It wasn't too long after Jack got off the phone with Tara that he heard the soft sound of footsteps coming from the hallway. He looked up and caught the neutral stare Kieran was giving the floor as he entered the living room. "That was quick," he said with a forced smile.

Kieran looked up in confusion.

"Sorry. I mean, I was expecting to be totally shitfaced and annoying by the time you came out. I'm not even buzzed yet." Jack picked up his drink and downed the rest of it.

"Rectifying the problem, I see," Kieran said as he approached the couch. He looked from Jack to the television with a heavy sigh and a shake of his head. "I had intended that to be more humorous."

Jack stared at his empty glass. "No, I get it. It's a reflex. Something to do. Nervous tick? I have a lot of them. I'd do the same with water. It's got nothing to do with my drinking problem," he said as his voice grew softer. He looked up and gave Kieran a quick once over. He may as well keep adding on to the attempt at jokes. "No singed hair?"

Kieran shook his head as he moved into the kitchen. Sounds of the fridge opening and closing followed by a cabinet opening and bottles scraping across wood filled the air. He came to the couch and set a large bottle of whiskey on the coffee table before sitting. He eyed the glass of Irish coffee he held for a moment then brought it to his lips.

Jack watched as Kieran knocked back half the Irish coffee before opening the whiskey and adding it to the glass. "Hey, we have something in common." He smiled awkwardly and shrugged when Kieran looked over. "I mean with the whole just add it to the mix thing," he said as he pointed at Kieran's glass.

"At the moment," Kieran agreed. He set the bottle back on the table and lifted his glass. "I know better than to drink too much when I feel like this, but…" He sighed softly and shrugged. "We shall see."

"You don't gotta be out here if you wanna be alone," Jack said quietly as he rolled his empty glass between his hands. "I get it. You can do your thing, but don't force yourself to do this just to make me feel better or something."

This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

Kieran's eyes stayed on the bottle of whiskey as he spoke. "You said I don't have to hold back my affection. Would you be open to receiving it tonight?"

There were too many scenarios where everything would go downhill. Jack had heard enough horror stories, and, as much as he wanted to, he had yet to find out what Kieran was like when drunk. "I'm gonna need an example, 'cuz my imagination is going wild over here."

"Holding, kissing, touching," Kieran listed. He looked at Jack from the corner of his eye. "I've had time to myself, so now I would like to reassure myself that I'm not…alone."

"Not abandoned."

"Yes."

"Okay, yeah. Uh, gonna go get my refill," Jack said as he shook his glass. "Not the biggest whiskey drinker. Kisses, hell yeah. Straight? Not in a sipping mood. And whiskey's really not gonna go with my shitty juice or any of the wine coolers or cider I got."

Kieran nodded and flicked his hand toward the kitchen. "Help yourself to whatever you find if you want something better."

Jack licked his lips as he pulled his eyes away from Kieran and to the cabinets above the fridge. "You sure? 'Cuz I've been eyeing that bottle of vodka on the top shelf. The one in the back."

Kieran sighed and raised his eyes to the ceiling. "It was part of your Christmas present."

Jack blanked for a moment. The one person out there that should be completely against him drinking had gotten him a bottle of expensive, small batch vodka. And he had yet to even begin looking for a gift for Kieran.

"It's…not a reflection on you," Kieran said, his tone slow and careful and he shifted his gaze to Jack. His frown was full of uncertainty.

Jack quickly shook his head and he stood. "No, it's great. Awesome. Fine. Shit. Um…" He looked from the glass he held to the cabinet. "No, I just don't wanna ruin it with any of my crappy shit. I knew I shoulda stocked up on mixers. I'm gonna ruin it with hot cocoa instead. You want some?"

"It's all yours my sweet. But thank you for offering." Kieran smiled softly and picked up his drink from the coffee table.

Partway to the kitchen, Jack looked over his shoulder at Kieran. Why did he get the feeling Kieran was rarely on the receiving end of gifts and thoughtfulness?

But, given his own limited experience with Augie, he could see how it was something Kieran was unused to. And given that people had a tendency to "marry their parents," it didn't spell out a happy childhood for Kieran. Nor much of a happy life since then.

image [https://i.imgur.com/eZY0YUq.png]