What Friends are For

Author's Note: For M. Hope maybe you like it.

Also all characters over eighteen etc. etc.

****

Grace leaned heavily on the balcony's railing, working on the remainder of her beer. It wasn't a super cold night. Just on the cool side of comfortable, perhaps, but right now that wasn't a bad thing.

"What are you hiding out here for?"

Grace took another swig and only flicked her head enough for a token acknowledgement of her best friend as Scarlett closed the sliding door behind her.

"Not hiding."

"Sure seems like you are."

"Things are dying down anyway. People are leaving."

"That should be less of a reason to hide. I mean, I know it was only kind of an ok party, but it wasn't bad by any means."

"No. It was ok."

"Uh huh." Scarlett slipped closer. "And don't think I didn't notice you getting all cozy with Isaac. With things dying down, might be a good time to sneak off with him or something."

Grace grunted and took another long drink.

"Where'd he get to anyway?" Scarlett asked.

"I don't want to get into it."

"Into what?"

"Any of it."

"Why not?"

"Ugh. Fine. Isaac's down there."

"Where?"

"You see that blue car?"

"Um..."

"Next to the street light there."

"Oh, sure, yeah."

"And you see just behind it where he thinks it's dark and he can't be seen?"

"I... oh what the fuck!"

"Yeah."

"Who's he making out with?"

"Allison."

"Are you shitting me?"

"I am not."

"He was hitting on you all night!"

"The fuck are you telling me for? I'm aware."

"And so he just fucks off with someone else?"

"Apparently."

Scarlett wrapped Grace in a big hug, holding her tight and not letting go. "Well no fucking wonder you're out here being sad then."

"M'not sad."

"Really?"

"Ok, maybe a little. I don't know. Fuck. It's just like, yeah, that figures."

"Hey! No it doesn't."

"It does. I can't ever seem to get this stuff right. I don't know why. Even when I really think someone's into me... yeah, not so much."

"You've had too much to drink."

"Or not enough."

"Do I need to cut you off?"

"No."

"Grace, you're wonderful. You're amazing. You deserve someone just as amazing. Isaac's a dick as it turns out. You don't need that."

"So, what, like ever guy I like is a dick? Is that what you're telling me?"

"Maybe. No. I don't know. Don't let it get you down is all. He's not worth it."

Grace smiled humourlessly and managed to squirm around in Scarlett's arms to return her hug. They just held each other for a while, then finally released entirely.

"I know he's not worth it," Grace said softly. "But combined with all the other guys lately..."

"It hasn't been that many."

"Scar, I've been into three guys in the last few months."

"I know."

"It wasn't really anything. Nothing serious. Basically nothing even happened. But they've all just... I don't know. Fucked with me, I guess. Isaac's just the latest. And don't even get me started on last year. There's something wrong with me."

"There isn't. It's bad luck, is all."

"It's a clear pattern. Luck's got nothing to do with it."

Scarlett set her jaw firmly. "Ok, we're gonna unpack this more later. Maybe when you're not drunk."

"I'm not drunk!"

"Right now, we're gonna fuck with Isaac right back. 'Cause he's a dick."

"Agreed."

Scarlett rapped on the glass of the sliding door, then made a broad gesture. A moment later, her boyfriend Max stepped out with them.

"What's up?"

"You wanna know what's up?"

Scarlett took Max to the railing and pointed out the offending couple. Grace was pleased to see that Max was suitably outraged, taking some cold comfort in the support she was thus far receiving. It still stung, though.

Max marched off while Scarlett stayed with Grace. Scarlett wrapped an arm around Grace and just kind of held her, providing silent emotional support.

Max came back a few minutes later with Kye in tow, one of their mutual friends. Grace wasn't thrilled about Kye being let in on her humiliation just at the moment, if only because she had an occasional thing for him and this just seemed like something he didn't need to know.

However, the boys each carried a small armful of water balloons with them, and it didn't take long for Grace to figure out why. Maybe the tradeoff was worth it.

Kye seemed to have been given a cursory explanation of the problem at hand, since Max only had to point out Isaac and Allison below, then Kye was ready to go.

"This is so childish," Grace mumbled.

"Sure is," Scarlett agreed. "Wanna throw one?"

"Nah. The boys got better arms, I'm sure. If you're gonna do it, you better nail him though."

"That a girl." Scarlett grinned wickedly. "You heard her, guys."

The boys grinned and selected their first projectiles, releasing near-simultaneously. Faint popping and splashing sounds came from below, even as Grace forgot her sulking and rushed to get a better vantage point. Sounds of confusion made their way back up to her.

The first balloons has only come close. Maybe not even touching their targets. The second volley was much better.

Isaac made a sound of surprise and indignation as a balloon burst on the car next to him and caught him with a large chunk of its payload. Allison caught a balloon full on and shrieked hysterically. The next two balloons were dead on, soaking Isaac directly.

It was only then that Isaac started running, the last few shots missing entirely, but that was fine. Justice had been served.

Grace found herself cheering and taunting Isaac from the balcony, to the background of the boys whooping at their success. Scarlett had squeezed up to the rail next to her. The space was kind of tight with all four of them out there.

"Feel better?"

"Some, yeah."

"We got your back."

"I appreciate it." Grace sighed. "Still gonna be a lonely night now. I shouldn't have got my hopes all up like that. That's what makes it worse."

"You wanted a sleepover or what?"

"I don't know. At least some makeouts. Allison stole all my makeouts for tonight. Ugh." Grace shook her head. "It takes some emotional investment for me to want to make out with a boy all night, y'know? Can't just drop that like it's nothin'."

"Sure." Scarlett rubbed Grace's back. "I hear ya. We're gonna find you someone, ok? Someone great. Way better than that dick."

"Promise?"

"Mmhm."

Grace nodded and drained the last of her beer. She trusted Scarlett. She still didn't feel great, but it definitely helped having her bestie totally behind her. And the boys too, for that matter. Max and Kye. They were good people.

****

The party had pretty much wound down. Grace started on another beer, only nursing it, trying to maintain a perfect level of melancholy tipsiness. She considered getting too out of it to care, but she recognized that it probably wasn't actually a good idea.

Other that Grace, Scarlett, Max, and Kye, there were maybe four or five others still hanging out. All friends, except for a girl making out with Carter over in the corner who Grace didn't really know that well.

Max came over to stand with Grace. He got a little closer than Grace would ordinarily have found comfortable, but under the circumstances she just leaned her head on his shoulder and stayed cozy with him.

"Where'd Scar go?" Grace asked. "Thought you and her were gonna sneak off to her room or something."

"Nah. Not yet."

"Oh. Just looked like your conversation was headed that way."

"You heard any of it?"

"Nope."

"Good."

"You got tense all of a sudden."

"Did I?"

"Yeah."

"Sorry."

"Why, though?"

"No reason."

"You're being weird."

"Yeah." Max took a long drink. "That's kinda gonna happen."

"Is it?"

Max said nothing. Grace let it drop.

They stood in near silence for a few minutes. A couple more friends made their exits in the meantime.

Max dropped his hand closest to Grace and put it on her lower back. It was a weird move, but not strictly inappropriate. It got less appropriate when he started rubbing her, though. It was something Grace wouldn't have thought twice about Scarlett doing. But Scarlett's boyfriend wasn't the same.

"Um..." Grace said hesitantly. Then her eyes widened as Max slid lower, rubbing her butt. "Oh, hey, whoa, what the fuck?!"

She jerked away, eyes scanning for signs of Scarlett.

"Jeez, jumpy much?" Scarlett came around the corner and slid herself into a seat facing Grace.

"I told you this was gonna be weird," Max said.

"The fuck's going on?" Grace demanded.

"Probably a bad idea," Scarlett admitted. "I'm... not sober enough to make good plans right now."

"This was your idea? Your boyfriend just grabbed my butt!"

"Rubbed it. Not grabbed," Max insisted

"Oh shush. Not cool either way."

Scarlett shrugged. "You like Max, don't you?"

"I mean... he's your boyfriend. I literally just said that."

"Grace, honey, you know I love you."

"Sure."

"And you need someone. You like Max. I know you'd never do anything, 'cause you're a great friend and all, but... what if we're offering?"

"Oh wow." Moderation be damned. Grace took a big swallow of her beer. Then another.

"This just feels weird," Max mumbled. "I don't know if I like it."

"It's for Grace. You know that."

"You didn't even ask me!" Grace said. "I mean... come on."

"Sorry. Grace, do you want to mess around with Max a little?"

"I... goddamn, what even? I can't with this."

Kye walked over. "I'm a little hurt I wasn't even considered for the position, you know."

"Hey! Private conversation!" Grace said.

"Not at the volume you're having it, it's not."

"Oh. Well... whatever." Grace looked around. "Where'd everyone go?"

"Wisely took off while you guys were... well I don't even know what you guys are doing. It weirded people out, though. So if it was to get stragglers gone, good work."

"Didn't get you gone," Scarlett pointed out easily.

"I feel like I still got a shot here. That's all."

"Oh really?" Grace said, giving him a Look.

"Why not? I'm not anyone's boyfriend. That's a point in my favour."

"True. But maybe I don't want anyone feeling me up just 'cause I'm all sad and depressed over a boy. Anyone ever consider that?"

Scarlett shrugged. Max shuffled awkwardly. Kye stared at Grace, meeting her defiant gaze.

Kye approached slowly and plucked the beer from Grace's hand. He handed her drink and his own to Scarlett, then turned back to Grace. Slowly, as though approaching something dangerous, he moved his hand toward Grace and let it come to rest on her tummy, just below her breasts.

"You look good in that dress," Kye said quietly.

"Shut up."

"You do."

"He's right," Max agreed.

"Shush the both of you," Grace said. She made eye contact with Scarlett, who had a small pile of drinks next to her now, and was only watching bemusedly. "I think your boyfriend's still hitting on me."

"I think he is too," Scarlett said. "Funny about that."

Kye's hand got bolder, moving from her tummy up to her tits, then back down again as though only briefly feeling her boobies wouldn't arouse any anger from her. He was right, but only on a technicality.

Was she too drunk? Maybe. Probably not. She was buzzed for sure. Probably enough to allow some stuff she wouldn't normally. But not to the point of being helpless by any means. Or at least that was Grace's own self-assessment, which was surely biased.

But Scarlett was there. Grace could trust her not to let anything too bad happen, right? It would be fine. Whatever the hell this was.

Kye got closer, again moving his hand to Grace's breasts. She breathed shallow and ragged, uncertain of how she should react. If she wanted him to take his hands off her entirely, that would be easy. If she definitely wanted to, like, make out with him or something, that would also be easy. She was somewhere in the middle where it wasn't easy at all.

She wanted him sometimes. There had definitely been fleeting little crushes. Kye was pretty cute. He had that winsome smile that she adored. And as evidenced by him joining the balloon barrage, he was ready to be a good friend when needed.

Did she want him feeling her up in front of other people? That was something else entirely. They hadn't even kissed. Surely she shouldn't be letting him grope her boobs when they hadn't made out even a little.

Well that was easily solved, then. Grace leaned in, ready to kiss him, and found that he met her halfway, clearly ready for it.

The first pass wasn't a great kiss. It was uncoordinated and all too quick. Grace giggled self-consciously and thought about pulling way, but Kye was already kissing her again, doing a much better job of it this time. His lips felt so good and reassuring. And his hand had slid back down to her tummy, then her hip. Somewhere she didn't have to think about quite as hard.

"Oh sure," Max grumbled. "I'm not allowed to touch you. But Kye's just got free rein here, huh?"

Grace was torn between chastising Max, and continuing to kiss Kye. Kye kind of made the decision for her by making out with enthusiastic dedication and not giving her much of a chance to speak.

A tentative hand landed on Grace's butt again. Max going for a second attempt. She should probably still swat him away.

But should she actually though? Scarlett was just sitting there watching. Apparently having signed off on her boyfriend being sneaky over here. And Kye's kisses were doing wonders for Grace's mood already. Either just the male attention she needed, or perhaps something deeper.

And two boys feeling her up at the same time. That was something. Something good? Quite possibly, yes.

Kye finally pulled away. It was, unquestionably, the longest Grace had ever made out with someone she wasn't even with. And right now, she didn't really want to worry about what that meant.

"You're just lucky you kiss good."

Kye grinned broadly. "You think so, do you?"

"Who's to say? I'm drunk."

"Don't seem that drunk."

"Well I am."

"Oh. Maybe I should stop then."

Scarlett snickered from her watching spot. "You're not drunk, Grace. I know you when you're out of it. This isn't it. You wanna say no, just say no."

Grace hesitated. Kye still had his hands on her, one chastely at her hip, the other cupping her breast. Max was getting ever bolder with her ass, grabbing it with both hands and slowly lifting her dress higher. She wouldn't be surprised to feel him pressing up against her pretty soon, despite his earlier protests that it was weird.

He was right that it was weird. Grace couldn't deny that. But that didn't mean it was bad.

"Who says it's a no?" Grace asked softly.

She wasn't even sure Scarlett could hear her. Kye definitely could. His grin had never gone away entirely, but it flashed back to full force. He was kissing her again with barely a pause for her words to sink in.

Grace was increasingly trapped between the boys. They crowded in on either side, pressing nearer and leaving her no room at all to herself. The closer they got, the more she enjoyed the feel of it.

Max was hard. So obviously erect. He must have known she could feel it on her ass. Maybe he didn't care. Or maybe he wanted her to feel it. Grace had no idea what anyone else was thinking. She barely knew what she was thinking.

In fact, she didn't want to think. This wasn't a time for thought and introspection. Something great was happening, and it might be terrible afterward, but for right now it was worth going along for the ride.

Somehow, Grace's dress just kept climbing up. It wasn't all Max's doing. Some was Kye. Grace was pretty sure they were both working on her. Kye kissing and groping her, Max grinding on her and nuzzling her shoulder from behind. She'd half think they'd done this together before.

"Damn, I'm a little jealous already," Scarlett murmured.

"And whose fault is that?" Grace shot back.

"Well I didn't know you'd have two of them."

"You wanna be me right now?"

"Kinda, yeah."

Grace watched Scarlett over Kye's shoulder. The boys were kissing either side of her neck, and down her bare shoulders. Her dress had to be up past her panties by now. It sure felt like it was. And their hands just wouldn't stop roaming. Like they had the run of her.

The girls stared at each other in a silent game of guessing what the other was thinking. Scarlett eventually gave away where her mind was when she hiked her own dress up, spread her legs some, and snuck a hand down over her panties. She stayed over top of them for the moment, but she was definitely playing a little. Playing while she watched her best friend get sandwiched.

Kye's hand slid down over Grace's pussy, cupping it over her underwear. She moaned and closed her eyes, breaking the spell between her and Scarlett. She was back in the boys' world. Stuck between them and their increasingly daring moves.

Grace's arms locked around Kye's neck. She clung to him hard as he rubbed her. Max was being just as bad. He fumbled around for a moment, then Grace felt his cock on her butt even more clearly than before. He'd probably dropped his pants entirely, she guess. It felt that way. She couldn't quite tell if he still had underwear on, or if it was bare cock on her panties.

"That's it, boys," Scarlett encouraged breathily. "Doing good so far."

When Grace peeked at Scarlett again, her fingers were fully buried in her panties. Grace honestly had no idea which of them was getting off on this more.

"Is this weird?" Max whispered.

"Nah," Kye said. "Don't think too hard about it. You'll make it weird."

"Oh. Ok."

Max grinded harder on Grace's butt. Her dress was up well over her waist now. Kye's fingers were doing wonderful things to her pussy. Nothing quite good enough yet, but very nice all the same.

"Ok. Fuck it," Grace said more to herself than anyone else.

She went for Kye's belt and jeans. She had precious little room to work, and couldn't see a damn thing, but she needed his cock out. If this was happening, and it sure seemed like it was, then his pants needed to be off. No exceptions.

"God you've got a great ass," Max said.

Grace flushed a faint pink. "Shut up."

"Or what?"

Grace groaned and shook her head, still pawing at Kye. Max was grinding so hard on her. Her panties were slipping between her butt cheeks, covering less and less of her. Max's cock was following them, working her butt crack hard.

She succeeded in freeing Kye's erection as well, holding it in her warm little hand with a disproportionate feeling of victory. He was so hard. Just as hard as Max, and she felt him twitch in her grasp. More so as she tightened her grip on him.

"Woo, yeah, get those pants off," Scarlett cheered. "Grace isn't the only one with a nice butt. Lookin' at you, Kye."

Grace felt Kye's reaction to the compliment in her hand as she stroked him.

"Hey, what about my butt?" Max said.

"Yeah, babe, you already know I love yours. I've never seen Kye's."

"Well don't get too attached."

Scarlett only grinned and slipped her underwear off entirely, masturbating as openly as could be from her perch. "I should say the same to you."

Grace lost her grip on Kye as he started grinding on her too. Precum smeared her skin as he thrust against her, making an odd, uncoordinated rhythm with Max rubbing on her from behind.

Two boys, two hard cocks, trapped between them being groped, kissed, and humped. Grace was horny like she'd never thought possible. Turned on beyond all reason.

Since the boys just weren't getting there fast enough, she slipped her own panties down, having to fight somewhat with Max's attempts at sticking them firmly up her butt crack. Somehow, she seemed to be the last to be fully bottomless, which was kind of impressive given her situation.

"Oh wow. You're, like, crazy wet already," Kye said.