Work Text:
"I have a question."
Sky looks up from his bowl of pad kra pao, spoon full and already halfway to his mouth. He lowers it a couple of inches before responding with one eyebrow arched high.
"What's up, Ni?"
Nani steeples his hands in front of him, elbows on the table.
"That morning—you know, the one after "the party".
Sky shoves his waiting spoonful into his mouth while waving the other hand, indicating for Nani to continue.
"You were already here when I woke up. I've always wondered…"
He trails off a bit, wincing as the memory of the vicious hangover returns with a vengeance, making his stomach flip over delicately in the process. Sky snorts at the way Nani's face rapidly changes color at the memory.
"Oh. That. Well.."
***
2 months earlier
Sky sits on the cold, stone steps, knees pulled up to his chest with his feet firmly planted on the concrete, waiting for his car to arrive. Even at this late hour, the music inside is so loud that the ground beneath him vibrates constantly, shaking him like he's seated above the epicenter of his very own personal earthquake whenever a particularly vicious throb of bass slams into it. With considerable effort, he still manages to tune it all out until the only thing left on his mind is the pale, stricken look that had swept across Nani's face just before he'd turned and bolted off the balcony.
He swipes a hand down the front of his face, grimacing when it comes back damp with sweat and something else—tears, maybe? He doesn't know if he's been crying, but one thing he does know that he feels like his heart is cracking down the middle. It physically hurts, like the wounded organ has talons that are shredding his insides, sending devastation leaking out of every single pore.
He crosses his arms over his knees and ducks his chin down, resting it atop his forearms.
I fucked up. I really fucked up this time.
The sudden chime of his phone recieving a notification catches his attention, the device vibrating from where he'd stashed it in the side pocket of his loose-fit trousers. Leaning back slightly, he tugs it out and turns on the screen before unlocking it and opening his line app.
Sky hits the call button as soon as he sees the message that comes through.
"Phi?"
"What happened."
There's a long pause on the other end before Ohm finally answers.
"Ah. He's okay. Technically."
"Don't fuck with me, Ohm. Just tell me what's going on."
"Okay! Okay! He's safe—he just won't stop crying. And he keeps asking for you. Did I mention he won't stop crying? You need to come make it stop."
Sky feels his heart skip a bit at the knowledge that even after what happened earlier in the night, Nani is still asking for him. Still wants him to be there.
"I'll be there in 20 minutes."
The Grab car gets him there in 18.
Sky would say that he's usually prepared for whatever comes his way—but nothing could have prepared him for the sight of Nani, red-eyed and curled up on his couch wearing nothing but boxers and a sweatershirt so big that it nearly swallows his narrow frame. Sky knows that it must be his, with the way the shirt extends over the tips of Nani's fingers and reaches halfway down to his knees.
Narak.
He's never seen anything so adorable in his life—kittens and babies have nothing on drunk Nani.
As soon as he catches sight of Sky in his doorway, Nani stumbles off the couch and lurches in Sky's direction. Sky has to dart forward to catch him around the waist when he starts to tip sideways halfway across the room to him.
"You came!" Nani beams up at him, smile stretched wide. Sky can't hold back his smile when the sentence ends with a small hiccup.
"I'll always come when you need me," he says softly. He brushes sweaty tendrils of hair back off of Nani's forehead as he sways slightly from side to side, unable to keep his balance now that the full weight of the alcohol he'd consumed pumps eagerly through his veins. Noticing the heaviness in Nani's eyes, Sky reaches down and gently places his fingers under his chin, tilting it up and back until their eyes meet.
"Tired, Ni?"
Nani nods sleeply before resting his weight more fully against Sky.
"Carry me," he whines. "I'm too sleepy to walk."
Sky doesn't question it—just carefully lifts Nani up into his arms, laughing when the tired man burrows his face into his chest like a needy cat.
"…smells good." Nani mutters, breathing him in with a drunken little hum as Sky begins to pad towards his room.
"You take good care of him!" Ohm points his finger in Sky's direction as he disappears through the doorway with Nani curled up tight against him.
The reply comes back a moment later, words soft and low.
"I always do."
***
present day
"I was just going to put you to bed like the amazing partner I am, but then you decided to latch on to me like a clingy animal*. It was nearly 5am before you stopped whining every time I tried to let go!"
"You're joking."
"I had to sleep on the floor. You also said—and I quote—'I wish I could burrow into your chest cavity like those gross things in that awful alien movie'"
Nani's jaw drops.
"They're called 'chestbursters' by the way"
"…forget I even asked."
***
A/N: Clingy animals is a reference to this old Sunlight ad from Thailand that won a bunch of awards. See y'all in the next one!