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Theo slowly blinks, adjusting his eyes to the sun that has been shining since a long time ago. He picks up his phone. 1:07PM. As he puts down his phone on the night table, he sees a bright yellow note : “I’m out for groceries. Text me when you wake up, and let me know if you need anything.” Thoughtful is the word that comes to Theo’s mind. He smiles at the sight of him, writing the note next to his sleepy self. For a second, he wishes he was awake then. He stretches and grunts at the feeling, it hits at the right spots.Though it does wake all his senses, he enjoys the feeling of the warm sheets, and the sunlight peeking through the room’s windows. He wants to enjoy that feeling longer.
He picks his phone back, and lays down again. He goes to this reading app, and continues reading his on-going manhwa. It’s been a while since he hasn’t gotten the bed for himself – not that he minds – but Seth is rather… needy when it comes to Theo’s attention and personal space. He is not complaining though.
He is deep in the chapter, when the apartment’s front door opens. Rustles of plastic bags and soft steps are getting closer to his room, but Seth doesn’t come in. “He must have gone to the kitchen. What kind of things did he get this time… I should tell him to be more responsible with money…” He brushes this thought off and continues on reading. Noises of the fridge, shelves opening are echoing in the apartment. Then, they all suddenly stop. Theo doesn’t think too much of it, til the door slightly opens, Seth peeking through the opening. His face lightens when he meets Theo’s stare. “Oh, you’re awake !” he beams.
“I am,” Theo states. Seth rushes closer to the bed, and hugs Theo, who’s wrapped in the blanket.
“Did you sleep well ?” Seth asks, cupping Theo’s face before showering his face with kisses and burying his face in his neck.
“I did,” Theo answers. Suddenly, Seth withdraws his face from Theo’s neck. He looks at him, a slight shock on his face, before coming back to his normal facial expression. He sits on the borders of the bed, and turns his head away, a small “hmpf” barely audible. Theo is visibly confused, eyebrows furrowed, a small pout on his face.
“What is it, Seth ?” Theo asks, as he rises his upper body to sit on the bed, getting closer to Seth.
“Is that all you have to say?” Seth checks. Theo doesn’t say anything. As he met with silence, Seth meets Theo’s neutral expression. And he pouts. “Didn’t you miss me when you woke up ?” Seth whines. At this rate, he just wants to hear those words coming out from Theo’s mouth, whether he means it or not. “Oh, so that’s what it was,” Theo thinks. He opens his mouth to reply, but he is interrupted by Seth’s mumbles, “you didn’t even text me… and you were on your phone this morning…”
“Sorry. I must have forgotten. I was distracted,” Theo admits.
“Distracted ?” Seth's pouty demeanor changed into an outraged tone. “What was distracting you on your phone ?” he indignantly asks.
“I was reading,” he answers, as he looks away. He hopes Seth doesn’t ask any further, but his answer must not have been satisfying enough,
“And what was it, to have you forgetting to text me ?” he asks in an inquisitory tone, his face getting closer to Theo’s.
“A manhwa,” Theo simply says. Seth pulls back a little, “A manhwa ? What’s that ?”, he tilts his head in curiosity.
“It is… a story, drawn and painted by artists. On those digital screens. When I purchase them online, I have access to their story. It is entertaining,” he explains.
“Entertaining you say… Am I not entertaining enough ? Is that what I understand ?” he teases. But Theo’s facial expression doesn’t change, so Seth’s laughters die down. “Theo, I was-”
“You were not there when I woke up.”
Seth’s words get stuck in his throat, as Theo’s cut Seth’s breath. He doesn’t say anything, letting Theo speak his heart. “I had to… comfort myself, in one way another, to cope with your absence,” Theo whispers. Seth’s heart threatens to beat out of his ribcage, as he melts on every word coming out of Theo. “Oh my Theo…,” he cages Theo in his arms, and murmurs “I was just teasing you baby. I know. I love you.”
Theo hums, and nuzzles his face closer, his eyelids fluttering to Seth’s scent.
“Would you show me what a manhwa looks like ? I’m curious now,” Seth innocently asks, an endearing smile illuminating his face.
“Sure,” Theo simply replies. He pulls out of Seth’s embrace, to sit down near the pillows, and he picks up his phone near the pillows. Seth removes his pants and his shirt, as he remembered Theo’s words once : “No outside clothes on the bed.”
He gets on the bed, and settles himself behind Theo, who leans back on his chest. Theo clicks on a red icon, and the panel he was reading pops up. He forgot he was reading that.
“Oh,” Theo blurts out. He turns his phone off, but Seth grips his hand.
“I-Is that- Wait ! Turn this thing back on !” Seth squawks in indignation, and Theo tries to wriggle out of his embrace, which Seth tightens. “E-Explain what th-that picture was !! Did I see it correctly ? Was that a-a man ? Removing his shirt ? Was that his chest ?” he asks in disbelief.
“He was,” Theo states.
“What is happening next in the story, then ? Turn it on ! Are you watching other naked men ? I need to see what you are reading !” Seth tightens his grip.
“I think you have seen enough, Seth.”
“You know, the more you try to avoid it, the more I am going to ask. Do it now, Theo !” he puffs.
Theo sighs, and turns his phone on again. The panel pops up to a man removing his shirt, his abs coming to a reveal.
Seth gasps, and Theo ignores it, and scrolls the rest of the panels. As he scrolls, he can only hear Seth’s breathing. He clenches his jaw, slowly apprehending Seth’s reaction. However, he doesn’t look back to check it, he continues to scroll, feigning his indifference to the panels. The protagonists are rather having a hot and steamy scene, and Theo’s cheeks warm up at what they are doing. Seth hugging him, behind him, as he reads those unfamiliar panels on the screen.
The chapter comes to an end, and Theo turns off his phone. He closes his eyes and sighs, before looking back at Seth. The latter has his eyes widened and unfocused, his lips apart in shock. Theo doesn’t know what to say, “So..?” he asks. Theo’s question seems to stir him out of his spacing out moment.
“Oh, uhm, I am just…” Seth scratches his head, an awkward smile to his face. “Is-”, he lets out a shaky sigh, “Is that a physique that you enjoy, Theo ? Would you like it if I was built like that ? If… If I was big like that ? Come to think of it, how is /this/… possible ? This girth.. Is out of this world. I can’t compete with this… What am I gonna do… Should I work out…,” Seth rambles.
“Seth Peserus.” Theo calls. Seth’s rambling comes to a sudden halt.
“Yessir !” he rushes out, as if he was one of Theo’s military men.
“Do not fret. This is fiction. In this world, you are my chosen partner,” Theo assures, meeting his stare. Seth remains silent, so Theo hesitates, “You already have a physique that… satisfies me. Do not worry anymore,” he says under his breath. Seth’s face lightens up, and he bites his lower lip to suppress his smile “Th-the words you say, sometimes…” Seth stutters, nuzzling his face in Theo’s neck again.
[Later, in the evening]
“I can’t believe you got jealous over fictional men…”
“Hey !” Seth exclaims, embarrassed.