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Freshly baked cake, the sound of whistling, birds chirping in the distance, someone dropping something on the wooden floor, sunlight falling on his face….he didn't want to wake up. Lukso was much too beautiful in his dreams.
Kurapika remembered covering his face with a blanket, blocking the light from waking him up completely.
The message Killua had sent after their last meeting flashed before his eyes again.
Don't worry about the old man Kurapika. You should do what you feel is right.
Was he right?
He just didn't know anymore.
Kurapika closed his eyes, trying to understand the sensations that ran through him.
An arm resting over his stomach, the warmth of a body pressed against his back, soft breaths taken in one’s sleep tickling the hair at the base of his neck, sunlight warming his toes….
Kurapika did not mind anymore.
He was content. Was it not enough?
“Hey,” a voice mumbled next to his ear. The blond made a soft protesting sound at the back of his throat. Snuggling closer to the warmth of his lover’s body against his side, Kurapika refused to answer.
He loved these moments when he was both sleepy and awake. It made everything around him feel like a surreal dream. Sometimes a hazy perception calmed him. He needed calm.
There was a finger tracing the base of his spine. It felt ticklish and Kurapika squirmed. He heard Chrollo softly laugh at that.
A frown appeared on his own face.
“It's Monday,” Chrollo murmured. His hands now cupped the blond’s buttock. Kurapika moved away from him a little. It caused a laugh to spill forth from Chrollo’s lips.
“Prude”, Kurapika could hear the smirk in his lover’s voice.
“Prick,” he muttered back.
“The prick will make you breakfast today,” Chrollo informed him, voice still filled with mirth. The Kurta had to scoff.
“You sure I shouldn't keep a fire hydrant ready?” His lover’s eyes widened in mock shock, his hands coming to rest over his heart. Kurapika started giggling (oh of all the embarrassing things he had learnt by staying around this man), thus completely forgetting that his back was exposed to a S-class criminal.
So, he only had himself to blame once the tickling started.
And this time, Kurapika yelped before launching his own attack.
XXX
Kurapika squirmed a little in his seat (They shouldn't have bought metal chairs just because they looked pretty). It had been a while since they both were having home-cooked meal. With heists and missions popping up every two seconds, he was surprised that they had found the time to get back to their own home. The blond was tired too of eating in hotels. He wasn't much of a cook (neither was Chrollo) but they used freshly bought vegetables. It was so much better than the same bland thing they served at restaurants.
The Kurta tried not to think of the multiple reports on how every single thing they ate was spiked with too much pesticide.
“So what are we having?” Kurapika asked while he stared at the older man’s back. Chrollo looked rather good in an apron in his opinion.
“S.e.c.r.e.t,” Chrollo sang back making the blond huff. Neither of them said anything more. A few minutes later, Kurapika saw Chrollo turn off the gas and stretch his hands in a self-satisfied sort of manner. The blond raised an eyebrow when he noticed Chrollo reach out for the expensive China (which Chrollo had been bullied into buying instead of stealing by one morally conscious Kurta). He didn't bother getting up and looking at their breakfast in favor of keeping his seat warm.
“All right,” Chrollo said, his voice tender and soft as if he were shy. “Close your eyes.”
“Why?” He asked, suspicion clouding his mind. He knew Chrollo wasn't a bad cook, however, he wasn't an expert in culinary affairs either.
“Just close them love,” the older man requested him again. “Please.”
Kurapika couldn't decide which word made him comply to Chrollo’s request, the love or the please. He childishly covered his eyes with his palms to ensure that he was keeping himself in the dark about the breakfast dish. The blond heard a soft ting which informed him that Chrollo had placed the dish on the glass table. Warm hands now covered his own palms and Kurapika felt the soft brush of lips against his nape. He shivered a little.
“You can open them now,” his lover whispered so softly, Kurapika barely heard him. The older man gently pulled his hand away and Kurapika found himself staring at the dish laid in front of him quizzically. It took quite a few moments for him to register what Chrollo had prepared but when it did, the blond gasped in shock and surprise.
“How…” He trailed off. He was at a complete loss for words and Kurapika doubted he would be able to speak coherently for the next few hours. The blond grabbed his spoon instead and took a bite.
It didn't taste like his mother’s.
“Do you like it?” Chrollo asked. He looked nervous. Kurapika simply smiled.
It tasted like home though.
Kurapika shook his head. He took another bite then another. “I love it Chrollo.” He turned to look at his lover, eyes shining with tears threatening to spill from his eyes. “It's perfect.”
The older man relaxed a little. Chrollo started laughing and Kurapika joined in, the tears now flowing freely. He stood up to embrace the other man and soon all he did was sob uncontrollably while strong hands stroked his back. Somewhere at the back of his cerebrum, the blond was embarrassed that he was being so emotional.
It's not everyday though he got to taste Kurutan dishes. He didn't care.
“How…” he trailed off again as another sob choked him.
“I tried love. I want to make you happy,” He kept saying thank you over and over again, not caring how broken he sounded. Kurapika was happy.
And it's all that mattered now.
XXX
When he finally calmed down enough to finish eating, Kurapika ate as if he had been starving for days. The older man simply sat down beside him and gazed at him fondly. It was getting rather uncomfortable so the blond finally asked, “Will you teach me how to make this?”
Chrollo looked surprised. “You don't know how to cook this one?” Kurapika shook his head.
“My mother used to make this on special occasions. She only taught me a few recipes. This isn't one of them.”
Chrollo’s gaze turned curious. “So I will be teaching a Kurta how to prepare a Kurutan dish?” Kurapika shrugged.
“Seems like it.”
XXX
Later that day, when they ended up back on the bed again, he heard Chrollo whisper something softly. With pleasure dulling his thought process, his lover's words were rather unintelligible. There was only one coherent thought that kept running through his head.
If he was dreaming, Kurapika liked this dream.