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Nothing beats spending the night in a place you shouldn’t be in.
Known for its lavish exteriors and forbidden entrances, Onychinus’s base is nothing short of home. You’ve learned which doors you were allowed to enter and which ones are better off closed. You’ve mastered the art of finding meaning in every trinket that sits in this place, hoping they would allow you to catch a glimpse of Onychinus’s leader. And, of course, you’ve settled in his heart and have made yourself quite comfortable in its space.
So, when you sneak out of your shared bedroom and into the kitchen, you don’t think much of it. It’s almost like routine when you search for a plate through his cabinets, judging how organized his mugs are. A matching set of Spiderman mugs, which you could only guess are for Luke and Kieran, sit in front of all the fancy ones. Contrary to popular belief, it’s so characteristically Sylus to have his priorities lie in the heart that settles beneath his sleeve.
The night, however, is uncharacteristically quiet. Luke and Kieran are sound asleep instead of causing their usual ruckus, and the last time you saw Sylus, you had to slowly take his hand off of your waist to avoid waking him up. A damning part of you wishes you could ask him to cook with you, but he’s tired, and the last thing you want to do is to add to his persistent exhaustion.
Under the dim lights of the base’s kitchen, your only company as you make yourself some food is the thoughts stuck in your head.
“I hope I don’t burn this place down by accident,” you joke as you turn on the stove to make some eggs. “That would sure be a price to pay.”
The eggs begin to take form on the pan, and you use the spatula as a makeshift microphone every five seconds for the song softly playing from your phone. Lyrics are sung in whispers and dance moves are done in silence, but the eggs sure appreciate the impromptu performance. They turn out perfectly, so you turn off the stove to place it into a plate.
But before you can turn around to enjoy your meal, you feel strong arms wrap around your waist and hear a familiar hum of amusement.
“Performing without me, beloved?”
“Sylus!” you gasp, looking back as he places gentle kisses on your shoulder. Sleep coats him beautifully, his hair sticking up in all directions and the flush of his cheeks making him glow under the dim lights. “How long were you watching me?”
Sylus doesn’t answer for a while, burying his face in the crook of your neck like that place is the only home he would ever want to live in. Draconic instincts, you could say, but it might just be his exhaustion getting to him.
But eventually he does, and his answer makes you roll your eyes playfully. “Mmm… I don’t know. Time passes by mindlessly when I’m with you.”
“Hmph. I think you just want to avoid the question.”
He chuckles, deep and happy. The sun’s bright rays are incomparable to his amused smile. “Do I avoid your questions, sweetie? I thought you liked how much I entertained them.”
“Hmph,” you huff again before tasting your culinary masterpiece. With a soft hum of satisfaction, you take a small piece of your meal before placing it close to Sylus’s lips, the question of Do you want to try this? remaining unsaid yet loud in its sincerity.
And Sylus, of course, tastes it without hesitation.
“So, what woke you up?” you ask, knowing damn well he can’t answer your question while he’s chewing. “I thought I was doing a good job staying quiet.”
“I…” His hands caress your waist as he chews, the movement grounding the both of you. “I felt the sudden emptiness and wanted to see what happened to you.” Sensing your heart drop, he lets out a soft chuckle before adding, “And your beautiful singing voice lured me in like a siren.”
“Flattering.”
“And,” Sylus continues, “I heard you talking about burning my place down. I couldn’t let that happen, could I?”
“I said no such thing!”
“I trust your decisions, sweetie, but I have to admit I questioned that one.”
“Ugh,” you say with absolutely no frustration. How could you be, when the love of your life looks absolutely enamored by a terrifying, hypothetical decision you would never make?
The next few moments can only be described as peaceful. There is only the soothing music on your phone to interrupt what would otherwise be silence as you continue eating your meal. Sylus occasionally asks for a bite, and you could only deny him for a few seconds before giving in to his playful demands. The meal is devoured in mere minutes, but you find yourself still wanting more food.
Would it be too greedy to ask Sylus if he could cook?
“Sy…” Turning around, you find his cheeky smile softening as he braces for whatever question he would entertain next. “Could you… could you cook something for me, please?”
You pat his hair down to soothe the inevitable rejection. He’s tired, you’re tired, and the only task this night will allow next is going back to sleep in his cozy bed.
But you should’ve known better than to assume he’d ever deny you any pleasure you want. Instead of the inevitable no, Sylus cups your cheeks and asks, “What do you want me to cook for you, beloved? I have plenty of options.”
Surprise befalls you as gently as snow. You look at his face to search for a hint of sarcasm, only to find utter adoration. “We don’t have to. I mean, you must be tired.”
“I’m never tired when it comes to you.” Sylus reiterates his point with a tender kiss on your forehead, which you’ve noticed in recent hangouts is his favorite place to kiss you. Perhaps the gesture is as significant as the way he arranges his mugs, but the meaning of it is lost to you regardless.
You’ll open that door someday. You possess the key to his heart already anyway.
The rest of the night only belongs to the both of you. As Sylus prepares the meal of your choice, he’s hit by playful remarks about the peculiar way he arranges his mugs and the heart he wears on his sleeve. You’re swinging your legs on the countertop as his remarks feel nothing short of sincere, and when the meal has been made, he hands it to you while politely bowing like a devoted knight.
Under the dim lights, accompanied by the love of your life, you feel welcomed in this place you now call home.