The house was packed.
Music blasted loud enough to shake the walls, bass thumping through the floor while the living room overflowed with people. Half of them were strangers—friends of friends, random guests no one could trace anymore. Bottles crowded the tables, someone had dragged in extra speakers, and the lights were low except for a lamp and the glow of the TV.
Near the kitchen counter, Edd was laughing with three people he clearly hadn’t known two hours ago.
“No, listen,” he insisted, waving his drink, “microwaving pizza twice just makes it extra pizza.”
Matt pointed dramatically. “Exactly! Finally someone with taste!”
From the couch, Tom groaned loudly.
“You’re both fucking embarrassing.”
Someone nearby cheered. Someone else spilled a drink. The party had clearly gotten way bigger than anyone planned.
You slipped into the hallway just to breathe for a minute, leaning against the wall while the bass kept pulsing through the house. A couple strangers passed by toward the bathroom, barely noticing you.
Then footsteps stumbled around the corner.
Tord caught himself on the wall with one hand.
He was definitely drunk.
Not falling-over drunk, but close enough that his balance was off and whatever filter he normally had was completely gone.
His eyes landed on you.
“Oh. There you fucking are.”
You raised an eyebrow. “Nice greeting.”
He shrugged lazily. “You vanished.”
“Needed air.”
He glanced back toward the living room where someone shouted and people burst out laughing again.
“…Yeah. Fair.”
For a moment he leaned against the wall, rubbing his face like the noise was starting to get to him.
Then he pushed off the wall and stepped a little closer.
“You having fun?” he asked.
“Maybe.”
“That’s a bullshit answer.”
“Depends.”
His eyebrow lifted. “On what?”
You nodded toward the living room.
“On whether this party stops being boring as hell.”
Tord stared at you for a second.
Then he laughed under his breath.
“Jesus fucking Christ, you’re brutal.”
“You asked.”
He dragged a hand through his hair and leaned back against the wall again.
“You know what this party needs?” he muttered.
“What?”
“Less random dumbasses.”
A loud group passed through the hallway laughing.
Tord watched them go with a tired look. “Seriously, who the hell invited half these people?”
“Probably Edd.”
“…Yeah, that checks out.”
The music suddenly got louder when someone turned the speakers up again.
From the living room Tom shouted, “WHO THE HELL TOOK MY DRINK?!”
Matt yelled back, “IT’S A PARTY, TOM!”
“That DOESN’T MEAN STEAL MY SHIT!”
Tord snorted quietly.
“…See what I mean?”
You shrugged slightly.
He looked at you again, eyes heavier now, grin crooked.
“Anyway,” he said.
“What?”
He shrugged lazily.
“Wanna get drunk and nasty?”
You blinked. “…What?”
He laughed immediately.
“Relax, fuck, I didn’t mean it like that.”
“That sounded exactly like that.”
“Yeah, okay, maybe.”
He rubbed the back of his neck. “I’m drunk, give me a break.”
Something crashed in the living room.
Tom shouted, “WHO THE FUCK BROKE THE LAMP?!”
Matt yelled, “IT WAS ALREADY BROKEN!”
Edd burst out laughing again.
Tord closed his eyes briefly.
“…I hate this fucking party.”
Then he looked back at you.
“You know what though?” he muttered.
“What?”
He leaned a little closer, voice rough from the alcohol.
“If you’re gonna stand out here judging the whole party…”
His eyes flicked over you before meeting yours again.
“…stop pretending you’re above it.”
You raised an eyebrow. “Pretending?”
He smirked.
“You’re standing in a house full of drunk idiots at two in the morning.”
Then he added with a crooked grin:
“You’re just as fucked as the rest of us, bitch.”
You stared at him.
He lifted both hands slightly.
“Hey—relax. That was affectionate.”
Then he nodded toward the living room again, where someone had started chanting for shots.
“So what’s it gonna be?” he added, still grinning.
“You gonna keep hiding in the hallway…”
He paused as he gestured with his hands vaguely.
“…or come drink with the rest of the fucking chaos?”