Chocolates~

Bits of light peeked through the curtains, but it did nothing to disturb the two men sleeping in the double bed. The soft beep of the alarm clock, however, was a different story. Carter groaned, his hand flailing to the side in search of his phone. After a few fumbles, he managed to silence the annoying beeping with a swipe.

As the quiet returned, Carter became aware of something warm pressed against his chest, and another source of warmth behind his back. At first, he thought he had wrapped himself up in blankets during the night, which wasn’t unusual for him. He had a knack for tangling himself in sheets without even trying. But as he gave a small tug to pull the "blanket" higher, he realized it was too firm—and too short—to be fabric. His eyes fluttered open, curiosity getting the better of him.

It took only a second for him to understand what had happened. His throat tightened as he registered the scene: he was in bed with Aiden.

Thankfully, Aiden was dressed. Carter’s fingers had brushed against the sleeve of Aiden’s red-patterned shirt, and he felt the fabric of his own pants. Both the realization that they were clothed and the nagging headache from last night’s chocolates left him both relieved and confused. His gaze drifted to the floor, where an empty box of chocolates lay. He cursed himself under his breath.

He had completely forgotten that the chocolates were laced with alcohol—a hefty amount at that. The brand, Velvetbite, wasn’t ordinary. Each chocolate contained 5% alcohol, and somehow, they’d managed to polish off the entire box in less than an hour. That would explain both the headache and why he had woken up shirtless in bed with Aiden.

Carter’s heart raced as he carefully began untangling himself from Aiden. His hands trembled slightly as he slid his arm free, followed by his legs, which were lightly wrapped around Aiden's. The position wasn’t entirely intimate, but it certainly felt like cuddling, and for a brief moment, Carter wished he could stay like that. The warmth and closeness stirred something inside him, but he didn’t want to make Aiden uncomfortable. Despite the strange feelings bubbling up within him, Carter had too much respect for Aiden to cross any boundaries.

Just as he was about to move away completely, Aiden stirred, whining softly as he nuzzled his head against Carter’s chest, his arms tightening their hold. Carter froze, his heart pounding, but the moment passed quickly. Aiden’s eyes fluttered open, though they seemed dazed and unfocused.

Carter smiled, gently lifting Aiden’s chin to meet his gaze. “Good morning, sleepyhead,” he whispered, keeping his voice soft so as not to startle him. He didn’t want Aiden to fully realize their predicament—not yet, at least.

Aiden blinked a few times before he murmured, “I feel sick... too many alcohol chocolates.” He buried his face against Carter again, clearly trying to avoid the light filtering through the window.

Carter was caught off guard for two reasons. First, Aiden was apparently hungover from the chocolates. Second, he knew about the alcohol in them. “Wait, you knew about the chocolates and still let us eat the whole box?” Carter asked, his voice tinged with surprise and a hint of annoyance.

Aiden, still half-asleep, groaned and pulled the blanket over his shoulders. “I knew, but so did you. You told me halfway through that you forgot about the alcohol,” he teased, his tone playful despite the exhaustion. “Or were you too drunk to remember that?”

Carter blinked in disbelief. Aiden was usually so innocent—he never imagined that he’d be the type to knowingly indulge in something like this. Then again, it’s not like Carter had ever talked to him about alcohol chocolates. He thought it would be awkward to mention that his ex had once given him a box of chocolates that could get you tipsy. Now, he wasn’t so sure if it was as weird as he thought.

Aiden chuckled softly but then froze, realizing how they were cuddled up. His face turned crimson as he quickly pulled away, sitting up in the bed, his movements awkward and hurried. Carter smirked, amused by how fast Aiden had escaped the bed.

“Hey, for the record, I was more sober than you during our little cuddle session,” Carter teased, though he knew he’d regret it later.

Aiden busied himself with folding the sleeves of his oversized shirt, which swallowed his hands. He didn’t seem uncomfortable with the conversation, just embarrassed, which was a relief for Carter. As long as Aiden felt safe, everything was fine.

After a long pause, Aiden finally spoke, his voice quieter now, almost hesitant. “Hey, Carter, do you... remember what we did last night?”

Carter raised an eyebrow, his mind racing. What did they do last night? He had bits and pieces—a lot of laughter, the chocolates, maybe a movie—but nothing too wild. Still, Aiden’s nervousness made him wonder if he was forgetting something important.

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