Work Text:
Duncan had a problem. Aerion was drunk. Really drunk. Really really drunk. Dunk hadn’t even realized how much Aerion had had to drink.. They had dinner at a brewery that allowed you to pour your own beer from various taps using a wristband you paid for at the bar. Duncan, realizing he had to drive home, had not used all of the money on his own wristband and had consequently given it to Aerion. Oops.
Aerion rarely drank in excess so Duncan was only now learning what drunk Aerion was like. There was no slurring, no stumbling, no volume increase, just a pink flush in his cheeks and a visible softening, his sharp edges dulled somewhat. His usually guarded face, now more open.
Duncan could see the raw affection in Aerion’s eyes when he looked at Dunk that Aerion usually tried to hide. It made Duncan’s heart contract in his chest, such a strong wave of love overwhelming him he had to fight the urge to pull Aerion into his lap in the middle of the restaurant just to hold him close.
They finished up the meal and Duncan paid the bill at the bar. Aerion stood close enough to Duncan as he paid that he could feel the heat coming off of him. They exited the restaurant out onto the city sidewalk. “C’mon, Aerion, we have to get back to the car.” He reached back for Aerion’s hand, but found only empty air. He turned around to see Aerion halfway down the street in the opposite direction. “Christ!” Duncan jogged down the street and quickly caught up to Aerion who had come to an abrupt halt. “What on Earth are you doing?”
Aerion had stopped in front of a small pet shop and stood peering through the window. He pointed suddenly at a bearded dragon visible through the window. “I want that one.”
“You want a bearded dragon?” Dunk asked, unsure if Aerion was being serious or not.
“Yes. I’ll name him Caraxes and he can ride around on my shoulder.” Aerion said, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.
“How do you know it’s a boy? And don’t they eat meal worms? I seem to recall you not being a fan of leggy, wormy creatures, at least if that incident with the house centipede was anything to go off of.”
Aerion scowled up at him. “First of all, that thing attacked me. And what do you know about taking care of a dragon?” Aerion paused for a moment, considering. “Actually you could feed him. It would be a good way for you to bond, since it’ll naturally be harder for him to bond with you, you know since you have no dragon blood.”
“Oh, so he’d be our bearded dragon then?” Duncan asked, smiling.
“Of course.” Aerion said, sounding almost annoyed that Duncan would even ask such a stupid question. Duncan rather liked the idea of sharing a pet with Aerion—he liked the idea of anything that bound them closer together— and Aerion seemed so genuinely excited about the idea that it made Duncan a bit sad about what he had to say next.
“Aerion, you do realize the store is closed, right?” Aerion’s face went completely blank for a moment. He recovered quickly.
“Obviously I know that, Duncan. I was speaking in future tense. Maybe. We’ll see.” Duncan could detect just a hint of disappointment in his voice and in his eyes, which Duncan noted were going a bit glassy. Aerion was also starting to sway slightly. Duncan realized that all of the alcohol Aerion had consumed was still hitting him. They needed to get back to the car.
Duncan took Aerion’s hand. “C’mon, we’ll come back another time.” Aerion nodded, seeming content to follow Duncan’s lead, for once.
The pair made it to the car. Duncan opened the passenger side door for Aerion and helped him inside, making sure he buckled his seatbelt. Aerion had gone oddly quiet, which Duncan took to be a bad sign. He slid into the driver’s seat and started the car. He turned on the radio hoping to catch the end of the football match. Duncan quickly found the correct radio station and pulled out of the parking lot.
Aerion turned the radio off. Duncan looked at him confused. Aerion said nothing, staring straight ahead. Duncan waited a beat and turned the radio back on. Aerion promptly turned it off again.
Duncan sighed. “What is it, love? Do you want the aux cord?” Aerion, who had apparently decided to go completely non-verbal only nodded.
Duncan had learned early on in the relationship that when Aerion listened to music he preferred to listen to entire albums front to back. “The way the artist intended it to be listened to” Aerion had said. Duncan expected him to play one of his old standby favorites: Mezzanine by Massive Attack, Diamond Eyes by Deftones, maybe The Downward Spiral by Nine Inch Nails. Duncan was taken completely by surprise when the first notes of Mazzy Star’s Fade Into You filled the car.
Duncan glanced over at Aerion who leaned across the console and wrapped his arms around Duncan’s upper arm, resting his cheek on Duncan’s shoulder. Duncan smiled and pressed a kiss to his forehead. He hadn’t expected Aerion of all people to be a sappy, affectionate drunk, but he certainly didn’t mind it either.
Aerion dozed off still wrapped around Duncan’s arm. Having only one arm to drive did make things a little difficult but Duncan decided he’d be perfectly happy if Aerion decided to hold on to his arm forever. He’d just learn how to do everything with only one arm.
Aerion was still asleep when they pulled into the driveway. Duncan kissed him on the forehead again, “Wake up, love, we’re home.” Aerion’s eyes fluttered open and met Duncan’s. A rare soft smile crossed his face only to be quickly replaced by a flash of panic. He sat up abruptly, clapping a hand over his mouth. He turned and flung open the car door, leaning out as far as the seatbelt would allow, and vomiting onto the driveway. When he finished he sat still, head hanging down.
Duncan got out of the car and went to him, careful to avoid stepping in the mess. “Oh, dear, what are we going to do with you?” He said gently. Aerion shook his head miserably without looking up. “C’mon let’s get you inside and cleaned up.” Duncan undid Aerion’s seatbelt, pulled him to his feet, and wrapped an arm around him, helping him into the house. Aerion was still perfectly capable of walking Duncan was glad to note, but seemed to be enjoying the extra care Duncan was taking with him.
They made it to the bathroom. Dunk turned on the shower to let the water heat up and helped Aerion undress. Once the water was almost scalding hot, the way Aerion preferred, Duncan helped him into the shower. Aerion promptly sat down on the floor, face uplifted, letting the water run down his throat, clearly enjoying himself. Duncan chuckled, “Are you going to be alright in there for a bit?” Aerion looked somewhat disappointed Dunk wouldn’t be joining him, but nodded.
Duncan had hosed off the driveway, warmed the sheets in the dryer, replaced them on the bed, cued up an old season of Love Island on the TV (Aerion’s guilty pleasure that Dunk didn’t understand at all but would watch with him anyway), and was mixing a hydration drink mix into a large glass of water when he heard a loud clattering from the bathroom.
He hurried in to find Aerion still curled on the floor of the shower, all of the shampoo and body wash containers knocked over around him. Aerion hadn’t noticed Dunk yet, and as Duncan watched Aerion stood the bottles back up and knocked them over again, making as much noise as possible. Duncan couldn’t help but smile and shake his head as he realized what Aerion was doing. “Are you knocking over those bottles to try to get my attention? Like a cat, you are.”
Aerion looked up with as sheepish a look as he was capable of. “The water is getting cold, and you left me in here” he complained, pouting. He reached his arms up towards Dunk.
“Oh, so we’re talking again now? But not enough to just call for me?” Aerion made a face. Duncan pulled him to his feet gently and wrapped him in a towel he had warmed in the dryer with the sheets.
Aerion allowed Dunk to lead him by the hand back into the bedroom. “I’m tired,” he yawned.
Duncan handed him the glass of water with the hydration pack mixed in. “We’ll go to bed, but drink this first. You’ll thank me in the morning.” Aerion drank without argument — Duncan was enjoying how agreeable drunk Aerion was. As Aerion drank Duncan pulled on his own pajamas and got out a pair for Aerion.
Duncan helped Aerion dress, and then turned off the lights as Aerion climbed into bed. Duncan climbed in after him.
“I love you,” Aerion mumbled sleepily, burrowing his face into the side of Duncan’s neck. One arm was wrapped tightly around Duncan’s waist and one leg was thrown across Duncan’s own. He felt like a living furnace, but Duncan didn’t mind. Aerion was his furnace and Dunk was content to burn alive if it meant he could feel Aerion’s heartbeat against his own chest, could feel Aerion’s soft breaths on his bare skin, could hold the thing he held most dear in the world close as he slept.
“I love you too,” Dunk said, pressing a soft kiss to Aerion’s forehead. “But you are definitely making me breakfast tomorrow to make up for this.” Aerion didn’t respond. He was already fast asleep, a soft smile on his face.