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Mitsuya didn't notice it at first.
It wasn't a strange thing after all. He had gotten used to this for years. Especially because Mitsuya secretly enjoyed it too, when Draken glued to him like he couldn't bear to be separated from him, even for a second. After keeping his own feelings for what seemed to be forever to himself, Mitsuya would never take the copious amounts of attention from Draken for granted.
Mitsuya loved being loved by Draken, sue him.
Years of being in a relationship never ceased the giddiness of having that feeling.
This time, it was different, though.
For the first time, Mitsuya noticed that Draken was particularly clingy, even more than he usually did. And instead of his spoiled grumbling, or reluctant whining that he was familiar with, Draken was clingy in a way Mitsuya wasn't aware of.
Draken was being clingy in silence.
This morning, for instance.
Instead of seducing Mitsuya to stay in bed, Draken got off the bed by the time Mitsuya woke up.
Instead of begging him to return to their bedroom, Draken followed Mitsuya doing his morning routine.
Brushing their teeth, taking a shower together, even when Mitsuya went to the kitchen to get some breakfast done.
Draken did his best to be helpful, taking over anything he could do, while Mitsuya tried to cook.
It all came naturally because they had done it numerous times.
It wasn't a strange scene after all.
He and Draken exchanged stories over miso soup and tamagoyaki. Draken casually scooped more rice for Mitsuya's bowl. Mitsuya poured more hot green tea into Draken's cup.
Finally, a relaxing Sunday after a week of hectic projects and stressful workloads.
The sun outside suggested it was way past breakfast time, but he and Draken took their time to enjoy their meal to the fullest.
By the time they had finished, they brought their dirty plates and bowls to the sink. Draken took over the washing, while Mitsuya stood next to him, doing the drying.
For some reason, instead of getting the job done faster, it only lasted longer.
Mitsuya didn't even noticed. All he knew, it was very soothing to hear Draken talking about his days in the bike shop with the water running in the background. Mitsuya wasn't a talker, but he found himself retelling a complete story about the technical difficulty that occurred during the fashion show he just attended.
Story after story was over, and so were the chores.
Usually, Draken would complain about how he hated doing laundry during his peaceful Sunday.
But now, it was also Draken who asked him, "Why don't we unpack your suitcase? Couldn't leave them out of our laundry, could we?"
Now they were sitting on their bedroom floor, sorting everything out of Mitsuya's suitcases.
Dirty clothes, Mitsuya's notebooks and laptop, some fashion catalogs, some gifts for family and friends. Each item sparked conversation.
Draken listened attentively when Mitsuya recounted the story behind them.
What happened to this stained shirt, who gave him the inspiration for the newest scribble in his notebook, why did he pick this particular item for the gift, and so on.
Draken didn't just collect the dirty laundry, he also collected the tales.
"What time is it now, I'm talking too much," Mitsuya poked his own forehead, when his eyes landed on the wall clock.
He could have been drying the laundry by now, if he wasn't too wrapped up with himself.
But Draken merely laughed, as he picked the laundry basket.
"Don't worry, we will get it all done."
And true to his words, everything moved in a blur after that.
Finishing the laundry, cleaning up their home, reorganizing everything that needed to be organized—they did try to get it done.
Mitsuya had only gone for a week, but it felt like his home had needed his touch already.
It wasn't like Draken was being messy or anything. If anything, he could be way more organized than Mitsuya. It was just after being away, Mitsuya realized how much giving some untidiness was necessary to make this house, a home to him.
"Did you just rearrange my books?" Mitsuya glanced back at Draken who was cleaning the window of his office room. He wasn't the type of person who cared about the correct order of the books on his shelf, as long as he could fetch the reference he needed in seconds.
Still, the alphabetical order row of books might be a great help to him, something that he always failed to keep.
"Yeah, will it be confusing for you?"
Mitsuya scanned the spines before inserting the new catalogs he brought from his latest business trip, alphabetically.
"Of course not," he grinned. "Fair warning, I can't promise you to keep it this neat forever, though."
Draken resumed scrubbing the window, a soft smile reflected on its surface.
"Then, I'll do it over and over again for you."
Mitsuya matched his, wondering how long It would take until they get to that moment.
One room done, and then another room.
Another one.
And another.
Until, the lunch came late.
Draken took over the matter into his hands, by ordering the food, insisting that they wouldn't have enough time to cook the meals themselves. The only downside of this, that one of them had to be standby to get the food.
Draken begrudgingly let Mitsuya shower first, while he waited for the food to be delivered. It didn't take long for him to clean up after himself, but it was even quicker for Draken to shower. Mitsuya hadn't even started unpacking the delivered lunch on the table, but Draken had already come out in a towel.
"What are you even doing in there?" Mitsuya chuckled, watching him change into a t-shirt and sweatpants in an instant.
In response, Draken merely sticking his tongue out childishly, as he helped Mitsuya set the table.
Just like breakfast, lunch lasted longer than usual. As if it hadn't been late already.
Again, stories were exchanged in between.
Draken surreptitiously tried to get Mitsuya to eat more, by dumping whatever contents of his bowl to Mitsuya's. Mitsuya retaliated by feeding Draken, so they could be even. Draken didn't protest with this tactic, so neither did Mitsuya.
Mitsuya didn't notice it at first.
It wasn't a strange thing after all. He had gotten used to this for years.
But when Draken told him to leave the dishes in the sink and dragged him into their bedroom, Mitsuya finally realized.
"It's almost four," Mitsuya's eyes darted at the wall clock. Draken still pulled him into their bed, throwing the blanket over them.
"So what," he adjusted their bodies underneath it, making sure Mitsuya settled nicely too. "we need our nap."
They were not the kids they once were. They were adults with responsibilities who just now appreciated the luxury of having the nap time. Even more, the nap time with your loved ones.
Mitsuya molded himself to Draken's body, chuckling. "Do we?"
Wrapping his arm around Mitsuya's shoulder, Draken secured him in his embrace.
"Yes, we do," Draken closed his eyes, nuzzling Mitsuya's hair.
And after a whole day of Draken trying to say it through his close presence, with his undivided attention, it finally manifested into a soft whisper on Mitsuya's forehead.
"I miss you."
Mitsuya sighed contently. Three words and everything, every piece of the puzzle fell into its places. Three words and Mitsuya realized that the only reason he didn't notice it at first, because he mistook it as his own, instead of Draken's.
Unbeknownst to him that the yearning, the constant need to be near, the clingy aspect was always mutual.
"Ken," Mitsuya called, repeating what he said last night when he entered their home with his suitcases and a week's worth of longing for Draken. "I'm home."
Just like last night, Draken opened his arms, pulling Mitsuya into his warm, loving embrace, and told him, "Welcome home, Takashi."
Oh, how much Mitsuya craved for Draken's touch.
Oh, how much Mitsuya longed for Draken's presence.
The voices heard between their phone calls, the words written in their texts, the pictures shared day and night—would never be enough.
Who would have known that a week could be the forever?
Mitsuya reached for Draken's jaw, tracing the skin. Draken's obsidian peeked out, looking back at him.
"Hey," Draken said, a smile tugged the corner of his lips.
Mitsuya craned his neck, pulling him down, chasing the sight.
"Hello."
Meeting in the middle with a gentle kiss, Mitsuya was finally home.