#miokki

a shiver runs through your body as you leave, the bathroom being considerably warm from your presence, a sharp contrast from the coldness of the rest of your house. nonetheless, you continue towards the other side of the house-diverting your body around the odd decorations that have suddenly appeared over the many months. your eyes shift at the many tables and stand around your house, searching for your handbag, seemingly placed carelessly from late last night.

yet, there was a particularly new scent in the air as you finally spotted it. you waft it in, the smell bringing you comfort. ah, coffee.

evidently forgetting about your bag or the need to get to work on time, you make your way to the kitchen. your eyes wandering around the corner to find your lover, in a pair of shorts and a loosely fitted, black tank top. the curves of your lips turning upwards as you watch him from afar, his fluffy grey hair in front of his eyes as he sleepily sips from his mug.

alhaitham takes several moments before he recognises your presence-finding you in the corners of his eyes as he rubbed his eyes open. his hair tucked to the sides of his face before pausing when you catch his eye.

"good morning to you, too." his croaky morning voice travels across the room.

you giggle at the display. you're quick to leave your leaning spot as you step towards your boyfriend. the sound of the mug vibrates in your ear as it's placed down on the counter in front of alhaitham, seemingly waiting for your embrace.

as you close the distance, your arms wrap themselves around your lover's neck like muscle memory. the muscles in your arms receive a satisfying stretch, in which you sigh. with the little space between you two, you stare up at him— the point of your noses closing the gap between. eyes glazing over another you gaze at his crimson-turquoise eyes as he stares back into you, his gaze softer than his usual, sharp look.

"good morning, my love," you hum, your voice resembling a honey-smooth memory.

alhaitham's hand wrapped around your lower torso, one of his hands rubbing up and down your back while the other remains at rest. his body swayed to the quiet atmosphere of your home, his eyes blinking slowly.

your boyfriend eyes open once again, this time intently staring at your attire. a sudden frown now on his thin lips.

"are you leaving for work already?"

oh!

"right. unfortunately so," you voice with a bit of reluctance in your tone-your head turning away from him before returning. "um, well i had to head off in like a minute ago, so i suppose i have some time to spare."

"habibti, what do you mean you had to leave–"

before he can finish, your lipstick-covered lips are on his. the lingering, bitter taste of coffee staining his lips as your right hand leaves his neck to cup his cheek. yet alhaitham becomes the one to deepen the kiss his tongue sliding into your mouth, your tongues twining around another. you pull away from the passionate kiss, your eyes now open as you observe your haitham's expression of longing. is that puppy eyes you see?

"okayy, maybe just one more," you say, your other hand now cupping his other cheek as you pull his face towards your lips.

your first attack is his cheekbones continuing to say 'one more' before leading to his forehead and some of his cloudy, grey hair, marking him with your lips. your lips' next destination his tall nose, both the tip and the bridge. unable to hold back, your continuous giggles fill both yours and his pair of ears as your knees bend slightly from your enjoyment. meanwhile, alhaitham is bathing in the attention you're showering him with, although the growing heat against his cheeks only seems to be getting hotter.

your tiny giggles vibrate in alhaitham’s ears and in his heart as you speak, “okay, this one is the final kiss,” you declare. your tone is playful as you pull him into a kiss—a light airy one, a peck on the lips.

after, your hands slide down from his face and to his forearms, gripping them softly as you step back. you observe alhaitham, his slouched, sleepy figure is no more-now replaced with a flustered mess of a man avoiding your gaze. the rest of his body, hot and still half-asleep from your affectionate attack. a breathy laugh escapes you, staring at the many kiss marks you've stamped onto the many angles of your face.

"i suppose, my spare minute it up, how unfortunate. i'll see you when home, lovely. miss me on you day off will, ya?"

❈ KAMISATO AYATO

the light smell of rain after a shower always seemed to bring a certain amount of comfort to your soul. the world becomes a quiet place whenever it makes its entrance, humans squirm at the thought of getting spattered on without their permission. it's a fun thought, however you are the same, you are human. as you, yourself, have waited for the rain to go on its way before going out on rather cut-short list of errands in inazuma city.

even after the length of your patience no longer has to stretch, the constant, stable sound of droplets has made you rather sleepy. perhaps, you should have listened to ayato when he suggested a indoors day together, covered in several blankets and the duvet, sharing each other's warmth through the snuggling. and while you did indulge for two hours, max, you couldn't help but twitch at unsolved problems you've yet to finish. the guilt of it eating you whole as you silently rolled off your futon placed on the floor and onto the tatami mat. your footsteps light and feather like as you dressed yourself before sitting down to watch the rain.

you sigh, pushing yourself up onto your feet and turning way from the door you've been waiting to leave since afternoon. your cold feet hit the floor quietly as you make your way around the kamisato estate and into the room you and your husband shared.

your breath hitches, your body tensing at the sight of the silky, ruffled, pastel-blue of his hair. ayato's back facing away from your view, the blankets covering everything below his shoulders. perhaps it's a guilty pleasure of yours

-staring at your husband-yet it's the rare moment you stop to savour. the vulnerability of it all. the less ambitious side of him, the man who sits and has all the time in the universe for his loved ones. you love that he shares it with you, you adore it.

you take a step forward towards ayato, only for him to stir in his sleep. the sound of a soft, throaty groans eluding him followed by a series of subtle shifts in his positions. unable to keep yourself from looking, you find him continuing to move until your lover has turned himself facing you. ayato's pale complexion staring back at you as an arm escapes the covers. he reaches out, reaching to you that no longer lies by his side.

your husband resumes his seemingly agitated fusses, his breath slows as his eyes begin to open. with ayato's head slightly lifted above he squints up at you. stares up at you. confused, his hand lazily placed in your usual spot.

your lover whines, "dear, what are you doing?" you tilted your head, playing coy, "what ever could you mean, my love?"

a sigh, an unappeased one left his pink lips as his ocean deep eyes gazed at you. his pastel-blue strands of hair falling over his eyes as ayato spoke.

"i refuse to believe that you're going out, not after noon." ayato's figure more up right as disapproves of what is to come.

you only hum, "so, what if i am? and what is it you're willing to do to get me to stay?"

you slid to your knees, your knees feeling the warmth of the futon as you close the gap between the two. two pairs of eyes now level with one another, ready for a trade.

"oh? and i thought i would be getting compensation for the time i lost without you by my side. yet, you want something in return for your absence," ayato pondered.

somehow, it has become your responsibility to be as your husband's side and fairly so. he says it as if it's your duty, as if the only person in the world who can is you. and your glad your husband has a good head on him, as he would be correct. it's yours for the taking and it will always be closed for anyone else but you. that you're sure of.

"¡ suppose, i could indulge in a little compensation," you answer reaching out to ayato's chin, taking it between your index and your thumb.

and then you bring your lips quick and close to his cheek before kiss his plumb, soft skin. you pull away, yet before ayato can get another word in you kiss his other cheek, and then under his eye. your lips littering as many kisses as you can before you run out of breath.

you take a shaky inhale, your fingers shooing the hair from your face. seeing past your hand, you watch a luminescent smile seep through ayato's metal, cold exterior. his rounded cheeks painted over with pink watercolours, his eyes forever an ocean-like blue.

"there," your chest continues to raise and lower, gradually returning to its usual pace. however, with ayato your 'usual' tends to vanish with just simple touches. "is this compensation enough for you, my lord?" irony coiled around your tone.

ayato stares into you, his eyes laced with sincerity, "i believe the rightful compromise is your return, my love." your heart throbs in secrecy.

"and i will, hun. i just have to run a few errands, my mind will not rest until i have." just thinking about the return has raised a smile on your lips.

❈ LYNEY

in the many corners of teyvat the world becomes calm during evenings and nights, more bearable for some. however, not one place inside or out can replicate a fontainian night, not to par, not with the same signature. the night is soft, a comforting feeling permanently weaving itself through the dark blue. a renowned chill waves through the air as fontaine and its people are awake for an outing. while the streets aren't busy many stroll on the many streets there are to walk on, usually shopping, dining or visiting what the opera epiclese has to offer. often a show one of its kind, and tonight; lyney the magician.

in your opinion, besides trials, lyney is your favourite stage to watch at the opera epiclese. perhaps it's personal bias as he is your lover and all, yet there is a way he glows on a stage that bewitches your senses, fries your heart and mind into a frenzy of feelings. lyney was meant for the stage, whether it be big or two seats at a dinner table, he was born to be seen. that itself is a hill you're willing to die on.

however, it seems a recurring voice in your boyfriend’s head has allowed him to believe otherwise, even for a singular night. there’s hurt in your core watching it, the uncoordinated rambles leaving his pink lips and the worry in his tone making your eyebrows furrow. the bright lamp lights illuminating both of your faces, however, the intensity of them is more than enough to make you squint. yet, among the rambles you find yourself leaning against a wooden crate backstage and staring at him, his hair unnerve and frantic from constant fingers running through and his forehead shimmering from the anxious sweat.

the magician paces back and forth between two spots, the way he's twisting around in the same spot making you believe that the floorboards may give in before he stops. his thoughts racing out loud he sputters, "—how did i do this before-i swear i wasn't as nervous as last time. do you think i've forgotten something?"

"i think you're forgetting how wonderful of a performer you are, lyney," you say with an aim to comfort him.

his pitch gains height, "but your view of me is different than everyone else! what if can't manage to entertain the audience this time?"

your eyes pause in one place as you continue to follow lyney's stressful strutting. his movements coming to a stop as he plants both the soles of his boots on the ground, his toes facing you. his lovely lilac eyes solely on you, awaiting your response, hoping for a hint of reassurance. a thing that you will gladly grant over and over again.

"sweets, you know very well that you can capture an audience, even with just your smile. you captured me with it." your answer sounded with more hurt in your heart than you would put merit for. yet, you forever wish he could see himself through your own admiring eyes.

"dear, you say it as if i've taken your heart prisoner in," he trails off, his usual, playful tone slowly returning back to the world.

you push off the box, taking several steps forward, your steps causing the planks to squeak. the wood—old and beaten, unafraid of appearances and allowed to be its withered self at the expense of being only for performers, away from the rest of the world.

"oh, but you have, dear. haven't you, lyney?" there's a certain amount of swing in your step as your voice embraces a melodramatic feature.

you observe his unsure expression as you near. unsure of what you mean, unsure of what your planning mind is thinking and unsure of what you're feeling, for your mask of mist is overwhelming.

you stand close to him, only a small gap between your feet, "yet, i must confess i want my heart to be forever yours. don't hold it in the hands i've placed it in. carefully hold it next to yours as i've done with your own." your voice is soft, your fingers delicately guiding themselves to the left of his chest, a palm pressing against the frills and fabric that lay before his heart.

his hazed eyes meet your gaze as you look up, imagining the scent of lavender as you study lyney's gaze. his breath is ragged, your hand moving to the rhythm of his lungs working. your beloved doesn't respond to your request, he doesn't know how. yet, you know he'll follow, even through thin silence and a fluttering breath.

you smile, propping yourself up onto the wooden surface propped up by the wall, a large vanity of sorts. you lift a hand motioning lyney towards you.

"come, let me braid your hair," you say, the topic from before becoming something to now ponder over.

he's quick to move back into you, in between your legs as you comb a hand through his ashy blonde locks. first, a nail runs from his hairline to create a part in his hair, although most of his hair is sectioned off to the side you're not going to braid. you comb another hand through the hair, the strands soft between fingers as you section a part close to his face before splitting it into three. taking one of the outer strands, you lay it over the top of the middle strand before repeating the process several times.

"lyney, my love, could you please turn around," you request, switching hands and tightening your grasp on his hair.

your lover winces and you let out a chesty chuckle as he begins to face you with a pout. you observe the unfinished work placed on the side of his face, before eying him. a sudden urge nudges your mind, yet you indulge by placing a kiss on his cheek and then asking him to turn around for you again.

"h-hey!" he exclaims, pink slightly airbrushed onto his pale cheeks.

you tease some more, looking up at the clock in the corner of your eye; motioning to it, "you choose, you have ten minutes before you're out on stage."

you swear you heard a hushed huff as he faced away from you once again. lyney’s hair is at your disposal as you continue braid, your fingers raking through both his hair and scalp as you continue to intergrade more strands into the singular plait behind his ear. your eyes graze his bare skin—specifically the back his neck and shoulders. lips getting dangerously close, your breath caressing your partner’s shoulder before the two connect in short.

a smile widens on your lips as you feel your boyfriend slightly squirm under your touch. yet, you're inclined to kiss his pretty skin, leading from the outs of his shoulder to the point where his neck and back meet. you pepper many of your kisses until his skin feels feverish. until you have braided to 'til there is only a tuff at the end of the braid.

you tie the hair off, sweeping it behind his ear as he begins to face you, "thank you," he breathes out.

"you'll do great, i promise." you cup his cheek, "your nerves aren't out of the blue lyney, it happens."

you press one more kiss, this time against the plump of his cheek.

"i’ll see you out in the crowd, my love."

you only reply with a smile.

do not copy of repost any of my works.

in truth, he has very limited experience with flowers and its symbolism; less is known about how much you like flowers. yet, xiao isn’t known to ask and only hopes that you’ll understand the vision as he admires the beauty of the them—each petal handled with such delicateness and care. yet, his mind swiftly switches to you and the way you handle him—like porcelain, like glass. that’s what your touch feels like. your skin on his is a hot fire burning on his, yet it’s gentle. in a way that makes him feel that no one has been kind to him—at least not before you.

he wishes there were more to convey his ocean like affections for you, something that meant his life long oath to you. yet, you wouldn’t agree such a thing, he thinks. he finds it strange humans, your kind, can be the same yet completely different. he’s seen humans that want the world, but seem to only want to love him and live knowing your boyfriend loves you back.

“excuse me?” he asks quite meekly to the florist standing by the counter.

the florist gaze meets his, “mm, how can i help?” her smile glows as she disregards the floral foam and roses in front of her.

“what flowers would you recommend, for my partner?” he replies.

her smile widens, and xiao tenses as she moves from behind the counter and towards him. however, he soon relaxes, his shoulders now sitting in a comfortable position as she speaks purely of her craft. xiao watches as she points to all different shades, some of of white, some of red. yet, it still leaves him feeling clueless and embarrassed. it isn’t long before, the florist is stumped. simply unsure of what other flowers could the man want.

“i’m sorry for troubling you,” xiao says, sounding incredibly apologetic.

“nono, you’re fine. it’s not everyday someone shows up with a challenge.” the florist panics as her hand waved in the morning air before she turns back to grab a book and pencil. “tulips.. no, maybe something else.” she turns the page. “we’ve gone over liles… ahah, what about some chrysanthemums?” she turns her head to xiao and xiao tilts his.

“those white ones over there,” she directs, pencil hanging out of her mouth as her finger lifts up to point the white flowers sitting on the middle shelf. yet before xiao can get a closer look, the light wood from her lips drops and her hands start to shake from her joy. “oh my! i have some leftover carnations in the back. give me a second, i have a really cute idea.” then she starts to run off.

it’s not long after that she comes back out of the storeroom with a bunch of white chrysanthemums, pink carnations and a hand full of baby breath, along with rolls of paper and ribbon all wrapped in her arms. a smile spread across her tan skin, and her rosy cheeks bright and clear in the sun as the materials land on the wooden surface.

it isn’t long before the range of flowers transforms into bouquet, lands in xiao’s callused palms and is paid for in full. however, the bunch of petals doesn’t leave the store without a series of thank you’s, smiles and goodbye’s before xiao exits. the bell ringing behind him as he walks along the streets of liyue. internally smiling to himself as he travels back home.

“xiao?” your voice rings in his ears.

you grip onto the tote bag’s handle resting on your right shoulder as you lift off the heels of your shoes. a shocked look splattered on your boyfriend’s features as you speed toward him, the stone under your feet scratching against the soles of your shoes. fresh morning air spreads across your face while you loose the distance between the two of you.

“hun, i’ve been wondering where you’ve been all morning. i was worried,” you say to his face before looking down at his left hand. “oh, are those mums?” you point at the white flowers.

“chrysanthemums? yes, do you not like them?” your lover’s eyes displays a thousand words, years of worry in them, as he stumbles over the word ‘chrysanthemums’. it’s endearing.

you can’t help but panic all the same, “nono, i love them, their beautiful. but how come your look disappointed?” you question, staring at the somber look in his golden eyes.

“i wanted to surprise you. i hadn’t anticipated that you would go out to find me.” the discontent takes a spotlight in the pools of gold and stars.

oh. perhaps you should just pretend to be blind and walk—

“i mean you still can, i’ll just pretend i never saw you this morning and—“ you begin to walk back in the direction you came from yet don’t make it far. you barely get two feet away before your wrist is used to tug you back to him.

he pushes the flowers towards you, “i want you to have them now, even if it didn’t go to plan. i should of known, i’m always meant to find you in every lifetime.”

you take a step forward as you hear a break in xiao’s voice, your lips closing in on the side of his porcelain face. you place a gentle smiled kiss on his skin before taking the bouquet from his grasp. you stop. you stare and admire it for its beauty. yet your eyes catch onto the pink ribbon loosely wrapped and tied into a pretty bow around the pieces of paper and parchment that hold the stems. it only takes a moment and a half for your fingertips to caress the thin, long line of closely woven fabric and to tug it undone. a long line now in your hold along with the bouquet.

“here, give me your hand.” you gesture towards his left as you lift your right towards his.

your boyfriend holds up his pinky as you lift your own, carefully placing the bouquet in between your arm and you side. xiao watches intently as you wrap the ribbon around his finger twice and tie it off with a knot before doing the same to your own pink before tying it off with a bow. the sun shines in your eyes as the ribbon between creates a curve.

“here, i know we can’t see it normally but it isn’t just you that finds me, i chase after you too. i found you here after you disappeared this morning. and in every life time this ribbon will lead us both to each other, in all my life times. you’re not alone xiao, i’m here now at the very least.” you reassure, combing back his green toned hair out of his face.

he can’t help but laugh. he smiles. xiao smiles so brightly that you can watch the moment his eyes start to shine with tears. yet the moment the tears starts to roll, you pull him straight into your embrace, rubbing his back and whispering your affections for him.

do not copy or repost any of my works.

however, it barely feels like you're sharing a home with him at times. as more often than not; he returns home after you fall asleep and leaves before you arouse from your slumber. so, when you're sitting awake in your and your boyfriend's shared bed and you suddenly hear creaking at the front of the house, your curiosity is heavily peaked.

you can hear the harsh sounds of a sneznayan blizzard become loud, both the strong winds and snow crashing down on to the earth mercilessly as you slip off the bed. your toes gently hitting the cool wooden flooring in an attempt to not gain your boyfriend's attention. quietly dragging your blanket off the bed, and wrapping it around yourself with only your head and the strands of your hair sticking out.

the first few steps you take are calculated and careful, only putting the weight of your body down when you're sure it's a plank of wood that won't squeak. and while still careful, the next steps you take are more confident—navigating the floor as if you were a seasoned adventurer from the adventurers' guild until you get to the bedroom door. only taking an ever-so-small breath of relief as your eyes gaze through the crack of the door. your eyebrows furrowing when observing your orange-haired man sprawled all over the couch. his chest moving up and down as if he had been chased all the way home.

you know that checking on him from a far should of been it, yet the rest of your actions are your body's doing. seemingly moving on its own as your hand pushes the door in front of you open. only to reveal a dimly lit living room and a trail of footprints starting at the front door to ending at the couch. the couch placed not far from the right of the entrance.

a split second later, your boyfriend is now staring at you. his head upside down from your view touching the back of the couch as he looks at you with a look of both shame and panic. however, you only look back blankly before moving towards him.

"move over," you whisper, your hands gesturing to his arms laying of both armrests.

you internally giggle at the way he swiftly shuffles at your request, acting as if you were an higher up of his. ajax still stares at you with his ocean blues, now hidden by the dark of the night as you sit beside him. the blanket that once was wrapped around you now spread across both yours and his lap to share the warmth.

yet, he still says nothing-waiting for you to make your move so he can counteract yours.

"love, is this the time you've been coming back," you ask, looking away from your lap to look at him however your eyes widen at the sight of him.

"your bleeding," you say softly, your hand reaching out to the red on his sleeve but he moves away.

"babe, it's dark. it's probably from the blizzard."

"don’t lie."

you push your fingertips further, breaking through the atmosphere to touch the dampen surface, "wait, ow... be careful." he winces, his tone becoming softer.

"alright, alright, i may have got ahead of myself," ajax chuckles. your eyes explore his body—taking notice at the slight rips in his clothing and the ever growing spots of bloods seeping through the fabric, the more notable ones at his side and all up his right arm.

"lift your arms up," you yawn as you reach to unbutton parts of his shirt.

sounds of your boyfriend's attire rustling break the air as he shifts around, though his movements short and unsure. you can feel him sucking sharply in a breath as you place your fingers under the shirt in order to lift it over his head. quickly tugging up on the fabric as gently as you can to lessen the pain. ajax's arms then lower as to make the rest of the process less difficult and awkward.

it's when you stare at your boyfriend's shirtless body, then your blank expression breaks slightly and your breathing halts. it hurts you a little that he's being hiding this from you. the scars. the ones scattered all over his torso, ones that blend in with his freckled and tattered skin. the ones that you want to touch and caress. yet, as you reach his untouched shoulder the moonlight shines onto your face, and you think that ajax has seen the look in your eyes.

"i'm sorry, love. i.." he says reaching out for your hand before wincing once again.

"right," you exclaim, pulling your hand back, remembering that you should patch him up. "hun, where's the bandages?"

"under the coffee table," he sighs.

you look to front of you to not only see the bandages but a pack of cotton balls and a bottle saline laying right where he said. how did i not notice something like that? you think to yourself.

you pick up all three, place them down on top of the table and then take a cotton ball out of the packaging and the bottle of saline solution. soon after, you put the cotton on top of the open bottle before tipping it upside down. the ocean smelling liquid swishes around inside until you quickly flip the bottle back up and place it back up onto the wooden table.

you turn your eyes back to your lover, seemingly more relaxed when you first approached him in his weakened state. your eyes tracing his slouched shoulders and the way his body has now ensconced into the cushion. his heavy dark-blue eyes stare back through messy hair as your movements break through the air, your hand shifting towards one of the wounds on his arm.

the motion is soft as the soaked cotton meets the injury-trying to be as brief and gentle as possible to lessen the man's pain. yet despite your efforts, he still flinches away from the former ball of fluff, softly hissing under his breath as you continue disinfecting the gash.

"what happened?" your voice, earnest, while you replace the blood covered cotton ball for a new one-moving further down his arm to clean the others.

he sighs defeated, "what can i say? people truly hate debt collectors," he jokes. "no, but i got unlucky and provoked the company the fatui had been funding for years. there may have been one or two payments in the past, yet we haven't gotten any payments back on the last several months. what i didn't anticipate was how strong their men were as a whole."

the orange-haired man's chest bounces up and down as he tells the story as if was an adventure book, smiling at the fight. he's quick to point out where he got the wound from when you clean them up. you notice it distracts him from the pain of it and it's not long before all the tension in the air dissipates. your smile soft against your lips as two of you talk until your up to the last of his wounds to bandage.

you squint at the slash on his forearm, the roll of gauze in hand as apply the dressing on top wound before starting to secure it. the skin between your eyebrows beginning to crease from your state of concentration.

"what's on your mind, my dear?" ajax hums.

"nothing important," you say, an obvious lie on your part. he laughs inwardly, "come on, love. you know i don't just ask questions for the sake talking. talk to me," he whispers, his head becoming closer.

you only let out a rather large breath of air through your nose. actively pausing the wrapping of bandages to think of what to say—wanting to get the right message across towards your concerns about him and the two of you. the moon shining bright out the window as you find the right words.

"i guess..." you start, accidentally fumbling with the gauze, "i want you to be more honest with me."

"I don't want to be someone you hide from, ajax. i want you to rely on me. i know i'm not strong in the way you are, but i don't want to live knowing that there's a truth you won't tell me," you express, your hand grasping onto his.

the skin is rough and vein, yet ajax’s hold on you is tight as your thumb slides over his skin. and still, his grasp is unsure— shaky even as he shares a worried look with you.

"and what if you don't like the the side i hide?" you lover says reluctantly, his breath nearing your neck

you gaze up, "i couldn't imagine a world where i don't come to love you," you reply through loving eyes, your hand coming up to cup his cheek before kissing the corner of his lips.

"ajax, i want you to trust me with all of you. your scars, your secrets, your thoughts—even the unpleasant ones. all of it. so, please, don't hide, my love." your words flow as naturally as your tears on face.

yet as they roll into the corners of your mouth, all you can taste is the bittersweetness of the night before the feeling of ajax's soft lips connecting with your own is the sole thing that consumes you. you can only smile as you bathe in the sensation of his love on yours.

do not copy of repost any of my works.

you’re pretty confident in thinking that your voice wasn’t that boring, well, at least not to the greatness of making the acting grand sage alhaitham fall asleep. it was either that or the shiny new title had taken its toll on alhaitham much harder than you had anticipated. but being sure of alhaitham’s abilities, you'd doubt that your boyfriend wouldn’t let something like that beat him so easily. however, rather than dwelling on it, you put the pile of papers back down onto the table you were sitting on before settling back onto the table.

with alhaitham, defenceless under your regard, you decide to use every moment to further soak his features into your brain. his arms laying on both armrests as his head leaned off to the left. shamelessly watching from above as he bathed in the afternoon sunlight, which only seemed to enhance his glowing complexion. even after the longest time, you are still awestruck at how gorgeous and lovely he is. however, you were only able to truly appreciate this after he let go of his tight guard.

but still, there isn’t a single day you don’t remind yourself of it, not that you have to. it feels like you can’t pull your eyes away, stuck in a trance with him as your man focal point. that was, until you realise you've blown your horribly disguised cover for how sickeningly infatuated you are with him. alhaitham, now staring at you with both a surprised and an embarrassed expression on his face, his ears starting to redden before his eyes close again.

pulling yourself out of your daze, you slowly bring your hand to his cheek, softly caressing it. his skin soft as you feel your lover lean into your touch. dragging your thumb across his face as you watch his eyelashes fluttering, his eyes still shut. you notice a small smile sprawled across his lips, the upwards tug on alhaitham’s lips becoming apparent.

“i know you’re awake, pretty boy,” you tease, using your fingertips to gently move his hair covering his eyes.

alhaitham chuckles as he opens his eyes, crimson red and green, gazing into you. you look at him as he places his hand on top of yours, caging your hand on his face. the action feeling both needy and almost desperate. your boyfriend laughing inwardly before looking you in the eyes.

“let me indulge for a bit longer, just this once, habibti.”

❈ CYNO

the title ‘general mahamatra’ is a hefty title to uphold, many become overwhelmed by the responsibility, therefore, avoiding the title as a goal. yet cyno maintains it, and he does it well. so much so that it occasionally stresses you that your boyfriend doesn’t rest enough and might become overworked. albeit, a habit to visit him while he's working just to make sure he's okay. so when you come across him fast asleep in his office, you can’t help but sigh in relief, glad he’s resting up for once. sumeru’s general mahamatra deserves to slack off every once and a while, no? this is deeming that he does a vast majority of sumeru’s upkeeping.

quickly and quietly, you slip through the small gap between the wall and the door, the door slightly squeaking as it brushes against your chest before you get through. you sigh once you're inside and swiftly shut the door to cyno's office. observing your, your view the few nicely potted plants and the tall bookshelves in the back with hundreds of untouched books. and the centrepiece to complete; cyno’s desk, with him, slouched in his chair, arms crossed and his hat still on.

you don’t understand why the akademiya even bothered giving him an office. cyno is supposed outside for almost all of the day, the exception being when he comes back to report things that have happened throughout his duties. he enjoys being outdoors and in action. him, being inside the office defeats the purpose of being a matra. although it is a good place to cool down when the time is presented.

speaking of which, you’re feeling a bit brave today, enough so that you’ve chosen to approach the unconscious general. your body shifting around objects until you're behind his desk, standing beside his figure. keeping a close eye on him in case of any sign of consciousness.

unsurprisingly and one would debate, fortunately(me), you got distracted, your boyfriend being the distractant. spacing out, your only focus was cyno’s sleeping figure whose body moved up and down as he breathed. his lightly tanned skin putting you in a trance, remembering how you reminded him to moisturise for the thousandth time. and his sweet, sweet-toned abs that others swoon over while you are fortuitous enough to rest your head on every night whenever you two are home together relaxing.

it was only after a good five minutes of just marvelling at his abs do you decide to do the next big thing. take off his hat. the hat which was ever so kindly shadowing his facial features. slowly reaching out with your hand, grasping the thing in your hand before gently lifting off your boyfriend's hat.

“boo.”

cyno blatantly said, his monotone voice echoing off the patterned walls as well as your scream. his hat was surprisingly nowhere to be seen as it bounced onto the ground.

“archons, i think i died for a second. baby, that wasn’t funny,” you exclaimed.

“it was pretty funny,” he smiled, biting back a laugh.

“was not,” you mumbled, his arms welcoming you as you fell into his touch.

❈ KAVEH

you were just returning from work, the sun already setting as you arrived at your doorstep. today had been particularly tiring. while there was no problem at hand, your energy levels seemed unusually low. the only thing motivating you to finish well was your desire to go home, have a nice dinner and snuggle in bed with your boyfriend, kaveh, who often stays the night even if he didn’t get locked out of his shared home. even so, you found the man knocking at your door almost every two days, his keys suspiciously disappearing every time.

as this occurrence became a near routine, you decided to give kaveh the spare set of keys to your place. hoping that he would let himself in when you would work late and generally when you weren't available. although, when you first proposed the idea he was far from with it, saying he'll lose the keys like he does his own. it’s only when you dropped it in his hand, closed it up and held it promising to him that you wanted him to have it did he hesitantly agree.

and it's true, you do trust him, you've trusted him more than you ever have with someone. you trust him with the key to your home, not only because you love him but because your boyfriend has a kind heart. the kindest you've come to know and you couldn't dream of kaveh doing something to break your faith in him. besides, the interior of your home has never looked better, and it still feels like home despite the altercations.(fr)

speaking of which, you let out a loud sigh as you shut the front door behind you. kicking off your shoes as you announce your presence. however, you get no response. placing your things down, yelling out your lover's name this time, quietly listening for any signs of kaveh being here. but again nothing, making you think that you've been talking to the house the entire time instead of a person.

still not convinced, you search through all the rooms of your house until you catch a glimpse of blonde hair through the gap between the bedroom door. your eyes lighting up as you quickly walk closer, pushing the door open and walking in to see him sleeping sprawled out on top of the bedsheets. his back facing you as soft breathing filled your ears.

you've come to feel relieved whenever you see kaveh, his presence alone is enough to make your body relax naturally. your body unconsciously moves closer to him when he's nearby. you sigh as you sit beside his figure, the mattress sinking under your weight and the sheets rustling as your hands explore, eventually reaching his exposed back.

since the start of the relationship, you've gained a habit of running your hands across kaveh's skin, tracing shapes and letters into it. constantly drawing random words and shapes into any body part of his you had access to, obviously, if he let you. occasionally peppering kissing on the area as you doodle to your heart's content. as for this instance, your eye caught sight of his open back seeing as the perfect opportunity to trace the shoulder blade and draw little basic shapes.

kaveh secretly loves it. he loves that you make him feel special with your undivided attention solely on him, a smile appearing on his lips as he's under your gaze. he loves the drag of your fingertips against his skin, the warm touch calming him down. kaveh loves you as you draw stars into his sensitive skin, unbeknownst to the fact that he's awake as you whispering "i love you"s under your breath, loving that you secretly pine over him too.

❈ TIGHNARI

tighnari had been particularly worried about a certain deadline he had to meet. while he often does lectures at the akademiya, this specific class he’s been taking lectures for, hasn't been absorbing the lecture’s content as well as anticipated. thus, his need to edit the coursework in a way the amurta students would both understand and fascinate them.

although, you wouldn't imagine your boyfriend being so concerned. perhaps it's due to the lack of idea of how to teach or that the new method mightn't work either, yet he can’t seem to let it rest. sure, it is normal for professors to worry a healthy amount about their students’ studies yet he almost seems obsessed with it. it's the only thing that has come out of his mouth all week.

even as you two are doing reports of the forest’s impending health, he avoids talking about anything but the upcoming lecture. oh? you’re trying to fill out some unfinished paperwork—tighnari is talking his head off about the plans he has. even when you finally think that you'll be free of his chattering the man still manages to mention it when the two of you are lying in bed.

while you do enjoy listening to your boyfriend’s most obscure ramblings you'd very rarely hold him against it's becoming more than something he's interested in. observing it now, it's now borderline obsessive. so much so that you've decided to put some distance between the two of you for now, opting to take another forest ranger’s patrol of the forest. this was in hopes that it would help you clear your mind and start a new leaf before speaking to your lover again.

taking a deep, much-needed deep breath fills your lungs, letting your cheeks puff up before exhaling slowly. you shake your hands at your sides which seemed to be a nervous habit, and then push aside the leafy doors, calling out his name to announce your presence. however, to your surprise, you soon find him sound asleep, using a stack of papers as a pillow.

you gazed at him as his dark, silky locks of hair shined in the sun, his unreasonably, pale porcelain skin giving him a natural glow. the sight stopping you in your tracks for a few minutes just to admire his utterly cute face. yet the position tighnari was sitting in and the way your boyfriend was leaning over the desk seemed far from beneficial to both his posture and neck.

“nari, my love.” you hummed as you walked to his side.

you could only watch as your lover’s fluffy ears twitched in your direction due to the sweetness in your tone. yet you only hear a grumble and some squirming in his seat from the man.

“come on, hun.” you whisper as your left hand travels to his shoulder, your thumb rubbing back and forth into his skin.

tighnari lifts his head this time, his eyes barely open, hair sticking to his face and forehead only to see you looking with your gentle gaze he can never say no to.

“what time is it?” the man asks, rubbing his eyes and looking around.

your partner’s ears perk up when you giggle, smiling as he listens to your angelic voice, the sound always hitting his ears in the best way imaginable. his eyes lighting up and sparkling as soon as sees you smile.

“its afternoon now.” you reply, feeling him nuzzle into your touch when you run your free hand through his hair.

“why did you leave me for so long?”

“oh you know why.”

do not copy or repost any of my works.

though the sudden awakening, you were enjoying the sun. the warmth of it on your bare skin was enough to lull you back to sleep. that was until you felt a pair of familiar eyes staring into the back of your head.

“..mmm, stop staring i’m trying to sleep,” you grumbled into your pillow.

“come on! you can at least be a little more enthusiastic to see me.”

even with your back facing her you can always tell she’s wearing her signature cheeky smile. a smile that you’ve quite knowingly and undeniably grown to love. it can be non-other than your girlfriend, hu tao.

you sighed, as you flopped yourself onto your back, your eyes squinting from the light shining through the window. only to see her silhouette kneeling over you. her untamed hair surrounding her face as her eyes gleamed in the sunlight. “good morning.” she greeted. you sighed in defeat, to lazy fight back against your unsettling awakening as you murmured a ‘good morning’ back.

“love..” she said as her expression softened, “you do know what day it is right?”

“um, a tuesday..?” you guessed.

the brunette giggled sleepily as she moved her body closer to yours, sliding her legs up your torso. watching those cherry-red eyes gape at you. pursing her lips as they grew into a sly grin.

“aiya, it's your birthday silly. honestly, what would you do without me, forgetting your birthday,” playfully shaking her head teasingly. “i guess i’ll have to stay with you forever.” ugh how melodramatic. eyeing your girlfriend as her hand was placed on her forehead as she held her head back, waiting for a response.

you whined before pushing your lover off of you with your hands. “ugh i’m going back to sleep.” pulling the duvet over your head as you turned to your side. and to your surprise, the apartment fell silent. content with the level of noise you close your eyes, ready to fall back to sleep. and unfortunately for you, hu tao had other plans.

gradually, gentle hands crawled up your hips and up to your waist. your initial thinking was that you had finally swayed hu tao into resting for a bit longer. although that idea got shut down rather quickly as your girlfriend turned you over to face her once again. “boo!” your girlfriend exclaimed. “did i scare ya?” earning a raised eyebrow on her side.

“ughh come on (first name)! you promised to go out today, you even took a day off just for this. it’s morally wrong to not celebrate!” hu tao groaned, her plump lips pouting ever so slightly in an act to sway you.

“since when have you ever cared about whether things were morally right or not? the advertising that goes into that funeral parlour of yours is what should be considered morally wrong.” you snort.

“hey! you know that’s the main reason we—“ she retorted before briefly getting interrupted by your lips on her. your hands cupping her soft, delicate cheeks as you felt your lover quickly ease into the kiss. you can’t help but smile, making it obvious how much you were enjoying this.

slowly pulling away from the kiss as your lover’s cheeks reddened. “i-“ “shh, i know, i know.” you whispered, one hand combing through her hair whilst the or slid down to her back, keeping you two close. smiling as you felt her breath on your ear, your head resting comfortably on her shoulder.

it felt as if the world fell silent. the only sounds being both of your breathing heard as you two were encased in each other’s warmth, her arms encapsulating you. knowing full well that neither one of you wants a rare moment such as this to end.

due to unforeseen events at the funeral parlour, your girlfriend, hu tao has been working longer hours. leaving you stranded inside your twos abode, the only you two time spent together is being tangled up together in your shared bed during the night.

“(name)?”

“yes, love?

“we’re still going out, right?”

“of course.” smiling as you snuggled closer into her neck, her familiar scent filling your nose.

“do you wanna know something?” hu tao whispered as she clutched onto your shoulders to drag you into her view.

“yeah?”

“i love you.”

“i know.”

“hey!”

watching as her plump lips shifted into a pout, gaping directly into your eyes.you chuckled as you reassured, “i’m only joking,” failing miserably to hide your smile.

“i love you too.”

do not copy or repost any of my works.