seaQuest DSV: Drunk (Lucas/Tony)

[coprime_writes]

Title: Drunk
Author: coprime
Fandom: seaQuest DSV
Pairing: Lucas/Tony
Rating / Word Count: PG / 906 words
Warnings: None.
Disclaimer: seaQuest DSV belongs to Universal, not me.
Summary: Lucas smiled when Tony exited the bar. Now that he'd gotten used to Tony's get-up, Lucas thought his friend looked...good.
Notes: Originally written for the Story Seed VI challenge in acropolis.

~Drunk~

Lucas had to work very hard at not snorting his beer through his nose when he saw Tony walk into the bar. He had a feeling alcohol there would burn and didn't want to find out empirically. But Tony looked absolutely ridiculous. He had on a long coat over a pinstripe suit with an old-fashioned hat perched on his head. Fifty years ago, that outfit might have had ladies swooning, but today....

Tony took a seat at the other end of the bar, and Lucas guessed that his roommate hadn't spotted him. Probably just as well since it wasn't technically legal for him to be drinking. Lucas watched Tony surreptitiously through his eyelashes while keeping his head down.

Tony ordered a shot of something dark and amber then downed it immediately. Lucas' grip around the neck of his bottle tightened as he watched Tony gulp the liquor. He almost missed the looks that the three men at one of the nearby tables were giving Tony: predatory and dangerous. He knew Tony could handle himself—the man was an ex-convict, after all—but it wouldn't look good on his record, and he didn't think Tony had noticed the men.

Lucas finished his beer and walked over to Tony. He smirked. "Nice outfit."

The brim of Tony's hat was tipped forward, obscuring his eyes, but Lucas could imagine the look being leveled at him just fine. "Name one place in the world that wearing a trench coat and a fedora don't make you look cool."

Ah, so the hat was a fedora. Good to know. "A goth vampire bar," Lucas answered, being as ludicrous as possible.

"Shut up. In case you hadn't noticed, this ain't a goth vampire bar."

Lucas wasn't drunk, but he braced one hand against the bar as he slid onto the stool next to Tony. "No. But you still don't look cool." If Tony thought he was drunk, then Tony would take him outside for some fresh air.

Sometimes Lucas even surprised himself with his genius. He leaned towards Tony and gave him a sloppy grin.

Tony eyed him suspiciously. "What's up with you?"

"Mm, nothing. Just can't see you very well with that hat on."

"How much have you had to drink?"

"Not much. Not enough." The truth, but Tony didn't know that "not much" only meant two beers.

"I did not come in here just so I could baby-sit," Tony muttered. Louder, he said, "I'm taking you back to the ship."

"Boat."

"Whatever."

Tony stood, so Lucas copied him. Lucas headed for the door while Tony paid up his tab. Lucas stumbled a bit as he crossed the threshold; maybe he was drunker than he thought. Outside, he shivered in the night air as he waited for Tony. The area was well-lit, and he felt strangely exposed. Lucas smiled when Tony exited the bar. Now that he'd gotten used to Tony's get-up, Lucas thought his friend looked...good.

Lucas slung his arm around Tony's shoulders. "So where'd you get those duds anyway?"

"From my granddaddy." Tony steered Lucas in the direction of the waterfront. "Decided to try them on then decided I wanted a drink."

"Ah."

They continued their walk in silence, which surprised Lucas because both of them liked to talk. But the silence was nice too. Tony generated enough heat to keep him warm, and the quiet was comforting instead of stifling. They left the streets to cut through a park. No one else was out at that time of night, so Lucas grabbed Tony's fedora and plopped it on his own head.

Tony chuckled. "Looks good on ya."

Lucas stopped walking. "Tonight...is a beautiful night. And you look beautiful in the moonlight." If he was supposed to be drunk, he might as well use it to his advantage.

"Thanks. I think." Tony reached over and adjusted the fedora. "Maybe you should keep the hat."

"I—I couldn't. It belonged to your grandfather, after all."

Tony shrugged. "I've got more than one. Now if you're done admiring me, could we get back to walking?"

"It would be my pleasure."

Lucas placed his arm around Tony for balance again, and Tony muttered something under his breath but made no move to dislodge Lucas' arm.

They made it to the seaQuest without any further interruptions. Lucas was more than a little glad that they didn't encounter anyone he knew—at least, no one he knew well—while boarding and wending through the tight corridors to their room. Lucas was first in the room and set his new fedora atop his computer. He climbed into his bunk—he still remembered the look on Tony's face when he won the top bunk during that first poker game—and then looked at Tony, who was removing his trench coat.

"Hey, Tony."

Tony turned. "What?"

"Come over here for a sec."

Tony took the half-step to the bunks. "What?"

Lucas leaned over the edge of the bunk and planted a kiss on Tony's forehead. "Thanks for taking care of me tonight."

In the momentary confusion that followed, Lucas turned on his side, back facing Tony, and pretended to fall instantly asleep. He'd meant to get pissed at the bar but was much happier with the way things had turned out instead. He smiled. Behind him, he could hear rustles as Tony stripped down to his underwear, which doubled as his pajamas.