Work Text:
Isack can see the boy walk into the party, an air of nonchalance as he dons jeans with a button up and the top few buttons open. A star necklace sits gleaming on his collarbones. He was pretty. Isack can see why the boy had caught Liam’s eye.
He looked to his left at his boyfriend chatting to Franco beside him on the couch. Liam hasn’t noticed the kid. Good.
When he looks back at… what’s his name again? Aaron? Aryan? Isack finds him looking straight at Liam, almost ogling at him. The kid looks a little starstruck to be honest. It’s cute, but a larger part of Isack takes over as a flair of possessiveness causes him to lean closer to Liam.
He feels the kid’s eyes slide over to him and suddenly Isack is the one who is under the kid’s watchful gaze. He sees his brown eyes widen, long lashes fluttering as he blinks. The boy looks him over, spots Liam pressed up beside him, before meeting Isack’s gaze wide-eyed. Isack raises an eyebrow and the boy breaks eye contact, looking down as a deep flush builds on his face.
Interesting, Isack notes. As he watches him stumble into the crowd and head to the drinks. He gets intercepted by Yuki who dabs him up briefly before letting him go. So he also knows Yuki.
He knows that the boy is going to come over sooner or later during the evening, or his golden retriever of a boyfriend was going to notice and invite him over, so he momentarily puts it out of his mind.
Better not linger on it too long, for now.
Isack turns back to the conversation between Liam and Franco, catching the tail end of Liam’s story about his professor. He’s heard it before but the Kiwi is waving his arms around and Isack knows that if he had a tail, it would be wagging all over the place. He smiles fondly before planting a kiss on Liam’s cheek.
Liam turns to him, “What was that for?”
Isack shrugs, knowing that he kinda hopes someone was watching, “You’re just cute.”
Liam blushes a pretty shade of pink as he pulls Isack closer. “Look who’s clingy today,” he whispers into the Frenchman's hair as he ducks down to press a kiss on Isack’s temple. He stays quiet, but inches closer towards Liam.
▰▱▰▱▰▱▰▱▰▱▰▱▰▱
After a chaotic few hours where Isack greets multiple friends, plays a messy variation of beer pong, and has had a good couple drinks in his system, does Liam spot Arvid across the room and exaggeratedly beckons him over. Isack watches Liam dab up Arvid, slapping him on the back.
“What’s up, mate! Didn’t think I would see you here.”
Arvid rubs the back of his neck. “Yeah, got a last minute invite from Danny. Funny enough, I just met him yesterday at the cafe and he mentioned you,” Arvid pauses and glances at Isack, “both of you actually.”
“Danny’s great! I didn’t know you knew him. This is Isack by the way. Isack. Arvid. Arvid. Isack”
“His boyfriend,” Isack reaches his hand out in a handshake, putting on a charming smile just to see the way Arvid squirms a little as he ducks his head down.
“Pleasure,” Arvid manages to choke out as Isack holds his hand a beat too long.
Oblivious as ever, Liam asks Arvid who else he knows at the party.
“I mean, I’m still getting settled in, mate, but I’m pretty close friends with Ollie, Kimi, Gabi, and Franco. They’ve been dragging me around lately.”
“That’s awesome,” Liam pats Arvid on the shoulder and Isack’s eye twitches. “Enjoy the party man.”
Arvid nods before disappearing back into the crowd. Liam turns to Isack, “That’s the freshmen I was talking about the other day. He’s in my CS class. Always sits in the back but hella smart.”
Isack nods as he watches Arvid fist bump Kimi and join in on him and Ollie’s conversation. Arvid laughs at something Ollie says and his head tilts back, eyes crinkled into crescents, mouth curling into a genuine smile with his teeth on display and Isack feels his stomach flip. He looks at Liam who seems to be looking at the same scene in front of him with a small smile on his face.
▰▱▰▱▰▱▰▱▰▱▰▱▰▱
It’s later in the night when someone (probably Gabi) suggests going upstairs to play Truth or Dare. Everyone is on a spectrum from buzzed to drunk (except Liam who drinks very minimally) by the time they arrange themselves in a circle in one of the large rooms upstairs. They spend 10 minutes fighting over who should be the first to pick Truth or Dare before someone decides to just spin the remote to the TV in the center of the circle.
Through a hybrid game of Truth or Dare and Spin the Bottle, after multiple turns, Valterri has admitted to filming an OnlyFans video for someone, Gabi was dared to do put on eyeliner (Hulk was eye fucking him throughout the rest of the game), and Lando had bragged that he had sex in a car (with an oddly flushed Oscar sitting beside him). All in all, not the most insane game ever, but not fully tame either.
It’s when the “bottle” lands on Arvid that the night really gets interesting for Isack. He would have missed the way Arvid’s breath hitched as the “bottle” landed on him and the warning glance he gave Franco if he wasn’t paying attention. Luckily, his eyes hadn’t left the Brit for long since they'd sat down. Arvid pauses before choosing Dare.
“Kiss the hottest person in the room,” Franco yells out. Ah what a typical dare.
Arvid seems to hesitate for a second before he basically climbs across the circle towards Liam and Isack. It isn’t quite clear who he’s aiming for at first, but he stops before the two of them and surveys them for a moment. Taking a deep breath, he leans towards Liam.
Isack watches and his first reaction is a confusing mix of jealousy, anger, pride, and light arousal? Woah where’d that come from.
He’s furious at the audacity of this kid, but also vaguely impressed by his courage. He watches with bated breath as Arvid barely presses his lips to Liam’s, but Liam is definitely kissing back. Arvid has his eyes closed, hands clenched beside himself, unsure if he should touch Liam. Liam is leaning back on his hands with his head titled up to accommodate for the angle.
The circle fills with laughs and wolf whistles. The kiss barely lasts 30 seconds before Arvid is pulling away. He’s visibly shaking and his eyes are on Isack. Before Isack really has time to process what’s going on, Arvid is leaning in.
It’s hard to be mad when there’s suddenly a pair of lips on yours, is Isack’s first thought. It’s a little hesitant and nervous but Arvid’s pulling back before Isack’s even had a chance to respond. The boy had really grown on him the past few hours, which is maybe why Isack’s hand shoots up to cup Arvid’s neck and pull him back in so that Isack can kiss back.
Arvid makes a surprised noise at the contact, jumping a little before eagerly pressing back into him. He can vaguely hear a whoop in the background as he and Arvid separate. It was a relatively tame close-mouthed kiss, but he still feels dazed.
Looking over at Liam beside him and somehow he doesn’t look any better than Isack feels. Liam’s eyes have glazed over and a flush is starting up his neck and face. He kinda looks like he’s seen God and Isack giggles.
That seems to pull Liam out of his reverie as he pulls Isack in and kisses him hard. “Fuck that was so hot,” Liam groans against his mouth. He can hear more wolf-whistling and shouts of getting a room around him, but he just gives them the middle finger as he pushes his tongue into Liam’s mouth.
It’s messy and uncontrolled, both desperate to push deeper into each other. Liam threads a hand into Isack’s hair and Isack leans over him, one hand on the ground beside his hip, the other clutching his shoulder. He can feel Liam smile as Isack licks over his teeth and nips at his bottom lip.
When they finally separate, they’re both giggling and leaning on each other, little puffs of air as they try to catch their breath. Isack shuffles back to sit beside Liam and drops his head onto his shoulder.
“So, you like Arvid?” Liam murmurs as they watch the rest of their friends make fools of themselves. Ollie and Kimi are going around annoying everyone, Pierre and Yuki are doing some drunken karaoke duet on the other side of the room. Max and Charles are locked in a weird staring contest, and everyone else is still continuing the game of truth and dare.
Isack hums lightly. He knows what Liam is really asking. “Yeah. He’s a nice kid,” Isack pauses. “His looks don’t hurt either.”
Liam lets out a breath of air that sounds vaguely relieved as he slings an arm around Isack.
“That’s good to know. I wasn’t actually sure how you would react when he kissed me, but that sly bastard somehow decided he’d kiss you too,” Liam breathes out lightly.
“I think I may have actually jumped him if he didn’t kiss me next.”
Liam laughs leaning harder into him. “You’re too possessive sometimes, Isa.”
Isack just huffs lightly. “Well, I think we may have found a solution. Where is the kid anyway?”
Liam scans the room and frowns when he sees the dark haired boy missing.
“Should we go look for him?”
Isack also looks around before realizing that Arvid is nowhere to be found.
“Did he seriously run off after kissing both of us?” He laughs in disbelief.
“Yeah. Looks it. Let’s go find that idiot.”
Liam stands up first, dusting imaginary dust off his pants before reaching his hand out to Isack— still on the floor—and hauling him up.
The pair slip out of the room, stepping into the quieter hallway. Most of the people from the party have cleared out and the music has dimmed to a more manageable quieter volume. Isack and Liam check all the rooms upstairs, even the bathrooms, and find no trace of Arvid.
Liam frowned, “Did he go home?”
“Nah, don’t think he came in with anyone.”
Liam gives him a sly look, “Didn’t realize you noticed that early.”
“Well, he was basically staring you down as soon as he came in. Had to make some claim, bro.”
“You’re impossible,” Liam knocks his shoulder against Isack’s.
They make their way downstairs when they see a tuft of curly black hair peek out from the edge of the couch they were sitting on earlier. Liam and Isack share a look.
“Found him,” Liam whispers, careful to not wake Arvid as they make their way to the couch.
Arvid is dead to the world on the couch, face buried into the cushions. Gee, the kid must have drank a lot.
Liam nudges the lump on the couch, but Arvid doesn’t even stir.
“How is he getting home,” Isack asks.
“Well, he can’t drive yet, so I’m assuming he’s either getting a cab or a friend to drive him home.”
Isack looks up at Liam from where he’s been staring at Arvid and fighting the urge to run his fingers through his curls. Liam’s already looking at him and it seems that they’re thinking the same thing.
“Ok. Let’s help him get home,” Isack sighs.
Liam breaks into a grin immediately. “Help me get him up and get him some water. I’ll go let the other guys know we’re leaving.”
Isack tries nudging Arvid again, and this time, the boy shifts a little, burying his face even deeper into the cushions somehow. A low whine escapes him and Isack stills. Focus. He goes back to prodding at Arvid.
“Come on. We gotta get you home, baby,” the pet name slips out.
Arvid is so out of it that he doesn’t even notice. He grumbles a bit under his breath, rubbing his eyes as he blinks blearily around the room. Isack really fights to not pat Arvid’s curls down where they stick up on the side of his head.
“I’m going to get you some water, then you can sleep, non?”
Isack makes a move to go to the kitchen to get some water, but a hand catches him by the wrist.
“Stay with me?” Arvid asks through lashes, looking much younger and smaller than when Isack first saw him walk in.
Isack swears under his breath as he tries to maintain some composure.
“Ok. You can come with me. Come on, mon chéri.” He holds Arvid’s hand as he basically drags the boy into the kitchen.
He pushes Arvid to sit on the kitchen island before he finds a cup and fills it with water.
“Drink.” He pushes the cup into Arvid’s hands. He does so obediently, finishing the water in a couple quick gulps.
Isack watches him—watches the way some of Arvid’s nonchalant confidence falls away and how he curls into himself, watches his fingers play with the empty cup in his hand, and the way his lashes fan out as he blinks. Arvid suddenly lifts his head.
“Can feel you watching me, mate.”
Isack just hums, staying where he is.
“You confuse me,” Arvid slurs, eyebrows furrowing. “I swore you hated me at the beginning of the night. But you kissed me back!”
Arvid sounds almost accusing, looking at Isack with a pout on his face.
“I thought it would just be a simple crush on Liam, but then I saw you and somehow it got worse,” Arvid sounds so much in despair that Isack can’t help but laugh a little at his expression. He’s like a kitten.
Arvid somehow pouts even more. “It’s not funny! I somehow want you both now,” he whines.
And oh. Isn’t that exactly what Isack, and maybe even Liam, is feeling? Arvid in his drunken stupor somehow hit the nail on the head.
It’s silent for a moment before Arvid starts yawning. “I’m sooo tiiirreeeed,” Arvid slurs before he’s nodding off. Isack catches him before he falls and slides onto the kitchen island next to him, letting Arvid lean on him as he rests.
They stay like that for a while, Isack’s heart beating wildly in his chest. He feels Arvid’s body heat leech into his side and his curls tickle the side of his face as he inhales his faintly citrussy shampoo.
What a night to get your whole identity altered.
He finally lets himself indulge and runs his fingers through Arvid’s hair, combing it down to a more manageable state. That’s where Liam finds him as he brandishes his car keys, raising his eyebrows at the sight.
Isack can hear the other boys in the living room, helping with cleaning up and figuring out how everyone is getting home. Liam smiles fondly at the scene in front of him.
Two thoughts enter Isack’s brain: Liam’s handling all this much better than I thought and It’s weird how seamlessly Arvid fits in. He’s too tired to really think that far and tucks them away for future Isack to manage.
Liam walks up to the both of them and leans down to briefly kiss Isack. “Let’s get him home, ay.” He makes his way to the other side of Arvid as they lift him off the table. Arvid, in a half awake state, seems to latch onto Liam while groping for Isack’s hand.
Liam and Isack let out amused laughs before gently guiding him out of the kitchen and to the front door. There are some eye brow waggles from Franco and Danny before Max stops them at the door.
“Get him home safe,” he hands Liam an address on a scrap piece of paper and nods at Arvid. “Poor kid is going to have a hell of a hangover tomorrow.”
They both mock salute Max, say their byes to the rest of the gang, and drag Arvid into the back seat of their car.
The car ride back is silent as Arvid is knocked out in the backseat.
It’s been a crazy night for everyone, I think we can figure out everything tomorrow. Isack glances at Liam driving.
Liam must feel his eyes on him as he turns briefly to offer a smile and reaches his hand over the console. Isack takes it, and knows that everything will be fine.
▰▱▰▱▰▱▰▱▰▱▰▱▰▱
When they get to Arvid’s house, they shake him awake again apologetically. Arvid seems to be a little more sober as Isack forces him to unlock his phone and add in Liam and Isack’s number.
They walk Arvid to his dorm entrance and confirm that he is able to actually get into his dorm before they watch him make his way up the stairs.
▰▱▰▱▰▱▰▱▰▱▰▱▰▱
Back in the car, they both let out a tired sigh.
“That was a hell of a night,” Liam looks out through the wind shield.
“Let’s go home, mon amour,” Isack says, fighting back a yawn.
Liam nods in agreement as he pulls out of the parking lot and turns on the radio.
▰▱▰▱▰▱▰▱▰▱▰▱▰▱
Later that night, after a quick shower, both of them settle into bed. Liam is pressed up behind Isack, pulling him into his chest.
“We should, like, confirm the kid is alive and leave him with something, non?” Isack asks into the darkness.
“Probably. Don’t want him to freak out tomorrow,” Liam’s voice is fuzzy around the edges, and he sounds like he’s about to fall asleep.
Isack opens the messages app before creating a group chat with Arvid and Liam. He doesn’t name it; all he sends is “did you make it home safe baby? <3” before chucking his phone towards the nightstand and shifting closer to Liam.