#maeldris

Zeldris groaned as he pushed away from his desk, arching his back in a soft stretch as he worked out his stiff muscles. The dim glow of his office provided a comfortable and cozy ambiance while he grinded out work on his laptop for several hours. Now the sun had set, and the soft glow of the candles danced along the white walls. 

The call of winter had a firm grip over the town, and Zeldris was starting to feel the effects from it. His heater had been raised a few more degrees than normal, and multiple fuzzy blankets were scattered in his living room, even spilling into his office.  

A few feet of snow had fallen over the course of the night, leaving Zeldris with no choice but to work from home for the next few days while he waited for the road conditions to clear up. The raven-haired male turned off his computer, rubbing his eyes from fatigue. He heard a soft knock on the door, swiveling around in his chair to see who it was. 

Long, white hair and a broad, muscular chest stood in the doorway, the warm light from the hallway spilling into his room. Sky-blue eyes glittered in the dim candlelight as his boyfriend stepped into the room, his slippered feet barely making any noise on the wooden floor as he slipped over to Zeldris. “Are you done with work for the day, Zel?” Zeldris stood up from his chair, pushing it back under the desk as he nodded. 

“Yeah. And thankfully it’s Friday, so there aren’t any pressing matters that need to be taken care of before next week,” Zeldris mumbled as he looked up at Mael. Muscular arms wrapped around him, pulling him into a gentle hug that Zeldris allowed, his own arms circling around the taller male’s midsection. After a few moments, Mael knelt down to look at him. 

He looked concerned as he cupped Zeldris’ cheek. “I still think you’re working too hard,” he said, frowning as he eyed the dark circles under his eyes. “I don’t like seeing you in such a state.” Zeldris rolled his eyes slightly, pressing Mael’s hand back down. He wandered over to the candles, picking them up and blowing softly to extinguish the flame, gentle smoke curling from the burned wick and dissipating into the air. 

“I’m fine, Mael. I’ve gone longer without barely any sleep before,” he grumbled as he moved onto another candle. He extinguished that one quickly as he continued to speak in the dark room. “I once went five days with only three hours of sleep each night when I was in college. Two or three days is nothing.” “That’s still concerning,” Mael grumbled, leaning against the doorframe with a raised brow. 

Zeldris huffed in amusement as he set the final candle down, turning off the rest of the dim lights in the room, wandering back over to Mael. He was slightly taken aback as the taller male leaned down, gently pressing their lips together in a gentle kiss. Zeldris’ eyes fluttered shut, enjoying the moment. Finally they separated, Mael’s hand finding its way to Zeldris’ shoulder. 

He gently guided Zeldris to the door across the hallway; their bedroom. “Get into something cozy and warm,” he said softly as he opened the door. “It’s Friday, and I’m treating you to a relaxing night. Just for the two of us. Plus it’s not like we can go anywhere anyways, with the snow piled this high.” Zeldris paused, looking up at Mael quizzically. His blue eyes glimmered with mischief, but remained silent as he ushered Zeldris into their bedroom. 

“I’ll be waiting in the living room for you,” Mael said, finally walking away, his slippers fainting into the distance. Zeldris shucked off his work shirt and pants, tossing them onto the bed as he searched for a cozy outfit. His eyes scanned the various outfits in his closet for a few moments. He opted for black sweatpants and a deep red long-sleeved shirt for the night. 

Zeldris slunk downstairs, his eyes widening at the display of their living room. A roaring fire crackled in the fireplace, the flames dancing along the walls. Their coffee table was laden with sweets and desserts for them to snack on; chocolate strawberries and small slices of red velvet cake. Two cups sat on the side table, steam curling from the surface. 

He finally descended the flight of stairs as Mael shimmied back into the room, smiling softly as he looked at Zeldris’ shocked expression. “Do you like it?” Mael murmured as he brought the smaller male closer to him. Zeldris only nodded, still too stunned to speak. Sure Mael had lavished him with love and affection every waking moment, but this was something he never thought he’d get from his boyfriend. 

Zeldris sat on the couch, reaching over to grab one of the cups. It was tea. “It’s your favorite,” Mael whispered. Zeldris blew a few times to cool it down, bringing it to his mouth and taking a ginger sip. Indeed it was. Lemon tea with a small amount of honey drizzled in. Zeldris sighed deeply, allowing his body to relax as he sunk into the pillows behind him, taking another sip. 

“Why did you go out of your way to do this?” Zeldris asked in confusion as he set aside his tea. Mael sat on the couch beside him, his smile ever present as he brought the raven-haired male close to his side. “We’ve been dating for about a year now, and you’ve never done anything this lavish before. Why now?” Mael simply shrugged as he grabbed a blanket. “I just thought it would be nice to shower you with some extra love. Plus you’ve been working way too hard recently. You need some relaxation tonight.” 

Zeldris hummed in response, but allowed himself to be wrapped in the blanket, his head resting on Mael’s broad chest as the TV was turned on. He grabbed a strawberry as Mael started up the selected movie for them, gnawing on it and allowing the hardened chocolate to break off and bathe his tongue. The snow was starting to pick up again, but neither paid it any mind as the movie started to play. 

The fuzz of Mael’s shirt brushed against Zeldris’ cheek as he settled down, feeling Mael wrap his arms around him. Without a word, he shuffled down a bit, lifting the bottom of Mael’s shit. “H-hey!  What are you doing, Zeldris?” The smaller male slowly worked his way underneath Mael’s shirt, the large size allowing Zeldris to slip in without the fabric tearing. 

He rested his head on Mael’s chest again as he polled his head out from the top, now surrounded by both the blanket and Mael’s jacket. Mael chuckled as he combed his hands through Zeldris’ raven locks. “I guess you just wanted to be a little closer to me, huh?” “Just shut up already,” Zeldris grumbled, keeping his eyes on the screen. He nuzzled up under Mael’s chin, hearing his steady heartbeat as the movie started up. “Whatever you say.”