"Really, Ai' No," Type drawls from where he sprawls across the couch, injured foot wrapped and propped up on the coffee table.. "You're not going to drink...anything?"

"Come on, Ai' No," Champ slurs next to Type as he cracks open the lid on his fifth beer and takes a sip. "It's just beer. You don't have to babysit us."

"P'No....is being responsible," Good says from the floor where he has apparently decided to collapse after his first drink. He has a second in his hand but hasn't opened it, staring at it lazily.

"You talk more with some alcohol in you, Ai' Good," Type laughs. "But you do have a point I guess."

"P'No, drink with us!" Can wails, his voice cracking on emotion. He's on what Kengkla thinks is Can's fourth drink, but he's already very tipsy, sitting sideways in a chair with his legs propped up on the armrest.

Techno shoots them all an exasperated look from where he stands, cleaning up their beer bottles from the coffee table. He's holding a trash bag in one hand, rolling his eyes at Can. "I think at least one of you needs a baby sitter, " Techno mumbles to himself while shaking his head.

Kengkla's grinning, sitting between Type and Can on a chair Techno brought from the living room. Although he's working on his fourth beer, none of it has been alcohol. Once he realized Techno wasn't drinking --to his displeasure -- he came up with a plan. He picked out his drinks and emptied them in the kitchen when Techno was distracted. Kengkla replaced the beer with soda, but the bottles still smelt like alcohol. This way no one would know if he acted carefully.

He considers his bottle for a moment then takes a swig of it, holding the bottle in a loose grip to seem drunk then leans forward, stumbling purposefully until he has to catch himself on the coffee table. Techno's watching him with a concerned expression from where he leans down to pick up a bottle. "Ai' Kla," He gasps and reaches out to grip Kengkla's shoulder, pushing back on him gently to steady him.

"Are you okay?" Techno asks, mouth tensing on a frown. "I've never seen you act like this." He mumbles the last statement and steps back from Kengkla, shaking his head and turning back around to pick up the last bottle.

Kengkla stares at Techno's back and takes a breath, ready to respond, but someone beats him to it. "Ai' Kla is a lightweight," Technic lies as he walks into the living room with two beers and grinning at Kengkla. He 's never even seen Kengkla drunk. "That's why he doesn't drink."

Even though Kengkla didn't plan on telling his friend, Technic caught him dumping the beers when he came back to the house. But with a promise to pay him later, Technic became a co-conspirator, so it's likely the "beers" in his hands aren't beers at all.

"Ai' Nic, don't tell them," Kengkla slurs with a frown, pretending to be ashamed. Technic gives him another look at that, but Kengkla just ignores him, watching Techno turn to face his brother.

"Hey! Ai' Nic, don't be a brat," Techno scolds then marches over to Technic, ripping the beers away from his brother. "As your older brother...I'm cutting you off."

"P'No, I've only had two beers," Technic argues.

A rush of adrenaline shoots up Kengkla's spine at the threat of being caught. But Techno doesn't examine the bottles, just tosses them into the trash with the rest. He spares his brother a glance then pushes past him to the kitchen with the trash.

Once Techno is out of earshot, Champ snickers and leans into Type, bumping shoulders. "What's up his butt?" He whispers. There's a pause. Then Type grins at Champ before they both break into a fit of drunk laughter, tipping their heads back against the couch.

Can's wobbling where he sits, tipping like gravity is pulling, and squinting at Type and Champ. "What's so funny? Hey, what did I miss? P'Type, are you making fun of me?" Can complains loudly.

This causes a fight to erupt between Type and Can once more until the two are bantering back and forth about something. Kengkla loses interest right away, watching the entrance for Techno to return when Technic pulls up a dining room chair to squeeze in next to him.

"How 'drunk' do you plan to get tonight?" Technic whispers as he takes a seat, dipping his head so only Kengkla can hear.

Kengkla downs another bottle of soda-filled beer before leaning over to toss it on the table with a smirk. "Enough to get alone time with my wife," He answers simply as the sound of glass hitting the wood rings loudly in the room.

"I thought my brother is stupid, but you might be stupider. P'No's only with you 'cause of your trick," Technic whispers with a shake of his head, but Kengkla just shoots him a glare.

When Techno returns to the living room a few seconds later, he stares directly at Kengkla, and their eyes lock. The frustration at Techno's mouth matches the concern in his eyes and the uncertainty across his forehead. Kengkla lets himself grin up at the other, reaching down beside his chair to pick another "beer" off the ground. He watches Techno's brows draw together in concern.

"Ai' Kla, maybe you should slow down,?" Techno suggests, sounding almost teasing and slightly concerned. Kengkla frowns.

Type and Can stop fighting and turn to Techno. "Boo," Champ draws the word long, slurring it into a taunt, and Type joins him until Techno starts waving his arms around.

"Okay, okay," Techno snaps, glaring at Champ. "Can we at least do something besides sit here? If I have to babysit you all, can't we do something fun?"

Can almost falls out of his seat, smiling up at Techno. "Game! Let's play a game! Drinking game, please," He suggests, holding his beer up in the air while he tries to balance himself.

Techno gives in to shut him up, and it doesn't take much longer for Kengkla to get as believably drunk as he needed.

It's almost a miracle that Type was the first to pass out. Kengkla thought for sure the elder would be a problem, but he falls asleep on the couch with his foot propped up on Champ's lap. And it turns out Champ is as scared of Type as everyone else--or too drunk-- because he doesn't dare wake him. This hardly matters anyway because Champ is the second to call it quits, falling asleep while Can and Techno play a card game. Apparently, Techno is good at the game because Can has to drink each time he loses. Can is the third to pass out, mumbling something in his sleep about "an IC kid and his phone."

Good ends up taking Can back to their room to sleep, and Kengkla's not even surprised that Good can hold his liquor well. He was quiet most of the time and only grumbled when carrying Can.

This leaves only Kengkla and Technic, but Technic quickly tires of Kengkla's ruse, claiming he feels sleepy and exits the living room. But when Kengkla fears Techno will suggest he go to bed too, Kengkla runs out of the room, purposefully stumbling down the hall and into the bathroom. He shuts the door just as Techno arrives, no doubt following him out of concern, and makes enough noise that it sounds like he's vomiting. He wouldn't go to the extremes of actually throwing up, but he makes it sound believable before finally opening the door.

Techno is on the other side staring at him, eyes wide and face wiped clear of anything except panic. "Ai' Kla, are you okay?" Kengkla swears it's the fifth time Techno has asked today. "Ah, shit. I never should've let you keep drinking. I should've listened to Ai' Nic when you when he said—"

Kengkla tips his head so his hair falls to the side, untamed to make him look disheveled, and when he smiles, it's warm and easy. "P'No," He interrupts. "I think you should stop talking. It will make me—"

"Wow." Techno interrupts with a chuckle and looks away. "You really are drunk." When he looks back at Kengkla, he's smiling in amusement.

"No, P'. I'm good," Kengkla slurs with a matching grin, blinking slowly, and leans his hand against the wall, wobbling a bit for show.

Techno's eyes widen, and he reaches out but doesn't touch Kengkla. "You're gonna fall over. You should get to bed if you're this bad."

When Kengkla pushes himself off the wall, he acts as if he's stumbling and grabs at Techno's arm, the steadiest thing within proximity. His fingers draw tighter than he ever lets them usually, and the other doesn't stiffens as he expects. Techno reaches out with his free arm and grabs at Kengkla's shoulder to steady him.

"I need to get my keys from P's room '," Kengkla lies. His other hand comes out, forms into a fist in Techno's shirt. When he pulls, he pretends to drags himself in closer. But instead of pulling Techno to him, Kengkla topples forward to shove Techno's back against the wall. He didn't expect Techno to let him, but he hears the sound of a gasp of surprise.

For a moment, Techno isn't moving, staring down at him, eyes wide and mouth slightly open. He's so perfectly still Kengkla can hear his breathing. Kengkla glances up from where he pins Techno to the wall with one hand on the others chest and offers the saddest expression he can manage without crying. "Please don't leave me, P'No," Kengkla chokes out.

Techno's expression softens immediately. "P' is here," He answers in a rush and lifts his hand, gently patting Kengkla on the back. "Let's go get what you need in my room."

After a long moment of staring, Kengkla speaks, slowly and carefully. "Okay, P'No."

....

"What do your keys look like again?" Techno asks as he digs through the bed covers, pulling the comforter off and tossing it onto the floor of his room.

"It's three keys on a ring with a Los Angeles key ring," Kengkla tells him, watching Techno bent over with one knee on the bed, searching for keys that are already in his backpack. Kengkla's sprawled out in an office chair at a desk across from the bed, holding his head as if he's still dizzy. But he can't stop smiling as he watches the elder digging through the sheets.

Techno lets out a sigh. "Los Angeles? That's in America, right?" He asks randomly with his back turned still. "I've always wanted to visit. It's too damn expensive."

Kengkla nods but remembers Techno can't see him and pushes himself out of the chair, walking around the bed so he's on the opposite side near the wall. He allows himself to drop down on the mattress, making Techno jump from where he's kneeling on the bed beside him. As Kengkla lies on his back, he frowns up at Techno and reaches out to grab the other by his arm, pulling Techno with as much strength as he can manage.

"P'No, I'm sleepy," Kengkla whines, hitting the highest, most pathetic range he can muster.

"Wait, P's looking," Techno argues, reaching his hand down to the space in between the mattress and the wall. But Kengkla becomes impatient and tugs on Techno until the other falls on his side with his back to him. "What the- Ai'Kla, what are you-"

"P', please stay with me tonight," He begs as he tries fitting in closer, pressing his body up against Techno's. His arm is angled around Techno's waist with his fingers tightening in the other shirt. Even with their height difference, Kengkla manages to maneuver Techno into the little spoon. "I don't want to be alone," Kengkla adds in a sad voice.

Techno's body is warm yet stiff in Kengkla's grip, and when he presses his nose into Techno's hair, the scent of his shampoo is powerfully intoxicating. Kengkla picks his head up then glances down at Techno who's staring back at him unexpectedly. "Uh-uh," Techno stutters, cheeks flushing to color. Then he quickly turns his head away. But Kengkla had enough time to see the strain in Techno's eyes melting into warmth.

They linger there for a minute while Techno stares forward silently. Kengkla feels his heart pound in his chest so hard he's sure Techno can feel it against his back. He watches the range of emotions flash across Techno's face -- from the pity in his frown to the sadness in his eyes and the annoyance in his tight jaw. Kengkla just hopes for the best, wants to wake up with Techno in his arms.

"Okay, Ai' Kla," Techno answers finally with a sigh. "Only because you're too drunk."

Kengkla doesn't care about the reason.. If Techno is willing to stay, that's all that matters. He lifts his hand from Techno's waist and leans up to turn off the light above the bed, and the room goes black. "Thank you, P'No," He says as he lets his arm fall back across Techno's body. "I knew you'd take responsibility for me."

His eyes haven't adjusted to the dark yet, so he can't see Techno's face. But Kengkla can feel the way Techno's body tenses at the weight of his words. "Okay," Techno says and falls silent to leave just the sound of his breathing catching in the cool air of the apartment.

Kengkla's mouth is melting into a smile, the curve of it spreading soft over his lips, and he can feel the press of affection in his chest break free. His plan really worked. His heart sores while he tightens his grip around Techno, laying with his nose practically buried in Techno's hair.

Techno body relaxes within five minutes, and by the time ten have passed, Kengkla can feel his skin prickling into sweat from the heat of someone else pressing against him. But he doesn't say anything, and Techno doesn't move, even after a half hour has passed

With Techno willing to sleep in the same bed, he doesn't think it's possible for him to be happier than he is at this moment. Well, if it wasn't for what he had planned for the morning.

...End Chapter 9...

A/N: Thank you all for the comments and stars! :)

Hope you are all well. Author's note coming up next...Maybe...