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“Edward”
Edward didn’t know what time it was. But judging by how tired he was, it was probably way too early. He stirred and pulled the blankets tighter around himself. He felt oddly cold.
“Edward”
Someone carefully brushed Edward’s bangs away from his forehead and planted a gentle kiss there. Edward was freezing. Why wasn’t Bruce spooning him anymore? He slowly cracked his eyes open and blinked a few times, squinting at whoever had their hand in his hair.
“There you are” Bruce smiled at him from where he was crouching next to the bed. He reached out to lovingly caress Edward’s cheek. “Good morning”
“G’morning” Edward’s speech was still slurred from sleep. He yawned and tried to pull the blankets over his head again, but Bruce gently held them away from his face.
Edward frowned and yawned again. “Come back to bed, Bruce…it’s so early…i’m cold” He hovered in a weird state between sleep and being awake.
“I’m sorry” Bruce kissed his forehead again. “I have to go to work”
“Nooo”, Edward whined. “I’m so cold and I’ll miss you”
Bruce hummed in a similar tone, as if it pained him to leave. He scattered little kisses all over Edward’s face. “I’m sorry, but I’ll be back by noon, okay? Sleep for a little longer. I just wanted to say goodbye”
Edward wrapped his arms around Bruce’s neck and aimlessly placed a tired kiss on the corner of Bruce’s mouth. “Okay…goodbye Bruce, I’ll miss you”
“I’ll miss you too” Bruce kissed Edward on the cheek and then pressed a series of little pecks to his lips, which Edward loosely returned.
“I love you. I’ll bring lunch” Bruce slowly stood up but Edward grabbed his hand.
“Did you feed the rats?”
“I did, Edward”
“Okay…I love you”
“I love you”
It only took seconds for Edward to fall back asleep.
- <3 -
A particularly cold breeze was blowing through the city today, sweeping up the brown leaves, which had fallen to the ground, swirling them around for a little dance.
Edward let go off Bruce’s hand to zip up his coat, while Bruce, shivering, slid his hands into his large pockets. He wore the scarf he was always wearing over his mouth and nose when they went outside. He didn’t like being recognized. Edward envied him a little right now. It seemed to keep him warmer. Nothing had kept Edward from wearing his own scarf, he simply underestimated the cold on this day.
He slipped his freezing hand next to Bruce’s into his coat pocket and intertwined their fingers.
Bruce squeezed his hand. “You’re so cold”
“I’m turning to ice” Edward clattered his teeth to emphasise his point and Bruce chuckled.
“Let’s get you warmed up then” He steered them towards a little coffee shop that was located in the part of the park they were about to pass. Edward could see that a small queue had already formed in front of it. They probably weren’t the only ones who wanted to get a hot drink.
“We’d have to wait, Bruce”
“I don’t mind”
Edward smiled. He came to a stop in front of Bruce, when they reached the end of the line and placed his head on his shoulder, to lean onto him. Bruce put his free arm around Edward’s waist to pull him closer. He rubbed his hand up and down his back, as if trying to warm him up this way. It was unsuccessful, unfortunately, but Edward didn’t care about being cold anymore.
He turned his head, to be able to look up at Bruce from where he was settled on his shoulder. A dreamy smile spread over his entire face, as he let his eyes wander over the dark messy eyeshadow, the slight stubble showing above the scarf, the dishevelled hair, just how he liked it.
Oh, he loved this man so much, it felt ridiculous sometimes.
He could hardly contain himself when Bruce later pulled down the scarf to sip at the hot chocolate they were sharing and Edward could finally sneak a kiss. His fingers curled around the paper cup, slowly warming up and Bruce quickly curled his own hands around Edward’s, to not let him spill anything in his eagerness.
He let out a surprised laugh before leaning into the kiss.
- <3 -
Edward was glad that he had managed to teach Bruce some knife-skills. He was so proud of him too. When they had started dating, Bruce could barely cook pasta for himself. But now he was standing next to Edward in the kitchen and was almost expertly chopping an onion for their tomato salad. He obviously had practised.
Edward was finely dicing tomatoes while explaining the recipe to Bruce.
“We’ll mix the tomatoes and the onion, then add the dried basil. Fresh would be better but we didn’t have that. Then we’ll toss everything in olive oil, we could use balsamic vinegar, but we didn’t have that. And then we’ll add-”
“Why didn’t you tell me? I could have gotten everything on my way home” Bruce added his chopped onion to the bowl and went to the sink to wash his hands.
Edward waved dismissively. “Oh, we don’t need balsamic vinegar. When would we use that? And it’s so expensive. Besides, I didn’t know what to cook yet, when you came home. I found the recipe on Pinterest 15 minutes ago”
"Alright" Bruce's lips formed a small smile, while he turned off the tap and dried off his hands on the kitchen towel.
"So." He propped one hand on the kitchen counter and the other one on his hip. "What’s next?"
"Dried basil" Edward scooped the tomatoes into the bowl, while Bruce got the dried basil out of a cupboard. He opened the little container and shook some of the leaves into his palm.
“How much do you want me to put in there?”
“Like double the amount of what you have there”
Bruce shook out more and threw the basil into the bowl. Edward nodded, seemingly satisfied.
“Great. Now, salt, pepper, then olive oil”
“Got it, chef”
Edward smiled and pressed a kiss to Bruce’s cheek in passing, before getting the olive oil.
- <3 -
One of Edward’s favourite things about his and Bruce’s dynamic was how they could just exist together. No shared activity, just sitting in a room together and enjoying each other's company, while each of them did their own thing.
Bruce had picked up drawing a while ago. So now, while Edward was reading, Bruce was next to him on the couch, huddled against him under a blanket, a notepad in his lap and a pencil in hand.
Edward closed his book after some time. He pulled Bruce closer to give him a kiss to his temple. Bruce looked up from his doodlings to smile at him.
“Are you done reading?” He let go of his pencil and carelessly let it roll over the paper, to lovingly caress Edward’s cheek.
Edward leaned into the touch. “I just wanna see what you’re drawing” He smiled, kissing the palm of Bruce’s hand affectionately, before turning his eyes down to the notepad.
Bruce turned the notepad so that Edward had a better view on the drawings.
“You drew the rats” Edward realised, his lips curving into a happy smile. He examined the drawing further. Bruce had drawn the five rats, who were living in the decently sized cage on one of the dressers. They were very cute, very well fed and very loved by both Edward and Bruce. And Bruce had drawn them really well. He had scribbled the name of each one next to its drawing but Edward could have said who was who even without it.
“Bruce that’s so good” Edward kissed Bruce’s cheek and his temple and excitedly looked back down at the drawing.
A grin spread over Bruce’s face. “You think so?”
“Yeah!” Edward kissed his head again, smiling. “I recognise all of them”
“You do?”
“I do” He kept smiling at Bruce, while Bruce looked down at his drawing again. He looked so beautiful like this, a little flustered over the compliments. His slightly long bangs hung over his eyes, hiding them, but Edward could still see the light blush spreading over Bruce’s cheeks and his smile.
And Edward realised again how in love he was.
He carefully brushed Bruce’s hair away from his face, to press the most gentle kiss to Bruce’s forehead.
Bruce giggled.
- <3 -
Finally satisfied, Edward let his gaze rest on everything he had arranged on their new coffee table. He had had a very busy day.
He had left early in the morning, only shortly after Bruce, to pick up the coffee table, they had picked out together. He had to take it home on the subway and then assembled it right when he got home. All that before having breakfast.
After he finally had some cornflakes, he tried his luck at trying out a muffin recipe he had found on Pinterest. They had turned out great, so after a look at his watch, he decided to arrange the tray on the coffee table, next to the small gift he had for Bruce. He would be home soon.
Bruce wasn’t working long today, because it was their three month anniversary.
Edward looked at the time again and giddily went to the kitchen to prepare a cup of coffee for his boyfriend.
91 days. Bruce was his boyfriend of 91 days. And Edward was so excited for the many more wonderful days to come. Sometimes he still couldn’t believe that Bruce really wanted to be with him. That he was even allowed to be with someone as beautiful, as brilliant as Bruce. At times he laid awake at night, doubting himself, wondering when Bruce would realise that he deserved better. But soon enough, Bruce would always search for him, pull him to his chest, still half asleep. He would press his face into Edward’s hair, let out a content sigh and then Edward would feel bad for even thinking that Bruce didn’t need him just as much as Edward needed Buce.
What they had couldn’t be taken for granted and they both knew that. They treasured it all the more.
Edward heard Bruce’s key turn in the lock, just as he finished pouring hot water over the coffee grounds in his favourite cup.
He almost jumped excitedly. Was everything ready? He double checked the coffee table on his way to the door and arrived just in time to see Bruce quickly hide something behind his back.
They both stayed where they stood and just grinned at each other for a moment.
Bruce was the first to break their silly silence. “Happy three months, Edward” He was still grinning, as Edward quickly made his way over to him and pulled him into a tight hug. “Happy three months, Bruce”
Bruce happily hugged him back with his free hand. He kissed his cheek and then his temple, before pulling himself away far enough, to be able to kiss him properly.
Edward smiled and giggled and kissed Bruce back, already breathless.
“What do you have behind your back?”, Edward managed to fit between two kisses and Bruce chuckled.
“So impatient…”, he teasingly mumbled against Edward’s lips and kissed him once more.
Edward pulled away, grinning. “Tell me!”
“I got you flowers”, Bruce admitted sheepishly and finally pulled a tote bag from behind his back. A small bouquet of sunflowers was sticking out at the side and Edward beamed at the sight of them.
“Sunflowers!”, he exclaimed. Edward could have cried. Bruce could not possibly know, because Edward had never mentioned it, but sunflowers were his favourite. They radiated a simple kind of joy, a total happiness to be alive, that Edward had craved for so long. Bruce now giving him sunflowers felt like the perfect conclusion to something, to a grey chapter of his life, that ended when he started seeing him.
- <3 -
The red numbers on the alarm clock were shining way too bright into Edward’s face. 1:47am. He couldn't sleep.
This had become a rare occurrence for him, since Bruce was always right beside him, holding him close. It was easier to calm down when he felt this safe.
But tonight, sleep just wouldn’t come to him. Edward stared at the alarm clock for a few more minutes, watching the numbers change, before he decided that his position was entirely too uncomfortable.
Slowly, he turned himself around, careful for Bruce’s arm to stay exactly where it was around him, but always bearing in mind not to disturb him. He didn’t want to wake Bruce. Not when he was so beautiful, while he slept.
Edward settled back into Bruce’s arms, now facing him. A strand of his slightly overgrown hair had fallen into his face and Edward gently brushed it away, letting his hand settle on Bruce’s cheek. He looked so peaceful and content, ‘like a baby kitten’, Edward thought. His chest ached with how much he loved Bruce.
He lightly traced the bridge of his nose with his thumb, adoring, marvelling at the man who was his.
“Are you watching me sleep?”
Edward’s green eyes were suddenly met with blue ones, tiredly blinking back at him.
Edward couldn’t help but to feel slightly guilty. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to wake you up”
Bruce tightened his hold about Edward momentarily, while he yawned. “Why are you awake?”
“Can’t sleep”
“You could have woken me up on purpose”
“No Bruce, you need sleep”
“And you don’t?”
Edward didn’t know how to counter. Bruce was so familiar with how his brain worked by now, he knew exactly how to out-debate him.
Bruce reached over Edward to turn on the small bedside lamp. “What do you need?”
Edward squinted a little because of the brighter light and then shrugged. “I don’t know”
Bruce propped himself up on his elbow to be able to look down at Edward. “What did you do when we weren’t together yet and you couldn’t sleep? Maybe it helps you now too”
“I used to read” Edward bit his lip. “The whole night, sometimes”, he admitted.
“I could read to you” Bruce smiled and his offer was so loving, so sincere, it almost made Edward feel sick. He managed to smile back and choke out a raspy “Please”
Bruce fished Edward’s current read from the bedside table, while Edward tried to contain all the love he felt for him in this moment. It was so much , almost unbearable. When he spoke, all that came out was a whisper: “Thank you, Bruce”
Bruce abandoned the book, to look at him, slight worry showing on his face, when he caught Edward’s eyes. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah, it’s just-” His voice broke. He wiped at his eyes a little aggressively, to prevent tears. He didn’t want to cry. This was stupid. “It’s just…Bruce, I just love you so much”
Edward felt how Bruce's arms twisting around him, how they gently pressed him against Bruce’s chest and finally it was too much. He let himself cry freely, clinging to Bruce’s shirt, trying to get him even closer.
“I love you too, Edward, I love you so much”, Bruce whispered against Edward’s hair. He reassuringly dragged his hands all over his back and his arms, kissed his forehead, wiped his tears.
“I love you so much, Bruce, it’s so much love, I can’t contain all of it”
“Then let it all out, Edward”
His sobs slowly began to subside, but he still hugged and squeezed him, until he felt ready to emerge from Bruce’s chest.
Bruce smiled at him warmly, full of love. He swiped his thumbs over Edward’s cheeks to get rid of the remaining tears, then kissed them gently.
Edward let out a tired sigh and melted into his touch.
“You needed that, hm?” Bruce spoke softly.
“Yeah” Edward’s voice sounded raspy from all the crying. His eyes felt so heavy. But it was better. Bruce was his everything.
“Do you still want me to read to you?”Bruce asked and Edward nodded. “Please”
“Alright”
- <3 -
Bruce knew that Edward hadn’t had it easy. He knew that life hadn’t treated him very kindly and he knew that was why Edward sometimes had trouble trusting good things.
Bruce understood. He was the same.
But when it came to their relationship, they never doubted. Bruce knew that too.
There had been an understanding, from the very beginning. A mutual agreement, a bond that only got stronger, day by day.
Bruce had never loved like this before. He had never trusted like this before. And he knew, he would never again. Edward would remain the exception, his one and only forever.
And he was content with that. It felt secure. Edward felt the same, they had told each other. So Bruce knew. And he had never been happier with anything in his life.
Edward was really his, just like Bruce was entirely Edward’s. They were completely and totally each other’s. And Bruce was still in the process of getting used to it. That he wasn’t alone anymore.
He could just look at Edward for hours, marvelling, how one could be so beautiful. His hair had grown, since they had gotten together. He was now able to tuck it behind his ears. And Bruce loved to do that for him.
So often Edward would be sitting on the couch, hunched over a book, with his hair hanging into his face. Bruce would always get so close to him, tuck the long strands behind Edward’s ears and kiss his face. His cheeks, his nose, his forehead, until Edward laughed and complained, calling him a cute nickname that would make Bruce’s heart jump and only want to kiss him more.
He loved Edward’s nicknames for him. They were cheesy and embarrassing, but he didn’t care. Getting called a Baby-Bunny just felt good sometimes, okay? Sue him.
He had tried giving Edward names in return, but it just didn’t feel right to him. Not in the way being greeted with “Goodmorning, Sweetheart!” on the weekend mornings felt right.
Edward was Edward. That’s all he needed to be to Bruce. He was his everything in any way.