Work Text:
As Willem crossed the threshold into their apartment, which still had such a nice, fresh ring to it, he felt warmth and comfort wash over him. He saw traces of his and Jude’s shared life, Jude’s half-empty coffee mugs on the side table, his coat thrown haphazardly over a chair. He finally felt a sense of togetherness and shared purpose that he hadn’t known in any of his previous relationships.
He made his way through the apartment slowly and quietly, trying not to wake Jude. The only flight he could find back from California arrived at 5:30 AM, and he figured Jude would (hopefully) still be asleep. He hated that Jude never took any breaks or felt deserving of rest, so Willem always tried to preserve what little peace Jude could find in the night.
He gently turned the knob of their bedroom door, hearing a slight squeak of the hinges as he pushed the door inwards. He realized that was something he should take care of and took note to buy some grease the next time he had a chance. He wanted to make their home as comfortable as possible for Jude, who was so deserving of everything good in life.
Finally, he saw Jude. He was asleep for once, the morning sunshine streaming through the gaps in the blinds, painting Jude with stripes of pure light. He truly looked the part of a saint in that moment, bathed in morning sunlight. He had a book open, placed face down on the sheets next to his sleeping form. He looked so peaceful that Willem wished the moment would never end. He wasn’t worried about deadlines at the firm or his perceived inadequacy as a person, but rather, was just existing. His mouth was slightly open, and Willem heard a gentle snore.
He tiptoed out of the room, pushing the door up as he left. He went into the kitchen, gathering Jude’s baking supplies. He’d never been a great chef, but he wanted to try to make this Sunday extra special for Jude. He opened one of their many cookbooks, mostly unused. Jude was such a good chef he rarely, if ever, used a recipe. However, many of their collected friends had given them cookbooks over the years, perhaps for Jude to enjoy, perhaps to encourage Willem to take more of an interest in homemaking. Either way, it was a blessing to Willem to have so many to choose from. He found a simple one and searched the index for pancakes.
He moved about the kitchen naturally, enjoying the act of creating something for someone he loved. As the first batch of pancakes cooked on the stove, he gathered coffee supplies. It was then that he heard stirring in the bedroom. He could hear Jude shuffling into the bathroom and thanked himself silently for pushing up the door before backing out of the bedroom. He didn’t want Jude to have any inkling that he was home early. The surprise was too much of an excitement to spoil.
Finally, after a few minutes, Jude sleepily stumbled into the living room, clutching a blanket around his shoulders. Willem blushed, thinking about how utterly smitten he was. He smiled at Jude, walking over and embracing him, taking in his scent, always smelling slightly of fresh juniper somehow. Willem had no clue how he did it, but never asked, wanting to preserve the magic. He liked to think that was just Jude’s purest essence, his natural aura.
“It’s so lovely to see you, Willem,” Jude whispered, the words slightly muffled by Willem’s chest.
“I hope I didn’t scare you, I just wanted to surprise you with something nice for once,” replied Willem, clutching Jude. After he found the will to release him, he gestured to the seats against the kitchen stove, allowing Jude to be near to him but preventing him from taking over. Willem wanted this to be a special morning, and he didn’t need Jude commandeering the breakfast.
Willem found Jude’s favorite mug in the cabinet, filling it with freshly brewed coffee and a splash of cream, just as Jude liked it. He filled his own mug with plain black coffee. He thought that they made such a lovely pair, immersing himself in the sweetness of such simple intimacy as knowing how Jude took his coffee.
Jude took the mug from Willem, cautiously taking a sip of the hot beverage. “Willem, I wish this moment would never end,” said Jude, matter-of-factly.
“It doesn’t have to, Jude. We can live like this for as long as we need to,” Willem replied, grasping Jude’s hand across the counter. “I love you, Jude St. Francis, and I always will.”