The walls were literally vibrating from how loud the music was playing. Neon lights bounced off the ceiling and beach balls randomly appeared two hours ago. The crowd was jumping up and down punching the colorful balls into the air. They didn't get high, only to be knocked down by the ceiling. The red cups ran out several hours ago. Now people were cradling blue cups, cherishing it's contents. And there were people everywhere, leaning against the walls trying to talk, dancing on the dance floor, outside getting air, around the table refilling drinks. They were everywhere.
Colby leaned against the counter, the cold surface seeping through his shirt hitting his back. He held a red cup, one of the few left, staring hazily at all the people. He decided to stay near the drinks, so he could refill and not have to worry about maneuvering through the sweaty people. It was one of the last weeks in the shared house and he wasn't ready to leave it. This is where he realized who he really was.
Colby watched as Jake, one of his roommates, comes stumbling into the kitchen. He watches the boy pour himself another drink. Jake wasn't even old enough to drink, yet Colby watched him drink the liquid without a problem. It always burned Colby's throat but he's grown used to the feeling and now he likes it.
He glances in his own cup and decided he needs more. He walked around the girl that's been trying to get his attention for the past hour and manages to stand beside Jake. He takes the bottle from Jakes hand.
"H-hey, I was using that," Jake slurs out.
"I think you've had enough Jake," Colby said voice deep. He knew the boy was drunker than he should be. Jake looked at him, a hurt expression on his face.
"I'm telling Sam," Jake yells over the music. Then he stomps off and Colby watches him go, bumping into people as he went.
Sam, another one of Colby's roommates had disappeared into the crowd hours ago. The last Colby had seen him was holding a red cup, following a guy deeper into the house. At first Colby was a little jealous, watching the boy he so dearly loved leave. But he got over it, realizing Sam wasn't his.
Sam was also Colby's best friend. They grew up together so they knew each other inside and out. Wherever Sam was Colby was close behind and vice versa. So it didn't surprise the brunette when Jake mentioned Sam.
He was kind of worried though. He hadn't seen Sam in a few hours, he hasn't even come back into the kitchen to refill his drink. Colby looked around at all the people. How was he ever going to find Sam?
He decided to wait a few minutes, hoping Jake had found the smaller boy and would drag him into the kitchen to tell on him. But after ten agonizing minutes, Jake nor Sam had shown up.
He wished now, as he walked through his crowded house, he had taken a better look at the guy Sam was following. They could be anywhere. Colby wandered in and out of the rooms, eyes darting between every person. He saw Jake, who was dancing horribly to the song that was playing. In his drunken state, he must've forgotten about finding Sam. Or maybe he did find Sam but Sam didn't care enough.
Colby almost gave up. He hated the feeling of other people's skin on his, their breath so close to his face. But his eyes continued to glance around the room until he found the blonde boy.
It was darker in this room, only flashes from the foyer bouncing into the room. The bass was loud in here unlike any of the other rooms. And the only reason Colby saw the boy was because there wasn't many people in the room to begin with.
Sam was leaning against the wall, body facing the boy he wandered off with. His red cup was nowhere to be seen, now a blue cup that he was passing to the boy in front of him. The dark haired boy had an arm wrapped around Sams tiny waist, making Sam stay where he was. And they were close, too close for Colby's liking.
Colby gritted his teeth as he watched the boy press the blue cup to Sams mouth. Sam drank the liquid, thirstily. His eyes lids drooping lazily. And suddenly Colby wondered what kind of liquid he was drinking.
The people in the room started to vanish as a loud commotion from another room caught their attention. But Colby stayed in the shadows of the room watching his friend. His hands squeezed into fists.
Sam stumbled backwards into a chair. He giggled slightly and put a hand over his mouth. The boy, who Colby has yet to know his name, grabs Sam with his other hand. He pushes his body close until their chests were pressing together. He leaned his head down to reach Sams ear. Colby saw his mouth moving but couldn't hear what he was saying.
But he saw from Sam's facial expression that it wasn't anything good. Sam shook his head and pointed to the doorway. But the boy wasn't paying attention to Sam instead his head was buried in his neck, kissing the skin roughly.
Colby moved closer, anger filling his eyes. There was no way he was going to watch this and let it happen. The song suddenly stopped playing and he could finally hear Sam.
"Brennen, stop."
Sams words were slow and delayed. The dark haired boy, Brennen, pulls away from Sam's neck, pure lust in his eyes. He reaches up and traces Sams thin lips. The thumping of a new song continued but Colby is close enough now to hear the conversation.
"But baby, I need you," Brennen says hungrily, darkly, forcefully.
Colby grimaces at his words. He watches as Sam tries to pull away from Brennens grip. But Brennen is strong and grips Sams waist tighter. Colby was about to jump if he didn't let go of the blonde.
"Here, drink some more," Brennen says, bringing the cup to Sams lips once again. Some of the liquid dripped onto the carpet as Sam didn't open his mouth.
"I said stop," Sam repeats forcefully. But Brennen doesn't listen instead starts sucking the tender skin of his neck again. Sam squirms in his grip, trying to do everything he could to get out. He screamed but the music was too loud. Brennen drops the cup, it's contents going everywhere. His fingers digging into Sams frail skin. Colby watched his hands go under Sams shirt.
Colby was fuming now. He wasn't going to let this happen. He stomped out of the shadows and into view of Sam. Sams eyes widen as he sees anger consuming his best friends eyes.
"He said to stop," Colby growls ripping the boy away from Sam. Brennen stumbles over his feet but steadies himself while looking Colby up and down. A smirk plays across his face as he points a finger at him.
"And who might you be?" Brennen snarls. Colby steps between Brennen and Sam, he didn't want him touching the smaller boy again. Sam whimpers behind Colby and he felt tiny fingers wrapping around his wrist.
"It doesn't matter. Sam said to stop, so you need to stop," Colby shouts.
"Seems to me like you're Sams guardian angel." Brennens eyes snap to Sam, a smirk on his face. "Tell me baby, is he here to save you?"
"Don't talk to him," Colby snaps forcing Brennen to look at him. He was fuming at Brennen calling Sam baby.
Sam continues to whimper behind Colby. His mind kept going in and out from all the alcohol he's had to drink.
"I think you've got this all wrong. Sam, baby, tell your friend here that everything is fine," Brennen says stepping closer.
Colby clenched his fists. "I don't think everything is fine," Colby says through gritted teeth. Brennen places his hands on his hips and nods towards Sam.
"Let's ask the boy himself," he says.
Colby turns around to look at Sam. The smaller boy was still clutching his wrists. His eyes were drooping and his lips were parted slightly. Light bruises were already forming on his neck from Brennen. But Sam made no intention of speaking instead he released Colby's wrist and steps away, towards Brennen.
Colby's heart seemed to break in that moment. Sam was choosing Brennen over him. He was choosing a random guy at the party over his best friend. Colby took a deep breath as he watched Brennen place a hand around Sams waist.
But this didn't make any sense. Sam was just begging Brennen to stop and now it's like it never happened. Maybe Sam has said something else and Colby misheard.
"Baby, tell your friend he can leave now," Brennen hums near Sams ear. It still makes Colby mad that he was calling Sam that. Sam nods ever so slightly in Colby's direction. Colby stares Brennen down as he walked towards the doorway. He needed another drink anyway.
Once entering the kitchen again, Colby filled up a blue plastic cup and watched the dance contest going on in the living room. But a dark unsettling feeling crept into his stomach. Something was wrong with Sam, he wasn't drinking regular alcohol, Colby could feel it in his bones. He scanned the crowd hoping to see his face.
He dashed back into the room. And Colby lost it. Brennen was laying atop Sam on the couch, kissing his neck roughly. His hips ground down onto Sams, yet the smaller boy lay limp. He was fumbling with Sams belt trying to unbuckle it.
Sam made eye contact with Colby and his eyes screamed for help. Colby yanked Brennen off, throwing him to the ground.
"Oh look baby, your guardian angel-," Brennen was cut off by Colby punching him in the face. Colby had had enough of someone else calling Sam baby. Brennen swung at Colby, eyes closed in pain. Colby dodged the punch and punched Brennen in the jaw. It made an unruly cracking sound.
"Don't touch him ever again," Colby screamed, punching the dark hair boy again.
Brennen ended up getting a punch right on Colby's nose. Blood dripped down his face and onto Brennens shirt. Neither boy stopped punching each other. By now a crowd has formed, some were recording, others were trying to separate the two.
Eventually someone had grabbed Colby off of Brennen. He wiped the blood that was dripping from his face on his shirt, not caring about the stain. His knuckles were sore from punching the boy that was still on the ground. People were helping Brennen up, handing him a cup of water. Colby saw the nasty marks on his face, blood pouring from them too. He was satisfied with his work.
The person who had grabbed Colby, which was Jake, moved him into another room. Colby struggled against his push, wanting to see Sam. He had to make sure the smaller boy was okay. Colby was surprised that Jake was sober enough to lead him away.
"You gotta calm down man," Jake says. Someone had turned the music down but the thumping still continued.
"The only reason I'm not calm right now is because you're not letting me see Sam," Colby snapped out, anger still dripping from his tongue.
"I don't think that's a good idea and you know it," Jake says looking behind him. Colby groaned and ran a hand through his hair. All he wanted was Sam.
While Jake cleaned Colby off in the upstairs bathroom, Corey and Aaron had ended the party. They shooed everybody out, cleaned up some cups, turned the music off and shut down the neon lights. Colby's ears were still ringing from the loud music. After Colby looked decent enough Jake guided him to his room. Sams door was shut and Colby wondered if he was in there.
"Alright, I promise you can see Sam tomorrow but right now you need to rest and so does Sam," Jake says.
"How are you so sober?" Colby asks, sliding into his bed.
"I haven't had anything to drink in the last two hours bedsides water," Jake chuckles. It had really been two hours since Colby last saw him in the kitchen. All this time he had spent watching Brennen make a move on Sam. But he knew Jake was still a little drunk, he could tell by the way he stumbled to the door.
"Goodnight Colby," Jake whispers and closes his door.
Colby was in awe at how fast everything happened. First he was punching Brennen, giving the boy what he deserved. Then he's being cleaned up and put into bed. The party over. He sat up and glanced in his mirror. Dark bruises littered his face and his jaw ached. His nose had stopped bleeding but it was very red. Colby's knuckles were stained red from blood, he didn't know whose. He sighed and laid back in bed, and he fell asleep thinking about Sam.
——
In the morning, Colby woke up sore and achy. He moved his jaw around hoping the tension would release. He had a slight headache from the night before and he stumbled out of bed to get some medicine. The sun was way up high in the sky and Colby knew he had slept way past morning.
After making his way to the shared bathroom, he opened the mirror cabinet and searched for something to take for his headache. He finally found some and popped the pills into his mouth, turning the faucet on and leaning to take a drink. Once he rose back up, a small figure standing in the doorway caught his attention. Colby glances that way thinking it was just Jake, checking on him. But he was shocked to see the blonde haired boy.
"Sam," Colby whispered out his name like music. Sam took a step forward, so he was standing next to Colby. Colby glances up and down his small body. Dark bruiselike marks lined his neck and jaw. And fingerprints were buried into his tiny wrists. Colby could only imagine what else he was hiding beneath his clothing. All the events from last night caught up to him and anger bubbled in his veins.
"Are you okay? Did he hurt you? I swear if he hurt you," Colby says, voice laced with concern.
Sam smiles weakly and looks at himself in the mirror. Colby reaches up and lays a hand on his shoulder to turn him back around. Colby didn't want Sam to see the marks of Brennen on his skin.
"I'm okay," Sams voice floated through the air. Colby could tell Sam was lying. But couldn't say anything when Sam reaches up and touched his face. Sam traces the ugly bruises caused by Brennen.
"I think he hurt you more," Sam whispers eyes fixed on Colby's blue ones.
"No, no baby, I'm fine," his words flowed out of his mouth before he could think about it. He reaches for Sams hands, rubbing circles in his bruises skin. "But are you?" Tears started to roll down Sams face and Colby pulled him into a hug.
"It was so awful and I couldn't do anything," Sam cries. "He was touching me and-and kissing me. Putting that cup to my mouth and I drank it like it was no big deal."
Colby shushed the boy, trying to calm his anger. Brennen didn't deserve Sam.
"And he was so rough and I didn't like it," Sam continues, clutching the back of Colby's shirt.
"When I first met him that night, he was so cool and chill," Sam sighed. "Then he turned into a monster."
Sams crying has subsided and now he was looking Colby in the eyes. The smaller boy traced the bruises on his face, instantly regretting it when Colby flinches. He dropped his hand and Colby intertwined their fingers.
"He doesn't deserve you Sam," Colby whispers. "He doesn't deserve anyone if he's going to treat them like that."
Sam gazed into Colby's bright blue ones. And Colby so badly wanted to reach up and cup his cheeks, to kiss his lips lovingly. To hold him by the waist and tell him he's beautiful. He wanted to show Sam how he felt.
"Thank you for saving me, guardian angel," Sam whispers smoothly, a tiny smile on his lips. Colby blushed and looked down at their hands. To which Sam noticed and squeezed them.
"Anytime baby," Colby says, words flowing like a river before he could stop them. Sams reaction wasn't at all what Colby thought it would be.
Sam reaches up and places his hands around Colby's neck, pulling him down until their lips touched. Colby eagerly kissed Sam back. The kiss was perfect in every way and Colby brought Sam closer by pulling him in by the waist. His hands were gentle and soothing, different from Brennens. And Sam liked it. Colby deepened the kiss by running his tongue over Sams bottom lip. Sam happily allowed Colby's tongue to explore his mouth.
Before Colby pulled away from Sam, he placed his lips all over his face, kissing every inch of skin.
"God, you're beautiful," Colby whispers into the blondes ear. Colby was much more gentle and more caring when he touched Sam, when he kissed him, when he spoke to him. And Sam finally understood why Colby has been so protective, so close, always by Sams side. Colby loves Sam.
"You need someone who will love you, and will listen when you have a bad day. Someone who will hold you when you're crying and never be afraid to hold your hand. Someone who is gentle because they don't want to bruise your porcelain skin," Colby tells Sam.
"Someone like you," Sam says, eyes pouring into Colby's. Colby didn't want to be the one who said it, but that's what he thought. Colby just nodded sweetly and brushed their lips together.
"God, I want you so bad," Colby mumbled. "I want you to be mine."
"I'll be yours," Sam mumbles against his lips. Colby squeezed the boy tightly, not wanting to let go what was his, now. But Sam recoiled in pain, still sore from last night.
Colby pushes the boy away but not too far. His eyes shined with worry as Sams eyes filled with pain. "It's okay. I'm okay," Sam says looking at Colby's concerned face. He placed a sweet kiss on Colby's bruised cheek.
And finally Colby got what he wanted, Sam. He finally made the boy his after years of being best friends. And Sam realized that the person who he needed, the person he deserved has been with him since day one. And Sam cursed himself for not realizing sooner.
—
(so I made Brennen the bad guy, fight me over it)