It was already late on a long and tiring day at the practice rooms when Johnny had let himself out into the cold night air. His mind was a swirl of thoughts fighting amongst each other but he found himself stopping by the figure who was sitting huddled on the edge of the stairs.

“Yuta?” he asked, his tone incredulous.

The figure moved slightly. “No, umm, it’s not me. Please ignore and move on.”

Johnny crouched down beside him. “Didn’t you go back with the others? Since when have you been outside here? You must be freezing.” He reached for his hands and it felt like he was holding ice.

Yuta giggled. “Everyone is too ing busy. Taeyong was busy with Jaehyun. And Winwin…well, him. He thinks he’s a prince.”

“Are you drunk?” Johnny helped him to his feet but he could see how he was swaying.

Yuta smiled. “Just a tiny bit. It feels amazing. I can’t feel anything. Take that Winwin!” He threw an empty can towards the fence.

It was then that Johnny realized that Yuta was sitting with a bunch of mostly empty beer cans throwing them at an anime version of Winwin he had drawn clumsily on the fence.

They walked back to the dorm together, stopping for coffee but not finding comfort, each lost in his own thoughts. It was three-thirty in the night when they let themselves into the dorm. Maybe it was something Yuta had said but Johnny was already leaving again, feeling slightly hopeful that he could work things out with Ten.

“You’re going to Ten right now?”

Johnny nodded.

Yuta took a deep breath, looking slightly green. “Okay, good luck. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I think I’m going to be sick.”

“Oh, should I help?”

“No, please. Go away now.”

Johnny grinned as he watched Yuta grumbling in the dark. He said, “Yuta, it’ll work out with Winwin. I’m sure of it.”

“Johnny, there’s nothing going on to work out. You’re reading too much into my drunken rants. I don’t mean half of the things I’ve said. This isn’t me but the drinks talking. So, don’t worry about me and just go. Now. Before I throw you out of the door.”

Johnny quirked an eyebrow at the slightly swaying figure but knowing his friend had closed the discussion, he quietly tip-toed over to the room Yuta shared with Winwin and Taeil.

“Winwin?” he whispered, tapping the sleeping guy’s shoulder.

Winwin cursed sleepily.

“I think Yuta is sick. Could you take care of him? I have to leave.”

He sat up. “What happened?”

“Had too much to drink, I guess. Just—”

But Winwin was already rushing out of the room.

-

Winwin was totally sure that this was a bad idea but he couldn’t help it. He couldn’t help but agree when Yuta said he wasn’t tired and a movie wouldn’t be a bad idea. In fact, as they squeezed together in Winwin’s bed and balanced the laptop precariously on the blanket, his brain was screaming “BAD IDEA” in all of the languages he knew.

“Shut up,” he mumbled.

Yuta frowned at him. “I didn’t even say anything.”

Winwin stole a quick glance at him. There were so many questions he wanted to ask him. His nerves were still on edge, mind still processing sleepily what had happened.

Johnny had woken him up in the middle of the night and told him Yuta was sick. Maybe he should have asked for more details but he had rushed off to help Yuta. Now, he wanted to know why Yuta was drunk and being sick in the washroom at three in the morning. He wanted to know where Johnny had disappeared