Sebastian sighed and sat beside Quinn, guilt twisting in his stomach. The side of Quinn's cheek was already turning red from the punch.
Why the hell had he hit him instead of Niko?
Quinn stayed quiet, his hands resting on his thighs.
Sebastian noticed the navy-blue nail polish, the tiny glitter on his forehead.
He looked…fragile.
"But… he kissed me, that..." Quinn's voice cracked. He turned his head slightly, his eyes glassy.
"So he was just using me? Because I'm easy?"
Tears slid down his flushed cheeks and Sebastian's throat tightened.
Quinn had always kept to himself, but Sebastian knew he was gay even before he came out.
His crush on Niko had been obvious even when he tried to hide it. The staring, the blushing, the way he froze whenever Niko teased him.
Niko found Quinn adorable. He always told Sebastian he wanted to "play with him," and Sebastian always warned him not to.
Not out of concern for Quinn. Because it was weird.
And… honestly? He didn't like the idea of Niko touching him.
Quinn suddenly slapped his shoulder, hard. "This is all your fault." His voice was mushy from tears.
"It's always your fault. Ever since you came into my life, it's been so suffocating, so unfair. I really, fucking hate you."
Sebastian grabbed his wrist, frowning but the moment he saw Quinn's broken expression, the frown melted.
"I know you hate me, Fairy," he said quietly. "But you hate yourself more. And you need to stop blaming me for everything that hurts you."
Quinn froze. His expression shifted to shock, then something darker.
"You have no right to say that to me," he whispered, anger spiking again. "Because of you, my mum doesn't even look at me. Mathieu doesn't give a shit about me. Everyone only talks to me because of you."
His voice shook violently.
"You don't know what it means to be invisible, Golden Boy."
His breath hitched, tears spilling down his chin.
"So yes. You're the reason for everything happening to me. Even if I get cancer, it'll be because of you. So you better fucking deal with it."
He jerked his wrist out of Sebastian's grip, rose to his feet and staggered toward the door.
Sebastian stood immediately. "Let's go back to the dorm," he said.
Quinn stopped rubbing his cheek and shot him a look of pure disdain. "Leave me alone, bro. You already broke my face. Isn't that enough brotherly love from you?"
Sebastian scoffed, irritation flaring. "What exactly is your problem with me? Why do you hate me so much? Did I make our parents suddenly get married? Did I tell them to treat you like shit?"
Quinn let out a sharp breath, then turned fully to look at him. He really looked, blinking as if he was trying to focus through the alcohol and the hurt.
"You don't get it, do you?"
"No, Quinn, I don't!" Sebastian snapped, stepping toward him. "You aren't the only one with issues. You're not the only one who's always banging his head against a damn wall."
"Stay the fuck away from me then" Quinn bared his teeth, his voice sharp and trembling. "Let's ignore each other like we always do. I don't give a shit about you, so you shouldn't give a shit about me either. If Niko wants to use me to pass time or make his boyfriend jealous, it shouldn't bother you. You've never liked being my brother. So why are you starting now, huh?!"
Sebastian stared at him. Even furious and crying, Quinn looked unreal. It was like he belonged in a painting, every emotion carved openly on his freckled, flushed face.
But Sebastian forced down whatever that thought meant and frowned. "Fine. You're right. I shouldn't care. Live your life, I'll live mine."
"Exactly, asshole." Quinn shoved him in the chest. The push was sloppy, the words slurred and then his eyes fluttered shut, his body collapsing forward.
Sebastian quickly wrapped an arm around him, hauling him upright, their bodies pressed flush against each other.
Quinn's head lolled back as he blinked blearily, then suddenly laughed. That soft bunny-tooth smile breaking through the drunken haze.
"There are two of you," he announced, squinting. "Fuck, I'm in a nightmare."
Sebastian scoffed and yanked him upright. "Are you going to throw up?"
Quinn shook his head, then nodded. "Yeah. Maybe."
He squinted at him accusingly. "You cockblocked me, you know that, right? I just want to get fucked. And Niko was right there. Then you rained on my parade, told me he's a dick, and I think you should replace him since I already know you're a dick."
Sebastian's heart tripped in his chest, a sudden spark he immediately smothered. "You're drunk, Fairy. Too drunk for a bike ride. Good thing I brought my car."
He dragged him toward the bed and laid him down. Quinn moved like a rag doll, but the moment his back hit the mattress, he smiled up at Sebastian looking all dreamy, glassy, and impossible.
Sebastian sighed and started to stand, but Quinn suddenly grabbed the small platinum clock pendant around his neck.
Sebastian froze. He didn't want the chain snapping, so he lowered himself instantly, his face dropping dangerously close to Quinn's.
And then Quinn wrapped his legs around his waist.
What the hell was happening?
"Let's pretend we aren't related now," Quinn whispered.
Sebastian's heartbeat went wild. "We… we aren't related." His voice cracked.
"Even better." Quinn hiccupped. "Bro, I was honestly pissed when Mum made me change my last name from Rivers to your fancy Dupont. Quinn Dupont. It doesn't even sound good."
Sebastian swallowed, wondering why he wasn't ripping himself away.
He was bigger, stronger; Quinn was lean, built just right but still smaller. Sebastian could have broken free easily.
But he didn't.
He stayed dangerously close to the boy he should not be this close to, letting Quinn talk, letting the alcohol strip him bare.
"Remember when we first met?" Quinn murmured.
Sebastian's stomach dropped. "Yeah."
"You beat up Ethan, that obese bully, and you actually hugged me while I was crying. Then.. you kissed my forehead because you said your mum did that to you whenever you cried."
Sebastian shut his eyes for a moment. He remembered it too clearly. "Yeah."
"You were wearing this necklace then too." Quinn toyed with the pendant between his fingers, eyelids half-lowered. "I barely notice it sometimes… but you always wear it. Honestly… so hot, so sexy… so damn lickable. I'm losing it, golden boy… fuck me."
Sebastian's heart skipped. He tried, weakly, to pull back.
But Quinn suddenly wrapped his arms around his neck and whispered, his voice dry and hoarse.
"I'm gonna throw up now."
Sebastian's face went blank with horror.
And Quinn did. Right on him.
Then passed out instantly, leaving Sebastian staring into the void and reconsidering every life choice that led him to this moment.