AN: SO this is just a story I thought would be fun but knowing me it'll probably get angsty in parts. The inspiration came mostly from scrolling through the spalison head canons over on .com so I credit them for a lot of this.
After that night on the roof, things had finally started to settle down for the liars. Charlotte was taken into custody before being institutionalised once more and life was slowly starting to feel normal again. They still jumped every time they heard their phones go off but they were slowly starting to come to terms with the fact that A was really gone. That they no longer had to look over their shoulder. They could go to school or to the mall or anywhere really, like normal teenagers without being paranoid someone was out to get them.
A few weeks after the whole ordeal once they'd all settled into having an actual routine and some sense of normalcy again, Spencer invited her three best friends, Caleb and Ezra over to the Hastings residence while her parents were out of town. Deciding they were all in need of a good group catch up to talk about something other than A.
She had Toby helping her to set up, not that there was much to do. The youngest Hastings was doing her best to resist the urge to go overboard with the whole thing. They'd set out all the alcohol on the kitchen bench, set up the living area so that everyone would have somewhere to sit and ordered half a dozen pizzas despite Toby's insistence that four would've been more than enough.
The brunette busied herself with dusting and rearranging furniture eight times in a row in the hours before her guests arrived, wanting to make sure that everything was perfect for when her guests arrived. She told herself she was just nervous because this was the first time they'd all be hanging out without some sort of crisis banding them together, but if she were honest, the reason she was so anxious is no matter how she organised the room, no matter how many times she visualised them all sitting around the living room, she couldn't help but feel there'd be something missing.
Or rather someone.
Things between she and Alison had been improving a lot lately, Spencer almost willing to say the friendship they were building now was better than what they had before she disappeared, but the blonde's place in the group was still strained so to avoid the inevitable awkwardness, she'd decided not to invite her. The overachiever couldn't say for sure whether she'd done it for the comfort of the others or to protect the blonde from having to hear any tactless comments they might have in regards to Charlotte or their past, but she was quickly starting to regret the decision, worried that if Ali found out about tonight it might ruin the progress they'd been making.
But before she could drive herself to crazy overthinking it or walk over to her neighbours house and invite the girl, her doorbell rang and the others started piling in. So concerned with being the perfect Hastings hostess, she quickly forgot her worries about Alison as she turned her attention to six of her favourite people.
Before long they were all drinking together, having a good time and actually laughing for once, just happy to be in each others company. The hours flew by before any of them really noticed and as it started to get late none other than a pyjama clad Alison Dilaurentis showed up at the backdoor.
Though when she realised the youngest Hasting's had people over, she didn't bother knocking, instead quickly turning to leave, trying not to be too hurt she wasn't invited when she realised she recognised the voices inside.
"Ali?" Aria wondered aloud as she saw blonde retreating through the window. Exchanging a guilty glance with Hanna that quickly turned into a look of confusion as a slightly drunken Spencer ran out to catch up to her with a little too much urgency.
"Ali! Ali, wait!" The brunette called, catching up to her just as she was about to cross the barrier from the Hastings backyard to the Dilaurentis'.
"Hey, where are you going?" Spencer asked, catching the blonde's wrist.
"I'm sorry, I didn't know you had company." The blonde replied awkwardly.
She'd been going over to Spencer's because the brunette's presence made her feel safe. It had always been a struggle for Alison to sleep at her house, even before she disappeared, though the reasons were different. Before it was because of the constant screaming, the tension that always filled the air when her parents were around or because Jason was throwing parties where all his friends would get high and wasted and try to wander into her room. Now it was because the place was so empty. she was alone all the time and she hated it, perhaps more in that house than she did when she was on the run.
Before she disappeared, letting herself into Spencer's house and crawling into bed beside her had been commonplace, so much so that Spencer kept an extra blanket at the foot of her bed just for Alison. Despite the way they fought, the brunette's presence made the blonde feel more secure. To Ali, fighting was just a sign that they loved each other. She knew Spencer was never going to abandon her over one of their arguments, at most when one said something particularly hurtful they'd just take a few days to themselves before coming back and either awkwardly apologising or pretending it never happened. But Ali knew Spencer would always protect her and when they were sleeping side by side the blonde didn't feel the need to try and keep one eye open.
When she had first returned things had been strained between them, between all of them really and the first time she'd snuck into Spencer's house at 3 am when she couldn't sleep was more out of reflex or muscle memory than anything, but when she'd found her blanket was no longer at the foot of spencer's bed she'd broken down in silent tears.
She knew she could hardly expect things to be as they once were, it'd been years, there was no reason for Spencer to keep leaving a blanket out for someone she assumed dead, but still it felt like the answer to a question she wasn't brave enough to ask any of her friends; she wasn't welcome anymore.
A fact made all the more clear when they'd turned their backs on her and the safety and solace she once felt in Spencer's company all but completely disappeared, replaced by the bitter taste of betrayal.
But after the dollhouse things between them had started to change, they were building a friendship again, one that was better than before and after Charlotte was first re-institutionalized and Ali had gone back to her giant old house alone she'd worked up the courage to drag herself over to Spencer's again, prepared to try and ask if she could stay, but when she showed up at the back door just after midnight, she didn't have to say a thing. Spencer already knew why she'd come and wordlessly lead her up to her bedroom, retrieving the same blanket from the cupboard and offering it to her friend.
It'd stayed at the foot of her bed ever since and Ali had been using it often when she knew the girl's parents were away, not wanting to stay when Peter was there after she'd seen the hatred in his eyes when he and Veronica had come to see her in jail.
"Don't worry about it. It's just us and the guys, come on, stay." Spencer urged, swaying ever so slightly on her feet.
Ali glanced over her wearily, worried she was only offering because she was too drunk to care. If she had really wanted her there she'd have invited her in the first place.
"Spence, you don't have to invite me just b—"
"I want to." The brunette assured without even letting her friend finish. "I should've come and got you earlier, I just.. I was worried Hanna or one of the others might say something about—"
"I get it really, I'll just see you—" Alison interrupted, not wanting Spencer to feel she had to explain herself.
"Ali." Spencer called, effectively cutting her off as she held up a hand in front of her. "Just stay. Please? They'll all be going home in a couple hours anyway, I promise."
Thinking on it for a moment before giving a reluctant nod, the blonde felt some of her hesitance ease slightly as the youngest Hasting's grinned back at her.
"Should I go change first or—" Ali tried to ask, motioning towards her pyjamas, knowing she'd be the only one dressed for bed but was cut off once again as Spencer started pulling her towards the house.
"Oh like they care what you're wearing, come on."
"Ali's staying!" The tipsy brunette announced as she pulled the blonde along with her by the hand.
The rest of the group let out a few week cheers and tried to be as welcoming as possible but there was a tangible awkwardness between them all. Ali gave a small smile to her friends before sitting on the couch beside Spencer who settled back into Toby's side. The officer, helping to play host handed Alison a drink, which she took with a slight thank you, beginning to feel more at ease when she noticed Emily sitting on the floor offering her a comforting smile. One she returns easily when she notices the brunette subtly moving closer to where she sat on the couch.
Unsure of quite what to say to the blonde, the boys in the group try to brush over the awkwardness by diving right back into the conversation they'd all been having before she arrived. Talking about some tv drama Ali hadn't even heard of, not that she would've tried to join in if she had, things were still strained for her and she didn't want to accidentally make it worse.
It was Hanna who first noticed Ali staring into her glass, obviously left out, a jarring sight when the once Queen Bee was usually the centre of every party no matter how small. A few months ago, the sight would've brought her joy, would've made her feel somehow validated. But after the dollhouse and Charlotte and all the shit they'd been through together, she was tired of fighting and holding on to resentment for things that'd happened when they were fifteen.
"Let's play a game!" She demands, cutting off the conversation around her as she tries to come up with something they can all be involved in.
"Like what, Han? Truth or dare?" Spencer mocks in reply, implying they were too old for that kind of thing.
"Hmm, maybe later." The blonde teases, her eyes raised to the ceiling as she tries to think of something fun for everyone. "How bout never have I ever?" She declares triumphantly, sure it'll be something they'll enjoy.
There are a few chuckles and weak protests but when she whines continues to whine they all cave and agree, insisting she start.
Eagerly agreeing, the blonde looks around the room with a devious smirk trying to decide who she'll target first.
"Never have I ever hooked up with a teacher." She decides after a moment, grinning at her petite friend sitting in the arms of their former english teacher.
"Seriously, Han?!" She huffs irritably before taking a drink, though she's not the only one. Confirming previous suspicions after reading her diaries, Alison also takes a drink and Hanna's smirk turns victorious. This definitely had the potential to get interesting.
"Never have I ever gotten drunk on a school night." Aria shot back for her turn directly after, staring daggers at Hanna, who rolled her eyes as she took her drink. Though she wasn't the only one, Emily and Caleb also took a sip, the first regretful, the latter indifferent.
Next was Ezra's turn, who felt far too old to be playing such a game but participated regardless if only so he didn't seem like the old man judging a bunch of teenagers. He struggled for a moment to come up with something entertaining when Alison caught his eye.
"Never have I ever sung on stage." He smirked, wondering if the others even knew she could sing. His intent wasn't malicious though, he'd picked up on Hanna's intention to include Ali when she came up with the game so he was trying to do the same and as he believed her to be a truly great singer, it didn't seem like it'd be an embarrassing thing to admit.
The others looked puzzled for a moment until they noticed Ali drink.
"You sung for Ezra?" Spencer asked in amusement, knowing that it wasn't something she did often and she was the only one of their friends to have heard her really sing without the background of an entire crowd around her. In her drunken state she found it almost endearing, deducing it meant at one point she had really liked the nerdy teacher. Though had she been sober her reaction may have been different as her first thought would've been Aria's discomfort at the discovery.
"Once upon a dream." Alison teased lightly, a familiar smirk on her face that had all her friends holding back a bittersweet smile of their own. That lighthearted lilt to her voice was once of the things they'd first fallen in love with about her. She was the kind of person that could make a funeral fun. But as much nostalgia it brought for the good times they had it also reminded them of all the cruel taunts that could often be delivered in that same sing song tone.
"Well singing to one guy hardly counts as singing on stage." Hanna scoffed.
"We were on a stage." Ezra clarified and Aria tried not to let the idea of her boyfriend's past with one of her best friends effect her.
"Either way, that wasn't the only time." Ali shrugged, taking another sip of her drink, finally starting to feel comfortable sitting with the people around her.
"Really?!" Ezra replied, his eyebrows raised in shock, though the surprise was a pleasant one. He'd told her that day in his families theatre she could make a career out of it if she wanted to.
Another teasing smirk thrown his way as she stopped herself from asking if he was jealous. Instead she just nodded and gave a brief explanation as per the rules of the game seeing she was the only one to take a drink. "I was working in this little theatre in New York where they were playing this indie musical about Marilyn Monroe's life and the lead got up and quit one day in the middle of the tantrum and the understudy had just got another job down the street, so the director was losing it. Then he saw me back stage and he was like 'You! Can you sing?!' and I was like 'Yeah, a little' and he had me do the opening number to make sure and then he begged me to save him and play Marilyn for the night. And I was bored—"
"And you love to be begged." Spencer interjected in amusement before letting her get on with the story.
The blonde laughed but didn't try to deny the accusation. "And I already knew all the songs so I said yes and then I ended up staying on for the rest of the week to help him finish out the show."
The others looked at her with varying expressions of amusement and disbelief.
"Only you." Hanna rolled her eyes. "Only the one and only Alison Dilaurentis would something like that happen to." She teased to which Ali just shrugged, though they could all see the happiness dancing in her eyes. This was the most fun she'd had in months.
"I'm sure you were amazing." Ezra complimented, to which the blonde replied with a quiet thank you and lifted her cup to cover her slight blush, having become quite unused to praise in recent years.
"I would have loved to have seen it." Emily offered a moment after, earning an affectionate smile for herself.
"Same." The other three agreed, almost in unison.
"It's Toby's turn." Ali reminded after a moment, not knowing quite what to say. She knew what she would've said years ago, she would've lapped up their praise and interest and revelled in being the centre of attention, but she wanted them to see she wasn't the Queen Bee anymore. She was just Alison.
"Never have I ever read a whole novel in a day." He shrugged and Spencer glared at him gently, letting him know his question had been boring as she, Ali, Aria and Ezra all took a sip.
"Never have I ever.. caught someone having sex." Spencer chuckles as her turn comes around. Ali, Caleb and Aria drink, the first two looking obviously amused by the memories it brings up whilst Aria wears the traumatised expression of a child who's caught their parents in a compromising position.
The youngest Hasting's nudges her blonde friend to remind her of her turn when she doesn't immediately start to speak. "Oh, right. Umm… Never have I ever had sex on the first date." She decides on quickly, surprising some of her friends. Ezra, Caleb and Aria drink, the latter avoiding everyone's eyes as she does.
"Never have I ever.. been to a strip club." Emily says for her turn, to which Hanna scoffs and mutters a light 'bet you wish you had' under her breath. Ezra and Caleb drink again, both receiving a raised eyebrow from their respective girlfriends, though they aren't under the microscope long when they notice Ali is also drinking.
"What the hell were you doing at a strip club?!" Aria asked, eyes wide.
"Wouldn't you like to know." She teases her smaller friend but offers no further answer, though she can feel them all staring at her wondering. With a light cough she notifies Caleb he's next and tries not to be too satisfied with the way their gazes linger on her.
"Never have I ever worn a tiara." He announced with an eye roll, feeling that the game was stupid he'd only been barely participating because of Hanna but he couldn't really be bothered coming up with anything interesting. Receiving a light elbow from his blonde girlfriend for being boring as all the girls drunk, he couldn't help but laugh as he noticed Ezra taking a sip too.
"I have cousins." He explained weakly, though it didn't stop the playful teasing that ensued.
"Okay, I got one, never have I ever.. called out the wrong name in the middle of sex." Hanna grinned, her eyes darting around the room to see who would drink.
Caleb was the first to lift is cup and knowing it wasn't with her she couldn't help but laugh and almost, but not quite miss both Emily and Alison drinking, blushing and avoiding each others eyes. She considered saying something right there but decided she'd use it as ammunition when teasing her best friend later.
Starting to really feel the effects of the alcohol Aria had to rack her brain for something to say when her turn came, eventually settling on one she'd heard used a thousand times before at parties. "Never have I ever kissed a girl."
"What?" The brunette shrugs as she sees Hanna glaring at her who responds with a silent 'lame' as they look back to the rest of the room.
Emily, all the guys, Alison and Spencer drink.
"SPENCER, oh my god, who?!" Hanna shrieks at the unexpected revelation, making the brunette instantly regret her honesty as both she and the blonde beside her tense visibly, the same memory running through both their minds.
"You wanna be good at it don't you, Spence?"
"You don't know her." she answered quickly, but Hanna hadn't missed their body language. She'd picked up on the tension immediately and her eyes looked like they were about to fall out of her head.
"No way."
"What?" Aria asked confused.
"No freakin way! when?!" She continued to push.
"When what?" Spencer tried, hoping she could work her way out of the hole she'd just thrown herself into.
"Oh come on, did everyone not just see that?! it was Ali wasn't it?! You guys kissed!" Hanna announced frustrated, looking around the room to see if she could find anyone else willing to come to her aid in forcing a confession from the two.
For a moment neither said anything, sharing a silent look with each other trying to decide whether or not to lie. Sparing a glance at Emily, who wouldn't meet her eyes, Alison gave a slight sigh knowing that even if they did, she wouldn't believe them and if lying wasn't going to protect her mermaid's feelings, she saw no reason to try and hide it.
"It was a long time ago." Alison shrugged and everyone's jaw hit the floor at the admission.
"How long?!" Hanna harped in again, wanting to know all the details.
"She taught me how to kiss." Spencer answered with a reluctant sigh, feeling just as cautious of Emily's feelings as the blonde.
"Thanks" toby interjected, trying to bring the humour and lightheartedness back to the situation, receiving an elbow to the ribs for his efforts.
"Oh, you're welcome." Ali teased easily, earning a light shove from spencer herself.
"So Ali was your first kiss?" Aria asked to clarify, feeling entirely floored that they were just hearing about this now.
"Not quite. My first kiss was Barron Randall and it did not go well." Spencer answered, grimacing at the memory.
"She head butted the poor nerd." Alison elaborated with a light chuckle, making the others laugh as well.
"Stop." She whined, burying her face in her hands as Toby wrapped his arms around her, trying to keep the amusement from his face. "It was awful and embarrassing."
"And why are we only hearing about this now?!' Hanna grinned, enjoying every second of this new development, though she was mildly hurt Spencer had never told them before.
"Because it was mortifying and I never intended to tell anyone. Ever." She deadpanned.
"I barely got it out of her back then, she only told me after I promised to take it to my grave, which, technically I did so you can't be mad at me." The blonde beside her quipped, having as much fun with her friends embarrassment as Hanna.
"Wow, dark much?!" Spencer replied, raising her head to look at Alison who shrugged as the others looked at her with a mix of shock and amusement.
xxx
cutting it off here because I'm tired but I wanted to get this chapter up before I went to bed
there will be more though! and more games so feel free to suggest some in a review!
you'll also get Emily's reaction and deeper feelings from the others in future chapters as well
