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When you open your eyes, the sea is the first thing you see through the big French windows. It takes you a few seconds to process what you’re seeing, and a few more to remember why this is your view and not the wall of your bedroom. The arm holding you by the waist and the warmth of the body pressed against your back help you remember.
Blinking a few times to wake up fully, memories of the previous day come back. You going to the university, helping Professor Rafayel have a good birthday while he worked. The meeting in his office afterwards, and realizing how different he can be when he’s in that professor role, yet at the same time how similar he is to your Rafayel. The kisses that were interrupted by the appearance of his students, but that left that lingering taste of wanting more. The dinner you prepared for him when you left the university and went to his house to continue the birthday celebrations.
And then, the moment you could finally resume kissing, starting soft and romantic, progressing to eager and sultry in just a few minutes. Hands exploring each other as you stumbled into the house to his bedroom, and his concern about whether you truly wanted to take this next step in your relationship. The lovestruck smile he gave you, his lips discovering your weak spots, and his skillful hands memorizing every inch of your body again and again.
Mentally shaking your head, you realize how naked you are as you try to put the memories aside for a moment to think about what to do now. You can stay there and eventually go back to sleep with Rafayel clinging to you like an octopus, or get up and go prepare breakfast as a final birthday surprise. Smiling to yourself, you already know that the latter will be the chosen one.
With all the care in the world, you slowly move, lifting Rafayel’s arm and sliding out of bed. Your knees touch the rug beside the bed with a muffled thud, and you stop breathing for a second, looking over your shoulder to make sure he’s still asleep. Relieved to get through this little moment without your boyfriend as a witness, you stand up as quietly as possible. Grabbing your panties and a shirt from the floor, you tiptoe out of the bedroom.
The layout of the house isn’t new to you, having spent other nights there before — innocent nights, mind you. In a few moments you’re in the kitchen, opening the fridge and grabbing the ingredients to make a special breakfast for your fishie.
It’s a strange, but incredibly good feeling. You’ve used the kitchen before, but this is the first time you’re used it to make breakfast. In other times, Rafayel made it himself, or took you out to eat. The idea of making it yourself warms you inside, and at the same time fills you with that kinda joy that makes you want to laugh alone while jumping up and down. It’s silly, but that’s how much you appreciate him.
With the pancake batter ready, you turn to the stove to start pouring it into the pan. An idea flashes in your mind, and carefully you try to shape the pancake into a heart. The first one doesn’t work out, but you don’t give up. You tilt the spoon here, use the back of it to adjust a corner there… and a heart finally forms after a few more attempts.
Completely engrossed in your task and proud of achieving what you wanted after several attempts, ou don’t even notice that you’ve got company in the kitchen.
Rafayel woke up slightly disoriented and completely alone. Frowning, he called out for you. When there was no response, he had no choice but to get up, put on some pants, and go look for you. A smell that could only be coming from the kitchen helped him find you quickly, and he picked up his pace to get there sooner. But he froze in the doorway as soon as he caught sight of what was happening inside the room.
You, with your bare legs and wearing his shirt. Humming softly to yourself while doing something he was certain was for him. He could die of love right there.
“Cutie?”
When you hear him call your name, you finally notice he’s there and turn around. Your eyes soften, and a wide smile spreads across your face. The shirt, which wasn’t fully buttoned and therefore hung loosely on your body, slips slightly off your shoulder with the movement. You shift your weight from one leg to the other, and the motion makes the hem ride up two millimeters. Yeah, he’s definitely going to die right there.
“Good morning!” you say cheerfully. “I’m almost done here.” You turn back to the stove.
“You abandoned me,” he says in a whiny and dramatic voice. In a few long steps, he closes the distance, pressing his body against yours and wrapping his arms around you. He rests his chin on your shoulder, peeking at what you’re doing. “And for pancakes?”
“And not just any pancakes. Look!” You lift the pan to show him your latest masterpiece.
“A peach?”
“…A heart!” You pout.
You feel his body shaking against your back and hear a soft chuckle by your ear. “I know, cutie. It turned out great.” He places a kiss on your shoulder. “But you didn’t have to worry about this, we could’ve ordered something.”
“I know, but I wanted to do something more for you.” You turn off the stove and take the last pancake, placing it carefully on a plate separate from the others that didn’t turn out right. Turning around, you lift the plate toward Rafayel’s face. “Happy birthday!”
He huffs softly through his nose, a faint smile on his lips as he takes the plate from your hand. “My birthday is already over, cutie.”
“Not for me,” you reply with a shrug, turning your back to him again to grab the other plate of pancakes that came out in the wrong shapes. “Every day is a day to celebrate Rafayel.”
“Mm… So, we’re still celebrating?”
“Yes.”
“And since I’m the birthday boy, I can choose what we do?”
“You can.”
“Great.” He hands you the other plate back, and you take it, confused.
The next instant, Rafayel bends down and slips one arm behind your knees, using the other to support your back. With a gasp caught in your throat, you grip the plates tighter, your eyes widening.
“Rafayel!”
“You said I can choose what to do. And I want to eat pancakes in bed with you while we cuddle. And then enjoy you as much as possible.”
“And do you really need to carry me back?” You ask, huffing out a laugh. “I can walk.”
“No, you can’t. This is part of enjoying you as much as possible.” He throws you a crooked smile that makes you melt and give up on arguing.
“Seriously, you’re impossible sometimes. But it’s one of the things I love about you.”
With a proud smile, Rafayel places a light kiss on your lips. “And I love you too.”
In the bedroom, you get the chance to wish him one last happy birthday before Rafayel takes the plates from your hands and places them on the nightstand. He kisses you passionately as he makes you lie down on the bed with him again. The kisses are firm and passionate, the kind that makes you forget about the world around you.