Christmas Bells are Ringing [Carlos/Gael]

[memorylost]

Carlos had been at work, something he'd apparently volunteered for, so it made slipping into his rooms by mid-afternoon. He'd spent the morning and most of the afternoon with his father and sister, the three of them gathered in Daniel's kitchen and happily watching Leon's favorite Christmas movies in honor of their missing member. They'd opened gifts and ate. At least until Daniel had kissed the heads of both his children and told them to go- see their friends, lovers, which ever they wanted. Gael suspected it had been more for his benefit than Noelle's as his sister seemed content to stay put on the couch.

He took that time to set up a tree with a small gift in the otherwise cheerless living room. He then set about cooking a dinner, which with a little bit of Ty's help, that he was certain would be ready before the other man finally came home. He set the table after dinner was done, and poured the wine before he glanced at the clock and wondered if he should have just waited and done a dinner for Carlos and his siblings tomorrow. His nerves kicked up, and there was an anxious knot in his stomach as he found soft instrumental music to play in the background as he looked over the scene.

He'd changed while the food had cooked, but suddenly felt over dressed as he looked at himself in the hallway mirror. Was he really going to do this? Was he really doing all of this with the express intention of admitting to Carlos something he didn't think he could do more than once. For that matter, what the hell did it say about him that he felt sick to his stomach, nerves firing off as worry and doubt crept into his being as a whole. Who was he to think this was all a good idea?

Not that he mattered, he thought as he heard the door start to open. He really didn't get much chance out of this, did he? He was stuck, he had to go through with it... Lightheaded, dizziness aside, he was without escape and that meant all he could do was.....

Move to the bedroom and close the door to hide just a few moments longer. At least until he felt less like throwing up and more like he could handle this like a grown up.

Comments

[fistandbone]

"I think it's safe to say you're as much a closet romantic as I am," Carlos said. Water, though, was a good idea for both of them, and it was with a deep sigh that he sat up and untangled himself from Gael, before getting up to get two bottles of water from the kitchen and bringing them back to bed.

"We're probably both going to be hungover in the morning," he said as he handed one to Gael and flopped back on the bed. "But maybe that'll keep you from wanting to die while cooking for, what, eight?" Probably Gael had lost his mind a little, he thought. Half of it was his own fault, though, since he'd come up with inviting half of them. "Maybe if we make puppy eyes you can con Sarah into some of it. Baking, at least."

[memorylost]

Gael groaned as Carlos got up from the bed, hating him for moving. If he hadn't known better, he'd swear his hangover was starting now, already. Still, he pushed himself up on the bed and opened the bottle before he looked at Carlos. "Oh no, I'm absolutely making you help tomorrow. Don't try to push it on Sarah." He said, before smirking just a little as he lifted the bottle to his lips.

He drained most of it quickly, leaning back against the headboard before he sighed a little. "So....pick a dish, and I'll make sure you don't ruin it." He winked at that, before smiling a little more at Carlos. He was a little more sober, at least, even before the water. And he could swear he could feel the water spreading out into his bottle as he drank it- like it thristed for it. So it was really no surprise that he finished the bottle in short order.

"And hey, if we're too hung over...we'll have a doctor in the house at least."

[fistandbone]

"That's a major risk, you know. That kitchen out there is mostly used for unpacking takeout." That wasn't entirely true, Carlos thought as he sipped his own water, but his cooking skills were basic at best. "Plus Sarah is really good at pies. She could make chocolate pie. Or chocolate croissants." She'd probably only kill him a little for asking for croissants with only 24 hours notice.

He took a deeper drink of the water and glanced over at Gael. "I'm not sure what we're even cooking for six. Pizza? I could probably make a pizza without it going terribly wrong. Or garlic bread to go along with it. A salad. If you're going to be fancy again, though, you'd better pick a side dish and keep a laser eye on me."

He finished the bottle with another couple of drinks and leaned over Gael to set it on the nightstand. "In any case, if you trust me not to burn down your kitchen I could probably come up with something."