I groaned as my phone rang, the sound of the ringtone piercing my half-asleep fog. I squinted at the screen, the brightness of it making me grimace.

It was Jayden, his name displayed in bold letters. What on earth could he want at this hour?

I considered just ignoring the call, rolling over and going back to sleep. But the fact that Jayden was calling me at all seemed unusual, so I picked up instead. "Hello?" I mumbled, my voice groggy with sleep.

"Hannah... Hannah, you there?" Jayden's voice was slurred, clearly he had been drinking. The realization sent a pang of worry through me.

"Yeah, I'm here. What's going on, Jayden? Are you okay?" I asked, struggling to fully wake up and focus on the conversation.

He let out a hiccup, a sound that did not reassure me at all. "I need you... I need you to pick me up," he said, his words somewhat garbled.

"Pick you up? Where are you?" I asked, sitting up in my bed, now fully alert. My mind was whirling with concern and confusion.

"At the club... the team's celebrating," he managed to slur out. "But I'm too drunk to drive... can you come get me? Please, Hannah."

The way he said my name - in that pleading, slightly desperate tone of voice - tugged at something deep within me. Hearing him say "please, Hannah" made my heart ache and my stomach churn in a strange mixture of concern and... something else I couldn't quite figure out yet.

My practical side told me this was a bad idea, but the way he was asking for my help was difficult to resist. "I'm on my way," I found myself saying, already throwing off the covers and getting out of bed.

"Thank you... thank you, Hannah," he repeated, his voice still thick with alcohol. I could hear the noise of the club in the background - music, laughter, and drunken chatter.

I rolled my eyes, a hint of annoyance mixing with my concern. "And for the love of god, don't do anything stupid. Not like I did last time," I added, remembering the disaster that was the previous party.

"I won't, I promise," he insisted, his voice earnest despite his drunken state. "I just... I just need you to get me out of here."

"I'm on my way," I repeated, ending the call and shoving my phone into the pocket of my jeans. I ran my hands through my messy hair, attempting to tame it into something presentable, before hurrying out the door.

The drive to the club was a blur, my mind swirling with scenarios of what I was about to encounter. Would he be a belligerent drunk? Would he even be recognizable?

As I pulled into the parking lot, I saw a group of people loitering outside the club, and among them, I recognized Jayden's tall figure.

I parked my car and stepped out, making my way over to him. He was leaning against the wall, his eyes half-closed, a grin stretching across his face as he spotted me. "Hannah," he slurred, stumbling forward a few steps before catching himself.

"Hey," I responded, putting an arm around his waist to support him. He was definitely drunk, his body warm and loose against mine. I tried not to think about how close we were or how good he smelled, despite the scent of alcohol surrounding him.

"You came," he mumbled, nuzzling his face into my hair. I could feel the heat of his breath on my neck, sending shivers down my spine.

"Yeah, I did. Come on, let's get you to the car," I urged, steering him towards my vehicle. He didn't protest, merely stumbled along beside me, his arm draped heavily across my shoulders.

It was a struggle to get him settled into the passenger seat, his limbs uncooperative in his drunken state. But finally, after a few awkward movements, he was buckled in, his head lolling back against the headrest.

I couldn't help but chuckle at the sight of him, he was so unlike the usual Jayden I knew, all smooth charm and confidence. Right now, he was more like an overgrown puppy, floppy and uncoordinated.

As I got into the driver's seat and started the car, he turned to look at me. His eyes were glassy and his cheeks flushed, but beneath the intoxication, there was a look of vulnerability that tugged at my heartstrings.

"Hannah..." he mumbled again, reaching a hand out to rest it on my arm. His touch was hot even through the fabric of my shirt, his fingers slightly calloused from years of playing football.

"Yeah?" I replied, shooting him a sidelong glance. My skin was tingling where his hand touched me, my heart beating just a bit faster than normal.

"I'm glad you came," he repeated, his voice softer now, the slurring not quite as pronounced. He was staring at me, and I could feel the weight of his gaze even as I tried to focus on the road.

As I navigated the dark streets, I glanced over at Jayden in the passenger seat, taking in his disheveled appearance and his unfocused gaze. The memory of him saving me from my own drunken foolhardiness at that previous party came to mind, and a pang of guilt washed through me.

"You know," I began, my voice soft, "you saved me last time, so I guess I owed you one for it."

He looked at me, his eyes slightly unfocused as he tried to process my words. Then a hint of a smile appeared on his face, his fingers tracing lazy patterns along my arm. "You don't owe me anything," he mumbled, his words slightly slurred.

"Yes, I do," I insisted, feeling a flicker of heat where his fingers were touching me. "And I'm repaying you now, by being your designated driver for the night."

He chuckled, a low, warm sound that reverberated through me. "You're the sweetest designated driver I've ever had," he teased, his voice still a bit thick with alcohol.

I huffed a laugh, trying to ignore the flutter in my stomach at his words. "I think you're just tipsy and don't know what you're saying," I retorted, my tone light despite my inner turmoil.

Finally, we arrived at Jayden's apartment. Getting him out of the car was a challenge, but we managed, with him leaning on me for support, his bodyweight heavy as we made our way towards the front door.

He fumbled with the keys, his hands uncoordinated in his drunken state. After a few attempts, he finally managed to unlock the door, and we stumbled into the dimly lit entryway.

As we entered his apartment, I couldn't help but marvel at the luxurious space. The living room was spacious and elegantly furnished, the couches made of buttery soft leather, the carpet beneath our feet thick and plush. A flat-screen TV was mounted on one wall, and a few framed photographs hung on the other walls, showcasing Jayden's athletic career.

He stumbled across the room with my help, his feet shuffling over the soft carpet, and sank down onto the couch beside me. He seemed exhausted now, the adrenaline of the party wearing off as the full effect of the alcohol hit him. His body pressed against mine, his warmth seeping into my side, his breaths slowing as his eyes began to droop.

I shifted into a more comfortable position, trying to support him as he sagged against me. His head was on my shoulder again, his hair tickling the side of my face. Despite the circumstances and the fact that he reeked of alcohol, there was something oddly comforting about having him this close.

He mumbled something unintelligible and shifted even closer, burying his face in the crook of my neck. I could feel his hot breath on my skin and the flutter of his eyelashes against my neck, sending a shiver down my spine.

"Jayden?" I mumbled, trying to get his attention. "We should get you to bed, you're falling asleep."

He grumbled something incoherent, his arms wrapping around my waist. "Don't wanna move," he mumbled, his voice slightly muffled against my skin.

I froze, his sudden embrace taking me completely by surprise. I could feel the heat radiating from him, the solidity of his body against mine. I tried to ignore the way my heart was racing, the fact that he was willingly holding me close in his drunken state.

"Jay... You're drunk," I managed to say, my voice coming out a bit breathless. I tried to push him back gently, but his arms around me tightened, his grip surprisingly strong.

"So?" he mumbled, his face still buried in my neck. "Doesn't mean... doesn't mean I can't hug you." His words were slurred, but I could hear the stubbornness behind them.

A few moments later, his body sagged even further, and I realized he had fallen asleep. His breath came out in soft, hot gusts against my skin, his entire weight now resting against me.

I quickly fumbled inside my pocket for my phone, careful not to jostle Jayden too much. I shot a quick, panicked text to Avery, explaining the situation. I could only imagine her reaction to hearing that Jayden was currently asleep on my shoulder, his lips inches from my neck.

Avery's response came through quickly, her message written in her typical blunt but concerned tone. 'WTF? You're over at his apartment with him sleeping on you??'

I took a moment to type back, my fingers flying over the keys. 'I know it seems crazy, but I just picked him up at the club. He was too drunk to drive home alone. And now he's passed out on me and I can't move.' I texted back.

There was a brief pause before Avery's response came through.

'Damn. You're stuck there until he wakes up.'

'Yeah, I know,' I replied, trying to tamp down the mixture of annoyance and something else I didn't want to acknowledge.

There was another moment of pause, and then my phone buzzed again. Avery was clearly enjoying this situation a bit more than I was.

'But at least you get to be all close and snuggly with him. 😉'

I rolled my eyes at her message, feeling my cheeks heat up. 'Shut up, it's not like that,' I typed back.

There was one last buzz from my phone, as Avery responded with another message. 'Sure, sure. Whatever you say. 😉 Enjoy the cuddles.'

I groaned inwardly, knowing she was never going to let me hear the end of this. But before I could reply, I felt Jayden shift slightly against me, mumbling something in his sleep.

I put my phone away and focused my attention back on him. He was still leaning heavily on me, his face pressed against my shoulder. His breath was warm and regular, hinting at a deep sleep. I shifted a bit on the couch, trying to find a more comfortable position without disturbing him too much.

His arms were still loosely looped around my waist, and I tried not to think about how intimate this position was. I sat there for what felt like hours, my mind racing. I was acutely aware of his every movement, every breath, my heart rate speeding up irrationally every time his lips brushed against my skin.

But gradually, as the minutes ticked by, the exhaustion of the night started to catch up with me. My eyelids began to droop, my head lolling back against the couch. I fought to stay awake, but the warmth and solidity of Jayden's body against mine, combined with my fatigue, was a difficult combination to resist.

Against my will, my mind began to grow hazy, and my eyelids grew heavier and heavier. The last thing I remember before succumbing to sleep was the solid warmth of Jayden's body against mine, his breath a soft, steady rhythm against my neck. And then, suddenly, I was asleep too.

@thatkidjayden: Just clinched the playoff win that lands us in the Super Bowl. It was a close one, but we pulled through. Shoutout to the team for their hustle. Let's bring that trophy home. #MoreToCome #SuperBowlBound
Liked by hannahkoo, nfl, and 4m others.

@user1: oh jd5 where do i start.

@user2: PRESSURE

@llamaday: YNs up right now

@user3: buns

@ricky.pearsall: Chosen