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If he’s honest with himself Demetri has been avoiding attending any beach parties since back when all this Karate stuff started. He’d already been stressed with all the change Eli had been going through and wasn’t sure he really wanted to go to a party over their normal nights of video games, movies, and junk food. His now mohawked friend has insisted and unable to say no to him he’d tagged along. He probably should have realized at that moment that his feelings for his friend were a lot more than friendly, but he hadn’t. He’d gone to the party and Eli had met Moon, and suddenly Demetri was alone. He can still remember the quick squeeze Eli had given him when he talked about how his physical changes were also a part of a new way of life.
Not wanting to be the only one stuck in the past, no matter how much he loved it there, he used his liquid courage to talk to Yasmin. He had always thought she was beautiful, he didn’t really know her, but everyone around him said that's not what mattered. He snorts as he remembered how unimpressed she was with him. Eventually they had started dating and he had gotten to know her. In the end they’d become really great friends. She’d help him accept a part of himself he’d been avoiding, including his feelings for his best friend turned enemy, turned back to friend. When they’d broken up it hadn’t been a big fight or a dramatic moment. They just realized that they spent more time watching reality tv shows and checking out the guys and girls together than making out like they used to. It was mutual and Demetri was thankful that Yasmin would always be a part of his life.
Speaking of the blonde, she was the brains behind the current beach party. She’d met a sorority girl on a tour of a local college and they had bonded instantly. Shocking to the people who know her well but the two girls worked together to plan a bonfire. It felt like everyone from their senior class and the freshman class of the college was here. Demetri’s eyes swept over the people he recognized mingling with people he didn't know until his eyes found Yasmin who had her arms linked with Moon and her new friend and she grinned at him knowingly.
His ex had grown tired of his mooning over his other best friend. Ever since she found out about his feelings she’d been pushing him to confess but when it became clear that was never going to happen she had invited him to the party. He had protested at first before the blonde had grabbed his face and made him stare her dead in the eyes as she said something that Demetri would never forget. “The best way to get over someone is to get under someone else.” While the statement had been rather crass in theory she wasn’t wrong. If he wanted to be able to just be Eli’s best friend he’d need to move past those feelings and that means meeting someone else.
As is customary when he thinks of Eli his eyes search him out where he’s currently refilling his beer while laughing with Miguel. He and Eli had been sitting together when the other boy had offered to go grab them both a new drink. He’d obviously gotten distracted by their classmates as they all seemed to be encouraging Mitch to try a keg stand. Demetri rolls his eyes and quickly turns his head when he feels someone sit down next to him. His hazel eyes lock on the greenest eyes he’d ever seen. They belong to the handsome face of a boy he doesn’t recognize with blonde curls falling around his ears and in Demetri’s opinion cute freckles dancing across his nose. Soft pink lips smile at him as the other boy begins to speak.
“Hi, I’m Landon.” He holds out his hand not holding a solo cup and Demetri realizes he’s just been staring at the other boy’s mouth as he notices the side of it tick up in a smirk. Not one to look a gift horse in the mouth he quickly reaches out to shake Landon’s hand.
“Demetri! I mean.. I’m Demetri.” He cringes slightly as his voice cracks in his rush to get out the words as if the other boy will disappear.
“I know.” The older boy chuckles and continues when he sees Demetri’s brow furrowed in confusion. “I’m actually friends with Chole.” He gestures to the girl who is chatting happily with Yasmin and Moon. “Yasmin mentioned you a couple of times. Mostly that you were single and cute. I’m glad to see she wasn’t lying.” The teasing smirk on the other boy’s face had formed into a genuine smile and Demetri could feel the blood rushing to his cheeks.
Demetri could feel his brain buffering as he tried to make sense of the words. He’d never been hit on by a boy before. He glances back over to Yasmin who has a knowing smirk on her face as she winks at him before turning back to giggle with her friends. Demetri had gained a lot of confidence through Karate and dating Yasmin so he decides to channel that in this moment as he smiles back at the other boy. “Well I’m glad I didn’t disappoint.” He bites his lip slightly wanting to be able to hold a conversation with the blonde boy. “What are you studying?”
Landon smiles before diving into an explanation about his undergrad and how he’s planning to major in education. He’d grown up with a lot of younger siblings and he always loved helping them learn and he wanted to be able to do that with his life. He also had a teacher in his life who had really helped him accept himself and he wanted to be able to be that support for other kids. Demetri had found himself leaning closer and the college boy was doing the same as their conversation became more intimate. As Landon asked Demetri what he was considering studying in college they are interrupted as a solid body drapes around Demetri the smell of beer overpowering the moment as a blue mohawk pokes into his cheek.
“Dem..Dem!” Sounding so much more like the Eli he remembers then Hawk he quickly grabs Demetri’s attention. “Did you see that I totally shotgunned three beers in the time it took Assface to do one!” And Hawk is back Demetri finds himself sighing while looking at his very drunk friend. They have Karate practice in the morning and Demetri can already hear Eli complaining. He needs to get him back to Demetri’s house and sleep soon if he wants any chance of not wanting to kill the other boy during training the next day.
He turns back towards Landon who is watching him with a curious expression and he speaks before Demetri gets the chance to. Eyes roaming over how Eli has octopuses himself against Demetri’s side. “Maybe you aren’t single?” He asks and Demetri quickly shakes his head hoping Eli was too drunk to hear that.
“No No No.” His brown hair flops in front of his eyes and he pushes it away with his free hand. This is my best friend E..Hawk.” He turns back to the friend in question whose eyes were squinting at Landon. Demetri’s not sure if it’s because he’s trying to recognize him or he’s just too drunk to see clearly. “I should probably get him home before he hurts himself or passes out though.” He sighs, glancing at Landon apologetically.
The other boy has a knowing smirk on his face as he looks between the two friends and just nods. “I totally understand! Maybe I can get your number and we can chat?”
Demetri feels the anxiety melt out of him. A cute older boy wants his number and he nods quickly trying to fish out his phone but the way Eli goes heavy against him even more blocks his arm from reaching his pockets as the tattooed boy mutters. “I’m tired Dem.”
Demetri sighs before turning back to Landon. “I’m sorry he’s so out of it. Maybe you could grab my number from Yasmin and then text me?” He offers hopefully. Landon seems to be looking at Eli with a raised eyebrow but when Demetri looks down Eli’s eyes are closed as if he’s falling asleep where he stands.
Landon looks back up at Demetri and just nods. Demetri waves as much as he can, basically carrying Eli back to his car. He gets his best friend up into the passenger seat and fishes the keys from his pocket before strapping him in and heading over to the driver side. The entire ride back to his house he listens to Eli snore lightly. He may not have fully moved on but for his first flirty conversation with a boy Demetri feels pretty proud of himself. He glances at Eli again, his lips in an adorable pout. Landon might not have been able to take his breath away like Eli could but it was a start. Hopefully he’d call him.