"Jesus, Den! Move your legs a bit!" Lonny laughed as he and Dennis stumbled up the stairs. He could already tell this would be one of those nights they wouldn't remember and it was all Lonny's doing. He'd been watching Dennis all week; they'd been so busy, everything was going wrong, customers had been worse than usual and the talent was horrible to say the least. The entire staff was stressed and exhausted, but by Friday Lonny finally picked himself up and pulled a few rule breaking strings, convincing the rest of the staff to take it easy and have a few drinks while Dennis wasn't looking.
Jimmy was the first, followed by Drew, Sherrie, Chico and by the end of the night everyone was happily drunk, but Dennis. He came down, ready to fire everyone down there with a drop of alcohol in their system, but Lonny made a hasty comeback with a bottle of bourbon and a few of Dennis' favourite songs, courtesy of the night's band.

Once everyone left, Lonny got Dennis up from the bar, nearly breaking his back in the process and helped him up the stairs to his office.
"Lonny, Zeppelin!" Dennis slurred and they wobbled at the top of the stairs like two drunken sailors. He was like a sack of flour and Lonny fell against the wall in an attempt to reach Dennis' pants pocket. "The keys, Den! First I need the keys!" He laughed and tried to stop Dennis' hand from crushing his collarbone. They tumbled into the office and Lonny helped Dennis to the couch, making sure that he was gonna stay there and pushing all the old newspapers on the seat cushions to the floor. "There, now just stay!" Lonny laughed and rummaged through the stack of records for Dennis' favourite album: Led Zeppelin II.
He always listened to that one when he was drunk… and when he was sober, and when he was happy and sad and anything in between. Even Lonny had now heard it so many times that he knew every single skip of the old vinyl.
He loved seeing Dennis listen to his favourite music. He wasn't like ordinary people who know their favourite songs so well that they have to sing along. It was as if every time he heard each song, it was a new experience. He closed his eyes with his head back and smiled. You'd think he was actually visualizing it as his heels tapped on the ground to the music filled with memories and emotions. Memories of Woodstock from the grooves, of good times from the wailing guitar solos, of love from the lyrics. At least that's what Lonny thought when he looked at him.

The last song came to an end and the hum from the record player filled the room. This was when Dennis was his happiest. Lonny could see it in his foggy eyes. There was absolutely nothing on his mind. No taxes, no maddening customers, just-

"Lonny," Dennis waved a half empty bottle in front of him, "flip it over?"

"Right," Lonny nodded and got up to flip the record and music filled the room again as Dennis let out a satisfied sigh.

The night went on, just the two of them listening until the music ran out and Lonny got up on his wobbly feet and flipped the record over once more. "The last song on this side," Dennis put his empty bottle on the coffee table and leaned back with his eyes closed and sang the first tine under his breath, "If the sun refused to shine…"

Lonny looked up at him, his heart pounding up to his throat.

Jesus, he even sounds good drunk, Lonny thought.

He swallowed and opened his mouth, "I would still b-be loving you." He finished timidly with a small smile. Dennis opened his eyes and stared at the ceiling. "That song played at my wedding," he laughed and rubbed his eyes gingerly with one hand.

Smile gone.

Ouch…

"Is that right?" Lonny almost rolled his eyes at this late night reminiscence. He hated hearing about Dennis' past relationships, especially the one about his ex-wife who he met at Woodstock, married in the next four years and then divorced two years later. It made his stomach churn just thinking about it. He sat through the stories in silent agony, but he could never stop the jealousy from rattling around in his head. He'd never met her, but he could tell from the way Dennis talked about her that she was a snake. All he ever did was make her happy and she ever did was cost him money. Dennis didn't deserve that.

"You know, Lonny," Dennis chuckled and shook his head, "I don't remember loving her."

Lonny's hand slipped on the needle and he swore loudly as the record slipped out of his hand. "Well, you had to, didn't you? You married her." He said flatly, trying to keep his anger in check.

"It wasn't because I loved her," Dennis' voice got lower and less cheerful, "that's what you do. You find the girl, marry her, live happily ever after."

Oh, how their take on that differed. Lonny probably would've laughed if anyone else had said that.

"Not true," Lonny said after composing himself and putting the record back, "there's millions of people in this world, Den. How do you know you've found the right one without trying them all?" He frowned, surprising even himself with that last bit. It must've been the alcohol.

"You don't," Dennis moved his legs aside for Lonny as he plopped down beside him, "You just need to trust yourself sometimes."

"But, you never loved her?" Lonny sat cross-legged, resting his back against the arm of the couch.

"No," Dennis shook his head, "not like I should have."

That was news to Lonny. He always thought that she was the love of Dennis' life in the beginning. Every time they talked about past relationships, he only ever mentioned her. Had he ever really loved anyone?

"But the sex was good, yeah?" Lonny teased.

"Mind blowing," Dennis laughed back.

Lonny tried to keep the mood light, but he envied Dennis in that moment. He'd fallen in love way too fast more times than he could count and now he wasn't even sure what true love was anymore. If it weren't for Dennis, he probably wouldn't even believe in true love.

Dennis' heavy sigh sliced the silence and their eyes met. His eyes were full of bourbon and bad memories now. The wave of drunken happiness had died down and all that was left was a cool puddle of remorse that Lonny was dragged along into. The worst part was he knew that if Dennis let him, he could make things better, show him what love really is, but would he let him?

"Den," Lonny took a deep breath and leaned forward, putting his knees beneath him. This was it. This was finally it. Neither of them would remember, he knew that, but he couldn't let the moment pass. "I want something."

He watched Dennis stare blankly at him for a second before their lips met and just as soon as they were together, they were apart and Dennis' hand was on the back of his neck. That's all Lonny wanted, nothing that could potentially be remembered in the morning, just something to make him feel sure right now. He was looking into Dennis' eyes again, one hand on the back of the couch, one on the arm when the last bottle of bourbon finally caught up to Dennis and knocked him out.

Lonny smiled and took his Dennis' hand off the back of his neck, sitting back in the chair across from the couch. He wished that when he woke up the taste of Bourbon and smoke would still be fresh on his lips and the smell of Dennis' musky cologne would still be wafting around him, but that was the beauty of the nights no one remembers.

"Sweet dreams, big fella."