Days Go By | lavashipping

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He forgot how loud his doorbell was. Did he even know how it sounded in the first place? Maybe there just was no need to ring it up until now.

He was welcomed by the smell of garlic soup, and his greeting was the growl of his stomach.

"Hey, I came as fast as I could."

"Yeah, I can tell. Come in." Leading Kai into the kitchen, he thought back to his comfortable and soft bed. Oh, how much he would like to lay back down, he was already exhausted again, his feet hurt... But at least there was the promise of warm food and drink. That seemed to be worth it.

"I got you some lemongrass tea and, of course, the soup. I usually make one myself but this one is also good. I have references, so..."

"References?"

Kai turned to him from the counter with a smile. "I got it my sister a few times. And she got it for me a few times. And so far so good. Of course, it's nothing in comparison to my own cooking. Not to brag."

Cole nodded in understanding, then yawned and held back a cough. He didn't have the energy to come up with some teasing retort. Maybe some other day. "Can we bring this to the bedroom?" Upon seeing Kai's raised brow, he smacked his upper arm. "Dumbass! I'm sick, this is the last thing on my mind!"

They raised their arms in defence. "I didn't say anything." Cole only shook his head as he put a cup of tea in his hands. "Where do you have spoons?" Kai followed his pointing finger to one of the drawers and got a spoon, then picked up the container with the garlic soup and followed Cole further into the flat.

He didn't say anything, but their curiosity was pretty obvious: eyes travelling all around, lingering on anything of significance. And when they passed his studio which remained open, Kai got a glance and proclaimed, "Jesus, you're like a tornado of creation."

Cole had to laugh at that, even if it hurt a little. Stupid throat. Stupid sickness.

"How come you have everything so neatly cleaned to a tee but your studio looks... I don't even know how to describe it. This is even worse than my own room!"

As a response, he shrugged. Then he added, "I dunno, I clean it up every once in a while but my creative process is just faster I guess."

Was it odd to have Kai in his flat like that? Kind of. Honestly, what was even weirder was how... natural it felt. 

Was he rushing into this? It almost felt like being naked... It was just so oddly revealing and Cole wanted to hide somewhere, on one hand.

Yet, even despite his curious gaze. It wasn't weird to have a stranger at home. Well, could he still call a someone he texts basically during all of his free time a stranger? What were they, actually? Friends? Or was it still too early for that?

One thing was for sure, they were too close for Cole to ignore his crush on Kai. When they were just a customer and a random barista it was one thing but now?

When he sent Kai his address, there were doubts and regrets. Does he really want to bring someone into his house to see so much of his personal life? To see him in such a horrible state? He didn't want to repulse Kai, he didn't want to make a terrible impression because he looked like a mess due to some cold.

As he got comfortable back in the bed and put the rest of his tea aside on the night table, Kai handed him the soup with the spoon.

"Won't you spoon-feed me?" He batted his eyelashes at him playfully.

"You're a grown man who can move his arms, I think you're fine." Kai rolled his eyes but Cole noted the smile he got out of them.

"Thank god you're not a nurse, you'll suck at your job." Opening the lid, the smell and steam hit him in the face. But it was refreshing in a way. His stomach grumbled some more and Cole didn't hesitate to start eating. Goodness gracious.

"Hey! I'll let you know I would be a wonderful nurse! Did you forget my references? I've got two of them too!" Then they paused, and Cole could already feel the tone of the conversation shift when he saw his face. The sly smirk, the playful squint of his eyes. "So I take it I don't suck at my job now, huh?"

"That is an entirely different conversation."

"Yeah, you love my coffee."

"No, I love the way you take my money and put it into the cash register."

"Definitely! I had to study that for like almost two years, you know?" As the conversation quieted down, he noticed the glances Kai threw to the side of his bed and he raised a brow, stopping his eating for a moment.

"What?"

Kai sighed. "Do you mind if I lie down for a bit? I'm exhausted."

"No wonder when you're texting people till midnight instead of going to sleep..." For the sake of his sore throat (and the food that would risk being spilt), Cole held back the laugh at Kai's offended reaction.

"I was texting you! If anything, this is your fault, actually, so you owe me your bed." Cole shook his head as Kai flopped down next to him.

And yet, it didn't necessarily feel weird.

Maybe it were those stupid feeling talking that made him rather like the idea of Kai lying next to him, so close, so comfortable, so natural...

"How are you feeling?"

"Well, my throat is being a bitch - don't look at me like that - and I'm seriously so exhausted... but the soup's really good."

"I'm glad you like it." He smiled down at them and Kai smiled back but it was quickly interrupted by a yawn. "I guess that makes two of us for the exhausted part."

"I can do this."

"Just take a nap. You're not gonna spoon-feed me anyway, what good could you be for now?"

Kai scoffed before falling silent for a moment. "But wouldn't that just be weird?" they said his thoughts out loud. Cole waved it off. Whatever, he was too tired for this anyway and leaning into the annoying this-is-nice part was way easier and stress-free. He could overthink this sometime later.

"It's fine."

"Okay." He closed his eyes and Cole could quietly look at the face and- "But you'll tell me if I step over some line, right?"

"Of course," he assured. "Just have some rest."

"'Some rest I will..."