Pretend It Never Happened

Rating: PG13 for implied stuff and cursing. Maybe...

†

Lucifer poked his head into Jean and Ed's room. "Hullo, Starshine!" he caroled in an obnoxious voice. "Wanna come to a party?"

Ed glanced up from what he was reading – light reading, mind you, anything else and he wouldn't have even noticed Luce. ''What kind of party?''

Luce sighed mock-dramatically. "It's Halloween, oh clever-one. Where's Jean?"

''Dunno, he wouldn't tell me where he was going, but he should be back soon.'' The blonde put a slip of paper in the book and set it aside.

"H'm. Are you guys out of coffee again?" It was notorious in the dorm that when Jean Havoc couldn't get his coffee fix, things started to go pear-shaped real quick. Luce shook out of his momentarily pensive attitude. "Well, you coming to the party or not?"

''If Jean's going, then I will. If he doesn't want to... I'll just drag him along anyway.'' Ed grinned a bit.

Luce's grin could only be described as 'unholy'. "Right, then. Party starts at eight in my room. See ya there?"

Ed wasn't quite sure he liked that look. ''Yeah.''

Luce bumped into Jean on the way out. The blonde looked oddly at the flouncing joker. Luce promptly stuck his tongue out and bounced away. "What was that all about?" Jean asked, coming in with a bag in hand.

''Party at eight in his room, you're not going to make me go alone, are you?'' Ed smiled.

"No, I think I meant the expression on his face. Scariest damn thing I've seen since a two-hundred pound man decided that I would make a nice pancake."

''That I don't know...''

"Ah. Now, what's this about a party?" Jean set down his bag and leaned against his desk.

''Halloween party, that's all I know. Well, that and I agreed to go.'' Ed had begun to wonder if that had been such a good idea after all.

"Could be fun." Jean slapped Ed's hand away from the bag. "Later. What possessed you to agree to go? Not that I'm particularly unwilling, but you're supposed to be the stable personality around here."

The smaller blonde shrugged. ''I thought it might be fun, something different for a change.''

"You do know that Lucifer has a very warped sense of humor?"

''I hadn't noticed...'' Ed rolled his eyes. ''I neglected to think about that until after I agreed to go. Then he have me that look and I'm wondering if it was such a good idea...''

"Just making sure. You said it's at eight? It's seven-thirty now."

''So what do you want to do for the next half hour?'' Ed glanced at the bag again. ''And what's in there that I can't see?''

"Dunno. And I'm not going to tell you. It'll ruin the entire point of me keeping you away from it. Let's just say it's heavy and Luce gave it to me by way of Aiden. Both are going to die very painful deaths."

Ed just pouted. ''But now I'm curious! When do I get to know what it is? You said later...''

"After I bean Luce upside the head with it. Maybe not even then." Jean wrapped it tighter in the bag and slipped it on the top shelf of his closet, which he knew Ed couldn't reach. "Until then, it doesn't exist."

''But it does exist and I want to know what it is...'' Ed frowned, then glared just slightly.

"You may want to know what it is, but it's a rather unpleasant thing for me," Jean said. "If you're good, I'll show it to you after break."

Ed gave up and considered returning to his book, but they didn't have that much time left.

Jean glanced at his watch. "Well, come on. Might as well start wandering."

The smaller blonde stretched and got up off the bed. ''All right then!''

"Someone's perky," Jean grumbled.

Ed blinked and looked over at Jean. ''Come on, we're going to a party and the point of that is to have fun. So cheer up okay?''

"I'll cheer up once Luce and Aiden are unconcious."

''Don't get too carried away now...'' Ed grinned a bit.

Jean grinned ferally. "Causing intense pain to others makes me happy."

''Come on, lets go.'' Ed made to drag Jean out of the room by the hand.

"I was kidding."

''You think I didn't know that? Come on, I know you well enough to say that's not at all like you, and if you meant it, then I reserve the right to be scared.''

"Well... causing intense pain to those two will make me happy. They deserve it." He allowed himself to be dragged, lapsing into dark mutterings about how he wasn't a dog of any flavor.

Ed shot him a glance at that and sighed, slowing down to a less energetic pace.

Jean snapped out of his funk. "Why are we slowing down?"

''Because you were mumbling again. I figured I should let you go your own pace.'' Really it was because Ed knew damn well what Jean was mumbling to himself about, but he'd leave that alone for now.

"Moot point, anyway. We're here."

Ed absently wondered who else was going to be there.

Jean knocked on the door. "Yo. We're here."

Luce poked his head out. "Oh! Come on in, chickadees. This mess is a place!"

Ed blinked and let that sentence sink in for a second. ''You're really strange sometimes...''

Luce grinned. "I try, bully." He opened the door all the way. "Come on, the party's waiting."

Ed gave Jean's hand a brief squeeze and wandered in, golden eyes looking about curiously. He'd never really been to a party, except maybe birthday parties when he was little, but he wasn't stupid enough to count those.

Iden leaned around his twin, waving cheerfully to Ed. On the other hand, Jean made a beeline to Aiden to yell at him about the little 'present.'

Ed shook his head at Jean and almost laughed. He returned Iden's wave with a grin, finishing his sweep of the room. His grin faded into something a lot less friendly at the sight of a particular redhead, and he steered towards Jean with the intention of striking up conversation with one of the two brothers.

Iden was trying to mollify the ticked-off blonde. "Jean, I'm sure it was a totally harmless joke."

"Like hell it was," Jean growled. "It was black, it was leather, and there was a chain leash! What the hell kind of joke was that!"

''What's this about a leash now?'' Ed blinked.

Ashton glanced up, watching the others absently. He really wondered why he was here. Parties weren't his favorite thing, after all. Maybe Jean and Ed being here would make this more interesting, though.

Jean snarled. "None of your damn --"

Lucifer popped over. "Oh! Are we talking about Jean's newest bit of jewelry? Such a lovely collar that..." He was promply bapped over the head by a very grumpy Jean.

''A collar!'' Ed nearly squeaked.

Across the room Ashton just grinned and tried not to laugh.

"Yes, a collar," Jean snapped. "These two jokers thought it would be funny to give me one, and I am not happy about it." Truth be told, it sounded like Jean was more than happy to rip both of their throats out with his teeth.

''Jean...'' Ed was slightly worried about the taller man's tone of voice.

Iden put his hand on Ed's shoulder. "He'll be fine," he murmured. "He'll get over it sooner or later."

Ed sighed. ''Got anything to drink? I'm kinda thirsty..''

Luce did his unholy grin again. "Sure. Coffee or juice?"

Aiden rolled his eyes and pinched his twin when Iden made to object.

''Juice is fine...'' Ed eyed that look on Luce's face warily.

Lucifer hummed cheerfully, pouring Ed a cheap styrofoam cup of apple juice. "Here ya go, boya."

''Thanks...'' Ed took a drink. ''So... Who invited the jackass?'' It was obvious Ed was referring to Ashton, who was occupying himself with a bag of chips.

Luce grinned again. "Me! We should all be close friends, considering that we all hang out together. Besides," he said piteously, "he was lonely." His gold eyes flicked over to Jean, who was sipping at a mug of coffee. His grin turned slightly evil.

Ed narrowed his eyes slightly, sipping his drink. ''What's that supposed to mean...''

Ashton glanced up again. He wanted to join in, but he knew damn well how that would go over with Ed and Jean.

"Exactly what it sounds like," Luce said, suddenly entirely lucid. "He was alone in the dorm room you two share, and I thought he might like some company. It is a rather special holiday today."

''There's a reason he's alone in there you know...'' Ed mumbled. He stared idly at the bottom of his empty cup with a frown.

"I'm sure there is," Luce soothed. "And it probably has to do with Jean and lots of free sex. Have some more juice."

Ed shot a particularly foul look at Luce. ''More like it just has to do with him''

Luce blithely ignored him. "Now, the sex is probably fabulous," he said happily. "I've heard that he's a very good kisser..." He shot Ed a sly look. "Ever applied those talents to anything else?"

Ed flushed crimson. ''That's none of your business!'' He downed the next cup quickly to keep from spouting anything stupid.

Ashton grinned to himself at the look on Ed's face, sipping on a drink he brought himself, and for good reason.

"No need to get huffy," Luce said pleasantly, excusing himself. He noticed Aiden was drinking, cup for cup, the same amout Ed was. He ambled over to Ashton. "Enjoying the floor show?"

''I should say that Ed really can't hold his liquor... But I distinctly remember it being rather interesting the last time I got him drunk...'' Ashton tilted his head slightly. ''What are you up to, I wonder...''

"That, my friend, is a secret known only to the ghosts." Luce's face broke into a more normal smile. "Honestly, I'm just trying to get a rise out of him. Besides, he's so very fun to pester."

''That I can agree with...'' The redhead lifted an eyebrow. ''You hit the coffee too, didn't you?''

Luce chucked. "How can you tell?"

''Just a sense I've got...'' Ashton sipped his drink, watching Ed go back for a fourth cup, already showing the signs. ''So who's going to carry Ed out of here once he passes out?''

"I was just thinking about letting everyone pass out gracefully and dealing with the hangovers tomorrow." Lucifer nodded towards Jean. "Ah. He can't hold his alcohol, either. At least he's quiet."

''That works... You really want to let Ed go until he passes out? This could get...'' Ashton got a Look in his visible eye.

Lucifer laughed a scary laugh. "No. Just stay here and watch the fireworks, all right?" Without waiting for Ashton's murmur of acknowledgment, Lucifer moved slowly forward, making sure Ed saw him.

Ashton watched as told, amused at the slightly blurry confusion on Ed's face.

Lucifer smiled benignly at Ed, then reached over to gently stroke a sleepy Jean's hair. "I can see what makes you all so attracted to him," he remarked conversationally, leaning over. "He's quite sexy like this..." He leaned over to kiss Jean. And not chastely, either.

Ed's eyes probably couldn't get any wider. Ashton was surprised the possessive little blonde didn't deck Luce good for that. He wasn't surprised at all, however, when Ed took over where Lucifer left off, with a few more perks. Oh, this is worth it...

Jean's eyes fluttered open. "M'mm?" Blue blinked, then the young man began to panic.

Ed shot a glare at Luce, taking a seat in Jean's lap, arms around the taller blonde's neck. ''Mine...'' he mumbled, nipping just under Jean's ear without a care as to who was watching.

Luce retreated, rubbing a bruised wrist. "I would say, piss him off even more by trying to go kiss Jean," he said wryly to Ashton. "But I think I like you too much."

Jean froze, preservation instincts kicking in. Ed was possessively marking him -- he already had enough bruises, thanks much -- and Ashton was watching them with something akin to... oh, hell, he couldn't even think in a straight line anymore.

''It's been a while since I've seen him like that...'' Ashton muttered to himself, giving up on resistance. ''Hold this for a minute, will you...'' he handed his drink to Lucifer and walked over to the others. It didn't really take much to get Ed standing again, and Ashton took no time in pulling him into a kiss. Lips parted for him and god it was sweet, the smallest moan filtering up from Ed's throat sending shivers down his spine and he couldn't help it. He knew it was just the alcohol that made Ed act this way, but he couldn't help it!

Lucifer folded his arms, leaning back against the wall, a small smirk gracing his lips. "Well done," he murmured. "Though, he's going to be angry when he's sober."

Ashton finally broke away with a sligtly sad look towards Jean. He's yours now... Take good care of him... With that he retreated back to his corner, taking his drink back but not drinking it. ''I should leave...'' he murmured softly to nobody.

"Stay," Luce said gently. "There's no good reason for you to leave."

''I'll do it again if I stay... And I won't be able to stop myself from doing more...'' Ashton swallowed hard. ''For their sakes and mine I need to leave...'' He watched as Ed steadied himself against Jean, golden eyes looking his way, confusion and slight hurt written all over the blonde's face. ''And as much as I'd love to... I've already hurt him enough...''

Luce sighed. "Go on, then. I guess the party's over." He grinned wryly at Ashton. "You're quite the faithful type, aren't you?"

''What makes you say that..'' the redhead replied absently, looking anywhere but at Ed.

"You haven't even touched Jean, even though you were obsessed with him at one point. I find that slightly strange, what with him lying there, entirely too vulnerable..."

''Just say what you're getting at already...'' Ashton knew though. And he knew that if he looked up now he'd have to go back for more.

Luce chuckled. "I doubt anyone will care once the hangover hits," he pointed out.

''You still haven't made your point, Luce...''

The pale-blonde man spread his hands innocently. "Repression is a terrible thing. Ed and Jean have already figured that out. You...? Not so much."

''He's not mine to have anymore...'' He absently wondered if Jean had even been paying attention. ''They've found each other again and all I'll ever be now is just that prick who can't keep his hands and eyes off of them...''

"Maybe. Then again, maybe not."

''Sure...'' Ashton looked up briefly, noticing Ed now trying to get Jean to pay attention to him. What he wouldn't give to have that again... ''Thank you, though...''

"For what? Being a brat?"

''For this chance, this moment...'' I only wish I could take him back to my – our – room... He wouldn't protest in this state but morning would be a different story... He sighed and shook his head at the thought.

"Go to bed. You're exhausted." Luce glanced over at Ed. "Whoops. Don't look over there. Ow. My brain." Yes, he was back to being a flake again.

''Thanks...'' Ashton patted Luce on the shoulder. ''And have fun with cleanup in the morning.'' With that, he slipped off quietly out the door.

"Cleanup. Ha. More like brainwashing..."

†

A/N: My sincerest apologies for the massive skip ahead in time. There was a logistics issue and we didn't have time to go back and fix it. :bows: Again, profuse apologies for any confusion.