pairing: BaekLay
length: 743 words

Baekhyun grins like a cat as he lazily holds up a glass of bourbon. “Cheers.”

“Cheers,” the man across the table echoes with a wide grin of his own as they merrily clink glasses before simultaneously downing the alcohol.

Even though the amber liquid burns as it travels down his throat, Baekhyun is beyond buzzed by now and instead revels in the sensation, refusing to put his glass down until every last drop has been consumed. This is his fifth—no, seventh since Chanyeol and Sandara both bought him a round each at the beginning before heading to the dance floor together—drink of the night. And although he’s rather decent at holding his liquor, this much alcohol in about an hour means his filter has completely left the room.

Which he would usually would be worried about, considering he’s presently in good company with his newfound buddy, Yixing. But his current lack of inhibitions has also brought forth courage and confidence, which allows Baekhyun to bolster through the drunkenness with seemingly innate ease.

Especially since Baekhyun doesn’t know much about the Chinese male in the first place, having randomly met the stranger at the bar before inviting him to sit together since neither of them was too keen on joining the giant mass of sweaty bodies on the dance floor.

Baekhyun does know that Yixing is a year older than him. Yixing works as a software engineer at Samsung. Yixing’s favorite color is purple, which explains the purple button-up shirt he’s currently wearing.

And he’s sure Yixing has regaled him with plenty more details about his life over the past hour that they’ve been drinking together.

But Baekhyun can barely focus on the words when the woodsy vanilla scent of Yixing’s cologne wreathes around him like a cozy blanket and Yixing’s slender fingers just barely brush against his whenever the Chinese male refills his glass. It’s like a jolt of lightning, bringing a millisecond of clarity amidst the brain fog. And Baekhyun very much likes how Yixing smiles, how his deep dimple accentuates his boyish yet suave charms.

And because he really can’t control what comes out of his mouth, Baekhyun unabashedly tells the older man exactly what he thinks.

To which Yixing trills with laughter before reaching over to playfully squeeze the Korean male’s soft cheek, which sends even more electricity into every part of Baekhyun’s buzzing body. Yixing then pours some more bourbon into their glasses before holding up his with a knowing smile aimed at the younger male.

Baekhyun wordlessly accepts the challenge and clinks their glasses again before finishing the shot in one gulp. The moment he sets the empty glass down, the air around them suddenly feels warm—almost too warm—and the blaring music from the dance floor dims down to white noise in the background.

And even though everything else is a colorful haze—blurry shapes and fuzzy edges galore—Baekhyun can perfectly see Yixing in front of him in all of his flushed glory, top buttons messily undone—the younger man has no idea when that happened, but he certainly isn’t going to complain—and hair tousled every which way. And Baekhyun has never felt more alive as he locks eyes with Yixing, whose cheeks turn even pinker as the two men lean closer to each other.

Baekhyun then boldly reaches for Yixing’s collar, knocking the empty glasses aside, in order to pull the Chinese male up to him and smash their lips together.

It’s messy, it’s chaotic, and Baekhyun can barely register anything happening aside from the pliant way Yixing kisses him back. It’s even more intoxicating than the copious amounts of alcohol he’s had throughout the night and Baekhyun lets himself go in the moment, hands moving automatically to bring Yixing closer and closer so that he can revel in the sweet euphoria rushing through his veins.

Baekhyun doesn’t know if he’s going to regret this in the morning, when everything’s said and done. But as Yixing playfully nips his lower lip in between hot breaths, fingers combing through the Korean male’s messy brown locks with a sense of urgency and want, Baekhyun decides that it ultimately doesn’t matter.

Even if this leads nowhere tomorrow—or the next day or the day after or ever, really—tonight is all that really matters. And Baekhyun’s having the time of his life with Yixing pressed against him like a puzzle piece that fits perfectly.

♈♈♈