He didn't want to wake up. Whoever said that alcohol helped you sleep were lying. It might help you fall asleep, but he knew for sure that he didn't get enough of it that night. And there was a good chance that he wouldn't be able to fall back to sleep after this.
He wasn't liking the warning that his head was giving him either. It was growing with every passing second that the cogs in his head started to turn.
He didn't bother turning on any lights. He slipped out of the plush sheets and trudged to the bathroom. That was his first and only order of business. Lou had a bathroom connected to his room, but Valentino's was in the hallway. He must have kept the light from his bathroom on to see his way around last night. He turned it off as soon as he could, not bothering to look around. He knew his house.
Now, the smart thing to do would be going to the kitchen and grabbing water and aspirin before going back to bed. But that required him to actually walk a longer distance and trying to look for the medicine.
And his head and body hurt too much for that. So, instead, he trudged all the way back to his comfortable bed. His head was throbbing at that point. All he wanted to do was bury his face in the comfortable pillow and wrap his body in the sheets...
It was nice and peaceful too. For a second, he almost believed that he could fall back to sleep.
Until the sheets started to move.
A soft yawn filled the air as arms pulled him closer. It didn't take long for that soft pillow that he was laying on to start moving. It didn't move far, thankfully, but it was enough for his headache to come back full force.
"Come on, Big Boy," he whispered into his ear. "Show me what you can do."
He forgot that someone was in that bed with him. The memories were slowly coming back. They were a bit fuzzy, but he remembered the good parts. The really good parts.
And the cringey parts...
Fuck.
He actually said that.
"Morning Darling," that familiar silky voice filled the silent room. Valentino groaned and buried his head in the man again. It felt better than anyone else he had slept with. Usually, he wouldn't be cuddled up to someone for long. It might be cute, but it was bad for your neck laying on someone's chest rather than an actual pillow. But somehow this man just made everything comfortable. He could lay on him all day.
He was surprised the guy was still around. Most men that he picked up from the bar left by the time he woke up. That or they stayed just long enough to enjoy a free breakfast. But this man stayed in his bed, completely content with just holding him.
What was wrong with him? Didn't he have to pee or something? They both drank enough.
"No," he answered him. His head was killing him and his stomach was starting to churn. The morning was quickly turning sour. He knew it could be better if he got that aspirin. Then he could chug a bottle of water and just order some food to be delivered. He had days like this before.
It wasn't like he could rely on Lou for everything. He had gotten to used to his brother getting all these things for him when he was hungover, nagging at him a little about drinking. Valentino supposed it was just so he didn't wind up drinking too much. Making it a habit brought the people in their family down a dark path.
"That bad, huh?" Casimir asked, his voice low. He felt those lips on the top of his head as he rubbed his back. He didn't know just how good a small action like that would feel.
"Yeah," he grumbled, his arms going around the man's neck. It made those arms lift him just a little more, so he could bury his face in the crook of his neck. Every movement he made only made the man enjoy him. He could tell by how those hands moved across his back and the soft sigh that came out of his mouth.
"Anything I can do to help?" he whispered ever so lightly into his ear. That soft voice was therapeutic in its own way.
"No," he told him. "I just need to get my lazy ass up and get the aspirin." He was being punished for not getting it when he first got up. He just really didn't want to walk any further. His body was worn from more things than just a lack of sleep.
"And where is that?"
"The kitchen."
"Alright," Casimir wrapped him tighter in his arms. It wasn't until he started shifting in the bed a little too much.
"What are you-!"
Before he could even finish that sentence, he was swept off his feet, wrapped up in the blanket that was taken from the bed. This man had to be the only one he had been with that could pick him up like he was nothing. He could feel every movement the man made as he walked through his house. His stomach moved against Valentino's as he was pressed tightly against him.
"Here," he finally sat him down on the counter. The lights were still off, but the curtains to the windows were left open enough to help them see. "Tell me which cabinet it's in."
"Why are you doing this?" He asked, rubbing his eyes a bit. No one treated him like this. Especially not after a one-night stand. Valentino had been with a few guys, but never did he have someone who went to this length for him.
"Because you need aspirin," the low voice purred into his ear. "Now tell me where it is, Darling, so I can help you."
Why was that voice so damn magnetizing? Valentino found himself trying to wrap around him again. Casimir didn't mind. He accepted his closeness easily, kissing his cheek while he pulled himself closer to the man.
"The last cabinet by the wall," he said. And, just like that, he was picked up again and brought over to the corner of the kitchen. As soon as he was set down on the counter there, he heard the soft sound of the cabinet being opened and the rattling of medicine being looked at.
"Here we go," Casimir said after a tortuous minute of throbbing in his head. That broad shoulder nudged him to lift his head as he handed him a water bottle. He didn't know when he got that, but he accepted it sleepily.
He took the medicine and drank just about the whole bottle. He didn't realize just how thirsty he was until he started drinking it. And the warmth of the muscular body was adding to the relief he was getting.
"Better?"
Valentino just nodded and rested his head back down on him, ready to be taken back to bed. That's exactly where he was brought to afterwards. The soft mattress brought him make to the sleepy mood that he was in before.
"You're a strange man," he mumbled.
"And why is that?"
"Because the smart thing to do would probably be to just leave before I woke up," he told him. "That's what usually happens."
"The smart thing to do would have been to wait until you were sober and just ask you on a date," Casimir kissed his cheek again. "That's what I wanted to do."
"I'm not the guy for you, you know," Valentino told him, shaking his head. "I'm not really the guy for anyone."
"Don't put yourself down, Darling," that soft voice almost made his heart melt when he heard it. "Don't you think you deserve to try at least?"
"And how would I try?" he asked. "What if it doesn't end well?"
"Then we'll move on without each other, as most do," Casimir explained. "But I think you should try at least."
Valentino sighed and tried to pull away from the man. He was quickly brought back in by those strong arms. It didn't help that his legs were still wrapped around that waist of his. It was all too easy to get tangled up with him.
"You know I'm not going to be as cuddly or touchy as I am right now," he warned. "I don't like being really clingy. I like my space. That's why my relationships haven't worked."
"Then I'd like to work on that," Casimir said.
"I'm not changing how I am."
"I didn't mean that, Darling," he soothed. "I meant that we could find a medium for it. I'd quite enjoy finding something to make the both of us happy."
"You're ridiculous," he shook his head just a little. "Why would you even want me?"
"What do you mean?"
"I mean you're a wedding planner," Valentino said. "And, from what you've been telling everyone, you've traveled all around the world. Out of all the people that you've met, why would you choose to date me?"
"Because you aren't just any random person that I've met," Casimir said. "And I'd quite enjoy showing you why I want to take this further, if you'd let me."
He had to think about that. He wasn't one to usually get into a relationship. Especially not with a one-night stand. But he knew him from before the bar, and he didn't seem too bad. It was most likely going to turn sour really quick, but at least he could still have some fun for a while.
"This is a nice house you have," Casimir changed the subject.
"Thanks," he smiled a little. "I live here with my brother."
"Really?"
"Yeah."
"I might need to go out there and clean some things up, then," Casimir said, sounding a bit worried. "The hallway is a bit of a mess."
Oh, Valentino remembered the hallway. His body did too, and, while some parts were in pain because of it, he had no complaints.
"He's not here," he told him. "He's on a trip for another month and a half."
"Ah," Casimir sighed. "That makes me feel a little better."
Valentino chuckled. He couldn't believe the guy was literally worried about his brother walking in and noticing a bunch of clothes on the floor. Lou had seen much worse. It led to some funny stories at least. He even ran someone out one night. And, while he was upset at the time, it made him laugh now.
But he wouldn't be worried about seeing clothes strewn in the hallway. He'd be more concerned with just how bad of a hangover Valentino had. He always acted like a parent to him. It started the second he started living with him. As much as it was annoying, Valentino kinda missed it now.
"Alright," he reached to the nightstand where his phone was. "I'm going to order something to eat. You want anything?"
"I'll pay," Casimir reached for the phone.
"No," he got to it first. "You already paid for my bar bill. That's enough for me to buy you some lunch or something."
"You paid for the taxi."
"That doesn't count."
"Why," Casimir smirked at him. It was cute seeing that on him.
"Because that bill was probably really high considering Brittany was on that tab too."
"Oh, that was nothing," Casimir buried his face in his neck this time. It made Valentino immediately thread his fingers into that short hair. It felt so soft.
"I'm still buying lunch," he argued. "Now what do you want?"
"On one condition," he felt that smile against his skin. Those lips held so many promises to them, he couldn't help but lean into them.
"What?"
"You agree to go on a date with me," Casimir said. "I owe you that at least."
"Fine," he rolled his eyes. "But you don't owe me anything."
They stayed like that the whole day, just laying in bed, relaxing and not doing anything. The food got delivered and they just ate it in between naps that Valentino would take. It always took him a full day to recover from drinking when he had that many shots in him. Tequila did quite a number on him. He loved it, but being hungover on it was a whole new level of pain. It always left him wanting to never drink again.
He never listened to that thought.
For some reason, he felt like he could get used to this, though. The holding and just enjoying each other's presence. He never had that with someone he went out with. That was mainly just friends that would do that with him. Sometimes they would talk and ask each other questions. None of it was serious, as they were both extremely hungover. But it was nice. He hadn't had a good conversation like that in a long while.
Sunday was a much better day. Casimir had spent the night with him again. He helped him clean up a bit. Sundays were his errand days, as he ran around the house trying to make sure that everything was clean. The worst was always the laundry, but that was a whole other story for another day.
He didn't drop him off until mid-afternoon of that weekend. He gave him directions of a fancy apartment complex.
"Looks nice," he complimented.
"Thanks," Casimir winked at him. "Maybe I'll invite you inside someday."
"Maybe," he smirked. "I'll talk to you later."
He drove off in his Corvette before Casimir could say anything else. Those silky words loved to convince him to stay longer. That was why he had let him stay the night again. Casimir was perfectly content with enjoying the night with him, even if they weren't doing anything but talking. It was weird.
He couldn't believe he had agreed to this stupid little date thing. There was just something about how caring he seemed when he held him. He couldn't help but cave into the big softy.
Valentino didn't remember whatever was on his lawn from before. It looked familiar, though. He parked the car in the garage and walked outside. Right by the door was a black jacket. It was crumpled up in the nice grass that he had in front of his house. Valentino picked it up and smelt it.
Sure enough: it smelt like cologne and alcohol. The perfect mix to a crazy night that he swore his mind would forever keep engraved in it. Casimir must have dropped it when he got out of the taxi or something. He was surprised that no one had tried to take it in the couple of days it had already been there. He would have to tell him so that he could give it back. Maybe do so on their date or something, if that didn't seem weird or anything.
A date...
Man, what had he gotten himself into?
Author's Note: Hi guys! I hope you enjoyed this chapter. It's a fluffy one, even though it seems like Valentino's still trying to resist. How could you say no to someone as sweet as Casimir, though? There's some fun happening along the way after this too. Now that they're in a relationship, can they stay in one? Will they turn out to be a match made in heaven or hell? You guys tell me what you think!
Thanks for all the votes and comments!
-Saturn