How To Fall From Grace [MxM]

Step 6: Fall off a horse, again (pt. 1)

Regardless of Frey's feelings towards his valet, it was still his valet, and he was supposed to listen to his orders. Not Damien's. Especially if those orders included waking Frey up at noon despite a booming headache and little sleep.

So as Frey descended down the stairs, fighting to keep his eyes open enough to see where he placed his feet, he imagined what it would be like to slap Damien across the face.

"Then again, why imagine?" he muttered to himself, sending the aforementioned man who'd sat down in the dining hall a disgruntled look.

"So he did manage to wake you up." Damien's eyebrows suggested surprise, but Frey was not as impressed.

"Since when is he supposed to take orders from you when it concerns me? Isn't he hired to do what I say?"

"You're not the one paying him."

"Again with that." Frey rolled his eyes before placing a hand over his forehead. "I came along with you. I'm returning to work, so leave me alone."

Damien relented at that, but still had a look of scepticism on his face.

"Well, if you're returning to your job, you can't sleep past noon."

"Today's an exception." Frey waved Damien's words away, head still making him suffer. "Yesterday was..."

He trailed off, and Damien grimaced accordingly as memories of the night before came back to Frey.

"Oh," Frey uttered, barely. "Oh... No."

"I won't be the one to warn you about being seen in the state you were in, because I reckon you're well aware of that yourself." Damien had a frustrating look of pity in his eyes. "But you need to control your behaviour so it won't affect your work."

"Everyone gets drunk, Damien." Frey scowled, wishing for less criticism in his pained state. "Everyone but immortal grumps like you. Countless people of our social class have slept in because they had too much to drink."

"But it's usually due to work related parties," Damien countered. "Not... Drinking at a tavern with friends."

Frey paused his episode of self-pity to stare, aghast.

"Friends?"

Damien clicked his tongue, unimpressed.

"I figured that would be your sober reaction."

"Is that some kind of joke?" Frey's cheeks were involuntarily turning red. "I don't have friends, and of all people, why would I even consider lower class waste like them for a role like that?"

Damien leaned back on the couch, raising his eyebrows as his lips curved into the slightest of smiles.

"Not even Marius?"

"Low class, and servant?" Frey scoffed before any pause in his speech could insinuate other feelings. "He'd be the least likely of them all."

"That's not what you told me last—"

"You know, if you're just going to spout nonsense, I won't stay for it," Frey snapped, rubbing his temples as the throbbing pain in his skull got worse. "I have to take Tea For Two out anyway."

"Really?" Damien's eyebrows remained raised. "I would have thought you would try to avoid Marius at least for a few days after what happened. Not to mention the current state of your head."

Frey let out a condescending 'ha'.

"And give him the pleasure of thinking I'm ashamed of something?"

Damien couldn't object to that, but then he looked out the window with a frown.