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When Kaede wakes, it’s not to the sound of his alarm.
“Kafka,” Kaede murmurs, voice raspy with sleep and lips half pressed against the back of Kafka’s shoulder. Kafka has his hand gripped tight around his wrist and held above his face, tilting it side to side and watching as the pale light of the rising sun that’s shining through his bedroom window catches on the ring on his finger. “Good morning.”
Not the slightest bit embarrassed about being caught, Kafka brings his hand to his lips and presses a firm kiss against the gold band. His lips linger, barely pulling away, and the feeling of shallow breath on his hand makes Kaede shiver.
“I love you,” Kaede can feel how Kafka rhythmically traces the ridges engraved into his ring with the pads of his fingers. It’s as if he’s trying to make sure it’s real, solid beneath his hand. “I love you so much.”
Sleep threatens to overtake Kaede again, still foggy around the edges of his mind and further lulled back into slumber by Kafka’s gentle touches. The kiss he tries to press into Kafka’s shoulder as a response ends up more like he’s just mashing his face closer into him.
…Not that they could get much closer than they are already, with their legs tangled and Kaede’s free hand tucked beneath the solid weight of Kafka’s body. Kafka fits so perfectly against the curve of his body, slotted comfortably together like puzzle pieces.
The attention on his ring draws Kaede’s mind to the weight on his finger. When he spreads his hand, trying to give Kafka a better look, he swipes his middle finger against the engraving on the band. Having full awareness of the way it shifts on his finger makes his heart clench.
“It’s beautiful,” Kafka says gently, as if he’s still shocked to see it actually on Kaede so he’s choosing his words carefully. “I’m so glad you like it.”
Well, Kaede was not… particularly picky. But Kafka had put it on his finger so excitedly and gone over exactly why he chose each detail, so it was hard to not love it.
“I do,” Kaede whispers, words flowing out of him sluggishly. “I really, really like it.”
Kafka laughs to himself, pulling Kaede’s hand to his chest to let it rest on his beating heart.
“You sound so tired, you still have some time left to sleep.”
“Mm…” Kaede does consider it, imagining the drum of Kafka’s chest accompanying him to sleep. He imagines waking up again in an hour or so, Kafka still so close next to him that it feels as if they’re one. But…
“Are you going back to sleep too?”
Kafka fidgets with Kaede’s ring, slowly twisting it around his finger.
“I’m okay, I just want to stay like this for a while.”
If he were more lucid, it’s the type of honest and sappy sentiment that would leave Kaede flustering for a response. Half asleep, it seeps into his skin and spreads warmth over the entirety of his body.
“Okay,” It’s hard for Kaede to keep from drifting off with his eyes closed. “I love you.”
“I love you too,” Kafka says, voice tinged with warmth. “More than anything.”
When Kaede falls asleep a second time, it’s with Kafka’s heartbeat pressed against the ring on his finger.