Work Text:
The familiarity of Jimmy's arms wrapped around his waist was that akin to the nether haze. The heavy, sweltering heat that swarmed the dimension, unique to only his homeland.
Tango didn't miss the nether, nor his covenmates. But he lived a lot of his life on the barren, burning bricks of a fortress. It was familiar, but a bitter kind of familiar.
But laying here, in a home he considered his own, was a gentler kind of familiar. It was sweeter, calmer—more than the nether would ever be. The trinkets and gadgets he made and collected over the years, the bricks he painted with buckets he was lent by a fellow hermit, the spices in the kitchen cabinet that he amassed because they never seem to expire.
But, above all, his beloved soulmate; Jimmy.
Tango purrs, snuggling further backwards into his arms, if that was even possible. As a response, the strong arms wrapped around his waist pull him in tighter.
Waking up in the morning used to be a chore. The sun blaring in his eyes, the aches that never seemed to disappear, the drop-dead sleepiness that he learnt to ignore to be able to function throughout the entire day. It was exhausting and he never felt refreshed after even a long rest, whenever he had the time. The way that sometimes, he woke up slowly, like weights were tied to his eyelids, and sometimes, he'd jolt up in his bed, fast and terrified. He couldn't decide which one was worse.
It's different now.
Except for the sun blaring in his eyes. Tango's eyebrows scrunch, not wanting to open his eyes just yet. Someone forgot to close the curtains last night.
He squirms in his place for a beat, before deciding to turn around and hide in his loving boyfriend's arms, away from the morning light. All the moving jostled around Jimmy, and when he turned he noticed his eyes slowly blinking open.
"Oh. Sorry, did I wake you?" Tango whispers, tucking his head into Jimmy's neck.
Jimmy shuffles into a more comfortable position, drowsiness lining his every move, snuggling into him. "Nope. Was awake for a bit, didn't wan' get up yet," He mumbles, voice rumbly and husky.
Tango sighs contently and relaxes like putty, letting his eyes slide close again. He was ready for rest, just an hour or two more, before Jimmy spoke again.
"What time is it?" He asks, trying to pull away for a bit to look at his boyfriend.
Tango pointedly stays put, "Dunno."
"Tang, c'mon, I needa check the time."
"No you don't, sweetheart."
"Tangoooo…"
"Don't Tangoooo… me, we'll survive if we stay asleep for another couple minutes." Or an hour.
Jimmy sighs, something akin to defeat in his tone, and slinks back into Tango's warmth. "Fine. Just a couple more minutes," He breathes into his hair, an active fire, but it doesn't burn him at all. It's nice to have someone who isn't afraid of him, nor his netherborn traits.
They sit the next couple beats in silence. Tango is slowly retreating into unconsciousness, content and relaxed, when he hears a mumble in his hair. He slowly opens his eyes.
"Are you counting?" He says, incredulous. The mumbling in his hair stops.
"...Yes."
Tango can't believe this man. He rolls his eyes with a smile and sits up on his hands, looking down at his partner. "You're insufferable."
There's a sly smile on Jimmy's face. "Yet you love me."
"Unfortunately."
"Wha- hey!'
And the morning officially begins.