The F5 (Fraternal Five)

Soft Hours

"Please don't leave me, Hin. I'm begging you, I'll be good, I'll be a good boy ...." Tay wails dramatically to New's knees he's been hugging since he's out of it.

New smiles looking down, his boyfriend's drunk words unconsciously stab where it hurts. "I'm not going anywhere, Te." Not now, anyway, he thinks sadly.

"I miss you, Hin. You rarely have time for me ...."

"I'm sorry, yeah? It's assignment week."

"Alexa. Alexa! How to be assignment? There's no Tay week, ah why ... I'm so jealous ...."

"He's cute drunk." Beside New, Gun looks over, as Off clings to his side like an oversized koala.

Not taking his eyes off of Tay, New says chuckling, "Nah, he's cute anytime. He just likes to trick himself into believing that I'm the cute one."

Gun turns to New, sporting a genuine smile. "But you're cute, too, P'New. Honest."

"Aww, thank you!"

"Do I hear you calling other guy cute? Hm, Teacup?"

"Don't mind it, Papii." Gun turns his attention back to his boyfriend.

"Okay ... but, can you please just not go tomorrow? And not push yourself too hard, for a change? I hate it! Please just listen to me for once!"

Gun pets Off, whispering comforting words without agreeing to anything.

"Your guy's pretty adorable, too, no?" New raises an eyebrow playfully at Gun.

"Nah, he's a nag even when he's drunk." Gun chuckles fondly. "Papii, stop whining."

"Nooo why? It's you who should stop exerting yourself! Ah seriously Teacup you worry me to death!" New chuckles as Off just unconsciously supports Gun's point.

"Wow. Why's so gloomy in here?" Earth comes over to check on the two drunks. Wincing a little at their nonstop whine, he looks up at New and Gun. "You're good, I must admit."

"At drinking, or making them simps?" From the other side of the bed, Bright sneers, half sober.

"At putting up with the endless nagging." Lying on the floor just beside the bed, Win giggles.

"I'm simp for you too, Nong Win. In case you're wondering."

"Am not." Win turns him down flatly.

"You don't look too bad either." New raises his glass at Earth, smirking. "C'mon, we have yet to have a winner."

They clink glasses and down the drink in one go.

"I'm in! What's the prize?" Krist shouts from the sofa. He sounds just one glass away from wasted, though.

"Why would you care? You certainly won't be the one to get it." Bright turns to sneer at him.

"Neither do you, simp!" Krist fires back.

"Nong Gun, you in?" Earth smirks at Gun, hand already pouring his and Gun's glasses another round of neat whiskey.

"Hey, hey! Hit on your own boyfriend!" Off complains, hand swatting aimlessly.

Gun lowers Off's hand and scolds, "Pii, behave! No one's hitting on yours."

Off pouts, but complying nonetheless.

"Whoa. Remind me to never get into your bad books, Nong Gun." Earth shudders witnessing the whole scene. "Off Jumpol doesn't listen to anyone. Ever."

"Well he hasn't met me." Gun smiles cheekily.

"Cheers to that." Gun and Earth toast and empty their glass. Earth blinks several times and says, "Okay, I should probably go check on Mix."

"Where's he?"

"Downstairs cooking instant noodles."

"What!" New gets up abruptly, shoving his poor boyfriend in the process. "I'll be right back." He says, already halfway to the door.

"P'New! I want the spiciest one!" Gun calls out, getting up.

"Let's take this to the kitchen, shall we?" Earth helps an abandoned Tay to the bed, turning to the rest. "Anyone else coming?"

"Me! Me!" Krist holds up his hand waiting to be pulled.

Gun chuckles pulling him up. "Bai? Nong Win?"

Bai snores in answer. Win gets up slowly and helps Krist going down the stairs as Gun finally turns to a sulking Off.

"You won't ask me?" Off pouts.

"Aw, I thought you're coming, no?"

"Do you even want me to?"

"Aww, look who's sulking. Gun's Papii." Gun coos. "Of course I want you to come, I'm here to see you, after all."

Off scowls, hiding his grin. "I only go to keep everyone at bay, though. I'll talk to no one, but you."

"Huh, but why?"

"Because they get on my nerves."

"No one's coming at you but, whatever makes you happy, I guess." Gun chuckles, holding out his hand. "Shall we?"

Off accepts the hand, grinning like a kid.

*

"Whoa, Nong Gun. What's that dark presence behind your back?" New teases as Off and Gun arrive last. Beside him, Mix's busy pouring noodles to everyone's bowl. Earth fetches a bottle of soju from the fridge, as Krist and Win sit across of New laughing about something.

Off glares at New wordlessly.

Gun climbs up the high chair beside Win, as Off claims the seat next to him. "Don't mind Papii, he's done talking for the night."

"Aw, then what is he doing here, still?" New pauses, then adds, "Actually, no need to answer that. It's to scare us away, right?"

"Mm, you could say that." Gun nods smiling,
suppressing small giggle at how silly that sounds.

New turns to Off. "Well, hate to break it to you Off but it's more likely your eyes could no longer close properly with all the glaring, before people stop hitting on Nong Gun." He shrugs. "Just saying."

Off's eyes nearly pop out of his head at New's mocking, and Gun, Krist, and Win all burst out laughing.

Mix looks up at the commotion and for the first time sees the drink Earth ever so innocently distributes to everyone. "Earth!"

Earth grins at his boyfriend. "Yes?"

Mix glares at Earth without saying anything.

"Okay, okay. I'll stop drinking—after this last bottle." He winks cheekily.

Mix stays menacingly silent.

"Ai Mix? It'll be a waste otherwise, no? C'mon, one last toast?" Earth raises his glass at Mix with an innocent smile.

"Did you seriously just offer me a toast?"

"Hehe ...." Earth lowers his glass, giving in eventually. "Because I know you'd still pap pap me even when you're mad."

"What's 'pap pap'?" Gun asks.

"It's like pupu but harder, stronger, and, err—"

"It's the sound of me beating his back until he throws up all the alcohol he drank." Mix cuts in flatly and ends it with a cold smile.

"Whoa, hey, what??" Krist shudders. "You're scaring me, nong!"

"Have you ever thought of just letting him suffer in his hangover state? Less work for you." New smirks, eyes motioning upstairs where he left his drunk ass boyfriend to an impending headache.

"Hoi! P'New! That face's borderline psycho!" Krist shouts, shaking New (hopefully) back to his perfect guy self.

"Aw, but you just said he's cute and everything, P'New."

"Meh." New shrugs. "Too bad, it's past soft hours."

"I see ... then, Papii, move!" Gun abruptly shakes Off off.

Off's look of betrayal has Win falling off his chair laughing.