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It was around three in the morning when Enjin felt something small and squirming bobbing in his arms, like a cat repeatedly bumping its head against his chest. The fluffy sensation brushed across the side of his neck, making it impossible to tell whether it was an ear or a tail. Half of his mind was still lost in the dream, so he simply stretched his arm and hugged the creature tighter.
This man had never experienced a childhood that required countless plush toys to fall asleep. Even as an adult, when he occasionally spent the night with others, he would just only use his arm as a pillow symbolically, and once both were fast asleep, they’d naturally drift to opposite sides of the bed. Anyone who has slept with someone else knows the feeling: one person’s arm goes numb, while the other feels their neck is in ache.
Overall, Enjin was someone who valued his personal space. He had never imagined living in overly intimate proximity with anyone—let alone moving in together or anything of the sort.
But after turning 28, he somehow experienced a strange regression into a childlike state and, in a warningless and unexpected way, acquired the first sleep-hugging pillow of his life. Of course, if the child in his arms knew he was being described as a plush toy, he would definitely bare his teeth and claws and throw a huge tantrum. Rudo was exactly that kind of child—always puffing out little breaths of air, yet having no idea what to do with the next puff.
Even though he was currently sunk deep in sleep, Enjin still subconsciously held the person in his arms, like a five-year-old child clutching his teddy bear—not loosely draping one arm over him, but completely encircling Rudo with his entire body. Perhaps because Enjin’s past overnight partners had all been tall, curvaceous, mature women, both parties took up considerable space and possessed an adult’s sense of boundaries.
But Rudo was completely different—a stray cat that had suddenly fallen into his arms… or rather, a gift that was a perfect 100% match for him.
The first time he held Rudo in his arms, Enjin felt as if a missing part of himself had been filled, leaving him perfectly whole. The child’s small hands and legs, his soft white hair, and his moist red eyes all seemed like things that were meant to accompany him every night. They didn’t belong anywhere else in the world, they belonged right here.
So Enjin replaced the mattress in his apartment with a softer one and swapped the quilt for a lighter goose-down comforter. He treated his young lover, who was more than ten years his junior, like a princess who had traveled from afar.
Every night, they fell asleep in each other’s arms. Enjin’s palm stroked Rudo’s shoulders, back, and waist, letting the child’s soft, unbaked-white-dough-like face rest against his chest. His breathing was small, steady, and peaceful. Rudo slept very well and didn’t find Enjin’s muscles uncomfortable at all.
The child curled his two slender, pale legs, pressing himself against the man beside him with no gaps whatsoever. His hands unconsciously clutched Enjin’s pajama top at the chest or side waist, as if this would make him safe—as if the cruel and unfamiliar world outside the door could no longer hurt him.
Before meeting this golden haired man, Rudo had suffered from insomnia for a very long time—a period almost as long as his life itself.
But no matter what, it was over now. It had ended in the moment when Enjin cupped his face with both hands and gently pecked him with kiss after kiss, while he dazedly shed tears. Rudo kept wiping them away, but Enjin hooked two fingers around his wrist and pulled his hand down, then kissed away the tears himself, murmuring, “Mmm… so sweet.”
Although the apartment was only a one-bedroom unit, the two of them lived in it perfectly. There was enough space, the original study had been converted into a workspace, allowing Rudo, who neither attended school nor worked, to freely tinker with his little gadgets there. The soft furnishings had also been slightly adjusted. Although Rudo himself had never asked for it, Enjin felt that for the kid’s healthy growth, the space needed some bright colors.
The kitchen wasn’t very big, and Enjin’s cooking skills were only passable at best. Occasionally, he would cook using recipes he “stole” from Gris, trying to become a more perfect boyfriend—or perhaps a dad—and make some healthy food for Rudo. At other times, however, he would order McDonald’s delivery and teach Rudo how to turn fries and chicken nuggets into dinosaurs, thus casually abandoning any claim to being a good father.
Too casual. Luckily, he would never actually have children.
But that was fine. The only good boy, bad boy, sweet boy who clung to his heart, little princess in a gauze skirt, or little prince in a top hat he would ever have in this life would only be Rudo. There would be no one else.
Yet right now, his good boy was struggling in his arms.
He hugged tighter, but only to be pushed away, he hugged again, and was pushed away once more. After this cycle repeated many times, Enjin finally sensed something was wrong in his drowsy state. “What’s wrong… baby…” While trying for the tenth time to catch the wriggling cat, he heard Rudo only make vague sounds like “Mmm…” and “No…”. In the end, Enjin forced one eye open with sheer willpower and looked down at the little boy in his arms.
Rudo’s skin was extremely pale, almost translucent. Because of this, when his body flushed with red, it took on a somewhat alarming, crushed-tomato-like blood-red hue.
The child’s cheeks, neck, and exposed hands and feet were all flushed red. Sweat covered his forehead, and even his fluffy white hair had become damp strands clinging to his brow. His eyes remained closed, but his small mouth opened and closed unconsciously, murmuring incoherent whispers.
In an instant, Enjin was completely jolted awake. He sat up abruptly and patted Rudo’s face. It wasn’t burning hot to the touch, but it was still quite warm.
Once during flu season, the kid had spiked a sudden fever at night with similar symptoms. They had rushed to the emergency room and hung three IV drips before it got better. Rudo’s elbows were thin and his veins narrow, so the nurse had to poke three times before finding one, leaving a large bruise. Yet the boy had only bitten his lip without making a sound, then lifted his pale little face and said, “I’m fine… it doesn’t hurt.” It had pained Enjin so much that he nearly screamed out loud in the emergency room.
So now he was truly anxious. He directly pulled Rudo’s upper body up and shook him, repeatedly asking, “Baby, baby, does it hurt anywhere? Wake up. Does your head hurt? Do you feel like throwing up? Should we go to the hospital right now?”
Unexpectedly—or perhaps because the keyword “hospital” was caught— the person in his arms quickly opened his eyes. Rudo’s gaze was a little dazed at first, but soon focused. “Mmm… hmm?” He looked at Enjin, understood what he was asking, and answered, “No… nowhere hurts. It’s just… so hot…” Rudo reached up to wipe the sweat from his own forehead, then wiped Enjin’s as well. “Enjin, don’t you feel hot?”
Huh?
Enjin lowered his head and saw a drop of his own sweat fall onto the bedsheet. Only then, seeing that Rudo didn’t seem to be sick, did his anxiety subside. Only after that did he belatedly register his own physical sensations clearly.
“So hot…”
The blonde man couldn’t help but laugh. He pinched Rudo’s cheek and successfully saw the other furrow his brows instead of remaining unresponsive no matter how he was touched or rubbed like when he had a fever. After confirming once again that his boy was not ill, the overwhelming heat finally took over his senses fully. When Enjin stretched out his arm to grab the tissue box from the bedside table to wipe Rudo’s sweat, he also pressed the bedside lamp by the way. However, the little mushroom lamp did not light up.
“Ah… power outage. No wonder it’s so hot, the AC is off. It’s over thirty degrees today.” As he spoke, he used a lightly scented baby wipe to gently clean Rudo’s forehead and neck. “Why is there a power outage? I’m so hot, I want the AC.” The child tilted his neck and grumbled petulantly. Enjin wiped the left side, then the right, and casually replied, “It’s probably the whole area. Look, there’s not a single light outside the window. You want the AC? Then get on your knees and pray to the heavens: ‘This humble believer vows to be good for life and never misbehave toward my boyfriend again, only asking for the cool air to return.’”
Rudo listened to his ridiculously handsome boyfriend casually spout something stupid. He kept a straight face, puffed out his cheeks, and blew a “pff” of air right onto Enjin’s face. This habit had appeared out of nowhere one day, and Enjin had no idea where Rudo had learned it. Was he imitating a goldfish blowing bubbles? Or was it how a baby who couldn’t speak expressed anger? Anyway, every time Rudo got a little angry, he would suddenly puff out a burst of air like this.
So fricking cute.
The corner of Enjin’s mouth twitched; he had no intention of correcting this bad behavior at all.
“…Still hot.” The little princess stared blankly and kicked Enjin’s shin with his foot.
Now the man's golden hair had been completely pushed back, revealing a smooth forehead. Enjin responded with a couple of “Yes, yes,” got up from the bed, and walked to the bathroom. He washed his own face first, then filled a basin with cold water, grabbed Rudo’s personal towel, and returned to the bed.
“High maintenance brat.” He spread the hard-to-please one out flat in the center of the bed like a pancake. Rudo was wearing a pure cotton tank top and shorts; he sprawled out like a starfish, letting Enjin roll up the hem of his top to expose his entire belly, rolling it all the way up to his chest, about to pull it over his shoulders and take it off completely.
Next second, cat Rudo stretched out one hand and pressed it against the man’s forearm, eyes issuing a warning.
They stared at each other for a few seconds. The cat added, “Pants stay on too.”
The sweat-drenched man stayed silent for a moment, then frowned and retorted, “Damn it… what kind of person do you take me for?!”
The cat was unmoved. He narrowed his eyes slightly and stared silently, forcing Enjin to back down repeatedly. Enjin could only save face by saying, “Never mind, it’s too hot. I’ll let you off this time.”
After all the fuss, they finally started wiping down. The towel, wrung dry, was placed on Rudo’s belly— a neat square that perfectly covered the area from the lower edge of the ribcage to the pelvis, like layering mille-feuille on a cake. Enjin wiped the belly, then the chest, and even lifted the boy to wipe his back. As the cold water evaporated, the heat finally eased a little. The cat rested his chin on Enjin’s shoulder and made soft, purring comfortable sounds, making Enjin feel he deserved a “Best Owner of the Year” certificate.
Rudo didn’t like getting his hair cut. Every time he sat in the barber’s chair with the long cape draped over him, he became as stiff as a cat being forced to wear shoes. His eyes would dart around in the mirror ahead, glancing pleadingly at his boyfriend, who was reading a magazine on the side. Since “boyfriend” itself was a full-time job, he had to accompany him no matter how long the haircut took. As soon as it was done, the cat would bolt out like an arrow without looking back, leaving Enjin alone to slowly swipe his card and pay.
As a result, Rudo’s hair hadn’t been cut for nearly half a year. Now damp with sweat and cold water, it stuck to his eyes and was quite annoying. After Enjin finished wiping the boy’s body and returned the basin to the bathroom, he also brought back a hair tie and clips. He patted his own thigh, signaling Rudo to come over. The man and cat were very practiced at this. Enjin tied Rudo’s white hair into a small tuft with the skill of a father braiding his daughter’s hair before kindergarten—quick and deft. He clipped the bangs aside with a clip, leaving everything neat and refreshing.
“All done, sir. Is there anything you need? Don't forget to give my service five stars.”
His customer ever grateful, turned around, wrapped both arms around Enjin’s neck, and planted a kiss on his left cheek. After kissing one side, he kissed the other. With a soft “mwah,” he said in a sticky voice, “I like you. Full marks for you.”
Perhaps the high temperature had melted some of his awareness; even when Enjin took the opportunity to wrap an arm around his waist and pull him close for a proper kiss, he didn’t even resist. Enjin savored the moment, letting the small, smooth tongue explore for a while, listening to the rising and falling hums like heavenly music.
Considering that continuing to kiss would make them hot again and waste all his earlier hard work, he thoughtfully restrained himself before Rudo broke out in another heavy sweat. “Someone’s being so good today, huh?” The very well-behaved little kitten opened her mouth and pointed a finger inside, implying it was empty:
“I want ice cream.”
And he pushed his luck further: “You made me so hot. I want a whole big tub of ice cream.”
Although he had originally wanted to knock the boy on the head, the next second Enjin suddenly remembered something important.
He shouted “Oh no!” and jumped off the bed, rushing towards the living room.
Rudo, not understanding, but still slipped on his cartoon slippers and clattered after him, nearly tripping because it was so dark. Following the light of his phone’s flashlight, he found Enjin in the kitchen, peering into the refrigerator.
Sure enough, the powerless refrigerator had stopped working, and water was beginning to drip from its edges. “We’re screwed…” Enjin roughly checked the contents.
Fortunately, since they didn’t cook often, most of their reserves were snacks. It was just a shame about his A5 wagyu and salmon. The next second, arms wrapped around his waist, he looked down and saw Rudo’s little face filled with utter despair, as if the sky was crashing down. Red pupils trembling, the child almost wailed, “Ice cream… my ice cream! It’s all going to melt! What do we do?!”
Every time they went to the supermarket, Rudo would dive in like a little mouse into a rice jar, hauling piles and piles of desserts and snacks. When they had just started dating, he had still been quite restrained and shy, only taking a small 250g box of ice cream. But after gradually discovering that Enjin was an extremely indulgent man who spoiled him completely, Rudo revealed his true nature and began picking the largest containers when buying ice cream.
When the two of them lay on the sofa watching movies, he would hug the bucket—almost as wide as his own waist—eating until his head nearly burrowed inside, only to be grabbed by the scruff of the neck by Enjin and pulled out like an unrepentant little tabby cat. The melted sweetness on his lips would then be licked away bit by bit by his boyfriend. Enjin had no choice but to admit that ice cream really did taste good.
If Rudo were to rank things, first place in his heart would undoubtedly be Regto, even though he had already moved out of the poor single dad’s house to live with his boyfriend, Regto's ranking still remained unshakable. Second place was unquestionably Enjin. Third place was his big tub of ice cream. All other so called best friends and such had to take a back seat!
So at this moment, realizing that the power outage meant his ice cream was in mortal danger, Rudo genuinely felt the sky was about to collapse.
He rubbed against Enjin’s abs, as if his boyfriend were some kind of refrigerator god who could conjure electricity out of thin air. But even a perfect-score boyfriend couldn’t generate power by himself.
Enjin sighed, opened the freezer, and took out the big tub of brownie cookie cream/ strawberry cake double-flavor ice cream, placing it on the floor. The moment it touched the ground, Rudo squatted down beside it, staring eagerly as Enjin opened the lid. Sure enough, because of the high temperature, the edges of the ice cream had already begun to melt, turning into a mousse-like texture.
“What do we do…”
The boy in the loose striped tank top tilted his head up, staring at the golden-haired man. The two of them squatted facing each other across the ice cream bucket. Even in the darkness, Rudo’s eyes sparkled with watery light, as if he were about to melt together with the ice cream, turning into two red cherries as decoration. It was truly too much to bear.
Looking at his teary, about-to-cry expression, Enjin sighed and finally made up his mind. He stood up, walked to the island counter to grab two spoons, came back, and handed one to Rudo while keeping one for himself.
“Eat.”
At times like this, Rudo’s obedience level was ridiculously high. As long as it was something naughty that he also enjoyed, he became Enjin’s cutest little accomplice.
The boy let out a “Wow!” and skillfully plunged the spoon in, scooping out a big clump and stuffing it into his mouth. Enjin refused to be outdone, digging out an even bigger spoonful and shoving it into his own mouth. In the faint glow of the phone flashlight, the two of them—wearing loose matching couple pajamas—took turns scooping and devouring like a pair of notorious thieves who had broken into the apartment specifically to steal ice cream, committing their sweet, reckless crime as if it were a competition.
As they ate, Rudo had already half-sat and half-lain down. Before he even finished one spoonful, his eyes were already fixed greedily on the next.
Who in the world ate ice cream so wildly? Only a kitten that falls asleep while drinking milk would eat while lying down.
Enjin sat cross-legged opposite him, looking down at his boyfriend who had turned into a little mouse in a rice jar. The boy’s small face was covered in cream. At that moment, Enjin looked at himself and suddenly realized how absurd the scene was: a 28-year-old grown man gorging ice cream in the dark in the kitchen... In a way, his intellectual level was exactly the same as his 13-years-younger lover.
But so what!
Once Enjin was full, he reached both hands through the ice cream, lifted Rudo from the floor, and pulled him into his arms. The child’s hands didn’t stop moving, but his mouth took a moment to ask, “Aren’t you eating anymore?” Enjin tightened the arm around his waist and mimicked his voice: “I’m not eating anymore. I want to eat something else.”
Rudo didn’t care about that at all. He made a few vague “mm-hmm” sounds and continued stuffing his mouth furiously, trying to turn himself into a roast duck stuffed with ice cream filling. Then a hand pinched his chin with just a little force and easily turned his face over. Enjin first licked the corner of Rudo’s mouth, feeling it was somehow even sweeter than what he had eaten himself.
“Open your mouth.”
He pinched Rudo’s cheeks, forcing him to pout. The child with a mouthful of sweet cream didn’t know what to do. If he opened his mouth, it would spill out, but his boyfriend was not the type to give a second chance. He completely forgot he could still swallow. Sure enough, the next second, his lips were pried open. The liquid ice cream that hadn’t been swallowed in time was thus shared with Enjin. The other man’s tongue slipped in, hot and wrestling with the icy cream. Rudo was busy both kissing and swallowing, his little head caught in a dilemma, and finally gave up, letting Enjin take full control of his body.
One hand slipped under Rudo’s tank top, stroking his slightly swollen belly in circles. The temperature in the room was still unbearably hot. He felt as if he were melting this little cat with his touch. Rudo trembled occasionally, his whole body reclining in Enjin’s arms as he received the loud, wet kisses.
Thanks to the lubrication of the ice cream, the kisses were even sweeter and richer, filled with milky fragrance. Every time Enjin pressed his belly, Rudo’s little abdomen and tongue would bounce. He tasted incredibly cute, incredibly innocent, and completely trusting of him—a flavor no one else would understand or ever get to taste.
Like a tiny self-serve ice cream machine operating only for him, Enjin shamelessly stole all the sweetness from Rudo’s mouth, then rewarded him with dizzying, adult kisses in return.
“Ding——”
A sound came from some appliance. In an instant, the surroundings brightened—power was back.
Rudo’s dazed eyes were illuminated. He saw his boyfriend’s eyelashes up close, with golden light flowing beneath them like some well-aged whiskey. Even though from birth until now, the only alcohol Rudo had ever tasted was the faint aftertaste from Enjin’s mouth, at this moment, the metaphor still appeared in his mind.
The boy’s face exploded into red.
He didn’t know why. He had already been kissed ten thousand times. What the real reason was—whether he had suddenly been overwhelmed by how handsome his boyfriend was—he wouldn’t admitted even if asked.
But in any case, Enjin’s cat suddenly darted out of his arms, muttering “Uh… ah… oh… I have to… I have to put the ice cream back quickly…!” while urgently returning his beloved item to the refrigerator. His cheeks were still flushed, but it was no longer the red caused by the high temperature from half an hour earlier.
Enjin watched the kid who always pretended to be busy whenever he got shy. He deliberately reached out, hooked his index finger around the strap of the tank top and flicked it, then wiped away the remaining ice cream from the corner of his own lips. With a flick of his tongue, he looked at Rudo seriously, smiled, and said:
“Thank you for the treat, princess.”