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It was early in the morning, and hearing Cross exercising in the training room was no surprise to Horror. As he exited his bedroom, Horror could hear the loud grunts echoing through the halls of the castle as Cross practiced his fighting skills with a dummy. That poor dummy must’ve gone through some things, it was completely torn in different places and overall completely demolished, yet Nightmare refused to get a new one. He said the current one could still be used and he’d get a new one once this one was beaten to a pulp.

The ex-guard finally stopped slashing at the dummy after a few minutes, panting loudly as he let his comically large knife slip out of his hand and dissipate into thin air. He rubbed his forehead, wiping the beads of sweat on it as he tried to catch his breath.

Horror admired Cross, very much so. When he first met the other he had already noticed how professional and precise he was. It was sort of expected that Horror eventually found himself with feelings for Cross, which ended up being the case for the others too. How could someone not like a man like him? He was kind, did everything he could for his loved ones, and was extremely attractive. Cross was the kind of guy that girls would go crazy about in high school.

Horror got pulled back to reality as Cross went to the other side of the training room to get a bottle of water, which caught Horror’s attention. He finally remembered why he was here: to get Cross to bed.

He pushed the door open further and walked in, quietly making his way behind Cross until he stood behind him. Horror swiftly had his arms wrapped around Cross in a hug, which made Cross smile softly. He put his free hand on Horror’s arm, tilting his head up to stare at his taller boyfriend. “Hey,” Cross said with a sleepy look on his face. Horror squeezed Cross gently, pulling Cross closer in the hug; the action made Cross smile more. “Hey, muffin,” Horror responded, nuzzling Cross’ head with his nose.

“You’re supposed ‘t be ‘n bed,” Horror scolded, keeping Cross in place even as he tried to put his bottle down, he instead took another sip of the water. “I know.”

After a little bit of squirming, Cross finally managed to get out of the tight hug so he could put his bottle on the bench. Horror couldn’t help but think something was wrong, Cross was always one to take his emotions out in the gym, especially very early in the morning.

“Somethin’ wrong?” Horror asked, staring at Cross’ back as he didn’t turn to face him. “I’m okay, H. Don’t worry about it,” Cross said after a sigh, wrapping his arm around himself, basically hugging himself. Horror wished Nightmare were awake, as he was MUCH more experienced with this kind of thing. But he was having a nice and peaceful sleep, Horror could never interrupt that. The way Horror comforts people is with physical affection and food, it seems to work mostly. Sometimes not so much. Horror was unsure if it’d work in this situation, but it didn't hurt to try.

“Alright,” Horror sighed too, looking away for a second. “Wanna get food, since you’re awake? I’m pretty hungry.

Cross chuckled at that, Horror was always hungry. “Sure, I’m a bit sweaty, though,” Cross looked down at himself, releasing his hands from his arms to look at them. His black shirt was drained. “Let’s get ya cleaned up first then,” Horror said, pulling Cross in another hug that Cross couldn’t get out of anymore.

There was a convenient shower room attached to the training room, one that Cross or the rest of the group used after working out or training. Cross protested as Horror took him to the shower, Cross thought that ‘getting him cleaned up’ meant using a wet towel or something. He was wrong and was pushed into the shower with Horror joining him. This wasn’t the first time any of them had showered together, it was a common thing they did for either fun or just for the company. Horror didn’t necessarily need to shower, but he wanted in any way, making Cross blush throughout the whole thing as Horror ‘showered’ him with love.

Once they were out of the shower, Horror took it upon himself to dry and dress Cross before doing so himself, planting many kisses on Cross’ face as he did so. Despite Cross often being the professional little ex-guard he was trained to be, it was easy to fluster him. Horror loved seeing that handsome face light up like a gyftmas tree with just the smallest action of affection.

Cross was now dressed in a white t-shirt with shorts, and Horror wearing an oversized grey shirt with shorts, they were both extremely comfortable. Horror held Cross’ hand as they walked down the stairs in the direction of the kitchen so they could get food for themselves. At this point, Horror didn't care about bringing Cross to bed anymore, only to love Cross and distract him from whatever was bothering him. It seemed to be working, as Cross had completely forgotten what he was upset about.

Horror lifted Cross from the floor and placed him on the counter, giving him one last kiss on the lips before going to the fridge. Horror had decided to feed Cross and himself fruits, fruits were always good. He retrieved two translucent containers that held strawberries and grapes in them from the fridge and placed them beside Cross on the counter. He opened the container with the grapes in it and offered it to Cross, who took it with a smile.

“Thanks, H,” Cross said after a bit of silent eating, looking at the other who leaned back against the container as he ate a strawberry. “Hmn? For what, muffin?” He asked, making sure not to talk with his mouth full as he turned to Cross. “For… all this. The shower, the food, ... you.” Cross’ face turned a little purple again with blush as he said this, turning his head away from Horror so he didn't face him. Horror smiled brightly, if he possessed a tail it would definitely be wagging at rapid speed. The container full of strawberries was quickly set aside before Horror gently grabbed Cross’ face and kissed him. The action surprised Cross for a moment until he started kissing back, setting his container aside too as the two begun kissing passionately.

Horror had leaned into Cross, Cross having his arms wrapped around Horror’s neck as they stayed pressed against each other for a long time. Breath? Never heard of her. They didn’t need to breathe, they could survive as long as they were together.

The intimate moment was soon interrupted as they heard footsteps approaching, both of them having to sadly pull away from each other. They both knew who had come inside the kitchen, Killer. They both turned their heads to face the skeleton who wore nothing but just boxers, meaning he had woken up before Dust and Nightmare.

“… That was hot, dude,” he said softly, but loud enough for the duo to hear.

Cross grabbed a strawberry and threw it at Killer’s face, it splashing on his forehead.

“Hey!” “Dude, get out!”

THE END （╹◡╹)

Cross leaned against the counter, absentmindedly stirring his coffee. His gaze kept drifting to the stairs as he waited in anticipation for his lazy boyfriend to emerge. The clock on the wall ticked toward 2pm, and then, finally, the familiar groan echoed through the kitchen.

Dust stumbled down, looking like a beautifully dishevelled mess. His shirt hung off him like a dress, oversized and clearly Horror’s, drool leaving a dark patch near the neck, and the boxers with little bunnies peeking out at the hem were almost too much. Bunny slippers - affectionately dubbed “dust bunnies” by the band - flopped with each step, and his hair—well, it looked like he'd been through a blender; seemingly alive with the static of a thousand dream. He rubbed his eyes with an ineffectual hand, a barely coherent groan escaping him.

“Morning, Sunshine,” Cross said, unable to hide his grin. There was something about Dust’s sleep-mussed appearance that was more captivating than any carefully orchestrated photoshoot. Maybe it was because this was the real Dust, maybe it was because he was trusted to see Dust like this, regardless, he was the most beautiful person Cross had ever seen.

Dust squinted at him, one eye half-open. “Mm, yeah, if you say so. Morning is relative.” He blinked slowly, barely registering the room. “I’m not awake yet.”

Cross stepped closer, his heart pounding. “You look like you’ve been through a wind tunnel with that hair, bunny.” He reached out, brushing a stray hair from Dust’s face. “But, honestly, you’re the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.”

Dust’s eyes widened slightly, a hint of confusion breaking through his sleepy haze. “What’re you on about? Can't... too tired to..think.”

Cross chuckled, his heart racing. “Nothing much, just trying to figure out how to get a ring on your finger without waking you up to do it.”

Dust rubbed his eyes again, smirking despite himself. “Well, when you figure it out, let me know. I might be more awake by then.”

“You’re perfect just like this,” Cross said softly, leaning in to press a gentle kiss to Dust’s forehead. “Drool and all.”

Dust blinked, then a sleepy grin tugged at his lips. “You’re hopeless, you know that?”

Cross chuckled, pulling Dust into a hug. “Hopelessly in love with you.”

Dust sighed contentedly, resting his head on Cross’s shoulder. “Guess that’s not the worst way to be.”

The kitchen, bathed in the warm afternoon light, seemed to glow a little brighter as Cross held Dust close, content in the perfect imperfection of their morning.

LINES UNDER HERE THAT DID NOT MAKE THE FINAL CUT :)

“Morning,” Dust mumbled, his voice thick with sleep.

Cross’s heart skipped a beat. Despite the chaos of his appearance, or maybe it was because of it, Dust was the most beautiful thing Cross had ever seen. He couldn’t help but let out a soft, awed laugh. “Morning? I’d say it’s more like afternoon.”

Dust blinked slowly, squinting at Cross through his bleary eyes. “Yeah, yeah. I’m not exactly known for my punctuality.”

-

Dust’s eyes narrowed in confusion. “Are you saying something profound or just being weird?”

It was a lazy Sunday afternoon, and the Night Shard Crescents were taking a break from their busy schedule. Dust and Cross had decided to spend the day together at their shared apartment, enjoying each other's company and catching up on some reading.

As Cross lounged on the couch, engrossed in a book, Dust sat across from him curled up in an armchair, a novel in his hands. He had a habit of squinting slightly when he read, his expression one of concentration and focus.

Cross found himself stealing glances at the brunette every now and then, unable to resist the urge to admire his boyfriend. He loved the way heterochromatic eyes moved across the pages, brows furrowing in thought as he absorbed the words. He loved the way Dust's lips would sometimes curl up in a small smile or how he would chew on the end of his pen when he was engrossed in a passage.

But today, something was different. The blond noticed that Dust's squint seemed more pronounced, and there was a faint hint of a frown on his face. He wondered if something was bothering Dust, but he didn't want to interrupt his reading.

He didn't want to pry if Dust wasn't ready to share whatever was bothering him, so he decided to keep his observations to himself. Instead, he continued to feign interest in his book, while stealing glances at Dust every now and then, his concerned eyes hoping to catch a glimpse of what might be bothering his boyfriend - who kept fidgeting and occasionally rubbing his eyes.

As the minutes ticked by, Dust's eyes started to strain even more, and he found himself blinking rapidly to try and ease the discomfort. Eyes flicking up, he checked to see if Cross was looking at him, relieved to find him with his nose in his book, Dust took a deep breath and carefully reached for the drawer of the nearby side table.

The bassist's heart skipped a beat as he saw his subtle movements. Now, with his curiosity piqued, he continued to pretend to be engrossed in his book while carefully keeping an eye on his boyfriend. He watched as Dust opened the drawer of the lampstand, raising his head slightly to see what he was searching for.

His heart only continued to swell when he saw the guitarist take out a glasses case from the drawer. He had never seen Dust wear glasses before, and the realization that his boyfriend needed them for reading hit him like a sucker punch to the heartstrings.

Dust's face relaxed as he put the glasses on, like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders and Cross couldn't help but find the sight endearing. He watched as Dust's squint disappeared, honey-brown and ocean-blue eyes sparkled in relaxation behind the glasses. Seemingly, he believed he'd gotten away with his little secret.

He tried to push away his thoughts and be nonchalant about his revelation, but his mind kept flicking back to the image of Dust wearing glasses. He imagined reaching out and pushing those stray strands of hair away from Dust's face, tucking them behind his ear to get a better view of those beautiful eyes framed by the glasses.

'No, bad Cross, don't think about that, he clearly doesn't want you to know!'

But imagine him all flushed and pretty - blown-out eyes only looking bigger behind the lenses, as he stared up at the blond over him with adoration, as he whimpered, arms held pinned above his head by entwined fingers…

He quickly shook his head, trying to clear away the inappropriate thoughts.

'Focus, Cross, focus on your book. Stop daydreaming about your boyfriend in glasses.'

Every time Dust looked up from his book, Cross couldn't help but stare, captivated by the new sight. He found himself mesmerized by the way the glasses perched on the guitarist's nose, founding his face and making him look even more adorable than usual.

The brunette continued reading, seemingly unaware of Cross's internal turmoil. He occasionally adjusted his glasses, pushing them up slightly when they slipped down his nose. He found even those small gestures incredibly endearing.

Waking up in the morning with him sitting up in bed, glasses perched on his nose, his hair tied back and messy, the freckles that coated his face visible as he handed Cross a cup of coffee, his voice raspy with sleep as he muttered 'Good morning.'

The more Cross tried to distract himself, the more vivid his daydreams became. He imagined lazy mornings spent in bed, cuddled up with Dust, savouring the quiet moments before the world woke up. He pictured himself tracing the bridge of Dust's glasses with his fingers, leaving light touches on his cheeks, and feeling the warmth of his breath as they shared gentle morning kisses.

'Get a grip, Cross. This is not the time to fantasise about your boyfriend.'

But he couldn't help it. The image of Dust wearing glasses captured his heart, and he found himself falling deeper in love with the guitarist. It wasn't just the glasses; it was the vulnerability and intimacy of Dust sharing this part of himself with him, even if unintentionally.

As the afternoon sun began to dip lower in the sky, Dust finally closed his book, stretching his arms above his head in a contented yawn. He pushed his glasses up once more, the movement drawing Cross's attention yet again.

"Hey, Crossy, what you staring at?" Dust asked, catching the blond's gaze.

Cross quickly averted his eyes, feeling a blush creeping up his cheeks. "N-nothing," he stammered, trying to act casual. "Just lost in thought."

"Lost in thought, hm? What kind of thoughts you having that make you blush like that, huh?" The guitarist smirked.

"Oh, you know, just daydreaming about… stuff," he said, trying to play it off as casually as possible.

Dust raised an eyebrow, clearly amused by Cross's flustered state, as he strode closer. "Stuff, huh? Care to share what kind of stuff you're daydreaming about?"

"Well, it's… um, you," he admitted, trying to avoid eye contact.

Dust's playful smirk grew into something much darker, a mischievous glint in his eye, as he got closer again, their noses almost touching. "Me, huh? What about me?" he hushed, leaning down, practically in his boyfriend's lap.

Cross's cheeks turned even redder, and his heart pounded in his chest as Dust got closer. He found himself unable to look away from the captivating gaze of those heterochromatic eyes behind the glasses.

"You look really good in glasses," Cross blurted out, unable to hold back the compliment any longer.

That gave him pause, as he blinked, reaching his hand up to trace a finger over his glasses, feeling slightly self-conscious. "Oh…I forgot I was wearing them, heh."

Cross gently reached out, taking the brunette's hand in his own, intertwining their fingers. "Don't be embarrassed," he said softly, bringing Dust's hand to his lips, leaving a tender kiss on his knuckles."You should wear them more often; you look gorgeous."

"I might if you keep looking at me like that."

Cross couldn't help but smile at Dust's response as he leaned in, unable to resist the pull between them, and pressed a gentle kiss to Dust's lips, conveying all the affection and admiration he felt for the other man.

Dust melted into the kiss, his fingers tightening their grip on the bassist's hand as he leaned in closer. The warmth of their embrace, the taste of Cross's lips, and the feeling of being cherished made his heart swell with love. The glasses on his nose bumped lightly against Cross's cheek, making him smile.

They broke the kiss but remained close, foreheads touching as they breathed in each other's presence. "Well, I'm glad you find my glasses so fascinating," Dust murmured, his voice soft and filled with affection.