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William was a menace.
That wasn't news.
William was even more of a menace when he was drunk.
Even that wasn't news.
So when Est got a call from Tui at 2 am asking him to pick William up from the club because he was screaming his lungs out singing a crappy song, Est wasn't surprised.
He just let out a deep breath, got up from his bed, slipped on his shirt, grabbed his keys, and stepped out of his apartment.
He was sleepy. He had to go to work early in the morning. But that didn't matter because he had a task to do. And that was to pick up William and bring him back to their shared apartment.
Only if he weren't so irrevocably and pathetically in love with William, he would have said he had had enough and let him freeze outside the club as a lesson. But that wasn't an option.
When he reached the club, he saw Tui and Nut holding William up by his arms. William looked like he would collapse any moment, and Est had to physically stop himself from yelling at him for being careless.
"Why did you guys let him drink so much?" Est asked, gathering William in his arms. He wasn't angry. Just tired.
"You're asking as if this rascal ever listens to us." Nut scoffed, stepping back after making sure William was steady.
"He kept complaining the whole time. Phi Est doesn't spend time with me anymore or Phi Est didn't send me a selfie back or some shit about you not caring about him and honestly, we are tired."
"Phi Est? Did you say Phi Est?" Suddenly, William was alert, looking around with wide eyes.
"Where's Phi? I heard you say his name!" William huffed, trying to fight off Est's hands.
Est rolled his eyes and tightened his hold around William's waist, and gave a light pat to his cheek.
"I am right here, Willy. Stop squirming!"
William froze and turned to look at Est, eyes wide and glistening.
"Willy? Who are you, mister? Only my Phi can call me that!" William said, poking Est's chest so hard, he winced.
Their face were so close, Est could smell the alcohol on William's breath. It was mixed with the faint smell of William's favourite perfume. His eyes and nose were red. Puffy. And his lips were swollen. His whole face was flushed and sweaty.
"Phi?" William whispered, trying to get closer to his face. Est had to place a hand on his chest to put some space.
William's eyes ran over his face, as if trying to make sure he was real before a wide grin pulled at his lips.
Idiot. He was an idiot.
"Phi!" William squealed, throwing his arms around Est's neck, pulling him into a hug — so hard, it had Est struggling to breathe properly.
"William," Est grunted, trying to push him back, patting his waist, but William simply wouldn't budge. If anything, he tightened the hold.
"Willy." Est tried again, putting in a bit more force until William finally loosened his grip and leaned back. He still had that stupid smile on his face.
"You really came," he said, awestruck.
"You came to pick me up!"
Est rolled his eyes, but the corners of his lips twitched.
"Of course I did."
"You're so kind," William sighed. Dramatically. As if Est had pulled him out of a burning building. "You still love me, huh?"
Est didn't respond. He just reached up and gently wiped the sweat from William's forehead with his fingers.
"Let's go home, Willy."
He then turned to look at Nut and Tui, who were observing them silently.
"Thank you, guys, for staying with William. I'll take him home now. Take care"
Nut nodded, grabbing Tui by his shoulders and pulling out his phone to call for a cab.
"Go ahead. We will be fine."
***
William kept blabbering nonsense, whining every other minute, his words slurred and messy, a stream of exaggerated complaints and random thoughts that made zero sense to Est.
"I saw a cat outside, Phi. It looked like you," William mumbled as Est unlocked the apartment door.
"Oh?" Est muttered, shoving the door open with his shoulder while half-dragging William inside.
"Yeah. All grumpy. Judgy eyes. But still cute."
Est sighed, refusing to let the comment warm his chest. "Thank you for your... observation."
He led William to the couch and tried — really tried — to get him to sit up straight.
Keyword: tried.
Because William slouched immediately, sliding sideways like his spine had turned into jelly. His head lolled back, nearly slipping off the armrest. Est caught him just in time, groaning.
"Willy, for god's sake. Sit. Up."
"But the couch is spinning," William whined, flailing weakly.
Est pinched the bridge of his nose. "The couch is not spinning."
"You're spinning then," William mumbled into the cushion.
"I'm going to spin your head off in a second," Est muttered, shifting to pull William's legs up onto the couch properly.
William giggled like it was the funniest thing he'd ever heard. "You're so violent, Phi. But you're cute when you're mad."
Est glared at him. "I'm not cute. I'm sleep-deprived and babysitting a grown man-child who drank himself stupid."
William smiled at him with glossy eyes. "Still cute."
Est rolled his eyes and made his way to the kitchen, leaving William slouched on the couch with a sigh. He made sure he wasn’t about to fall off. The last thing he needed tonight was William waking up and vomiting all over the carpet he'd just had cleaned.
He returned a minute later with lime water in hand. Unsurprisingly, William had slid halfway down the couch.
Est sighed and gently tugged him upright by the arm. “Come on. Sit up.”
William let out a whine but allowed himself to be pulled up, a stubborn pout pulling at his lips. He accepted the glass.
He took one sip and immediately grimaced. "I don’t want it!”
Est pressed the glass back to his lips with no room for argument. “Drink it, William. I don't want you throwing up on my carpet. I just had it cleaned.”
William groaned but obeyed, plugging his nose with his fingers and downing the entire glass.
Once done, he blinked up at Est and said, “Happy now, Phi?”
Est took the empty glass and set it on the table. Then, without a word, he sat down beside William and gently took his hands.
William’s palms were warm and slightly clammy.
Est looked at him, brow creased with worry.
“Why did you get this drunk, Willy?” he asked quietly. “This is the third time this month. I’m worried about you.”
William looked down at their hands.
“Because I’m sad.”
Est blinked. “Sad?”
William nodded, slowly. “Sad. And pissed off.”
“Pissed off?”
Silence.
“Willy…” Est prompted gently.
William looked up, eyes a little too clear for how drunk he was. “You don’t love me.”
Est was stunned. “Of course I love you. What are you talking about?”
William shook his head. “No. You care about me. But not the way I love you. Not like I…” His voice dropped to a murmur. “…not like I love you.”
Est froze..
That was the last thing he expected William to say.
What was William talking about? It's just drunk talking. He is not in his sense.
Est gently squeezed William’s hands. He could feel how warm and shaky they were.
Est shook his head slowly. No.
This wasn’t the time. Not when William could barely sit up straight. Not when alcohol was doing the talking.
“William…” Est started, voice low, careful.
He rubbed gentle circles into William’s palms. Trying to calm the racing of his own heart.
“You’re drunk, bub,” he said. “And I think this… this is something we should talk about in the morning. When you’re sober. When your head’s clear.”
William didn’t respond right away.
His eyes dropped to their joined hands. He didn’t pull away. He didn’t squeeze back either. His shoulders sagged just a little.
And then, like nothing had ever been said at all, he slumped back against the couch, a sleepy, dazed smile forming on his lips.
"Okay. We will talk tomorrow. I am sleepy"
Est helped him lie down properly. "Sleep, Willy. Good night." He whispered, pressing a light kiss on his forehead.
William was already half-asleep.
He got up from the couch to grab a blanket and gently covered William's sleeping figure.
"Menace.” Est whispered, looking at William. A fond look on his face.
Est leaned down and let his fingers trail along William’s jaw, heart stupid and full.
Because yes. William was a menace.
But he was his menace.
And he wouldn’t have it any other way.