Jake grimaced as the eggnog flowed down his throat. That was strong, a little too strong, even. And Misha gobbled a few glasses of it? No wonder he got trashed so quickly. Jake didn't want to face the same fate, so he put down the glass on the low table. Even if there was no need to stay sober now, as he was planning to sleep over with Tristan, he'd rather not have to handle a hungover tomorrow.
"You don't like it?" Stephan asked, his smile curling up the corner of his heterochromatic eyes. They were shining with mischief. "As for me, I find it to be quite tasty."
Pretending he hadn't heard him, Jake shifted his attention back onto the stairs. Alexey was coming down, holding tightly onto a bottle of aspirin. His complexion didn't seem good, a little pale. Odd. Usually, it was nearly impossible to decipher the man's expression. He wasn't a complete block of ice, but unlike his son, he wasn't the kind to wear his emotions on his sleeves.
"Is something the matter, Dad?" Masha hiccupped. She had also taken one too many, and the alcohol was starting to get to her head.
"No." Alexey smiled stiffly. "Your brother just really needs to learn to close his door. As a father, there are things I'd rather not hear."
Ah, these dunces. Jake could already see his brother's horrified face.
Meanwhile, Stephan burst out laughing by his side, tapping his thighs in delight. That was definitely something he was going to use against his friend and tease him for years to come, wasn't it? That was what best friends were for, after all.
A sigh left Jake's mouth.
Most likely, Misha jumped onto Gabriel the moment they were alone in his bedroom, and the poor man just had to witness his son's private time when all he wanted to do was give him medicine to prevent a headache tomorrow. On the bright side, it was Alexey who stumbled upon them, and not Gulnas. Otherwise, Jake wasn't sure Misha's mother's heart would have been able to take it.
"Dad, dad!" Masha chortled. "I told you Misha was the wolf in their relationship! Gaby is innocent! He's a poor lamb!"
"Yeah." Alexey's smile grew strange, making Jake frown. He looked a little too out of it, although Jake hadn't been all that much better when he overheard his daughter with her boyfriend in one of his past lives. No parent wanted to hear or see their children get at it, just like no kid wanted to witness their parents having fun. "I get what you mean now. Very well, even."
Masha laughed it off, while Gulnas scratched her cheek, appearing uncomfortable. Yuki was trying to hush down her girlfriend, just so she wouldn't turn the knife and rub salt into the wound.
Tristan drank his milk in silence, eying Jake with uncertainty. His little brother seemed to want to speak, but couldn't find the right timing to interrupt. If he reminded the adults of his presence, it would make things awkward. So Jake ruffled his hair and softly asked, "Do you want a cookie or something?"
His answer was a nod, so he got up to fetch some dessert for Tristan. Masha still hadn't gotten the clue to shut up, though, so he nudged her in passing, and she glared at him, only to smile wildly a second later and grab his wrist to pull him onto the couch.
Unprepared, Jake lost balance and fell onto his back onto her thighs, his head hitting Yuki's knees. He hissed in pain, then blinked, staring at Masha in confusion.
A drunk Masha isn't any better than a drunk Misha, huh? The fleeting thought crossed his mind as she pinched his cheeks, leaving him at a loss. What the heck was going through that girl's head, now?
"Y'know," she hummed, leaning over so closely that Jake could feel her breath against his face. It smelled of alcohol. In the time it took for Misha to climb upstairs, Masha had started to feel the effect of the beers and eggnog she had gobbled down. Gone was her previous rational state. "I've hated your guts for many, many, many years."
Jake peered at Yuki, silently asking for her help. The response he got was a shrug. She seemed relieved that she wasn't the victim of her girlfriend's antics, leaving him to fend for himself.
"But lately, I've been thinking that I actually don't hate you."
"Well, that's good to hear." Jake felt his mouth twitch, the pain in his cheeks irradiating to his scalp. "Mind letting me go? I was on my way to fetch some cookies for Tristan—"
"That!" Masha interrupted him, giggling. "That's what I love about you. No matter what you went through in the past, you're still the perfect big bro. It makes me think of Misha. Gosh, why're you siblings so endearing! It makes me wanna kiss you!"
"No, thank you," Jake protested as he tried to push the kissing demon away from him. Her lips were too close to his face for his comfort. "Yuki, do something about your girlfriend!"
"Just let her kiss you once." Yuki cocked an eyebrow. "It'll pass her."
Dumbfounded, Jake stared at the nurse as if she had grown a second head. Masha used the opportunity to plant a wet kiss on his cheek, only to chomp on it afterward, nibbling and pulling on the skin.
"Masha!" Jake snapped. "I'm not a chew toy!"
His protestation fell upon deaf ears, and Jake started to wriggle to try and escape Masha's hug. It wasn't easy, not in the position that he was in. He hadn't expected Masha to be the clingy drunkard, although considering she was Misha's sister, it wasn't all that surprising. It just so happened that he was the victim this time around, and the whole household laughed at his expense.
"I really, really like you now, y'know?" Masha repeated like a broken record. "But sometimes, I miss the persona. 'Cause darn, you've got the same temper as Gabriel's, with how much you did in the past. Erm, not in the past. But, y'know? Well whatever. You both hid—"
"Masha," Alexey cut his daughter off, gently pushing her up, freeing Jake from her clutches just enough to allow him to run away. Jake had thought Stephan was an octopus; he was nothing compared to Masha. "I think it's time for you to sleep. You're starting to make no sense, stuttering and whatnot. Also, don't trap-hug people."
"Eh, why not?" Masha pouted, mirroring Misha whenever he was sulking. "I just want Jake to know that I don't hate him anymore."
"And I'm sure the message came across."
Alexey peered at him, and Jake got the cue, nodding his head in agreement as he wiped the drool on his cheek. He felt like a dog had pounced on him, licking his face all over. While he was internally cussing, a cloth was presented to him. Stephan was still pinching his lips, trying not to laugh, but at the very least, he had the decency to bring something to clean the sticky saliva off.
"Thanks," Jake mumbled, snatching the cloth from his hand. It earned him a playful wink.
"I think we should get the futon out," Gulnas suggested. "Tristan is dozing off, and I admit I'm also a little tired."
"Then, you should go to bed," Alexey smiled faintly, kissing his wife's forehead. "Help Yuki bring Masha upstairs; I don't think our daughter can stand on her own two feet right now. Don't worry, I'll take care of opening the couch and setting things up with Jake and Stephan."
"I think I'll take you up on that offer," Gulnas laughed before turning on her heel and helping Yuki to pull a very reluctant Masha up. Her ramblings were getting unintelligible, gibberish that made no sense. "Come on, Sweetie, it's time to sleep."
Jake eyed them before moving to the kitchen to get those cookies for Tristan. Only after his brother had something to nibble on did he help Alexey and Stephan open the old couch.
The thing was a little capricious, like always.
***
It took barely a few seconds for Tristan to fall asleep, drawing out a small smile from Jake. He pulled the blanket over his little brother's shoulders and bent over to kiss his temple, wishing him sweet dreams. It was a habit he had developed in his past lives with his children, and one that he took up again when he started to take care of Tristan in this life.
"Are you up for another glass?" Stephan smiled, shaking the jar of eggnog. "There's still quite a bit left."
"Sure," Jake sighed, knowing Stephan wouldn't let the matter be. The guy was not tired in the least, still full of energy. "But only one glass for me. That thing is way too strong."
"One glass it is!" Stephan singsonged before clearing his throat. "I just need to use the bathroom first. My bladder is about to explode."
Jake waved him away, and Stephan ran to the bathroom.
How typical. A helpless smile found its way on his lips as Jake turned around, catching sight of the balcony. Alexey was outside, smoking. According to Misha, his father had picked up this bad habit recently due to stress. Work wasn't easy, apparently.
Seconds passed before Jake soundlessly walked to the door, trying to be quiet so as not to wake up his little brother. The door slid, and the cold breeze of December hit him hard. There was a thin layer of snow on the balcony, reflecting the pale light of the moon. It glowed onto Alexey's face; unfathomable emotions twirled in the depths of his eyes. He had been out for a while already, and the tip of his nose, his fingers, and his ears had grown red, darkening his skin in the dim light. Alexey wasn't even wearing a coat.
"Shouldn't you come inside soon?" Jake asked. "You'll catch a cold."
Alexey hummed something, lifting his head to stare at the starlit sky.
"Alexey?"
"Jake," Alexey responded, tightening his hold on the cigarette until it got crushed. "How old is Misha?"
"Eighteen?" Jake frowned.
"How old is he, truly?"
There was a second of silence. Alexey did not look at him, his gaze never leaving the stars shining high above. Jake's grip tightened on the doorframe, his jaw now clenched. Misha, what have you done?
Still, he answered dutifully. There was nothing else he could do now.
"…About thirty-four, I think."
"I see."
Alexey closed his eyes, and silence fell once more.