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His bed is cold when he wakes up in the morning, which means that Kai is in for a beautiful day.
Kai’s torso is mostly off the bed, legs hooked precariously on the bedpost and just barely holding him up. He feels his knee starting to cramp, weight tugging painfully on it, and uses his meager stomach muscles to straighten up and get back on the bed. From the open door, he hears a song playing at full blast, and a familiar voice singing along to it (“ Waiting for you, An-pan-ma-a-an!”) with no holds barred.
Beomgyu never was the most considerate for his sleep schedule. But Kai can’t bring himself to mind, when it means waking up to breakfast.
He grins when he hears a loud yelp interrupt Beomgyu in the middle of a phrase, before he finishes it at double speed and swings right into the next one as if nothing had happened. Kai stands up, stretching out his legs and straightening his pajama shirt, grabs one of his plushies, and walks outside.
He turns off all the hall lights as he walks in easy, practiced motions, accustomed to Beomgyu’s habit of leaving them all on in his path. There had been a time when he refused to, a time he didn’t understand why Beomgyu struggled to stay aware and do these kinds of things. But now―he still doesn’t understand, can’t completely do so without having lived what Beomgyu did, but he is more understand ing . It doesn’t hurt him to just do it, anyway.
But when his fingers meet empty air when he goes to turn off the last light, and looks up to find it already dark, Kai can’t help the proud smile that blooms on his face.
The music gets louder as he approaches the kitchen, and the delicious smell of pancakes and fried tofu tickles at his nose. His stomach growls, already awaiting the meal that is to come.
“Gyu?” Kai pokes his head in through the doorway. Beomgyu turns around, mid dance move involving a lifted foot and a dramatic swish of his head back, and instead of standing merely continues into different footwork like nothing happened.
Beomgyu grabs the pan on the stove and dumps its finished contents onto the plate on the counter, mouthing along with the music now that Kai is there. Kai hums the song as Beomgyu sashays to turn off the heat (carefully, always carefully, ever since that ) and then holds out his hand towards him while putting the other one over his heart, singing the last couple words as the music fades out.
In the few seconds between it takes for the next song to load, Beomgyu’s eyes sparkle at him, “Dance with me!”
“Too early for me,” Kai smiles, sitting down on one of the tall stools beside the breakfast bar and setting down the plush, “Why don’t you just show me your moves? You said you learned something new yesterday.”
Beomgyu gasps, clapping excitedly as the rhythm of the new song drums through the kitchen. He swings his hips in mocking little beats, like a puppy wagging its tail, making little sounds to match. Kai has to resist the temptation to grasp his own heart.
But then he sees a glint in Beomgyu’s eye, and he gulps.
Beomgyu’s dancing always leaves him a little breathless, whether it be with laughter when he plays around or awe when he doesn’t, and now is no exception. Kai risks scooting along the side, eyes glued onto Beomgyu, and grabs the plate of food to give himself a sort of indifferent advantage. Beomgyu doesn’t see him.
When dancing seriously around Kai, sometimes Beomgyu doesn’t open his eyes. It’s cute, honestly; he trusts Kai to call out before he hurts himself.
Even though he has the plate of food cooling in front of him, Kai watches Beomgyu dance like a hawk, noting the skillful sharpness of his feet and where he fumbles to think of another step. He knows the song by heart, doesn’t have to listen for the lyrics when he knows Beomgyu is just reenacting them in front of him, but he feels the flow of it through his chest all the same. At this volume he can almost feel the actual bass of it.
And then the song winds down, and Beomgyu’s come to a stop a few inches away from him. His eyes are open, now: staring at Kai like he’s starving for his approval.
Kai winks, and the dam breaks. A shy smirk splits Beomgyu’s face, and he waggles his fingers at him before digging through the drawers for forks and knives for the both of them.
“I really liked,” Kai hums a few lines of notes, “That thing you did then. Does that have a name?”
“It probably does,” Beomgyu admits, dragging the other stool next to Kai and spearing a pancake onto another plate, “But I forget.”
“Not always,” Kai looks at Beomgyu between his lashes, fingers drumming in a warning.
Beomgyu grunts, “I know. Not always.”
Kai lets it go, this time. It’s a good morning, too good to go to waste with reminders.
“You slept funny last night,” Beomgyu’s hand reaches out, wraps around Kai’s loose wrist, “Does your leg hurt?”
Kai tilts his head, chewing a bite of pancake thoughtfully, “A little. Nothing too bad. These are good, by the way. I’m proud of you.”
Beomgyu flushes, “It just-popped into my head. I still haven’t finished making them, though.”
“You made enough,” Kai rubs at Beomgyu’s wrist, “We can save the rest of the batter. Good job.”
Beomgyu nods, stuffing some tofu between his teeth. There was a time he refused to eat anything cooked on the pan, threw up the moment he smelled the gas.
Kai thinks he’s come a long way, even if he still can't eat meat.
Kai always finishes eating a bit faster than Beomgyu does, which isn’t really a problem, as it allows him to pick up and get everything back in order while Beomgyu eats. The latter chews through his pancake and some of the tofu until he’s pushing the plate away and swinging his legs on the stool.
Kai finishes cleaning up the bowls and putting the batter away, before he’s sitting down in front of Beomgyu and grabbing the fork himself.
Beomgyu grimaces, “Do I have to?”
“It’s just a little more,” Kai rolls his eyes. Beomgyu’s pickiness and lack of appetite are old news, old enough that he doesn’t feel bad about reproaching him, “Come on. You know you need the energy.”
“Can I at least get a kiss in exchange?” Beomgyu pouts. Kai chuckles despite himself, then puts on his Mad Face.
“Maybe. But only one per bite.”
Beomgyu lunges for the fork. Kai has to pull it away so he doesn’t accidentally stab through his own cheek, “Careful. Either you do it or I do it, not like that.”
Beomgyu crosses his arms, but opens his mouth. Kai feeds him appropriately, waiting until Beomgyu finishes chewing and the telltale puckering pout before allowing him a small peck.
Beomgyu instantly looks happier. Whipped , Kai’s mind supplies, and he’s inclined to agree.
Routine continues. One bite turns into two, then three, four, five and then the final sixth one. Kai lets the last kiss linger, cradling Beomgyu’s face for a few seconds with the hand not occupied by the fork before leaning back and placing his forehead on his instead.
Beomgyu blinks at him calmly. Whipped, Kai’s mind supplies again, but in a more self-mocking tone.
When another brilliant million-watt smile splits Beomgyu’s face, Kai agrees again. But like most things Beomgyu, he doesn’t mind.
"Should we go get ready?" he asks instead, caressing the edge of Beomgyu's cheekbone.
"Sure," Beomgyu says, making no move to stand. Kai sighs internally, purely fond.
Instead of displaying exasperation, he presses one last kiss to Beomgyu's nose before leaning back entirely.
"Let's go," he smiles, picking up Beomgyu's plate and carrying it towards the sink.