#i am SCANDALIZED (by how much fun I'm having with these prompts) 😂

[beck-a-leck]

Lmao for the Crack writing prompt, I'm thinking "meeting at a party whilst drunk au" with Duke x Doug from FoMT :)

This idea is CURSED and I love it so much! I hope you enjoy a little "What Happens At The Food and Wine Conference Stays At The Food and Wine Conference" because we all know booze and hotels and strangers you barely know are a Bad Combination!

🦀🦀🦀

Doug had mixed feelings about conferences and trade shows. On one hand, great networking opportunity in the food and hospitality business. On the other hand, it was kind of expensive and about two days too long, and being an innkeeper himself he couldn't stop critiquing everything the host hotel was doing. Another pro, he got a room and a king-sized bed all to himself for four whole nights, and considering Ann was in the stage where she only wanted to sleep wedged between her parents and somehow her smelly little feet always ended up in Doug's face come 3AM, he was enjoying the quiet nights to himself. Another con, he missed his wife and daughter, stinky toddler feet and all.

Tonight, at least, was the last night. All conference attendees were invited to the farewell dinner/mixer in the hotel ballroom, and since the food was free and there was an open bar, the good majority of them were partaking. Folks mingled and chatted and drank, and there was even some music for dancing, though nobody seemed particularly enthused about that after a long weekend of wine tastings and heavy food samplings. Doug had managed to grab a seat at the bar after dinner, and he intended on staying there until he decided it was time to turn in for the night.

He nursed a couple drinks and made small talk with the bartenders, other patrons who sidled up to place an order, said goodbyes to the few acquaintances he'd made over the weekend.

At some point, he struck up conversation with one of the other barflies, and they quickly found they had rather a lot in common. Both married, both had young daughters. Duke owned a winery in a small town that sounded like the perfect kind of place Doug wanted to live some day.

Right now he was the franchise owner of a national chain of hotels -- not terrible work, it kept his family comfortable, but he longed for something a little more intimate in the future, like a small inn or a bed and breakfast. Someplace he could really get to know his clients and get to stretch his culinary muscles rather than just running around putting out management fires all day.

They talked and they drank, and Doug lingered long after he told himself he'd call it a night and go to bed. Duke drank quite a lot, but Doug was no slouch either, they matched drink for drink, even as a vintner complained about the cheap booze.

He grimaced exaggeratedly as they both downed a shot of gin. "Ugh, that burns, horrible cheap crap."

Dough laughed, slugging him gently on the shoulder, "Then why do you keep drinking it?"

"Well, it might be terrible, but it's free!"

And Doug couldn't argue with that logic. Free booze was free booze.

They drank together at the bar, swapping stories and making ridiculous toasts, and tipping the bartenders generously until the party wound down and all the remaining conference stragglers were chased out of the ball room. They didn't have to go to their rooms, but they couldn't stay there either.

Duke and Doug stumbled to an elevator together, with their arms around each others' shoulders, both holding the other upright. By coincidence, they were on the same floor, but Duke's room was closer to the elevator.

"Come in for a minute for a night cap," he slurred as he fumbled for his room key. "I've got some of my wine with me. Wanna get your opinion."

Dough snorted a laugh, but stumbled into the hotel room. "Don't know how good my opinion will be after all that crap gin."

"This'll be like ambrosia after that." Duke uncorked a bottle and tipped the contents messily into paper coffee cups.

Doug tried to make an honest effort of tasting the wine properly, but he couldn't exactly get a good sense of the bouquet from a paper cup, and his brain was very fuzzy. Still, drunk as he was, he knew a good wine when he tasted one.

Duke grinned leaned in and refilled Doug's cup. "I knew you were a man of discerning tastes."

He looked up, and both men realized how close they were, close enough to smell the good wine and cheap booze on their breath. Without thinking, Doug closed the gap, placing a hesitant kiss on Duke's lips.

Duke didn't pull back like he expected. Instead, he leaned into the kiss. Doug had to be the one to break it off and pull back.

"Wait! I'm married."

"So am I."

"I have a daughter!"

"So do I."

"I... we shouldn't..." Doug protested weakly, setting his wine on the bedside table. He did not stand up and leave, even if he knew he should.

"Hey," Duke said lowly, leaning in once more, "What happens in Vegas..."

And Doug gave in, leaning into an enthusiastic kiss once more.

What harm could come from one night? It wasn't like he'd ever see this man again after this.