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It happenes like this, Derek is across the room entranced as the party lights change colours. But not just any colours and not on just anything. These party lights are jewel toned and rich. And the subject they keep bouncing off of is a tall figure with pale skin.
Derek is spiritual in the way most queer people raised by god fearing mothers tend to turn out. Finding solace in an otherness while removing all of the human expectation associated with it. That being said, Derek does not a practitioner make.
However, these jewel tone reflecting off pale skin make Derek see light through stained glass. This being towering above those in close proximity make Derek question if angels are not among them. It makes him want to worship the church that is this man. He wants communion where absolution comes from lips meeting, wine stained or not.
Realistically, he knows that he shouldn't be staring, that nothing good can come from being open to receiving that much beauty at once, that gluttony is in fact a sin. But Derek maybe, sorta, kinda does not care at all.
***
It happens like this, Will is a volunteer for campus safe walk and has been prebooked multiple times for the night for the same party. To make things easier he decided to just head over to wait it out. Maybe he'll meet some cool people or at the very least he can pretend he's getting a college experience.
What Will doesn't expect is to be mad-dogged from some guy across the room all night. He's doing his level best not to stare back because he figures that will only bring more attention to him. So he turns away slightly and tries to look engaged in the conversation happening beside him that he isn't technically a part of.
He still feels eyes on him, but like most queer people who didn't acknowledge that they were queer until they were old enough to leave he's good at pretending. A corner of a room provides just as much cover as a closet. He's used to averting his eyes from other men.
Realistically, he knows that he could just leave, remove the possibility of eyes on him at all. But Will maybe, sorta, kinda likes the feeling of a man's eyes on him even is the reason isn't ideal.
***
Derek has decided to make a move. Or at least that's what he's telegraphing to his legs to do but they seem to have other ideas. He's rooted to the spot watching this gorgeous man. This gorgeous man just mere feet from him, and he can't do a thing about it.
He is a poet and like all other artists, he knows that something so devastatingly beautiful deserves to be observed up close. So again he tells himself he's making a move.
Just as his legs remember their place in this brain body hierarchy, the gorgeous man also makes a move.
Not towards Derek.
But towards a gorgeous brown girl with braids down to her waist and gold body glitter that causes the strobe lights to reflect off of her instead of paint her in their colours.
And stained glass meets mirror ball. The gorgeous man shoots this gorgeous girl a tight smile and says something to her. She in turn shines a brilliant smile on the gorgeous man and says something back. The gorgeous man gives a short nod and then they're leaving together. Out the front door and into the moonlight.
***
Will needs to make a move, or so the alarm on his watch tells him. He has to do his duty and perform his first safe walk of the night. He scans the crowd and easily finds his first assignment, a woman named Sade.
He also finds the man who hasn't stopped looking at him for a moment, no closer yet still absorbing his every move. So again he tells himself he needs to make a move.
He walks towards her, trying to pay no mind to the eyes glued to his back.
"Sade? I'm Will from campus Safe Walk, are you good to go for your prebooked walk back to your dorms?"
"Will, hi!" Her voice is honey sweet from alcohol, "Yes, thank you! I have an early lab in the morning and had I not scheduled this in advance I would've spent the whole night here. Thank you for meeting me!"
Will just gives a short nod, and allows her to lead the way out of the party. He's tempted to take a look back to see if that man is still staring at him but he won't because he knows he'll have to come back and he doesn't want to be disappointed with whatever the outcome is.
***
He's not moping but this party sucks. Factually, it blows. The music is top 40s stuff from 3 years ago which means it isn't recent enough to still be in the conscious mind nor old enough to be considered a fun throwback. The drinks are all warm beer, which yeah its a college party but have some ice or use the snow outside. Nobody is dancing or singing or laughing, everyone is just in their own pockets chatting amongst themselves.
Derek could join a pocket of people and do the same but the only person he wanted to talk to left.
But he's not moping.
***
He's not hoping, but he is speed walking to the party. Factually, it's cold. The air has a January bite and the party filled with so many bodies is a warm place to be. The slow fall of snowflakes is making the tip of his nose red. Walking faster is out of necessity to get out of the elements.
Will could take his time because his next safe walk isn't for awhile but the only person who has looked at him all night is at the party.
But he's not hoping.
***
It happens like this, Derek is contemplating getting the hell out of this party when the gorgeous man walks right past his line of sight.
Like a sunflower to the sun Derek turns his full attention on the gorgeous man.
Maybe this party isn't so bad.
***
It happens like this, Will has felt the complete lack of eyes on him since he walked back in, so he takes matters into his own hands.
Right as he walks by this mystery guy he feels the now familiar heat of his eyes on him.
Maybe coming out early tonight was the right move.
***
The thing is all that courage that Derek worked up was lost the moment he saw the gorgeous man go over to the gorgeous girl. So he is in the process of rebuilding the courage to make a move. He's been given a second chance and he can't squander it.
But then it happens again. As soon as Derek goes to make a move the gorgeous man does too, away from Derek.
Towards two beautiful people who are dancing so close together Derek is surprised they even register the party never mind the gorgeous man. But they do and they give the gorgeous man identical looks over that end with pinked cheeks from all parties involved.
With another tight nod the three of them are heading out the front door and into the moonlight.
***
The thing is, in theory, if Will was spending his entire night tracking some guys every move with his eyes he would approach them at some point. In practice he worked really hard to make sure that his eyes don't linger on men. But this mans eyes do, and on Will specifically.
But as he's basically yelling at the mystery man in his head to come over his alarm goes off again. And he has to find a couple, away from the mystery man.
He walks over to Aaron and Crew who are slow dancing to a fast paced song and Will yearns for that. But then when he clears his throat and introduces himself and they give him an approving once over, his blush paints his face and he doesn't yearn for it from them.
He gives them a nod and then follows them out of the party.
***
Derek might admit to moping now.
The idea of a third chance is laughable and infinitesimally small.
But not zero, so he stays and he mopes and he searches the crowd every 20 seconds.
***
Will might admit to hoping now.
The idea that this guy is actually interested in him and will make the first move is laughable and infinitesimally small.
But not zero, so he turns back to the party and he hopes and he almost cuts his time in half.
***
It happens like this, the gorgeous man is back and Derek all but pounces on him. This might be his last chance and third times the charm.
With a facade of chill he steps in front of the gorgeous man, and all that is holy, if he isn't even more stunning up close. His yellow eyes are piercing and make Derek remember that the devil was first an angel. His tight jaw matches his tight shoulders as if he was carved from the same marble as the Pieta. And the way the lights bounce off his auburn hair creates a halo.
And he goes to tell him he's gorgeous. And he goes to tell him that he is captivating. And he goes to tell him that religions would be built around him in ancient times.
And what he tells him is, "Hey Cinderella, before the clock tolls midnight don't waste your time looking for your Charming, because I'm right here and I'm going to fall in love with you one day."
Admittedly not his best work, but if this gorgeous man left with another person that wasn't Derek he might cease existing. The first martyr for this deity.
And what he hears should be awe. And what he hears should be admiration. And what he hears should be at the very least mutual interest.
And what he hears is the gorgeous man's watch alarm going off followed by "Oh, um, kay? I have to go now but this was nice."
***
It happens like this, the mystery man is on Will almost as soon as he walks through the door. This is finally happening and he's ready for it.
He'll figure out if the eyes on him were good or just felt good. He steels himself for either outcome as he looks this mystery man over. The whole expanse of the man. The curls on top of his head. The hard planes of his jaw and chest and stomach. The eyes that have been on him all night, such a deep brown Will swears their depths are unknown.
And what he expects to hear is an insult. And what he expects to hear is a compliment. And what he expects to hear is an introduction.
And what he does hear is "Hey Casanova, whenever you're ready to work your charm on me, I'm here and you're going to fall in love with me one day."
All Will is confused, this mystery man is hitting on him in the cockiest and least appealing way he could imagine. The audacity of this guy to claim that Will will fall in love with him without even being sure of his sexuality.
And what he should say is you're presumptuous. And what he should say is how dare you. And what he should say is you're lucky you're hot.
And what he does say is, "Huh?" followed by his final alarm of the night going off. As he walks away he whispers "Nice one idiot," to himself.
***
It happenes like this actually, as he will tell it at their wedding in his best man speech. Chris watches his friend Derek from the hockey team keep looking at the his friend Will from his CompSci classes. He watches his classmate register that he is being watched and give part of his attention to the watching.
Chris senses the internal struggle in Derek as Will makes his way out of the party with a girl. There's no obvious chemistry there but its college and who hasn't left with someone they don't necessarily feel a spark with.
Then as Chris is finally about to break Derek out of his pity party Will shows up again
He watches as they orbit around one another. Two objects in motion chasing one another but never getting any closer,
And then Will leaves again, with more people. And his teammate does his best impression of a deflating balloon, all sad and out of place at a party.
And again Chris goes to make his way over after some time because he knows that there's at least a hint of mutual interest there and he wants to comfort his friend. But then all of a sudden Will is back looking pink cheeked and a little out of breath.
Finally, it happens like this as they are like two opposite poles of magnets pulling one another in. They meet in the middle with a shy smile on Derek's face, Will with an anxious hand behind his neck.
"Hey man, I'm Derek and we're going to fall in love one day."
"I'm Will, and that sounds nice."