Work Text:
Morning comes by and the couple in the sheets are in a tangle of limbs and feelings, little creatures surround them on the bed, all of them fondly sleeping under the shine of the morning dusk.
That is until the smaller frame starts blinking his eyes open, gripping the man he's tangled with while getting used to the warm sunlight penetrating the curtains, looking around and noticing where he is.
Aventurine was about to drift back to sleep until loud meowing interrupted his drift off. Looking back, he noticed the cakes lined up behind him with grumpy expressions, forcing him to disconnect himself from the other person on the bed to give attention to the little creatures that demanded their morning kiss. “Good morning, children~”
Suddenly, strong arms curled around his waist, pulling him back towards a strong chest, making him yelp in surprise and try to look back, being blocked by a very grumpy Ratio nuzzling against his shoulder while quietly groaning under his breath, making Aventurine giggle and turn his attention to the catcakes. “Look what you did! You guys woke the good doctor!” He poked each of the creature's cases as a type of punishment, but only received sad eyes and low meows, indicating they're sorry. A warm smile came to the blonde's face as he turned his head to give the grumpy mass behind him a kiss on the cheek. “They're sorry doc, do you forgive them?”
A tired ‘mhm’ came from Ratio's mouth as he tried to say something before being cut off by Aventurine wiggling in his hold, a groan and a warning grip on the smaller’s waist was enough to stir him awake enough to give his lover a warning glare. “Aventurine.”
“Ratio.” Aventurine looked back and grinned, grinding his hips back with a whimsical look on his face as he watched his lover bite his lip to stifle a moan before glaring back at him. “Why the long face? Did something else wake up? You know I can help you with that.”
“Yes, I am sure that you are more than capable of helping my, as you call, morning wood, gambler.” Ratio groaned and slid his hands under the other's pajama shirt, his palms sliding up before landing on the waist, making Aventurine's breath hitch before he gasped and giggled as those fingers tickled him but not for too long as a deep sniff was heard as arms were suddenly around his waist, holding him very tightly, a loud sigh echoing in his ear few moments later. “But right now I want to bathe. Join me?”
“I need to feed the cakes. But I'll join you later.” Aventurine turned around to face Ratio, dramatically stretching forward, wrapping his arms around those strong shoulders to cover the doctor's face with kisses, both of them struggling to separate when the bed was so soft and they felt so warm in each other's embrace– But it had to happen. With a final kiss on the lips, Aventurine quickly stood up, ordering the cakes to stack up so he could carry them to the kitchen, winking at Ratio before leaving the room. “Don't miss me too much.”
He didn't want to take long, lining the babies in front of their respective eating dishes, he crouched in front of them, tilting his head in curiosity. “Okay, what do you guys want for breakfast today?”
The good of having non-common cats is that they eat everything a human and a cat could eat.
The bad part? Is exactly that.
Sometimes the catcakes were more picky about their food, the other times they were fine with simple cat food and it seems like it was Aventurine's extra lucky day as he watched Spade hop over the cabinet where they store all their cat related food and treats and meow back to the other two, receiving positive meows in return.
“Cat food it is then!” Aventurine smiled, grabbing the open package that was in the cabinet and filling up each of the cakes dishes, storing the food back before patting each of the creature's shells, rushing a bit to go back to Ratio. “Eat up~”
He was already undressing on his way to the bathroom, giving no warning as he invaded the bathroom, already naked and practically diving into the bathtub, making Ratio yell in surprise and scold him for making a mess.
But since when did he have a bathtub in his bathroom?
It doesn't matter. He's sharing the large space cuddling with the warm and firm body of his lover and that's all he could think about.
“Hmm..” Aventurine turned his back to the doctor, taking a whiff in the air as he reached out for the rubber duck to play with it as strong arms hugged his waist and a head rested itself on his shoulder. “Did you put in a honey scented bath bomb or something? The air smells sweet..”
“I've put a bit of your body oil in the water.” Ah, that makes sense. That oil of his smelled strongly of honey after all.
Aventurine only answered with a hum, melting into Ratio's warm embrace as he felt relaxed, loved, at home. How long has it been that he felt like this?
The silence extended, warm bodies resting against each other, heartbeats in sync and the moment so cozy that Aventurine felt like he could sleep again if it all meant waking up being held by Ratio every morning.
Suddenly, the body behind him started to shift, startling him out of his daze to look up where Ratio started to move to stand, demanding answers with a pout and only being met with a peck to his lips.
“The water's getting cold.” Ratio mumbled, getting out of the tub, reaching for a pair of towels while also plugging off the drain from the bathtub, making Aventurine shiver as the water rapidly went away. “And we need to eat.”
Accepting the towel that has been given to him, Aventurine starts to dry himself, noticing from his peripheral view that Ratio did the same. That made him smile and hold back a giggle. Him? And Ratio? Drying their own bodies in the presence of the other? Ah, how domestic.
After a few minutes of bickering, Aventurine convinced Ratio to let him dress up in his pajama shirt only as Ratio went out of the bathroom to fetch another shirt for himself as the gambler made his way to the kitchen, helping Club in the middle of the way that somehow managed to land upside down when hopping off the cat tower to greet him.
He stayed near the tower to watch the cakes sleep and play, joining in the fun himself as he waited for Ratio to appear so they could continue their day.
The morning was a haze, he remembers annoying Ratio as he cooked, flirting with the man as they ate and kissing him on the lips right after they brushed their teeth, dropping on bed together on a lovely tangle of limbs, singing each other's name until lunch time came.
It was decided that their lunch would be take-out as Ratio felt too tired to cook and Aventurine was still asleep, being woken up just when the food arrived.
“A penacony dish?” Aventurine raised one of his brows as he received the food, watching as Ratio flushed and sat besides him on the bed. This was one of the rare moments that Ratio let them eat on the bed, being the neat freak he is, he sure makes many exceptions for Aventurine.
“To remember old times.” Ratio mumbled, being answered with a giggle and a kiss on the cheek as they relaxed against each other and ate their lunches. Aventurine felt so good, how long has it been that he felt like this?
The afternoon was blank from Aventurine's memory, as if there was time skip before Ratio invited him out to dinner, accepting without reconsidering.
Even if this was just a simple eat out for them, they both couldn't help but dress their best to impress the other. (As if this was needed from how smitten they were for each other.) Walking out the apartment with linked arms as they left behind well fed cats.
The night sky somehow was glimmering even if they were walking in the middle of the street of a busy city, most restaurants were opening still, but they already had their mind fixed in their favorite
Imaginatio.
Sitting at their local corner (the closest to the roof railing, where they had their first date. Aventurine chose that place in case he messed up and had to jump off – which he never did.) Aventurine was quick at ordering their first round of wine as Ratio was stuck deciding the entrance dish, like always.
“I can't help but feel like this is a dream.” Aventurine suddenly blurted out. Sure, this looked as real as it felt, but he couldn't help but still listen to that nagging voice inside his head. His gaze changed from the sky to the man in front of him that was staring at him as if he was the last person on Pier Point. “You're so lovely to me Ratio.. I really, really, don't know how you can handle me.”
“I don't handle you.” Veritas frowns, reaching forward to hold Aventurine's hand. “I adore you. I love you with all my might. I'm not quite sure what goes on inside your head that every once in a while makes you question this– makes you question us.” His voice wavered a bit, but that only served to make Aventurine's eyes bright with life as they watched and consumed the emotion that radiated off Ratio's voice and expressions like a starved man. “But be aware, that I would never lie, especially to you.” A kiss to his knuckle was delivered. “So trust me when I say that I'm here because you're you, because of your wit, your appearance, your brain, your heart. I'm here for you.”
Back at home, they fell into the mattress again, holding each other as they made promises that Aventurine thought he could never complete, but the man that's holding him is Veritas. It's Veritas Ratio telling him that he is loved and that his existence is appreciated, making him believe that he will live long enough to complete those whispered promises between heated kisses.
So there they laid, after a long bath as Aventurine decided to be greedy tonight, in their sleepwear, comfortable inside each other's heart, going into dream land while surrounded by cats that are also cakes inside a room that was bathed with moonlight.
How long has it been that he felt like this?
He jolted awake, blinking slowly as he awakes in the dark of the night, laying on his stomach on his bed, surrounded by his precious cakes sleeping soundly.
What time is it anyway?
Groaning, Aventurine patted around, feeling like something– someone was missing.
“Ratio..?” The name rolled out of his tongue as he tried to sit up, hissing as his head throbbed, making him drop back onto the bed as he reflexively reached for his head. Huh? Why was he wearing his gloves? He swore he was in his pajamas and–
Oh. Right.
“It was all a dream..” He mumbled under his breath, unmoving for a while as he let his face sink in the pillow together with the realization.
Turning around to lay on his back, Aventurine looked down. He was still in his working attire. Hell, he still had his shoes on, his breath reeked of booze and he could barely remember what happened hours prior to his current moment.
But if he drank until he passed out on his bed, then he shouldn't remember anything.
His throat felt dry. He wants a drink. A drink? No, water is better. He told himself, thinking about what Ratio would think if he saw him treating himself so poorly.
Aventurine moved around the bed, crawling his way to the nightstand to grab his phone, checking the screen to see what time it was, squinting as bright light illuminated his face. 2 AM and a few messages from the good doctor.
His mood sweetened up as he clicked on the notification, only to make him feel sick enough that he thought he might puke his guts out.
8:52PM
Dr. Ratio: Sorry if I sounded harsh.
Dr. Ratio: You left in a hurry.
Dr. Ratio: It might be sad that our feelings don't match, but I still wish to keep closure to you.
Dr. Ratio: If you don't want that, we could go back to being coworkers only.
11:43PM
Dr. Ratio: It's almost midnight and you haven't even seen my messages.
Dr. Ratio: Are you okay?
Dr. Ratio: Better question, are you safe?
1:09AM
Dr. Ratio: I hope you're fine.
Dr. Ratio: I've been worried. Please text me when you read this.
He remembers now.
He drank so he could forget the ice cold water bucket that felt the rejection of the good doctor. He remembers the void as he drank, downing more than a half dozen of bottles, breaking a glass on the head of someone that tried to take advantage of him when he was on his third bottle and paying more than he should've to the bartender after throwing up on the counter before stumbling his way back to the apartment, making a beeline to his bed, ignoring the worried meows of the cakes and passing out right after his body hit the mattress.
His hands trembled as he typed a simple “I'm home.” to Ratio, ignoring his buzzing phone as he tried to stand up, only to tumble down to his knees, body too tired to even function.
Not even seconds later, he started laughing, hands clutching the hardwood floor as his eyes filled up with tears, fat drops of water coming out and dripping on the floor right beside where his hands were.
Aventurine felt humiliated. Not by the rejection, but by the situation. By how he let himself feel, how he let himself be safe enough to even confess, only for it to crumble down in mere seconds.
His hands flew up to his hair. So many emotions bubbled up inside of him. Sadness. Anger. Fury, even. All aimed at himself. He could never blame Ratio, not when the wrecked one was him and not the doctor. His hands gripped.
He pulled at his roots. It's hard to breathe.
He wants to scream, but he could only grit his teeth and cry harder.
He wants to puke. Test if it would make the emotions disappear.
He's gasping for air. His scalp hurts.
He can't breathe, but it feels like he's breathing too fast, hyperventilating.
One hand comes to claw at his neck, right over where his brand was. The other punched himself right on the head.
stupid selfish loser discarded stupid loser useless wh█ ██? pointless loser loser loser discarded unloved selfish loser loser loser stupid fucking loser—
He stumbles to the floor, blacking out after pressing his hand against his trachea for too long, the loud meows and ringtone fading as he went back to sleep, hopefully with no more sweet dreams that gave him hope for the rest of the night.