The smell of something delicious began wafting through the house. The kids scattered about all unanimously came together at the table. Eagerly awaiting the dinner that was tormenting them with its smell. Note wandered back from where he'd gone to hide for a moment to compose himself. Coming to pause and take in the strange bottles set to the side near the table. That looked… When had a little bar table been set up? It wasn't there earlier.
Note poked his head into the kitchen. Ravan glanced in his direction as he stirred the pan he was watching. Note's glare said it all. Ravan didn't even have to ask. Smiling at him not attempting to play innocent.
"They asked for a drinking night. Thought having it at home was better then taking them out."
Note's face scrunched up further. Before he turned to the kids in question.
"Did you ask for drinks? Are you even allowed. Yuka how old are you now."
Yuka stuttered at suddenly having Note's frown pointed at him.
"I'm nineteen? For a little while longer at least."
Lise titled her head, "Does that matter? As long as were not drinking alone it's fine."
Note hesitated. I should have done this important older brother research. What's the common drinking age here. Is there one? I can't argue when I don't know.
"Well, you're all too young to me. Don't overdo it."
Note heard Ravan snort from the other room. The kids all happily nodded, smiling at Note's worrying. Lise pulled Note to the table and had him sit. Not long after Ravan began brining out food. Note wasn't very well versed with drinking atmosphere's but he felt like the food had the vibe of being good drinking snacks. The kids all ate up, sensing Note wouldn't let them open a bottle until their stomach were filled.
Ravan was playing host with a scary level of professionalism. Note began picturing how well owning a small restaurant or bar would suit him. It would have a secret underbelly; of course. That he was also sure of. Xian returned to the house. The anti social chicken had returned in his hawk form. Blending in with the other animals all loitering near the dining table. For being the oldest person in the room, Xian was well versed in how to avoid dealing with social situations. The cheat.
Note felt a bit too medieval with Scratch perched on one side of his chair and Xian on the other. Scratch was happily sharing the perch with his sometimes-feathered human. Copying his mannerisms, learning from his most respected papa. Were they going to raise a dragon or a hawk at this rate.
Note watches the kids and Ravan begin having a drink. All four obediently taking any water or food handed to them by Note. Yuka was the first to show signs of getting tipsy. His sweetness levels began to max out. Acting cute and clingy. Note half wished he had a way to record the sudden switch. Anora if she was drunk didn't show it at all. The slight tint to her face the only giveaway, the drinks were affecting her at all. Lise, it seemed was a giggler. After a certain point anything anyone said brought out a seemingly endless wave of laughter.
Really these kids were all too cute. Not a bothersome drunk amongst them. Note felt the desire to tease the adorable drunks.
"Anora, you're handling yourself well. But that doesn't mean I can't tell you're drunk."
Anora looked over to him serious as ever, "Mn-not."
"Are you sure?"
"Yeesir." Anora gave a salute.
Ravan seeing Note's game joined in. Pointing to Yuka who had parked himself next to Note clinging to his arm as he zoned out.
"How are you feeling? Do you think the arm you're clinging to is your father kid?"
Yuka's wobbly head turned to Ravan. His face an adorable pout. As he held tighter to Note's arm, resting his head on his shoulder.
"He's not my father. He's he- he is- his- mine."
Yuka smiled clearly thinking he'd managed to form a sentence. Note couldn't conceal his laughter. With triggered Lise to join him. Ravan's desire to peel the kid off Note was distracted by the siblings. Ravan enjoyed the sight of the two smiling and getting lost in a fit of laughter together. They looked so similar when they laughed. Their eye's creased in the same way. The habit of covering their smile was also the same.
Since the kids were well gone. Xian finally joined them in his own form. The kids had all moved to the living room and were sitting in a pile. Chatting amongst themselves as they played with the animal's brave enough to approach the drunks.
Xian filled a glass for himself, offering Note some. Ravan hadn't bothered trying to get Note a drink. Knowing the on duty big brother wouldn't agree to one. Surprisingly Note gave an experimental sniff to the glass. Before scrunching his face and shaking his head. Ravan found that interesting.
"Would you prefer something sweet? This one's like candy." Ravan offered his drink.
Note gave another hesitant sniff to the glass. Finding this one less offensive he took a small sip before handing it back. Nodding his head in appreciation for the taste. Ravan feeling triumphant smiled at Xian. Who rolled his eye's back.
"Note likes how mine taste's. Your bitter thing isn't any good."
Xian half choked on his drink, "Watch you're wording. Or is filth all your mouth's good for."
"It's very good at that and many other things. My mouth is multitalented. Unlike yours that can barley be used to speak."
The two began bickering. Keeping their voices down enough to not disturb the kids. Who were practically falling asleep on each other. Note was quietly enjoying watching between the two scenes.
Ravan challenged Xian to a drinking game. Lise cuddling up under Anora's chin. Xian pulling out some dusty old bottle and opening it up. Yuka sleeping soundly draped atop both girl's lap. Ravan winning a coin flip for the tenth time. Anora happily braiding Lise and Yuka's hair as they slept. Xian's face becoming red as his inability to keep up with Ravan became clear. All three kids now asleep crammed on the small couch together. Various creatures piled up on top of them. An adorable scene. Directly adjacent to the defeated Xian now properly drunk. As Ravan turned tyrant -buzzed but nowhere near his limit- smiled like he'd won some great victory.
Ravan got up about to make a grand speech at his fallen victim. When he noticed something was peaking out from beneath Xian's collar. Getting up and moving closer to snoop. Ravan was surprised to find the little wooden charm he'd given him at the end of the leather cord. Xian had kept it? Chose to wear it around his neck? Ravan looked over at Note. Who was absentmindedly playing with the stone fox on his waist. Looking towards the kids unawares of the sudden eyes on him.
Ravan felt a thrumming begin in his chest. He'd been careful with his drinking. Note's clothes had been messed up by the clingy brat. His top loose, his slender neck and collar bone exposed. Ravan got up from the table suddenly, quickly going to freshen up. As desires in the back of his mind began to overwhelm him.
Note looked over as Ravan disappeared down the hallway. Ah he's left me to put everyone to bed then. That's fair he did prepare everything. Note began clearing the table. Tidying up as much as he could without making too much noise.
Next, he gently organized the kids, guiding Lise to go sleep in his room. Anora woke up like a zombie nearly scaring the wits out of him. Still as stone faced as ever the fighter refused to leave Lise's side. So, Note put them both to bed in his room. Yuka, he left on the couch. Retrieving a spare blanket and pillow and tucking him in properly. In a sudden moment of sleep walking Yuka displayed a shocking swiftness. Placing a peck on Note's cheek in thanks. Before returning to sleeping soundly.
Note was so surprised he couldn't help but chuckle. Tucking the kid in and rearranging the animals already trying to pile onto the boy. Before turning to the oldest 'big kid' left. Xian wasn't asleep as he'd expected. He was watching him, his head resting on the table. His eye's sharp as ever even while drunk.
Note came over resting his hand on Xian's shoulder.
"Time for bed, come on you're a bit too big for me to carry. Can you walk on your own?"
Xian lifted his head from the table. A faint pout on his face. Xian's arms wrapped around Note's waist. Pulling him closer, Xian rested his head on Note's body. Burying his face in.
Note gently stroked Xian's hair. Trying to soothe whatever dizziness he might be feeling.
"You can't sleep sitting up like a horse. Well maybe you can but at least I can't. Let's go to bed. I gave away my room, so let me share yours. Alright?"
Xian smiled into Note's body, unseen. Nodding obediently and shakily standing up. Note helped steady him as they walked down the hall to Xian's room.
Once inside Xian happily crawled into bed. Dragging Note along, not giving him a chance to leave to wash up. Note was pulled into bed. Xian seemed content as he began tucking them both in. Note watched the drunk pigeon happily nest. When their eyes met. Xian's smile faltered as his eye's began roaming Note's face. He slowly brought a hand up. Rubbing his thumb across Note's cheek.
Note let the drunk rub and squish at his face. Wondering what had annoyed him. Xian leaned forward, inspecting the now red cheek. Note lightly smacked at Xian's hand. His breath stunk like alcohol, so he tried to shift away to escape it. Xian's mood soured further. The pout turning into a much harder to read expression.
Xian's face was so close now. His amber eye's focused onto Note's. His hands sliding up to cradle his face.
Note didn't know what to do under a gaze like that. His chest suddenly felt tight. Xian's hands were so warm. Lips then pressed against his cheek. Unlike Yuka's sleepy peck. This kiss was slow and lingering. Xian softly pressed a few more kisses to the cheek. Before switching to the other side. As if he'd become drunk on kisses. Xian moved to kiss Note's forehead then nose. Even trailing a few along his jaw. Leaving no spot unattended.
Note shifted finding Xian's eyelashes ticklish. Too out of his element to think properly. Note opened his mouth to coax the doting drunk. Grabbing Xian's face to halt the kiss attack.
"Stop playing now. Go to sleep."
Xian's eye's watched Note's mouth as he spoke. Some faraway sense was screaming at him to stop. To not go too far. A much louder voice was whispering in his heart. Kissing over to cleanse away is not enough. He must one-up to protect. To lay claim. Xian in his drunken state found this voice more compelling. Note's face was beginning to turn such a pretty shade of pink.
Note was busy getting distracted by his own thoughts. He'd watched shows before, where drunks became kiss addicts. He'd had no idea such things could actually happen. He'd found it cute in fiction. Having the reality of a drunk Xian laying half on top of him as he stared holes into him was another thing entirely. His mind was trying to process what to do while constantly getting distracted by Xian's touch.
Then Xian's lips were pressed to his. Soft, warm with the bitter aftertaste of drink. The kiss was languid and indulgent. Note wondered if he was getting second hand drunk from the contact. His head felt fuzzy and his skin hot. Xian's teeth faintly dragged against his lower lip, before deepening the kiss.
Just when Note remembered he had to breath to live; Xian pulled away. Gently placing one more kiss to Note's now swollen lips before laying down beside him. Nuzzling his nose into the crook of his neck. Drifting off to sleep swiftly, fully content after his goodnight kiss. Note tried to calm his breathing. The pounding in his chest too loud.
Overwhelmed brain unable to think coherently. Heart racing like it would climb out of his throat.
The bedroom door was slightly ajar. A shadow shocked still. After a long while eventually shifts. Wandering away down the hall. Two people fail to easily find sleep. Hearts and minds trying to catch up with each other. Something intangible and unwritten. Shifts and changes. Never to be the same.