TW: Drinking

"I told you I don't want to go." Ross complained as Kim stood with her hands on her hips, looking as intimidating as someone under five foot can.

"You haven't left the flat other than for class in over two weeks." Kim chastised, eyebrow raised in challenge for Ross to protest again.

Ross knew better. "Fine." He conceded, pulling himself to his feet to retrieve shoes and a jacket.

"You not going to change?" Kim asked, eyeing the slightly crumpled T shirt that her friend had been wearing for at least the last two or three days by her count.

Ross zipped his hoodie half way and shot the girl a pointed look which caused Kim make a dismissive gesture and lead the way to the door. There was no point trying to push it more than she already had, getting him out of the flat was enough of a feat without tackling the subject of appropriate party attire when he was in a mood.

They could hear the music from the next street over and followed it to its source rather than checking the directions on Kim's phone. The front door was propped open with a half empty crate of cider which Kim crouched down and snatched a couple of cans from before entering the house, handing one to Ross and opening her own with a satisfying hiss of escaping air.

"To a good night." Kim said, holding her can up for Ross to clink his own against.

"To a good night." Ross parroted back as they made their way towards the kitchen.

The bass thumped as they wandered through a haze of half-drunk students. Some opted to make movements that could be called dancing while others made desperate attempts to get laid and Ross couldn't help but feel a bit out of place. Kim gave his hand a reassuring squeeze before she headed to grab them both a drink a little less offensive to their sober taste buds than the cheap cider, leaving Ross stood awkwardly alone.

Ross pulled his phone out of his pocket and leant against the wall, scrolling through Facebook and making a face at the amount of crap filling his timeline.

"Wooooooo" The shout was loud and right in front of him, flicking his eyes up from the screen he locked eyes with a man taller than himself by a couple of inches, blue eyes crinkled around the edges as he grinned. Making a gun gesture he proceeded to 'shoot' Ross with both hands in turn, winking and clicking his tongue before being pulled away by a shorter man with floppy hair that hung in front of one eye.

"Sorry!" The shorter of the two shouted over the music, in Ross' general direction before pulling his friend out of the room.

"Who was that?" Kim asked eyeing the blush covering Ross' face.

Ross shrugged and took the offered glass from his friend, sniffing at the dark liquid before taking a swig, rum and coke washing over his pallet. "Some drunk guy."

"Some hot, drunk guy." Kim shot back. "And coming on to you, no less."

Ross rolled his eyes. "He was pissed, probably couldn't even see straight."

This time it was Kim with the eye roll. "He was definitely checking you out."

**********

The night wore on, the measures of rum in Ross' glass getting bigger and bigger as his mind started to haze, a lazy smile settled onto his features as he stood talking to one of his classmates. He would occasionally catch sight of the two men from earlier but his mind was too foggy to notice the constant stares from the tall man.

Ross stumbled to the kitchen, tripping over the trailing legs of a couple who were making themselves a little too comfortable on the sofa, with their lips and limbs locked together. Using the wall for support, the dark haired man headed towards the counter to find another drink.

He found Kim standing on a chair, rifling around in one of the high cupboards with a look of concentration on her face. "What you looking for?" Ross asked, making the small woman jump and almost fall off the chair.

After shooting him a look for scaring her she answered, voice a little higher than usual. "Snacks, this place is seriously lacking in drunken munching food." She complained, slamming the cupboard door shut and jumping down with a little too much confidence.

Ross steadied her with hands on her shoulders as she tripped over her own feet and into his chest. "Where's the rum?" He asked, slurring his words ever so slightly, as she let out a mumbled apology.

As Kim opened her mouth to reply a familiar noise sounded through the kitchen.

"Woooooooo!"

Kim laughed and pushed Ross' shoulder so he would turn around and face the man from earlier who was once again 'shooting' him with his fingers and clicking his tongue.

"Smith!" The other man from earlier shouted, striding into the room. "Leave the poor guy alone, you twat!"

The taller man took a step towards Ross and leaned casually against the counter. "I don't think he wants me to, Trott." Smith called back to his friend who approached with a roll of his eyes. "Do you, gorgeous?" He asked, directing the question at Ross whose face heated up at the attention.

Kim snorted a laugh at the look on Ross' face, a mix of panic and interest. Kim rolled her eyes at her friend's lack of response, nudging the dark haired man with an elbow but he still didn't respond.

With a roll of her eyes, Kim picked up her half full glass and stepped forwards, linking her arm through the tall man's friends arm. "I'm Kim." She introduced herself. "And we are going to dance so I don't have to watch the painfully awkward flirting of my friend."

Trott laughed but nodded, placing a hand over Kim's at the crook of his elbow. "Yes ma'am!" He said with a toothy grin. "Don't scare him too much Smith." He shot at the taller man over his shoulder as he led Kim away.

Ross' eyes widened as he watched Kim walk away. The man shifted to stand in front of him, offering his hand. "Smith." He said with a lopsided smile that made Ross' heart speed up from the pure attractive cockiness of it.

"Ross." He answered, shaking the other man's hand briefly before reaching for his drink and downing the rest of it.

"I'm going outside to make out... care to join me?" Smith asked as his eyes bore into Ross'.

Ross snorted a laugh and couldn't find it in himself to be embarrassed by it when Smith's smile widened further, crinkles forming at the corner of his eyes. "Do lines like that usually work?"

The smile faltered slightly as the man shrugged and broke eye contact, seeming to have taken Ross' question as rejection.

Ross took a quick breath before speaking. "Is there a mirror in your pocket? Because I look great- wait, I said that wrong."

Smith's eyes snapped back to Ross' and the grin returned. "You're cute when you're flustered." He said leaning his hip against the counter next to him. "Can I put you on my to-do list?"

Ross laughed, shaking his head in mirth at the other man's lines. "That's a bit forward considering we just met isn't it?"

Smith shrugged. "You never know unless you try, Gorgeous." He replied before trying yet another line. "So, apart from being sexy, what do you do?"

Ross relaxed back against the counter and picked up his empty glass, frowning down at it for a moment before Smith reached out and took it from him to refill it. "I'm studying film, how about you?"

Smith sloshed a large measure of rum into Ross' glass and pulled another glass out of the cupboard to fill one for himself. "Media and PR." He answered as he splashed some coke into the glasses and pushed Ross' towards him.

Ross took a large gulp as Smith watched him, eyed roaming over the dark haired man in a way that made Ross' stomach clench into knots and heat flush all over his body. It had been a long time since someone had looked at him like that and he would be lying if he tried to deny that he didn't like the attention from the taller man.

"Can I borrow a kiss? I promise I'll give it back." Smith asked, his voice more serious than his previous flirting.

Ross wet his lips and smiled at the other man before he responded. "Kiss the hell out of me, please." Ross replied, reaching a hand out and wrapping his fingers around Smith's wrist to pull him closer.

Smith stumbled to the side but steadied himself with a hand on the counter, the toes of his shoes nudging Ross' as he shuffled in place for a moment. "With pleasure." The taller man muttered as his free hand found the back of Ross' neck and he leant forwards to press their lips together.

Credit to VexedBeverage on Archive Of Our Own