Love Me Tender

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Spring is a wonderful season. Winter has its magical moments with the first snow, Christmas, cities lit up by colorful decorations, but as soon as New Year's Eve passes, you quickly get tired of the cold. The decorations disappear one by one, and all that's left are firework remains and dirty snow. People are haunted by flu after flu, the sun rarely shines and not even hot chocolate and warm blankets can save the mood any longer.

So when the first flowers peek through the snow and the days are getting longer, you're so ready for spring. You want to leave the thick winter jacket back home and hold your face up into the sun, to soak up all the warmth into your cold skin. Spring is the time for trees to blossom, and the animals return. Birds sing everywhere you go, the color returns to the world, and the air is filled with love.

The thought makes you chuckle under your breath as you pass the busy street, because if you shared this idea with Chishiya, he'd mock you for being pathetically romantic. Springtime, the time for lovers; Valentine's Day,... Nothing of interest for the blonde. It is a charm that you'll have to enjoy for yourself, but that's alright. Not everyone can be a hopeless romantic.

So you keep smiling, savor every second in the sun on your day off. It is clear that you're not the only one feeling glad about the change of seasons. People all around you seem to be more cheerful, and so many have come out to enjoy the sun. It is almost a shame to go home now, but you still got some things to do other than procrastinating in the open.

Chishiya's shoes are already greeting you in front of the door, carelessly thrown to the side to the pile of other shoes. He's usually not the most untidy person, but this man really doesn't care for footwear. It used to annoy you at times because you sometimes stumbled over them, but you've gotten used to it. The blonde is a human, after all, and he too has his flaws.

"Hey, Shuntarou, I'm home", you call into the hallway while you slip off your jacket. From the living room, the sound of music reaches your ear, and you're sure to hear the rustling of a magazine. Probably the medical journal that Chishiya buys weekly. He reads those things like others read a newspaper, it's almost creepy.

Just as predicted, you see the blonde leaning over the kitchen table, smirking over something he's currently reading. Some paper about a risky operation, but the technical terms are impossible to understand for non-surgeons. You peck a kiss onto Chishiya's cheek, quickly hugging him from behind. "How was work?"

The blonde shrugs while his eyes keep focusing on the paper. "Uneventful."

"So no girls with doll heads in their stomachs, or dudes who are living time bombs?"

"Honestly", Chishiya returns with a chuckle, "you watch too much Grey's Anatomy."

"How else am I supposed to understand what you're doing all day?" laughing, you check the table for any interesting mail but luckily there're no bills today. Just advertisement, a birthday invitation, and the new menu for the pizzeria across the road.

You throw away the ads, put the menu to the others and quickly scan over the invitation. Another family party it will be, and you almost hope Chishiya will have to work that day so you'll have an excuse not to come. You watch the blonde, still bent over that magazine as if it is the most interesting thing on earth, and can't help but smile.

He doesn't realize how beautiful he looks when he does that – arms flexed and hair falling loosely into his face, with his lips slightly parted while he reads. You decide to give him some space so he can finish that article, but just as you turn around to head to the couch, a firm hand wraps around your waist and keeps you in place.

"Huh?" you ask, blinking in confusion and wondering if you missed something. Chishiya hasn't lifted his eyes, and you give him a minute more since he obviously wants to finish that paper first before telling you what's going on.

The only indicator that he is done reading is a quiet sound escaping his mouth, something like 'hrmpf' if you had to describe it. And when he finally breaks away from the magazine to make eye contact, your heart skips a beat. No matter how many times you look at him, it always makes you hold your breath when his eyes lock with yours. It's not the color that makes them so unique, it is something more... distinct. A depth, a glimpse to who he really is, that you can only spot when you look that closely. He usually hides most of it behind a wall of condescendence, but once you look past it, you can find the softness and tenderness he'd never admit to have.

In this moment, the softness is there, and it wakes the butterflies inside your stomach. You know this expression. It happens rarely, but when it does, you enjoy every second of it since it tends to pass away quickly.

Unable to hide a grin, you wrap your arms around his waist and Chishiya immediately reciprocates the gesture, hugging you tightly. He really isn't the affectionate person, but every once in a while, even this man is in need of tenderness. "Seems you caught the spring fever too", you whisper in a mocking tone, causing Chishiya to huff.

"Couch", he grunts, and you wriggle yourself out of the hug, take his hand and lead him to the sofa where you both sit down, only to find yourself in another hug. "Was it such a stressful day that you n-"

"Shhhh."

You chuckle under your breath, simply enjoying the strong heartbeat against your chest and the warmth that emerges from his body. How come men are always living heaters?

Even if you wanted to end this cuddle session, Chishiya wouldn't let you. His arms hold you firmly, running up and down your back while sometimes pausing at your neck to play with some strands of hair. His head rests on top of yours, and you feel his breath move over your hair every time he breathes in and out.

"Or did the article tell you anything about how physical contact improve-"

"Shhhhhh."

This time, you stay silent for good, having no need to mock him further. This is a pleasant situation for you, too, and there is no reason to ruin it. You mimic his movements and fondle with the blonde-dyed hair, move your fingers down the side of his face, caress his back. Chishiya doesn't say anything, but the way he remains silent and sometimes moves his head towards your fingers, telling you to continue what you're doing, is enough to let you know that this is what he has wanted.

Just some silent tenderness. Chishiya and you, nothing more.

A kiss on top of your hair causes you to lift your face, and your eyes meet for a short moment before your foreheads touch just like the tips of your noses. Somehow, this feels much more intimate like a kiss, more... familiar.

But since it's Chishiya, it doesn't last long. Probably a couple of minutes pass before he removes his hands from your body and gets up from the sofa as if he had been doing nothing. You sigh with a smile, fully aware that his walls have been pulled back up.

Not forever, though. Once in a while, he will come back to you and tell you without words that he's in the mood for some tenderness. And you'll gladly be there to give it to him.


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