There were at least forty people in the house, all crammed together sharing loud music and copious amounts of booze. Craig’s mother dipped out quickly, knowing that by the looks of it, there would be no peaceful sleeping for the sober. This many alphas, betas and omegas all in the same place was like a breeding ground and there no doubt would be several rooms occupied by the end of the night.

Craig was engulfed in hugs; friends and friends of friends, pressing drinks into his hand and convincing him to down far more alcohol than he should have. Within two hours he was crammed in the living room, dancing and swaying with friends he hadn’t spoken to in forever.

The first time he ran into Tyler, the world was already spinning. “Holy shit you’ve grown!” he’d gasped as he fell right against the man. Taller. Broad shoulders. Muscles and facial hair. His scent was even more intoxicating. He smiled goofily up at his best friend who wore confliction across his face. “I’ve missed youuu,” he cooed, ignoring the two Irish idiots snickering on the side.

“You haven’t texted in a year.” Blunt response. A voice Craig had missed for two whole years and he managed to block out the scent of distrust.

“I got- I got so busy,” he slurred, giggling to himself at how ridiculous his voice sounded while so drunk. He pressed in closer to his best friend, cheek to his shoulder as he beamed up at the man who he’d known since he was only a boy. “And you got a girlfriend!” he accused, jabbing a finger to his chest and laughing at the shocked look in Tyler’s eyes. “Got all… jealous th’t she had all your tiiiime. What was she? Omega?”

“We broke up a few months ago.” Tyler’s voice sounded so far away as Craig tugged on his hands, leading him to the crowd of drunken dancers.

“Oh good!” In the back of his mind, he told himself that perhaps he sounded a little too cheerful about that fact. “Dance, dance, dance,” he sung, swinging himself back and forth as Tyler followed, hands in his.

“You’re hammered,” Tyler told him, slinging an arm around his back to stop the floor from rushing up to meet him. Craig only laughed, throwing his own arms around Tyler’s shoulders and hugging him close. “Absolutely smashed,” he muttered and Craig didn’t let the older man look away.

Despite seeing four eyes instead of two it didn’t change how bright and blue they were. How bright and blue they always had been. They flickered with joy, rolling with a kind of affection and care that no one else noticed in the hardened lines of Tyler’s face. Craig noticed. Craig always noticed.

“When you smile like that I wanna kiss you!” The words rolled out of his mouth without him even realising it and he found himself spinning in an awkward circle in search for who would have spoken the words. When his eyes returned to Tyler there was a different look in his eyes.

One of surprise, disbelief, a smidgen of concern and fear and perhaps something that the intoxication didn’t let him read to clearly.

Then the hands in his were pulling and Craig was helplessly following his best friend out of the room and into the empty hallway. “You want to kiss me?” Tyler asked, voice still but unreadable.

Craig giggled, nodding as he asked: “Did I say that?” At Tyler’s unimpressed look he tripped forward and found himself pressing Tyler to the wall. “Every time I kissed Charlie I pretended I was kissin’ you!” he exclaimed, childish glee swelling in his chest at the smile that lifted Tyler’s lips.

“You sure it ain’t the alcohol talking?”

“The alcohol isn’t making me hard,” he uttered, cheek falling to Tyler’s chest again as he giggled up at the man. The red blush that prickled his face and shoulders was a beautiful look on the man and he settled his hands over Tyler’s.

“You’re crazy.” The laugh was a breathless one and Craig couldn’t not fall a little bit more in love.

“Crazy for youu,” he cooed, giggling as he squeezed the hands under his. “D’you remember where my bedroom is?” he asked, seeking out those beautiful eyes once more.

Tyler didn’t wait any longer, “Do you?” winding his fingers through the drunken Brit’s and leading him down the hall. “C’mon, focus on climbing the steps for me.”

“I’ll focus on- on climbing you.” Craig giggled as he went, stumbling on every second step and pushing Tyler through his door. He attempted a sexy climb but stumbled, falling on his back on the mattress instead and cackling up at the man who shook his head above him. “C’mere!” he exclaimed.

“I think you’re far too drunk to make any smart decisions right now,” Tyler chuckled, taking a seat beside the hysterical beta who was rolling around on his own bed for the first time in two years.

Craig’s smile was broad, pushing awkwardly up to sit. “Not too drunk for a kiss!”

Tyler shook his head. “You sure it ain’t the alcohol talking?” he asked, not shrugging off the hand that Craig trailed up his bicep. He tilted his head, smiling sweetly as he dropped his eyes to the little smile on Tyler’s lips.

“Kiss me, please?” he asked, nibbling on his bottom lip.

Tyler shook his head, a laugh following the roll of his eyes before he leaned into the hand pressed to his cheek. “If it’ll make you shut up,” he joked, before finally dropping to press his smiling lips to the grin on Craig’s face.

Almost instantly, Craig’s hands were gripping his shoulders like if he let go, he’d lose everything in the moment between them. He hooked an ankle around Tyler’s thigh, pulling him close as he leaned back into the mattress. He keened as Tyler followed, mouth fit against Craig’s like it was his only source of oxygen and his hand on Craig’s cheek made him even dizzier than the alcohol.

The mattress shifted, weight pressing in over Craig and he spread his legs to make room for Tyler’s body atop his. Hands on his those broad shoulders slid up the side of his neck, fingers tangling in his hair and tugging as he slid his foot ankle up the backside of Tyler’s leg. “Tyler,” he gasped as their mouths parted for a half-hearted inhale and he giggled as kisses trailed across his cheeks and jaw.

He managed to get both legs hooked over Tyler’s hips, pulling him closer to settle deep between his thighs. With a needy rock of the hips, he was sparking in his gut and feeling Tyler’s low hum against the column of his neck.

“You’re so drunk,” Tyler laughed, the words mouthed against Craig’s jaw as he pulled Tyler’s bottom lip between his teeth, bucking his hips up and moaning breathily against Tyler’s tongue. “God, fuck me,” he sighed, sealing their mouths together and grinding his hips down hard and heavy.

Craig giggled, dropping hands to fumble at Tyler’s crotch. One hand cupping his arousal which he gleefully found hardening beneath that denim. “I was actually- actually thinking about doin’ this the other way ‘round,” he giggled, too lazy to even pull away from Tyler’s mouth to speak. “You can knot me if you’re good enough.”

Tyler snorted, pulling away to laugh. “No way, not while you’re this drunk,” he told the man, not stopping as Craig yanked off his shirt. “I’ll knot you if you still want me to when you’re sober,” he promised, mouthing down Craig’s throat.

Craig grinned, running his hands over the packed muscles of Tyler’s chest. “I’ve dreamt about you knottin’ me for years,” he purred, catching the way the alpha’s breath hitched against his collarbone.

“Sober,” he promised, Craig laughing at the growl edging his voice. “Now get your pants off so I can mark up your thighs,” he commanded and Craig laughed, biting back an eager whine.