A/N: I'd like to preface this whole thing by saying that I really do not enjoy writing Next Gen, so this was definitely double the challenge. Did some light research, ignored some of the things presented to me, made this. I did forget that the legal drinking age in Britain is 18 for a few minutes there, but I caught myself in time to not make that mistake. The basis for this particular story? All of Next Gen are gayer than their parents.
Happy Pride Month ya'll!
Written for S9, R8 of the QLFC.
SEEKER: Write about an important milestone in someone's life.
Task: Must include Next Gen as MC.
TW: N/A
Word Count: 1,674
The cool night air is alive with the sounds of raucous youth.
Few things make Lysander Scamander act excited. (He is considered the calm twin.) The noises of the city streets in the evening are one of the few facts of life that make him act giddy. As he marches down the sidewalk, Lorcan a few feet ahead, he smiles into the wind.
"If you can't keep up I'll leave you!" Lorcan says, glancing back and catching the smile. "Is that a grin on mine brother's face?"
"I'm leaving you at the bar." Lysander threatens.
He pulls his coat closer around his shoulders as they turn another corner. There, on the other side of the crowded street, is their destination: the Yellow Jacket. Lorcan pulls the door open and bows dramatically.
"In you go, my lord."
"It's your birthday too," He says.
The hostess lets them in after they explain that they're with someone, and the dimly lit space takes a moment to get used to. Lysander observes the rainbow-colored lights and the smiling faces of what seems like a hundred customers seated at tables and on barstools. A DJ plays music on the far end of the room, hidden from sight by a mass of dancing bodies.
"Lorcan! Lysander!" A voice calls from the far end of the bar. It's Hugo, waving his arms furiously to get their attention.
Lysander swallows his embarrassment - no one is looking at them - and follows his brother to the end of the bar.
"Thought you guys might not make it!" Hugo says with a warm smile.
"I wouldn't miss my own birthday celebration." Lorcan replies, taking a seat next to Lily.
"I might." Lysander jokes as he sits next to Hugo.
"You wouldn't dare." Lily says.
"So," Hugo interrupts before Lysander can get another word in, "What'll it be? Ricky's told me he's prepared to serve you two anything."
Lysander has thought about turning 18 a lot in the past few months. He's mulled it over a million times: what it might be like to be considered an adult, to be able to start having a nightlife, if he wants it - to be seen as someone who can be listened to. He's looked at lists of drinks for weeks now. (It's not that he hasn't consumed alcohol, of course, it's merely that he's never had to think about what he wants.)
In the current atmosphere, he finds he's still pretty uncertain of his own desires.
"Shots?" Lorcan asks.
"Whiskey?" The bartender pops his head up from below with a smile.
"Oh," Lorcan looks around, no doubt pausing for dramatic effect, "Yes."
"Two Johnnies, Ricky." Hugo clarifies.
"Roger that. Anything for you?" Ricky is looking at Lysander now.
"Gimlet. Shaken." He says. It's the first thing that's popped into his mind, and while he's not certain he'll like it, or if it's even appropriate, he goes with his gut.
Ricky flashes a bright smile and moves away. Lysander watches him go. From what he knows, Ricky's roughly their age and Hugo's known him since they met at school.
"You'd have a better shot with literally anyone else in this building." says Hugo, nudging Lysander in the ribs.
"Anyone?" He raises his eyebrows. Hugo nods reverently.
"Ricky's sought after by most men and women he meets, and that's like, half of London since he works here."
"Aw, I think Lys would have a shot." Lorcan says loudly. Lysander glares at him.
"Where's Louis?" Lily asks, and Lorcan blushes. "What? Did you lose him?"
"He mentioned something about a present."
"A present?"
"Shut up." Lorcan places his head in his arms.
"Didn't you get him socks for his birthday?" says Hugo, eyes flashing dangerously.
There's only a groan in reply from the lump that his twin has become.
"The Johnnies," Ricky returns, sliding the two shot glasses at Lorcan, "And your gimlet, sir."
"Thank you," Lysander says. He tries to ignore the chills that shoot up his arm when his fingers brush against Ricky's.
"Happy birthday!" Hugo raises his half-empty pint glass and they take turns gently knocking their glasses together.
The slight burn of lime is a welcome distraction from Ricky as it slides down his throat. He takes another look at the people around them.
Yellow Jacket has a reputation as one of the better gay magical bars in the city, although it seems the clientele is fairly mixed in terms of sexualities. Hugo frequented it, claiming the drinks were unbelievable and the atmosphere euphoric. Lily sometimes accompanied him, although she had yet to even get a single date (she claimed no one interested her, which Lysander didn't fully believe given the sheer amount of patrons).
His attention returns to his friends as Louis Weasley arrives, swinging an arm around Lorcan's shoulders.
"I missed your first drinks!" Louis says.
"Guess I should break up with you now,"
"You wound me!"
"You should've broken up with Lorcan when he got you socks for your birthday." Lily cuts in.
"That's not all he got me," Louis shrugs, and Lysander pretends to choke.
"Unnecessary information, Louis." He says.
"Someone's lonely."
Lysander shakes his head. He doesn't want to delve into personal issues this evening. He came here to get drunk and dance, and get drunk and dance he will, no matter if the night ends with some lucky man or not.
"Someone's been eyeing up Ricky." Hugo says, far too loudly for the man in question not to have heard from where he stands a few feet away addressing a couple who'd just arrived.
"Shut it, Hugo, or I'll make sure you can't look at a single person." replies Lysander.
"I'm going to dance." Lily announces, cutting through the ridiculous tension that's sitting between all of them. "Care to join, Lys?"
"I'd love to," He puts his glass down and follows her to the back of the club, where the rather small dance floor is still full of people.
The DJ is playing a variety of remixes, most of which Lysander isn't very familiar with. He's content to stand with Lily and flop around aimlessly in the mass of sweaty bodies. For the first few minutes, they stick close together, Lily gripping his wrists and throwing them around as she flails about.
"This is what being an adult is about!" She shouts.
"Terrible dancing?"
"Of course!"
They jump together for a little longer (he's pretty sure most people here are not jumping, but he's never been one to deny Lily almost anything) before a man who looks to be a few years older than Lysander approaches and asks if he'd like to dance. Lily's eyebrows nearly disappear into her hairline.
She mouths "Go for it!" at him, and he nods, feeling his face heat up. The man introduces himself as Todd when he pulls Lysander close.
"First time?" Todd yells.
"In a way," He replies - Hugo had dragged him here once before, but as a 15 year old the atmosphere felt wildly inappropriate and he didn't stick around long.
They don't speak much after that. The air is thick with tension and hormones, the music is loud and the lights flash inconsistently. Lysander's happy to dance against Todd until a hand reaches through the crowd, pulling at him. He mouths an apology to Todd, who winks in reply.
Hugo is dragging him through the crowded floor, red hair flopping in time to the beat.
"Who was that?" He asks when they return to the bar.
"Todd." Lysander says, shrugging.
"Bloody hell, Lys," Lorcan giggles from his position in Louis' lap, "We take you to one bar and you're already being invited to dance with hot strangers."
He resists pointing out that the only reason his twin brother isn't being pulled around by strangers is because of Louis; instead, he takes a swig of the drink Hugo's handed him. It's bitter, but cold, a relief for his parched throat.
"I wouldn't have taken you away from him if I didn't have a better offer." Hugo says. "Ricky has a break in two minutes."
Lysander looks at Hugo, "You didn't."
"He seemed to think you were an excellent idea. I can tell when Ricky isn't interested in a man." Hugo smirks. Lysander slaps him lightly on the arm.
"Why I put up with you is beyond me." He says, and turns his attention onto his drink, tuning out the conversations around him.
Ricky was hot, there was no doubt about that. But to think he might even possibly be interested in Lysander? It felt quite unlikely.
"Am I interrupting something?"
Lysander looks up to see the man himself, and shakes his head, tongue completely tied.
"Fantastic. Would you like to dance?" He flashes that bright smile and Lysander melts.
"S-Absolutely."
Ricky exits the bar and holds out his hand. Lysander takes it. They merge with the crowd once more, becoming part of the growing horde of dancers.
"So, how's 18 feel?" Ricky asks.
"Oh, you know," Lysander wants to say 'I'm suddenly dancing with the most attractive person I've ever seen and it's much better than I thought it'd be' but he refrains from turning into a total blubbering mess, "It's better than 17."
"I remember turning 18 and thinking how great it'd be to be at a club."
"You didn't celebrate?"
"I didn't have friends who were willing to take me anywhere." Ricky shrugs. "And my parents weren't necessarily open to discussing the best gay bars in town."
"I'm sorry to hear that." Lysander tries to imagine what it'd be like to lack a support system.
"Oh, it's a tale as old as time." says the other man. "Besides, now you're here living my dream, and I can't deny I'm pleased about that."
"Oh?" He says, smiling a little, his arms wrapping around Ricky's neck a little tighter.
"Of course. I'll be thanking Hugo for bringing his hottest friend tonight."
Lysander thinks he too will be thanking Hugo for more than just the birthday celebration when the end of the night comes.