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You never knew how much he really liked you.
There were ideas of course, you weren't stupid by any means and the long stretches of silence when you two were alone together, where you can catch him sneaking glances at you when he thought you weren't looking. Him catching his words almost so aggressively it was almost like you visibly saw him bite his tongue. The way he dragged his palms down his thighs, like he was wiping away the nervousness. He always hesitated, tucked his hair behind his ear, then started a conversation with you.
You truly didn't know how much he really liked you.
Because if you did you wouldn't have waited this long to tell him, is what you liked to think anyway.
The truth was it was easier for you guys (easier for you) to act like nothing was there at all. After all, getting together and it not working out? Losing your 7 year long friendship? Non negotiable. Considering how many late night talks you had with yourself about this topic to try and stop you from blurting your feelings out at him in a very word vomit way everytime the two of you were alone, being more careful should've been a given. Key words: Should have.
You grimaced, looking back at yourself in the bathroom mirror, Gareth's bathroom mirror. You sighed rolling your eyes. Okay a bit dramatic, this wasn't his fault.
Scratch that. Yeah it was. He just had to invite you to his party, you didn't even want to go, and you wouldn't have, if it wasn't for the way he walked up to you during lunch a few days ago.
He was all arms crossed with a sour look on his face when he walked up to you at lunch. Everyone who walked by us would have thought he didn't want to be there, he scoffed, tucking a strand of hair behind his ear and you smiled.
"Party at mine saturday?" The metal head giving you his equivalent of puppy dog eyes.
"Maybe!" You replied reaching over to flick him as he sat down across from you. It really should have been more of a struggle for you to say yes. Maybe it was his mildly pissed off look he always had on in public, or the fact that he never sat at your table long for lunch. Just long enough to catch up before he sat back down over with the Hellfire Club. You really missed hanging out with him.
You shake the memory out, turning on the bathroom sink you splash some water on your face. You could hear people outside the door. Your heart was pounding in your ears still, honestly it was just a party. You've been to some before it can't have been any different that it was Gareth's first time throwing one. Hell you weren't even nervous before you left.
It wasn't until you got here and realized that if there was anytime you were gonna make a move on Gareth, tonight is it. You had to admit, you looked good. Gareth was never one for parties so it was always you by yourself, and you took advantage. Your favorite outfit always had some guy or girl flirting with you at one point in the night so of course you had to wear it here.
A knocking on the door startled you out of your thoughts.
"Hello? Anybody in here?"
"Hold on a second!" You stumble out in reply. Pretending to wash your hands, opening the door, you smile at the stranger walking past him out of the bathroom and down the hallway. You vaguely recognize him as one of Jeff's friends. Walking out into the living room the music starting to get louder and the chatter you wonder where Gareth went. Considering he's hosting the party you thought he was with everyone else.
Going out into the garage you walked in to find almost all the members of Corroded Coffin on their couch. (You found Gareth.) Eddie wasn't there, you remember seeing a glimpse of him in the kitchen drinking the mystery-punch-that-wasn't-such-a-mystery and raiding the fridge.
"Hey boys," you greet, smirk on your face as you walk up to them arms wide open, giving them a spin "Do you like the outfit?"
Various mumbles of agreement come from the couch as you finish your spin. You look over at Gareth who was smiling up at you with his arms crossed. Tearing your eyes away from him you glance at all the other members, an idea hitting you.
"Would you guy's like to play a party game?" You ask, stepping back from them.
-
After collecting some random people from around the house who wanted to play, and an empty beer bottle you all had finally settled down in a sad excuse of a circle in the living room. You pop your neck and lean into the middle placing the empty bottle down, somewhere to your left you hear someone groan.
"Spin the bottle? Lame."
You chuckle looking over at the guy, he looked like one of Gareth's friend's. "Actually, I was thinking truth or dare," you explain, "whoever the bottle lands on has to either answer the truth or do the dare the spinner chooses,"
"And if we don't want too?" Gareth asks. He sat on the other side of the circle directly across from you. His 'I'm so tough' attitude back.
You smirk at him, "Then you take off an item of clothing."
Some people started giggling, you watched Gareth get flustered avoiding eye contact with you. You decide to start the game, leaning forward to spin the bottle you scan the people infront of you wondering who your victim would be.
It was silent as you watched the bottle spin, finally landing on Jeff. You gave him your sweetest smile you could manage propping your face up on your hand as you leaned forward.
"So Jeff, what will it be... truth? Or dare?"
-
After everyone had gone once, you noticed you were already down your shoes and socks. You winced, normally you were able to to dares and answer truths perfectly fine. Maybe it was the fact that Gareth was here that made you slightly more aware of acting like a dumbass.
The next time that the bottle landed on you it was Gareth's unnamed friend who spun it, popping your knuckles you looked up at him.
"So... truth or dare?" He grinned.
You smiled back at him, feeling a little on the dare side, if you didn't like the dare you could always take off your shirt.. right? It was either that or your pants considering they wouldn't count accessories, they barely let you get away with the socks. You glanced at Gareth, he was already looking at you with a strange look on his face.
"Dare."
"I dare you," he stops looking around the circle, "to take a body shot off of Gareth," he finished smugly.
You looked at Gareth, trying to fight off being flustered. "Are you okay with this?" You asked softly. You didn't want him to feel pressured if he wasn't. The tips of his ears were bright red and he was fiddling with his flannel.
Trying to avoid your eyes he responded, "Yeah, I don't see why not."
A few minutes later, someone had grabbed the salt and a lime, you made your way to sit next to Gareth's side on your knees as he laid on his back. You noticed how nervous he was, leaning over him you squinted down at him.
"You don't need to be so anxious ya know? I don't bite," you winked.
"Yes you do!" He protested, brows furrowed.
"Oh come on that was one time!" Giggling, you shushed him at you leaned down getting ready to lick the salt off his sternum and he put the slice of lime in his mouth. Do you take a deep breath to try and gather your confidence.
You lick the line of salt off his chest in one quick motion. (You're pretty sure you heard someone wolf whistle.) Then suck the alcohol out of his belly button while trying to hold back your giggling. With your face burning to lean up to his face and you guys almost touch noses while you take the lime out of his mouth, lips almost touching. You felt your breath hitch as you noticed just how red he turned.
Leaning back you suck on the lime, some of the group behind you cheering you on, as you grimaced. Putting down the lime you try to rub the embarrassment out of your cheeks while Gareth, who sat up when you leaned back looked so dazed.
Honestly you weren't sure what convinced you to do what you were about to do next. You've liked him for so long but had so many frustrations and made up problems and why you couldn't tell him. Blame it on the atmosphere, or the alcohol giving you false confidence later if it goes wrong, right?
"Hey Gareth?" You ask, almost breathless tilting your head to make direct eye contact with him.
"Yeah?"
"Can I kiss you?" You whisper.
"Um, Yeah," he takes a moment. "Uh Yes, yes please," he finishes, a completely new shade of red, eyebrows just slightly raised in shock.
You lean forward pressing your lips onto his, he immediately kisses back. Eyes closed you slide your hand behind his head running it through his hair as you deepen the kiss, your other hand on his cheek. You felt his hands settle on your hips as you guys break apart for air.
Your head falls forward resting in the crook of his neck and as you hear a couple people coo in the back. You giggle as you look up at him and see him already looking at you.
"Sooo," you start, trying to sound as innocent as possible, "You want to take this somewhere else?"