Pairing: Nicholas x EJ
Setting: College party, late night
Vibe: Party tension, unexpected truth bomb, soft panic, and a life-changing answer

Scene One: The Setup

It started as a chill night.

EJ didn't even want to come to the party. He got dragged by a mutual friend with the line, "Just show up for one drink and disappear." Solid plan—until Nicholas arrived.

Nicholas, with his usual chaos energy: half-unbuttoned shirt, confidence turned up to eleven, and a permanent smirk like he was always in on some private joke.

They'd always had a thing—unspoken, unresolved, undeniably there. And now they were sitting two cushions apart on a sagging couch in a too-loud living room, mid–Truth or Dare spiral.

EJ should've left twenty minutes ago.

But he didn't.

Scene Two: The Game Turns

The game had started funny.

"Truth: have you ever failed a class?"
"Dare: text your ex 'I still see you in my cereal milk.'"
Chaos. Laughter. Easy.

Then someone—probably drunk and evil—pointed at Nicholas.

"Truth or dare?"

Nicholas sipped his drink, eyes flicking around the circle.

"Truth."

A chorus of "oooh" rippled through the group.

The friend grinned.

"Okay, then. Who do you like right now?"

The room fell quiet.

EJ froze.

Nicholas, to his credit, looked totally relaxed.

Then he locked eyes with EJ.

And said, without breaking the gaze:

"You mean besides EJ?"

Dead. Silence.

Scene Three: Aftermath

Someone choked on their drink. Someone else whispered "holy sh—" under their breath.

EJ blinked, like he was trying to restart his brain.

Nicholas just smiled. Not cocky. Not teasing. Just... honest.

Then he stood up casually.

"Bathroom. Be right back."

Like he hadn't just detonated a live grenade and walked away from it.

EJ sat frozen for a beat, heart slamming in his chest. Then he got up.

Scene Four: The Confrontation

He found Nicholas outside instead, leaning against the porch railing like this was all no big deal.

"You really dropped that in front of twelve people?" EJ asked.

Nicholas looked over, eyes soft.

"You never would've asked me if we were alone."

EJ crossed his arms. "You said it like a joke."

"No," Nicholas said, stepping closer. "I said it like I meant it."

EJ swallowed hard. "Since when?"

Nicholas shrugged. "Since forever. Since you lent me a charger and corrected my grammar in the same breath. Since you offered me gum and called me annoying in the same sentence. Since you never looked at me the way I wanted you to."

EJ opened his mouth. Closed it.

Then:

"You were wrong about that last part."

Nicholas blinked.

EJ leaned in.

And kissed him.

Scene Five: Back Inside, Barely

Nicholas opened the back door first, stepping in like he hadn't just had his world flipped upside down by a surprise kiss on the porch.

EJ followed, noticeably pink in the face and pulling at the collar of his hoodie like it might swallow him whole.

They walked back into the living room, where everyone was clearly trying not to stare—and failing miserably.

Someone whispered, "They're back."
Someone else coughed the word "kiss" into their Solo cup.
The music kept playing, but the air had changed.

It was like they'd left a sitcom, kissed in a commercial break, and re-entered during the finale.

Scene Six: Nicholas, Internally Screaming (In a Good Way)

On the outside, Nicholas still had that signature cool-boy smirk.

Inside?

Full system reboot.

He'd been ready for the awkwardness after his truth. He hadn't been ready for EJ to kiss him. Not on instinct. Not in front of the moon and the porch light and a whole new possibility.

He kissed me. He kissed me back. Holy crap, he kissed me first.

He looked over at EJ, who was now sitting rigidly on the couch like a haunted mannequin.

Adorable. Terrified. His.

Scene Seven: EJ's Internal Spiral

EJ tried to act casual.

He grabbed a water. Sat on the edge of the couch. Crossed and uncrossed his legs like a Sims character glitching out. Tried to contribute to a conversation about snack flavors. Laughed too loudly. Said "nice" too many times.

His brain was screaming:

Everyone knows. Everyone saw the way I looked at him. Everyone is thinking, "Finally."

He glanced at Nicholas.

Nicholas winked.

EJ nearly choked on his water.

Scene Eight: The Public Challenge

The real chaos came ten minutes later when someone suggested another round of Truth or Dare: Redemption Edition.

"EJ," someone called. "You're up. Truth or dare?"

EJ opened his mouth.

Then froze.

Because he knew—knew—they were going to ask about Nicholas. And the last thing he wanted was to put that moment on display for party clout.

Nicholas saw it immediately.

Before EJ could answer, Nicholas leaned forward and said casually,

"He picks dare. And he dares me to steal him away from this party and take him out for fries."

A pause.

Laughter.

Someone yelled, "They're literally flirting in full HD now."

But EJ? He smiled. Like really smiled.

"Yeah," he said, standing up. "That's my dare."

Scene Nine: The Exit

They left the party with heat still on their backs, whispers in their wake, but peace between them.

As they walked down the street, EJ muttered, "They're gonna talk about that all week."

Nicholas bumped their shoulders. "Let 'em. Let's give 'em something to talk about."

EJ rolled his eyes. "You're impossible."

Nicholas grinned. "You kissed me first."

Pause.

"...You're welcome."

End.