Christmas Tree Sex (LOL JK)

Alexei was sitting in the chair, which faced one of the few windows. He stared outside, drinking from a bottle.

"Morning," he mumbled.

Alexei jumped slightly, turning to face Beau. He smiled.

"Good morning."

"I'm sorry," he said, hanging his head. "About...I'm sorry."

"There's nothing to be sorry about," Alexei replied. "You want a beer?"

He nodded meekly.

"...Yeah. We have pancake stuff?"

"Downstairs, in the kitchen, like usual," he replied cheerfully.

"Can you make pancakes?" he asked shyly.

"Sure," he replied, standing up and nearly falling over. He leaned on the chair, giggling. "Sorry, I had a few beers."

He stumbled his way to the stairs, making it down without stumbling. Much.

Beau stood by the stairs, wincing.

"Are...are you okay?"

"I'm fine!" he called back, laughing. "Oh, shoosh, Beau, I just had a few beers, it's normal, don't freak out."

It was most certainly not normal for Alexei.

"...Maybe I should just have cereal," he called, fidgeting with his shirt. "How many beers did you have, exactly?"

"Pancakes is fine!" he replied, waving around his favorite wooden spatula. "How many beers? What does it matter, it's Christmas, well, Christmas eve, I can do whatever I want!"

Beau felt something both very unpleasant and very familiar in the pit of his stomach.

"...Alexei, I think you should lay down. Come back up."

"I'm fine, you wanted pancakes, right?" he smiled, pouring ingredients half-hazardously into the mixing bowl. "You know, I'll do anything for you, my little Beau, because I love you~"

Alexei attempted to mix the very, very gross mixture. He hesitated for a moment. "I think...vodka was a bad choice."

"You drank vodka with your beer?" he asked, finally grabbing the bowl from Alexei. "Look...I'll make breakfast. You...go upstairs...please."

"But..." he protested, stubbornly holding onto the bowl. "I'm not drunk, I'm fine, I don't...I don't get drunk, Beau, I'm Russian, silly."

"Please go upstairs," he insisted, swallowing.

Alexei finally relinquished the bowl, though he didn't want to.

"Fine," he grumbled angrily, heading to the stairs and somehow making his way up before he killed himself. He laid down on the bed, and before he knew it, he had passed out.

-x-

Beau sat next to Alexei for as long as he slept, just rubbing his back. When Alexei finally stirred, he almost jumped out of his skin; should he leave? After some hesitation, he decided the best course of action was to bring Alexei a glass of water, and he did just that.

Alexei had never had a hangover before. He had never gotten very drunk. When he drank, he drank responsibly. This was not like him. No, it was nothing like him.

He felt horrible, both because of his hangover and because of what had happened with Beau.

Alexei didn't want to live.

"You awake?" Beau asked, stroking Alexei's back.