Coming Home [Completed]

Ch. 27: Valentino (NYE, Part II)

Tate and Julia's apartment building was a bit of a ways off from the park. Charlie and Theo passed by dozens of people on their way, many of whom were already in full revelry for the night ahead, even though it wasn't even dinnertime. They reached the building and discovered it to be a relatively modern building among many older ones in the East Village.

Charlie pressed the button corresponding to their apartment and within a few seconds, he heard Julia's voice telling him she'd buzz him in from the speaker and then a dull buzzing sound coming from the doorframe. Charlie almost didn't process in time that he was meant to open the door at that moment, but Theo ultimately was able to rescue the situation and push the door open before time expired.

The teenagers then made their way past the guard at the front desk in the building's lobby. The older man regarded them with a look of suspicion but said nothing as the two made their way to the elevators, which took them to their friends' floor.

Charlie took charge of knocking on the door to announce their arrival and Tate was the one to open the door, wearing a "comedic" holiday sweater where the joke seemed to be that the word "ho" was inscribed on it about a million times. He also had on a paper party hat, which was slightly askew on his head.

Tate greeted them and then led them to the apartment's kitchen, where Julia was tending to party preparations. It was not yet six o'clock and other guests wouldn't be arriving until later, but Charlie and Theo had arrived early because they would be spending the night there.

Julia immediately embraced Charlie and eventually Theo was pulled into their hug as well. Not wanting to be left out, Tate then joined in on the periphery of this impromptu group hug. Tate then showed Charlie and Theo to the guest room. It was only then it really hit Theo how rich Tate's parents must be to afford such a nice East Village apartment that had a spare room. Tate, he realized, would be the type of person he loathed if he didn't actually know him. Tate didn't necessarily flaunt his wealth, but he made no effort to conceal it either.

After they got settled, Julia asked what they'd want to do for dinner, since they'd be getting delivery and Theo suggested Chinese food. They passed around the menu for a place called Golden Dragon that had come with Julia and Tate's last order from the place as they decided what they'd be getting. They each got their own thing as well as an order of fried wontons.

"I thought wontons only came in the soup," Charlie said absentmindedly, but quickly realized how provincial that must've sounded.

Tate laughed a bit, but Julia replied "that's just how the Chinese place in Brewer does it. Most places have the fried wontons and the soup." She'd managed to say that without any of the condescension that Tate was so effortless at. He was a bit of dick, but still a good person to have around and he clearly made Julia happy.

When the food arrived, Julia sent Tate down to retrieve it. Two years ago, Charlie wouldn't have put money on them getting together at all, nevermind having a relationship exceeding a month, but here they were and Tate was so obviously at Julia's beck-and-call. As they ate, Charlie loudly proclaimed he preferred the fried wontons over wonton soup.

"Julia always saves a few for the next morning to have for breakfast," Tate declared, earning an elbow to the side from Julia and scrunched faces from the other couple.

"Really?" Theo asked, a little taken aback.

"Don't knock it 'till you try it," Julia intoned.

Shortly after they were done eating, the other partygoers started to arrive. Tate started the music from his speaker and the television was turned on to one of the channels covering the Times Square festivities, though muted. Charlie had toyed with the idea of actually going there with Theo, but seeing it on TV he realized how hectic and unappealing the reality of that idea would be.

The partygoers were all friends Julia had made at NYU or Tate had made at his design school. Charlie felt bad, but he couldn't quite remember the name. Charlie and Theo mostly stuck together throughout the night. Charlie nursed the same wine glass for most of the night and Theo kept pace with him.

Eventually, they found themselves on the couch; or rather, Charlie found himself on the couch with Theo on his lap. Julia was seated on the other end of the couch with one of her friends, Marianne, between them. Charlie and Theo were murmuring amongst themselves in between kisses; they were both still very handsy when he was intoxicated.

However, Theo's attention was drawn to the two girls' conversation when Marianna mentioned studying abroad in Paris the previous semester.

"Wait, when did you leave?" Theo asked, pulling his head away from Charlie's clutches for the moment.

"I actually stayed until the day after Christmas. My parents came and we spent the holiday together."

"No way. I was in Paris on Christmas Eve. I went to go visit a friend at Pantheon-Sorbonne." Theo replied. Charlie bristled at the allusion to Thierry.

"Small world. I had a few classes there and the dorms were right there."

"We may have crossed paths then. I was studying film there."

"What a coincidence! My friend was too."

"What was his name?"

"Thierry Bisset."

"Tall, kinda lanky?"

"That's the one."

"We had a class together. He's hot," Marianna offered. Charlie let out an indignant sound at that, which he considered praise for a vanquished rival.

"How did you like Paris?" Theo asked, quickly changing the subject away from Thierry's attractiveness.

"I really enjoyed it. Highly recommend it as a study abroad destination," Marianne told him.

"I actually applied to Sciences Po for undergrad," Theo admitted.

"You think you could do all of college in French?" Marianne asked, shocked.

"I'm fluent. My mom's from there originally."

Recovering from his initial astonishment, Charlie let out "you applied to a school in Paris?!"

Theo then realized the severity of the revelation he just let slip and quickly went into a mode to assuage Charlie's concerns. "It's super tough to get into. I probably won't get it."

Charlie, though, was not assuaged and spent the next several minutes stewing over it in his seat on the couch with Theo in his lap as the other boy chatted along with Marianne and Julia. Charlie was only distracted from this when Tate pulled him into a game of rage cage with some of the other guys. Theo wisely tried to opt-out, but once Marianne and Julia agreed he was the only nonparticipant left so he reluctantly agreed.

Charlie and Theo were at a slight advantage playing rage cage given their relative sobriety compared with the college students around them, but no one would be sober for long playing that game.

As the game started, the song "Valentino" by Years & Years started playing from Tate's speakers and Charlie found it quite apropos to his current situation. Quicker than a flash, he had me at hello/he took me by the hand, we started dancing slow/I didn't want to get attached but now, I'm far too close/Now, I'm stuck in his melody. Then, things started getting blurry for Charlie.