i_assist Drunken Lullabyes [Max/Jesse]
Who: Max and Jesse When: March 9th What: It's Jesse's birthday and he's celebrated by getting himself pretty tipsy. Max comes over to help him celebrate and pretty soon she's well on her way to drunken stupidity
Jesse: It was his birthday. Thirty years old today. Out of one stigma and into another. Jesse wondered if it meant he could be stupid and arrogant anymore. Well, tough shit, because that's what he was. Pride was Jesse's sin.
And drinking.
He'd been drinking all afternoon. Happy drinking. Celebratory drinking. He'd lived through his twenties, with very few scratches. He'd learned, he'd seen. And now he was drunk.
A happy drunk.
Happy drunk didn't happen often for him. He was normally a broody drunk. An angry, but not violent, drunk. So this was a nice change.
Jesse stumbled home. Nearly tripped up the stairs to the condo complex, and sang to himself in the elevator. He opened his door with a flourish and managed to get to the couch before falling over.
Max: Even though he'd tried to downplay it, Max made sure to remember Jesse's birthday. She'd written it down and gone as far as to enter it in onto her computer so when she'd woken up, she'd been reminded. But she hadn't even needed that.
The day before she'd gone out in search of a present. What she found ended up being simple, but it seemed perfect to her. Jesse's new apartment was wonderfully apointed, but it didn't have anything personal in it yet. She planned to bring him that.
It was Thursday, but she had her overnight bag anyway. Lately it'd seemed like no one was around the manor. Besides a few glimpses of Dick, she'd barely seen anyone. Not even Alfred. Sleeping over at Jesse's was just more appealing than staying in an empty echoing mansion.
Max took out her key and unlocked the door to Jesse's. She kicked her bag to the side after walking in. "Jess--oh. There you are." Nothing was immediately amiss, and she smiled, walking over to the couch.
Jesse: "Hey, baby girl!" He grinned up at her and tried to pull himself sitting, but slipped and ended up flat on his back again. "Oops. Heh."
The smile on his face was huge. "Come on, gimme some sugar."
Max:Max raised an eyebrow at his seeming inability to sit up, but didn't say anything until she'd actually leaned in to kiss him.
"You smell like a bar," she said lightly, her eyebrow was still raised. Max decided to skip his lips for now, and opted to kiss him on the cheek.
Jesse: He pulled his cigarettes from his pocket and put one in his mouth. He forgot for the moment about lighting it. "Four bars." He corrected her. "I smell like four bars."
Max:"Oh, four bars then," Max responded indulgently. Feeling a bad because he was having trouble sitting up, she moved and gave him a bit of a boost by nudging his shoulder.
She wouldn't have done it normally, but for now she plucked the cigarette from his lips and set it down on the coffee table. It didn't seem like such a good idea for him to smoke if he'd gotten drunk over the course of four bars. "Can't leave you alone for a day, can I?" she said, joking slightly.
Jesse: He laughed. "Nope. Can't." Jesse leaned against her. "I was celebratin, darlin. Tis my birthday! Needs to be a few drinks on the birthday." He shrugged a little and leaned forward for the cigaretted.
"Just got a little carried away is all. Lots o people in the city to help a fella celebrate."
Max:"Yeah, I remembered your birthday. But I thought you weren't going to celebrate?" she asked, remembering how he'd tried to gloss over it. Max hadn't seen the point in not celebrating, wasn't every day that you turned thirty after all. And it wasn't like he was old. It wasn't his fiftieth, or sixtieth.
"Well, I was kinda hoping we were gonna celebrate together, but..." she shrugged. "Looks like you couldn't wait for me to get outta school." Max stuck her tongue out at him and then boosted him up once more. She couldn't take all of his weight.
Jesse: He looked at her and then pointed at the kitchen. "It was impromptu, but there's bottles in there if you wanna." He was more in control of himself now. The laying down had made him feel wonky, but the sitting up was clearing his head.
"I hadn't planned on celebratin, really. Then people just kept buying drinks. So, hell with it."
Max:"I'll grab them in a second," she answered at his offer of the bottles. There was school tomorrow, so maybe she couldn't completely celebrate in that way. Oh well. She'd have to see.
"You get anything yet? Presents? S'a big day."
Jesse: "Nope. No presents. But you're here now." He grinned at her. "That's sort of present enough."
Max:"Sweet," Max smirked. She kissed his cheek again and ran a hand through his hair. "Alright. Before I go get these bottles... how much've you had already? I think ending your birthday with alcohol poisoning would pretty much suck."
Jesse: "Oh, pfft." He waved a hand. "I'm just tipsy right now. Gimme a sammich, and I'll be fine."
Max:"Yeah, you say that, but can you sit up?" Eyebrow cocked again, Max looked at him. She scooched away from him, leaving him to balance himself.
Jesse: When she moved, he didn't fall over. "I'm fine, see? I'm just happy, not all that drunk. I swear."
Jesse gave her a kiss on the cheek quickly and managed to keep his balance.
Max:"Uh huh, alright." She'd be watching him, that went without question, but she got up anyway and went off to the kitchen. She threw one look over her shoulder before she slipped out of the room. Good, he hadn't fallen over.
There were two bottles of Jack Daniels sitting on the kitchen counter and one of something that she didn't recognise because it was missing a chunk of its label. Max took the last on hestitantly, hoping it hadn't fallen off the back of a truck somewhere.
A few minutes later she entered the living room again, bottles in hand. "Looks like you really did stock up. This how you do all your birthday parties?"
Jesse: "Baby girl, that's how I do my day to day." He looked at the bottles. "I don't think we'll be wanting this one, though." He picked up the bottle with the torn label. "It won't go with the other stuff. Glasses? Or are you just going to shoot from the bottle?"
Max:"Glasses get messy when you start missing the glass." Max spoke with the knowledge gained from her few experiences with getting completely drunk. The stains on Terry's carpets had always been hard to explain to his mother the next morning.
She set one of the bottles of Jack down and then started trying to open the other. "Here," she said, finally giving up on the cap. It wasn't the easiest thing in the world.
Jesse: Jesse tried to not make her feel bad with the ease he opened the bottle. Instead, he just did it and handed it back to her. "You've got catchin up to do, so I'll forgo for now. Just don't get yourself too drunk, hear?"
He tried not to laugh as he watched for her to take that first sip. He wasn't even sure if she was used to JD.
Max:Max was used to it, but, well alright... not completely used to it. She'd had it before, but not since arriving in the city, and it had been awhile before that. So when she took the first swig she wasn't quite prepared for the slight burn of it going down, and in result there was a good amount of coughing on her part.
She brought the bottle away from her lips, gripping it firmly with one hand as she covered her mouth with the other. "Okay... kinda forgot about that part." She gulped, swallowing the last bit. It was definitely a much better feeling when it hit her stomach. Almost like an instant furnace lit in her belly.
Jesse: "I figured ya would." He grinned at her. "Even I do sometimes. It's a special kind of feeling, innit?"
He leaned back on the couch and looked at her for a long while, studying her and then tried to bite back his smile. "Drunk sex is really bad, Max."
Max:More coughing. Trust him to come out with that just as she'd taken another gulp. Max sputtered slightly, looking at Jesse like he'd grown a second head. "You're definitely drunk. Where'd that come from?" She took another swig, just to keep the nice warm feeling in her stomach constant. She'd forgotten how much she liked that.
Jesse: "I just wanted you to know. It's bad. Not like, morally bad, but bad. Not good." He shook his head, but he was still grinning. "I just wanted you to know that it won't be happening in any way because of that."
Max:"I doubt any sex with you could be that bad," Max said, matching his grin. She moved the bottle in her hand so that the amber liquid inside swirrled around invitingly. "But, if you insist, I'll believe you."
The bottle went to her lips once more before she offered it to Jesse.
Jesse: He took it, still grinning, now quite stupidly. "Oh, darlin. You're gonna have to believe me. There is no good sex when it's drunk sex. Even one of them Greek Gods would be bad at it, were they drunk. It's sloppy and uncoordenated. Frantic. Just no fun."
Okay. So maybe it was a little fun. But she didn't need to know that.
Max:Max raised an eyebrow and settled onto the couch, leaning against the side so that her feet were over Jesse's lap. She'd be comfortable so long as he stayed sitting up. "We've been frantic. Frantic felt kinda good actually."
She waved her hand, gesturing for the bottle back. A few more good pulls and she'd be caught up. Max was a small girl, so it didn't take much.
Jesse: He held it out for her. "It's a different sort of frantic, love. It's less of a wanting needing frantic, and more of a 'try to get it in the right hole' frantic."
He shook his head and looked at her and around her. "What'd ya get me?"
Max:Max giggled at his response. Yes, giggled. It tended to happen as soon as alcohol got into her system. The good sign was that she was at least giggling at something that could be considered funny instead of nothing.
"Well. S'small enough that it's in my backpack. But it's pretty. The city helped me out a bit," she answered and then took another drink.
Jesse: "Well?" He urged. Now he was really curious.
Jesse took the bottle back from her and took a long swallow. He didn't really need any more. But it was there.
Max:She stood slowly, making sure she was still sober enough to walk straight. Once deciding that she was, she walked over to the door, grabbed her backpack, and then came back over to flop down on the couch.
"Don't get, like, too excited or anything," she said, smiling sheepishly as she pulled a thin, rectangular package out of her backpack. She handed it to him in exchange for the bottle.
In actuality, Max wasn't too good with the whole buying presents thing, so she was hoping she'd gotten this one right. If not, she was blaming it on The City. After getting home from school the day before, where she'd spent the day bouncing around ideas for Jesse's present, she'd gone up to her room and found a surprisingly nice black and white picture laying on her desk.
It was of her and Jesse. She'd been curled up next to him on the couch; it looked like it was from their movie night. The only problem was, Max couldn't ever remember a camera being anywhere near them. She'd tried not to dwell too much on that though, and instead took the picture for what it was worth. The next day she'd gone out in search of a suitable frame, which had ended up being a nice reddish brown wooden one that went well with Jesse's room, Max thought.
Jesse: Jesse opened the package slowly and looked at it a moment before turning it over to the front. It was a beautiful picture. There definitely hadn't been a camera there... which was a little creepy. But the smile on Max's face, that look of contentment, it made it all worth it.
He looked at her with a soft smile. "Thank you, Max, it's perfect."
Jesse ran a thumb over the image and leaned forward to set it on the coffee table, facing him, and stared at it.
Max:Max found herself grinning at him brightly, a silent breath of relief escaping. She probably shouldn't have worried so much in the first place, it really was a nice picture. Even more so when she didn't wonder who'd taken it.
"'m glad you like it," she said sincerely. "Figured you didn't have anything around here that was really yours, y'know?" She blushed slightly and took another sip from the bottle.
Jesse: "I don't. You're right. My clothes, but even they're not mine. I didn't come with any but those on my back." He thought. "Even the dog's not really mine. By the way. Where is he. He should have some of this birthday celebration."
Max:"You're Kojak's, I think. And he likes it that way." She pointed a bit blindly behind her, back towards Kojack's personal room. "He's probably chewing away on one of his bones, perfectly happy."
Max giggled again, bottle poised on her lips. Jesse was lucky they'd gotten the giftgiving out of the way early. "I was gonna say we should go out to dinner too. I even got a dress, but maybe we should do that t'morrow."
Jesse: "Yeah, I don't think any of us are going anywhere." Jesse stood up and took the bottle to the kitchen where Kojak's bowls were. He poured a bit into the dog's food bowl (to not taint the water) and then returned to Max.
Trying to eat like this would just lead to really bad things. Like messes or vomit.
Max:Max looked at him oddly. "You didn't water it down or anything, did you?" She took the bottle back and drank again. Just to make sure it hadn't been diluted, of course. Didn't taste like it had, so she took another swig, because she could.
"This is fun. I haven't-- whoops." A giggle slipped out when she tried to put the bottle on the coffee table, but missed and almost dropped it to the ground.
Jesse: Jesse scrambled and got it up after only a bit had spilled. "No." He said warily. "I put some in the dog dish."
He looked at her. "Not that you need any more. But why the hell would I dilute my alcohol?"
Max:"Well you took it into the kitchen, I didn't think you were gonna give it to the dog." That was kind of a funny thought, giving Jack to the dog. Besides, Max needed it more anyway.
She held out her hand for it. So what if she didn't need anymore. It was still there wasn't it? "Almost caught up."
Jesse: Jesse gave her the bottle despite his wariness. "Well, I said he should have some birthday fun too. And he's not a normal dog. I think he knows his limit."
Or. Something.
He leaned back again, getting comfortable. For the most part, he was still all smiles. If not a little worried about how drunk Max was getting, and how fast it was happening.
Max:It didn't burn as much going down anymore, which allowed her to take larger swallows. She cleared her throat after the latest one and looked up, smiling wildly at Jesse.
"Might be past you now. I d'know. Terry told me once I could prob'ly get drunk drinking outta a thimble," she laughed.
Jesse: "Oh dear." Jesse muttered. He took the bottle from Max, capped it and set it on the floor. "You, my dear, are done."
Max:An instant pout came to her face. The kind Max knew he liked. "What happened to birthday fun? I was having fun!"
Jesse: "Do you really think you need more, baby?" He eyed her, but his hand was already on the bottle, ready to give it back to her. Damn, that pout worked.
Max:"Well, 'm not that drunk," she said, completely not noticing the fact that her words sounded just a little weird. She couldn't even keep the pout going; it turned quickly into another ear to ear grin. The little fire going in her stomach put her in an excellent mood.
Jesse: "You are such a faker." He said, letting go of the bottle. "Horrible, horrible faker."
Jesse sat back without handing her the bottle and eyed her a bit.
Max:Max was still grinning, giggling a little now. "You think I'm faking? That's mean!" She said, making a funny face at him.
Hand waved out in front of her, the bottle seemed a little closer than it actually was. "You're gonna have to catch up with me now."
Jesse: "Oh no." Jesse laughed. "One of us has to be able to walk here."
Max:"No, look!" Max reached down and after a few tries, grabbed at her backpack. She found the zipper and yanked it open. "See. I brought clothes. I'ma stay until Sunday." She was holding up her boxer shorts and and tanktop for sleeping now. "'Cause no one at home's gonna care."
Jesse: "Yes, but, I can't have you throwing up." Jesse said, still smiling. "How about we go lay down and watch movies? You can have a bit more JD if we do that. What do you say?"
He stood up without waiting for her answer, grabbing the bottle and waving it around as he backed into the bedroom.
Max:She treated the waving bottle as what it was meant to be, bait. Max got up on very shaky legs and started following him slowly. Luckily she dragged the backpack along with her, as it was doubtful she'd be able to retrieve it later.
Max entered the bedroom a few moments after him. She dropped her bag by the door before grabbing onto Jesse for a bit of balance. "Movie time and Jack time. And, mmm." She leaned into him, almost trying to cuddle up against him while standing.
Jesse: Jesse handed her the bottle and picked her up. She was deposited onto the bed carefully and he went to the wall that held the television.
"What movie do you want to watch? Or just television? Your choice. Drunky."
Max:"Put in one of your cowboy movies. They always put you in a good mood," she slured. And then delayed reaction kicked in. "Hey! 'm not Drunky. I'm Maxine."
It felt really good to be this giggly and happy.
Jesse: He stuck in a John Wayne without really choosing and hit play. Jesse was at Max's side before she could say anything else.
"You're drunk, Max." He said, smiling. "And it's both cute, and hilarious."
Max:Max laughed. He thought she was cute! She was pretending not to here the part where she drunk (well, actually she heard it, but it definitely wasn't completely registering). She tugged on his arm to pull him down next to her, figuring if Jesse thought she was so cute then he'd want to curl right up next to her.
Hand on the neck of the bottle, she took another long drink and then put the mouth of the bottle at Jesse's lips. "Still don't think I'm that drunk. 'cause I still know my name. And your name. And... other stuff."
Jesse: "Just wait until I tell you about this tomorrow." He said, laying on the bed with her and pulling her close. "You just wait, miss."
Max:"Nuh uh." She waved a finger in his face and laughing again. "Mrs. Mrs. Jesse Custer. 'cause, like, I live her enough that it makes sense." Well. It made sense to her drunken mind. And her drunken mind was kind of a fun place.
Max snuggled in close to him and nuzzled her head in right under his chin. "I'll 'member it in the morning anyway."
Jesse: Ha ha. Ha. Ha. Jesse stared at Max. Mrs? That was... new... and sudden. And while... he'd maybe... thought about that... it was.... she was... she couldn't just... oh man.
"That's... great." He said still smiling. He poked at her a little. "Let's watch the movie, yeah? Drink your alcohol, booze fish."
Max:"M'name's not booze fish. It's Maxine Custer," she protested, and then giggled because the poke had tickled her. The chances of her actually paying attention to this movie? Slim to none. She wasn't even facing the screen.
"Yay, I get the rest of it to myself!" Max waved the bottle around in the air before clutching it to her chest like something precious. Sharing? Pft. There was always another bottle.
Jesse: "Yeah." Jesse sighed. "Come on down here, Maxine." He pulled her so she was sitting with him.
"You might want to think about letting up there in a while."
Or now.
Max:She frowned slightly and touched Jesse's cheek. "But aren't we having fun?"
Jesse: "Yeah, we are, baby, but you're gonna get out of hand here soon. I don't know if I can control you if you drink more." Although, he'd sobered quite a bit in the last few minutes.
Max:Control? Interesting concept. Max giggled at it. She didn't really think she was out of control, per se. She handed the bottle to Jesse, just for the moment, and wrapped her arms around him.
"I'm glad we're having fun," she slurred. "I'll share with you then, if you want. I can wait. And look, control!" Max really wasn't doing anything to demonstrate control, but at least she wasn't hugging the Jack anymore.
Jesse: "I'm good." He said, and put the bottle aside. "I don't need anymore."
Jesse hoped that she'd forget the bottle.
Max:"It's real good." She said eagerly, not stopping to think that Jesse probably knew how good it was. He'd been drinking it after all. "It makes me feel all good. Like there's a fire. And happy! You should always be this happy on your birthday."
Max shook her head a little when she noticed briefly that her words sounded a little weird. The realisation didn't stick for long, and the goofy grin came back over her face. "Wanna play?"
Jesse: "No, baby girl. I think we should just watch the movie. Kay?" He smiled for her. "I wanna watch John Wayne with you. That's my birthday wish."
Max:Who was John Wayne again? Oh, right. The movie. The sound coming from the speakers above them. Max moved her eyes up slightly and saw the movie running on the screen.
"m'kay. John Wayne," she finally said, once she'd reoriented herself with the screen. "Hey, m'I still cute? Even though 'm not drunk?"
Jesse: "Yes. You're very cute." He said, kissing the top of her head and settling in more. "No shush, watch the movie."
It was safe to say his buzz was completely gone.
Max:Max obeyed, though not without squirming around a bit, trying to find a good position to be silent in. After a few shifts, she ended up the way she'd started, except she didn't remember that and thought it was a very clever position on her part. Jesse's arms were quite comfortable.
She sort of wanted to find the bottle of Jack again, but it was too much effort. It was going to involve climbing over Jesse and she couldn't get her limbs to move like that just yet. She was just going to be happy with the feeling she had now.
Being so drunk, it was no surprise when she couldn't really concentrate on the movie. Instead she concentrated on the nice heat from Jesse's body, and sticking it with the heat from the alcohol. Her eyelids started to droop about fifteen minutes in, and thirty minutes later, Max was curled up, almost ready to sleep at his side.
If she'd known how she was going to feel in the morning, she might have given sleep a fiercer battle.