Work Text:
“I’m home.”
Vezalius heard a scoff near the foyer. His eyes darted to the clock—7:23 am—and to the sunlight seeping in the room. Vezalius was already getting bathed in sunlight, and a certain crow had just arrived home?
Vezalius stood up, in his rather fashionable plaid pajamas (which he does not even own) and headed to the direction of the voice. There was no mistake—Vantacrow had just been freed from work, coming home not even in the wee hours of the night, but in the tranquil beginning of the morning.
Vezalius sighed as he watched Vanta kick his shoes off. He should really do something about Vanta constantly working long hours. Though, before Vezalius drowns him in reprimand, Vezalius approaches the latter and critically scans his body.
“No injuries?” Vezalius asked, both hands on Vanta’s shoulders. If Vezalius would even find out about a nick on Vanta’s hand, he’ll drag Vanta down to his clinic and clean it with muttered comments about being careful. Luckily, Vanta took the usual ‘be safe’ precautions from Vezalius seriously this time.
“Man, this line of work is toxic. At this point, just make me half-robot so I can work full time, 24/7. Oh my God.” Vanta groaned, letting Vezalius unbutton his clothes. This was the usual: Vanta complaining or excitedly telling a story, while Vezalius listens and helps him get out of his dirty clothes. It was like clockwork for the two.
He’s so handsome. Vezalius giggled to himself—no matter what expression Vanta sported, Vezalius falls victim to his charm every day. “Yeah? Kind of like a cyborg? So when you come home, I could just plug you to a power source instead of cooking meals.”
“That would be the dream.” Vanta groaned, as if imagining a life of being half robot. Vezalius chuckled. “Though that would suck too, ‘cause like, I won’t be able to feel you unbuttoning my shirt every time I go home, or feel your hand. Or maybe technology is advanced enough for a robot to feel sensation?”
“If you get a robotic arm out of injury, you better wish you can’t feel sensation, because I’ll give you a serious beating.”
“Zali! Man, can’t even daydream around you without getting threatened…”
Vezalius listened to his endless musings, gently pushing him towards the bathroom to prompt Vanta to do a quick shower. Without question, Vanta got in, and Vezalius went to the kitchen to toast bread.
The sun slowly rose over the horizon, shining flattering orange hues on Vezalius that accentuated his features. Being left in nothing but Vanta’s plaid pajamas, his muscles looked dramatic as well; the sight of Vezalius like this, in the kitchen, erased Vanta’s grievances in an instant right as he exited the bathroom.
“Gorgeous,” Vanta sneaks up on Vezalius from behind, his hands snaking around that impossibly small waist, peppering Vezalius with kisses. “you should stop stealing my pajamas, though. Sometimes I pee a little when I’m too scared to get up and go pee in the bathroom ‘cause I can feel something ominous waiting for me there.”
“… maybe we should start buying adult diapers instead?”
“Nahhh, I’m playing, I’m just messing with you!” Vanta laughed, kissing Vezalius again all over his cheek.
If Vanta wore lipstick, Vezalius’s whole face would be red every day. The doctor mostly just giggles whenever he’s attacked with kisses, but Vanta knows that it gives Vezalius butterflies. What else would be the reason why Vezalius gets so red? The only other reason Vanta can think of is Vezalius being allergic to his kisses and it gave Vezalius rashes, but that was just him thinking out of this world again.
“You know,” Vezalius starts, glancing at the cupboard. “I brought out the wine yesterday night, but you worked a little later and you came home in literally the morning.”
“What?! We can drink it right now!” Vanta stepped back, giving Vezalius an open palmed shrug, his expression only of excitement. Vanta loved getting drunk with Vezalius, though it’s often only Vanta who gets drunk.
Not often, actually. It’s always Vanta getting drunk.
“No day drinking for you,” Vezalius scolds lightheartedly, pinching Vanta’s side teasingly as he moved across the kitchen to get plates. “listen to your doctor.”
“The one who danced on the table wearing his heels on while finishing my own glass of wine? That doctor?”
“You know you’ll lose if you start this game, Vanta,” Vezalius giggled, pretending to search through his memories of a drunken Vanta to threaten him of being reminded of embarrassment. Sure enough, it works; Vanta steers Vezalius back to where he was headed while chuckling awkwardly.
“That was a joke! Haha, so funny, okay, okay—no day drinking like you said.” Vanta pats Vezalius on the shoulders twice, before walking around the kitchen island to sit down on the rather tall barstools. “What’re you making?”
“Just french toast.”
“Mhm. I love french toast.”
They fell into a short silence.
Vezalius flipped the bread on the griddle pan, the sweet aroma filling the kitchen. He could feel Vanta’s gaze on him, warm and admiring, as he focused on the task at hand. “What’s been going on at work?” Vezalius asked, breaking the stillness.
Vanta leaned lazily against the kitchen island, stretching his arms above his head. “Same old grind. Endless old people and same faces I’m sick of seein’. You’d think they’d get tired of me eventually.” He chuckled, shaking his head. “But no, they keep piling on the responsibilities. How about you? Any interesting patients lately?”
“Just the usual cases,” Vezalius replied, flipping a piece of toast. “But I had a little girl come in yesterday who was convinced her teddy bear was sick. It was adorable. I ended up doing a complete check-up on the bear. Had her giggling by the end of it.”
Vanta laughed, the sound rich and warm. “What?! I can’t believe you do that for kids—you, you said you don’t like ‘em! You should’ve charged her a consultation fee!”
Vezalius turned to him, eyes sparkling with feigned innocence. “And take money from a child? Never.”
Vanta shook his head with a playful grin. “You’re a softy. You literally leave to ‘buy something in the convenience store’ every time one of your orders are delivered and I end up paying. Why’s that treatment reserved only for me!? I’m special in all the bad ways too, I guess.”
“That was a one-time event!” Vezalius protested, pretending to be stern. “The dog chewed up my wallet.”
“Uh-huh. I’ll pretend to believe you,” Vanta teased, leaning back in his chair. “You looked so cute in those heels that you ordered and made me pay, so I’ll let it pass.”
Their laughter mingled, creating a vibrant atmosphere that made the kitchen feel like a sanctuary from the world outside. As Vezalius plated the toast, he took a moment to absorb the sight of Vanta—his hair still damp from the shower, his casual attire, his relaxed demeanor.
You couldn’t pay to get Vezalius to stop staring at Vanta every time they’re together.
“Have you thought about taking a vacation?” Vezalius suggested, trying to divert the direction of his thoughts. If he kept staring, it’ll veer downward, and their poor clothes will be reduced to a heap on the floor. “You could use some time off, you know?”
Vanta shrugged, a playful smirk on his face. “Where would we go? Anywhere sounds great as long as I’m away from those dimwits at work.”
Vezalius felt his cheeks warm at the sincerity in Vanta's words. “Maybe a beach? Somewhere we can relax without any distractions.”
“Or a cabin in the woods,” Vanta countered, a glint in his eye. “Just us, a fire, and lots of hot chocolate. Sounds perfect, right?”
“Definitely,” Vezalius agreed, picturing the cozy scene. “But remember that one time we did the maze thing… we’d end up getting lost again.”
“Probably,” Vanta laughed. “But it’s funny ‘cause I would actually follow you anywhere. Even to the evil fruits in breakfast food place. Or—or, I don’t know, your very ominous clinic where I somehow always end up getting scolded.” Vanta declared, his tone shifting to one of earnestness.
As Vezalius turned back to the griddle, he couldn’t shake the feeling of Vanta’s gaze lingering on him. It was as if time slowed, the world outside fading away—like they were physically stuck in this moment forever, and there was no way out.
It always felt like that with Vanta.
Why would Vezalius ever complain about it, though? He’d buy time for himself just to spend it with Vanta. He would be knocking on the door of Chronos to bring time back if there comes a time where they’re not constantly in each other’s personal space anymore. He’d give his voice to Vanta if Vanta ever lost his so that Vezalius could hear Vanta say ‘I love you’ again.
“What’s on your mind?” Vanta asked, breaking the silence, his voice softer now.
Vezalius glanced over his shoulder, meeting Vanta’s gaze again. “Just thinking how lucky I am to have you.”
Vanta’s expression shifted. He knows Vezalius rarely ever gets candid like this—when he does, Vanta milks the situation out like a glutton just so he could replay more moments with Vezalius in his head whenever they’re apart. “You know, I’ve been thinking about that too. I just know I saved the world in my past life to deserve an easy life with you. Though—of course, outside of you, we got the idiots at work, but that’s a minimal consequence.”
Vezalius felt a flutter in his chest as he chuckled.
“Vezalius,” Vanta said, stepping closer, his eyes locked onto Vezalius’s. “You make my life better in ways I can’t even describe. I want to see that smile every day, to be with you through everything. Actually? You know what, I’m feeling romantical. Let me ask you a big, big question.”
Vezalius’s heart raced. “Vanta, what are you—”
“Just hear me out,” Vanta continued, taking a deep breath. “okay. So…. uh…. will you, well, marry me?”
The room fell silent, the weight of Vanta’s words sinking in.
“Are you sincere?” Vezalius finally managed to ask.
“Absolutely,” Vanta replied, grinning. “Who else would I want to annoy for the rest of my life?”
Vezalius laughed, the toast on the griddle pan forgotten. “Yes! Yes, I will!”
What a dumb conversation. Who knew it would end up with a rock on their ring fingers?