Work Text:
Remy was working in the kitchen, humming some song that the coffee shop he worked at had gotten stuck in his head. He was getting the space cleaned up before his boyfriend, Emile, arrived home from work. As he put the last of the freshly-washed dishes away, Remy heard the door to their apartment open and shut, and heard Emile’s keys get dropped into the little bowl they had by the door and the sound of Emile kicking off his shoes. The sounds were familiar, but something was different. Emile hadn’t announced that he’d gotten home, and his steps were shuffling.
Something wasn’t right.
“Babe?” Remy called out, turning his head to the opening formed by the low wall that served as an island dividing the kitchen and living area of the apartment.
“I’m home…,” Emile quietly said, coming around the corner and into view. His voice sounded hoarse, and his eyes and cheeks were a bit pink, as if he’d been crying.
“Bad day?”
“Mm-hm…”
“Wanna talk about it?”
Emile simply shook his head. Remy got the message that he wasn’t up to talk right now, and that was fine.
“Get something comfy on, Babe,” Remy gently instructed. “We can cuddle, watch a movie? I can make us hot chocolate.”
“With mini marshmallows…?”
“You know it.”
That at least got a little ghost of a smile, if only for a second as Emile nodded. The therapist wandered off to their bedroom to get changed, and Remy started making them some hot chocolate. He heated some milk on the stove and got out the two hot cocoa mixes, not knowing which Emile would want. By the time Emile returned, the milk was ready, and Remy had already pulled out a pair of mugs.
“You want the regular stuff, or the peppermint one?” Remy asked, upon hearing the soft shuffle of Emile’s slippers on the floor.
Emile didn’t respond verbally, but Remy heard him snap his fingers once. It was a little nonverbal cue they had agreed on for situations like this, where Emile wasn’t really up to or able to speak.
“You got it, Babe,” Remy stated, indicating that he understood Emile’s answer. He grabbed the regular mix and put some in one of the mugs, before scooping some of the peppermint mix into his own mug. He poured some of the warm milk into each mug, and stirred the drinks until they were mixed. After adding plenty of mini marshmallows to Emile’s mug, and a few to his own, Remy picked up the drinks and made his way to the living area.
Emile had gotten a movie pulled up, something the two of them had watched before, but Remy couldn’t recall the name of. Remy set the two mugs on the coffee table and sat on the sofa, grabbing the large blanket they kept draped over the back. Remy was just in a set of jeans and his white T-shirt, so he was comfortable enough. He partially wrapped himself in the blanket and opened his arms for Emile. The smaller man crawled into his lap, practically laying on top of Remy, snuggled up to his chest. Remy wrapped the blanket around him, and grabbed Emile’s mug, handing it to him.
Emile took the mug and carefully sipped at his hot chocolate, giving a quiet, thankful hum. Remy pressed a gentle kiss to his temple, and sipped his hot chocolate, keeping one arm wrapped around Emile. They didn’t need to talk if Emile wasn’t up for it. They could just sit and watch a movie and drink hot chocolate if that’s what he wanted.
For now, that’s just what they did. They sat, and watched a movie, and drank hot chocolate.