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Heavy eyes open to gentle sunlight filtering in through the window. Fighting off the urge to snap them back shut and sleep for another few hours or so, he blinks a few times to take in what’s around him. Sure enough, it’s still the same room he had drifted off in. Nothing unusual there. Just morning sunlight indicating a new day.
He props himself up and sits up. Just like he had assumed before, nothing unusual. The only thing that did strike him as somewhat strange however was the lack of someone else to his left. It came as something odd to him. Usually he’d wake up to find him there, still asleep and lost in dreams. It’s out of the ordinary for him to wake up before he did. The only times he’d wake up alone is if he had a live show or something to the like. And even if that was the case he would have left him a note that read “I’ll be back, Kaoru!” or a kiss to the cheek.
Kaoru takes in the room around him a bit more while he’s up like this. Sure enough, soft light from outside is seeping into the room. It makes everything it touches look soft and warm. A few various things thrown around the floor that weren’t there last night, probably placed there this morning in the frenzy of getting ready for the day. Of course, an empty spot to his left. His mind can’t help but think to where he is or why he’s up so early. Seeing only a reminder that he was there prior almost makes him feel lonely. No, it does make him feel lonely. Mornings are his favorite time of day just because he can see that reminder that someone loves him.
Kicking the red blanket off his legs, he takes a moment to grab his phone lying not too far from his reach. He flips off the cover and checks if he had written anything down for today, just in the case that he forgot that there was a live show, which would explain the absence of someone. However, the screen remains blank for the day. He runs his fingers through his blonde hair before turning the phone off. Where in the world could that bright soul be-
And just as he lingers on the question, something hits him. Not something physical. Something… nice. Whatever it is smells very nice. It’s hard to tell what it might be however.
He swings his legs over to the edge of the bed and stands up, a little dizzy from the sudden movement. He can now see a few more things about the room, like the posters on the walls or some more various things strewn about the floor. The empty spot in the bed still stands out to him. But now with two people gone, it feels a little lonelier than it already did at least to him. If he looks hard enough, he could maybe envision where the two of them would be on any given morning together. Maybe he could see the lazy morning cuddles or the tired kisses to the forehead.
He walks to the door, which he notices is slightly ajar already. This would imply someone has left without having the decency or time to shut it again. Less effort on his part at least. He gingerly pushes the door open and slowly wanders down the hall. The hallway is oddly dark, maybe because of a lack of sunlight. His steps are lazy and carefree. It’s only now does he realize he didn’t bother to change out of his pajamas. But that’s the last thing on his mind.
Whatever it was that smelled really good in the room back there only gets stronger the farther he walks from it. He can only conclude someone would be making breakfast at this hour. The many scents are blurred to him however.
He continues to make his way down the hallway, taking note at the pictures on the wall. Many of them depict a boy with messy brown hair standing amongst two taller people with equally messy hair. All three of them are beaming at the camera and to him by that extent. He feels himself smile back to the boy in the picture, not even realizing he had done so at first.
A slow breath in, a slow breath out. The floor at his feet is starting to lighten up a bit, a slight warming sensation following. He can now clearly hear the clinking of kitchen utensils and someone in the room singing a song. It takes him no time at all to recognize the song as one he’s heard before, back during a Ryuseitai live show he attended. He feels his heart beat a tiny bit faster and his steps growing lighter upon making an assumption as to who might be in the kitchen.
He pokes his head into the room, his blonde hair bouncing a bit with the movement. The smells of traditional breakfast foods in the air is thick. Amongst the sounds of a few things cooking and sizzling he can hear the lyrics to the song being sung very clearly, and it takes him all his effort to not join along. The boy in front of him is also doing assorted dances along to the lyrics, still wearing cozy pajamas. Stifled laughter from the observer. He always knew he was a dork, but never did he think about what that meant until moments like this.
The boy in the kitchen turns around and it doesn’t even take one second for his brown eyes to light up. “Hakaze!” He bounds up to Kaoru’s side and nuzzles his head against his neck. “I didn’t think you were gonna be up so soon… but I’m glad you are! Maybe you can help me with this?”
Kaoru gently pushes the boy off of him and looks into those bright eyes. He has to remind himself mentally to not get completely lost in them. “Sure, Morrichi. I have nothing better to do at this time, so I guess I can help you…” His eyes move to the kitchen and then back to Chiaki. “What are you even doing anyways?”
Chiaki rubs the back of his neck and sheepishly laughs. “Well, I was trying to make you something for when you woke up. I just finished everything up, so would you mind helping me take this back to my room?”
A few blinks from Kaoru. What’s the point of going back? He just got up.
“Morrichi, I just got up. And you want to go back to your room-”
“Yep!” Chiaki grabs a plate sitting on the counter. The plate has a stack of fluffy pancakes on it, about five or seven. Maple syrup drips off of them and it’s the only thing Kaoru can focus on. “I wanted you to enjoy all of this without getting up… it’s the least I can do for you.”
“Y-you wanted to do something like this for me… for no reason at all..?” Kaoru feels his face burn letting those words sink in. Something about this felt… wrong. He knows it isn’t, but it doesn’t change the fact it feels that way.
Chiaki bobs his head and smiles. “There is a reason I’m doing this!” He takes a few steps past Kaoru and in the direction of his room. “I’m doing this because I love you so much!”
If there was a color redder than red, that would be the perfect color to describe Kaoru’s face. “Morrichi..! You just can’t say that..!” Kaoru puts his head in his hands in hopes of covering up how bright his face is. He hears Chiaki giggle from ahead. His adorable laughter does almost nothing to help his state. He puts his hands down and sees Chiaki already on his way to his room, pancakes going with him. A sigh soon follows as he starts walking back to Chiaki’s room. Wouldn’t want to see those pancakes go to waste after all.
Even from the other end of the hall, Kaoru can clearly see Chiaki’s bright smile. It’s as if that smile was the thing he wanted more than the pancakes. He glances to the wall covered in pictures again and notices that smile has remained relatively unchanged over the years. A mix of a sigh and a laugh from Kaoru as he makes his way closer to his boyfriend.
Kaoru now looks to Chiaki who’s next to him. A small giggle from the latter as he rubs his cheek against Kaoru’s neck. “Okay, Hakaze! First things first, I want you to get back in bed! This is important to the rest of the morning!” Chiaki runs over to the side of the bed Kaoru had been sleeping on and sits on the edge. He even pats the space next to him.
Is he insane? Why does he need to go back to the place he started?
Kaoru opens his mouth to make a rebuttal, but nothing comes out. After a few nonsense and vaguely language sounding noises he groans out of frustration and walks to where Chiaki is. He also sits down on the edge but soon swings his legs over and back into a position he’d be in if he was sleeping. Which he’s not.
Just as he’s about to make a comment on how dumb and weird this all is, he feels a slight weight on his chest and warmth soon courses from the chest down. He doesn’t need to see his reflection to know his cheeks are probably red as the blanket placed over him. Kaoru tries to find some words, any words to say to Chiaki about all of this. But it’s hard to find words when you can’t even think about anything else but how embarrassing this all is.
“Morrichi… this is weird. Why am I doing this? Is this really necessary-” A finger is placed on his lips to stop him from talking. Kaoru looks down and although it’s nothing new, he realizes how pale he is compared to Chiaki.
A bob of the head and a dumb smile from Chiaki. “Because this is important! Now, I want you to get comfy and I’ll do the rest from here. You shouldn’t be working so hard in the morning!”
“But… you worked…” Not wanting to start anything else with his boyfriend, he shuts his mouth and squirms around a bit to face Chiaki. One side of his hair is cascading over his shoulder, subtle curl at the ends now noticeable at this close range. Chiaki is still smiling like always. Does he ever stop?
Kaoru adjusts the blanket over him as he watches Chiaki put the plate of pancakes on his lap. He then hears the sounds of silverware meeting the plate once, then again a second later. A part of the pancakes is now gone and has seemingly relocated to the fork in Chiaki’s hand. Another hand is below the cut piece of pancake which drips syrup into that hand. For maybe the first time that morning Kaoru breaks his focus from how cute Chiaki is to the pancake on the fork. He curses himself silently. Is that the only way to stop focusing on your boyfriend?
“I hope you like them! I worked really hard making these so I hope you can tell!” As he makes his statement he brings the fork closer to Kaoru. Almost on instinct, Kaoru takes the fork right out of Chiaki’s hand and pops the piece of pancake into his mouth.
The sweet maple syrup does little to nothing to cover up the fact that the pancakes are slightly burned on the edges. They’re not as fluffy as he’s used to and they’re still a bit uncooked on the insides. Such a pancake wouldn’t hold Kaoru’s attention (or stomach) for long. But something about this subpar pancake makes him want more of it. Maybe it’s because Chiaki made them.
Kaoru sits up, catching Chiaki’s attention. Before he can even ask why he got up, the plate of pancakes is gone from his lap without any prior word. They now reside in Kaoru’s hands, where he’s cutting himself another piece. Chiaki can’t help but smile hopelessly at Kaoru. He knows himself the pancakes were less than okay. Seeing Kaoru enjoy them so much either because he legitimately loves them or doesn’t want to hurt his feelings warms his already burning heart to new levels. A kind of warm that makes love and warmth pulse through your entire body with every heartbeat.
A warm that reminds you that you love someone. And a warmth that reminds you they love you just as much in return.
After a few minutes, Chiaki is handed a plate with five halves of pancakes lying amongst an absurd amount of syrup. “Morrichi… you’re really good at making pancakes.” That might be a lie. “Thank you so much… I don’t even know how I can thank you back…”
Chiaki sets the plate on the ground next to the bed and laughs. “I think I know a way!~” Before Kaoru can even ask what that way is, he feels himself being gently shoved to his right and when he opens his eyes again, one Chiaki is now next to him on the left. It’s just how it was last night. Two boys next to each other, nothing but love in their eyes.
Kaoru feels an unplanned warmth latch on to him, a warmth he can only assume is Chiaki clinging to him. A nuzzle to the crook of his neck, earning a few pleased laughs and soft sighs from Kaoru. He sees Chiaki set a hand on his hair and slowly start running his fingers through it. He hums a few times as his vision flutters between reality and dreams.
As his heavy eyes struggle to stay open, a kiss to the forehead. His eyes snap open in surprise. When he focuses in front of him again, all he sees is Chiaki. He sees Chiaki with the softest smile and brightest eyes. He sees Chiaki with the gentlest heart and the kindest soul. Only then does it hit him how much he’s in hopeless love with Chiaki.
Kaoru takes a few moments to put his arms around Chiaki’s waist and pull him closer. Once close enough, he doesn’t hesitate to lean forward and place his lips on Chiaki’s in less than a second. The kiss is warm and gentle, just like Chiaki himself. It takes little time at all for Kaoru to melt into the kiss as he feels Chiaki put his hands around his neck gently. Only in these moments does he realize Chiaki has been getting better at kissing. Maybe it’s because they practice so often?
They part after some seconds and it takes almost no time at all for them to rest their foreheads together, just like last night. As Kaoru’s eyes grow heavy once again, he takes one final look to Chiaki.
And all he sees is love.
With a soft smile, Kaoru lets himself go and back into the place he had called home not even an hour ago. Back into a world of dreams with his back being warmed by the morning sun and his front being warmed by the love of his life.
A perfect way to end a perfect morning.