It was already past 2 AM. Cirrus had already finished cleaning out most of the tables and chairs, and if it weren’t for the inebriated man swaying in his seat by the bar counter, he would have already closed up shop. He wanted to rip the vest off and scratch his back, it’s been killing him for hours now, but he could only do that after going home with this man.
“Heyyy~, make me another drink…” Skylar wore a half-lidded smile. His dark hair had long since frizzed up, wiry and disheveled, his face was flush pink, - a symptom of all the drinks he’s had - and the chestnut brown of his eyes seemed to flutter open and close under the weight of his own drowsiness. If not for his glasses poking his eyes whenever he started to collapse, he would have already passed out.
Cirrus tightened the grip on the co*cktail glass between his fingers and his lips struggled to form a smile, “Okay, but it’s already closing time so after this one you have to stop. Got it?”
The half-lidded smile grew wide enough to wrinkle the soft bridge of his nose, so much so, Skylar had to fix his glasses. “You got it bartender,” he giggled, “You’re a nice guy.”
A small part of Cirrus felt guilty. When Skylar first learned he’d started taking extra work as a bartender downtown, he insisted on coming over every night after work as a way of supporting him, even buying a drink or two. That was the main problem. Skylar didn’t used to drink, at least not to this extent. In all their years being together, he’d have at most one or two glasses at parties or weddings, but never more than that. Ever since he started coming to see him at work, that changed.
It was his own fault for enabling Skylar, but he couldn’t help it. Something interesting happened when he first had drinks here, he got drunk. For as long as he’d known his lover, he’d never seen him drunk. Of course now he knows Skylar’s hesitance came from a place of trauma, but regardless, it still felt nice to finally see this part of him. And at first, he loved it.
“You’re just packed into that uniform aren’t you babe?” Those were Skylar’s words after ordering his first two co*cktails here. To say Cirrus was flustered would be an understatement, Skylar never flirted like that, nor did he ever call him babe of all things. Even worse, every morning after, Skylar would remember nothing.
So every Friday evening, Cirrus started to look forward to seeing his lover get drunk again, each time getting more wasted than the last. At three co*cktails, he started to wink and flirt with him even when other customers were around. At four, there was an incident where Skylar pulled him by the necktie, making him drop an expensive bottle of whiskey. And at five, he called him over to his seat, and snuck two kisses on his neck with a wry grin on his face.
By then, the drunkenness lost its novelty. Cirrus tried to convince Skylar not to come over anymore since he always ended up wasted, but Skylar insisted on visiting anyway because he wanted to support his work no matter what. But Cirrus had seen everything already, at that point seeing Skylar drunk just made him flustered. Or so he thought, until tonight.
“Hey,” Skylar beckoned with a ravenous smile, glass in hand. His sloppy movements spilled some of the drink on the cuffs of his sleeve. “What’s your name?
Note:
Skylar, after six drinks, doesn’t recognize Cirrus
Cirrus sighed, stirring the last drink meant for his intoxicated sweetheart. “Please act normal…” He started to ponder whether it was such a good idea to make him another drink.
Skylar giggled. He placed the now empty drink down, and rested his chin on his hand. “You remind me of my boyfriend, so feisty~”
Cirrus rolled his eyes, still stirring the new drink. He was really starting to wonder if it was wise to continue making the co*cktail to begin with. Anymore alcohol would probably make the mess of a man in front of him melt into a puddle. “Well, if he had to deal with someone like you, I can see why.”
Skylar laughed, he stayed quiet for a bit, swinging his legs back and forth and then asked another question. “Sooo~, are you free tonight?”
Cirrus stopped stirring. Something sharp and spiny started to creep into his throat, trailing its way to his chest. It was colder than the ice of the glass in his hand. He didn’t like that. He didn’t like that at all. Sure he was drunk, but…
“W-why do you ask?” His fingers actually began to shake. Skylar’s response might just kill him.
“Oh, I just thought you’d want to meet him- My boyfriend I mean.” Skylar giggled, “He’s so wonderful, I love him so much.” He waved his hand, “Don’t tell him I said that, I’m sure he knows but it’s so embarrassing saying it to his face.”
Relief. A gigantic wave of it washed down his shoulders. “Is that so?”
Skylar nodded enthusiastically “Mhm! I love everything about him. When I wake up in the morning, I get to see him still asleep. He makes these tiniest snoring noises, it sounds like a really small kitten is meowing inside his throat. Oh- and his hair, don’t even get me started on his hair. It’s so pretty, in the sunlight it shines like silver and when I hold it between my fingers I get to feel how soft it is, more silky than the silkiest fabric the world has to offer. And when we cuddle at night, the smell of his conditioner is so nice and mellow that I always wanna bury my face in his head.
“Oh and he’s so good-looking too, every time I see a celebrity on T.V I think, ‘Cirrus is way hotter than that guy’ and it makes me feel like the luckiest person in the world.” Skylar sighed again, a lovesick breath. “I love him so much I think my heart just might explode one day, and I’d regret nothing.”
Cirrus couldn’t help but smile, he hadn’t drank anything that night, yet he could see in the glass’ reflection, that his face was now flushed a deeper color than Skylar’s. You idiot, that’s so embarrassing… he thought.
“Here,” Cirrus handed him the drink, he deserved it.
“Thank you, bottoms up~” Skylar downed it all in one go and smiled. It was cute… Until Skylar’s face started to morph with nausea, vomiting all over himself and the counter right before passing out.
It turns out Cirrus was right at first, he shouldn’t have given him that next drink…
