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Avery walked into the shared dorm, then collapsed on bed without a word.
“Bad day?” Derek asked. The two had only been roommates for a couple weeks, but they met on the internet during the spring before college and became fast friends.
Avery rolled on his back, and went over everything in his day while looking up at Derek.
He had shit customers, shit assignments, shit group projects.
“Overall shit day.”
“Mmmm yeah, surprise quiz in core programming today” Derek muttered with sympathy.
“We have to do a presentation on specific cells of the human body and these two girls in my class keep making fun of me because of my dyslexia. It’s not my fault the font of the stupid textbook is hard to read.” He groaned looking at Derek with the world upside.
“Ourgh, jerks.” Derek was never good at comforting someone with things like this. He grabbed a bright red hoodie from under his chair and threw it on then got an idea.
“Hm, How old are you again?” Derek asked.
“20.” Avery replied, confused.
“Ehh close enough, have you ever done karaoke? I allow myself seven ‘drunk karaoke’ days and I can spare one for this.” Derek chuckled.
“Wait, are you inviting me to get drinks?” Avery had never been asked to do anything like that, growing up in a christian school, alcohol before age was seen as a great disrespect (that would also get you kicked out.)
“Yup, I have no homework, you have no homework, it’s Friday night. Let’s go wail white girl pop music together, roommate bonding.” He said in a monotone voice.
“How do I even get in? I’m technically underaged.” Avery worried that he’d get literally thrown out like in the movies.
“Nah Aves, this bar has horrible security. I went there when I was 18.” Aves was a nickname Derek picked up after only a few days of actually living together.
The nickname made Avery’s chest flutter and fill with affection for the man.
The two walked to a bar that was less than half a mile away, they wouldn’t be able to drive after their night so no use in bringing a car.
As Derek has said, little security. One guy who took a look at Derek for a good thirty seconds before letting the two in.
The bar was fairly loud, music blasting over the speakers. Every beat seemed to rattle the sticky wooden floors.
And Avery loved it.
Avery loved the loud beat of the music, the blaring lights, the people who went there and just had fun without worry.
Derek noticed this, and he gave a slight squeeze to Avery’s arm before pulling him to the counter.
“Hmmm, how about two blended pina colada’s to start please.”
The bartender nodded, told him the price and went on preparing the drinks. Derek set the money on the counter and pulled out his phone. Avery saw he had a checklist on the screen labeled at the top “Drinks Aves might like <3”
“Mk so, with these you want to mix it around a bit, get all the flavors and sip like a smoothie.” Derek explained.
Avery took a sip, the drink was sweet with a taste of pineapple. He and Derek got into a lovely conversation about their week, Avery’s head was slightly buzzing from the alcohol.
“This is good, let’s try something stronger.” Avery challenged. He knew there were some good, strong drinks that he’d like to try.
“Okay, but then karaoke okay? Also if you get shitfaced I will carry you back.” Derek replied, taking a final sip of his drink.
“Two stone cold slingers please.” He asked, sliding the money across the counter.
Derek slid a small shot glass to Avery before attempting to demonstrate how to drink it.
“Okay so these have a strong kick, but it’s good I promise.” Derek explained.
He grabbed the shot in his hand, smirked at Avery and downed it 180 degrees before slamming it hard on the counter with a shudder.
Avery looked at Derek, concerned before attempting to do the same.
As soon as the drink hit his mouth, it stung with a sweet and minty taste. He felt his body shudder as he involuntarily spat out a “BLEGH” before looking at Derek with a crooked smile and a thumbs up.
“Jesus okay maybe I shouldn’t have gotten you that.”
“Nahh mannn, That’s goooddd.” Whether it was the sudden jolt to his system or the actual alcohol that made him speak like that, Avery had no clue.
“Okay do you want to sing ‘Call me maybe?’” Derek asked, rubbing Avery’s back slightly.
“Yesssssss.” He replied, not really paying attention to what Derek was saying and instead leaned into his touch.
Avery has had alcohol before, but it was the occasional motor oil tasting beer instead of gut punch shot he just took.
Derek dragged him to the mic setup and pointed out the screen that read out the lyrics.
Someone held out a drink and handed it to Avery who took it, raised it to the man and downed it. It tasted sour and the few bar residents cheered at him.
Derek noticed the way Avery swayed a little bit so he grabbed his free arm and started the song.
What followed was slightly drunk Derek leading the song and Avery, the choir kid, half dead wailing the lyrics like there was no tomorrow.
When the song ended, Avery’s smile dropped as he turned pale and hunched over, which made Derek half carry him to the bathroom to throw his stomach contents into the toilet.
Derek lifted Avery up by his shoulders and helped clean himself up. He was absurdly wasted from the various other drinks that he consumed, and Derek knew it.
“Hey, I’m gonna take you back home, okay?” He told Avery softly.
“Nahhhhhhh… Broo, ‘M all gooood.” Avery attempted to reassure as he slid slightly down.
“Whatever you say.” Derek mocked.
He hooked an arm under Avery to try to support him better, then he heard a small mumble.
“Do… you, like men?”
“Aves, I'm bisexual, that’s where the tolerance came from.” Derek replied quietly as he started towards the door to the bathroom.
“Mmmmh, yeah men bro. Love em’!”
“What a lovely way to come out to eachother.” Derek chuckled.
“Mannn, alcohol hits like uhhh.” Avery slurred as he tried to get away from Derek.
“You gonna finish that sentence?” Derek remarked.
“Are ya gonna kiss… me, like you always seem to wanna.” Avery replied.
Derek’s face heated up as he stuttered a response.
“No! I am not going to kiss you in this state Avery! That’s, that’s basically assault.”
“Broo pleaseeee nobody’s kissed me since high school.” Avery whined
“You wanna kiss when you are sober, I'll indulge. But not right now.”
Avery leaned more into Derek’s grasp, mumbling something about “good enough’ for meeeeee” before going silent for a while.
The cold air of late October nipped at the two, Avery, in an attempt to get warmer wrapped both arms around Derek which almost threw the two off balance.
Avery stumbled as his feet crunched against the soft layer of snow under them. Turns out it snowed while they were in the bar, lovely.
“It’s fuckin’ cold.” Avery groaned.
Derek silently gripped Avery tighter, when they finally made it to the dorm building, the looks Derek got were a mix of concern and confusion.
Hauling Avery in the elevator Derek pressed the number for their floor and waited as it climbed up the floors.
“This place has garbage heating.” Avery slurred to nobody in particular.
“You like your first karaoke day?” Derek asked.
“I loved it.” Avery answered with one eye closed.
When they arrived at the dorm, Avery started shuffling over to his bed before Derek stopped him.
“Shower first, it’ll help in the morning, believe me.”
Avery just grumbled and nodded. Walking into the split bathroom and turning the water to hot. The warmth of it felt amazing against his body, a calm relief.
Stepping out of the bathroom, ready to go to bed he half stumbled over when he noticed something.
Derek put on his desk multiple items, including a giant bowl, a bottle of advil, multiple things of water, some granola bars and note that read “IOU a kiss <3”
Avery looked behind him and saw Derek pulling on a clean sweatshirt and walked up to him.
“Derek, I, uh, can yousleepwithme?” Even though Avery was drunk, he still felt a little bit of shame in asking that.
But he smiled and nodded, crawling into Avery’s bed before grabbing his arm and pulling him onto the bed.
The heating to the dorm building was garbage, but the situation was making Avery feel as warm as ever.
He changed his position to lay horizontal across Derek’s stomach. Which he accepted by rubbing circles onto Avery’s back calmly, humming quietly.
Avery leaned into the touch, everything about this situation was so domestic. His eyelids felt fairly heavy, he also heard a quiet “Aves go to sleep.” from the other patron of the bed.
When he finally did succumb to sleep, Derek was still rubbing his back calmly.