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The moment Heizou steps into the apartment he shares with his boyfriend, Scaramouche, the delicious aroma of food fills his senses. The smell makes a soft smile tug at the corners of his lips because it’s comforting and warm, exactly what he needs after a long, hard day at work. He’s grateful that Scaramouche goes out of his way to cook for him every day, despite his complaints about it that they both know he doesn't really mean.
Heizou cherishes gestures like this from him, especially since he knows it’s Scaramouche’s way of showing that he cares.
If he's honest with himself, he isn’t the best at taking care of himself when it comes to cooking, having lived off quick, unhealthy meals and fried food for a long time until Scaramouche came into his life. He still remembers the disapproving frown on Scaramouche’s face, followed by a long lecture about the importance of eating healthy the first time he witnessed how Heizou handled his meals.
So now, Scaramouche is the one who takes care of cooking for both of them now.
Heizou shrugs off his jacket, carefully hanging it on the coat rack before toeing off his shoes to place them neatly in their designated spot by the door. He’s been subjected to Scaramouche’s sharp tongue and scolding about keeping the apartment tidy many times before, and while he finds it amusing because he looks pretty when angry, the last thing he wants is to start an unnecessary fight over something so small.
He makes his way to the kitchen with quiet steps to avoid startling Scaramouche, the delicious aroma growing stronger the closer he gets. He stops at the doorway, leaning his body against it to admire the sight before him.
Scaramouche stands at the stove, quietly humming a soft melody under his breath while stirring a simmering pot with practiced ease. He has a peaceful expression on his face, the glow of the ceiling lights softening his features and making him look almost angelic.
Heizou stands there for a moment, silently taking in the scene in front of him, a pleasant warmth blooming in his chest. Coming home to this is the best part of his day, and he’s sure he’ll never get tired of it.
Unable to resist the pull he feels towards the other man for longer, Heizou quietly approaches him. His footsteps are light on the hardwood floor, and he wraps his arms around Scaramouche’s waist from behind once he's close enough, resting his chin on his shoulder. He presses a kiss to the side of his neck and peers into the pot out of curiosity to try to see what is being cooked.
Scaramouche stiffens at the unexpected contact, his whole body going rigid for a few seconds until he recognizes the person hugging him. He relaxes into the embrace and leans back against Heizou, glancing over his shoulder so their eyes meet.
“Welcome home.” Scaramouche greets, his usual sharp tone softened with tenderness, and his eyes becoming soft with affection. “Dinner is almost ready.”
“I’m home.” Heizou says warmly, leaning in to press a soft kiss to his lips. “It smells good.”
Scaramouche huffs, turning back to the stove to hide his flustered reaction, but the blush dusting his cheeks doesn’t escape Heizou's observant gaze. “Hmph, of course it does.” he bites back, trying to act unaffected, even if he knows it’s a futile attempt. Even after all this time, he still isn’t used to the intimacy of their shared life. Not that he dislikes it, though. He wouldn’t change it for anything in the world.
Heizou chuckles under his breath, finding his reactions absolutely endearing. He nuzzles into the crook of Scaramouche’s neck, the tension in his body melting away as he breathes in the sweet, familiar scent he loves so much. He starts peppering small pecks along the expanse of his skin and nuzzling further into it.
“You sure are clingy today,” Scaramouche comments, though the usual bite in his voice is gone.
“Mhm, long day at work.” Heizou murmurs between kisses, his voice muffled by Scaramouche's skin.
Scaramouche hums in response, tilting his head to the side to expose more of his neck to give Heizou more space to kiss him. He moves his free hand to rest on top of Heizou’s, giving it a few gentle squeezes to comfort him. It’s subtle, but the intention is there, and it’s enough to comfort Heizou.
Neither of them say anything after that, wrapped in the quiet intimacy of the moment. They enjoy spending time in each other’s presence like this, without needing to exchange words because they find comfort in each other.
The silence is eventually broken by Scaramouche, who speaks in a softer, teasing tone. “The food is going to burn if you don’t let me go.”
“Hmm.” Heizou hums to pretend that he's considering his words, his grip tightening to show that he refuses to let go. “I’ll take the risk.”
Scaramouche clicks his tongue, but there’s no heat behind it. “You idiot, let go.” He mutters, his voice laced with affection. “Dinner is almost ready, so go set the table.”
Heizou whines dramatically because he doesn’t want to move from this position, but he lets out a reluctant sigh when Scaramouche gives his hand another squeeze to show that he's serious this time. He loosens his hold and presses a few kisses to the back of Scaramouche’s neck before leaving to set the table, chuckling when he gets a flustered glare sent his way.
Once he’s done and the food has been served, they sit down together at the small table in their cozy kitchen. Heizou takes the first bite while Scaramouche looks at him expectantly, and as always, the food is amazing.
“Man alive, this is delicious.” He almost moans at the taste, grinning when Scaramouche rolls his eyes.
“Yeah, yeah. You always say that.”
“But I mean it. I want to eat your cooking, and only your cooking, for the rest of my life.”
Scaramouche is left speechless for a moment, his chopsticks stopping mid-air as he processes those words. He analyzes Heizou for any sign of teasing, but he finds none. The only thing he sees is the pure love that he holds in those sharp green eyes of his.
“Stop being sappy and finish your food.” he grumbles when he finally manages to compose himself, although he can’t stop the blush from spreading across his cheeks and the tip of his ears at the implication of those words since they sound awfully close to a marriage proposal.
Heizou laughs, the sound light and amused at the cute reaction his words get from the man sitting in front of him. He places his chopsticks down and grins playfully, though his eyes glint with honest warmth. “What? I’m just telling the truth.”
Scaramouche glares at him for that, but the redness on his cheeks makes the expression far less intimidating than intended. Heizou decides to take mercy on him and drops the teasing for now, showing him a sheepish smile to calm him down. He’s not planning on proposing like this, anyway. But he wants to do it soon, and he's going to do it in a way that his Scaramouche deserves.
When they’re both finished and Scaramouche has completely recovered from what just happened, Heizou insists on washing the dishes despite Scaramouche's protests.
“You’re terrible at washing dishes, my deer.” Scaramouche crosses his arms, watching Heizou roll up his sleeves. The use of the pet name is sarcastic, but the underlying affection is present in his voice.
“Aw, come on. It’s the thought that counts.” Heizou makes a shooing motion with his hands, trying to make a confident expression that he hopes is convincing enough. “Besides, you cooked, so I’ll take care of the cleaning part.”
Scaramouche narrows his eyes in consideration for a moment and huffs, a ghost of a smile tugging at the corners of his lips. He doesn’t argue further because he knows how stubborn Heizou can be sometimes, so he simply nods and retreats to the living room to wait. He grabs the book he left on the coffee table earlier and settles onto the couch, curling up comfortably to begin reading where he left off of.
The apartment is quiet, and the moonlight slips through the curtains, casting a beautiful glow by the time Heizou joins him. The only sound in the room is the faint rustling of pages every few minutes as Scaramouche flips through the book. Heizou plops down beside him, resting his head on his lap with a satisfied sigh.
“Done already?” Scaramouche asks, glancing down at him with a raised brow.
“Yep.” Heizou closes his eyes as he snuggles closer into Scaramouche because he wants to be as close as physically possible since he gets a little clingy when tired. “Told you I’d do a good job.”
Scaramouche rolls his eyes but doesn’t push him away. He sets the book down so he can brush his fingers through Heizou’s hair instead, who looks more like a clingy cat than a human right now. The soothing motion makes Heizou’s body relax completely thanks to the gentle caresses, a satisfied sigh leaving his lips.
“You should go to bed soon.” Scaramouche murmurs softly, brushing Heizou’s bangs away from his face. “You had a long day.”
Heizou hums sleepily in response, nuzzling further into him because he doesn’t want to move from his spot yet. “Mhm… Just give me a minute.”
Scaramouche shakes his head and sighs softly, but he doesn’t actually mind. He leans down, pressing a gentle kiss to his forehead. “Don’t fall asleep here.” he says softly.
Heizou smiles up at him, a subtle pink blush covering his cheeks. He flutters his eyes open just enough to meet his gaze, pouting slightly. “You’re too comfy. I want to stay here.”
“You’re such a spoiled brat.” Scaramouche remarks with a roll of his eyes, though there’s a hint of fondness in his gaze that he doesn’t bother hiding this time.
“Only because you let me be.” Heizou responds teasingly, closing his eyes again to show that he’s unwilling to move. He even wraps his arms around Scaramouche’s waist, holding him close because he doesn’t want to let go.
Scaramouche sighs with fond irritation again, but his expression softens at the sweet gesture. “You’re so stubborn, you know that?” He scoffs as he resumes threading his fingers through Heizou’s hair, his movements gentle. “But fine. Just for a little while.”
A comfortable silence settles over them again, only interrupted by Scaramouche’s soothing humming. The soft melody, paired with the gentle motions of fingers playing with his hair, lulls Heizou into a peaceful state. His breathing starts to even out slowly as he drifts closer to sleep.
It’s moments like this—being surrounded by the intimacy of each other’s presence and the warmth of the place they call home—that go straight to Heizou’s heart. It’s something he thought he’d never have, but here he is, sharing a beautiful life with Scaramouche, the person who he considers the love of his life.
“I love you.” He says, his voice barely above a whisper, soft and vulnerable in the quiet of the room. The words come naturally to him, unable to keep the love he feels inside of him anymore.
“I love you, too.” Scaramouche whispers back, leaning down to press a kiss to Heizou's lips while his thumb tenderly traces soft patterns on his cheek.
Heizou can't imagine not having this in his life. He finally found a place to belong. Finally found someone who he can call his "home", and he's not going to let go of this for anything in the world.