As the first rays of sunlight broke over the coastal mountains and struggled to break through the rain clouds, Youji eased himself out of the bed, bestowing a light kiss to Ran’s bare shoulder. On silent feet, he padded around the bed and set the alarm for an hour later. He spared a few moments to watch Ran sleep. Such a different face from that which had shown up at the bar the night before. Amazing what sleep could do, smoothing out lines and erasing worries. Of course, the sex had helped. Youji grinned to himself. Gently, he brushed long red hair out of the pale face, a full fledged smile breaking out over his face as Ran’s hand came up to sleepily bat the disturbance away.

Before he woke the man up any farther, Youji crept to the shower. Ran’s bathroom was immaculate, sparkling white. He found a clean towel in a cabinet under the sink. Youji turned the water onto hot, letting it heat up while he took care of another morning bodily function. A light fog of steam had settled over the room by the time Youji stepped under the spray, the hot water working out a few kinks in his shoulders. It had been a long time since he’d held someone through the night.

He had missed it.

Youji showered efficiently, washing his hair with Ran’s shampoo. It made him smile to think he was going to smell like Ran for the rest of the day. He wrapped the towel around his waist and used his finger to give his teeth a once over with Ran’s toothpaste. He hadn’t been prepared to sleep over, but he’d found he couldn’t leave the night before. There was a vulnerability to the man that didn’t show when he was awake. But when Youji looked into his eyes as he thrust into him the night before, there was something there, a longing that reverberated clear through to Youji’s soul.

Silently, Youji crept back into the bedroom. Ran had rolled over, putting his back to the door and curling around a pillow. Youji couldn’t help but smile. He couldn’t say why, but it just felt right, this man was just right to be around. It made his heart sing, as cheesy as it sounded. Taking care of Ran, feeding him, feeding his cat, it had felt good, felt real.

Unable to bear the thought of wearing the previous day’s underwear, Youji shimmied into his jeans without them and pulled his shirt over his head. He supposed he could have borrowed a pair of Ran’s, but he was fairly certain they wouldn’t fit. Youji was thin, but Ran was damn near emaciated. Leaving his shirt untucked, he left the room again and headed for the kitchen.

Ronin trailed him, abandoning his seat in front of the fish tank, which probably supplied hours of frustration, Youji thought. Seeing the fish and not being able to reach them. He smiled at the thought, and at Ronin winding between his legs as he walked, purring softly, obviously searching for some kind of treat.

Youji found Ran’s coffee and got a pot started, then opened the fridge, perusing the contents. He was surprised to find food there, having previously assumed that Ran lived much like himself. Smiling, he pulled out eggs, cheese, and tomatoes. While the coffee perked, he went in search of a blank piece of paper and a pen, careful not to disturb the organized chaos on the coffee table, and careful not to peek, despite his curiosity.

He finally found what he was after and scribbled a note as breakfast was cooking. Youji slid half his semi-omelet onto a plate and set it in the microwave. He ate the other half, ignoring Ronin’s pitiful pleas for a handout. Youji rinsed his plate when he was done, filled the coffee cup he had used with water so it wouldn’t stain.

The cat trailed him silently into the bedroom where he propped the note up against the alarm clock. Ronin jumped onto the bed with a soft meep and pawed the covers into a suitable nest before curling up between Ran’s legs.

Youji smiled again, bent and kissed the pale man softly before leaving, gathering his shoes and coat from the hallway and letting himself out.

Ran stirred when the alarm went off, snaking a hand from beneath the covers to switch it off. His hand brushed a piece of paper blocking the led display. Squinting, his glasses still out on the coffee table, he read the note, the kanji blurring together.

Ran –
Breakfast is in the microwave. Eat it.
I’m out of town for a couple days. I’ll find you when I get back.
Take care of yourself.
-Youji.

Ran grinned. He put the note back on the bedside table and sat up, wincing slightly at the soreness of stretched muscles, but it was a pleasant sensation. Ronin ‘murphed’ a protest as Ran bumped him. With a smile, he pulled himself to his feet and headed to the shower.

He felt rested for the first time in over a week. Ran had finally gotten a full night’s sleep, peaceful, restful, exactly what he’d needed. He had been aware of Youji’s warmth against his back all night, strong arms wrapped around his waist, soft breath in his ear. He had no doubt that Youji had held him through most of the night; he could still feel the ghost of the embrace.

He knew he was slipping, that he was letting Youji get close, maybe too close. His control had been so frayed the night before, he had barely held on to the pieces. He wasn’t sure he had entirely succeeded; he had asked Youji to stay, after all.

The towel Youji had used was damp, hanging over the rack on the wall. Ran started the shower while he shaved and brushed his teeth, wondering how Youji had done the same. A quick shower, wipe down with a damp towel, and he was back in his room pulling a fresh pair of slacks from the closet.

Dressed and back in the bathroom, Ran pulled a comb through his hair. Youji loved his hair, he could tell. It was the way he ran his fingers through it, twisted strands around his fingers to pull Ran closer. With a smile, he tied it back out of his face, feeling able to face another day of teasing, because he knew that someone else liked his hair.

In the kitchen he found the plate of food Youji had left, and coffee already brewed. He reheated the eggs while he found one of his to go coffee cups. He ate quickly, knowing he needed to walk to the bar to get his bike, and Youji had set the alarm for late – for him, anyway. Ran left his plate un-rinsed and topped off his mug, screwing the lid in place on his way to gather some of the papers he’d needed the day before but had forgotten.

He tucked the papers into his satchel before Ran hunted down his keys and his shoes. He went back to the kitchen and set out a small bowl of food for Ronin, knowing it would most likely be another late night. The cat was still fast asleep on his bed, he knew, and would be until the sun climbed a little higher and tried to burn through the clouds. Ran slipped on his coat, slung his bag over his shoulder, and headed out into the rain.