T H I R T Y O N E

Hung from the celling rafters of the abandoned gym were strings of red and green lights. Music blasted from the speaker in the corner. Because it was the night before Christmas break, the students were hosting a party. The smell of sweat and whiskey wafted in the air. The faint stench of weed was engulfing the students, but most of them were accustomed to the smell and were indifferent to it.

Most of them were already smashed. A few of them were making out on the dance floor and grinding onto each other, their bodies merely inches apart.

But in the far corner of the gym, a circle of students sat, laughing their asses off drunkenly, while scanning the crowded, stale gymnasium for a distraction. A smirk formed on Nika's face. "I have an idea," he blurted out. "A game. Where if you agree to it, a person of your choosing can touch you anywhere on your body, within reason, and you lose if you make any positive reaction. Such as pull their hair or moan. And if you lose? The winner can give you a lap dance, which if you're unfamiliar with the rules, you can't touch them."

A mirroring smirk dangled from Heidi's lips. "Okay. And what if you both make a positive reaction?"

Nika wringed his fingers together and offered Heidi a pointed look. "The one who caves first will be claimed as the winner. What do you say?" His blue eyed gaze skimmed through the circle and arched an eyebrow.

"Why the hell not?" Heidi replies. His tone has an underlying mischief.

"Okay," Nika prompts. "Heidi, since you seem so eager, why don't you pick someone first?"

Without skipping a beat, he says, "Apollo? You think you can beat me?" Undoubtedly, Heidi would drag him into this.

Heidi crawled over to Apollo, his mouth sucking onto his neck, staining his skin with hickeys. He slipped his warm hands underneath Apollo's tshirt and traveled his golden chest. Heidi planted affectionate kisses onto his collarbone. Apollo contained the moan by biting down on his lower lip. But when Heidi let his fingers dance across his v-line with one hand and palmed him through his jeans with the other, Apollo gripped onto his hair, yanking at it gently. Bubbling from his throat was a low moan and Heidi smirked as a result. "I knew you'd cave," he growled softly into his ear.

"Well, yeah, you were purposefully seducing me," Apollo whispered.

"It's part of the game, baby," he hums. "I hope you're ready for a lap dance."

Apollo internally groaned. Fuck, Heidi's cheeky as hell.

Slowly, Heidi moved his lips along to the music. His actions were turning Apollo the fuck on. All he wanted to do was kiss him senseless. Heidi let his ass travel across Apollo's lap, a smirk painting his lips, as he noticed how damn hard he held back. Heidi rubs against him repeatedly on purpose.

On the dance floor, Journey rubs his body against Jeong, his small hands on his hips, while his dances along to the music. Jeong tilts his head back and low groans fell from his lips.

"Love, you have to stop doing that," he growled out throatily. Ignoring him, Journey grounds onto him at a faster pace, hysteric giggles echoing around him. "Journey," he rasps in the red haired boy's ear.

Journey lifts his head, his azure-eyed gaze piercing into Jeong's orbs of lust. "What? Why are you looking at me like that, Jeong? Are you mad at me? Fuck, I'm sorry."

Jeong hasn't used Journey's name in a while. He'd been so accustomed to the nicknames that the sound of his name rolling off Jeong's tongue was foreign. He averted his gaze to the floor, but Jeong lifted his chin with his fingers.

"Far from it, actually, Ginger. I'm not mad at you," he purred, his hot breath laced with mint fanning Journey's neck. "But with all that grinding, I'm tempted to slam you against a wall and slip my tongue into your mouth."

Journey gasped softly in reply.

By the hand Jeong led him into the locker room. Jeong pushed him onto  the peeling lockers and let his mouth hover an inch away from his ear. "Can I kiss you, Ginger?"

Journey nodded hastily. With a smirk, Jeong captured his soft, rose colored lips. He held the sweater hugging Journey's small body in between his grasp. Gently, he bit onto Journey's lower lip and dipped his tongue inside his mouth. Goosebumps formed on Journey's skin at the feel of Jeong's hands roaming his body.

A soft growl rose from the depths of Journey's throat when Jeong's hands traveled into his auburn strands. The red haired boy licked at Jeong's neck, his teeth grazing the skin. "Oh fuck, Ginger," he breathed out. Journey had a playful side to him that drove Jeong crazy. Journey was down for anything.

When Journey's hands traveled to Jeong's jeans, Jeong caught his wrists. "You're drunk, Ginger, and as much as I love you, I'm not taking advantage of you."

Journey's pink lips morphed into a pout. "But you wouldn't be-"

"No," Jeong replied firmly. "I'm not having sex with you while you're drunk. You and your horny ass can wait until you're sober."

"Fine," Journey whispered. "Can I kiss your neck?"

Jeong gave him a small smirk. "Sure you can, love. And after the party, you and me can cuddle."

Journey's face broke out into a grin, all teeth, as he peered up at Jeong with excitement coloring his azure irises. "Can I lay on your lap while you play with my hair?"

Jeong laughed at him. "Of course you can, Ginger."

The pure love and adoration in his gaze was a rare and beautiful sight for him. But in all honesty, he embraced the hell out of it. He loved the way that Journey made him feel loved and cared for.

He loved the way that Journey made him feel human.

Nika stared at the ebony sky devoid of twinkling stars. Zeus sat beside him, cross legged on the concrete roof of the school. "Nik," Zeus whispered, his voice almost fading into the darkness.

Nika hummed in reply. He fiddled with the rings adorning his fingers. A trait, Zeus realized, he fell back on when he was nervous.

"What's your family like?"

A ghost of a smile stained his lips. The smile was forlorn and somber like icy rain on the concrete. "My half brother was deported when I was five. I don't remember him that well, but his face resides in the picture frames at my nana's house. He lives in Brazil. My mom packed her bags and left when I did. I'm not sure where she is now. I haven't seen her in five months. What about you? Do you have decent family members?"

Even though he meant the question to be a joke, his voice lacked all traces of amusement.

"Well, my mom is a marine biologist. My sister is studying at university to be a Physical Therapist. Her boyfriend was injured in the line of duty, so she wanted to be able to help him during his recovery. I have a younger brother named Dante. He lives with my father. My sister's name is Laelia."

"Why don't you live with your father?"

"I visit him during the summer and breaks. I'm actually visiting him for Christmas." Suddenly, a smile creeps onto his face. "Nik, do you want to visit him with me? He'd love to meet you!"

"Zeus, I can't barge in like that."

"Nonsense. My father invites most of his coworkers, anyway. Come on, Nik! It'll be fun."

Nika sighs in defeat. He tears his gaze away from Zeus's pleading brown eyes. "Fine, I'll come."