Work Text:
“Your boyfriend is a sloppy mess,” Whitney says, a bite of bitterness to her tone on the word 'boyfriend'. Ben looks up at her from his small table in the St Albert, giving her a raised eyebrow, surprised that she's even talking to him. It's been six months since the wedding fell apart and Ben and Callum had begun a relationship in the open and she can barely speak to either of them without making a snide remark.
Ben scans the crowd, leaning slightly to look around all the people in the bar. It's a Saturday night and the place is packed with people partying and having a good time and it doesn't take him long to spot Callum standing at the bar, swaying slightly. Callum had been drinking steadily all evening and not long ago he'd gotten up and announced he would get the next round and promptly disappeared. He's at the bar gesticulating wildly at two women who are clearly there together and looking at Callum with indulgent, amused smiles.
“He looks like he's having a good time,” Ben says with a smile as he lifts his own drink to his lips, eyes filled with amusement.
Whitney folds her arms across her chest and gives him a long, hard stare full of disapproval before stalking off.
Ben gets up and weaves his way through all the people, finally getting to the bar where Callum is standing with his cheeks rosy and flushed from the alcohol. Ben loves him like this; all loose and happy and problem-free.
“Ben! Benny. Big Ben,” Callum greets him loudly, arms thrown wide as Ben reaches him. Ben gets immediately pulled into a hug and lets out a huff of laughter as Callum's arms wrap around him, squeezing just a little too tightly. “This is Ben, my boyfriend.” Callum says at the two ladies at the bar he'd been talking with.
They both give him wide grins. “Your boyfriend is a cutie pie,” one of the women say to Ben.
“He's something,” Ben says, trying to unravel himself from Callum's vice-like embrace. The two women give him another smile before waving and leaving them alone.
“Bye lesbians,” Callum shouts after them and Ben feels like putting his head in his hands. He slowly disentangles himself from Callum's strong arms and leans back against the bar.
“You had enough to drink?” Ben asks as Callum pushes himself against Ben's front, crowding in close and looking down at him.
“You're so cute and short,” Callum comments. Ben rolls his eyes but still lets Callum kiss him. It's a messy, slightly uncoordinated kiss and Ben can taste Gin and something slightly tangy.
Ben pulls away, ignoring the huff on annoyance from Callum at being denied a longer kiss. “Think we should head home, yeah?” Ben suggests as he puts a steadying hand on Callum's shoulder whose body is leaning too far to one side.
Callum's glassy eyes widen and he shakes his head. “Nah, having a good time,” he says with an easy grin and leans in again to plant a wet kiss on Ben's cheek.
Ben looks across the bar, trying to work out how to manhandle Callum out of the place without him falling on top of anyone. He catches a brief glare of disapproval when his eyes pass by where Whitney is sitting but his attention is sharply brought back to Callum when he feels a hand cupping his crotch and fingers trying to unbutton his jeans. It startles a laugh out of Ben and he quickly pushes Callum's hands away, glancing to the other people in their vicinity to make sure no one has noticed.
“Callum, we're in the middle of the bar,” Ben says nervously as Callum's hands go to his crotch again, insistently trying to rub and undo his jeans. Ben desperately wants to let Callum continue doing what he's doing but he also doesn't want his mum to see him get wanked off in the middle of the bar she owns so he shoves Callum's hands away.
Callum's hands go to his thighs this time, squeezing. “I like your thighs and I really like your ass,” Callum states earnestly as his hands slide around to grab a handful of Ben's bum.
“Thanks, Gorgeous, but how about we go home and you can feel me up when we get there, yeah?” Ben reasons, grabbing Callum's arms and holding both of his wrists in his hands so his handsy boyfriend can't keep trying to get him excited.
Callum's shoulders slump and his body relaxes enough that Ben lets go off his wrists, cautiously keeping an eye on Callum in case he tries to go for his jeans again. This time Callum stares at him, eyes serious and earnest, like he's preparing himself to say or ask something that's taking a lot of effort. Ben swallows, a small part of his brain both hoping and not hoping that the first 'I love you' from Callum is going to happen. He doesn't want a drunken declaration but he's so needy he'd take it and let it keep him warm whenever he's feeling insecure.
“Why are there so many pigeons this year?” Callum finally asks and Ben frowns.
“Ya what?”
“Pigeons. They're everywhere, right? But seems there's more of 'em. Dya reckon they could ever evolve to start attacking humans?”
“What the flying fuck are you even on about?” Ben asks exasperatingly, smiling despite himself. Callum sighs and shakes his head, like Ben clearly doesn't understand the existential threat pigeons pose.
“Oh Christ,” Ben mutters as he notices his mum approaching. “Callum, try and act sober or tomorrow you will be really angry at embarrassing yaself, yeah?” Ben says quietly and then turns slightly as his mum approaches.
“You both alright?” Kathy asks, her gaze lingering on Callum who sways slightly where he stands, eyes glassy and cheeks flushed.
“Yeah, we're good. Packed out tonight, you must be happy,” Ben says, trying to get her attention away from Callum.
“Yeah, can't complain. You enjoying yourself, Callum?” she asks, redirecting her focus onto him.
Callum stares at her a moment, opens his mouth as if to say something but a pointed glance from Ben causes him to close his mouth and simply nod. Kathy smirks and with a last amused look at Callum she wanders off.
“I should have asked her about the pigeons,” Callum says after she's gone, looking regretful.
“Fucking hell, remind me to never get you drunk again,” Ben says as Callum wraps him in a bear hug and Ben finds his face pressed awkwardly against Callum's chest. He turns his head to the side so he can breathe as Callum cuddles him, one hand running up and down his back before grabbing a handful of his ass. Ben's body jerks in surprise and Callum let's out a pleased “Mmm” as he gives it a squeeze.
Ben pulls away and levels a look at Callum. “How about we go home and you can get as handsy with my body as you want.”
Callum gives him a hopeful smile. “Will you do that thing I like with your tongue?”
“Course,” Ben says, trying to gently push his boyfriend away so he can try and manoeuvrer him toward the door. Callum hauls Ben against his body again, this time to nuzzle into his hair, giving it an affectionate kiss. Ben swallows, still finding loving affection somewhat hard to deal with. Callum pulls away and slips his fingers into Ben's and Ben gently tugs him towards the door. It's made difficult by Callum swaying slightly every now and again and Ben is forced to wrap an arm around Callum's slim waist.
“Come on, ya idiot,” Ben grumbles as they make it over to the doors and out into the cool evening air, Callum stumbling slightly before bracing himself against the wall.
“I think I'm drunk,” Callum says, breathing in and out slowly.
“Ya think, do ya?” Ben asks with a grin, shoving his hands in his pockets.
Callum opens his mouth to say something, one hand braced against the wall. His mouth shuts and he snaps a look of horror at Ben before retching and bending over to be sick down the brick.
“You've never looked hotter,” Ben says dryly as Callum wipes his mouth with the back of his hand and stands up straight looking embarrassed.
“Sorry,” Callum mumbles, his voice still slurring slightly.
“I've seen worse but after watching you do that – we ain't shagging tonight when we get home,” Ben comments as they both smile at each other, eyes soft.
Ben wraps an arm around Callum's waist and they make the short walk back to Ben's place, Ben doing his best to keep Callum upright as he staggers in various directions.
. . . .
Callum groans and it's the fifth time in the last 15 minutes Ben notes as he sits up in bed, reaching for his phone from the bedside table before turning to look at Callum. His boyfriend is sprawled out on his front, cover thrown aside and his hair messily falling over his forehead. Ben gives an appreciative look at Callum's ass as he's only wearing thin boxer shorts before frowning when he remembers how tedious it was to get a drunken Callum out of his clothing the night before. Definitely not something he would want to repeat often.
Callum groans. Again. And his eyes are squeezed shut against the sunlight coming in from the window around the curtains.
“Stop being a drama queen,” Ben says is he throws one arm over his head and starts flicking through things on his phone.
“It hurts,” Callum snaps, still not opening his eyes. “My head.”
“S'like you've never had a hangover before. There's some water next to ya, get that down you and you'll feel fine,” Ben says, knowing full well Callum will take a while to get over his hangover. Callum rarely drinks to the extent he had the night before. It's normally Ben that wakes with a banging hangover and Callum tutting and fussing over him whilst casting him judgemental looks.
Callum slowly and with a lot of effort opens his eye lids a slither, peering at Ben who smirks and moves his hand down to ruffle Callum's hair. “You look cute hungover.”
Callum swats his hand away before slamming his eyes shut and letting out another long, loud groan of pain.
“I think I prefer you drunk. Ya know you tried to give me a handjob in the middle of the bar last night?” Ben says, waggling his eyebrows when Callum's eyes open to glare at him.
“Shut up, you're being annoying,” Callum grunts out as he rolls over to his back, elbows and knees digging into Ben painfully in the small double bed.
“So I guess a quickie before breakfast is out of the question?” Ben asks cheekily, patting Callum's chest and rubbing a thumb over one of his nipples. Callum pushes his hand away and rolls back over to his front without saying anything.
“I can work with this,” Ben says with a small chuckle and he gives Callum's ass a quick smack.
“Go away,” Callum mumbles into the bed, shifting his body away from Ben.
Ben leans over to one of Callum's ears. “How about I get you a bacon sandwich,” Ben suggests teasingly.
Ben can see the whole body shudder that comes from Callum at the thought of food and Ben touches his fingers softly to the nape of his neck, letting out his own soft sigh as he feels the warm skin under his touch.
“Come here, ya big tree,” Ben finally says as he scoots down the bed so he's lying flat, arms open in invitation. He expects Callum to ignore him or at least need some persuading but it highlights just how pathetic his boyfriend is feeling that Callum immediately heaves himself over the bed so a leg and arm are thrown over Ben's body and his head is tucked under Ben's chin, resting on his chest. He lets out a content sigh and Ben rubs his back soothingly, feeling slightly bad that he likes Callum soft and needy.
“I'm never drinking again,” Callum mumbles into Ben's chest.
“That's what they all say,” Ben sing-songs as he presses a kiss into Callum's hair and holds back a whispered 'I love you.'