Work Text:
Kurode isn’t one to get tired during the day. A strict sleep schedule of eight hours, combined with endless energy, keeps him up and running until it’s time to get into bed again.
However, Tuesdays seem to ruin those plans. Especially rainy Tuesdays. Early classes starting at eight in the morning—followed by a four-hour shift at the CD shop—are enough to ruin his whole day. Seriously, who created this schedule? (Kurode did this to himself.)
On top of that, none of these hours are spent with Willmesh. Kurode was out of the apartment door before Willmesh was properly awake, giving him not even a minute of quality time with his boyfriend. No cuddling, kisses, or anything.
Willmesh usually had a morning class on Tuesday, but his professor cancelled it at the last minute, letting him sleep in to his heart’s content. However, this blessing is actually a curse in disguise, Kurode tells himself. Willmesh might be able to stay in bed a little longer, but that meant they weren’t able to walk to their university together like they did every Tuesday morning. Call him dramatic, but he’ll happily take that title. This is just too cruel.
And for a final cherry on top, it started pouring right after he clocked out from work. Kurode looked at the sky with a frown. Betrayal, he calls it. The clouds couldn’t even wait for him to get closer to home to start raining like it hadn’t had the chance to in a million years. The walk back to his apartment isn’t that far, but he stupidly doesn’t have an umbrella, so he’d risk getting absolutely soaked if he tried booking it home on foot.
Kurode decides to take the bus, given that it’s pretty much his only option unless he wanted to torture himself. This whole day has already tortured him enough, and it’s barely a few hours after midday. All he wants to do is flop himself into Willmesh’s arms and bury his nose into his neck. The sweet maple scent of his boyfriend would surely take all his worries away.
Kurode zones out for most of the ride and even almost misses his stop. He manages to make it to the front door of his apartment, sporting a throbbing headache that probably came from the rainy weather and bumpy bus ride. He normally avoids vehicle transportation of any kind given his sensitivity to motion sickness, but he wasn’t really given much of a choice. Well, whatever. He’ll be healed in a few seconds anyway.
He sticks the key in the lock and opens the door. The warmth from the heater envelops his body immediately. Their apartment is only a single room, so his eyes can easily spot Willmesh. The pink-haired boy lies on their bed, a book in his hands and reading glasses on his face. He looks up when he hears the door open, eyes softening when he sees his lover.
“...Welcome home, Kurode-kun.”
“I’m back,” Kurode replies, his voice coming out much weaker and more exhausted than he anticipated.
And of course, given how perceptive he is, Willmesh immediately notices the subtle change in Kurode’s usual demeanor. He places his book to the side, bookmark in between the pages he left off on. “Did you have a tiring day?”
“Ugh, don’t even get me started.” Kurode kicks off his sneakers and throws his bag somewhere to the side. He walks to the bed and throws himself into Willmesh’s arms—already open and ready for a hug. He buries himself into the crook of Willmesh’s neck. If he weren’t warmed up before, he definitely is now. Willmesh’s body always tends to run warm, and his neck feels good against Kurode’s face. Ah, this is heaven.
“Can you tell me about your day?” Willmesh asks in a low, soft voice. He’s already running his fingers through Kurode’s damp hair, massaging his scalp in small circles.
“Remembering it will only make me angry.”
A frown. “Then, is that a no?”
“...Fine.”
Kurode reluctantly recalls his day from beginning to end, starting with his slow class and ending with his weirdly busy shift. “Of all days for people to come to a CD shop, they chose a cloudy and ugly Tuesday? Really? I feel like they’re coming here just to torture me.”
“I don’t think that’s true, Kurode-kun.”
“Then why did I have to deal with so many annoying customers? They were asking stupid questions. What do you mean you can’t find Nirvana vinyls? This shop literally worships them. There’s a whole display just for their albums, and you need me to tell you where they are when you can just use your eyes?”
“...Mm. It sounds like you had a rough day.”
“If people were just a little bit smarter, the world would be a better place.”
Willmesh huffs out a chuckle. “You’re starting to sound like Klark-kun.”
Kurode makes a face, even if Willmesh can’t see it. “Don’t say that. He’s mean.” Kurode pauses for a moment, then takes his head out from his hiding spot. “Wait, are you calling me mean?”
This time, Willmesh really does let out a laugh. He doesn’t even try to hide it anymore. “...I believe it’s just a culmination of your pent-up frustration from today.” Lavender eyes peer into Kurode with kindness and warmth, and that immediately extinguishes any of Kurode’s previous irritation.
Kurode sighs in defeat. “Yeah, I guess you’re right. Anyways, how was your day? What’d you decide to do on your day off? Besides, reading, of course.” Kurode gestures toward the half-read book on the bed.
“...Hmm. I woke up a little after you left for school, and then I had toast and butter. After that, I worked on a few writing assignments from my cancelled class. The cloudy weather helped me focus better than usual.”
Willmesh’s voice comes out slow and soft as he recalls his routine. Paired with the sound of falling raindrops against their window, it makes a gentle melody for Kurode’s ears. At some point, they repositioned themselves so they were both completely lying down on the bed. Willmesh’s head rests on the pillow while Kurode’s entire body is snuggled up next to Willmesh, wrapped in a loose hug. The comfort of it all makes Kurode forget about his slightly wet clothes—which he should probably change out of at some point.
“...After I finished my assignments, I decided to start reading the new book I got last week.”
“Oh, the one that Myunna recommended? Wasn’t it a romance novel or something?”
“Yes, it is a romance. I only got about halfway, but I’m enjoying it so far.”
Kurode chuckles. “I didn’t know you were one for lovey-dovey stories like that.”
Willmesh hugs Kurode tighter at that. “...I used to not care much for them. But… I’ve found myself enjoying them more recently. I can understand the characters a little better.” When Kurode tilts his head to look at Willmesh’s face, he notices a light pink blush on his cheeks.
Oh. The implications behind that are obvious to Kurode now. He thinks he feels his own cheeks heating up too. “W-Well, that’s great! Glad you’re enjoying the story,” he stutters.
“Mm,” Willmesh nods. “One of the characters reminds me of you, Kurode-kun.”
“Oh, really? Were they cool and sexy?”
“More than that, he’s very kind and patient,” Willmesh starts. “He always wanted to help everyone, and he’s very dedicated to his lover. He deals with a lot in the story, but it only made me want to cheer him on.”
“O-Oh…” Kurode’s heart starts accelerating. He meant it as a joke at first, but Willmesh genuinely answered with something that can only be described as praise. He doesn’t know if Willmesh is even aware of what his words do to Kurode’s poor heart. A quiet grumble erupts from his throat. “That’s… do you even know what you’re—y’know what? Never mind. Is he at least cool?”
Willmesh tilts his head. “...I would say he’s more cute than cool.”
“Dammit.”
Even though half the day has passed already, Kurode feels relieved to know the second half will be spent by Willmesh’s side. Maybe this is why he had such an awful morning. His suffering turned into good karma.
In the middle of his thoughts, a yawn escapes Kurode’s throat. He tries to cover his mouth with his hand, but both his arms are currently trapped between his and Willmesh’s bodies.
Immediately, he mutters, “You didn’t hear that.”
“Are you sleepy, Kurode-kun?”
“No. I don’t get sleepy in the afternoon.”
“Are you sure?”
“...No.”
Willmesh turns over on his side and properly pulls Kurode into his arms, pressing his head against his warm chest.
“G-Gah! What are you doing!?”
“I’m letting you take a nap.”
“B-But, I don’t take naps!” Kurode exclaims, attempting to pull himself out of Willmesh’s embrace. However, the younger boy’s arms are surprisingly strong. If Kurode actually tried to get out, Willmesh would definitely let him, but it seems like they both know Kurode’s true feelings. After a few seconds, he stops trying to wiggle away. He lets out another soft yawn in defeat.
“See? Your body also doesn’t agree with you. I think you deserve to rest your eyes for an hour or two,” Willmesh says, massaging Kurode’s scalp again. Damn him for being so good with his fingers. Kurode’s eyes start getting heavier.
“I… I have things to do,” he tries to argue.
“Is it anything urgent?”
“...Not really.”
“Then,” Willmesh says, moving his head lower and closer to Kurode’s. His soft lips are over Kurode’s eyelids before he knows it. A kiss is planted on each side of Kurode’s face. All he can do is lie there and take it. When Willmesh pulls away, he looks at Kurode again like he’s the most beautiful thing on Earth. If Kurode ever said that out loud, Willmesh would only agree.
Begrudgingly, everything that Willmesh is doing right now works. Kurode gets sleepier and sleepier by the second. “Tsk… You’re no fair, Willmesh...”
Willmesh chuckles. “That’s okay with me. I would do anything to make sure Kurode-kun is healthy and happy.”
“Anything…?” Kurode mumbles. Everything feels so heavy. He can hardly keep his eyes open, but he wants to keep looking at his pretty boyfriend. His eyes shift to Willmesh’s lips. “...Kiss.”
“Kiss?” Willmesh echoes. Kurode groggily nods, pointing to his own lips. They feel dry and chapped under the skin of his fingertip.
“...Gimme a… goodnight kiss…”
There’s a pause, then a slight shift on the bed. It’s nearly impossible for Kurode to keep his eyes open anymore, but he feels something soft and warm against his lips at his very last moment of consciousness. It lingers for one, two, three seconds before pulling away.
“Goodnight, Kurode-kun.”
────────
It takes much less effort than Willmesh thought it would to get Kurode to fall asleep. Within moments, Kurode is snuggled against Willmesh’s body, soft snores escaping his parted lips. Willmesh didn’t think he would actually give in and take a nap, so today definitely must’ve been a tiring one for his boyfriend. Willmesh wishes he could’ve been by his side.
However, he knows another way he can make up for it. Willmesh starts by gently taking Kurode’s glasses off his face and placing them on the bedside table, right where he always puts them at night. He wishes he could change his clothes too, but that would surely wake him up. Next, Willmesh pulls his arms away from Kurode’s body—as much as he hates to do this—and tries to get out of bed. However, a quiet whine comes from the sleeping boy.
“Hrghh…”
Willmesh freezes. He stops and stares at Kurode. Please don’t wake up, Willmesh repeats over and over in his head. Eventually, Kurode stops mumbling and remains asleep. Willmesh lets out a sigh of relief. Thank goodness he isn’t an incredibly light sleeper.
Willmesh grabs one of the body pillows from the other side of the bed and places it between Kurode’s arms, hoping it would temporarily make do for Willmesh’s absence. Fortunately, it seems to do the trick, because Kurode unconsciously wraps his arms around the pillow and holds it tightly.
“I’m sorry, Kurode-kun. I’ll be back soon,” Willmesh whispers, hoping his words will reach Kurode in his dreamland.
Considering the time, it would probably be a good idea to start thinking about what to have for dinner. Willmesh is sure neither of them has had proper meals today, so an early dinner would be nice. Given that it’s rainy and cold today, maybe something warm would be good? It’s been a while since Willmesh has cooked anything for them, since Kurode usually takes charge in the kitchen. He wouldn’t say he’s very good at cooking, but… he wants Kurode to get some rest today. He wants to take care of him.
Thankfully, there’s a certain meal that Willmesh is confident he can make without fail. It might be a bit self-indulgent, but it fits what Willmesh had in mind for today. He pulls his sleeves up before he starts pulling out a frying pan and a bowl of leftover batter from the fridge.
With his love for Kurode in mind, he gets to work in the kitchen, comforted by the pitter-patter of rain and Kurode’s adorable snores.
────────
Kurode wakes up to the sound of sizzling and a familiar savory and sweet scent. He struggles to open his eyes completely, but to his surprise, he doesn’t feel exhausted. When he looks in the direction of the sound, he spots Willmesh in the kitchen. Even with his blurry vision, he can see that Willmesh has his long pink hair tied up in a low bun.
“Will…mesh..?” Kurode’s voice is still hoarse from sleep. He rubs his eyes. “How long was I asleep?”
Willmesh turns around, holding a pink rubber spatula. “Ah, good morning, Kurode-kun.”
Kurode stretches his arms in the air. “Heh, I don’t think you could call it morning anymore.”
Willmesh only smiles. “You’re right. Then, good afternoon. How was your nap?”
“Honestly, it was pretty good. I feel well rested, somehow.”
“I’m glad you were able to get some quality sleep.” There’s genuine happiness in Willmesh’s voice. “Hm… I think you were asleep for about forty minutes?”
“Oh, thank god. I thought I overslept for a second. But I’m sure you would’ve woken me up after an hour anyway, so it’s fine.”
“...”
“Right, Willmesh?”
“...”
Willmesh turns around to face the stove again.
“Don’t ignore my question!?”
Kurode starts laughing, and Willmesh follows along with his own soft chuckles. Out of the corner of his eye, Kurode sees something outside the window. He gets out of bed and takes a closer look.
“No way…?” he mutters under his breath. He puts his hands on the window glass. “Willmesh, look, look!”
“Kurode-kun, I’m in the middle of cooking–”
“There’s a rainbow outside!”
Kurode feels like a little kid for getting excited over something like this, but the sight of a rainbow in the midst of a grey sky is one of the most beautiful things he has ever seen. He can’t even remember the last time he saw a rainbow in person. And considering Willmesh’s love for rainbows, he wants to share this moment with him as quickly as he can.
As expected, the mention of the multi-colored phenomenon gets Willmesh’s attention immediately. He turns the heat off for whatever he was cooking—he probably finished already—and makes his way to the window to look outside. His eyes sparkle at the sight.
“It’s beautiful… I haven’t seen a rainbow ever since we first moved in together…”
“Same for me,” Kurode says, still admiring the rainbow. The addition of Willmesh in his view makes the scene even more gorgeous than before. It’s like rainbows were created for the sole purpose of complimenting Willmesh. He wishes he could take his phone out and capture the moment, but he thinks he’ll remember this image in his memory forever. He’s sure of it.
A few beats of comfortable silence pass as the two continue gazing at the rainbow. “I’m happy you woke up from your nap in time so we could see it together.”
“That nap was a one-time thing!” Kurode exclaims. “I’d normally be awake under any other circumstances.”
“...Maybe the rainbow appeared because you took a nap. It’s like a miracle. Maybe the sky wants you to get more rest.”
He purses his lips together. “That isn’t convincing me.”
“Then… maybe this will?”
Before Kurode has the chance to ask what he means, his vision is filled with Willmesh’s eyes. Then, he feels warmth on his lips and a hand on the back of his head. Kurode melts into the kiss, hands clutching at Willmesh’s shirt. Willmesh kisses him deeper, moving his lips with more fervor. Kurode feels Willmesh’s heart racing, or maybe it’s his own?
Anyone could see us from outside. The rational thought goes through Kurode’s head for a split second, but he decides he doesn’t care enough to do anything about it. Kurode only sighs into the kiss, wanting more and more—
However, Willmesh pulls away before anything can escalate. His face is flushed, but otherwise, he looks composed. “...I’ll give you a kiss like that every time you take a nap.”
“Haaah…” Kurode groans in frustration. “You’re mean—you know that?”
“...Do you agree to those terms?”
“You’ve gotta stop ignoring me whenever I ask you a question. But,” Kurode says, crossing his arms. “...Yeah. Sure. I’d like that, I guess. I’ll take a nap once in a while if I feel like it.”
Willmesh chuckles to himself. He looks real proud of himself. Kurode can’t believe he just let that happen. It’s… not bad, though. Suddenly reminded of the abandoned stovetop, Kurode gestures to that area. “What were you doing over there?”
Willmesh’s eyes follow. “Ah… Since you were napping, I wanted to try making dinner for us.”
“Oh, really?” Kurode asks, surprised to hear his boyfriend was trying to cook. He can probably count on his fingers how many times Willmesh has cooked a meal for them this year. Turning away from the window, Kurode peeks over to see what’s on the counter. He furrows his brows when he spots a stack of pancakes and sausages.
He turns around. “Again!? I just made that for dinner last night!”
Willmesh happens to be standing right behind Kurode. His eyes are expectant and pleading, almost looking like a big puppy. “We still had some leftover pancake batter in the fridge. I thought pancakes would be perfect since they’re warm and fluffy.”
“Well, yeah, that’s true…” Kurode says. He notices the pancakes are a little burnt on the edges, and they’re not as tall as they could be, but they still look delicious. On cue, his stomach rumbles.
Willmesh puts a hand on Kurode’s shoulder. “You must be hungry. We should eat them while they’re still warm.”
“Good idea. I’m starving, now that I think about it!”
Willmesh chuckles. “I’ll start prepping our plates. You should go put your glasses on in the meantime.”
“True. No wonder your face is blurrier than usual.” Kurode squints his eyes to emphasize the fact. Then, he bites the inside of his cheek, fidgeting with his hands. “...And, uh, thanks, Willmesh. For… today.”
“You don’t have to thank me for anything, Kurode-kun. I do this because I love you.” As if he didn’t just drop that bomb of a line, Willmesh turns around to start plating the food.
Once Willmesh is completely turned the other way, Kurode puts his hands on his cheeks. Man, his face is so warm. Was his body always this warm? He feels like he could do flips right now if there were enough space in their apartment. Listening to him rant about his day, helping him take a nap, and even cooking dinner for him—lucky wouldn’t even come close to describing how Kurode feels.
Once he puts his glasses on, he turns again and grits his teeth.
“...Willmesh!”
Willmesh’s head perks up. “Yes, Kurode-kun?”
It might not be much in return for what Willmesh has done for Kurode, but he remembers how much words mean to him. If three simple words are able to make Kurode feel this much happiness, then…
“I love you too! A lot!!”
…he hopes they’ll make Willmesh feel this way too.