note: kinda looks like i ship ted x hidgens cus they hang out but NO that's weird i just think they'd be great friends lmao
After several drinks for them all, the unlikely group of 6 now sat on the floor, all totally drunk. Emma and Paul sat cross legged very close to each other, Charlotte was stretched out on the floor, Bill had somehow managed to wriggle into the corner, and Ted and Professor Hidgen's were trying (and failing) to do a staring contest.
Suddenly, Charlotte sat up quickly and took a moment to sway before rubbing her eyes. "Hey guys. Let's play a game." Her words were slightly slurred and so were all the mumbles of agreements from the rest of the group.
"W-what should we p-play?" Bill stammered. Apparently the process of him being 'drunk' resulted him in stammering and getting slightly upset at, well, everything.
Ted stood up too fast and Hidgen's had to quickly hold him up before he fell right over. Ted nodded at him half heartedly before flipping up his hand and smiled triumphantly. "Truth or Dare!" He called out, gathering his acquaintances around in a circle on the floor.
Paul and Emma shuffled in, their knees now pressed together. Paul quickly scooted away and cleared his voice. "Uh, I'll go first." He looked around the circle, his eyes landing on the cat lady. "Charlotte, Truth or Dare?"
"Oh, um, Truth?" She replied hesitantly.
Paul looked at her and thought of something he always wanted to ask, but there was never really an appropriate time to do so. "How long have you been hookin' up with Ted for?"
"What?" Bill exclaimed.
"No surprise." Professor Hidgen's taunted.
"Wow, hookin' up!" Emma scoffed.
"What the fuck, Paul?" Ted growled.
"Uh, what? How do you know?" Charlotte whispered, her blue eyes now wide with shock.
Paul shrugged. "Kinda obvious, Char. Like no offence, but this guy sucks and let's go of hints a lot." He said pointedly towards Ted, who frowned intently.
Charlotte's face clouded and she frowned. "O-oh. W-well, you see, Sam and I have been so-"
"God, two months, maybe?" Ted said quickly, rolling his eyes.
"Ted!" She exclaimed.
"What?" He threw his hands up defensively. "May as well tell them. Just, have your turn, Charlotte."
"Oh, alright then." Charlotte looked to her left towards Bill and gave him a small smile. "How about you, Bill? Uh, Truth or Dare?"
"Just a t-truth, I suppose." He replied.
"Coward." Ted muttered loudly.
"I-I will... k-kick your head!" Bill called out, his face screwing up.
"Didn't work the first time, won't work again, champ." Ted said, raising his hands up again.
"O-okay, truth. Hm, well, have you been seeing anyone lately?" She asked. Bill looked up at her with horror as she realised what she'd asked. She flung her hand up quickly to cover her mouth and mumbled an apology. "I'm so sorry, Bill. Uh, can we skip?"
"Y-yeah. Well, my t-turn." Bill looked around the circle until his eyes fell upon Emma, who was letting out a huge yawn. "Emma?" Truth o-or dare?"
"Huh, what?"
"Truth or Dare?"
"Oh!" Emma said. "Eh, fuck it. Give me a dare."
Bill nodded and looked up at the roof as he thought of something good when it hit him. "I d-dare you to... k-kiss one of the people next to you."
Emma squinted at him and shrugged. She looked to her right at Hidgen's who looked back at her blankly. "Yeah, not him. So..." She turned her head to the left and was met with Paul's kind, yet awkward face. "Right. Him." She whispered. Emma leant forward and quickly kissed him on the cheek, pulling away right after she started. She sat back down and looked ahead, trying to not seem phased by what had happened.
But Paul on the other hand, was utterly starstruck. He resisted the urge to bring his hand up to his cheek where she had kissed him. His face was a blushing mess, which he hoped no one could see in the dark light. He looked over at Emma, who gave him the tiniest of smiles before returning to the game, which Paul could no longer think about, until he heard Ted call out.
"Pretty sure Bill meant on the mouth, Erika." He grinned, knowing he was going to make Paul uncomfortable, who was certainly feeling that way.
Emma tried to shrugged. "Doesn't matter. Also, it's Emma."
Paul frowned slightly but hid it quickly. Of course it didn't matter, it was just a dare, but a tiny part of him hoped she was excited, happy to do it.
"Another coward, I see." Ted raised his voice slightly, but not horribly.
"Oh, shut up." Emma snapped. "Ist least I'm not the one fucking some dude's wife every weekend just to say I got laid. No offence, Charlotte." She added quickly, and Charlotte just gave her a distant smile as she took a long sip of beer again.
"Oh, listen here, princess-" Ted started, but Professor Hidgen's coughed and held his hands out.
"Alright, you two. Continue the game." His voice was calm and level and Emma followed through, continuing the game.
After several more rounds, the group got quiet as the alcohol started to kick in. Paul excused himself to the kitchen to grab a glass of cold water. He peered through a couple cabinets and realised he had no clue where they would be. "Uh, Professor Hidgen's?" He called out. "Where are your glasses?"
"Oh, I'll help." Paul heard Emma say quickly, and she arrived in front of him seconds later. "Hi."
Either it was the alcohol or she was really just that way, but Paul noticed how pretty Emma looked in the soft glow of the lights above them. He smiled down at her gently and she returned the smile too, sending butterflies throughout his stomach.
"They're over here." She said suddenly, walking behind the kitchen wall and Paul followed, confused as to why the glasses wouldn't just be directly in the kitchen.
But when he turned the corner, in one swift motion, Emma got up on her toes and raised her hands up to cup his cheeks. She looked at him directly for a moment, before locking there lips together smoothly. She kissed him passionately as he held her by the waist, pulling her in close.
Emma pulled away, her hands still on his face gently, and Paul immediately missed the sparking sensation on the kiss. "What was that for?" He asked quietly, a smile forming at the corner of his lips.
She laughed quietly. "Because," Emma whispered. "I didn't want to do it in front of everyone else."
"Ah, I see." Paul looked at her hazel eyes intently, before seeing her look behind him, her hands dropping in the process.
Ted, who had excused himself to the bathroom a few minutes ago, stood behind Paul with an impressed smile on his face. "Oh, I see ya, Paul! Gettin' some with Erika! You'll regret that, kid." He howled.
"Oh, shut the fuck up, Ted." Emma snapped, and wrapped her arms around Paul's neck, bringing him to kiss him deeply as Ted stood behind them. He made a grunting sound, mumbled something and swiftly walked away.
Paul pulled away this time and smiled warmly at her. "Okay, wow." He said awkwardly, a soft blush spreading across his face.
"Yeah." Emma replied. "Wow." Her hands were still draped around his neck and she once again pulled him, connecting their lips for the third time that night.
