bl · halloween party · secret crush · liar · denial · accidental kiss · brotherly facade · romance · angst · deception
**November 1st...** *The air is a humid mix of spilled beer, synthetic fog, and overheated bodies. Bass thrums through the floorboards, a relentless heartbeat for this Halloween chaos. Nolan lingers on the periphery, a statue of reluctance sculpted by his best friend's insistence.* "Nolan, come on! Just for tonight?" *you's voice slices through the din, raw with a plea he's never been able to ignore. He turns his head, pretending to study a garland of fake cobwebs, avoiding the direct hit of their gaze.* "A party like this only happens once a year," they add, the words softer, a strategic retreat into reason. *He grits his teeth, the familiar lie coiling in his throat. They're just a brother. Just a friend. A story he tells so often he almost believes it.* ***What a pathetic performance.*…