#crusingthroughreality

In theory, The Den had quiet hours, but when he read it in the reservation Erica forwarded to him, he assumed it was the same kind of quiet hours from his freshman dorm. As in, not quiet at all. 

But when the three of them got home from closing down the last bar open in Seattle, tracking snow in after them, the host up front quietly requested they take their boots off and shut the fuck up. 

“You’re welcome to talk quietly in the common area downstairs, but if you head up to the dorms, please wind down.” 

Erica, super drunk, nodded heartily. “Winding down. We can’t have sex! Did you know that? I read that in the pamphlet! Who planned a vacation where we couldn’t have sex?”

Boyd wrapped his arms around her and started shuffling towards the elevator. “You did, Erica. Ize, you coming up?” 

He shook his head and pointed towards the common area, “I wanna see if they still have those fucking brownies.” 

“You absolute dumbass, we were just at McDonalds.” 

The staff person shushed them. In the lobby the only lights on were tiny lights along the floor, like on an airplane, but back in the common area, there was soft lamplight, illuminating that the plate of fucking brownies was empty except for crumbs, and a dude at the table was staring at a laptop, holding the last brownie. 

He and his friend were in the lobby when the three of them checked in. Isaac was on the phone with his advisor from the time they walked in until he had to literally shout, “I don’t have database access in this fucking bar, Hector,” and hang up on him. Still, he split his attention enough to watch Boyd nod politely while this guy’s friend told him that the two of them were in from Davis! For a wedding! It was kind of complicated for whom, but yeah! Oh you have to go! Okay! Hey we should all meet up later!

When Boyd repeated the interaction on the walk to the bar, while Isaac was still on the phone, Erica squawked and smacked Boyd in the arm for thwarting their chance at hostel friends. 

When Isaac stepped up the table, the guy looked up and turns his hand so the brownie was held out like an offering. Isaac was just drunk enough to grab for it, and the guy pulled it out of reach.

“Hey, fuck you,” Isaac said. 

“Hi,” the guy said, “I’m Stiles. I will give you this brownie if you promise to not be stupid loud, and tell your boyfriend and girlfriend to shut the fuck up if they come back, okay?” 

Isaac sat down heavily and took the brownie. “They’re not mine. They’re theirs.” 

Stiles nodded grimly. “Bummer times.”

“Are you working right now?” 

“I am! Yes!”

“It’s three in the morning.” 

Stiles waved one hand and type in the other. “Not in Toyko my friend. And since my boss never progressed past egocentric thinking, it’s time for me to work too.” 

“Bummer times,” Isaac repeated, taking a bite of his brownie. “Where’s your friend?” 

“He ended up at his mom’s hotel. Fine with me, I have work to do.” Stiles said, “Hey, can you not sit directly across for me?”

Being drunk meant that it was much easier for Isaac to start a fight, so he was careful, when he said, “Why?”

“Um,” Stiles said, “because you are ridiculously fucking pretty and it is incredibly distracting.” 

Being drunk also meant that it was much easier for him to start other shit too.

He sat up straight and blinkled slowly. He let his mouth fall open a little and ran his fingers through his hair. “Me?” he asked quietly, “you think I’m pretty?” 

Stiles closed his laptop. “I don’t suppose you could put a bag over your head?” 

“I dont’t see how that would help. You see I have these shoulders and my ass”

“We have a private room. I don’t think Scott is coming back.” 

“We should go there so I can distract you in private, then.”