Work Text:
The blanket was soft, the fabric feeling heavy against Two Time’s body which lay beneath it.
It was given a few days after their birthday, a few years ago. A late gift for them. Not out of ignorance but rather the fact Two Time never mentioned the day of was their birthday in the first place and was greeted the next morning by a rather bedraggled sight of a newly formed face that got into their life.
The memory was fuzzy in Two Time’s mind. Arm over their eyes as they rolled to their side, the sun hitting their head with precise calculations in its rays to make them eventually get up from where they lay. Slow and sluggish they took their arm off their face, letting it sag to their side. A soft sound identical to a yawn left their lips, hand rubbing their cheek to get it working.
The blanket weighed heavy on their lap, small stitches of lilacs embedded in its seams. Two Time’s eyes rolled down to stare at it before they shuffled to the edge of the mattress, swinging down their legs and letting them dangle over the edge. There was an obvious absence in the air, something missing.
They rubbed the side of their head making a soft grumble of a long-winded hum.
A few seconds flew by and eventually, Two Time subconsciously threw their head back, an upside expression staring at the empty right side of the bed which caused their eyes to widen. The morning slowness dissipates within just a quick snap of realization as Two Time got up properly from the bed, almost slipping on the wooden flooring as their feet struggled to stabilize their sudden action.
Two Time would make their way out of the bedroom, their feet almost tripping on a pillow they had thrown onto the floor in their sleep. Grabbing the knob Two Time turned it as the door would open revealing the rest of the apartment layout to them. The living area was open adjacent to the kitchen, the curtains of the windows already opened letting the sun have further access to shining. Calla lilies that were displayed next to the clear glass-tinted windows sang silently in praise of the morning glow.
Making their way closer to the kitchen closer, Two Time couldn’t see a familiar silhouette having the stove on. There wasn’t a scent of butter being melted nor a cutting board laid on the counter. Instead, Two Time found a bowl with sliced honeydew and toast plated on a ceramic plate, drizzled in honey and powdered sugar on the island countertop.
They stared at it for a few moments, letting the silence wash into the air as their lips stayed closed. No birds were singing outside, rather the sound of cars making their way through the streets of the city. Their gaze eventually landed on a note that was on the plate that they had overlooked prior, extending a hand to grab it.
A yellow sticky note with words written on it using his handwriting. “I’ll be back in a few hours. I made you breakfast! Eat up!” With a circled heart around it and a name attached to the very end.
Azure.
Clasping their hands together, Two Time closed their eyes as they muttered a thank you for the meal. Both to the creator of themselves and the creator of the produced dishes.
Then Two Time grabbed the fork that was placed beside the plate and stabbed the toast. The metal pierced through the heated bread as it got plucked up into the air and its short life span would end by a mouth closing on it in one bite. Two Time took the fork out from their lips as they chewed on the piece in their mouth slowly. Their stomach didn’t make a rumbling sound when they first woke up, but they would greet the feeling of food in it all the same.
They had forgotten that Azure had gone to an appointment to get his wisdom teeth out. He had mentioned a few days prior and Two Time could even recall the forgotten memory earlier in the morning of them trying to hold onto his body for a few more minutes before he had left them all alone on the bed.
Then they were left to fall back asleep, albeit reluctantly without them.
Two Time stared out to the wall in front of them as they ate without a word. There was no need to express themselves when they were alone. Their thoughts are their own as they swirl with nobody around them, from deciding what they’ll do for the day while they wait for him to come back, to debating on if they should just fall back asleep and rot.
One thing that Two Time did decide on, was that the honeydew was sweet.
____________
The door would open with a soft click of the lock being unlocked. Two Time looked up from where they were lying on the couch, chin on the top of the decorative cushion.
The first face they saw for the day was none other than Amarah. He had his glasses perched on his nose like usual, and no dust was seen on the glass. Amarah would then turn over his shoulder to say something that couldn’t be heard by Two Time, who had sat up properly from their former position.
A slouched figure who Amarah had an arm slung over would come into perspective and Two Time perked up at the sight of Azure, who was a bit more or less the same. If a bit more wobbly on their feet.
Azure’s head was tilted downward before he looked up, making eye contact with Two Time. The expression Azure had before would shift into a wider smile, his lips curling upward as he got out of Amarah’s hold. “Timey!” Azure called out, the word rolling off his tongue with some slurring.
Two Time was quick to get up from the couch, meeting their lover halfway as they let themselves get embraced into a tight hug. Amarah stood at the doorway, eyes watching the two before he coughed. “Everything went well, they’re still under some minor lasting effects of anesthesia but it should clear up by,” Amarah looked at their watch, “In twenty minutes give or take.”
Two Time kept that as a mental note to themselves. “Do you wish to come in?” They would offer, only to be met with a shake of a head. “Fare well then, Spawn guide you back safely.”
Amarah gave a semblance of a smile at the words, repeating them back to Two Time before he had left and locked the door behind him.
Two Time would get snapped out of their lingering gaze on the now shut door by Azure squeezing them with his arms around them. Two Time managed a smile that didn’t match Azure’s wider one, but a smile nonetheless.
The first thing Two Time did was managing to drag Azure to settle on the couch, but when they had tried to get up to fetch Azure water they’d be yanked down and kept on his lap. They bite their lip but decide not to protest, ignoring the heat rising on their pale cheeks.
Azure wrapped arms slide down to hold Two Time by their waist. Two Time settled on their lap properly, crossing their legs as their tail would absently wrap around Azure’s thigh.
“Have I ever told you how cute you look when you blush?” The voice of Azure came from behind Two Time, close to their ear. If their tail wasn’t wrapped around Azure’s leg it would’ve given a twitch. “I believe so, yes.” Two Time replied, looking back at Azure who seemed to have a contemplating expression on their face.
The arms around their waist loosened, not by much but enough for Azure to move his hands to press against Two Time’s sides. Palms rubbed the figure on his lap in a slow manner, fingers pressing against the thin shirt Two Time wore.
They didn’t say anything to the sudden movement from their partner, Two Time’s smile froze as one finger decided to push its luck and slide into the gap of the short sleeves of the top. Two Time immediately jumped at the feeling against their bare skin, if not for the hold on them they would’ve gotten up and ran across the room then come back.
“What— what’re you doing-” Two Time stammered out as they moved a hand to grab Azure’s wrists.
“Your waist, it’s on the slender side. I just wanted to say it was nice to hold.”
Two Time’s smile turned more strained, their heart racing a bit more at the abrupt compliment, or more like the method it was being delivered.
Azure didn’t seem to notice, or care in that regard as their chin was on theirs. “What’s wrong? Oh, your face is all red. That’s cute.” His lips still had that smile, eyes staring right at Two Time’s own without the usual shadow from the brim of Azure’s hat to cover it.
Two Time still felt the way Azure’s hands slid down their sides, making Two Time shift a bit in his lap, tilting their head to the side to avoid eye contact.
“Dearest Azure—”
“Yes, my lovely white dove?”
Two Time stayed silent, fingers twitching as they were internally racing in their head.
They took a second to breathe in and out, forcing the flush down from their neck. “Uhm, could you tone it down, you deserve undisturbed rest.” Two Time deserved to not melt into a puddle on Azure’s lap with this behavior.
Azure made a sound, thinking about the words. His movements were still slower than usual, Two Time had assumed it was the anesthesia still in place that caused the longer endings of sentences and the rather blunt displays that Two Time wasn’t that used to being expressed by the man.
Instead of a reply to their words, Azure would move his hands up and suddenly cupped Two Time’s chest. There was a silence between the two of them before Two Time would uncross their legs, bringing them closer to their chest and leaning further against Azure’s own. Hands would come to cover their own face, invisible smoke coming from their ears as they didn’t push away the touch, simply reacting to it.
Soon Azure’s laughter would fill in the air. The hands would let go as they went limb. Two Time felt Azure’s face against the back of their neck, the vibration of his laughing felt against their skin which made them further curse internally.
“I’m- I’m sorry.” Azure managed to say after they caught their breathing, cheek against Two Time’s shoulder. “To the moon and back, you’re so stupid.”
Two Time dared to look back at Azure, peeking between their fingers as they saw him not looking away from the eye contact. Even leaning into it.
However, one thing Two Time quickly registered before they replied to the comment was that Azure sounded normal. No slow speech or odd words being spoken in between sentences. A hand came to pull Two Time’s fingers from their face, dropping them to the touch.
“You, you weren’t under anesthesia were you.”
Azure grinned.
Two Time tilted their body to the side and grabbed a cushion before they pushed it against Azure’s face as if trying to smother him. Azure’s eyes widened but they dared to laugh further, the sound muffled to Two Time’s ears.
“You’re so.”
Two Time pushed the pillow further or tried to when Azure was starting to fight back from the weak attempt of suffocation. “Why must you act like this? My patience is being tested.” Two Time eventually finished after a small battle between them with the cushion as the wall, a whine ending it.
Azure let out a chuckle, putting the cushion off to the side before he leaned in close to press a kiss to the side of Two Time’s head. It gained a mumble of words that wouldn’t be heard from them. “I told Amarah not to snitch on me, it was a rather great end result.”
Two Time made a face at that answer but didn’t push it. Looking back, it was still embarrassing but it wasn’t a bad experience. Two Time sighed, deciding to let the liar behind them go off scott-free as Two Time turned around to properly face him. They wrapped their arms around Azure’s shoulder, leaning close to press their foreheads together. “Unpunished, for now.” Two Time murmured.
Azure was quiet, finally. His eyes fixated on the sudden close proximity as he glanced downward to their lips before up again.
Silence.
“I meant what I spoke about—”
“Shameless, impure. I should cleanse this mindset.”
Azure only let out a hum, this one lower with a lopsided grin. “Sure thing.”