The Day After

[daniel_brown]

Going home after what had happened wasn't easy, it wasn't until after many pizza-flavored kisses and a text message threat from home that he reluctantly put his clothes back on and forced himself to say "Goodnight" - leaving his panties purposefully tucked into the sheets to be found later.

He slept deep and well, waking the next day to go about business as usual - aside from a stop for confidential STI testing - even though it was hard to keep his head out of the clouds. After settling into the team bus it was hard not to want to reach out to him.

He types out several messages - "I think I love you." "I want you so bad." "Are you thinking about me?" - and erases them all, opting for a much more neutral message.

what r u doing?

Comments

[mysticism]

Merlin catches the smirk and digs him in the ribs gently.

"Everyone's a comedian. Alright, I need to go and wash up and then I'll see if I've got anything in the fridge that isn't developing its own intelligence."

He does actually keep his groceries fairly well-stocked, but he can be forgetful and he's only just emerging from the subsisting-on-ramen habits he developed at university.

[daniel_brown]

He'd offer to look himself, but things are still new and he doesn't want to push it too hard. Instead, he presses a kiss against Merlin's lips and offers him a warm smile.

"I'll rest up for round two." He giggles, kissing him again.

[mysticism]

"I hope you know you're going to be the death of me," Merlin says, but that's absolutely not a no to Round 2. He nips at Daniel's bottom lip and then hauls himself off the bed.

He disappears into the bathroom for the few minutes it takes to clean off the worst of everything, then snags his robe on the way out and belts it around his waist, giving Danny a little wave on the way into the kitchen.

"You're welcome to borrow some of my clothes if you can't be bothered with the tux," he calls over his shoulder. "It'll all be a bit snug, but I'm sure you'll manage."

[daniel_brown]

But what a way to go...

He definitely can't be bothered with the tuxedo - but he does pull his panties back on for the tease if nothing else. Clothing is overrated.

Intrigued, he follows Merlin's voice to the kitchen - watching him with a quiet grin.

[mysticism]

Merlin's contemplating the innards of his fridge when he hears Daniel's footsteps and looks up - only to immediately look away, smiling.

"You're a monster, Daniel. Definitely shouldn't be rewarding this kind of behaviour with food. Do you like French toast?"

[daniel_brown]

"You love it..." he grins even wider, shuffling close on bare feet.

"Sure, I'm... uh... not really picky about food." It's a blessing, given the obscene diet he has to maintain to keep his gym routine from killing him.

[mysticism]

"Understood," Merlin murmurs, and brushes a soft kiss over Daniel's mouth since he's right there. He gets milk and eggs out of the fridge and then shuts it. "Seriously, though, you have to be somewhere else while I'm doing this because you're basically naked and I'm not taking responsibility for any melted butter accidents." He tugs open his robe just enough to reveal the large white scar on his chest. "See how not fun it is?"

Sorry it's been so long coming! Stupid flu hit us hard.

[daniel_brown]

Rolling his eyes again, Danny pushes up off the counter and flashes a grin that would seem all-suffering were it not for the obvious affection behind it.

The scar, though... it draws his attention again and it's all he can do not to reach out and run his fingers over the mark. Maybe someday he'll hear that story.

"Is the sofa safe or still a distraction?"

Aah, that's the worst. Don't worry about it; I hope you're feeling better!

[mysticism]

"Sofa's fine, you gorgeous little monster. Go on." He gives him a gentle nudge with his hip and gets to work, mixing ingredients with the expert touch of someone who knows what he's doing. "Any idea what time it is?"

[daniel_brown]

He's not at all used to be looked at with that sort of adoration, let alone returning it... but he's more than willing to be gorgeous in someone's eyes.

"Mmmm, phone's in the bedroom..." he could bother looking for a clock, but that'd me taking his eyes off a fleeing glimpse of his lover before finding the sofa to sprawl on, eyes closed and body soaking in everything that had happened in the last week.

"Does it matter? Time's irrelevant!"

At least when you're seventeen and adept at existing on minimal sleep.