Imagine your OTP getting very, very drunk and having sex for the first time, before becoming a couple - both enjoying it, but feeling immensely awkward about it as soon as they realize what happened, and both deciding to pretend - and convincing one another - that they blacked out and forgot the incident.
Now imagine them finally getting together after many failed and semi-failed relationships with others, when one night Person A whispers to Person B, "You know, I was always glad you were my first."
Nick was hot when he woke up. He felt a body pressed against his, combining with the heavy blankets to smother him. He blinked his eyes open, squinting against the brightness of the light, and slowly sat up. When his head began throbbing, he decided that that was a terrible idea and lay back down. It was around this time that he saw his pants on the floor across the room and he realised he was naked.
Rolling over, he saw a head of blonde hair on the pillow next to him and he realised where he was. Jeff shifted in his sleep, his arms reaching out for the other boy, and Nick began to panic.
It had been Blaine and Thad's idea to throw the party to celebrate the Sectionals victory. Thad and David had managed to get a hold of a lot of alcohol and the boys had all let loose. Nick struggled to remember much after his first few drinks, but there were distinct memories rushing back to him.
"We're both really drunk, are you sure you want to do this?" Even intoxicated, Jeff was the responsible one.
"God yes, I want you so much," Nick moaned against the blonde's neck. "Now please just fuck me."
Fighting the pounding in his head, Nick got up slowly and found his clothes, pulling them on gingerly as he felt the burning pain shoot up from his ass. He stood for a moment, unsure of what to do, before placing a soft kiss on Jeff's forehead and walking back to his dorm room.
Thad was awake when he entered, and Trent was asleep in Nick's bed.
"I was just about to come looking for you," Thad told him. "I'm assuming you slept in Jeff's room judging by the fact that you kicked Trent out of there?"
"Uh, yeah," Nick nodded, heading to the bathroom for some water. Maybe he'd be able to think straight and remember more when he was less dehydrated.
"So did you hook up or what?" Thad asked, following him into the bathroom.
"I don't really remember," Nick lied. "It's all pretty blurry."
"You're no fun," Thad pouted. "I'm asking him when he wakes up though. He didn't seem quite as drunk as you."
"Can you leave now so I can shower?" Nick asked, shoving his roommate out.
If there was any doubt about what had happened the night before, it was gone the second Nick found the hickeys on his hip and chest. He just hoped that Jeff wouldn't remember it or at least would stay quiet until they could talk.
When Nick was showered and feeling slightly less hung over, he went back into Jeff's room and found him still asleep. As it was nearing noon, he knew he had to wake the other boy up.
"Jeff," Nick said in a loud whisper, nudging his shoulder. The blonde boy groaned and slowly blinked his eyes open. He was staring up confusedly at Nick, who had to admit it was the most adorable thing he'd ever seen.
"Morning sunshine," Nick said sarcastically, offering a bottle of water to the boy in bed.
"Thanks," Jeff said, sitting up and sculling the bottle. He looked down at his chest and his eyes widened. "Can you, uh, pass me my pants and underwear over there?"
Nick nodded and grabbed them, realising too late that they were in fact his boxers, not Jeff's. Nick sat down on the edge of the bed and put his head in his hands.
"How much do you remember from last night?" Jeff asked quietly.
"What do you remember?"
"I remember coming back here with you," Jeff began. "And then it sort of goes blank there."
"That's about all I can remember too," Nick lied, not mentioning the hickeys or the pain he felt in his ass.
"So if we can't remember it, there's no need to mention what may or may not have happened to anyone, right?"
"Right," Nick nodded.
He had known all summer that Blaine was considering leaving Dalton to spend more time with Kurt, but Nick was still sad to see his friend go. The Warblers and the New Directions had spent time together a few times at Kurt's insistence and Nick had gotten along well with most of them.
"We're all going to miss you so much, Blaine," Nick said, giving his friend one last hug. "Is there any chance you can give Quinn my number?"
Blaine chuckled and looked strangely at his friend, "I'll see what I can do."
"You're the best, Blaine!"
"So how's Quinn?" Jeff asked as they walked back to their dorm room from Warbler practice, a few weeks into their junior year.
"She's amazing," Nick beamed. "Things are fantastic between us."
"That's great," Jeff nodded.
"Now, is it true that you and Sebastian…?" Nick trailed off, an eyebrow raised in question.
"We may have, uh, yeah," Jeff nodded, his whole face going red in embarrassment.
"Is there anything serious there?"
"I don't think so, he's pretty into Blaine," Jeff shrugged. "I think he was just after a hook-up."
"He chose well then," Nick said without thinking.
"What?" Jeff asked. Neither of them had mentioned that night since it happened and they had both assumed the other had forgotten about it.
"Nothing," Nick corrected himself hastily, busying himself with unlocking their door.
When Jeff found his roommate staring at his phone with a half-eaten tub chocolate ice-cream, it hadn't been hard to piece together that Quinn had dumped Nick. Nick had refused to leave his room for a few days, but he seemed to be improving.
"How are you coping with the break-up?" Jeff asked Nick, sitting down at the Warblers' table for lunch.
"Why don't you ask Thad?" Trent grinned.
"You hooked up with Thad?" Jeff laughed.
"I can't see why Quinn dumped him," Thad said with a half-smirk.
"He was up for experimenting," Nick shrugged. "And it had been a while since I'd been with a guy."
"Wait, Quinn wasn't your first?" Thad asked. "Who was it?"
Nick and Jeff shared a scared glance before Nick spoke, "I'd rather not say, but he was truly amazing."
Jeff couldn't explain it, but something in his chest rose and it felt a lot like hope.
It was near the end of that year that Jeff walked in on Nick for the first time. They had managed to share a room for almost a year without any awkward instances, but there was no mistaking what he was doing with Quinn in there. Jeff shut the door and left as soon as he processed what had interrupted.
He heard footsteps running after him and turned around to see Nick looking very apologetic.
"You and Quinn are back together again?" Jeff raised an eyebrow.
"I should have done the tie-on-the-doorknob or something, I'm sorry," Nick said, running a hand through his hair to flatten it.
"It's alright, just let me know next time, yeah?"
"There may not be a next time," Nick admitted. "But if there is, I'll be sure to give you warning."
"Tell Quinn I'm sorry," Jeff said, a small part of his brain hoping that Nick was right when he said it wouldn't happen again. It wasn't that he minded seeing his roommate naked – it was quite the opposite. Jeff tried and failed to ignore the jealousy he was feeling.
They were assigned different roommates for their senior year – Nick was sharing with Trent, and Jeff was rooming with the new transfer, Hunter. For someone who claimed to be "not even remotely bi-curious" Hunter spent a lot of time naked in bed with Sebastian.
"Hunter, if I walk in on you and Sebastian one more time I swear– oh god please stop!" Jeff shouted, his hands covering his eyes. There were only a few weeks left until graduation and Jeff couldn't be more ready to move out of his room with Hunter.
"Again?" Nick laughed, sitting on the floor outside his own dorm room opposite.
"I'm never going to get those images out of my mind," Jeff shuddered, then looked down and raised a questioning eyebrow to his friend. "Why are you on the ground?"
"Trent locked me out," Nick explained.
"Why?"
"I was distracting him from studying, apparently."
"So you're just sitting here?" Jeff asked.
"I was waiting to see you, actually."
"Why?"
"I wanted to ask you to sing something with me," Nick told him, standing up. "Did you know that we haven't done a duet since Sectionals in sophomore year?" Jeff opened his mouth to protest but Nick cut him off, "A proper duet – singing McFly in our room last year doesn't count."
"So what are we singing today?"
"Come with me," Nick grinned, offering his hand to Jeff who took it and laced their fingers together.
Nick led him to the choir room, the place where they had shared so many memories over the past 4 years. He sat Jeff down on one of the couches and pressed play on the stereo, watching Jeff's face light up when he recognised the song.
I don't know you but I want you
All the more for that
Nick began singing, Jeff joining him to harmonise on the next line.
Words fall through me and always fool me
And I can't react
Earlier that year they had taken a trip with Blaine to see Kurt in New York and 'Once' had been the only musical with tickets left they could see on Broadway. They had all been singing the songs for weeks afterwards and Nick even managed to convince the Warblers to add a version of 'When Your Mind's Made Up' to their repertoire.
Games that never amount to more than their worth
Will play themselves out
After almost three years the two of them were finally opening up to each other about the feelings they'd been hiding.
Take this sinking boat and point it home
We've still got time
Raise your hopeful voice, you have a choice
You've made it known
With only a few weeks left before they parted ways, it had become clear to Nick that things between them needed to be admitted to.
Falling slowly, eyes that know me
And I can't go back
Moods that take me and erase me
And I'm painted black
Sharing a room in their junior year made Nick very aware of everything about Jeff. From his unconscious habits to his tendency to stress and panic, Nick was able to read Jeff's moods. Jeff was thoughtful but smiling as he was singing and Nick grinned, knowing his plan was working perfectly.
You have suffered enough and warred with yourself
It's time that you won
Nick sang that line alone and Jeff knew exactly why Nick emphasised those words.
Take this sinking boat and point it home
We've still got time
Raise your hopeful voice, you have a choice
You've made it now
Falling slowly, sing your melody
I'll sing it loud
In the silence that followed, Nick knew they were both remembering the night they denied happened. Even through the drunken haze it was the best night of Nick's life.
"I…" Nick began, lost for words but needing to say something after so much silence.
"So I suppose we can admit we both remember that night now?" Jeff asked with a smirk. "I'm a little bit angry, you know, that you waited this long to say anything."
"It took me a while to come to my senses," Nick shrugged.
"Where do we go from here?" Jeff asked.
"Anywhere," Nick smiled, cursing himself for remaining silent for so long. "Except, of course, for our dorm rooms because your roommate is probably naked in there and mine probably still won't let me in."
"We could find somewhere else to have a sober repeat of that night?"
The grin on Nick's face widened even further when Jeff continued, "You know, I was always glad you were my first."