Himchan was comfortably drunk. Daehyuns house was warmly lit with lamps and fairy-lights strung up around door frames and shelves. He was tucked into a leather couch with people slouched around him all chatting and laughing. The house swelled with the sound of nostalgic pop music and voices of party-goers. He was cosy and happy and his drink had stayed nicely cool. He tipped his head back to drain the last dregs from his bottle.

“One moment, I'm gonna grab another drink.” He pushed himself up, ignoring the groans and complaints of the people around him having to shift out of their comfortable positions to let him past. He half stumbled as he made his way towards the kitchen, setting his empty bottle on a far-too crammed table with other finished drinks.

“Himchan!” A familiar drunk voice called out, interrupting him before he could find himself another drink. “Oi! Kim Himchan!”

He turned and spotted Daehyun waving him over frantically. “Oh, are you finally remembering you invited me over or are all of your guests getting the same cold shoulder?” He joked. He hadn't seen the singer since he'd stepped into the house hours before.

“Why do you always have to whine,” Daehyun huffed, “Listen, I want to introduce you to someone. This is my friend-”

“We've already met, actually.”

The deep voice drew Himchan's gaze from his intoxicated host and he found himself taken by surprise as he saw Yongguk stood just behind him. “Yongguk!” He blurted out before he could stop himself, “what are you doing here?”

“Ah, you already know each other? That's disappointing. I was going to introduce you. Oh well.” Daehyun gave them both a hearty pat on the shoulders before stumbling off.

“No, really, Daehyun, I'm feeling so welcomed in your home.” Himchan rolled his eyes.

“I think that's the first time I've seen him all night.” Yongguk snorted a little.

“How do you know him, then?”

“He's friends with a few of my co-workers. Singers and all that.”

Himchan nodded, “That makes sense. We used to collaborate a lot, musician and singer you know? We just kept in contact.”

Yongguk nodded, but only seemed half interested in what Himchan was saying. He was eyeing the younger man up, as though expecting something to happen. “Are you okay now? You were off the other day.”

Himchan blinked, the alcohol slowing his thoughts a little. “Oh! Yes. Yeah, I'm fine. Don't worry about it.”

Yongguk smiled, and it was so genuine it sent a pang of guilt into his chest. “That's good. I was worried.”

“Hah. Yeah. You know, just lots of work on my plate, lots going on.” He cleared his throat a little. “I was on my way to get a drink from the kitchen, do you want to come as well and we can talk?”

“You mean walk the four feet from here to the fridge?”

“Oh- you know what I mean.” Himchan scrunched his nose up, “Come on, I'm not drunk enough to merit this a decent party”

Somehow they'd managed to find themselves a corner with a small wad of cushions making a make-shift seat. If they were more sober the positions they'd crumpled themselves into on the floor would have been uncomfortable and awkward. Instead, Himchan was more than happy to fold into Yongguk's side, and Yongguk was fairly comfortable with having his arm around Himchan's shoulders. There were a number of empty bottles around them, but just as many unopened at their feet.

“Kim,” Yongguk said slowly.

“Yeah?”

“That's your family name.”

“Well done Einstein. Would you- Would you like a medal?”

Yongguk nudged him with his shoulders, earning a number of giggles from the younger far drunker man. “I was going somewhere with that statement.”

“Go ahead, then.”

“It just doesn't seem to fit you.”

Himchan frowned up at him, eyes somewhat unfocussed. “It fits me... Perfectly fine! Thank you very much!”

“Hey, I didn't mean anything rude by it. I just meant... I don't know, I was expecting something more unusual or fancy?” He shrugged his free shoulder a little.

Himchan scrunched his nose up indignantly. “Oh, and I suppose you have some cool, rare family name them, hm?”

“Actually, I do,” he replied, smirking a little, “It's Bang. Bang Yonguk.”

Himchan watched him silently before huffing. “Damn it. That is cool.”

He couldn't help the laugh that rumbled out of his chest. “You see? That's why I was expecting you to have a fancy name.”

Himchan was quiet for a while, brow furrowed, and for a moment Yongguk thought he'd offended the other man. Then Himchan spoke up. “Bang Himchan.”

His breath caught. “What?”

Himchan tutted. “You see? It works for you, having a cool unique name like that. Not for me. Just sounds awkward. Kim Himchan works fine. It rolls off the tongue.”

“Kim Himchan,” Yongguk breathed out, “Yeah. I guess you're right.”

“I'm always right, Bang,” Himchan said, voice muffled as he brought a freshly opened bottle to his lips, “You'll come to see that.”

If it was cold outside, neither of them noticed. If it was dark, it didn't matter because Himchan was blind drunk and Yongguk was too focussed on keeping him steady as he half carried the man home to pay much attention to the state of the night. If the sky was clear for once and the stars sparkled down on the two men struggling to get safely indoors, neither of them noticed.

Yongguk had to take Himchan's key off him to get him into his own home, and had to half carry him up the stairs. If Himchan's home seemed nice and warm, very tidy and inviting, Yongguk was ignoring it. If Himchan's room was spacious and his bed huge, Yongguk was too busy focussing his attention on getting the younger man himself safely onto the massive mattress.

“You know,” Himchan was slurring, making the entire process incredibly difficult, “I wasson the phone t' my mother th'other day.”

“That's wonderful, Himchan, but you really should go to sleep.”

“An' she wazzaskin' if I had a boyfrien' yet...”

“I'm sure it was a very meaningful conversation you probably shouldn't be telling me.” He looked around, hoping there might be something he could use to put next to the bed should Himchan throw up in the night.

“An' you know what I told her?”

“I could guess, but I think you should probably not say.” He dragged the bedroom bin over to the side of the bed.

“I told her I was seein' someone... I jus' made up this fake boyfriend....”

“That was probably a bad idea. You should be truthful with your mother.” He looked around, then stepped outside into the hallway and glanced about. “One moment.”

“Yongguk!” Himchan called after him as he half-jogged down the hallway, “Baaaaaang!”

“I'm still here, one moment.” He took the glass that held the toothbrush in it, rinsed it out a few times then filled it with water and carried it back. “Drink all of this.”

“I think 've had enough t' drink.”

“It's water. Drink it.”

Himchan obliged and spilled most of it on himself, but still got a number of mouthfuls down his throat.

“I'll fill it up again and leave it on the nightstand, okay?”

“Bang. Yongguk. Wait, I gotta tell you soemthin'”

“I'm sure it can wait.” He went back to the bathroom and filled the glass, ignoring Himchan's calls until he walked back. “I'm putting it here for you,” he explained, setting the glass down on the nightstand.

“Yongguk,” Himchan reached out and grabbed his arm, pulling him down until their faces were so close he could count ever one of Himchan's eyelashes. “I told her your name... I didn't mean to... It jus' sorta slipped out. She thinks I'm datin' you now...”

“She's... Never met me...” It was a struggle to speak coherantly.

“Yeah but she thinks... She thinks... I'm sorry, Yongguk, that was bad. It was a bad lie.”

“Yeah. Just... Clear things up with her, okay?” He swallowed.

“Promise... Promise I will...” Himchan let his arm go and relaxed into his bed.

“Goodnight Himchan.” Yongguk straightened himself up, backing away.

“G'night, night knight angel.”

He opened his mouth to say something, but decided against it, instead flicking the light off and quietly letting himself out of Himchan's house. He half ran home. 

Soundtrack: OneRepublic - Counting Stars