Unexpected Fate

Chapter 2

Kao awakens, once again, to the smell of food.

It isn't UP waving a pizza box in his face this time, though he almost wants to laugh at the memory, but rather the distant smell of coffee and eggs wafting from the kitchen where he can hear the eggs sizzling in the pan.

Kao stretches, groaning as he feels a pleasant burn in his muscles. He didn't plan to spend the night, but he was so bone-tired after using every last bit of his energy to pound UP into the mattress for their longest, sweatiest, hottest round yet, undoubtedly the best sex Kao has ever had in his life...

Anyway. Kao was too exhausted to even relocate to the sofa after his shower, but he didn't have to worry about clinging to UP in his sleep or anything because the other man was surrounded by cats like gargoyles from the moment he let them in and settled down for bed.

Kao had at least hoped to slip out early, maybe before UP woke up, or at least before breakfast, but maybe his alarm would have woken UP, too, and that could've been awkward—

Fuck. His alarm didn't go off. What time is it? Where is his phone?

Kao bolts upright and clambers around in search of it, finally finding it buried in the covers. He clicks the button a few times to no response.

Dead.

"Shit."

"Oh, good morning," UP says, eyebrows pinched together as he takes in the sight of Kao in his underwear and bedhead, probably looking a little deranged as he hunches over his phone and curses. "I'm making some—"

"What time is it?"

"Ten past ten," UP says. "Are you—"

"Fuck," he interrupts again. "Sorry, I really gotta go."

UP hurries back to the kitchen while Kao stumbles around trying to shove his clothes from yesterday on as fast as possible. He probably looks like a wreck. God damn it, he's never going to hear the end of this.

He barely remembers to grab his glasses from UP's nightstand before he's hurrying for the door.

"Wait!" UP stops him.

"I really don't have time—"

"Take this."

Kao turns questioningly only for UP to grab his wrist and drop something warm and wrapped in plastic into it. He shoves a travel cup into Kao's other hand, warm against his palm, and Kao can only assume it must be coffee.

"A-Are you sure?" Kao asks, guilt seeping in. He's being incredibly rude enough as it is, taking off abruptly after UP fed him not once but twice and gave him an incredible night, but now he's going to make off with his cup, too?

"Yeah, it's yours."

"You're an angel," Kao proclaims, swooping in and planting a kiss on the corner of UP's mouth before he can second-guess the impulse. He makes quick work of putting on his shoes and starts to head out, pausing in the doorway to give UP a final smile.

This is the last time I'll see him, he tells himself.

"Thanks," Kao says, "for, um, everything. Bye."

UP waves at him, his hand drowning in his blue housecoat, a small smile on his lips. "Bye."

Kao isn't sure if he believes in himself or not.

-ˋˏ ༻✿༺ ˎˊ-

Kao is significantly more awake by the time he reaches the park, feeling chipper despite being late and looking like a little bit of a mess in the same clothes he wore yesterday. His body is still a little sore from all of the previous night's activities but in the best way.