Chapter Text
June 16 2006.
Coy is shoving his dinosaur sleeping bag into his jansport with all the force he has. He sighs giving up and just rolling the bag under his arm. He’s getting ready for one of his weekly sleepovers at Bon’s house.
Coy and Hanbon have been best friends since third grade when her family moved into the house right across from his. Bon was bubbly, sweet, and she didn’t take anything too seriously unless it was really important. When Coy was outed freshman year he thought his life would be over, but Hanbon helped him through all of it. She would stick up for him when people made comments, let him sleepover when his parents were too much, and most importantly she never treated him differently. Coy doesn’t know what he would do without her.
Also she was kind of his only friend.
Coy dials the phone to Bons house. He’s calling to let her know he’s coming over for their weekly sleepover. He leans against the yellow wallpaper of his southern themed kitchen, Sleeping bag rolled up under his arm. He never had to pack much for sleepovers, knowing if he forgot something he could just run across the street and get it.
He absentmindedly twirls the green phone cord around his finger as he waits for Hanbon to pick up. And his call is picked up. but instead of Bon he’s greeted by the low but soft spoken voice of her older brother. “Hello..?.” He says sounding the perfect amount of nonchalant and uninterested. Coy’s stomach flips just from that.
Yeah there was one extra perk of being best friends with Hanbon that he didn’t mention. And his name was Anthony, Anthony wasn’t really in the same social circle as Coy and Bon.
Bon was super friendly and got along with everyone. And in Coy’s opinion she’s definitely the prettiest girl at school. but she wasn’t exactly popular, falling more into the artsy theatre crowd.
Coy wouldn’t say he's ‘popular’, ‘Well known’ is a better way to put it. Being the only gay kid in your grade will do that.
Meanwhile Anthony was funny, witty, on the basketball team, definitely popular but he didn’t really seem to care about being popular. He used to be like super annoying when they were kids but Coy admits he’s actually pretty chill now.
Not to mention he’s sort of the most attractive person Coy’s ever met.
“Uhm.. Hello? Ya there?” Anthony repeats
“Y-yeah! Sorry..can I talk to Hanbon?” Coy says quickly, still fidgeting with the phone cord as he leans his head back on the wall. Coy hears muffled shouting for a second followed by “yeah she's in the bathroom, she'll be here in a sec”
“Cool.”
Theres an awkward silence and Coys brain searches for anything to bring up to start a conversation. He can still hear Anthony's gentle breathing over the line.
“Shouldn’t you be at practice right now?” Is what he comes up with.
Anthony doesn't respond for a beat and Coy squeezes his eyes shut. Why did he say that? Anthony probably thinks hes a total wierdo for memorizing his practice schedule.
“Got canceled. Coach had a thing.” Coy can hear cabinets opening and closing on from the other end.
“Oh uhm- sorry.” He’s not sure what to say
“Yeah, I'll probably just shoot some hoops in the front yard so it's no big deal.” He hears a fridge door open.
“Y-yeah I bet!” He says it too fast with forced laughter. He immediately squeezes his eyes shut. But he hears Anthony let out a short amused giggle.
God how long does Bon need to take in the bathroom. I mean he knows she has Ibs but-
“Oh there she is..” he exhales as he hears the phone get change hands.
“COY!” Bon's bubbly voice cracks through the phone. “Sorry, was he bothering you.?”
“No, not at all!.” Coy tries not to sound giddy. Hanbon was a very supportive friend but Coys not sure how she would feel if she found out he was like..In love with her brother, he cringes at the thought pushing it away.
“Do you want me to bring snacks.?” He asks
“Oh yeah, uh, totally bring popcorn. I rented ‘10 things I hate about you’..” They’ve seen that movie about six times.
“Oh-kay…perfect! I will be there in like- five minutes”
“Okay Perf!” Bon hangs up and runs to her room making sure everything is set up and the place isn't too much of a mess, not like Coy would really mind. Anthony is heading outside, he walks past her room wired headset on and basketball in hand. He stops to lean against her doorway.
“when is Coy coming over again?” Bon looks up, she really doesn't know why Anth cares.
“Like three minutes or somthing, why?” He shrugs leaning against the wall
“Did you tell him I had practice today?”
What..?
“What? No..why?”
Anthony smiles to himself slightly at the information before shrugging again and walking away
“Wierdo.”
—————————————————————
Its 7:30 When Coy approaches Bons driveway It was warm out but not scorching anymore, that later in the day warmness where everything is kind of golden.
Anthony is there in the driveway, wearing loos basketball shorts and a white tanktop . Hes shooting hoops with another kid from his basketball team who just moved in down the street.
Will, if Coy remembers correctly. Will is wearing a purple band tee and some ridiculously baggy jeans, coy assumes he’s a skater.
He tries to advert his eyes as he walks past them and just head for the door. Hes halfway up before Anthony is standing right in front of him. “Wow. Not even gonna say hi?” He teases.
“Uhm…Hi?” Coy is extremely uncomfortable right now.
Will is still shooting hoops, completely ignoring Coy and Anthony's conversations.
“Hi.” Anthony says back, a smug smile forming on his face. Hes about to open his mouth when-
SMACK-
The basketball ricochet's off the rim and hits Coy directly in the face, specifically his nose. Sharp pain shoots through his face and he stumbles back cupping his nose feeling blood start to drip into his hands.
Shit. That’s not good.
Fun fact about Coy, is he hates blood. He can feel his vision go lighter as he starts lowering himself on to the concrete, his eyes water but he sucks it up. If he cried right now he would never forgive himself.
“Jesus- Will you MORON!” Anthony yells at Will who’s completely frozen.
“Fuck! I am SO sorry- I didn’t-“ He panics
Coy shake's his head propping himself up on his right elbow as his left hand cups his nose. This was super humiliating but if he pretends he's fine maybe he can play it off. “I-I’m okay, I promise its just, I have a blood thing-”
His eyes catch Anthonys who's studying his face, he looks concerned, Coy hates when people are concerned.
He kneels down over Coy, way too close for his liking “Move your hand.” Anthony says, Tugging Coys wrist away from his face. Coy's hand move down to reveal the sheer amount of blood thats now dripping down his chin.
Will gasps dramatically covering his mouth with his hands. “Oh my god am I going to jail…?”
Anthony shoots him a look. “You're not going to jail moron..” he tilts Coy's chin up, “Stay still.” He says carefully inspecting his nose, Coy's blood is staining his hands. He's so close Coy can feel his breath on his face. He’s probobly close enough too see the tears forming in Coys eyes. He smells like a mix of men's cologne and hawaiian tropic sunscreen. At least now Coy can blame his face being red on the basketball and not the obvious cause.
“Well it’s not broken…” Anthony finally lets go of his face.
“Yeah- like I said. I'm fine!” Coy says, forcing a smile that looks very unnatural with the amount of blood on his face.
Will lets out a sigh of relief. Just when hes about to turn around Bon walks out and screams.
“What the fuck?!” She runs over her hands hover over Coys face.
“Im fine!- it was an accident he-“
Bon immediately turns to Anthony angrily before Coy can finish “This is why I can’t have friends over! He hasn’t even walked inside and you're already trying to kill him!”
“It wasn’t me it was Will!” Anthony defends Will gulps and drops to his knees dramatically
“I’m SO sorry it was an accident! I promise! Please forgive me?” She rolls her eyes and takes a deep breath.
Coy would really like to go inside so he can get a tissue because the blood is starting to drip down his shirt at this point
”Don’t tell me, tell Coy!” She shouts, gesturing too Coy who’s just managed to stand up with Hanson's support.
Will turns too Coy. “Coy I am SO sorry, Will you please forgive me ?”
Coy blinks, mostly focusing on not collapsing. “T-That’s okay Will..” Will smiles awkwardly at that.
“Well..We’re going inside. Just stay out of the basement because me and Coy are doing movie night.” She takes Coy’s arm and starts to drag him inside when Anth steps in front of them.
“Nope. Me and Will were gonna play guitar hero”
“Nuh uh!”
Bon and Anthony start to fall into a petty sibling argument that ends up with them both on the ground shoving each-other like a couple of nine year olds.
Coy and Will exchanged an exhausted look.
Will opens his mouth “Guys..can’t we just like, share the basement?”
Anthony and Bon look up.
“Dude we dont have to-“
“No, I'm serious! You guys go get everything set up, we'll join you when we're done practicing, the sun is going down anyway.”
Anthony and Bon stare at him for sew seconds.
“You know they're watching some Lame chickflick right?” Anthony asks suspiciously. Bon gives him another shove.
“Yeah, so what? It might be fun, It’ll be better than hanging out the two of us” He tries to appeal to Anth who’s not sold yet. “then we can teach them how to play guitar hero, plus I mean I kind of owe them”
Bon, Will and Anth exchange looks.
“Sure, fine, Instead of doing something cool well just join my little sisters slumber party”
“Okay great plan.” Will smiles
”Can we go inside now?” Coy asks quietly.
Everyone turns to Coy who is now ghost pale, entire jaw now covered in blood
Anthony winces “God- how much blood do you have?”
His face flushes “I-uhm..”
Bon puts a supportive hand on his back “Yeah, let's get you cleaned up..”
”See ya In a bit!” Anth waves.
Coy attempts to wave back but Hanbon is already pulling him inside. She guides him inside and downstairs where she sits him down on the edge of the tub in the basement bathroom. he bathroom was small and dated, untouched by the Tuscan-style renovation the rest of the house had gotten a couple years ago. It had white tile and mint green walls. Coy likes this bathroom the best. It’s obvious Bon is the prime user of it makeup and hair ties scattered around the counters and false eyelashes stuck to the walls. The room wrapped around her presence.
She studies him for a moment.
“Okay lay down and put your legs on the toilet” She says crossing her arms.
He blinks “What.?”
”Just do it.”
Coy is too tired to fight hr on this so he moves himself to the floor, and propping up his feet up on the lid of the toilet. The tile feels refreshingly cool on his back and he feels himself grow less dizzy, his mind clears up and he starts to wake up a little.
“Oh, That worked” He mumbles smiling up at Bon.
“It’s the blood going to your brain,” She says proudly. crouching into his space holding a wet tissue. “Stay still…”
“Mhm…” Coy winces as she wipes the remaining blood from his face.
“Does it hurt..?” She studies his face, concerned glint in her eyes.
“It doesn’t feel good…” his voice trails off when she pulls the tissues back, here now soaked in fresh red blood. Just then Anthony and Will appear in the doorway.
“Is he still bleeding?” Anthony looks genuinely shocked.
Coy is a little shocked too.
Will doesn't say anything. He looks like he feels really bad, it kinda bums Coy out. Will didn’t hit him on purpose, and he seems like a pretty nice guy to his knowledge. Coy was about to speak when Will’s eyes widen suddenly.
”Wait!-“ He says walking into the bathroom and rooting about the cupboards, Bon and Anth stare at him in confusion.
”When I was a kid I used to get crazy nose bleeds all the time..” he explains, “My mom would always… Here!” He says pulling a pink box out of the cupboard and taking out two small tampons.
“Hey-!” Hanbon snatches the box from his hands.
“Here, these will stop the bleeding.” He smiles proudly.
“Will.. what the fuck?” Anthony laughs shortly.
“What? It works!” He defends
Coy lets out a stupid dazed giggle, Back still against the tile. He looks a little out of it now. Bon sighs.
“I mean..They are made for absorbing blood,” Bon takes one and takes it out of the pink plastic applicator
“Oh my god you guys are so weird..” Anthony pushes back from the wall to rub his temples exhausted as Bon pushes it into Coy's nose.
”Stay still”
“Wait-“
Before he can finish she pushes it halfway into his nose. Coy squeezes his eyes shut, accepting it. She pulls away when its in.
Everyone just looks at him for a second.
”Well there we go the bleeding has stopped.” Anthony claps his hands together trying to move on “Im gonna go make popcorn”
”told ya!” Will says before going upstairs to help with popcorn.
Coy and Bon are silent as they watch Will and Anth race eachother upstairs shoving eachother into the wall the whole way up
”..Can I borrow a shirt?” Coy asks looking up at Bon.
Bon smiles