face as Koa quirked a brow at her, clearly wondering if she’d actually go through with it. And now that the moment was here, maybe it was the alcohol, or maybe it was just young lust, or maybe it was just being tired of trying to be so damn good all the time - but she was committed, and emboldened by drunkenness, and this time there was no hesitation.

She paused in front of him for just a second, her silver gaze meeting his challenging copper, tilting her head to one side as she drank him in. And then she took one more step, until their bodies were almost touching and she was close enough to smell the salt on his skin and liquor on his breath. He didn’t think she’d do it - it was there in his eyes, and just for that, she was determined to prove him wrong.

And so she leaned in to sweep her tongue from his collarbone up his neck, tasting salt, and if she lingered for a moment? Well, that was between her and Koa. Drawing away only slightly, she knocked back the shot, managing to keep from coughing at the burn through sheer willpower, and leaned in to pluck the lime from his lips. Her mouth brushed his, their breaths mingled, and it was all she could do to force herself to draw away, eyes blazing with triumph, as she met his copper gaze again.

if all of the days have no more light and all of our dreams are lost tonight

Theea

Yla

I laugh, short and sharp, the sound catching in my throat as I toss back the shot Sohalia slips into my hand. It hits harder than the first—gods, I wasn’t ready—and I have to clamp my mouth shut to keep from coughing. My eyes water. My chest burns. I barely manage to choke it down, scrunching my face like it might help.

“That’s fine,” I rasp to no one in particular. “That’s completely fine. I’m thriving.”

The rim of the bar is my anchor as I blink hard, trying to catch up with whatever chaos I just re-entered. The glitter, the sweat, the noise.

Sohalia steps forward, confident in a way that makes the whole room tilt slightly around her. She’s holding a shot glass like it’s a loaded weapon and smiling at Koa like she’s finally ready to pull the trigger. I watch, wide-eyed, as she calls him out—really calls him out—and when Koa’s answer is to strip his shirt off and smirk, I’m too stunned to do anything but whistle under my breath at the two of them as she licks the salt from his neck.

There’s a wink from Mateo that finds me through the madness, and I smile back instinctively, sheepish and uncertain. He looks like he’s having the time of his life, draped in glitter and tequila and Vesper’s hands. Calypso and Kaisel are pressed together like they're trying to burn the memory of each other into skin. The music is loud, the air is warm, and somehow everyone’s shirtless. Or kissing. Or both. Everything is a blur of hips and heat and salt, and suddenly I feel wildly overdressed and hilariously inexperienced.

And then Flora appears, gleaming and warm and sure, inviting me to dance. I don’t think. I just light up and nod—thank every God for sending her. “Yes. Gods, yes.”

occupation: aspiring beam of light

we show off our different scarlet letters

Over the roar of the music she tips her head towards Theea, her smile bright as starlight and her voice carrying just enough to be heard. "If anyone grabs you," she shouts cheerfully, but with a glint of genuine protectiveness in her eyes, "just tell me, and I'll stab them with my shoe!"

Flora tosses her curls back, a shimmer of sweat already catching the glow from the lights overhead. Despite the chaos brewing inside—hot and sharp, jealousy and hurt tangling into a tight knot behind her ribs—she keeps dancing, refusing to let a single hint of tension leak into her expression or body. Instead, she channels it into movement, hips swaying and arms reaching overhead, laughing as she twirls Theea in playful circles.

But every heartbeat feels a little jagged, like pieces of broken sea glass lodged inside her chest. It’s not that she isn’t happy for Soh, because gods, she is—had already said it and meant it, genuinely, completely. But it was one thing to say she’d be okay, and another to watch Sohalia lick salt from Koa 's collarbone, her best friend’s tongue tracing skin Flora still remembered the exact warmth and taste of. It’s visceral, sudden, impossible to look away from. Her throat aches, her heart hammers, and she hates how stupidly unprepared she is for it given she'd just been cheering her on.

Kaisel doesn’t make it easier. Flora glances toward him, catching sight of the way his head dips low to Caly, his lips against hers so bold and certain it’s almost dizzying. And that, too, is something tangled and complicated and forbidden in ways Flora never asked for. She doesn't know if she's jealous or angry or just exhausted by the mess of it all, but the ache is real enough to make her teeth press hard against the inside of her cheek.

She knows it's hypocritical—gods, she knows—when she herself had just been tangled between Asta and Danta mere minutes ago, but it feels so utterly different. With them it had been just fun, just heat, no strings attached, no lingering softness to haunt her tomorrow. She'd never catch Asta's or Danta’s eyes across the crowded bar and feel her breath hitch, her heart stumble, the moment crystallizing into something she'd turn over again and again. Not like with K—

—ahem, but she'd said no heartbreak.

The music swells, and Flora throws herself into it harder, pulling Theea closer, her laughter as bright and fierce as she can manage. She wasn't going to break the only rule she'd stipulated for that evening, even if it means dancing like nothing else exists, not Koa’s shirtless chest, not Kaisel’s stupid smirk, not Sohalia’s sweetly daring smile as she finally went for the boy she loved.

Just the beat, just the lights, just Theea’s joyful, glitter-streaked face, and the fierce determination to not let anything else ruin tonight. "I'm so glad you're here," she whispers, leaning in close but still having to shout the words over the roar of the music.

No better version I could pretend to be tonight

She challenges, he challenges, and around them the music rages on, each beat thrumming and bumping along with the pounding in his ears. The rest of the bar fades away, dissolving into a swirling kaleidoscope of color and light that centers upon those silver eyes in that luminous, pale face. He holds Soh's gaze and his own breath, not looking away as he salts his collar and mouths the lime, an electric current humming through them both. And when she finally looks down he wonders, briefly, if she's giving up.

But then her tongue is on his neck and he's biting down on the lime to distract himself from the way his body burns and freezes and fuck he should not have worn swim trunks tonight.

Koa can taste the shot on her breath as their lips graze for a merciless second, the memory of springtime kisses taunting him like ghosts. Deprived of the lime his's mouth feels dry; he swallows, licking unconsciously at his lips as his gaze flits from Soh's coral lips to the triumph blazing in her eyes. They're barely five inches away from each other, and it would be so, so, so easy to follow the suit of his friends behind him, to lean in and claim her in a kiss.

Instead he half-turns to the bar behind him, snatching up the first fresh drink he sees and taking a healthy swig, desperate for something to put some distance between Soh's mouth and his.

Fuck, he's fucked.

k o a