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The first thing that Etho recognized was the sunlight on his cheek, its warmth having stirred him. He was laying on his side in his bed, their bed, now, facing away from the window. His sheets were only covering the lower half of his body, even though it was cold for October.
The more important thing that Etho recognized was the warm weight in his arms. A welcomed weight, Etho and Scott had been dating for over a year now, and it was going really well, in Etho’s opinion. At least, it was going well enough that Scott had recently moved in with Etho in his cabin in the middle of the woods. Thank goodness, honestly. Etho wasn’t a terribly social person, but it was certainly nice to have someone wonderful and familiar in Etho’s arms more often than not. Familiarity, though, would maybe never dispel the giddy tightness in Etho’s chest that arose whenever he woke up with Scott in his arms, florally scented blue hair brushing Etho’s nose. His breathing soft and relaxed, Scott’s face was pressed into Etho’s chest, and his sleep shirt (well, Etho’s t-shirt, which Etho would say Scott stole, and Scott would argue that he was met with no resistance) was hitched up against the bed to show his tummy. One of his legs was between Etho’s, and his arms were wrapped around Etho’s middle, his body leaning slightly into Etho.
“Mrow?” Movement at the foot of the bed reminded Etho of the other presence that had moved in with him. Elle, Scott’s fluffy black cat with a white chest, was still getting used to her new home and her new human, but Scott said that she was probably happier about the lack of city sounds. At the very least, she was comfortable enough to stay the night at the foot of the bed, where she was stretching her paw out impatiently. “Mrrr…”
“She wants breakfast,” Scott grumbled into Etho’s chest, his arms holding Etho a little tighter, as he turned his face from the sun. “Tell her to wait until I'm done cuddling you.”
“Oh no, Elle, we might be here a while,” Etho smiled, his voice rough with sleep but full of mirth and teasing. Despite his obvious mock distress, though, Etho raised his hand from Scott’s shoulder to cup the back of his head, running his fingers through Scott’s soft hair, where Scott’s blond roots were really coming in. His other arm, trapped beneath Scott, reached up and around Scott’s shoulder, pulling him further into Etho’s chest. He ignored the way Scott seemed a little too pleased to be pressed against him.
“You like it,” Scott managed to whisper through the sleep fogging his brain. He squirmed a little in Etho’s arms, careful not to kick Elle. With a big smile on his face, Etho pressed a firm kiss to Scott’s forehead, warmth seeping into his lungs and relaxing his shoulders.
“You caught me,” he chuckled softly, and he could feel Scott smiling into his chest, appreciating Etho’s slightly deeper, more gravelly voice and the way his chest rumbled as he talked.
“Always,” Scott said, quiet and content. Etho held his boyfriend close, properly processing that Scott was here, permanently, so long as all went well. Scott wasn’t going to have to make the long drive back to the city in an hour unless they needed groceries, and he didn’t have to worry about forgetting anything at home or bringing everything back with him. He was in Etho’s house. Scott had made the decision to move into a cabin in the middle of the freezing cold woods with his cat and his boyfriend. Etho wasn’t sure what he did to earn such a privilege.
In all honesty, Etho would’ve been perfectly happy to stay in bed with his sweet, cozy, cuddly, wonderful boyfriend all day. However, the sudden, powerful urge to kiss Scott all over his pretty face always got priority over cuddles, and kissing Scott all over his pretty face always made Scott laugh and wake up and pull Etho into a proper kiss to stop himself from giggling. This result was even better, in Etho’s extremely professional, very unbiased opinion. To Etho, it was foreign to have someone to kiss and hold. Moreover, it was strange to have someone who was so willing to openly give and receive affection, someone so gentle and vulnerable, someone who loved him loudly and who Etho loved loudly in return. Really, everything about Scott was different from any relationship Etho had ever been in before. None of that mattered anymore, though, not when Scott was looking at him with those pretty blue eyes, squinting as they adjusted to the morning light. He’s gorgeous. He’s just so beautiful with his lazy smile and his bed head, the tips of which turned a little greener in the sun. Etho loved him. Etho loved the way that Scott’s presence made him feel like everything would be okay, even if for only a moment.
And then Elle meowed with utter disbelief that she still had yet to be fed, making Scott laugh and hide his face in Etho’s neck.
“Okay, okay. Let’s go, come on,” Scott shooed Elle off the bed and moved to get out himself. Still laying down, Etho took a moment to admire the way his shirt drooped off Scott’s shoulder and resisted the urge to pull Scott back into him. Instead, Etho followed suit, making his way to the bathroom. After splashing some water on his face and shaving his stubble, Etho carelessly dried off, dressed in work clothes, and head to the kitchen, where Elle had been properly sated. More importantly, though, Scott was standing at the counter in front of a window, looking out into the little garden space Etho had cleared before the forest consumed the horizon. He was making coffee, pouring a bit of milk into Etho’s favorite green mug with the chipped bottom edge. What would Etho do without him?
Stirring the coffee around, Scott picked up on Etho’s footsteps and handed him his steaming mug. Etho took it gratefully, wrapping his other arm around Scott’s waist and bending down to kiss Scott’s temple. Scott leaned back into Etho, humming contently, and Etho could feel the vibrations making his lips tingle. As Scott filled a second mug, his own, with coffee, ice cubes floated to the top.
“I can’t possibly imagine why you’d want coffee cold. That is one of, like, three things I avoid doing with coffee,” Etho complained, sipping from his own mug.
“Sometimes I just don’t want a hot drink for breakfast,” Scott argued, smiling. He turned his head, his eyes glimmering with fondness. “Just because you don’t think coffee and ice would go well together doesn’t mean it can’t work out.”
Etho stared into Scott’s pretty blue eyes, like shadows on snow at sunrise, and kissed him chastely. It was nothing novel, just a small affirmation of affection. Scott sighed into the kiss and brought his free hand up to cradle the back of Etho’s neck, tilting his head a little. His thumb lovingly caressed the spot behind Etho’s ear. When they separated, Etho pressed another kiss to Scott’s cheek, making Scott smile and press his forehead to Etho’s. Scott was warm and soft and gentle and present and all of the things Etho thought he, himself, didn’t know how to be, and a lot of people had been surprised at how well the two of them were getting along.
“I need to drink this before it dilutes,” Scott murmured, smiling, so Etho sighed dramatically and let him go.
As Scott mixed sugar and milk into his coffee, Etho pulled eggs out of the fridge and fetched a pan. After all, just coffee for breakfast was highly inadvised. The two set about making breakfast. Etho cooked eggs and bacon, and Scott put away the milk and whatever Etho was done with, all while avoiding stepping on or kicking Elle, who insisted on weaving between Scott’s legs the whole time. Taking another sip of coffee, Etho plated the eggs and bacon, hearing Scott pull out napkins and utensils. The sizzle of the oil and the clinks and thuds of Scott’s movement was drowned out by Scott’s humming, and, boy, having someone so lovely around sure made cooking go by a lot faster for Etho.
They had breakfast on the hardwood kitchen table, discussing their plans for the day. Etho was heading to the lumberyard to drop off the firewood he had cut in preparation for the approaching winter. Scott, much to her dismay, was taking Elle to the vet for a check up, before responding to some emails and tending to a client. Unfortunately, Scott getting a late start on work meant that Etho probably wasn’t going to see him until evening, but at least they would have dinner together later. Maybe Etho would have some time to make something a little fancier for dinner tonight, while Scott worked late. It was always a treat to see the teary look of surprise on Scott’s face whenever Etho pampered him, even if it was just low-effort things. Etho tried not to imagine how Scott could possibly look so surprised when Etho came home with something as simple as flowers, usually red roses if the florist was out of blue orchids. He didn’t picture Scott, who was so romantic and hardworking and selfless, going so long without thanks that he’s startled when Etho can tell when he’s melancholy or exhausted or fragile or anxious. He didn’t think about it, not right now.
Scott finished eating before Etho, yet he stayed put and continued chatting with Etho, his elbows on the tables and his head, slightly tilted, resting on the backs of his hands. Golden sunlight fell harshly on his face in horizontal lines, partially blocked by the kitchen blinds. Since Scott had immediately gone and made coffee, he had yet to get ready for the day. His face was still without makeup, there was still sleep in his eyes, and his hair was carelessly fussed with. He was smiling so softly. That was his default state nowadays, which brought Etho great pride.
Pretty…
When Etho scraped the last of the yolk off of his plate, Scott picked up his own and reached out for Etho’s. Etho pulled back, though, and moved to take Scott’s plate.
“You didn’t get to wash up. I can handle dishes,” Etho protested.
“Sweetie, you cooked, and you have work,” Scott gave him a look, making a grabby hand at Etho’s plate and utensils. “I’m not in a rush.”
“You were putting things away, while I cooked. You already cleaned. I can do it. Plus, you made coffee!” Etho moved closer and quickly but gently took Scott’s plate. Scott scoffed at him, eyebrows creasing, but he didn’t resist. Instead, he reached up and twirled his hair, sighing dramatically. A bashful smile crawled onto Scott’s face, and he refused to make eye contact with Etho, who hummed in satisfaction. “There it is.”
“I mean, if you have to be a gentleman,” Scott said, voice lowered and eyes full of amusement. “I guess I’m not going to stop you.”
“Thaaaank you, babe,” Etho grinned, taking the dishes to the sink. He could just barely hear Scott’s footsteps leaving him over the sound of the running water. After scrubbing them clean and leaving them on the rack to dry, Etho wiped his hands on his pants and looked towards the bathroom, waiting to brush his teeth. Scott was probably still in there, applying… whatever. That was fine. Etho wasn’t in much of a rush, so he sunk into the couch and pulled out his phone, his fingers running over the sticker of a diamond on the back of his phone. On his and Scott’s second date, Etho had bought a small pack of diamond shaped stickers for Scott, who had stuck one on his phone case. The texture always calmed Etho down, reminding him of good memories and those who loved him.
When the topic of moving in had first been brought up, Etho had worried that his cabin was too small for two people to live in, especially considering Scott worked remotely. However, Scott had no issue with being in Etho’s space all of the time so long as Etho was also comfortable, and, surprisingly, he was. Being around Scott made Etho loosen up. It made him feel more like himself. Scott embraced Etho’s silliest quirks, understood his vulnerable facets, and made space for Etho’s quiet and fragile days. He made Etho laugh and feel safe and brought warmth to his home.
However, Etho clearly wasn’t the only one getting something out of his and Scott’s new level of proximity. Everywhere Etho looked, he found ways Scott had made himself at home. There was artwork all over the cabin’s walls, now, and Scott had laid out a green rug in front of the fireplace, where Etho had previously neglected to furnish. The cabin was noticeably cleaner, Cleo had rejoiced, and Scott and Etho had agreed that Scott’s curtains were in better condition than Etho’s living room curtains and replaced them. Etho’s fridge was fuller, and he’d never had so many different kinds of cheeses before. Their bathroom cabinet was more crowded, as well. Never really one for self-care, Etho was entirely unfamiliar with all of Scott’s various products. He couldn’t even be sure which ones were meant for his skin and which ones were meant for his hair. Of course, there were also cat beds and toys anywhere Scott could fit them, along with a cat tree in a corner of the living room where there had previously been a chair, which Scott had moved to the kitchen table. Even the coffee table Etho was propping his feet up on held evidence of Scott, the frame of a thousand piece puzzle they were working on surrounding loose pieces.
“Hey!” Scott called out from the doorway, looking much more awake, now. From what Etho could tell, he hadn’t done anything new or fancy with his makeup, but Etho would never get tired of his pretty face. He was wearing black corduroy pants and white t-shirt under a light blue cotton hoodie with white drawstrings and bright yellow daffodils embroidered all over it.
“You’re gonna wear a coat, right?” Etho asked, standing from the couch.
“I checked the weather. It’s not gonna be too cold today,” Scott shrugged, putting his phone and wallet in his pockets. “Maybe rain, though.”
“You’re insane,” Etho shook his head, rolling his eyes fondly.
“Aren’t you supposed to be the one who’s been living in the wilderness all on your own? Trudging through the snow or whatever?” Scott smiled, scanning the desk by the door for his keys. “How come I’m the one who loves the cold?”
“Because you’re crazy!” Etho slid past Scott to head to the bathroom. Scott stuttered out some empty argument, but Etho knew he was about to be busy tempting Elle into her carrier. He made quick work of brushing his teeth and drying his mouth. When he re-entered the living room, Scott had Elle in her carrier up on the desk and was stuffing his keys in his pocket. The pastel green mini-flashlight with cartoon frog eyes above the light stuck out just a bit, a gift Etho had got him on an arcade date.
“Do you want me to pick up anything while I’m out?” Scott asked, draping (oh, thank goodness) a white coat over his arm.
“Mm, I don’t think so,” Etho considered. “I’ll text you, if I think of anything.”
“Alright,” Scott pecked Etho on the lips and picked up Elle’s carrier. “Drive safe!”
“You too,” Etho smiled, pulling his mask over his mouth and picking an olive green coat off the hanger. He was very excited to have more days just like this one.