la belle dame sans merci | carlisle cullen

20

Waking up to the dim sun shining through her curtains, Minerva felt like a semi truck had backed over her skull. "Jesus fucking Christ." She groaned, burying her face into her pillow. She reached blindly for the cup on the bedside table and downed it, spilling more than a little down her chin as she did.

She scrambled out of bed, shoulder checking the doorway as she made her way out of her room. Her mind played through the fogginess of last night's events, everything got too hazy to remember after she got into Carlisle's car. Groaning again at the realization that Carlisle had been subjected to her plastered behaviour. Charlie seeing her like that would have been bad enough.

Another glass of water down the gullet, she turned to the coffeemaker. At least half a teaspoon of grinds ended up on the counter instead of in the filter but she didn't care. A couple aspirin went down with the next glass of water while she waited— impatiently— for the coffee. She readied her mug in the mean time, preemptively dropping a spoon full of sugar and a touch of cream into the bottom and ignoring the way they congealed together. A drop of coffee hissed on the burner when she prematurely snatched the pot from its place to fill the mug before returning it to continue its brew.

The last thing Minerva expected was a knock on her door. She was horrified. It could only be one person. Swiftly running her fingers through her hair in an attempt to make it look less like a rats nest and swiping away mascara which was undoubtably giving her a raccoon look she went to open the door with coffee mug in hand.

Carlisle stood in parallel on the other side of the doorstep, disposable coffee cup in hand and an amused smile on his perfect lips, "Good morning, Sunshine."

"Is it?" She asked squinting against the light as she stepped aside to let him in. "I'm gonna apologize now. I'm a terrible drunk."

Carlisle shook his head, "Apologies unnecessary." He assured, "I brought you this coffee but it appears you're covered."

"Mm, fork it over. This one's too hot to drink." She said, holding out her hands in a grabby motion. He chuckled as he placed the warm drink in her eager hands, "You're an angel, Carlisle Cullen. Honest to—" she cut herself off as she drank deeply from the cup. "Thank you."

"My pleasure." He said, taking a seat at the kitchen table. "How are you feeling?"

"My head feels like a jackhammer." Minerva answered still squinting against the light. "I can't believe.." she rubbed her eyes, "I got that drunk playing bullshit of all things. I'm so sorry I made it your problem."

"I was glad to be of service." Carlisle responded, folding his hands in front of him on the table, "It was extremely entertaining." She grimaced, letting her hands stay over her eyes as she covered them.

"God."

"The last thing I expected when you called me at midnight was for you to tell me you don't know where you live." Carlisle continued, grin spreading across his face, "You nearly fell on your face at least three times."

"I'm clumsy enough on a good day." She mumbled, "Thank you, Carlisle. Seriously. Charlie probably would have thrown me in the drunk tank if it wasn't for you." She took another deep drink of the coffee which was much closer to a drinking temperature than the one she'd just poured. "Not that I don't love your company but what brings you over?"

Carlisle smiled fondly, "I figured you wouldn't remember." She gave him a worried look, "before I left, you asked if you could see me today." Her cheeks flushed slightly, warming a light red. "Drunk or not, I wouldn't pass that up." Her face flamed. Carlisle fidgeted, twisting his ring on his finger, "I was thinking.. I know I brought you one but maybe we could finally get that cup of coffee." She blinked a couple times, not realizing what he meant right away.