College life had always been a blur of parties in between late-night cramming that left you wondering if you grabbed the right purse. You and Naoya have known each other since your first semester, the golden boy of his frat. Confident to the point of arrogance and unreasonably pretty. You two fell into each other's orbit almost immediately, pulled together at random.

The relationship with Naoya had been all-consuming and ultimately too explosive to last. Arguments, misunderstandings, and two egos that were far too high that clashed like swords. You parted ways, convinced it was the best for the both of you. You ended on okay-ish terms. Not perfect and sweet but also not harsh and full of yelling. He moved on, or at least pretended to. And you did the same.

You thought you'd found a more stable connection with Toji, another member of the frat. Like Naoya, he loved loudly. All-consuming, like Naoya. Loved explosively, like Naoya. Maybe you saw so much of Naoya in Toji and that's what had you stick. But it was the break up that had spaces between them. Toji was a whole new level of catastrophic. After whatever mess Toji left, you swore off frat boys entirely after that.

Two months later, it's your first party since Toji. Surely he had another girl by now, and it's not like an ex or two is going to keep you from living up your college life to the fullest. You didn't plan on drinking yourself under the table, but the shots kept coming and it tasted as if they were burning away the ache in your chest.

Then, like a ghost, Naoya appeared. Don't be surprised. It's a frat party, after all. He cut through the crowd effortlessly, as if people instinctively knew to move out of his way. You thought he was just getting through for whatever reason. To get somewhere, to go to a friend, grab a drink. But he stopped beside you instead.

He started counting your drinks. He kept you close between the crowd so that no one could push you around, especially since you weren't in the most sober state right now. It was as if seeing you like this, the most reckless he's ever seen, had some instinct flick on inside him. Like he had to protect you, even if he hated admitting it. You're exes, after all.

Everyone was pooled together in the living room or outside, just you and Naoya in the kitchen. It was the quietest place in the house, and the least crowded. He had you sat on a barstool, hand holding the back of your forearm, thumb rubbing circles against your arm through your clothing absentmindedly.

"Did us breaking up get you all like this?" He almost scoffed, probably out of disbelief. He really hasn't seen you so reckless before. He knew you were always put together, never imagined seeing you like this. "You're a mess." And I hate it, he wanted to add, but he doesn't and instead offers you more water in place for a shot.