Morning light spilled lazily through the curtains, dust motes drifting in the golden glow. I rubbed my eyes and stretched, feeling the quiet warmth of the house around me. In the kitchen, he was leaning casually against the counter, arms crossed, a mug of coffee in hand. He looked calm, in control, yet somehow… approachable.
I slid onto a chair across from him, watching as he sipped slowly, his gaze occasionally flicking up to meet mine. "You're up early," he said, voice casual, but I could sense the subtle amusement in his tone.
"Couldn't sleep," I murmured, pretending it didn't bother me that he noticed.
He tilted his head, eyebrow quirking. "Or you just wanted to watch me drink coffee?"
I snorted, rolling my eyes. "Please. I'm not that obvious."
He smirked, clearly enjoying my attempt at nonchalance. "Right. Totally subtle."
For the next hour, we moved around the kitchen together. I washed dishes while he made breakfast, tossing comments back and forth, teasing lightly. "You call that stirring?" he said, watching me haphazardly whisk the eggs.
"Better than your aim with coffee," I shot back, grinning as a drop nearly splashed onto the counter.
"Touché," he said, laughing softly. The sound made my chest warm, a flutter that I tried not to think too hard about.
By mid-afternoon, we had settled into a rhythm. He moved from room to room, sometimes sitting close, sometimes lingering near as I tidied. Our conversations were light, playful, but underneath, there was something deeper—something unspoken that hung in the air whenever our eyes met for too long.
Even when we weren't talking, the closeness was there. A brush of hands when passing, a shared glance across the room. Each little interaction made my chest beat faster, though I tried to ignore it.
"You know," I said softly, breaking the silence, "we've been… spending a lot of time together."
He raised a brow, a small smirk tugging at his lips. "We have. Not that I'm complaining."
I nudged him playfully. "Not complaining, huh?"
"Absolutely not," he said, voice low, calm. "You're… interesting. Different from anyone I've met."
I felt my cheeks warm, and I looked down, pretending to focus on the blanket. "I think you're… okay yourself."
He chuckled, then shifted closer, the space between us narrowing. I felt my pulse quicken. "So…" I said, voice quieter, hesitant, "are we… dating? Or… just friends?"
He leaned in, his gaze locking with mine. The air seemed to tighten, every sound in the room fading. "More than just friends," he murmured, his lips brushing mine in a slow, deliberate kiss.
I kissed him back, letting myself melt into the warmth of the moment. When we pulled apart, I rested my head against his chest, the steady beat of his heart soothing me.
"Sleep well?" he whispered.
I nodded, closing my eyes, a soft smile on my lips. "Yes."