“That’s not usually what we do when we get home...” Karim said, voice dripping with meaning.
Luis faltered, almost dropped the keys. It was impossible to miss what he was alluding to.
Luis pushed the door open and the three of them made their way inside. Distantly, one of the rooms had a light on, and it cast enough light to navigate the hall.
“New plans,” Julien said. “Yes, new plans for a new night.”
“Plans, plans, plans,” Karim crabbed under his breath. “You’ve so many plans and they all take so long.”
“But aren’t they worth it, darling? Don’t I always get you what you want…?” Julien asked trailing off. He was trying not to slur, but Luis could still hear it. “Here, I’ve got him.”
Julien took over, taking better hold of Karim and guiding him to the living room where Julien attempted to set Karim gently down on the couch, but their lack of coordination left him half sprawled off the seat.
“Like a sacka—sack of potatoes,” Karim commented, squirming up onto the couch.
“Sorry, mon cœur,” Julien said. He took a seat, tilting into Karim like he couldn’t hold his usually excellent posture. Luis bit down on his lip to keep the laugh in.
“We playin’ cards now?” Karim said, voice muffled from Julien’s shoulder. “Or having sex?”
Julien’s hand came up to try and cover Karim’s mouth, but missed.
“Shh, none of that,” Julien said, softer than he would’ve said it had he not been two drinks in.
Luis retreated to his usual seat on the couch across from theirs, and tactfully said nothing. His heart was pounding, the back of his neck itchy. Karim was just being Karim, he reminded himself.
“Apologies,” Julien said a moment later, turning to Luis. “We don’t usually… entertain after drinking.” The words came out over pronounced. “I wasn’t… thinking it through.”
“It’s fine. It’s late, we could uh, go to bed?” Luis cringed after he said it. It was definitely too early for vampires to goto bed, and so it otherwise just sounded like he was alluding to something else.
For once Karim missed the opening.
“Late for you,” Karim said instead, flopping his head onto Julien’s shoulder. “S’like midday for us. No sleeping. Are you gonna sleep? You could, but what about cards?”
“Oh, the cards.” Julien rose from his seat, dislodging Karim and getting a scowl for it. Julien didn’t notice, wandering over to a side table. He opened a drawer and pawed through it before coming back with a pack of cards.
He paused then, as though a thought had struck.
“Unless you’d like to sleep, Luis? I know you’re not nocturnal,” Julien blinked too many times looking at Luis, like he was trying hard to focus, to appear more sober than he was.
“Oh, I’m okay. I’m usually up late,” Luis said. “I just–I wasn’t sure if you two wanted to uh–to be alone?”
Karim smirked, “Why would we want to be alone when we invited you here?”
Beside him Julien nudged him meaningfully as he shook his head. “Hush. Ignore him. We’re playing cards.” Julien opened the card box and promptly spilled them all over the coffee table.
“Oh,” he said with a frown. Karim snickered.
As the only sober party, Luis leaned forward to get the cards. “How about I deal?”
Julien nodded sheepishly. Karim draped himself back over his husband, pressing a kiss to Julien’s cheek.
“It’s okay babe, your coordination is shit after drinking.” Then to Luis, “How about Poker?”
“No betting,” Julien added.
“Aw, c’mon. We had a good time in Brussels, didn’t we?” Karim goaded.
“And we were almost arrested,” Julien said. Then he turned to Luis. “Don’t let him bet anything.”
