It Starts Here / 𝗯𝘅𝗯 (✓)

18: Beds and new apartments

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Twenty-five years old

"Let's move the bed."

Ares has his hand cupping his chin as he watches Felix straighten beside the bed he has just pushed to the corner of the room, turning to look at Ares. "You know," he says, sounding out of breath, "you say it like we're gonna do it together, but you're just standing there. Watching me."

"You look sexy when you move furniture around the room." Felix sends him a look. "Besides," he continues quickly, "someone—" Ares makes sure to dramatically gesture to himself— "has to guide you."

Felix is rolling his eyes, saying, "Right," just as Ares gets an idea. 

"Felix," he says, purposefully sounding as serious as possible when he rests his palms on his knees like Felix always does when he once a year joins Ares on a run. Felix hums, cuffing his sweater, but pauses when he sees the way Ares is darting his head from the window to the bed. "I have an idea."

"No," Felix says. 

Ares ignores him. "I really want the bed beside the window."

"The window?" Felix echoes, abandoning the other sleeve of his sweater so only one of them is cuffed. Ares can already feel it itch in his hands. "You are aware that people can watch us sleep then, right?"

"We own curtains. Besides," Ares starts as he approaches Felix, taking his arm in his hand so he can cuff the other sleeve for him, "we live on third floor now. No one can see us all the way up here."

"Unless they own binoculars."

"Think about it—"

"Mhm." Clearly, Felix is trying to look done with him, but Ares sees a hint of a smile, so he continues,

"Stars? Check. Sunlight? Check. Fresh air? Check." He pauses. "Watch you leave every morning and wave goodbye to you one last time through the window not having to leave bed? Check."

Felix stares at him—Ares makes sure to pout like he has never pouted before—before sighing. "If I catch anybody as much as looking this way we move."

"Of course."

"Country."

Ares smiles at him, nudging his shoulder. It makes Felix's lips tilt. "You'll love it."

"Yeah, yeah, just help me move it already."

When given permission, Ares kisses Felix on the cheek before walking to the other end of the bed, grabbing the bottom of it.

"Ah, my back!"

"I'll hit you."

Ares laughs. They hang up the curtains after they move the bed. 

Felix has an early shift the morning after they finally settle where to leave the bed. Ares doesn't, but he still joins him when he tells him that he's going to sleep. There's something—almost embarrassingly—sentimental about it, he knows, when he can't help but want to spend their first real night in their new apartment, in their new bed, together.

When Ares tells Felix this, he thinks he'll at least make a little bit fun of him, but instead Felix says, "Me too."

"What?" Ares gapes, his head slightly lifted from the pillow to meet Felix's eyes. "Why didn't you say anything?"

Felix laughs, turning his head so that Ares can rest his head on his pillow again. "I didn't want to force you to bed this early because I have work the next morning and can't function on less than eight hours of sleep."