I apologize profondly for the wait for this chapter. I have no idea what to say other than I've been busy and that this isn't really moving the story along too much, it's just really, really fluffy ><

CHAPTER SIX

“Wakey-wakey sleepyhead~”

A groan left my lips at the voice’s intrusion. Already, the haze of my dream was beginning to fade as I came into consciousness, unwilling that is. I groaned again when I felt a hand upon my shoulder, gently rocking my body.

Why on earth was I being awoken this early?

“C’mon Vic,” the voice became more familiar and I noted the amused tone it carried, “You can’t sleep the entire day away.”

“But I want to,” I croaked in response, yet contradicted myself when one of my eyes opened.

Yet it quickly closed once it was exposed to the streaming sunlight. I whined at the stinging sensation and the person in the room with me chuckled at my noise. I then pouted, mentally rolling my eyes.

“It’s not nice to laugh at a person in pain,” I reprimanded them, “Especially when it’s your best friend.”

Then, in order to avoid the sunlight, I rolled onto my other side. But, I didn’t expect to bump into another body – Or Nichkhun’s body. I felt my nose impact his chest and I frowned – it was like I just couldn’t win this morning.

Another one of Nichkhun’s chuckles sounded out and no doubt it was because of me. However, he did lean down to ease my frown by gently placing his lips on my forehead.

“Have I ever told you how cute you are in the morning?” he spoke tenderly as he removed his lips. I feel the wisps of his breath on my skin and I resisted the urge to blush as it was way too early in the morning for that.

Slowly, I opened an eye, relieved that I’d turned away from the overly-luminous sunlight. Instead I was greeted by the smooth contours of Nichkhun’s tanned skin and before I could stop myself, my eyes shot open. I didn’t remember him taking his shirt off last night.

Then again, I also didn’t remember falling asleep on his bed last night either.

Quickly, with a sense of panic, I shot my eyes downward.

But, I breathed out a sigh of relief when I found myself completely clothed.

I moved my eyes upward again, bypassing his chest to instead focus on Nichkhun’s face. I couldn’t control a giggle upon seeing his bed hair. Strands of his hair stuck up in awkward angles and quite honestly, I’d hate to be the one that tried to fix it up.

“So, what were you saying about sleeping the day away?”

Caught off-guard, Nichkhun averted his eyes from mine, a habit he did when he was found out and I shook my head. He hadn’t changed.

“At least I woke up before you,” was all he could counter and I rolled my eyes before bringing a hand up to punch his bicep. He pouted at me in response, but I ignored him as I raised myself into a sitting position, stretching my arms out above me.

“So, then, why haven’t you made breakfast yet?” I asked a moment later. I allowed a sly grin to curve my lips as the old tradition came to mind. It was a deal we’d made when we were thirteen and were at the age where could cook for ourselves. Whenever we had sleepovers, the first person to wake up would be the one to cook breakfast in the morning and it’d been like that ever since.

Usually, it’d been me that’d woken up first, thus any time he’d managed to rise before me was like a personal victory. Now, just because we hadn’t seen each other for five years didn’t mean that things had changed.

Nichkhun’s eyes flashed with familiarity and soon, his lips curled into a fond smile, “You remember.”

“Of course I do,” I simply answered as for a moment, our eyes locked. I managed to look past the stray lock of hair that covered some of his brown orb and directly into its depth. We’d always had this sort of a connection – being able to read into each other like they were an open book.

“I’ll even make your favourite,” he spoke softly, as not to disturb the atmosphere we’d created. I nodded slightly in response, eyes twinkling just a little bit more in order to show my joy. He didn’t even need to verbally say what my favourite was; I could tell he remembered simply from the emotions apparent in his eyes.

And then, as what usually happens during these moments when a soft and tender atmosphere is created-

My stomach growled.

A blush broke out upon my cheeks as Nichkhun’s lips erupted in laughter. Our eye contact was broken as I hung my head and he threw his backwards in order to contain his reaction.

After a moment, I felt laughter threatening my own tightly zipped lips, but I resisted it to throw a gentle punch at the laughing idol. And then, I allowed the laughter to flow through my lips.

Briefly, I wondered just how I’d lived the past five years without this.

Without him

- - - - -

I now understood why they’d chosen to use glass windows instead of walls in the apartment.

The glass allowed a wonderful amount of sunlight to shine through and bathe the open-plan room in a warm, comforting light. The rays reflected off of the wooden floors, creating an enticing feel to them. It also succeeded in warming up the room effectively and I was content in simply a loose-fitting, long sleeve shirt which I’d taken from Nichkhun’s cupboard.

Not that he’d complained anyway and we still had yet to unpack my bags.

Quite frankly, I wasn’t quite sure where my bags even were.

I sighed in appreciation when my nose caught an aromatic whiff of the smell wafting in from the kitchen. I smiled as I inhaled the smell again, a slight shiver coursing through me.

Trying to be as silent as I could, I crept my way along the wooden floor and towards the visible kitchen. Luckily, Nichkhun had his back to me, thus, it made my plan a touch easier. With a sly smile curving my lips, I chuckled silently to myself – he seemed obvious to-

“Vic, if you sneak up on me now, I’m going to ruin breakfast.”

My eyes widened as I stumbled backwards from the shock at being discovered. I didn’t even flinch when I hit the counters, the blunted edge digging into my back. I stared stupidly at Nichkhun’s back, eyes blinking, mind still reeling.

He was the one to chuckle now and for a brief moment, he turned his head over his shoulder to wink at me.

“You should know that you’ve never been good at being stealthy around me,” he spoke in a somewhat sing-song voice, “Besides, you forget that I know you far too well.”

“This really isn’t fair,” I retorted, not being able to think of any other comeback. I pouted as I pushed myself off of the counter, only now feeling the pain in my lower back. I whimpered a little as I rubbed the injured spot – hoping it wouldn’t bruise later.

“Life isn’t fair, but here,” Nichkhun spoke as he left the stove and faced me, “Taste this and see if it’s ready?”

I complied and walked forward. I tried to take the spoon from him, but he was having none of it as he pulled it from my reach. I frowned at him.

“Say ahhh,” he began, a grin stretching his lips, “Open up for the aeroplane.”

Despite the childishness of it all, I allowed myself to laugh and I even playfully listened. I parted my lips, just big enough for the spoon’s height and he carefully placed it within.

My eyes widened as soon as my taste-buds came into contact with the food.

“It’s really good!” I exclaimed as he pulled the spoon from my mouth, “You can still cook!”

He laughed at my reaction, nodded and went back to the stove, “I only know how to cook for you actually.”

And I was glad he wasn’t facing me, for my cheeks proceeded to gain a shade of colour.

It hadn’t even been a suggestive sentence in any form or manner – but just realizing that he still remembered and cared was enough to make me blush.

Once again, I found myself in a state of wondering how I’d lived five years without him.

- - - - -

“You sure you’re warm enough?”

“Yes Vic,” Nichkhun rolled his eyes at me as his tone took on mock annoyance. “I promise that I’m not going to freeze with just one sweater on.”

I playfully glared at him as he finished tightening the laces on his shoes. Hey, I was allowed to be overprotective of him, wasn’t I? Besides, there was a definite chill in the air and he of all people didn’t need to get sick now.

“I promise that tonight I’ll invite everyone over so that you can finally meet them ok?” he said as he gently put a hand on my shoulder, “They have been begging me to meet you after all.”

I shook my head as I swatted his hand off of my shoulder, “I promise I’ll even dress up nicely tonight then,” I teased, narrowing my eyes slightly.

“But you look the best when- from that glint in his eyes and the tone he’d taken on, I didn’t want him to finish that sentence. A deep blush tinted my cheeks as I put a finger on his lips, halting his speech.

“You’re going to be late, go,” I commanded him, keeping my finger on his lips. He simply nodded in response and I quickly removed my finger, turning away from him in order to hide my blush.

I heard him sigh behind me and then, I heard his footsteps retreating-

Suddenly, warmth enveloped me.

I squeaked in surprise at the unexpected sensation and my body immediately stiffened. I was pretty sure the blush on my cheeks had gone even redder.

“You didn’t think I was just going to leave without a goodbye hug right?” Nichkhun whispered in my ear, breath hot against the side of my neck. I became aware of the way his body pressed into mine, muscles taut against my back and arms tight around my waist.

And then lips found my cheek and they lingered there for a moment, causing the skin to tingle before he pulled away. A sense of disappointment filled me and I felt a shiver threatening me at the loss of his warmth.

“Have a… good day…” I stammered, back still towards him as I lifted a sleeve to cover my flushed face. I was pretty sure I was about to start sweating.

“See you later,” he called, a teasing tone apparent in his voice, but I didn’t have the sense to feel annoyed or even bothered by it as I heard the apartment’s door open and close.

Once I was sure he’d taken the elevator and was already halfway down the building, I covered my mouth and let out a scream.

It’d already been a week since I’d moved in and he still had this effect on me?

I slumped my shoulders, feeling powerless as I still felt shivers tracing up and down my spine.

Never in the ten years that I’d known him had I ever felt like this before. Not even once, not even when we’d showered together. I blushed again.

We’d been fourteen and I’d been really sick. I’d been staying with Nichkhun’s family as my mother and father had been away on a business trip. Eventually, it’d gotten to the point where I hadn’t even been able to walk or move, but I had begun to smell like a week old pizza.

Nichkhun claimed that he couldn’t take the smell anymore and thus, carried me out of bed, undressed me and propped me up in the shower with me. I couldn’t remember much from those few days when I’d been sick, but I can vaguely remember him washing my hair in that shower.

I smiled tenderly at the memory.

But honestly, I shouldn’t think back to that time when I was so sick – it was even making me nauseous now.

Wait.

Nausea?

My stomach confirmed the feeling as I felt the urge to gag building in my throat, along with the feeling of yesterday’s dinner making its way up my body.

And then finally, my feet kicked into high gear and I was running to the bathroom, with only one thought running through my head-

I really shouldn’t have had that pizza last night.