The music was loud, rattling off of the stone walls as the night continued on. Evan never fancied himself a partier, always content with watching instead of interacting. And it wasn't because he didn't enjoy these parties, because he did. It was just that, well, someone else captured his attention each. and. every. time.
This person came with eyes so brown, one would mistake them for black. Some would claim that they were bottomless, colourless, nothing special. But that's not what Evan saw. Because in the sun, the brown was pulled to the surface, shining with all its might. When it was just the two of them, alone, secluded, he swore those very eyes could stop time. And oh, how he'd let him.
His hair was a deep brown, same as his eyes. It was constantly ruffled from his fingers running through it, a nervous tic he must've picked up on throughout the years. Evan had fantasised about it being his hands running through his hair, being the cause of that messy state.
When he smiled - not the smirks he reserved to be a distraction, but one of those genuine, heartfelt smiles - Evan's heart skipped a beat. And he practically melted when those sinful smirks were sent his way, always reeling him in for more.
He felt rather pathetic for letting someone affect him in this way, but he was only one man. Only one very weak man. A man who would be on his knees at a moment's notice, if only he was asked. But it had to be asked by one specific person, with brown hair and matching eyes, and that devilish smile that always got him into trouble. It had to be asked by one specific person, with the name Barty Crouch Jr..
Yes, his best friend of over six years. The very man who had been labelled as the school slag, the man who flirted with anything that so much as breathed, the man who wasn't serious in the slightest. Evan knew himself to be a fool, chasing after a man he could never have, but it wasn't as if he had a choice. He was in love with Barty Crouch Jr., and it wasn't as if he was going to stop after all these years.
And sure, Barty flirted with him every chance he got. But that didn't make Evan special. He knew that Barty couldn't help it. Evan had caught him flirting with one of their professors while trying to get out of a detention. Barty just couldn't help it.
So while Barty would smirk and lean in close, Evan knew that it meant nothing. Which is why he would roll his eyes with each remark, refusing to let Barty see how much it truly affected him. But when he was alone? Oh, Evan would allow himself to blush and feel the emotions he barely contained with each interaction. There was only so much strength that Evan had, honest.
Like now, as he watched Barty dance in the crowded area. Someone must've spilt their drink on him earlier, because Evan could see his white button down drenched, a blue stain in the middle. The fabric clung to his chest, outlining his muscles and leaving little to the imagination. Evan roamed his eyes over the brunette, slowly taking in the sight of the wizard he was.
He wasn't ashamed to ogle the man. Far from it, actually. But when he allowed his eyes to trail back up, he was greeted with a daring smirk and heated eyes.
But the thing about Evan was... he refused to show how riled up he truly was. So instead of getting flustered, he arched an eyebrow and kept his face blank. Which was a challenging thing, given that Barty took his time in letting his eyes scan over the blonde wizard. He wasn't in anything special, just a dark green button down that had been unbuttoned by Pandora about an hour ago, along with black trousers.
Evan knew he was fit. He wasn't being conceited in the slightest, it was just a simple fact. The gossips had labelled their group a rival of the Marauders, only in the attractive department. And it wasn't as if there weren't people throwing themselves at him, it was just that they weren't... Well, they weren't Barty.
Sure, he had a few hookups with different blokes through the past two years. And yes, he had even fancied a few of them. But to fancy someone was a far cry from loving them. And it was for that reason that he could never be with them, not fully. His heart already belonged to another, and it wasn't as if he wanted to ask for it back.
So he always watched and listened as Barty recounted his latest conquest, because he was still his best friend. And then Pandora would send him a sad smile - because she knew everything - before saying something in that dreamy tone of hers, capturing everyone's attention. Barty could be the biggest slag known to mankind, and Evan would still think he could save him.
Pitiful, he knew.
Evan looked around the room, unsurprised when he saw Regulus on top of a table, sandwiched between Dorcas and Pandora. The only time he ever allowed himself to be open was when he was intoxicated, and this was no exception. He was sure that Regulus would soon be shouting the lyrics of different songs any moment now, earning cheers and encouragement.
Tomorrow morning would come and the bloke would swear it never happened, his tough exterior shielding people away from believing he's a big softy on the inside. But Evan had known him since they were in nappies. So despite the protests the wizard would go on about, Evan was quite confident that he knew him well. Regulus Black was as warm as the sun. He just thought that if he shared his warmth, he would melt those he cared about.
It was a shame he never wanted to let anyone in, pushing them all away before they got the chance to know the real him. But Evan had a hunch that it wouldn't always be like that. After all, James Potter was practically drooling at the mouth as he watched Regulus dance. And one thing about James Potter? He fancied himself a challenge.
Oh, that was going to be quite the event to watch unfold. James Potter, golden boy, star student, and the best friend of Sirius Black. Normally this wouldn't be too much of an issue, except that Sirius was Regulus' brother. And well... The only thing Sirius disliked more than Severus Snape would be anyone being interested in his baby brother. Yeah, Evan was going to enjoy this.
"Don't tell me you have eyes for someone else?" A deep voice whispered into Evan's ear, sending shivers down his spine.
He didn't need to turn around to know who it was, but he did it anyway. Evan tilted his head to the side, only inches away from Barty. "As opposed to...?"
His breath was hot on Evan's face. The music was loud around them, making them lean in closer. "Don't be sly, lover boy."
"Moving on to pet names, are we?"
"I can call you whatever you want." Barty breathed, biting his lip. "All you have to do is ask."
And oh.
Oh.
Evan's eyes flitted to Barty's lips, who subconsciously licked his own.
This was the part where he was supposed to roll his eyes and walk away. Perhaps he would say something witty or sarcastic, play off the flirtatious banter. Except... Well, the booze in his system was making him rather bold, making him want to throw caution to the wind.
Barty's hand toyed with the buttons on Evan's shirt, likely not even realising what he was doing. He was always doing things like this, always making excuses to touch Evan. Just a simple touch made Evan's skin burn. Call him a masochist, but if Barty was the flames, Evan wanted to be the embers. He wanted to be kissed by the flames, burned with each one that licked his skin.
Noses almost touching, Evan summoned all the courage he had. No, he wouldn't be walking away tonight. He would give Barty a taste of his own potion, determined to make the man a flustering mess. "And how would you want me to ask?"
If Evan didn't know any better, he'd say that he watched Barty's eyes get darker. His cheeks flushed, and Evan knew it was because of his words. He could play the game just as easily, feeling a rush of satisfaction when he got a reaction out of the one man who did this to him without blinking an eye.
But in one fell swoop, Barty put his arm on the stoned wall, trapping Evan and taking control of the situation yet again. He bumped his nose with Evan's, drawing a breath out of him. "Don't play a game if you can't handle the prize, lover boy."
Evan put his hand on top of Barty's, which was still toying with his buttons. He guided his finger up and down his bare chest, smirking when he felt Barty's hand twitch for more. "I wouldn't consider you a prize, darling." He breathed, tilting his head so his lips were grazing Barty's ear. "When I already consider you so, so much more."
"Yeah?" He asked, hand now flat against Evan's chest. It was obvious he wanted to be praised, maybe hear something filthy spill out of Evan's mouth. But if there was one thing about the blonde, it was that he was a massive fucking tease. And oh, he wanted to teach Barty a lesson.
"Yeah." Evan hummed, right before he pulled Barty's hand away and slipped right past him, never fully within reach.
Okay, so maybe Evan lied. He would most definitely be retreating. Because as much as he wants to pretend like he isn't affected by the man in front of him, breath hot on his skin, he'd be lying. It was easier to walk away than to give in. He would know, considering he's been doing it for years.
As he retreated, he could hear the brunette scoff out a disbelieving laugh. Which served him right, thinking that all it would take for Evan to give in would be a simple conversation. Not that Evan was planning on it going any further, mind you. As much flirting as Barty threw his way, Evan knew to take it with a grain of salt. Just because he had a massive crush on his friend, didn't mean Barty returned that sentiment.
The night went on and the party only grew crazier, which was to be expected. If there was one thing about Slytherin parties, it was that for one night, everyone allowed their shields to drop and accept that they'd have regrets come morning. It was a thrill, already anticipating what mistake would be made as you consumed the booze handed to you.
For Evan, his biggest regret was that he never made a move on Barty. But he knew if he did make a move, he'd regret that even more. There was no winning when it came to his situation, so he always walked away when he knew he was about to snog that man senseless. He couldn’t risk their friendship, not really. It wasn’t worth it.
He knew that for all of Barty's talk, he wouldn't be able to handle Evan. And that wasn't even Evan being one cocky son of a bitch. He just knew that Barty wouldn't be prepared for it. Just Evan murmuring about thinking of him as more than some prize had made Barty's eyes dilate. So yeah, he knew that if he caught himself alone with Barty and gave into his urges, they'd both be done for.
Because while he was quite sure that Barty only anticipated rejection from Evan, Evan had been daydreaming the taste of what Barty's lips tasted like for longer than he'd ever care to admit. He just wasn't drunk enough to do that in a crowded room full of witches and blokes. No point in making a move if people are there to watch. Evan wasn't really into voyeurism of any sort, thank you very much.
Scanning the room again, he watched as Regulus bit his lip as he stared at James, only to burst into laughter when Sirius noticed his best mate and baby brother were making eyes at each other. But thanks to some Deity from above, Remus Lupin was in front of Sirius in a moment's notice, capturing all of Sirius' attention for the night.
Just a few paces away, Evan noticed Peter Pettigrew and Sybil Trelawney dancing offbeat, seemingly in their own world. They didn't seem to have a care in the world. So long as they were together, nothing could shake them.
Evan wondered how it felt to find that person. To simply know and be content with who you chose, and who chose you. He could fantasise about who he would like that person to be for him, but that was simply the school boy crush in him talking. The odds of Barty Crouch Jr. being the one for Evan Rosier and it to be reciprocated were slim, so he decided not to fool himself into that delusion.
If Pandora Lestrange were to hear such words come out of Evan's mouth, she'd frown and proceed to go on a rant about negative thoughts ending with negative results. She'd then proceed to tell Evan that if he wants something to happen, then he’d need to make it come true himself.
She was a firm believer that everything was written into the stars, everyone's fate already sealed. Evan didn't like that line of thinking much, feeling as if he had no control over his own future. But Pandora was all knowing, and she never seemed to worry about the fates of those closest to her, so perhaps everything would be okay.
Speaking of her...
Evan looked around the room, spotting her blonde curls in the hands of someone else. He squinted his eyes, trying to recall a time that Pandora had ever mentioned fancying someone else. But... no, she had never even so much as hinted at being attracted to someone. But there she was, curls being twirled by none other than Lily Evans.
From the distance, Evan could see that both of their faces were flushed. Lily leaned in every so often, getting a thrill every time Pandora sucked in a harsh breath. But for as much bravery as Lily seemed to have, it was Pandora who leaned in fully, capturing the redhead's lips.
Deciding to give them privacy, Evan looked away. And of course, his eyes were back to Barty's. The man was dancing with some bloke that Evan couldn't recognise, smirking when he noticed he finally gained Evan's attention once more.
Not wanting to look away, Evan watched as Barty pulled the man impossibly closer to him, his back to Barty's front. One of his hands rested on the man's throat, as if it had found its home. The other hand was travelling further down his hip, toying with the belt. The man seemed to be breathing heavy, head now thrown back as Barty allowed his hands to roam. But he didn't realise that he was being used, that Barty was only touching him to gauge Evan's reaction.
What an odd game the pair seem to be playing tonight.
Evan leaned his shoulder against the wall, casually sipping from his cup. He never took his eyes off the pair dancing, unashamed in his actions. If Barty wanted an audience, then he would get one.
At some point, the bloke had turned around to face Barty. He began to kiss at his jaw, down towards his neck. But Barty's eyes never wavered, daring Evan to do something about it. It was only when the mysterious bloke pulled Barty into a kiss that Evan looked away, entirely uninterested.
Deciding the room was rather stuffy, Evan decided he needed some fresh air. He left the party, exhaling when a light breeze blew through his hair. Pulling a fag out of his pocket, he lit it with his wand. It was a bad habit to have, he knew. But the shite was addictive, a good outlet to his stress.
He knew he had no right to feel any type of way about Barty kissing other people. They were just friends, he knew. But damn it all to hell, Evan had wished it was his lips pressed against Barty's. He wanted to be the one to leave him breathless in the middle of a dance floor. He wanted to be the reason Barty had to excuse himself from a crowd. He wanted—
"I told you not to play if you couldn't handle my game, lover boy." A smooth voice said, startling Evan.
He coughed, smoke getting caught in his lungs. Well, it'd seem he was the reason Barty left the party. Such a shame Evan had a different expectation for what the reason should've been.
Recovering, he glared at Barty. "And yet, you're the one following me out of a crowded room. It would appear I know how to play this game better than you think, darling."
"Oh?" He questioned, coming to stand behind Evan. His lips grazed Evan's ear. "Then tell me why you walked out in the first place."
Trying to remain unphased, Evan took another drag. "Just popped out for a smoke. I wouldn't read too much into it if I were you."
Barty laughed, plucking the fag from Evan's fingers. Evan turned his head, watching as Barty took a drag, closing his eyes as the smoke hit his lungs. And oh, Evan didn't think another man this beautiful existed. Not in this realm. Not in this lifetime.
Desperately, Evan wanted to be the smoke. He wanted Barty to consume him with all of his being, sucked in without a second thought.
He finished off the fag, vanishing it away with a simple wave of his wand. All Evan could do was stare. "You're always walking away, Rosier."
"Back to my surname, is it?" He asked, laughing awkwardly as his face heated up.
But Barty wasn’t to be deterred in the slightest. Instead, he leaned in closer to Evan, whose back had now hit the wall. "Why don't you ever stay?"
"I wasn't aware you wanted me to." He confessed, voice hushed.
"That's your mistake." Barty said, equally as quiet. One hand was back to toying with the buttons on Evan's shirt, the other resting near his head. "You're so quick to assume things. Tell me, what are you so afraid of? Surely my company isn't all that bad."
Evan sucked in a harsh breath when Barty's fingertips slipped from Evan's shirt, now trailing his skin. It was as if they were picking back up from where they left off.
Only now, there was no loud music or anyone else around to disturb them. It was just them, alone in a dark corridor, tension getting thicker by the minute.
"I think you prefer the chase." Evan whispered, breaking the silence.
Barty hummed, leaning in just slightly. "I do like the chase, yes. But as far as what I prefer? That's you, lover boy."
Narrowing his eyes, Evan pushed Barty's hand off on him. Deciding he didn't like the avenue they were headed down, he slipped right by Barty again. Perhaps he was a runner, after all. "I'm not just some chess piece in one of your games, Crouch. There are plenty of willing volunteers, but I'm not one of them."
He ran a hand through his hair, frustration apparent. He was ready to walk away, walk back towards the Dungeons. He could deal with the flirtatious banter just fine. But it was when real feelings got involved, when it was used as a new plotpoint in their game, he didn’t want any part of it.
What he hadn't been expecting was for Barty to grab his wrist, pulling him back in. He hadn't anticipated for Barty to push him against the wall, a new look of determination in his eyes.
Fuck, he looked pissed.
He looked like the definition of sex.
Evan was fucked.
"You're really going to give up, now?" He asked, practically hissed. "All because some bloke stuck his tongue down my throat?"
Despite himself, Evan still found the courage to be rather pissed off. "I find it hard to give up if there was nothing there to begin with."
What could he say? Evan was a rather dramatic bloke when he wanted to be. And it seemed like right now he was going to make Barty either confess his feelings, or confess it was one sided this entire time. Either way, Evan was set on getting a confession.
He wasn't sure what exactly made him want to hear it. Odds of him getting his feelings hurt were high, but he knew he could blame it on the alcohol tomorrow.
But that was the thing, he always had an excuse. Evan was constantly prepared to walk away, never wanting to hear an explanation. He didn't like to appear vulnerable, allowing someone to see past the amour. And more times than not, it left him alone. It left him pining over his best friend, never taking the risk to find out if it was mutual.
"You seem quite confident with that remark." Barty said, licking his lips.
"Because it's the truth." Evan replied, pretending as if he didn't care that he was sharing the same breath as Barty. As if he couldn't smell the smoke, wanting it for himself. As if he didn't want to taste it with his own lips.
Barty laughed, though it sounded sarcastic. "Then kiss me."
...What?
Evan crinkled his eyebrows, cheeks flushing. "I'm not going to kiss you, Barty."
"If there's nothing there, you should have nothing to be worried about."
And maybe he had a point.
Or maybe it was the booze.
Or maybe, just maybe... Evan just wanted an excuse to kiss the man in front of him.
But he didn't want to be the one pushed against the wall for their first - and likely only - kiss. So in a swift move he likely would never be able to recreate, Evan switched positions with the brunette.
Barty looked up at him, brown eyes shining in the moonlight. He looked as if he had just been signed on as the new Hogwarts teacher, something he had longed for since they were only fourteen.
Evan cupped the side of Barty's jaw, eyes continuing to flick from his eyes to his lips. His other hand came up and curled itself into those brown locks, giving it a gentle tug. Barty hissed, but never took his eyes off of Evan. It made him smirk.
"If you wanted it so bad, all you had to do was ask." He murmured, reciting Barty's earlier words. And then he was leaning in, their lips gently connecting.
But it didn't stay gentle for long.
Evan leaned in closer, pushing himself against Barty. The brunette groaned, putting his hands on Evan's hips to keep him close.
"Evan."
He thought he heard him whimper, as if he couldn't help himself. The mere thought of having that power over Barty spurred Evan on, making him bite Barty's lip. He dragged it between his teeth, already pulling away.
Barty chased after him, not ready for their kiss to be over.
But it wasn't up to Barty, not this time.
"Like I said," Evan said, voice husky. "Nothing."
He stepped back, eyes roaming over Barty's rumpled state. His bottom lip was pouty, mouth agape as he processed Evan's words. His white shirt still had a stain on it, still clinging to his chest. His hair was a mess, given that Evan had run his fingers through it, claiming it for himself.
Gods, if Evan wasn't trying to prove a point, he would reel himself back in and snog that man until they moulded into one.
Though, it appeared that Barty was not having any of Evan's games right now.
He stood up straighter, scoffing. "Bullshite."
"I beg your pardon?" Evan questioned.
"You will be." Barty said, already walking towards the blonde.
Evan, being the man he was, continued to back up until his back hit another wall. He cursed under his breath as Barty came to stand in front of him, a heated look taking over him.
It made Evan swallow harshly.
"What was it you said?" Evan asked, heart rating in anticipation. "Oh yes, don't play the game if you can't handle the prize. It appears you need to heed—"
But he never got to finish his sentence, given that Barty was crashing his lips onto Evan's. It was aggressive, demanding, punishing. And he accepted it all.
He couldn't help but groan as Barty slid his tongue between his lips, deepening their kiss. One of Barty's knees came between Evan's legs at the same time he put his hand on his chest, the skin on skin contact making Evan unable to contain his moan.
Barty pulled away from the kiss, lips immediately claiming Evan's jaw. He nipped at the skin, likely leaving his own mark. The thought made Evan throw his head back, having always dreamed of this exact moment.
He ran his hand through the brunette's hair, tugging when he moved his knee and moved Evan's hips to create friction. "Fuck, Barty."
Trailing his lips back up to Evan's lips, he could feel the smile on the wizard's face. It made him smile on his own accord, wondering why he waited so long for this to happen.
All too soon, Barty was pulling away. They were both panting, equally out of breath.
"Want to lie to me, again?" Barty asked, biting his lip.
Evan just stared at the man in front of him, words escaping him.
Which was a shame, because he had planned for Barty to be the one left senseless.
"I asked you a question."
Evan gulped, feeling his pants tighten even more. With Barty's knee still between his legs, he was sure to have felt it. And with the arched eyebrow he sent towards the blonde, Evan had his answer.
"I... We're both drunk."
"That doesn't mean our kiss was any less real." Barty argued, frowning.
Evan sighed, looking up at the stars above. "Tomorrow morning is going to come, and you're going to regret ever going this far with me, with your best friend. So I'll save you the trouble. We're both drunk, it doesn't mean anything."
"Is that what you want it to mean?" He asked, sounding genuine.
Unsure of how to answer, Evan furrowed his brows. "What?"
"Because for me," Barty said, voice firm. "I have wanted to do that since we were fourteen. And now that I've had a taste? I can't just act like it didn't happen. But if you want to, I will."
Wait.
Wait. Wait. Wait.
"You've liked me since we were fourteen?" He asked a bit disbelievingly.
Barty sent him a flat look, unimpressed. "No, I just climbed into your bed because I was afraid of thunderstorms. I snuck into the room right across from mine, because the presence of you was more calming than a silencing charm on my room. I spent most of that summer in your arms because that's what typical friends do."
His voice was dripping in sarcasm, the truth starring Evan directly in the face. And the only response a drunken Evan was able to process was a lame, "Oh."
Taking his response as something negative, Barty pulled back. "Yeah, but like I said... I can pretend like it never happened if you want to forget about it. Like you said, we're both drunk and—"
"I'm in love with you." Evan blurted out, green eyes going wide. Because he felt like he needed to say something, and it appeared like he was done running. "I've been in love with you, actually. You... We had been doing Quidditch drills, having finished for the day. You threw your head back in laughter, Regulus said something snarky to you. And I noticed that you have flecks of gold within the brown of your eyes when the sun shines down on them. And then I realised that I shouldn't know that about someone who is just a friend."
Silence.
And then…
"Why didn't you say anything?" Barty asked, eyes gleaming with a newfound excitement.
Evan made a face, as if it were obvious. "Same as you, I suppose." Barty nodded his head, seeming to understand.
He gently cupped Evan's face with both hands, being ever so careful. And then he was leaning in again, capturing Evan's lips once more.
It was soft, forgiving.
When he pulled away, Evan blinked up at him. Barty tilted his head, taking a deep breath. "I'm in love with you too. Always have been, likely always will be."
And it was as if all of Evan's wishes had been granted, all because of some liquid courage.
He beamed at Barty, lacing their hands together and dragging him back towards the Dungeons.
When they got to the entrance, Barty had pulled Evan to a stop. His lips were pouty, as if he weren't happy with going back to the party. "I'm not in the mood to go back in there."
Evan merely smirked, tugging for Barty to follow him. "It's a good thing we're going up to our dorm, darling."
Barty's face flushed red, and Evan decided that was his new favourite colour.
Perhaps taking that risk was worth it. Perhaps taking that leap was something that needed to be done. Because sometimes? Your best friend was just as much in love with you as you are them, both too afraid to make the first move. And Evan would be the first one to tell you that nothing was better than his lips crashing onto Barty's, the game finally coming to an end, them both finishing as winners.