Chapter 12: You Started this
Aiden giggled softly, his arms struggling to keep Cassian upright. "Hey, you should go to bed. Don’t sleep on the floor, you’re gonna get sick."
But Cassian, cheeks flushed and eyes half-lidded, shook his head stubbornly. "No. You sleep. I don’t wanna." His words were slurred, his tone somewhere between playful and pitiful.
Aiden sighed, clearly torn between amusement and exasperation. He finally sat cross-legged beside him, resting his elbow on the table. "Fine. I’ll just sit with you then."
Cassian straightened up at once, his messy bangs falling into his eyes. His smile softened, unexpectedly sweet. "Yes... good boy." And with a clumsy hand, he ruffled Aiden’s hair.
Aiden froze, his eyes widening at the sudden affection. His ears went red, but before he could react, Leonel’s gaze cut across the table. He set his glass down slowly, the weight of his unease heavy in the silence.
Trying to cover his own fluster, Aiden tugged at Cassian’s cheeks. "Ye, yee," he teased, stretching his face until Cassian pouted. It broke the tension for a moment, laughter bubbling between them.
But the night dragged on, and the alcohol won. Aiden’s head eventually dropped to the table, his breaths evening out into sleep.
Cassian blinked at him, then leaned forward to poke at his forehead. "Wake up... hey, what a bummer..." He huffed when Aiden didn’t stir. With wobbly hands, he reached for the bottle, pouring himself another drink that sloshed dangerously close to spilling.
Leonel’s jaw tightened as he grabbed Cassian’s hand, steadying it. "Hey. You shouldn’t drink more." His voice was firmer now, sharper than before.
Cassian turned to him with wide, glassy eyes, pleading. "Plsssss, just one more?" His voice cracked into something so earnest it was almost childlike.
Leonel’s resolve faltered. He let out a breath, loosening his grip. "...Fine. Just one."
Cassian’s grin stretched wide as he took the glass, gulping it down like victory. His body swayed, his words losing all order, until he suddenly leaned forward, closing the space between them.
Leonel stiffened. His breath caught as Cassian’s face hovered close, his lashes fluttering, his voice dropping into something almost conspiratorial. "Do you... work out?"
For a second, Leonel almost laughed at the absurdity. "Hn. A little. At home."
Cassian’s eyes sparkled with drunken wonder. "Ohhhh..." In a blur of movement, he lifted Leonel’s shirt, pressing his cheek near the flat of his stomach. "You have abs tooo~" His slurred delight rolled out in sing-song.
Heat shot straight to Leonel’s ears. His hand instantly shot down, gripping Cassian’s hair, pulling his head back. "Back off." His voice was rougher than intended, breath uneven.
But Cassian didn’t listen. Instead, he clumsily climbed onto Leonel’s lap, his small hands splaying across his abdomen, fingertips brushing skin. "Warm..." he murmured, half-lost in drunken curiosity.
Leonel’s self-control strained, every muscle locked tight. He told himself not to touch, not to give in but then his gaze flicked down. Cassian’s shirt had ridden up in the shuffle, exposing the pale line of his waist. Vulnerable. Tempting.
Something inside him snapped.
"You started this," Leonel muttered under his breath, almost a growl, before sliding his hand beneath Cassian’s shirt.
Cassian shivered violently, his breath hitching at the sudden warmth of Leonel’s palm against his skin. His spine arched instinctively, a blush spreading hot across his face. His body trembled, unsure if he should push away or lean closer.
The air thickened, silence pulsing with tension. Leonel’s fingers brushed higher, Cassian’s pulse hammering beneath every touch. His lips parted, but no words came just a shaky exhale.
Leonel’s gaze burned into him, closer now than he had ever been, his voice dropping to something low and dangerous.
"Cassian..."
The name rolled off his tongue like a promise.
And Cassian realized, with his heart pounding and breath caught between fear and something else entirely...