Derek's face was pale as he looked at his phone, a string of messages in his face.
They weren't messages from Greyson. Derek never faltered at Greyson's messages. They were from some influential "friends". Derek was a multi-million-follower fitness influencer and it was normal he was often invited to events. It's just Derek had always rejected the invites, he wasn't the party typa-guy.
This time the invite was to a birthday party. One full of alcohol and probably hard drugs.
Just as he began to type out an elongated reply of 'I'm sorry' and 'would've loved to make it', the message-sender, his half-friend and model influencer Devin, added another bubble of reply.
I know you don't attend these things but a bunch of sponsorship scouts will be there!
Derek sighed and leaned back on his couch. His last sponsorship deal had gone well and funded him for months…
If you'd like, bring a friend. Ik you're not the social type haha
Derek read and immediately broke down into a sigh.
I'll go, addy?, He replied.
He knew the perfect person to take.
–+–
"A birthday party?" Greyson asked over the phone and a little too loud.
Louis's ears perked up from the couch.
"What would I do though? I don't have a million followers nor money…" Greyson jabbed at himself with a chuckle.
Louis lowered the volume on the TV.
"I'm not sure…" Greyson hummed, "When is it?"
Louis stood up and marched towards the kitchen.
Greyson sent Louis a curious look at his rough approach.
"I'll check–" Greyson went to reply to Derek, but was shut up when Louis snatched Greyson's phone and hung up for him.
Greyson looked Louis's way with surprise. "What the fuck?" He joked through emotion and reached for his phone in Louis's hand.
"You're not going." Louis stated, moving the phone away from Greyson's grasp.
Greyson scoffed, "Give me my phone, I was still talking." He demanded, face hysteric at Louis's audacity.
Louis's face was stern and confident with his actions, much to Greyson's dismay. "Tell him you're not going, then."
Greyson's mouth went agape, was this guy serious? Louis frequently went out with friends. Granted it wasn't to bars or clubs anymore, he still went out. Greyson only knew the friends names and sometimes, their appearances. He didn't care.
He had grown immune to caring about who Louis hung out with because he trusted Louis enough to not cheat anymore.
Greyson had never cheated and had a select few friends. So where was this distrust coming from?
"Why can't I go?" Greyson asked, wanting to hear Louis's ridiculous reasoning out loud. He already knew what Louis would say.
"Are you actually considering it? Who invites a taken man to a party and not their boyfriend?" Louis questioned Greyson like he was some crazy insane person.
Greyson shook his head, reiterating to himself that he wasn't infact as crazy as he was being made out to be. "This isn't a wedding or something, it's a birthday party, Lou."
Louis shook his head and paced a few steps. "No way! I knew it! I fucking knew it!" He yelled to himself. "That son of a bitch wants you! He so badly wants you in his bed!" They were hysteria-laced words.
Greyson could only stare at Louis with disappointment. He wondered if Derek could hear the yelling.
"You're overreacting, Louis." Greyson tried to put on a brave face, but of course some anxiety pooled in the pit of his stomach. How could it not?
Louis pointed a finger Greyson's way as if to silence him, "No! I'm not! From day one, from that day he invited you over to try food, I knew it!"
"He's just a friend. You have your friends! I don't even know your friends but I don't react like this!" Greyson tried to reason.
Louis shook his head and let Greyson's words fly in one ear and out the other.
"No! He'll– He'll drive you away from me! He'll try and take you away!" Louis sputtered, spit flying out of his mouth through frantic talk.
Greyson began to get scared. Wasn't Louis seeming a bit manic now? His words… His movements… Greyson was beginning to struggle to predict Louis now. That scared him.
"I'm not some frail, easy, piece of shit, Lou. Who do you take me for?" Greyson gawked. "You need to calm down."
Louis looked at Greyson with a face that was usually matched with tears. There were no tears streaming down Louis's face. It looked a bit ridiculous in hindsight, but Greyson knew that face like his own last name.
It was the same face Louis wore when he threw the keys square at Greyson's face.
Greyson immediately flinched when Louis closed in on him with his hand held high, frozen into the ground. He watched Louis's hand come closer and closer to his face. It wasn't slowing down. It wasn't slowing down,
"No!" Greyson screamed, pushing past the freeze in his body and shoving Louis to the ground. He didn't want to be hurt again. He didn't want to carry the bruise of a person he could easily fight off, it hurt his pride greatly.
Greyson's breath was heavy as he watched Louis crumble beneath him.
Louis realized his fall, landing on his hands and butt with a thud. He then curled in on himself and began to sob.
Greyson could only stare at his boyfriend below him on the floor. Louis's hand was raised with the intention to hit him. Greyson had only defended himself, hadn't he?
He watched Louis sob and sob for a good couple of minutes. Louis seemed to be out of it. He didn't seem to recognize the ground beneath him or the drywall he had lived in for months. His face was ugly with tears.
Greyson had only defended himself, hadn't he?
"Louis..?" Greyson broke minute long silence. "Are you…" His voice trailed off.
"Don't leave me, Grey…" Louis muttered through muffling sobs. "Don't, don't go…"
Louis didn't look up from the floor he was curled up on. Greyson was grateful for that, he didn't think Louis would appreciate Greyson's indifference.
"I need you, Grey. I need you…"
Greyson could only hear his breath at that moment.
He hoped Derek didn't hear a word of this.
–+–
Derek stood over various outfit choices with a troubled look.
He hadn't been to a party in a long while, so wasn't it better to plan ahead?
Each outfit below was revealing but not enough to attract attention. He still wanted to look good enough for the insta photos, though. It was weird. The gayer you were the better dressed you were expected to be.
He mindlessly wondered how Greyson, if he chose to go, would dress. He had only seen Greyson in his work uniform and basic pijama attire. The other had hung up on him quite abruptly, but Derek figured they had discussed the idea enough to call again.
He held onto the short sleeved and only slightly turtle-necked top below him. He figured it would hug his biceps well, along with his chest.
Perhaps he would choose his pants on a different day.
His phone buzzed on his bedside table, lit up from a notification.
Grey (🇵🇭) : I can make to that party thing btw
Derek smiled.
Perhaps there was something to look forward to until the oh-so-dreadful party besides money.