Kirian didn’t have to fake the flush on his face. All he could focus on during the short walk to the front door was the warm arm slung loosely around his waist, leaving little sparks of static where they touched.

Any focus he could spare was spent looking as trashed as possible. Giggling obnoxiously and purposely shuffling into Sebastian every now and then. He didn’t dare look up at the taller man’s face. He didn’t want to know if this was affecting the other man.

He was pulled from his thoughts by the bodyguard at the door asking for his name.

Sebastian pulled the slimmer man close to his body, chuckling lowly, “Oh, he’s not on the list. He’s with me.”

Kirian leaned into Sebastian’s chest and giggled again.

The body guard was clearly not impressed, but stepped out of the way nonetheless.

Kirian was momentarily distracted by the thick fog of stimulation around him. The bass he had heard from outside, was now rattling his chest. Underneath that was the chattering of easily over a hundred voices. The lights were low, but every few seconds a burst of laser light skittered across the room. They had walked into a foyer that was full of dozens of people in groups of two or more.

Kirian didn’t pay them much attention as they pushed past into a much larger room. It had been converted into a temporary dance floor, with expensive couches and loveseats pushed to the edges. A bartender was working hard behind a built-in bar. The music was even louder here and the light show was constant.

He turned to Sebastian, pulling the taller man down and shouting into his ear, “I’m gonna do some recon. Act NORMAL!”

Then, he stepped back, still in character. He did a slow twirl in front of Sebastian and made of a show of wanting to ‘go dance’ before blowing a kiss towards the stoic man and making his way deeper into the room.

The first stop was, of course, the bartender. A short woman with long brunette hair in a tight ponytail.

Kirian waited patiently for a lull in orders before stumbling over to her and asking for a drink.

“What do you want, hon?” She shouted across the bar.

Kirian thought for a moment before smiling wide and responding, “Anything that’ll get me wasted!”

She laughed at him and shouted back, “You’re half way there hon, but I have something for that.”

Kirian laughed and nodded, leaning on the bar top and rolling his shoulders to the beat. This song was a little slower, and thankfully, quieter.

“You’re gorg!” Kirian complemented the woman.

“Aww, you’re a sweet one. Let me tell you, this crowd is not the nicest.” She responded.

Kirian put a hand on his chest and pouted, “Oh no! I’m sorry! I had no idea!”

The woman laughed, placing the drink in front of him. “Yeah I can tell you’re new here,” She says, taking the break to wipe down her area.

Kirian laughed, letting his eyebrows pinch in faux nervousness. “Yeah I’m not really the house party type but this hot, rich guy invited me and I really need to get some.”

She chuckled before leaning in conspiratorially and saying, “Trust me, I get it. My roster’s nonexistent these days. But you couldn’t pay me to mess with these guys.”

Kirian leaned in closer. He asked, “What do you mean?”

“Just, be careful hon. This crowd, it can get dangerous."

“What? Like, drugs?” Kirian asked.

“I mean yeah, but that’s not what I’m talking about. You didn’t here it from me, but the kind of rich at this party, it’s not the legal kind. Most of the guys in suits also have guns, or worse. And real bad tempers. There’s a gun or knife pulled out every week,” She glanced around tactfully.

“You seem like a sweet kid, too sweet to be messing with this crowd. Sometimes, guys and girls like you, they don’t leave the same. Or even..” She stopped as another partygoer came up for a drink.

Kirian waited patiently for her to finish the drink and continue, but she was clearly done sharing.

“Just, be careful,” She said before turning away from him.

Knowing he’d already pushed too far, he chuckles nervously and waved. “Thanks, babe!”

Kirian drank half of the surprisingly strong drink before wandering into the middle of the dancing. Careful not to drink anymore (he couldn’t risk being spiked), he wandered towards a harmless looking group of girls and spent the next half hour dancing with them.

Finally, they decided to sit, collapsing into a recently vacated couch.

Kirian was squeezed in between the four of them, they were all gushing over how good they all looked. Kirian joined in, playing his role well.

Finally, the conversation turned to the variety of men in the room. The girl would whisper too loud that one guy or another was attractive and fall into a fit of giggles and very obvious stares at the subject of conversation. Kirian was content to bide his time with them until the target showed up. Kirian picked up bits and pieces about the men, but none of the girls knew anything crucial.

Eventually, the girls turned their attention to Sebastian.

“Oooh, that one’s foine.”

“Wait, he actually is.”

“Tiff, have you ever seen him here before?”

Tiff, the girl who had brought the others to the party through some connection Kirian hadn’t figured out, responded, “Ugh no! But honestly I like my guys a little more bold. He looks so damn awkward.”

They all laughed again.

They weren’t wrong. Sebastian was standing in a corner, talking to no one. His eyes scanned the room, snagging on Kirian once or twice. A mistake.

“Maybe someone should go make him feel comfortable, “ said Kristy (Krista? Kirsten?), waggling her eyebrows.

“Oh my god, I think he’s making eye contact with me,” Kirian said with a dramatic gasp, starting another round of tittering.

“Go get him bitch!” Tiff shouted, and the rest of the girls joined in.

Kirian stood, winking at the girls before walking towards the bartender and picking up two more drinks.

He kept the smile on his face as he approached Sebastian and said through his smile, “What part of casual do you not understand?”

Sebastian looked past him, still surveilling obviously.

Kirian stepped closer, handing Sebastian one of the cups, “Drink that, you need it. And stop looking around like a cop!”

Sebastian shot him a glare, but sipped the drink.

“All of it,” insisted Kirian.

Sebastian gulped the whole thing down, he leaned down to say in Kirian’s ear, “I need to be on guard.”

Kirian resisted the urge to shiver at the warm breath on his ear. He responded, “Until you learn how to do it right, let me handle the observing. You’re looking at me too much, and it’s going to blow my cover. And standing in the corner like this isn’t going to make anyone slip up around you.”

Sebastian groaned, “When is that asshole gonna show his face?”

Kirian swallowed his drink in one go, already developing a headache. Even when he was starting out he wasn’t this bad. He wrapped his arms around the taller man’s neck to keep him in place and whisper-shouted in his ear, “No more mission thoughts. Until the next phase, you’re just at a guy at a party. This is what you’re gonna do. Flirt with me, buy us another round of drinks, and dance with me. In that order, and don’t you dare argue with me.”

Kirian stepped back and waited for Sebastian’s next move.

Sebastian leaned closer and said in a stage voice, “Wanna drink, hottie”.

It was bad, but it was a start. Kirian bit back a smile and nodded. Turning to guide Sebastian to the bar and giving him a good view of his backside.

They got the drinks, slammed them, them stood at the edge of the dance floor.

The girls from earlier shrieked in glee and shouted encouragement to Kirian. He sent them another wink and turned to Sebastian.

“Please tell me you can dance,” Kirian begged.

“Does ballroom count?” Sebastian replied, looking increasingly uncomfortable.

“I can work with that, I think. Just pull me close, and try to match my movements. We’re gonna stand in one spot, “ Kirian guided.

Sebastian put both hands around Kirian’s waist and looked down at him. “Like this?” He asked.

Kiran nodded distractedly. He couldn’t help but stare into those enchanting brown eyes. In the lighting, they looked almost black and alcohol had dilated his pupils. Sebastian was a very attractive man.

Kirian started moving to the music, his hands traveling up Sebastian’s back. He didn’t dare step closer, but the few times their thighs brushed, brought the temperature up another degree.

Sebastian responded by touching their foreheads together and closing his eyes. His hands started to travel as if on their own, but always pressing them together.

Song after song passed as their bodies found a shared rhythm. A layer of sweat had formed over Kirian’s skin and the tips of his hair were starting to stick to his face.

Kirian’s hands started creeping up, under the back of the other man's shirt and Sebastian opened his eyes once more.

Sebastian’s eyes darted to his lips, then up to his eyes, and back down again. His own lips were parted slightly.

A loud, booming holler made them both flinch. The music cut out.

“What’s up Party People!” bellowed a man not much older than Sebastian (however old that was). He was shirtless and wore only swim trunks. A pitch black snake tattoo wound around the man’s torso and ended on one pec. Instead of a head, there was a pale pink patch, as if the skin had been peeled off.

The whole room cheered in drunk jubilation. Sebastian and Kirian stepped away from each other.

“I demand that everyone here has a good fucking time! Tonight, we’re going to get so fucking wasted we forget out names!”

Another cheer.

“DJ, you know what to do!” He finished and the music started back up even louder.

The vibration made Kirian’s vision a little blurry. When he turned to the taller man for confirmation of the target, he found Sebastian already gone.