Work Text:
Friday, some time mid June, 11:12 PM
Casper is standing alone and somewhat awkwardly at a party by two gray folding tables that are covered by cheap, plastic, table cloths, as they sip the shitty booze that was offered from a red solo cup. Bowls of chips and dip and abandoned napkins sit upon one and pitchers of unlabeled drinks and unnamed, (and unsafely) unattended, cups on the other, with a cooler of ice and plastic water bottles under it. The lights are dim and colored, though it all seemed just faintly warm as they blended. There's loud music playing through a speaker they were unfortunate enough to be standing near, blown out audio being blasted in their left ear. That in itself was enough to cause a headache. Despite it's volume, they --or probably anyone else-- were unable to make out what was actually playing over the chatter, random noises that had no clear orgin through the crowd, and general overstimulation of it all.
They were invited by a friend. The one that somehow always manages to sway them into going out before ditching them for another --and obviously favoured-- group, constantly leaving them to be left out for the rest of the night, regretting their choice to come and honestly, their choice to keep in contact with this person at all. Tonight was no different.
They stare down at their phone, scrolling through the weather app and settings with nothing to do as they tried to appear busy like they had been the past hour and some. Opening their texts, they shoot a few people a quick "Hey," hoping for a response from any of them. One of those people happened to be Charlie.
Charlie was also alone at a party. He had went out for a breather, to get away from the noise and was sat in whoever's backyard on dirty patio furniture, zoned out as he stared at the dark night sky that was littered with stars, the moon glowing brightly down on him. He idly chewed the inside of his lip, looking deep in thought, though he honestly, probably wasn't. The sound of crickets and june bugs and quiet, muffled, music and talking filled the vicinity. The neighbours overgrown and dying bush that hung over the poorly built fence with wasp nests between the boards, shook gently in the warm breeze, almost making the unbearable summer heat pleasant. Though the heat and humidity was never too much of a bother to him, it was always kind of nostalgic in a sense.
He was invited by a friend of a friend, the person he actually knew didn't end up coming despite their promises and he wasn't aware till after he showed up, now spending the night by himself, somewhat fazed and almost bored.
After an unknown period of time, the loud HVAC unit just around the side of the house clicked on, startling him and pulling him out of whatever trance he was in. His posture straightens and he stops biting his lower lip as his attention is swiftly draw to it and away just as quickly once he realizes what the noise is.
He clears his throat, reaching for his face down phone that was left on the side of the propane fire pit with glass rocks and an edge presumably to set things on, in front of him. He wiped the screen clean with his palm as the table had seemed to have been left untouchable for a while, accumulating a thick layer of dirt and grime from sitting outside for so long.
The screen of it lights up, displaying the time and a handful of notifications. Including, a text from Casper from only about five minutes ago.
Hey
He smiles softly, typing back and reflecting that in the text in an attempt to not sound dry and uninterested.
Hi :)
What's up
At a party alone lol
Same
Well I was going for an old friend but they ended up not coming
I don't actually know anyone here
Yeah
A short response he barely even has time to read it before his phone starts ringing. He answers without hesitating, aleady knowing it's Cas, and hearing a "hi" over the line as he does, the 'i' being slightly drawn out.
Casper, has at this point, found themselves hiding out in the bathroom. They lean against the door with their back to it, choosing to ignore the way it cracks when they do as the lock didn't work and they didn't really have another option. It was a kind of narrow but fairly long room, a counter with two sinks and a dirty mirror stretched across the longer side of the wall to their right. Another door was on the opposite end that they assumed led to the toilet and maybe a shower. It vaguely smelled of cigarette smoke and air freshener in a way that was slightly headache inducing, though so did the rest of the house. That mixed with the bright, dingy, lighting --that they soon turned off altogether-- wasn't doing them any favours. But they sucked it up. It surely wasn't the end of the world.
"Hey, Cas," Charlie answers softly, Casper practically being able to hear the way he was smiling in his voice.
They sat like that for a while, talking over the phone about anything and nothing, simply just enjoying the company of one another as it got later and darker, the conversation eventually sizzling out to a comfortable silence before Casper speaks up again after commotion from their end.
"Someone's lookin' for me, I gotta go," They explain, "But I'll see you tomorrow, yeah?"
"Yeah, for sure--" He says, cutting himself off with a yawn, "Gonna head out too."
"Love you, see ya."
"Love you too," Is all he says before there's a soft beep of Casper hanging up and he slips his phone into his pocket, opting to just leave through the fence gate.