Work Text:
"Good job today, Callenreese!"
"Thanks. You too, Tachikawa. See you tomorrow!"
Ash waved goodbye to his coworker and walked over to the coat rack in the company's breakroom. He slipped his jacket on and glanced down at the time on his phone: 4:35 P.M. There was plenty of time left to stop by a convenience store on the way home to pick up some things and still have lots of quality time with Eiji before bed.
He didn't have anything big in mind. Neither man had any specific plans for the night nor any upcoming projects they needed to worry about toiling away at. Still, Ash wasn't in the mood to do too much. It didn't feel like much of a day for reading or working on a story; he just wanted to cuddle up with his boyfriend.
Thoughts of what show or movie to put on when he got home (or maybe they could go for a run?) ran through Ash's mind as he left work and stopped at a small gas station near his and Eiji's apartment. Scouring the shelves for possible dinner he found some cheap instant ramen boxes he liked as well as a few rice balls and ingredients for natto for Eiji. Ash still refused to touch the stuff personally, but he hoped it would make Eiji smile.
There was a bit of a spring in Ash's step as he finished making his way home. It was only about five o'clock, the sky was blue with just a few nice clouds, and he was about to see Eiji. Ash was cheerily humming as he turned his key in the front door and walked inside.
"Eiji, I'm home!" he called out as he shut the door behind him, took off his shoes, and hung up his jacket.
There was no response. None of the lights seemed to be on, though the sun pouring in through the blinds and windows still kept most of the apartment fairly well-illuminated. Ash noticed that Eiji's shoes were on the rack by the entrance so he should be home.
"Eiji?" Ash asked again.
Still no response. Ash headed to the kitchen and set the grocery bag on the counter. No Eiji. Next he walked over to the second bedroom they used as a combination office and storage space. No Eiji. Last, Ash stopped in front of their bedroom door. It was shut, and Ash couldn't hear anything from the other side. He entered as quietly as he could, wondering if Eiji was asleep.
And there he was: lying down on his side of the bed, blanket clutched tightly against his stomach as he faced the wall. Ash gently set his work clothes over the back of a chair and quietly sat down on the bed in just his boxers.
"Eiji, you awake?"
Still no verbal response but Eiji nodded his head, though he didn't turn to face Ash. Ash began to feel really worried. What had happened where Eiji wouldn't even look at him?
"Do you mind if I lie down with you?" Ash asked softly.
Eiji shook his head no. "Go ahead," he whispered faintly.
Ash felt himself tense up a bit, though he tried to remain calm. "Do you wanna talk about anything? Want me to hold you, or give you space?"
Eiji was silent for a few moments before he replied so quietly that Ash could barely hear him. "...holding could be nice."
And so Ash pressed himself tightly up against Eiji's back, wrapping his arms around him and brushing his hands up against Eiji's softly. He buried his face in black hair, feeling the soft texture and smell of fresh shampoo as he gave the back of Eiji's neck a kiss. He felt Eiji murmur and push back into Ash's body heat.
It was a good way to be, but Ash was still too worried to truly savor the feeling. "Mind if I brush my hands through your hair?"
It was something he'd discovered months ago to be a reliable means of easing the tension in Eiji's body and helping him to relax. Eiji silently nodded and Ash brought his hands back. One to gently massage Eiji's shoulder blades and the other to run through his hair, lightly playing with it as he continued to plant soft kisses along Eiji's neck.
"Bad day at work?" Ash asked after a few minutes of massaging had helped ease a knot in Eiji's back.
"I called out. I'm sorry," Eiji said.
"You don't have to be sorry," Ash said, planting another small kiss on the nape of Eiji's neck right where his hair ended. He kept running his fingers through Eiji's hair, feeling the soft strands tickle the skin of his palm as he curled them around. Eiji sighed softly, sounding content. Ash smiled, pressing yet another kiss against his boyfriend's neck.
"I just...I dreamed about Shorter last night. About...you know," Eiji said.
Ash tensed up slightly, but tried to relax his body again. He'd had many such nightmares about that day himself. Even amongst all his other traumatic dreams, those were some of the saddest.
"I'm sorry Eiji," he said, tilting his neck down to kiss the top of Eiji's spine where it met his neck. He felt Eiji relax into the touch, squirming slightly backward as if to invite more of it. Ash kept peppering kisses up and down Eiji's neck and along his collar bone. "Did you wanna talk about it?"
"There's not really anything to say that we haven't talked about before. Just...be here with me?" Eiji asked softly.
Ash lifted his head up to try and get a better view of Eiji's face. The other man finally looked back at him.
"Of course," Ash said, tilting his head back down to kiss Eiji's lips as he resumed running his fingers through Eiji's hair.
Eiji moaned quietly into his mouth, deepening the kiss as he brought his hands up into Ash's hair as well. The two shifted their weight around a bit so they could keep caressing each other as comfortably as possible. Tongues met as fingers massaged strands and necks. From their hair to their mouths to their skin, everything felt soft. When they pulled their mouths apart to breathe, Ash smiled at Eiji.
"I bought stuff for making you natto tonight," he said.
Eiji's eyes brightened up a bit. "Thanks, Ash. Wanna just...stay here for a bit still? Maybe...keep touching my hair?"
"Of course, baby," Ash said, giving Eiji another soft peck on the lips as he massaged the back of Eiji's neck with his hands. He could feel more of the tension in Eiji's back dissipate and so he kept running his fingers through black hair gently, content to just lie there for as long as Eiji needed.
The two cuddled up together like that for another twenty minutes or so before Eiji spoke up again.
"Hey, Ash?"
"Yeah?"
"Thank you."
"Anytime, Eiji. Anytime."