The party had begun to wind down, and most of the guests were starting to drift off, either hailing cabs or just staggering out of the door in a hope of reaching home. I leaned against the balcony railing, watching them go through the gentle curls of smoke from my nearly spent cigarette.
It had been a good evening, though hosting was always a much greater effort than just attending a party, and as I went back inside I winced at the thought of the hour or so I'd have to spend tomorrow bagging up the hundreds of bottles left along the countertops. Still, I added my own to the collection and hoisted another from the cooler whilst meandering my way over to join my housemates on the couch.
I sat on the end next to Maya, while her boyfriend hunched over the coffee table rolling a joint. Maya and I had been best friends since school, and had been inseparable through college and now university.
"Hal, can you do one for me?" She asked, and he nodded, humming along to the music videos still playing on the TV.
I lay back against the cushions and Maya put her head on my shoulder, still sipping her beer through a straw.
"Have a good night?" I asked.
"Yeeeaahhh, it was great! Hosting is the best 'cause I can just crawl across the flat and sleep when I'm done."
"Until you leave me to tidy up while you snore off your hangover." I laughed, and got a jab in the ribs for my remark.
"It's not my fault you've got a liver the size of my whole-ass body!" It was true, Maya was nearly a head and a half shorter than me, and as thick around the waist as I was around my thigh. Hal stood and offered the joint, but she said she would join him in a minute.
As Hal closed the balcony door, she sat up and twirled her straw between her fingers, not quite looking at me.
"You've been single a while, yeah? I mean, you've not brought anyone back in a while at least."
"Yeah, and no, I've been buried under my project. Why?"
"I want... I want to ask you if you..." She hesitated. "I want you to fuck my boyfriend."
She looked up at me then, her soft brown eyes nervous with a sincerity that stopped me from laughing at her request.
"You're serious, aren't you? Where is this coming from?"
"It's just, we've been trying things in the bedroom, toys and positions, and a bit of role reversal, but, I just, there's things I just can't do!"
"Like what? You can't take him in the ass or something? He's a very handsome man but he's definitely not built to top me."
"I know, I know," she looked away again, chewing on her straw. "He looks so good on his back when I'm on top and in control but it just doesn't feel right, like, I want to see him really taken by someone. And it's not like he doesn't enjoy his ass played with, that's for sure."
"I honestly don't quite know what to say, have you really thought about this? If this doesn't end well, I can't unfuck your boyfriend. I'd hate to ruin your relationship."
Maya stood, lifting the spare joint left on the table.
"I know I want this. I'm going to have a smoke, and if you want it too, then come join us. If not, then I promise I won't bring it up again." And with that, she went out to join Hal.
I sat and thought for a moment, absorbing her proposition. She was right, it had been ages since I'd been laid, and Hal was definitely the type I liked. Tall, slim, dusty blond hair that he kept tied in a little bun, usually with a marker or a paintbrush stuck in it.
"Fuck it," I thought, "What's the worst that could happen?" I drained my bottle, and left it on the table as I went outside.
Maya and Hal were stood together looking out over the railings at the city, her hand gently rubbing his back under his shirt. I saw her stiffen slightly as I closed the door behind me, and move aside a little as I approached, placing my hands either side of Hal, his butt against my crotch. To his credit, he didn't flinch or even seem surprised, just sighed gently and leaned his head back so I could kiss his neck over his shoulder.
The softest of moans rumbled through his chest as I pressed us up against the railings, nibbling at jawline and ear and neck, my hands now over his. I could feel his breathing increase with mine, and he pushed back against me to turn around.
"Alai" he whispered my name, and put his hands on my face to pull me into a kiss. It was quick, but I could tell that he was already committed to this. Remembering that this was Maya's desire too, I looked over to see her, mouth open, cheeks flushed. I gently took the joint from between her fingers and pulled, holding the smoke in my mouth then turning back to Hal and kissing him hard, letting him take some for himself.
We only broke apart when we heard the door open and shut behind us, and immediately wondered if Maya regretted her decision.
"Too much?" I asked.
"I don't know. She's been hinting at this sort of thing for weeks and... And I thought she'd be okay with it?"
"Do you want to...?"
"Yeah, yeah I probably should." Hal disentangled himself from me, and followed. I leant back on the rail and took another pull, hoping I hadn't just caused a major fuckup. I looked back out over the city and waited, wondering if it would be best to slink out of the apartment and let them have it out.
"Alai?" Hal called.
