The Fire of Ares

CH20- Sing to me Elio

Max.

"Never Have I Ever" was soon forgotten when we couldn't think of anything else. Chris tried bringing up "Truth or Dare" again, but I quickly shut that down. In his drunken state, I just knew his dares would be directed at me and Ares. We had nearly finished all five liquor bottles; we had two left, and we were not slowing down. I knew damn well we were all fully wasted, everyone slumped back, sipping their drinks, afraid that if we got up, we'd fall over.

I guess Chris wanted to test that theory. He got up, stumbling, and turned the speaker on, connecting it. "We need music," he mumbled to himself while swaying by the fireplace. Music started blasting from it at full volume, and we all groaned— that shit was way too loud.

"Turn it down, Chris!" Elio shouted, getting up to take the speaker away from him. Elio stumbled into Chris, and they went tumbling down onto the beanbag chair.

"Dude, get off; you're heavy," Elio said.

"Are you calling me fat?" Chris pouted, rolling onto the floor.

"Yes."

"Rude!" Chris sang into the floor, not moving. Just when we thought he had fallen asleep, he suddenly jumped up and changed the song, starting to dance. "Dance with me!" he slurred, pointing to us. We laughed at his ridiculous moves but got up to join him.

Elio grabbed the bottle and started lip-syncing to the song while swaying, putting on an entire show for us. He smirked, stalking toward me, singing the song and pointing at me. I shook my head. I tried to back up, but he caught my arm and pulled me to him. His arm went over my shoulder, holding me in place as he sang "Heartless" by Kanye to me. "So you walk around like you don't know me. You got a new friend; well, I got homies." I laughed at his foolish act, my arms finding their way around him— one on his shoulder and one on his hip, trying to stop myself from falling. He continued to sing into the bottle, swaying us, but this time he started singing very loudly. "You'll never find nobody better than me... Baby, let's just knock it off. They don't know what we've been through; they don't know 'bout me and you!" He dramatically pulled away from me, turning and starting to dance again.

We were all laughing at this version of drunk Elio, but Ares sat sipping his drink, his eyes flickering from Elio to me. He was probably trying to take in this new side of Elio he had never seen before. He caught my gaze and looked at me intensely, slowly wetting his bottom lip. I quickly looked away, unable to hold his eye contact any longer. I felt a rush and shivered; it must be the alcohol.

"I feel like throwing up," Chris whined, stopping his dancing and looking up, trying to hold it back.

"Oh hell no, not in the living room! Move!" Alex rushed Chris to the restroom before he could throw up all over his mom's rug. Elio started laughing hysterically. "He can never hold his liquor."

I shook my head because neither could he. Elio abruptly stopped laughing, and we turned to look at him. "Fuck," he groaned before running to the restroom, where we could hear Alex yelling at Chris. "The toilet, Chris! Not the tub— not you too, Elio!"

Ares and I laughed, and I went to turn the music off; they probably wouldn't be back. I was already feeling like I was going to knock out while standing. "Let's go to bed," I said unexpectedly to Ares. He made a face of amusement, and I rolled my eyes. "Shut up." He followed me to the room, and I fell onto the bed on my stomach. "I don't feel so good either," I mumbled to Ares.

"I wonder why," he mused.

"I'm going to sleep," I slurred into the pillow, closing my eyes.

"But your shoes are still on," he pointed out.

I shrugged. "Don't care."

He sighed. "Well, I do." He bent my leg up and took my shoes off one by one, tossing them across the room. Ares then went and closed the door, turned off the light, and settled in between me and the wall. He pulled the cover over us, and I could hear him shifting until he finally sat up and took his shirt off. "Can't sleep with a shirt," he grumbled to himself.

I closed my eyes again, but sleep didn't come. Ares' breath started to even, and the memory from this morning flashed back into my mind— when Ares was cuddling me in my sleep. I thought I was drunk enough to admit that it had probably been one of the best sleeps I'd ever gotten. I turned to face Ares, trying to close my eyes again, but they flew back open with a thought. If I can't sleep, I should cuddle with Ares again. This sounds like a logical plan; but then again, I had no idea what I was thinking. I was way too drunk for my own good.

"I can hear you thinking," Ares mumbled.

"Can't sleep."

I felt him lift the blanket, and before I could question what he was doing, he pulled me to him, just like this morning. "Come here."

I was about to protest, but the instant warmth that engulfed me shut me right up. I lay my head on his chest, and he rested his chin on my head, wrapping his arms around me. This is nice. "This is not gay," I said, trying to convince myself. Ares laughed. "Go to sleep."