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There was no doubt about who was knocking on Nozue's door at half past midnight, the question was rather why that person was knocking on his door at half past midnight.
“Togawa?” he opened the door, face preemptively twisted in concern. Usually, his boyfriend would send him at least half an hour's notice before dropping by. Or if he was planning a surprise, it wouldn't be this late at night.
All his questions answered themselves in an instant.
The tall man leaned his forehead on the doorframe, eyes squinting and face flushed. His hair and jacket were noticeably disheveled, and even being conscious seemed to be a struggle at the moment.
He was drunk.
Nozue knew he was going to be at a drinking party that night- they were welcoming a new employee into their department, so he couldn't decline- which is why he hadn’t expected to see Togawa at all until the next day.
“Nozue-saaaaan,” Togawa whined, waving his arm uselessly, “Missed you.”
“I'm sure you did,” he replied with a pitying laugh, patting Togawa's shoulder to lead him inside, “Come in, don't want you catching a chill.”
“So nice,” he slurred, looking down at Nozue with fuzzy, dilated eyes as the man leaned down to take his shoes off for him, “Love you.”
Nozue undid Togawa's laces just enough to slide them off his feet, placing them next to his own, “I love you too.”
“You do!?” seemingly genuinely aghast, Togawa went slack jawed as Nozue rose, helping him out of his jacket, “Yes? We've been dating for several months.”
“Oh. Oh. Right,” he blinked, expression adorably vacant, “I forgot. You love me back. Heh.”
Jacket removed, Nozue kissed his nose, “I do. Let’s get you some water and something light to eat, okay?”
Following eagerly, Togawa hummed the entire distance between the entryway and the couch, “Nozue-san loves meeee.”
Shaking his head fondly, Nozue sat Togawa down on the couch, stroking his hair, “Stay here and be a good boy, won't you?”
Togawa caught his hand and brought it to his hot cheek, nuzzling into his palm, lips pouting and eyes pleading, “I'm a good boy?”
“Yes, yes, you are,” Nozue stroked his face adoringly for a moment. He’d only seen Togawa this drunk once before, the night of the goukon. He’d experienced every emotion a person could feel, that day, including the same love he felt at this moment. The only difference now was he felt comfortable expressing it, “I’ll be right back.”
Disappointed but obedient, Togawa nodded, and Nozue diverted to his clothes rack to hang Togawa's jacket, before making his way into his kitchen, rummaging through his fridge for any easily reheated leftovers. He had some basic chicken stir fry with thick noodles he made the last time Togawa was here, which would suffice. Grabbing that and his large bottle of water, he dumped the food into a ceramic bowl (one he liked, but could live with Togawa possibly dropping in his drunkenness) and set it to microwave for about three minutes. While that was going, he took a plastic cup and filled it about half way with water. With food and beverage in hand, he went back to the living room, finding Togawa dozing, head lolling about in every direction.
“Eat something before you sleep, or you’ll have an upset stomach,” he urged, placing the bowl on the coffee table and gently shaking Togawa’s shoulders. He blinked slowly, struggling to focus on Nozue.
“I’m tired,” he stated all too seriously. Nozue couldn’t help but laugh, gathering a good helping of the stir fry on the fork he brought with him (Togawa’s shaking hands seemed like they’d struggle with any form of dexterity, so chopsticks didn't seem appropriate).
“I’ll feed you then, if you’re so sleepy. Open up.”
Lurching upright in excitement, Togawa groaned pitifully from the sudden movement before opening his mouth to be fed.
Too cute.
Grinning from ear to ear, he slid the utensil between Togawa’s lips and dropped the food onto his tongue, patiently waiting for him to bite down. It took a moment for the man’s brain to catch up, but eventually he began chewing his mouthful.
“It’s good,” he said before he’d swallowed, nodding sagely.
“It’s just reheated dinner from the other day,” Nozue said, scooping up another serving, “Nothing special.”
“You made it, so it’s special. There,” Togawa declared defiantly, though his attitude fell flat as he chased the fork with his mouth like a toddler. Sighing, Nozue wiped the corner of Togawa’s mouth with his sleeve, switching now to the water.
“Small sips,” he instructed, tilting the glass back and forth against Togawa’s lips to make sure his directions were heeded, "Feeling any better?”
“A little,” he slurred, heavy eyelids fluttering.
“No sleeping yet, you need to change out of your clothes,” Nozue insisted. Putting the glass aside, he focused on Togawa’s tie, undoing the knot as best he could while the man squirmed. Folding the stripe of fabric neatly so it didn’t crease before he washed it, he moved on to his shirt, popping the first few buttons before Togawa began controllably giggling.
“What is it?”
“Nozue-san is,” he wheezed, “A pervert.”
“I’m a pervert?” he scoffed in disbelief, working his way down Togawa’s waist so his undershirt was revealed, “You need a mirror.”
Still laughing like a raunchy teenager, Togawa lifted his arms so Nozue could wrangle him out of the button down, “Naughty stuff in front of a mirror? Nozue-san is a pervert.”
If only he thought to record this to show Togawa in the morning.
“No naughty stuff at all with a drunkard,” Nozue folded the shirt in the same way as the tie, resting it over the arm of the couch, “Can you manage to take your belt off for me while I go get some sweatpants for you?”
“Yes, sir!” The reply, spoken in a low, mocking baritone, didn’t instill much confidence in Nozue, who walked towards his small set of drawers with one weary eye on Togawa. His boyfriend had a small set of clothes stashed here, and the reverse was also true. One work outfit, three sleep outfits, and two sets of casual wear, as well as a smattering of briefs and socks. More garments came and went as needed, but these remained here.
Picking up the sweatpants on top, he returned to find Togawa who did manage to get his belt off, but was struggling with his pants, legs crossed in all sorts of ridiculous ways in the fabric. Sighing again, he helped him wriggle free, adding the pants to the folded pile.
“One leg,” he bunched the sweatpants so he could fit Togawa’s foot into the hole, “Other leg,” he repeated. Togawa had enough presence of mind to lift his hips up so Nozue could finish the job, pulling the ties in opposite directions so it stayed on securely.
“Ideally you should brush your teeth, but you look ready to pass out, so we can save that for tomorrow morning,” Nozue motioned to stand up, but Togawa grabbed his wrist, suddenly quite serious.
“Nozue-san.”
“Mhm?”
“You’ll always be with me, right?”
Oh. This is the part of the night the drunk gets sappy, was it?
Luckily, Nozue was more than sweet enough on him for it to be no problem at all. Yanking Togawa up by the hand holding his wrist, Nozue nodded, “I have no plans to leave you any time soon.”
“Hehe, you’re stuck with me,” Togawa draped himself over Nozue in a clumsy hug, squeezing tightly. Nozue used the opportunity to start crab-walking them to his bed, a slow, awkward shuffle that was made more tolerable by Togawa's presence.
“You’re the one stuck with me,” Nozue teased, blindly reaching his arm down to flip the duvet up, sitting Togawa on the mattress, “How unlucky for you.”
Watching him sprint to and from turning the lights off with a prominent pout, Togawa shook his head vigorously, black mop of hair shaking about like a dog, “Nope. Super lucky. The most lucky guy ever.”
How Nozue loved him.
Gently pressing on Togawa’s chest so he’d laid down, Nozue followed, pulling the blanket on top of him both. Puckering his lips obnoxiously, Togawa craned his neck in for a kiss, but Nozue held his hand up to block it. Togawa’s breath, alcohol mixed with leftovers, was hardly pleasant, “No kisses. Not until you’ve brushed your teeth tomorrow.”
His dejected look was heartbreaking, but Nozue he’d be asleep in about five minutes, so he wouldn’t have to feel guilty for long.
“Tell me all about the drinking party in the morning,” he said in a quiet voice, as soothing as he could manage, running his fingers across Togawa’s scalp, “I want to hear about it.”
“Boring... without you...” Togawa mumbled, eyes shut, “Missed you.”
“I could tell, from you showing up on my doorstep unannounced.”
“Sorry...”
Nozue laughed, kissing his forehead, “No sorry required. I’m always happy to see you. And it makes me happy to know that I’m who your drunk heart looks for.”
Cracking one eyelid open, with the sleepiest, most enchanting smile, Togawa murmured “My heart always wants you, Nozue-san. Always.”
And with that, he was asleep, called to slumber by the gods of alcohol.
“You’re too much for my heart to handle, sometimes,” Nozue bemoaned without any bite. All the commotion had undone any tiredness that he had, so he chose to listen to Togawa’s even, steady breathing to make him drowsy again.
Before their antiaging began, the idea of a drunk person knocking on his door in the middle of the night would have seemed like a heinous interruption of his safe, unchanging routine. His sleep schedule would be ruined, he’d have to clean up, etc etc.
Now, all he could think of was how much he loved Togawa, and how delighted he would be to embarrass him about tonight when he woke up.•