Chapter Text
Jolting up with a shout, all Arin felt was a lingering sense of fear. He quickly took note of his surroundings with careful eyes, his muscles becoming slightly less tense when he realized he was in the grump space. He ran a hand through his hair and let out a shaky breath, closing his eyes. Images of the recent nightmare flashed in the darkness behind his lids, and he snapped them back open as his breathing got more labored. He must have fallen asleep while working last night, and to his luck it was on his back. He always had nightmares when he slept on his back. He stood up to flip on the light, grabbing his phone and putting his laptop in his bag to go home, but upon seeing the clock on his phone said 3:36am, he resigned that idea as Suzy didn't like her sleep being interrupted. He pulled open a new message to Dan, him being the only one Arin could imagine would be awake at this time, and typed out a brief explanation that he'd fallen asleep at the office, and asked if he could maybe come over since Barry was out of town and they could just play video games all night. He put his phone in his pocket and headed out to his car to put his bag away. His phone buzzed as he was getting in the driver's seat, a response from Dan.
Dan: Of course dude! I can't sleep anyway so I'm kind of really happy you texted me the door's unlocked when you're here buddy.
Arin smirked and started his car to head to Dan's. Based on those typos, Dan was probably actually quite tired, but ignoring impending sleep deprivation to hang out. Either way, Arin was grateful.
- - -
Arin closed the front door behind him and called out to Dan to say he was here. A muffled response came from the back of the apartment, most likely his bedroom, so Arin headed back there and saw the door shut. That's unusual, he thought, and gave a precautionary knock just in case.
"C'min, close the door quick though," Dan slurred from inside. Arin's worry for his best friend grew larger, and only increased as he closed the door behind him and was greeted by the sight of Dan sprawled haphazardly across the bed with two empty bottles of whiskey next to him, and a strong smell he swore he recognized.
"Dan... What the hell is going on?"
Dan's head rolled to the side to look toward the door, glazed over eyes meeting Arin's concerned gaze.
"Heeey, Big Cat! Nothin's goin' on, w... why're ya here, anyways?" He slurred, giggling as a small hiccup escaped his throat.
Arin had set his bag down and gone to stand next to the bed, grabbing Dan's extended hands and helping him sit up. "You told me to come over," he said and side eyed the glass pipe and plastic bag on the desk next to Dan's bed.
"I thought you'd quit, Danny."
He was met with a laugh and a smile from the man struggling to stay upright on the bed. "I did. And then I didn't. The... so, so many lovelies give me it, I always'd tell 'em that I'll give it 'way but I ended up just throwin' it all in a drawer and forgettin' 'bout it. An' I had a bad day a couple weeks ago an' said fuck it."
As he spoke, Arin sat down next to him and felt his head. He was burning, and Arin assumed it was due to the amount of alcohol in his system.
Dan stopped babbling to grab Arin's hand and bring it back to his face. "Don' move it, feels nice. 'S cold." He nuzzled his cheek into Arin's palm and smiled, closing his eyes.
"Look at me, Dan."
Dan pried his eyes open, looking into his best friend's, and finally noticed the concern lacing his featured. "'S wrong, Ar? You look worried. 'M fine."
"You're fine?!" He pulled his hand from Dan's cheek despite the resulting complaint, and gestured to the bottles. "Dan, two bottles of whiskey? How are you even conscious right now? And I have no idea how much you smoked, but it couldn't have been a small amount. I don't care that you're smoking again, but don't give me that 'I'm okay' bullshit. What the fuck is going on?" He was nearly yelling at that point, fed up with Dan hiding something.
Dan looked taken aback and slightly nervous, it wasn't often that Arin actually yelled. "N-nothing, Arin. 'S really nothing. I'm fine."
"No, it's not, and you aren't! Why are you lying to me?"
"I'm not lying, I'm fine!"
They were both yelling now, and Dan stood up in frustration. Arin followed, trying to get a hold on the situation and making sure Dan didn't hurt himself in his current state.
"Please Dan, just tell me! I'm your best friend, you can tell me anything-" Arin tried to say, but Dan cut him off.
"You're the last fucking person I could tell, Arin!"
Arin stopped, unable to hide the hurt he felt at the comment. His bruised feelings quickly turned back into fury though, and he threw his hands up and shouted back.
"What the hell is that supposed to mean?! I'm the first person you go to for everything! I know everything about you, what the fuck couldn't you tell me?"
"I just can't tell you! It's fucking fine!" Dan's face was red, the color seeping down to his neck and shoulders, and he looked to be on the verge of crying. At the moment though, Arin couldn't care less, and he couldn't deal with Dan's shit right now.
"Just fucking talk to me! Tell me why you're drunk, why you're high! Tell me what you're so fucked up over!"
"No, Arin."
"Dan!" Arin grabbed his wrist and jerked him straight to look at him, rage controlling his actions fully at this point, and glared at his best friend as he flinched at the pressure of Arin's hand on his forearm.
Dan's eyes were misty, his chest heaving with every labored breath, and he was shaking as his fists clenched. He looked Arin directly in the eyes and took a deep breath, grimacing and growling out a sharp "fine" before jerking his arm from Arin's grip.
Arin stood waiting, trying to calm down as Dan ran a hand back through his hair and looked up at the ceiling, sighing before his gaze found it's way back to lock eyes again.
"You asked for this."
Arin's eyes widened when Dan's hands found either side of his head, but he didn't have enough time to react before Dan's lips pressed against his own and his mind ran blank.
It didn't last that long, and after maybe ten seconds Dan had pulled back and rested his head on Arin's shoulder. Arin was still shocked, and barely heard Dan mumble something against his shirt.
"Please don't make me regret that."