Chapter Text
Pun was drunk as a skunk, and as per usual the responsibility of taking care of him had fallen on Chain’s shoulders. It wasn’t like he actually minded too much, but he wasn’t sure when exactly he had signed up to be Pun’s primary caretaker well into his adult years. Somehow it was just like an unspoken rule that when Pun started swaying in his chair and slurring his words, it was Chain’s time to clock in and make sure he got back home in one piece.
It was almost a routine already for Chain to peel the karaoke mic from Pun’s hands and drag him away from the stage as his excited friend seemed to have a compulsive need to bellow his favorite songs to a misfortunate crowd every time they went out together. Chain sighed deep and shared a suffering look with Q, before he got up, yanked Pun away from the microphone and dragged him back to their table.
“Drink some water,” he ordered, shoving a glass into Pun’s hand, but regretted his decision at once as the drunken boy spilled all of it on himself and Chain.
“Oh, whoops,” Pun giggled as Chain yelped and tried to jump out of the way, unsuccessfully.
“Look at you, how did you get in that state?” Q said with a disbelieving shake of his head as he watched Pun who swayed where he stood.
“I’m having fun,” Pun smiled happily. He backed up and tried to sit back down on his chair but missed and tumbled down on the floor with a crash.
“Ohoo, Pun, what are you doing?” Chain moaned in frustration. Peem and Tan burst out laughing as they watched Pun struggling up from the floor, Peem nearly toppling down from his own chair as he laughed.
“What’s up with you two today?” Q muttered, glancing at Pun and Peem who both seemed to have overestimated their alcohol tolerance by a mile that night.
“Come on, Pun,” Chain complained, grabbing the smaller boy from under his armpits and hoisting him back on his feet. “Sit down and drink. Here’s a straw. Don’t choke.”
Chain had barely gotten the last sentence out when Pun was already choking. He coughed and spluttered, water spilling out through his nose too.
“Okay, I think it’s time we head back,” Q said, frowning at the scene of Chain slapping Pun’s back to get him to breathe again and the other two nearly pissing themselves laughing. He downed the rest of his drink in one gulp and got up.
“Come on, Peem. I’ll help you outside,” he said, taking Peem by the shoulder and pulling him with him towards the door. Chain grabbed Pun with him and supported him after them.
“What about me?” Tan protested, as he was the only one left without a shoulder to lean on.
“You have legs, I think you’ll manage,” Q quipped from the door. Tan followed with a frown on his face.
Pun continued his out of tune bellowing all the way outside while Chain lugged him with him.
“Why are you guys going back so early? I’m not done singing!” Pun complained.
“Look at yourself,” Chain said pointedly, but Pun was not about to take the hint. Instead he turned his puppy eyes up at Chain and made a cute face.
“Why? I look cute, don’t I?” he protested. Chain glanced down at his hazy eyes and flushed cheeks and grudgingly admitted to himself that despite being absolutely plastered, somehow Pun still managed to be cute. He was saved from answering, however, as Tan interrupted them.
“You look wasted,” he commented, making Pun frown drunkenly. He slumped against Chain with a pout on his face and seemed to give up his fight as the rest began ordering a taxi to get home.
The taxi drive back to Peem’s was an uncomfortable one. With four men stuffed into the backseat, two of them out of their minds drunk and one of them scream-serenading into Chain’s ear with the gracefulness of a howler monkey, Chain couldn’t wait to get out of the car.
“♪I don’t want anyone to come between us, we will stay side by side!! Wherever you are, I’ll be right next to you!!!!!♪”
“Shut up, Pun,” Chain pleaded for the tenth time, chorused by everyone else in the car but in vain. If Pun was allowed to start his medley earlier in the evening, there was nothing anyone could do to stop him until he eventually passed out.
Suddenly the serenade was cut short by a violent gag from Peem. Everyone’s attention was shifted from Pun’s antics to making sure they were out of the line of fire when a series of gags made Peen nearly double over. The car was again filled with shouting as Q, Chain and Tan tried simultaneously to get the driver and Peem’s vomit to stop in their tracks before it was too late. As the car slowed down Chain threw Pun unceremoniously out of the car and dived after him just in time to dodge the first of Peem’s regurgitations. The second one was not far behind, and it only barely missed Pun who had scrambled up from the floor, only to fall back down again a moment later. With a hefty amount of alcohol in his own system, Chain tried his best to manage both Peem and Pun, neither of whom seemed to be able to stand on their own feet, as well as Tan, who was busy filming all the tomfoolery instead of helping.
“Help us, will you?” Q ordered Tan, and working like two drunken shepherd dogs, Chain and Q began herding their gang back towards Peem’s.
Contract or no contract, Chain was unable to slip on the duty designated to him from the universe, meaning that somehow over the course of their journey the person he was lugging around the streets towards Peem’s changed from Peem to Pun without further explanation. It was simply meant to be this way and Chain had long since accepted the position with all its perks and the not-so-nice parts, such as the drunken singing that was once again happening.
“♪Are you doing alright?!!!!!♪” Pun “sang”, beautifully ending the note on a gag.
“Are you singing or asking yourself?” Tan asked exhaustedly from behind them.
“Shut up, Pun,” Chain tried for the hundredth time, even though he knew Pun would not.
“The neighbors will scold us,” he pleaded, covering Pun’s mouth with his hand, finally shutting him up for at least a moment. He had to remind Pun a few times more before they were finally inside the house, and keep himself stern under Pun’s puppy gaze as he begged to be allowed to sing more.
“Take your shoes off,” Chain instructed Pun as he dragged him over the doorstep into the house, feeling exhausted and ready for bed. Just as Chain was sure he would be able to crash soon, he found himself with an armful of Pun as the other boy jumped into his lap, screaming his head off as something white and ghostly jumped up in front of them. All five of them plus the “ghost” screamed themselves hoarse before realizing it was only Peem’s long suffering autie in a face mask. With a sigh of relief Pun slumped against Chain’s chest but then in a moment of surprising clarity seemed to realize where he was and scrambled down from Chain’s arms. With auntie Pui’s scolding ringing in their ears the boys climbed upstairs and finally fell on Peem’s bed.
“♪Hgnnghghgnnnhhgh♪” Pun started his slurred melody again.
“Tell him to shut up,” Tan begged but Chain was too tired to care anymore. With four young adult men crammed in one small double bed, plus one more trying to squeeze in, they were more than a little squished, but the familiarity of it all made Chain feel safe and secure. A few more quips and bickers were exchanged as Tan protested having to sleep on the floor on his own but soon everyone settled down to finally catch some z’s. Chain felt the pleasant warmth of his best friend’s body against his own as Pun wrapped his arms around him and nestled against his neck to get comfortable. This was nothing new, as part of Chain’s contract seemed to include acting as Pun’s body pillow, blanket and mattress, or whatever else Pun happened to need. Being literally attached at the hip was already so normal to Chain that he barely even flinched as he felt a nibble on his earlobe. Pun was affectionate and liked physical closeness even while sober, and after a few drinks Chain had learned to expect leech-like attachment from him. Therefore he made no protest, after all, Pun was his favorite person in the entire world, and if he wanted to suck on his earlobe like a binkie for the rest of the night, Chain would probably let him. After a few more nibbles, however, Pun seemed content and buried his face in the crook of Chain’s neck with a satisfied sigh. Chain could feel a soft kiss against his neck and heard a little giggle from Pun as he finally drifted off to sleep.