Sequel: Flare ›
Status: Edited version of Human After All for NaNoWriMo.
Human After All (II)
IX
“Attention, citizens!” There came a loud squeal of feedback from the speakers that were lined up along the streets. They hadn't been used in quite a few years, and many people even forget they were there. Rumors were always around that the speakers were used for emergency sirens, but nothing too serious had ever happened, so nobody was sure if that was true or not.
“We have some very exciting news!” The woman's voice was shrill. Beau listened carefully as the announcements raged on. Perhaps he knew this girl from high school. Many people from his class had graduated with careers already in their sights, usually government jobs, while Beau was contemplating college. “We proudly announce that we have apprehended the criminal Ethylon Wright, and we are currently dissecting his robot now. We can all breathe easy! Rejoice!”
“Really?” Beau said aloud with heavy sarcasm.
Joshua pulled himself away from the stereo long enough to look at Beau. “What, master?”
“I doubt they actually captured Ethylon.” Beau said. “He's a strict, clean and careful criminal. He's not stupid, and he's certainly not going to go down without a fight. There's no way they took him down so easily.”
“How can you be so sure?” Joshua shrugged. “Why would the government lie to us?”
“Oh, Joshua....” Beau shook his head. His bot was loving, but so naive. “They lie plenty to us. They didn't capture Ethylon at all. In fact, I'm sure they don't even know where he is. They're just lying to keep themselves safe. They did it the last time we had a rogue. It took them nearly three months to actually capture him. He was a genius, but nothing compared to Ethylon.” Beau scratched his neck, yawning awkwardly between his sentence. “If Ethylon had enough brains to break out of the bion he was in, they're going to have a few more months until they even get close to catching him.”
Joshua looked at the clock by the kitchen. It was getting fairly late. While he didn't mind talking to Beau for hours on end, every night Beau would mention something about the time, then send Joshua to his bedroom like a child. Perhaps that night would be different, Joshua hoped.
Beau nodded his head to the music that played on the stereo, the music by a band Joshua had grown to enjoy. The music was soft, gentle, and different sounding, just as Beau liked. Joshua noticed his master listened to music that most would never consider. Joshua guessed that was why he liked Beau so much, because he was different.
“You look tired.” Beau whispered against Joshua's ear. Joshua sat comfortably on Beau's hips. While Joshua thought nothing of this, Beau was inwardly happier than he had ever been before. Of course, they waited until Dahlia, Leslie, and Kiyah were asleep. It seemed strange to do things in front of them, or at least Beau thought so. He didn't want to be so close with one robot while the other three were just watching. Perhaps it was just Beau's mind.
“It's not late, master. I can stay awake.” Joshua lied, his eyes drooping over slightly. Beau pulled Joshua off of his body, and sat him down on the couch. “Master, it's okay, really.”
“Go to bed.” Beau said firmly. “You're very tired.” Joshua shook his head quickly. “I will carry you to your bedroom if you don't go by yourself.” Beau said, although it didn't seem like such a bad idea when he really thought about it. It's not like he and Joshua weren't already close. Becoming a bit closer wouldn't hurt anybody.
Joshua giggled. “Okay, fine, I'll go to be— Eeek!” Joshua squealed as Beau slipped his arms around Joshua's body, one behind his knees, and another around his sides. Beau smiled, walking slowly over to his bot's bedroom. He giggled a few times, and hushed himself when Beau opened the door to his bedroom, because the girls were fast asleep on his dresser. Beau stood at the edge of Joshua's bed, holding him tightly in his arms. Beau didn't want to put him down. Joshua was so soft, so frail, so loving. Beau never wanted to let him go.
“Master?” Joshua whispered. “You may lay me down now.”
“I don't want to.” Beau said childishly. Joshua grinned, leaning his head on Beau's shoulder. “But if you're tired, I'll let you go to bed.”
“Thank you.” Joshua said as Beau laid him down on his bed, stretching his legs out on the bed. Beau threw a silk blanket over his small body, watching as Joshua pulled them over his face.
“Good night.” Beau leaned close to Joshua's cheek, pecking a small kis on his soft, porcelain-like skin, while a flash of lightning appeared and disappeared at the window.
“Master?” Joshua whispered with a tremble in his voice. Beau nodded. “May I hug you?” He continued to whisper, for the girls shuffled quietly in their sleep. The question was strange, since Beau usually made the first move for an embrace, and Joshua waited. He had more respect for Beau than to suddenly hug him. Beau looked almost shocked when Joshua asked him, but he knew that Joshua was loyal, and he would always ask for permission.
“Of course you can. But only if you call me Beau, just once.” Beau said, almost cut off short as Joshua jumped off of the bed and threw his arms around Beau's neck. Beau gasped quietly, but complied, running his hands down Joshua's back.
“I love you hug you, Beau.” Joshua murmured in Beau's shirt. Their breaths were in sync with each other, until laid Joshua down and smiled.
“Sleep.” Beau mumbled. Joshua nodded, smiling while the dimples in his cheeks became apparent. Beau almost melted where he stood as he saw them. He leaned over, and kissed the dimples in Joshua's cheeks, letting his breath linger upon Joshua's cheek. “Good night, Joshua.”
“Good night, master.”
Beau clicked the door quietly shut behind him. He yawned, stretching his arms, and just barely making it over to the couch. He would sleep there in his clothes for the night, since he was far to lazy to go to his own bed, and too tired to change into anything else.
***
There came a resounding knock from Beau's door. The sound of it echoed throughout the apartment. Beau rubbed his eye gingerly, hoping to himself that the knock hadn't woken up Joshua or the girls. They needed their rest. Beau needed his as well, but apparently it could wait to the person behind the door. Another knock came from the door, and Beau groaned loudly, pushing himself off of the side of the couch.
“All right, all right, I'm coming.” He grumbled as he opened the door. The light from the hallway was almost blinding, but he could see an angry and disheveled Drew in front of him. His hair was frazzled, his jacket hung off of his shoulder, his shirt was wrinkled, and his shoes covered in mud. He looked like he had just ran a ten mile marathon.
“You!” Drew yelled, slurring slightly. Beau furrowed his brows while staring at the shorter being in front of him. He hadn't seen Drew in a week and a half, or just around there. “You ruined everything.” He waved his hands in front of him.
“What the hell are you talking about?” Beau shook his head. Drew hiccuped slightly before he pointed a finger in Beau's face.
“You just had to take the robot's side, leave me in the dirty.” He spat. “Well, you're driving me nuts. I had you first, Beau.” He reached up, curling his fingers under Beau's collar. “Now kiss me.”
Their lips locked together, like Drew's were a piece missing from Beau's, and Drew instantaneously around his neck. Beau's arm snaked around his waist, dragging him into the apartment slightly. Drew was drunk, Beau would have to be blind not to notice he was. Drinking age was 15, but many teens were too busy to drink. It was overrated, many thought, so they waited until their schoolwork was over and done with, usually around the ages of 18 or 19. Drew, however, was one of those class acts that liked to drink.
Beau pushed Drew into his bedroom. He hoped they wouldn't wake Joshua, and the others, because of the slightly bumping sound the door made when it hit Beau's dresser.
After a few lust filled minutes, Beau pulled away from the intense kiss to take a breath.
“No.” Beau whispered. “Joshua, his room is right there.”
“Oh, shut up.” Drew pushed his lips against Beau's again. Beau tried terribly hard to push away the idea of Joshua walking in. He felt like he was... cheating. But he didn't consider Joshua as anything else than a bot, did he?
Beau was too busy to think anymore as he slipped Drew's shirt off of his body, his lips attaching to a soft spot on Drew's throat. Drew moaned quietly, and Beau threw his hand over his mouth, placing on index finger on his own lips.
“Quiet.” He said, due to fear that Joshua would walk in. “Don't make a sound.” Drew nodded eagerly, chewing on his bottom lip to keep his moans from filling the bedroom.
And as Beau reached down to pull off his own shirt, he heard a squeak from behind the door. Beau turned his attention to the door. Nobody was there, but he could have sworn he heard Joshua. It sounded exactly like him, since Beau was around Joshua constantly. He should know what his bot sounds like.
“Did you hear that?” Beau whispered, although Drew was shaking his head already. “It sounded like a—“
“You talk too much.” Drew grabbed Beau by his neck, and threw him on the bed. Although Beau should have been concentrated on Drew, he wasn't. Beau was more concerned on whether or not Joshua had just seen them, and if he did, what would he tell him?
***
Beau woke to the sound of a bird in a tree outside of his window. He was tenderly rubbing his eyes when the singing of the songbird disappeared. Beau stretched his legs out and shivered. He had forgotten to put his short on, his pants the only salvation from the temperature of the drizzling rain outside. He and Joshua could still go in public if they really wanted to. All he had to do was find an umbrella.
Beau pushed himself out of bed to find a small note awaiting him on his dresser, along with an extra key.
“I'm sorry :( I didn't mean to show up in the middle of the night.
Maybe we should stop what we're doing. I don't think it's good for either of us.
xoxo Drew”
He sighed, crushing the note in his fist. Drew was right; this fuck-and-run relationship wasn't going to work for either of them much longer. Drew was afraid of developing feeling for Beau, and Beau didn't want to hurt anyone. Thank goodness Drew said it first though, Beau would not have had the heart to do it. While Beau seemed to have a tough shell, when it came to his friends and such, he was soft, especially with Joshua.
“Shit.” Beau mumbled, rubbing his eyes again. He remembered there was a squeak behind the door when he and Drew were together the night before, and he suspected it came from Joshua. He would have to confront Joshua, explain it to him.... It seemed like an incredibly awkward situation. How would someone explain that to a bot, especially a bot like Joshua? So sensitive, so easily confused. Beau shivered at the thought of it. He had no idea how he would approach this challenge.
But Beau couldn't avoid it either. He would have to go into the living room, and talk to Joshua eventually. Beau took a deep breath, calming himself before he opened the door to his bedroom. It was now or never, he thought while walking into the living room where Joshua sat innocently on the couch. He was reading a magazine that Beau had delivered to his house, although Beau never read them anyways.
“Good morning, master.” Joshua hardly peeked up from the magazine. Beau sat next to Joshua, staring directly at him, although Joshua was trying desperately to escape his gaze. Beau sighed. “What's wrong, master?” Joshua automatically put the magazine on the table, getting on his hands and knees on the couch to look at Beau. Whenever Beau sighed, or seemed unhappy, Joshua was there to see if he could help in any way.
“You... You saw Drew and I last night, didn't you?” Beau asked. Joshua's eyes widened guiltily, although it was Beau who felt terrible. He should have stopped Drew before anything else happened. He wouldn't be in this awkward situation if he had just pushed Drew away. “You're not in trouble, Joshua. Just please tell me the truth.”
Joshua gasped quietly. “I swear, I didn't mean to, master. I just heard something, and I thought of the empyreals, and I wanted to make sure you were okay. But then I walked into your room without permission....” Joshua took a deep breath. “I apologize ten-fold, master.”
“Don't.” Beau reached over, and pulled Joshua into a warm embrace. He felt guilty, oh-so guilty. How could he betray Joshua like that? “Forgive me, Joshua. I didn't meant for you to see that.”
Joshua nodded silently, although he didn't say anything else. Joshua loved the feeling of being in his master's arms, even under the circumstances. Beau kissed the top of Joshua's head, and for some reason, he felt that he would have a few drinks that night. Pressure had gotten the best of him, and besides; what were a few drinks going to do to anyone?
***
Joshua decided another nap was in order after sitting silently with his master. He hadn't been able to sleep after seeing Drew with his master, and he was especially tired the next morning. Beau had given him permission to nap, and while Dahlia and the others complained because they wanted to talk to Joshua, he was so tired, all he wanted to do was throw himself on the bed and fall asleep for a year.
When Joshua awoke, however, he was greeted by a woozy and drunken master. Joshua giggled as Beau couldn't seem to finish a sentence without letting out a hiccup. Beau finished off a cup of whatever it was he was drinking before he fell back against the couch. He rubbed his temples, as though he were in pain, but that soon passed when intoxication took hold of his senses again.
Joshua sat down in front of the couch, staring at his master intently. Beau couldn't get rid of his hiccups, and it was bothering him a lot more than suspected. It was nearly 9 p.m., Joshua noted. He had practically slept the entire day away!
“Are you all right, master?” Joshua leaned forward, pressing the backs of his hands against Beau's reddening cheeks. Beau nodded slowly, opening one eye to stare at Joshua. He was entranced in Beau's amazing eye color. Even while he was drunk, Joshua loved the color of Beau's eyes; chocolate brown, with flares of orange surrounding the pupil.
“Yes, I -hic- am. Thank you, Joshua!” Joshua giggled after Beau finished his sentence.
Joshua started. “Would you like—“
Beau rolled off of the couch, for no reason, and onto the ground with a sudden burst of laughter. He grabbed his side as it began to ache from the laughter, although he wasn't sure what was so funny. Being drunk made everything funny to Beau. Joshua cocked his head to the side, leaning over the edge of the couch with curious eyes. Beau finally stopped laughing long enough to reach up and grab his bot's chin with a steady hand.
“You're very beautiful.” Beau said with a cleaned up slur. “Very beautiful.” He marveled, pushing himself up on his elbows.
“T-thank you, master.” Joshua said. Beau had never called him beautiful before. Maybe cute, or funny, but never beautiful. He didn't know what to think of it!
Beau sat up, cracking his neck carefully before staring at Joshua with foggy eyes. Dahlia, Leslie, and Kiyah were too busy watching television (Joshua never took much of interest in it) to care about what Beau was doing. Beau pulled Joshua into his lap, giving him feather kisses along his neck. It felt like a soft wind was curling around Joshua's neck when Beau kissed him.
“Joshua?” Beau asked, trailing his fingers down Joshua's neck, and across his chest as he pulled away. Joshua nodded quickly, eagerly even.
“Yes?” Joshua squeaked. It was strange for his master to be so openly affectionate, especially while the girls were still awake. Actually, Joshua thought, it was strange for his master to be this affectionate at all. Usually he would just give a hug, a kiss on the cheek or head, a friendly hand, maybe a hand around the waist, but never feather kisses along his neck. Not that Joshua minded much anyways. Beau swallowed hard before he brought his lips to Joshua's ear. His breath tickled against Joshua's skin.
“Have you ever played the Magnet Game?”
“We have some very exciting news!” The woman's voice was shrill. Beau listened carefully as the announcements raged on. Perhaps he knew this girl from high school. Many people from his class had graduated with careers already in their sights, usually government jobs, while Beau was contemplating college. “We proudly announce that we have apprehended the criminal Ethylon Wright, and we are currently dissecting his robot now. We can all breathe easy! Rejoice!”
“Really?” Beau said aloud with heavy sarcasm.
Joshua pulled himself away from the stereo long enough to look at Beau. “What, master?”
“I doubt they actually captured Ethylon.” Beau said. “He's a strict, clean and careful criminal. He's not stupid, and he's certainly not going to go down without a fight. There's no way they took him down so easily.”
“How can you be so sure?” Joshua shrugged. “Why would the government lie to us?”
“Oh, Joshua....” Beau shook his head. His bot was loving, but so naive. “They lie plenty to us. They didn't capture Ethylon at all. In fact, I'm sure they don't even know where he is. They're just lying to keep themselves safe. They did it the last time we had a rogue. It took them nearly three months to actually capture him. He was a genius, but nothing compared to Ethylon.” Beau scratched his neck, yawning awkwardly between his sentence. “If Ethylon had enough brains to break out of the bion he was in, they're going to have a few more months until they even get close to catching him.”
Joshua looked at the clock by the kitchen. It was getting fairly late. While he didn't mind talking to Beau for hours on end, every night Beau would mention something about the time, then send Joshua to his bedroom like a child. Perhaps that night would be different, Joshua hoped.
Beau nodded his head to the music that played on the stereo, the music by a band Joshua had grown to enjoy. The music was soft, gentle, and different sounding, just as Beau liked. Joshua noticed his master listened to music that most would never consider. Joshua guessed that was why he liked Beau so much, because he was different.
“You look tired.” Beau whispered against Joshua's ear. Joshua sat comfortably on Beau's hips. While Joshua thought nothing of this, Beau was inwardly happier than he had ever been before. Of course, they waited until Dahlia, Leslie, and Kiyah were asleep. It seemed strange to do things in front of them, or at least Beau thought so. He didn't want to be so close with one robot while the other three were just watching. Perhaps it was just Beau's mind.
“It's not late, master. I can stay awake.” Joshua lied, his eyes drooping over slightly. Beau pulled Joshua off of his body, and sat him down on the couch. “Master, it's okay, really.”
“Go to bed.” Beau said firmly. “You're very tired.” Joshua shook his head quickly. “I will carry you to your bedroom if you don't go by yourself.” Beau said, although it didn't seem like such a bad idea when he really thought about it. It's not like he and Joshua weren't already close. Becoming a bit closer wouldn't hurt anybody.
Joshua giggled. “Okay, fine, I'll go to be— Eeek!” Joshua squealed as Beau slipped his arms around Joshua's body, one behind his knees, and another around his sides. Beau smiled, walking slowly over to his bot's bedroom. He giggled a few times, and hushed himself when Beau opened the door to his bedroom, because the girls were fast asleep on his dresser. Beau stood at the edge of Joshua's bed, holding him tightly in his arms. Beau didn't want to put him down. Joshua was so soft, so frail, so loving. Beau never wanted to let him go.
“Master?” Joshua whispered. “You may lay me down now.”
“I don't want to.” Beau said childishly. Joshua grinned, leaning his head on Beau's shoulder. “But if you're tired, I'll let you go to bed.”
“Thank you.” Joshua said as Beau laid him down on his bed, stretching his legs out on the bed. Beau threw a silk blanket over his small body, watching as Joshua pulled them over his face.
“Good night.” Beau leaned close to Joshua's cheek, pecking a small kis on his soft, porcelain-like skin, while a flash of lightning appeared and disappeared at the window.
“Master?” Joshua whispered with a tremble in his voice. Beau nodded. “May I hug you?” He continued to whisper, for the girls shuffled quietly in their sleep. The question was strange, since Beau usually made the first move for an embrace, and Joshua waited. He had more respect for Beau than to suddenly hug him. Beau looked almost shocked when Joshua asked him, but he knew that Joshua was loyal, and he would always ask for permission.
“Of course you can. But only if you call me Beau, just once.” Beau said, almost cut off short as Joshua jumped off of the bed and threw his arms around Beau's neck. Beau gasped quietly, but complied, running his hands down Joshua's back.
“I love you hug you, Beau.” Joshua murmured in Beau's shirt. Their breaths were in sync with each other, until laid Joshua down and smiled.
“Sleep.” Beau mumbled. Joshua nodded, smiling while the dimples in his cheeks became apparent. Beau almost melted where he stood as he saw them. He leaned over, and kissed the dimples in Joshua's cheeks, letting his breath linger upon Joshua's cheek. “Good night, Joshua.”
“Good night, master.”
Beau clicked the door quietly shut behind him. He yawned, stretching his arms, and just barely making it over to the couch. He would sleep there in his clothes for the night, since he was far to lazy to go to his own bed, and too tired to change into anything else.
***
There came a resounding knock from Beau's door. The sound of it echoed throughout the apartment. Beau rubbed his eye gingerly, hoping to himself that the knock hadn't woken up Joshua or the girls. They needed their rest. Beau needed his as well, but apparently it could wait to the person behind the door. Another knock came from the door, and Beau groaned loudly, pushing himself off of the side of the couch.
“All right, all right, I'm coming.” He grumbled as he opened the door. The light from the hallway was almost blinding, but he could see an angry and disheveled Drew in front of him. His hair was frazzled, his jacket hung off of his shoulder, his shirt was wrinkled, and his shoes covered in mud. He looked like he had just ran a ten mile marathon.
“You!” Drew yelled, slurring slightly. Beau furrowed his brows while staring at the shorter being in front of him. He hadn't seen Drew in a week and a half, or just around there. “You ruined everything.” He waved his hands in front of him.
“What the hell are you talking about?” Beau shook his head. Drew hiccuped slightly before he pointed a finger in Beau's face.
“You just had to take the robot's side, leave me in the dirty.” He spat. “Well, you're driving me nuts. I had you first, Beau.” He reached up, curling his fingers under Beau's collar. “Now kiss me.”
Their lips locked together, like Drew's were a piece missing from Beau's, and Drew instantaneously around his neck. Beau's arm snaked around his waist, dragging him into the apartment slightly. Drew was drunk, Beau would have to be blind not to notice he was. Drinking age was 15, but many teens were too busy to drink. It was overrated, many thought, so they waited until their schoolwork was over and done with, usually around the ages of 18 or 19. Drew, however, was one of those class acts that liked to drink.
Beau pushed Drew into his bedroom. He hoped they wouldn't wake Joshua, and the others, because of the slightly bumping sound the door made when it hit Beau's dresser.
After a few lust filled minutes, Beau pulled away from the intense kiss to take a breath.
“No.” Beau whispered. “Joshua, his room is right there.”
“Oh, shut up.” Drew pushed his lips against Beau's again. Beau tried terribly hard to push away the idea of Joshua walking in. He felt like he was... cheating. But he didn't consider Joshua as anything else than a bot, did he?
Beau was too busy to think anymore as he slipped Drew's shirt off of his body, his lips attaching to a soft spot on Drew's throat. Drew moaned quietly, and Beau threw his hand over his mouth, placing on index finger on his own lips.
“Quiet.” He said, due to fear that Joshua would walk in. “Don't make a sound.” Drew nodded eagerly, chewing on his bottom lip to keep his moans from filling the bedroom.
And as Beau reached down to pull off his own shirt, he heard a squeak from behind the door. Beau turned his attention to the door. Nobody was there, but he could have sworn he heard Joshua. It sounded exactly like him, since Beau was around Joshua constantly. He should know what his bot sounds like.
“Did you hear that?” Beau whispered, although Drew was shaking his head already. “It sounded like a—“
“You talk too much.” Drew grabbed Beau by his neck, and threw him on the bed. Although Beau should have been concentrated on Drew, he wasn't. Beau was more concerned on whether or not Joshua had just seen them, and if he did, what would he tell him?
***
Beau woke to the sound of a bird in a tree outside of his window. He was tenderly rubbing his eyes when the singing of the songbird disappeared. Beau stretched his legs out and shivered. He had forgotten to put his short on, his pants the only salvation from the temperature of the drizzling rain outside. He and Joshua could still go in public if they really wanted to. All he had to do was find an umbrella.
Beau pushed himself out of bed to find a small note awaiting him on his dresser, along with an extra key.
“I'm sorry :( I didn't mean to show up in the middle of the night.
Maybe we should stop what we're doing. I don't think it's good for either of us.
xoxo Drew”
He sighed, crushing the note in his fist. Drew was right; this fuck-and-run relationship wasn't going to work for either of them much longer. Drew was afraid of developing feeling for Beau, and Beau didn't want to hurt anyone. Thank goodness Drew said it first though, Beau would not have had the heart to do it. While Beau seemed to have a tough shell, when it came to his friends and such, he was soft, especially with Joshua.
“Shit.” Beau mumbled, rubbing his eyes again. He remembered there was a squeak behind the door when he and Drew were together the night before, and he suspected it came from Joshua. He would have to confront Joshua, explain it to him.... It seemed like an incredibly awkward situation. How would someone explain that to a bot, especially a bot like Joshua? So sensitive, so easily confused. Beau shivered at the thought of it. He had no idea how he would approach this challenge.
But Beau couldn't avoid it either. He would have to go into the living room, and talk to Joshua eventually. Beau took a deep breath, calming himself before he opened the door to his bedroom. It was now or never, he thought while walking into the living room where Joshua sat innocently on the couch. He was reading a magazine that Beau had delivered to his house, although Beau never read them anyways.
“Good morning, master.” Joshua hardly peeked up from the magazine. Beau sat next to Joshua, staring directly at him, although Joshua was trying desperately to escape his gaze. Beau sighed. “What's wrong, master?” Joshua automatically put the magazine on the table, getting on his hands and knees on the couch to look at Beau. Whenever Beau sighed, or seemed unhappy, Joshua was there to see if he could help in any way.
“You... You saw Drew and I last night, didn't you?” Beau asked. Joshua's eyes widened guiltily, although it was Beau who felt terrible. He should have stopped Drew before anything else happened. He wouldn't be in this awkward situation if he had just pushed Drew away. “You're not in trouble, Joshua. Just please tell me the truth.”
Joshua gasped quietly. “I swear, I didn't mean to, master. I just heard something, and I thought of the empyreals, and I wanted to make sure you were okay. But then I walked into your room without permission....” Joshua took a deep breath. “I apologize ten-fold, master.”
“Don't.” Beau reached over, and pulled Joshua into a warm embrace. He felt guilty, oh-so guilty. How could he betray Joshua like that? “Forgive me, Joshua. I didn't meant for you to see that.”
Joshua nodded silently, although he didn't say anything else. Joshua loved the feeling of being in his master's arms, even under the circumstances. Beau kissed the top of Joshua's head, and for some reason, he felt that he would have a few drinks that night. Pressure had gotten the best of him, and besides; what were a few drinks going to do to anyone?
***
Joshua decided another nap was in order after sitting silently with his master. He hadn't been able to sleep after seeing Drew with his master, and he was especially tired the next morning. Beau had given him permission to nap, and while Dahlia and the others complained because they wanted to talk to Joshua, he was so tired, all he wanted to do was throw himself on the bed and fall asleep for a year.
When Joshua awoke, however, he was greeted by a woozy and drunken master. Joshua giggled as Beau couldn't seem to finish a sentence without letting out a hiccup. Beau finished off a cup of whatever it was he was drinking before he fell back against the couch. He rubbed his temples, as though he were in pain, but that soon passed when intoxication took hold of his senses again.
Joshua sat down in front of the couch, staring at his master intently. Beau couldn't get rid of his hiccups, and it was bothering him a lot more than suspected. It was nearly 9 p.m., Joshua noted. He had practically slept the entire day away!
“Are you all right, master?” Joshua leaned forward, pressing the backs of his hands against Beau's reddening cheeks. Beau nodded slowly, opening one eye to stare at Joshua. He was entranced in Beau's amazing eye color. Even while he was drunk, Joshua loved the color of Beau's eyes; chocolate brown, with flares of orange surrounding the pupil.
“Yes, I -hic- am. Thank you, Joshua!” Joshua giggled after Beau finished his sentence.
Joshua started. “Would you like—“
Beau rolled off of the couch, for no reason, and onto the ground with a sudden burst of laughter. He grabbed his side as it began to ache from the laughter, although he wasn't sure what was so funny. Being drunk made everything funny to Beau. Joshua cocked his head to the side, leaning over the edge of the couch with curious eyes. Beau finally stopped laughing long enough to reach up and grab his bot's chin with a steady hand.
“You're very beautiful.” Beau said with a cleaned up slur. “Very beautiful.” He marveled, pushing himself up on his elbows.
“T-thank you, master.” Joshua said. Beau had never called him beautiful before. Maybe cute, or funny, but never beautiful. He didn't know what to think of it!
Beau sat up, cracking his neck carefully before staring at Joshua with foggy eyes. Dahlia, Leslie, and Kiyah were too busy watching television (Joshua never took much of interest in it) to care about what Beau was doing. Beau pulled Joshua into his lap, giving him feather kisses along his neck. It felt like a soft wind was curling around Joshua's neck when Beau kissed him.
“Joshua?” Beau asked, trailing his fingers down Joshua's neck, and across his chest as he pulled away. Joshua nodded quickly, eagerly even.
“Yes?” Joshua squeaked. It was strange for his master to be so openly affectionate, especially while the girls were still awake. Actually, Joshua thought, it was strange for his master to be this affectionate at all. Usually he would just give a hug, a kiss on the cheek or head, a friendly hand, maybe a hand around the waist, but never feather kisses along his neck. Not that Joshua minded much anyways. Beau swallowed hard before he brought his lips to Joshua's ear. His breath tickled against Joshua's skin.
“Have you ever played the Magnet Game?”