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San was tired. He enjoyed spending time with his friends, but sometimes going out was a bit too much for him. Drinking made public outings with them a bit easier, only because he was so bad at it, feeling the effects immediately, getting all sleepy and quiet. Really, he couldn't imagine how other people got all hyped or even aggressive when they drank, when all San wanted to do was curl up on his boyfriend's lap and purr as he got his hair played with.
"Woongie," he whined cutely, trying to get his boyfriend's attention. But Wooyoung wasn't sitting next to him, couldn't hear him. In his stead, Seonghwa turned towards San. He always kept an eye on him, especially when Wooyoung was busy being an extrovert with his friends. San loved his friends.
"Hey baby. You alright, mh?" Seonghwa asked, gently patting San's hair.
San nodded, leaning into his hyung's touch until his head was resting on Seonghwa's shoulder. He felt fine. A bit fuzzy, nearing overstimulation, but he was fine. He had his hyung right there, scratching his head, and when he did keep his eyes open he could see his Wooyoungie having fun with their friends.
They seemed to be playing some sort of drinking game, and San wasn't sure when they had started or why him and Seonghwa weren't part of it, but he only had half the mind to feel upset about it; for the most part he was just glad that he didn't have to pay attention to any rules and didn't have to drink more than he already had.
But, as much as he loved his Seonghwa hyung, San still wanted Wooyoung and his hugs and kisses and attention.
"Wan' play with Woongie," he mumbled against Seonghwa's shoulder, sitting up properly again. His hyung cooed at him and ran his finger through San's hair before leaning over to talk to Yeosang, who didn't seem to be actively playing, either, but he was watching quite attentively.
"Are you sure you want to play, Sannie? You look really tired, baby," Seonghwa said as he turned back to San, and Yeosang left the table.
San hummed. He was tired, yes, but he also wanted to play with Wooyoungie.
"Yes, you want to play, or no, 'cause you're tired?"
"Both." Traitorously, San felt his eyes tearing up. He really was tired and Seonghwa was talking so softly to him and he just wanted to go take a nap with Wooyoung.
"Hey Sannie," Yeosang said just as softly when he spawned behind him and Seonghwa. "Here, you should drink this." He put a glass of water on the table in front of him and ruffled San's hair before sitting down next to Seonghwa again.
"Thank you." San took the cold glass with both hands and took a sip, pouting at the lack of a straw. Straws were nice, they made drinking so much easier and so much more fun, and he didn't have to deal with the icy cold glass when he had a straw. But Yeosang had been so nice already, San didn't want to bother him any more.
He could still feel the tears clinging to his eyelashes, the sounds around him all seemed to mush together and he had to close his eyes against the lights. He could still hear Wooyoung's voice filtering through everything else, his beautiful laugh that San loved so much.
"Sannie, are you alright?"
Suddenly Wooyoung's voice was much closer. A pair of arms wrapped around him from behind, resting on his shoulders, and when San turned his head, Wooyoung was standing there, smiling softly.
"Youngie!" San turned around so quickly he almost fell off his chair, but Wooyoung and Seonghwa caught him easily. He wrapped his arms around Wooyoung's waist and pressed his face against his tummy, crying softly.
"Oh baby, what's wrong?" Wooyoung asked softly, patting San's hair. "Should we step outside for a moment, mh?"
San nodded and let himself be pulled to his feet. Wooyoung had one hand on his back as he led San out of the bar, the summer air still warm even at this time of night. San took a deep, shuddering breath and wiped at his eyes with the sleeve of his sweater. Wooyoung guided him to a bench the two sat down at, San immediately seeking his boyfriend's warmth again, leaning against him as he tried to calm his breathing.
"Did anything happen?"
San thought for a moment, then shook his head. Nothing had happened, but maybe that was the problem, that Wooyoung hadn't paid more attention to him. But they were there as a group, so San didn't want to monopolise on that attention.
"Just too much in general?"
At that, San nodded. He probably should've said something when he first noticed the lights and sounds getting too much, should have stepped out before he started crying, but he hadn't.
"Did you drink the water Yeosangie got you?"
Another nod.
"That's good. Good boy. Can you take another deep breath for me?"
San breathed in through his nose—one, two, three, four—and out through his mouth—one, two, three, four.
"Good. One more."
In through his nose—one, two, three, four—San yawned, mouth open wide, then breathed out again—one, two, three, four.
"Ohhh is my baby tired?"
"Mh." Another yawn forced its way out of San's mouth. He didn't want to be the reason Wooyoung had to leave his friends, but he also really really wanted to be in his bed right now, with Wooyoung and Shiber and his cat night-light.
"It's okay, baby. It's really late already." Wooyoung yawned as well and rubbed at his eyes. "See? I think it's time we get home. Let's grab our things, maybe go to the bathroom, and say good night to the others, yeah?"
San nodded and followed Wooyoung back inside. The air was much thicker, the music louder, and the lights harsher, but San was a brave boy. If he got through this and said nighty to everyone they would finally make their way home.
"Guys," Wooyoung called out when they stood at their table again, "we'll be going. Can you watch San for a moment while I pay?"
Seonghwa immediately got up and hugged San while Wooyoung left to pay for their drinks.
"You should probably go to the bathroom before you leave," Seonghwa suggested, and San didn't really think he had to go, but he also knew that it never hurt to at least try, so he let Seonghwa lead him to the bathroom.
"My my, someone's had too much, huh?" someone inside the men's bathroom said, but San didn't feel like reacting at all. He didn't want to see any more people.
"Yeah, but we're getting him home now. It's all good," Seonghwa answered instead. "Look, here's an empty stall." He opened one of the doors for San, who stepped inside and closed the door behind him. He pulled down his pants and plopped onto the toilet. A small voice in the back of his head reminded him how gross public toilets were, but he was so tired and his eyes hurt so much…
When he was done, Seonghwa was still waiting, and San felt a bit better already. They walked back to the table and San was moved back into Wooyoung's arm.
"Alright, let's go home. Good night, guys!"
Their friends replied with their own good night's and get home safe's, and San waved at them. Wooyoung had his bag in one arm and held San with the other, leading him outside again, up to the street.
"I called a taxi so we will be home really soon, okay? And then you can have a warm milk and we can go to bed. Does that sound good?"
San nodded, smiling at the mention of a warm cup of milk, maybe with some honey. Even in summer, a warm milk before bed was just nice. San liked milk before he went to bed.
"Did you have an okay time tonight?"
San nodded.
"Okay, that's good. And you told Seonghwa hyung when you got tired, that was really good, too!"
San smiled softly. He wasn't sure if he had really told their hyung that he was feeling tired, but he made it known somehow in the end.
They got into the taxi together and San leaned his head on Wooyoung's small shoulder. They had been in this position often enough to know how to make it work, even with San being bigger than his boyfriend.
"Do you want me to drive more carefully so he doesn't throw up?" the taxi driver asked, sounding only half as judgy as San would have expected him to be.
"He should be fine," Wooyoung responded, "he's just tired."
"Alright. Six minutes."
San wasn't sure how they had made their way back home, but they did it. Wooyoung had a key, so hopefully they didn't wake San's parents. He was sitting on his bed now, raising his arms so Wooyoung could held him out of his sweater and replace it with a sleepy shirt. He had to stand up to be able to take his pants off—or rather, for Wooyoung to help him take his pants off.
"Do you want shorts to sleep in?"
San shook his head. He liked sleeping in just a comfy shirt and his undies when the summer nights were so nice and warm, even more so when he had Wooyoung by his side.
"Alright. I'll go to the bathroom and then get your milk, yes? With honey?"
San nodded and grabbed Shiber, hugging him close. Wooyoung pressed a kiss to his head, turned on the lamp on San's nightstand and left the room. The urge to lie down was strong, but San didn't want to fall asleep before Wooyoung got back. So he played with Shiber, babbling quietly and telling him everything that had happened during the day via telepathy.
"I'm back," Wooyoung announced, quietly closed the door behind himself and skillfully turned off the big light with his elbow. He was also dressed in a shirt now, and a pair of sweatpants. In one hand he was holding San's favourite cup, the purple one with a white cat on it, with one of their reusable plastic straws in it, and in the other a water bottle.
"Thank you, Woongie," San mumbled into Shiber's fur. He put him next to him on the bed and reached for the cup. It wasn't hot, just a little warm, and he immediately felt a little calmer. Wooyoung sat down next to him with his water bottle.
"Feeling better, baby?"
"Mhm!" San hummed around the straw, taking small sips as to not upset his tummy. He knew better than to rush, even when the feeling of the warm milk inside him was so nice.
"God, you're so cute," Wooyoung sighed and took a big sip of water. They sat in comfortable silence for a moment, both sipping their own drinks without rushing anything. San felt himself getting sleepy again, struggling to even keep his eyes open, so he put the half-empty cup aside and moved around until his head was in Wooyoung's lap.
"My sweet kitty. I love you, but we should lie down properly, okay? Let's just move a little."
Wooyoung gently guided San's head up, handed Shiber over to him, and pushed the blanket aside so they could properly crawl under it. San followed quickly, putting his head on Wooyoung's chest, one arm and leg thrown over his body as he cuddled his boyfriend with a content sigh.
"Love you, Woongie. Nighty."
Wooyoung turned off the lamp and wrapped an arm around San. "Good night, sweet baby."