near the end of a long year

[tactician]

Rare was the day where the political sphere wasn't abuzz, even all the way down to the lower echelons of the profession, with secretaries and agencies worming their way into last minute flights for their significantly more powerful supervisors, but even on Ennaspie, Christmas morning was a quiet one. Rarer were still was a quiet morning where Weiler wasn't sound asleep when Locke woke to a room bathed in early light.

Instead, though Weiler had stayed in bed by Locke's side, he was sitting up against the headboard, blankets pulled up to his waist as he looked at something through a sliver of window behind the drawn curtains, a soft ivory they had settled on after (admittedly not much) consideration. He was sleepy-eyed when he noticed the shift in Locke's breathing from slumber to waking and looked down, but he didn't say anything quite yet.

He only smiled, in fact, and said nothing at all.

Comments

[aphelionix]

Just as old habits died hard, so did old traditions. The old-fashioned cork on the champagne was tight, and Locke had a little trouble loosening it, but once he felt it give he said, "Better duck down."

Pop! The cork hit the wall, bouncing up to the ceiling and from there losing momentum and hitting the floor, rolling until it stopped at the front door. A bit of the alcohol fizzed over, but less than Locke would've thought, only getting the very ends of his fingers wet. He served up the two cups, then rejoined Weiler in the living room, passing him a glass. "Cheers."

[tactician]

Sliding back up from where he had ducked behind the back of the chair at Locke's warning, Weiler laughed as he took the glass of champagne from the man's fingers. "Cheers."

The glass was better suited to wine drinking than a champagne flute was, wider and more standard-issue, picked up at one of the houseware stores around the area. The champagne itself was fragrant but not exactly the expensive stuff that they would pass around in Wallabin's office as consolation prizes for having to work over the holidays.

But this was the best New Year's Eve yet.

Weiler drew his legs up onto the seat, bending them at the knee and tucking them close to his body as he swirled the drink in his cup and then proceeded to down half of it in one go. It was a pale purple color, indicative of Ennaspiean local drinks, and the plentiful amount of fizz made a person warm and light as it went down.

He turned to watch Locke out of the corner of his eye as the man drank as well and, with a smile, teased, "Don't overdo it, Rhys."

[aphelionix]

"I never overdo it," Locke teased back, knowing very well that he did tend to overdo it, what with his threshold being much lower than Weiler's. He sipped the champagne slowly, the warmth traveling down his throat into his stomach. It wasn't like Borinitian champagne, but the flavor was still good and unique. Come to think of it, it was his first time trying Ennaspiean champagne.

"It's good," he said, examining his glass and its lilac color.

[tactician]

"It's deceptively sweet, but its alcohol content is actually a little higher than Boriniat fare, if that's what you're comparing it to," Weiler said, leaning against Locke's side and pressing an amused smile into his shoulder. "Be careful not to underestimate it."

[aphelionix]

Locke eyed it a second longer, before looking down at Weiler.

"Are you hoping that I do underestimate it?" he asked, with half a grin.

[tactician]

Weiler shrugged, leaning his head back against the couch.

"I'm guessing that the results won't change all that much either way," he smirked, tipping back the rest of the glass before getting up to retrieve the bottle. "But you're a little less reserved when you do."

[aphelionix]

He smiled, turning his attention back to the TV projection. They still had well over half an hour until midnight. "Only a little," he said.

[tactician]

The cushion lining the back of the couch dipped to either side of Locke's head as Weiler leaned over his head, bottle in one hand. He handed the open container of champagne to Locke to take and place on the coffee table before leaning down, their noses brushing upside-down.

"But I do so love it when you are."

[aphelionix]

Locke took the bottle carefully, tilting his chin up just enough to kiss the tip of Weiler's nose playfully.

"Maybe I'll only overdo it a little," he reasoned, naturally unable to resist doing something Weiler claimed to love.

[tactician]

Weiler smiled, brushing his lips against Locke's hairline before he circled the couch. It took only a few seconds to refill his glass and top off Locke's again (not that he was trying or anything). Then, he settled back against Locke, making himself comfortable a second time.

"You don't have to," he reassured with a laugh, a hand raising to settle against the side of Locke's neck, rubbing against the skin there (almost like petting a large animal, ironically enough). Locke was the type of person to spoil someone he cared about, but Weiler wasn't here just because he needed to be humored. "I was just teasing, and I like when you're either way."

[aphelionix]

"I know," Locke assured, sipping his drink slowly, leaning into Weiler's touch. (Indeed, much like a large animal.) He didn't say it, but he suspected he might need a little extra drink in him for what he wanted to ask, anyway. Not that he was scared, or that it was a big deal, but it was new, and as with many new things there came with it a small dose of worry. But he knew it'd be all right, even without drink.

"Any New Year's resolutions?"

[tactician]

Weiler's eyes were on the projection screen, but his attention was no doubt on Locke. The idle hand on Locke's neck didn't stop its motions, and though the pause he gave might have looked like lack of attention to someone who didn't know him as well, it was because of thoughtfulness that Weiler took a moment longer to answer.

"Stay vigilant and don't bring work home with me?" he said, sliding his gaze sideways, sly and good-humored. "I could quit smoking, but I'm giving myself a few more years before I try that."

[aphelionix]

"Guess I'll just have to wait on that one," Locke sighed. At least he didn't do it in the house.

[tactician]

"Just a few more years," Weiler chuckled, twisting in his seat to wrap a hand around Locke's neck and kiss him. "Then I'll give it up. A man's allowed his vices when he's still young enough to maintain them, isn't he?"

[aphelionix]

He smiled regardless, letting a hand rest on Weiler's leg, accepting the kiss happily. "I imagine it helps, anyway, with keeping work at work."

[tactician]

"It's not that hard - much easier than being a personal assistant. It's just a bad habit I've yet to kick," admitted Weiler, shameless about that fact. He finished his second glass of champagne and climbed over Locke's lap, setting the empty glass down on the ground. "A man needs some bad habits. It keeps him...well-rounded."

[aphelionix]

With a small chuckle, Locke finished his second glass as well, reaching behind Weiler to set it on the coffee table. He wasn't surprised by Weiler's philosophies. It only made the man more interesting, to him.

"Speaking of habits," he started, looking Weiler up and down. "I often find you in this position."

[tactician]

Weiler raised both brows. "You don't like it?"

He looked down, then back up, bracing either elbow on Locke's shoulders. "But you do," he said confidently, though he sounded mildly confused as to why Locke brought it up.

[aphelionix]

He chuckled, and this close, it was obvious in his cheeks that the drink was getting to him.

"I don't mind at all," Locke said. Weiler knew him well enough, too, to know that his averted gaze was one of nervousness. "I just wonder if you... don't want to switch it up."

[tactician]

"All right," Weiler agreed easily, quick and without complaint. He doubted anything Locke would suggest would be something too much for him to handle, and he doubted it even more that it'd be something he wouldn't like. After all, if they really got down to it, Weiler's experience with strange and over-zealous tastes was probably much more diverse than even the soldier's.

"What do you want to do instead?" he asked, murmuring the question as he mouthed over Locke's jaw.

[aphelionix]

He felt even warmer now that he could no longer avoid saying it. Locke closed his eyes, his cheek sliding against Weiler's. Well, he didn't hide anything from this man, and he certainly wasn't going to start now.

"I want you to to take me tonight," he mumbled by his ear.

[tactician]

Weiler stilled against Locke, mouth pausing over the shell of his ear.

"Do you, now?" he said, voice deeper than usual.

[aphelionix]

Locke smiled slowly, his eyes opening halfway. That was a promising tone of voice. "I do."

[tactician]

He drew back, but not very far. Weiler still cast a shadow on Locke's face from the light of the projection screen at his back, and it made his eyes dark in their closeness (or maybe it was something else).

"You really want that?" he asked, pausing to run his tongue across his bottom lip. "Or are you just trying to offer something special because of the occasion...?"

[aphelionix]

"The occasion helps," Locke said honestly, watching Weiler's tongue, his eyes. His hands slid up to his hips. "But I've been curious for a while."