Days Go By | lavashipping

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It took Kai a while to realise what happened. Waking up in a dark room you don't recognise is not the best way to wake up. When he got a hold of his phone, he was met with several missed calls and messages from Skylor. Oh, this was going to be bad.

Kai groaned and ran a hand down his face. He stopped and looked around, still a little dazed from the sleep.

The spot next to him was cold and empty.

They sprung up into a sitting position and turned to the door. Sure enough, there was light in the hall. What the hell was Cole doing?

So, Kai rubbed his eyes in a poor attempt to awaken some more and got up, following the light. Some whirring spread through the flat and Kai noticed movement in the studio.

So there he was.

"What are you doing?"

The sound stopped. "Oh, hi, Kai, slept well?"

"What are you doing?" Kai repeated the question instead of answering. The fact that this was one of the best naps he ever had was unimportant right now. What was important was how tired Cole seemed and yet he opted to hunch over his desk in the terrible light that only made Kai's eyes water.

Cole seemed to notice the sternness in his voice for he turned back towards the sewing machine and fumbled with some red fabric. "Working."

"And you're feeling?"

"Good!"

"Cole..."

A sigh. "I just... I couldn't sleep, all right? And I was bored out of my mind and this idea in my head wouldn't let me rest, so I came here. Whatever, it's fine."

Kai frowned despite it being useless since Cole had his back turned to them. "You should go back to bed! Or you're gonna feel like shit again and this time I'm not willing to play doctor when this is your approach."

"I just have to do this..." Cole muttered, turning the sewing machine back on. Kai shook his head in disbelief and walked closer to him.

"Cole... you just let a stranger sleep in your bed. Could you do one good decision for today and go have some rest? You're just gonna make yourself feel even worse. Come on, it's late." He stopped at their words and Kai thought for a moment his convincing skills finally worked.

But Cole didn't move.

He just sat there, holding the fabric, staring ahead of himself...

"Cole?"

"What are we?"

Kai squinted and shook his head, confused by the sudden... By the odd behaviour. "What do you mean? We're humans... As far as I'm aware at least."

"No, I mean..." Finally, Cole turned to face him. Kai noted the way sleepiness basically oozed from his eyes. And yet they still looked as beautiful as always, even when they were so visibly tired.

Earth to Kai! Not now!

"Are we really still strangers? I feel like we've moved far past that..."

"Well–"

"What do you want to be?"

Kai had to think for a second. To be fair, he never expected such a question.

To be fair fair, he never expected to get so far. Ever since Cole caught his eye at the coffee shop, he never really expected to let him get so far. And now look at them, taking care of him in his own apartment. Spending free time together, having exchanged numbers... It all made him warm and bubbly inside, he almost wanted to jump in excitement. He always had to bite back a huge grin whenever Cole texted him...

But Kai didn't want to overstep any lines. He can't risk now.

"Friends sounds good."

"Yeah?" They couldn't tell what the look in his eyes meant. But it hypnotised him. And he just couldn't tell what it meant. Lost in a labyrinth.

"Yeah, it's cool."

"All right then, friend." And upon seeing his smile Kai couldn't stop the grin from forming.

"Nice. Now, as your friend, I'm telling you to go to bed and get some rest." Cole huffed in response and tried to turn back to his work but Kai took his arm and tried to pull him out of the chair that 100% wasn't as comfortable as the bed. "Do not test me, I have a ton of energy and two younger siblings, I think I know how to annoy people into giving in to my demands."

It was exciting to hear the other man groan and see him put his face in his hands because he knew what it meant. "Fine, fine, I get it." He won. And without using brute annoying force. Today was full of great achievements.

As he pulled Cole up to stand, they saw him push some papers off the table to fly to the ground. Kai caught a glimpse of something red but then the sight was blocked and Cole led him away from the studio. Whatever, he achieved what he wanted to achieve.

"You are a walking oxymoron, you know? How do you go around cleaning your house so perfectly but then act so messy?"

"We've discussed this. It's the speed of the creative process."

"Throwing papers on the ground is not creative process!"

"Let's just agree to disagree." Kai scoffed at the statement but didn't pry any further. Instead, they made sure Cole got in bed and got some rest. He noted the empty cup and bowl on the night table.

Just when they were ready to go clean it up, Cole caught his hand and turned them back. And Kai, once again, forced himself not to get lost.

"I still can't sleep though."

"And?"

"Will you tell me a bedtime story?" They had to laugh at it but Cole pulled him closer and Kai lost his balance, having no other option than to sit on the side of the bed, Cole's legs supporting his side, Cole's hand never letting go of his own, Cole's soft smile plastered across those lips...

"You're so annoying, you know that?"

"But I'm sick and you have to be nice to sick people or they will go back into their studio and sew for hours."

Kai sighed. "But I don't know any stories."

"You're lying."

"I swear!"

"Then I don't know, just talk to me about something. You keep bragging about having two siblings, don't you have some fun stories with them? Or make something up I don't know."

Now that he mentioned it...

"I might have something." He had to shrug off the feeling. He had to ignore how he liked the expecting look, how it all–

For fuck's sake, Kai.

"All right. Once, my siblings and I brought home a stray dog and..."

And by the time he finished, Cole was dozed off, his grip on Kai's hand loosening but still making him feel warm inside nevertheless.

God, he looked like an angel and Kai had to keep himself from giving him a kiss right then and there.