Asher was faintly aware of the body next to him as he slowly woke up. It took a moment longer to remember who the body belonged to. He opened one eye and glanced over at his side. The warm brown of Asif's back caught the early light through his window, leaving a soft glow on his skin. He looked so comfortable. Asher sat up on an elbow, and lightly moved his fingers over one of Asif's tattoos. It was a small rose between his shoulder blades, just a thin black outline. He traced the petals slowly. They were so thin and precise. It was nothing like the blown out numbers on his grandparents' arms.
Below his fingertips, Asif shifted with a light laugh. "That tickles," he mumbled into the pillow.
Asher pulled his hand away from Asif's back. "Sorry," he apologized with a smile. He switched his attention to a tattoo on his bicep instead, a short word in Arabic script. He traced the looping characters slowly. "What's this say?" he asked softly.
Asif rolled his shoulder back to give Asher a better look at the ink. "Stay."
Asher nodded to himself, deciding it was something that could be pressed another time. They sat in the quiet for a moment. Asher's hands continued to trace the delicate tattoos scattered around his arms, but he didn't push Asif for more information.
"You don't have any, do you? Tattoos? I didn't see any," Asif mumbled after a while, half his face squished up against the pillow. He glanced briefly up at Asher with a grin. "And I got a pretty good look."
Asher laughed, letting his hand dance over the ticklish spot again. "Smartass," he chastised halfheartedly. "Nah, my safta would kill me. You can't be buried in a Jewish cemetery if you have tattoos."
"And if you're gay?" Asif looked up at Asher again.
The Chai on Asher's chest suddenly felt very heavy. He had no good answer for that.
Asif chuckled softly after a moment. "I can barely see you." He squinted at Asher, with obviously no success. It was a poor attempt to change the subject, but a welcome one.
The corner of his mouth twitched up as Asher reached over Asif's body and grabbed the glasses from the corner of the nightstand. He unfolded them and handed them to Asif, then leaned back on his elbows again.
Asif sat up and leaned against the headboard as he adjusted his glasses. He shifted in Asher's direction slightly.
Asher laughed, wrapping an arm around Asif's shoulders and pulling him close to his body. He could feel Asif sigh against him, his whole body relaxing at once.
Asif's arms wrapped around Asher's waist, pulling him closer. "Is it always like that?" he asked against Asher's chest.
Asher glanced down when Asif spoke. "Like what?" One hand slid up Asif's back and tangled in his jet black hair. He tugged lightly with his fingers, working out a few small knots.
"So..." Asif hesitated to think for a moment, "Intimate."
Asher shook his head. "No," he answered honestly.
They sat in silence again for a few minutes. Asher continued gently working through Asif's hair. "So what is this?" he asked quietly.
It took Asif a few moments to reply. "I'm not sure."
"Well," Asher began thoughtfully. "Do you want to do this again?"
"Yes," Asif blurted too quickly.
Asher felt Asif's face flush against his chest. He laughed, tightening his arms around Asif. "Me too," he reassured quietly. "And, do you want this to be all it is?"
It took Asif longer to reply this time. "I'm not sure," he repeated slowly.
Asher smoothed down the hair on the back of Asif's head soothingly. "Wanna get breakfast and go from there?"
Asif pressed in closer to Asher. "Can we stay in bed for a while first?"
Asher laughed softly, a low rumble in his chest. "Yes, we can."
"Then that sounds perfect," Asif mumbled against Asher's skin.
