(( It's been a while since I updated this because I didn't think I was actually going to. That changed, as you can see. We have this one and then one more after that fits in the 24th chapter of Waiting :3 This is still pre-meeting Chanyeol, by about 7 months, so it's 5 months after Baek's death and about 2 after the third chapter of this side story :3 ))

“5… 4… 3… 2… 1!” The crowd around him chanted and he slammed the empty bottle on the counter and the guys on either side of him cheered while the dark haired male across from him scowled up at him.

“Pay up,” Wonshik grinned, arm around Jongdae’s neck as he leaned forward and the dark haired male rolled his eyes before digging into his pocket and tossing several bills across the table as he stood and walked off, grumbling to himself.

“You sure it’s okay for you to drink so much so fast?” Hongbin asked, sitting on the table as Wonshik counted the bet Jongdae had won. The brunet shrugged, walking around to the other side of the table and reaching for the bottle the dark haired male hadn’t finished, taking a swig.

“If not he can throw it all up and buy some hangover soup and have plenty of money he earned left,” Wonshik replied, holding up the growing wad of bills. “He won all four bets tonight.”

“And we’re sure this is okay for him?” Hongbin repeated, cocking an eyebrow at the blue haried male. Wonshik looked to Jongdae, who looked like he was reading the label on the now empty beer bottle in his hand.

“Hey,” He called, a moment of pause passing before Jongdae looked over at him. “You okay?”

“Just waiting for you to finish setting me up with these frat boys so I can pick one for the sac,” He replied bluntly, missing Hongbin’s cringe.

“See Binnie? He’s fine, he just wants to get laid,” Wonshik laughed, looking around the common room at the hundred or so inebriated students. “Doesn’t seem like many see you as a challenge yet, you might have trouble taking one home tonight,” He mused. Jongdae pushed himself off the table he was leaning on, passing the bottle off to Wonshik as he passed him.

“Looks like I’ll just have to convince one to take me home instead,” He replied, hearing Wonshik chuckle.

“Seriously, am I the only one worried about him?” Hongbin asked, Wonshik shaking his head.

“What’s there to worry about?”

“His liver, for one. And two, isn’t he on medication because of losing Baekhyun? Last I checked, you ended up in the hospital for missing pills and alcohol,” Hongbin deadpanned.

“Yeah, but he’s smarter than I was last month. I’m pretty sure he stopped taking his meds back after he got together with that Minseok guy, so he won’t end up like I did,” Wonshik explained with a shrug before looking around to try and find where Jongdae had wandered off to.

Jongdae had locked onto his planned target for the night as was crossing the room to make his demands well known when a hand caught hold of his arm. His entire body froze, the memory of his mother trying to get him to sit down by gagging a hold of his arm flashing through his mind and he tried to yak his arm free, turning to the person holding him captive.

“Jongdae?” The brunet stared up at the other, feeling the color drain from his face and the light feelings attributed to the alcohol in his stomach seemed to leave him, locking him where he was. “What are you doing here?” Jongdae managed a step back, almost falling over in the process and Yifan moved closer to catch him. “You’re drunk. Come on, let’s get you home,” He said, Jongdae pushing against his chest.

“Don’t touch me!” He demanded, pulling sigh from the other.

“Jongdae, how many times are you going to scream that at me? I haven’t hurt you, have I?” He asked before there was a hand on his shoulder. Yifan looked over at the blue and red haired males, frowning.

“Let him go,” Wonshik said, Jongdae starting to quiver under Yifan’s grip before he released the other’s shoulders and turned to face Wonshik and Hongbin.

“And who are you?”

“We’re his friends.”

“You shouldn’t aid him in the destruction of his life,” Yifan stated, and Hongbin took a small step back.

“Did you not hear me? We’re his friends, not his parents. We’re not going to control what he does, he’s an adult. He’s free to make his own choices. And he’s not hurting anyone, so what’s your problem?” Wonshik huffed.

“Not hurting anyone but himself, and those who actually care about him,” Yifan said, looking back at Jongdae, who kept his gaze off to the side, his shoulders raised in defense making him look like a child being scolded, and Yifan felt a sting in his chest. “Speaking of loved ones, what would your mother say? She was worried sick by the time I brought you home after Beak-” He was cut off by Jongdae, barely managing to catch the other’s wrist when Jongdae tried to smack him. Jongdae bared his teeth for a moment though his expression turned to a panicked when he tried to pull his wrist free and was unable to.

“Why did you try to hit me?”

“Don’t you ever say his name! Or else!” Jongdae ordered, trying vainly to pull away as he glared at the other.

“You’re not very threatening when you can barely stand, you know.” Jongdae grit his teeth, swinging at Yifan with his other hand and baring his teeth in a snarl when Yifan caught it as well and he tried to pull back again. His tugs were weaker now, as if the alcohol was finally hitting his head and making moving difficult. It wasn’t long before he stopped trying to pull away, hanging his head, his breathing coming out in soft pants.

“You done?” Yifan asked. Jongdae’s knees gave out in response and Yifan pulled him up by his wrists before releasing one and hooking his arm around Jongdae’s waist, and then hooked his other arm under the brunet’s knees, picking him up. He turned a sharp look to the other two, Wonshik responding by puffing out his chest.

“Where is his dorm?”

“He… Isn’t registered here yet, so he doesn’t have one. He’s been rooming with Wonshik and I until registration opens next week,” Hongbin explained. Yifan sighed, looking at Jongdae who looked like he was about to pass out.

“What am I going to do with you,” He muttered, turning and starting for the exit.

“Hey!” Wonshik called, Hongbin catching him with a hand on his shoulder as Yifan shot a glare at them.

“I don’t trust either of you enough to live him in your care.” He stated, turning away and leaving the common room. Wonshik stated after him, Hongbin tightening his grip.

“Let them go, Wonshik.”

Jongdae rolled onto his other side, scrunching up his face when light reached his face and he let out a small groan, rolling back onto his stomach. He lifted his head up from the pillow he was on, opening his eyes just enough to squint at it. The bed was not only softer than the one he had been sleeping on in Hongbin’s dorm, but the sheets were completely different. He pushed himself up into a sitting position, running a hand through his hair as his head gave a small throb. Looks like four bets was his limit, not that he would be telling Wonshik that any time soon, he knew that the other would try to persuade him into drinking more.

“You’re awake?” Jongdae frowned down at the pillow. He didn’t remember going home with anyone, and he didn’t have any discomfort in his back side. He looked back at the other before the confusion left his face and he slid off the bed.

“Where am I?”

“The third floor of the main dorm building,” Yifan replied, turning in his chair and away from the homework he had been working on. “You passed out before we left the frat party, I didn’t think you would be awake this soon.”

“You have this really creepy habit of finding me when I’m about to pass out and then taking me to your living space.” Yifan frowned, setting down his pencil.

“Jongdae, I’m trying to watch out for you.”

“How about you do me a favor, and stop,” Jongdae said, looking over at him again. He noticed that Yifan’s tie was undone but still looped around his neck, the top couple buttons of his shirt open and he stood from the bed, padding over to the older. “Unless you were at that party for the same reason I was,” he added.

“I’m not following, Jongdae.” Yifan’s eyebrows knitting together before Jongdae straddled his lap.

“Sleep with me.” Yifan stared at him, eyes wide for a long moment.

“What?”

“. Me.” Jongdae replied slowly, placing his hands on Yifan’s shoulders to steady himself before he rocked slowly against him, confusion flickering in his eyes when Yifan took a hold of his hips and picked him up, setting him on the bed and stepping back.

“No.” That was a first, and time he had tried before the recipient was reduced to a quivering puddle before long.

“What do you mean no?”

“No means no, Jongdae. I don’t want to have with you.” Jongdae snorted, rolling his eyes and leaning back, propping himself up with his arms as he spread his legs obscenely.

“Of course you do, why else would you have brought me to your dorm?”

“Because you could hardly stand, and I didn’t want something bad to happen to you.”

“You mean someone bad. I’m not into bad boys, you don’t have to worry about that. I like the ones I can make beg just by showing them how much I can fit in my mouth,” Jongdae said, reaching up to his own mouth. He barely got the tips of three fingers into his mouth before Yifan took a hold of his wrist and pulled them back out.

“Jongdae, what happened to you? Why are you acting like this, I don’t believe that it’s just from how much you drank. You’ve made a name for yourself, and I’m worried about you.” Jongdae looked at his captive wrist, then met Yifan’s gaze again. “I want to help, but you have to tell me what’s going on, I want to make sure you’re going to be okay. I… I promised Baekboem that I would keep you safe.” Jongdae yanked his wrist free, standing and pushing past him, making his way towards Yifan’s dorm door.

“You’ll come around.”

(( And he did, as we see in the 5th or 6th chapter of Waiting where they bone in the library ))