TW: Teen!Cast, Alcohol Reference

 Rythian sits on the back porch, looking up at the stars. He can hear the party inside - upbeat music and loud conversations, even the couple in the room with the open window, though he tries to ignore it.

He's not a party person, really, and he only came because Zoey and Fiona needed a ride. It had nothing to do with wanting to talk to Lalna.

In the back of his mind, he hears the door open behind him. He looks up and finds Lalna standing in the doorway.

"May I?" he asks, gesturing to the step next to Rythian, as if they haven't done this before a thousand times.

Rythian smiles, tries to move over and pats the step. Lalna sits down, and they turn back to the stars. An uneasy silence falls between them.

"Why do we keep coming to these parties?" Lalna asks, and while they both know the conversation by heart, Rythian answers anyway.

"Because Zoey needs a driver, and you like drinking until you can't stand." He hates lying through his teeth like this, especially to Lalna. He decides not to let the scene finish.

He cuts it off by saying, "Actually, there's something else that's been on my mind lately. I-I've been meaning to talk to you about something."

There's a pause, and when he looks over, Lalna's face is open and encouraging, albeit curious. He almost stops himself then, wonders if maybe this isn't the best idea. They've been getting along, for the most part, and he doesn't want to ruin this, doesn't want it to get anymore awkward between them, because the tension is killing him. But he takes a breath anyway, before he can stop himself.

"I like you." Lalna's face doesn't change. Rythian can feel his face starting to blush, and he looks away before trying to continue, "A ot. Like, a lot, a lot."

This doesn't seem to elicit a response from him, and Rythian moves his hand up to rub his neck just to have something to do, his other wrist pressed between his thighs.. His face is on fire, and he knows he's fucked this up, nothing ever goes his way -

But then Lalna kisses him on the cheek, and everything starts spinning.

"I like you a lot too."

He looks up, and Lalna's blushing too. He has this dumb smile on his face, and suddenly Rythian is leaning forward, and when their lips meat he can't think straight.

It's hesitant, and a bit sloppy, because neither of them have been kissed before, and he can't breathe, but everything about it is perfect. His hands are in Lalna's hair, and he can feel arms around his neck. The music is too loud, and someone's giggling, and it hasn't registered yet but-

They have to break apart. Lalna pulls his inhaler out and takes a breath, and they're both smiling like idiots.

"Fucking finally."

They both jump, startled, and look up to see Sips and Sjin standing in the door to the kitchen. Rythian's blush returns full force, and he has to

Sjin tugs on Sips' elbow. "C'mon, let's leave these jokers alone."

The door slams behind him, and there's an awkward silence before Lalna starts laughing.

Rythian stares at him. "What are you laughing at?"

"You should see your face!" Lalna manages to gasp between laughter.

And laughter is contagious, obviously, because he joins in with the kind of all-out, can't-get-enough-air, tears-in-your-eyes kind of laughter that he hasn't been able to enjoy for a long time.

They stop laughing eventually, trying to catch their breath. Lalna scoots closer to him, so close that there's barely any space left between them. He grabs Rythian's hand, interlocking their fingers and squeezing gently. He leans his head on Rythian's shoulder, and they sit like that for awhile.

They don't turn around when the door opens.

Credit to triplethre-a-t on tumblr