Trash of the Count's Family Anthology

Flip the Script

Cale groaned before he flipped over from his side to his back. He stretched his arms and yawned before crossing his arms behind his head and squeezed his muscles together. He let his arms go and pulled his youngest onto his chest. The other children had been sleeping on the floor as the marble was far more comfortable than the mattress today.

He blinked quickly before letting himself fall back into the dark with Raon Miru in his arms. He let the cool scales on Raon's back and head underneath the soft skin of his fingertips soothe him. He felt Raon squirm before pulling away. It was a warm night, it wasn't unexpected. Cale fell asleep almost immediately after he brought the cool pillow to his arms instead.

But, it wasn't even a moment when he felt a new presence in the room. He grumbled and brought the pillow over his head and tried to ignore the poking. After eight jabs, he sat up and stared right into the playful mirth in Alberu's dark eyes. He then blew out to push a strand off his forehead and glared at the supposed soon-to-be-king in front of him.

Cale sighed, pulling at his face with an exasperated look. After putting a spare hair-tie in his mouth, he then pulled his hair back slim ponytail and twisted the hair into a man-bun. Alberu sat down on the bed, the mattress creaking under his weight. Then he brought out a bottle of whiskey from behind his back, a bribe back into his good books. Cale's eyes widened on the bottle and he tied his hair back into a sagging mess. 

"The kids are right there," he pointed towards the floor where the children muddled together in a snoring cuddle pile. Alberu shrugged with a unbothered smile. "You're a bad influence." He said, before reaching for shot glasses.

"You made me this way first." Alberu undid his sleeves and two shot glasses slipped out which he caught effortlessly. 

"Unbelieveable. She taught you that before me?" Cale looked on incredulously at the sleight of hand trick Alberu looked so proud of. Cale scoffed before letting Alberu pour a large shot into his glass. They clinked their glasses together and tipped their heads back to let the alcohol down their throat.

It didn't burn like he had thought it would. It was smooth and tasted similar to soju. He had been  desensitised to the high alcohol content, so he didn't feel affected by it other than his reddened face. He then watched as Alberu poured himself another shot and he drank it down then did it again, then again and again. Alberu's face was starting to don a stronger red than his own. It could even be comparable to his hair.

"Let's go out!" Alberu stood up with a sway. He was clearly drunk and he pulled Cale from his sitting position on the bed. "We should go do something fun. Let's go to a festival! I'm sure there's something we can find." Alberu stumbled back and Cale held him by his wrists. Cale gently pulled him into a half-hug.

"Or we could sleep. You're busy tomorrow, you need to be well-rested." Cale reprimanded softly. It wasn't his job to be the hyung-like one but Alberu was too drunk to be the responsible. He then brought him back to the bed. "We drank, like you wanted, and now we sleep, like I want to."

"I'm not busy right now though. I want to do something! This is the first time I have a free night in months, come on." He tugged his wrists but Cale didn't budge. 

"Your High-"

"Hyung."

"Hyung. When was the last time you slept for 8 hours?" Cale's piercing stare towards the man felt as if he was to inspect his mind in a white lab. 

"..." Alberu looked away. He then crawled onto the bed. Cale sighed before he followed him onto the bed. He crawled on top and over him and pat the space next to him. The children dutifully jumped back up on the bed in a sleepy trance. Cale made sure not to hold them in case they were to get too warm and go, and slowly he fell asleep. Alberu watched before tucking himself in.

Their breathing synchronous with each other and the rise and fall of their chests. Cale's pale face was framed with red waves and Alberu's facade was a flushed painting of peace. It was not long before their pinky fingers made their way towards each other and interlocked; a silent reminder that the other was still sleeping next to them. 

When Alberu stirred the first time that night, he discovered the children had wedged themselves between the two. He laughed and realised how the night had seemed to cool. He brought the children to his chest and faked a look of offense when they slipped out to sleep on Cale. He looked up at him and moved a few inches closer. He moved back onto his back and squeezed his pinky with his own before he succumbed to sleep oncemore.

—-

"Hyung. Get up, Tasha won't stop calling." Alberu groaned before shoving his face into the pillow. His head hurt like hell. Cale sighed as his children stirred and went to ready themselves for school. He yawned and let the kids wake him also. "Do me a favour kids, wake up your uncle."

"Okay!" Hong immediately jumped on Alberu and Raon yelled out Cookie Prince over and over. Ohn sighed before yanking the blanket off him. Cale laughed mischievously at Alberu's torture who attempted to try to play. Ohn then brought him a glass of water as he sat up.

Cale went into his bathroom to bathe and change out of his pajamas. He pulled and twisted his hair into a short braid after and when he went out to his bedroom he saw Alberu get his hair and face beautified. He pulled the kids away before they had poured the glitter on the bewildered hungover prince. 

"Okay, he needs to go to work you guys. I told you to wake him up not to annoy him." He scolded the children who pulled against his grasp. They looked up at him and pouted. 

"You didn't say not to annoy him." 

"Touche, but he's busy. Leave your uncle alone. You're going to put me out of a job." His kids all groaned before trying to ragdoll on the floor. Cale's tight but not painful grip on their wrists disallowed them to. He dragged them out while putting out a thumbs-up at Alberu. 

"Good luck at your meeting in," he looked up at the clock. "5 minutes. You'll do fine!"

Alberu looked at him with his hungover glazed look. His hair stuck up in places that gravity had no control over, and he looked that he only woke up negative 20 minutes before this. He fell back on the bed and shoved his fists into his eyes. He fucked up.