Days Go By | lavashipping

.*.***

Dialling Kai's number and putting his phone to his ear, Cole bit back a smile. Kai picked up almost immediately.

"Hi."

"Hey, what's up?"

"Look out of your window."

"Why?"

"Just look."

"Okay... Am I supposed to see something? It's just overcast..."

"No, Kai." Cole stopped at the curb and looked up at the building. "Walk over to your window, and look out of it." He heard them mutter a quiet 'What the hell' and had an even harder time trying not to laugh.

"I still don't understand what I'm supposed to see."

"Try opening it."

"Dude," Kai sighed. "What?"

He watched with excitement as a seemingly small head peeked out of a window, turning around until he finally looked down and noticed Cole standing there on the street. He waved with his hand holding the phone, since it was his only (somewhat) free hand.

"That's a pretty fucking stupid way to tell someone you're outside their house," Kai yelled, making Cole finally burst into laughter.

"Will you let me in or not?" he yelled back. And Kai put the phone back to his ear, Cole watching his lips move from several meters away while hearing his voice right next to him.

"No, you're staying out there forever."

"No, don't be so cruel!"

"That's what you get for drinking instant coffee and messing with me like this."

"Oh, what a cruel love!" Cole sang, laughing harder when he heard Kai sigh.

"Master, have mercy... I'll buzz you in."

Once inside the building, Cole took the stairs two at a time, clutching the box in both his hands and trying not to shake it too much. The higher he got, the higher his excitement rose. He walked up the last flight of stairs to see Kai already waiting there, leaning against the doorframe. Their eyes widened slightly at the sight of the package Cole was carrying.

"What's that all about?" They pointed to it.

"You'll see." Cole couldn't stop grinning, which seemed to confuse Kai even more, which in result only made Cole smile even more. They let him in, staring in bewilderment while Cole set the box down on the coffee table.

"Open it," he told him.

"It's for me?"

"Yes."

He glanced between him and the box a few times before walking over to open it. First, he untied the ribbon and then he was able to take the lid off.

"That's a lot of caramels," Kai commented. Cole only hummed in response, too consumed in his own anticipation. Their eyes met for a quick moment before Kai turned his attention back, shaking his head with a smile. He dug through the contents, pushing the sweets off to the side while pulling out more stuff. There were two smaller boxes, out of which Kai pulled out two red candles, one in the shape of a human heart, and one in the shape of Loong. Cole's eyes were glued to his face, carefully watching every expression change.

"Woah..." Kai breathed. "These look so cool."

Finally, with those little boxes out of the way, it was time for Kai to unpack the grand semi-final of the mystery gift box.

"What?" they exclaimed, holding up the sweatshirt Cole sewed together from three different ones. It was divided into four parts, two light grey, one black and one red - which was from the sweatshirt Kai lend him when Cole crashed at his place when Vania kicked him out of his work. Kai kept turning it around, observing every single part. On the back was a giant "火" embroidered, the colour of the thread changing depending on which part of the sweatshirt it was.

"You made this for me?"

"Yep. It's Kai exclusive."

"Holy shit..." Cole almost felt like crying, seeing the joy in Kai's face, seeing the huge grin that just looked so beautiful. Once he was done admiring it, he quickly put it on and stretched out his arms.

"How do I look?"

"Handsome as always."

Kai glanced again into the box, only to find the actual last part of the gift. He pulled out a picture frame with one of the many photos Kai took when they were hanging out in the park and he stole Cole's phone. Cole had a hard time choosing the best one. He even found a place that offered to engrave text into wood, which is why on each side there was a K and a C and at the bottom of the frame was a simple, "My Sunshine."

"Cole..." He set the frame back down into the box and turned to him, before leaping at him for a hug. Cole held onto him as tightly as Kai did. "This is the best gift ever, thank you."

"Just returning a favour," he replied. "I'm glad you like it."

Kai pulled away, holding him at arm's length. "Like it? I love it! Seriously, I think you now dangerously raised my standards for gifts." Cole chuckled. "That's not funny, you ruined me for other people!"

Cole brushed some hair out of his face, keeping his hand there. "I just wanted to thank you. For everything."

"You're such an adorable idiot, it's unbelievable." Kai shook his head, their smile so incredibly contagious that Cole found himself smiling for the rest of the day, even as he walked back home.

Once Kai was left alone at his place, they looked through all the gifts more. That was when, admiring the picture frame with glassy eyes, they found a small envelope taped to the back. They quickly ripped it off and set the frame aside, the material rustling as they pulled out two folded papers.

Dear Kai,
you really mean a lot to me. So much, I'm afraid it will be always difficult for me to put it in words but I like to believe you'll understand me anyway.
I just wanted you to know that I'm unbelievably grateful I got to meet you and that I was the one of your many customers to catch your eye.
You are a real treasure, don't ever doubt that.

Love,
Cole

He quickly set the note aside, along with the drawing of his own face he got a glance at the coffee shop, to avoid getting any of it stained with tears. Wiping them off, he let out something between a chuckle and a sob.

"Such a fucking idiot," he muttered to himself.