Chris supposed it was his fault for deciding to work long into the night instead of joining the love of his life who was now fast asleep in his bed. Y/N's gentle breathing was the only sound in Chris's bedroom, and the way she was curled around his sheets made his bed look inviting in a way that only she could do; without her there, Chris could have easily ignored the bed and worked until the sun came up and set again. But there was something about the way he could make out the faint outline of her legs tucked up beneath the duvet so she lay in a fetal position, and the lower portion of her face hidden behind the pillow she was cuddling to her chest that made Chris agitated at his own self for earlier declining her soft question of whether he was going to sleep too, or not. It was his pillow, his scent strong on the soft cotton fibres, and Y/N had fallen asleep to the sweet muskiness of it, with the soft click-clack of Chris's keyboard acting as a lullaby.
Chris frowned at the pillow. She looked so peaceful, wrapped around it like a koala, and yet …
Lips twitching with sleepy mischief, Chris quietly shut his laptop and pushed back his seat. He stretched his long arms high above his head, a silent yawn escaping him as he tugged at the neckline of his hoodie and pulled it up and over his shoulders. Leaving his soft sweatpants on, Chris carefully peeled back the corner of the duvet Y/N was huddled beneath. He paused for a moment; his eyes melted into two gooey puddles as he watched her sleep, his lips curving up at the corners the longer he stared at her. He was extra gentle when his fingers landed on her arms so as not to disturb her. He knew very well that there was every chance Y/N would wake up from the borderline insane act he was about to carry out. But he couldn't resist, all the same.
With the lightest of touches, Chris began to unfurl Y/N's arms from around the pillow. His fingers laced through hers to hold her in place when he had pulled one arm away, the limb outstretched in the air and making Chris bite his lip to keep in the bubble of laughter that was threatening to escape him. With his other hand he slowly drew out her other arm, and it lay before her on the mattress as Chris gleefully reached for the pillow and tossed it away.
Satisfied, Chris kneeled onto the bed and promptly replaced the now empty space in front of Y/N's body with himself. He shrugged the corner of the duvet over himself, and his fingers traced down her outstretched arm before he slung both his muscular ones around her waist, his face landing beneath her chin, just like the top of the pillow had.
His gleeful grin was hot against Y/N's throat; she was still for a moment, and then she stirred, a slow intake of breath stirring his curly hair.
“Huh … ?” Y/N swallowed thickly, her eyes cracking open as cusps of slumber still clouded her vision. “Chrissy?”
Chuckling into her neck, Chris squeezed her tighter now that she was awake. He nuzzled his face against her warm, fragrant skin, his slender fingers delving beneath the hem of her top and sinking into the delicious heat below. He hummed in contentment at the feeling just as she shivered from the contact, and he buried his face deeper into the hollow of her neck.
“Don't cuddle the pillow,” Chris murmured, rubbing the tip of his nose against her jaw. “Cuddle me instead.”
Despite her sleepy state, Y/N erupted with stifled laughter. “You said you didn't want to sleep! ‘S not my fault … you know I can't sleep unless I'm cuddling something.”
Chris huffed. It made her giggle.
“Wait … are you jealous of a pillow?” She mused, peering down at him.
“No.”
“Oh my God … you are!”
“I'm not!”
“I can't believe you're jealous of a pillow,” Y/N snickered.
“Okay fine! I am jealous. Really jealous. I'm way cuddlier than that thing,” Chris grumbled as he dragged his lips across her skin and kissed the centre of her throat.
Eyes falling shut again, Y/N wriggled further down the bed until her face was parallel with Chris's. She dropped her forehead against his bare shoulder and sighed, throwing one of her legs over his thighs until she was clutching at him exactly the same way as she had been holding the pillow.
“Next time sleep when I say so,” Y/N yawned deeply against his collarbone. “‘N then you wouldn't have to … be so … mmm … jealous.”
She was humming in contentment as she rubbed her face against his neck, and Chris laughed quietly, his chest vibrating against hers.
“You having fun there?” He teased, turning to nudge her nose with his. “Huh? Lil’ kitten.”
“Making up for lost time,” came her response. “You woke me up, and you refused to cuddle me earlier. Now ‘m not letting you go.”
“Hey, I did not refuse.”
“You said you had to work. That's refusing.”
“No, that's me having to work. I still wanted to cuddle you.”
“But you didn't.”
“Not because I didn't want to!”
“You still. Didn't.”
Chuckling, Chris pulled Y/N closer into him and peppered the side of her flushed face with adoring kisses. “Okay, okay, fine. Next time I won't say no. I'll cuddle you while I work. Deal?”
Looking up at him with a twinkle in her eye, Y/N stole a kiss from his plump lips. “Mmm … dunno. What if you don't cuddle me properly and I end up reaching for your pillow again? You gonna get jealous again?”
Gripping her face in his hands as a smirk crossed his own, Chris kissed her back. “Okay. No work. Just cuddles. I want all your cuddles … that pillow doesn't deserve them.”
“What did the pillow do to you?”
“Not support my neck?” Chris shrugged with a soft laugh. “Make me choke in my sleep?”
Y/N frowned at him knowingly. “I don't think that's the pillow’s fault - “
“Ah-ah,“ Chris cut her off with another burning kiss. “Nope. We're not going there tonight, princess.”
“Did you just call me princess?”
“Maybe.”
“To distract me from your very real health problems?”
“Yep. Is it working?”
Y/N's lips twitched. “Maybe … “
Grinning, Chris caressed her cheeks and leaned in for another kiss, slow and sweet and making her lips buzz and tingle when he pulled back, leaning his forehead against hers. “Go back to sleep. Sorry I woke you.”
Y/N smiled. “Never thought I'd say this, but I'd choose waking up over sleeping any day if it means I get to be cuddled by you.”
She could feel his neck blushing at that when he cupped the back of her head with his hand and pulled her in to rest her face against his chest. He squeezed her tight in his comforting embrace, a deep, relaxed inhale filling his lungs and inflating the hard planes of his stomach against the soft curve of her own as his body melted into hers. Y/N was almost dozing off again when Chris trapped her legs within his own, locking them under the hollows of his knees in a way that made her let out a shaky puff of laughter against him. Her arms trapped him in retaliation, hooking up under his and her hands splaying over his shoulder blades, tugging him even closer despite the fact that they were already as close as humanly possible.
She smiled to himself when his pulse thumped steadily against her cheek. She wouldn't say it to him just now, but she would always choose him over that pillow.
When Chris accidentally caught sight of his wife's phone screen as he looked up from his laptop, he did a double take; his eyes widened and he blanched, a taken aback puff of laughter escaping him.
“What are you watching?” Chris asked, breaking the soft silence.
Pulling her gaze away from where she had been deeply engrossed in her phone, Y/N caught sight of her husband's expression and started to giggle. They had both been doing their own thing in comfortable quietude for the past hour, huddled up in bed beside one another. Chris had been finishing up a last bit of work, while Y/N was curled up into his side, scrolling through videos.
“Conspiracies,” she said, flashing him a wide grin.
“Looks terrifying,” Chris shuddered dramatically, his shoulder warm as it brushed her cheek. “I don't know how you can watch that before bed. I'd have nightmares for weeks.”
“I don't get scared,” Y/N said proudly. “It's fun watching scary stuff at night.”
Cheek dimpling as he smiled fondly, Chris gently ruffled her hair in a loving gesture. He knew first hand how fearless his wife was - for some reason, nothing seemed to scare her, no matter how sinister it was. Chris on the other hand jumped at the smallest of things, his heartbeat immediately skyrocketing in a way that always made his wife giggle.
He supposed it made quite a good dynamic between them both.
“I know you don't. You're a freak.”
“And you're a scaredy cat,” Y/N teased back, making him laugh and press closer to her. He was completely bare from the waist up, a thin silver chain glinting like faint starlight at the base of his throat as light from his laptop shone on it every now and then. A pair of large blue light glasses rested on the bridge of his nose, and his overgrown curls fell in dark ringlets over his forehead as he looked down at her, wrinkling her nose at her in his affectionate manner.
Scrunching up her nose in return, Y/N turned her face and pressed a soft kiss to his smooth chest.
He really was the most handsome scaredy cat she'd ever seen.
“You look good with glasses,” she commented, reaching up to poke the side of the frame.
Chris grinned sheepishly. “I look ridiculous in them.”
“Nuh-uh. You look hot. Really, really, really hot.”
His cheeks flamed red which only made him look even more handsome, something /N had thought was impossible. She groaned at the sight of him, much to her husband's amusement, and she gulped, returning her attention to the dark video playing on her phone before she could pounce on him like a needy cat. She huddled a little closer to him instead, curling her legs up under the duvet, resting her knees against Chris's thigh as he went back to typing on his laptop, the gentle tapping soothing to her ear.
They were cuddled up a while later, the lights off and the room blanketed in thick shadows when they finally decided to sleep. Chris's chest rose and fell in a slow, steady rhythm, his arm draped over Y/N's waist, keeping her warm. Yet Y/N couldn't sleep. She put it down to needing to go to the bathroom; yet at the thought of slipping out from the sanctuary of the bed and leaving her husband's side, Y/N's heart started to thud hard against the walls of her chest.
For the first time in forever, Y/N didn't want to step into the darkness.
Biting her lip as the unfamiliar feeling continued to build up inside of her, Y/N turned her head and looked up at her husband's sleeping face.
“Chris?” She whispered, nuzzling at his collarbone with her cheek. “Chrissy?”
“Mmf … yeah?” Chris slurred, his hand automatically slipping into her hair. "You okay?”
She nodded against him. “Need the toilet.”
“Okay … ?” Chris laughed under his breath, puzzled. “Have a nice piss?”
Smiling at his words, Y/N tucked her face into the crook of his neck. She clutched at his sides, tracing her fingers over the familiar ridges and veins travelling downwards as a way to soothe herself.
She must have stayed like that longer than she had thought, for Chris peered down at her and blinked his eyes open.
“You going?” He scratched lightly at the nape of her neck.
“Yeah … “ Y/N swallowed thickly.
At that, Chris suddenly snorted with amusement. “You're scared, aren't you?”
“No!”
“Oh, you so are. What did I tell you? Don't watch shit like that before bed.”
“But I'm not scared … “
“Yeah? Then why aren't you getting out of bed?”
“Um … I don't need the toilet anymore … ?”
Rubbing his eyes with his index finger and thumb as mirth filled his features, Chris squeezed his wife's hip under the duvet. “I can't believe you. I thought you don't get scared, scaredy cat … “
Whining at that, Y/N shoved the entire front of her face into her husband's chest. “I'm just … a bit … nervous.”
Chris chuckled. He pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “C'mon. I'll walk you to the bathroom.”
“You will?” Y/N sat up, eyes widening.
“Not scared, aye?” Chris continued to tease as he sat up with her. He stretched his arms high above his head, yawning as his muscles flexed under the silvery moonlight that sneaked in through the gap in the curtains. He shook his head at his wife with a soft smile and climbed out of bed. “It's all good. No monsters out here.”
Giggling, Y/N slipped out of bed and immediately reached for Chris's hand. Her heart fluttered when she didn't question it; he squeezed her fingers with reassurance instead before leading her down the small distance towards their joint bathroom.
She paused outside of the door. Chris sensed her hesitation, and a silent puff of laughter warmed her neck.
“You want me to come inside too?” Chris grinned.
Y/N nodded.
“Honestly … “
Shaking his head again in mild disbelief, Chris pushed open the bathroom door and snapped the light on for her. He pulled her in after him and she moved towards the toilet, Chris perching on the edge of the bathtub as she sat down on the seat.
She looked up at him then, taking in his appearance. She was sleepy, despite everything, and being sleepy always made her a little dopey.
“You're so pretty,” Y/N giggled, pointedly staring at the angular planes of his sides that disappeared into the waistband of his grey sweatpants. “If I was a guy I'd probably have a boner right now.”
“Fucking hell … “ Chris pinched the bridge of his nose and inhaled deeply. “I'm really glad you don't.”
Giggling at that, Y/N continued to watch him as she went about her business. He was staring at her too, his gaze hooded as he cocked his head to the side.
“What is actually happening right now … ?” Chris suddenly laughed in disbelief, dropping his face into his hands. “Am I dreaming?’
“To be fair, this isn't the first time.”
“It's not you being on the toilet that's crazy,” Chris dropped his hands, looking at his wife with sparkling eyes. “It's the fact that you're actually scared and asked me to come with you. That's never happened before. Ever.”
“Why do you look so happy about it … ?”
“Because!” Chris got up from the bath and moved towards his wife, his torso pressing into her back as she stood in front of the sink. “Normally you're the one comforting me when I get scared. Now it's my turn.”
Smiling sheepishly at him in the mirror, Y/N lathered her hands in bubbles. “I'm not even scared.”
“Course not. It's completely normal to wake your husband up in the middle of the night so you can go to the bathroom.”
Turning around to face him, Y/N looked a little confused. “But … I don't get scared,” she whispered. “I don't understand why I feel like this?”
Eyes softening, Chris wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into him, her head slotting into the hollow beneath his chin that she so loved. “You're probably just feeling extra sensitive. You know how deeply you feel things. Maybe all your senses are heightened right now … ‘s not a bad thing. Feeling scared isn't bad, baby.”
“But ‘m not,” Y/N tried again. It made Chris laugh as he held her, his body shaking against hers as he dropped a lingering kiss to the top of her head.
“Okay, okay,” Chris grinned. “My brave little gremlin. She doesn't get scared.”
Giggling into his chest, Y/N looked up at him with mischievous eyes all of a sudden. “Wanna hear about the video I was watching?”
“Absolutely not,” Chris cleared his throat. He steered her out of the bathroom and snapped the light off before tugging her back into their bedroom, the lamp he had switched on earlier filling the space with a toasty amber glow.
“But - “
“No,” Chris laughed. “Some of us aren't as brave as you, Mrs I Don't Get Scared. You can tell me all about it in the morning.”
Sighing, Y/N slid back into bed with a fat pout on her lips. Her head bobbed just out from beneath the duvet, making Chris smile widely as she followed suit and immediately scooped her back into his arms.
“Chrissy?”
“Yeah?”
“I'm a little scared.”
His chest heaved against her cheek as he let out a silent laugh. “What's my baby scared of, hmm?”
Humming in thought, Y/N's eyes peeked out at him as she pulled her face away from his chest. “Scary people?”
“Scary people?”
“Mhm. Scary people are scary. They do scary things.”
His laughter tickling her neck as he dropped his face towards hers, Chris gently slipped his fingers into her hair and caressed her scalp. “It's okay baby. I'm not gonna let any scary people get you. You're safe with me.”
“Even if you get scared too?”
“Even then,” Chris grinned, kissing the tip of her nose. “I can easily push my fear aside when it comes to protecting you. Ima always protect you.”
“So … you're gonna be my knight?”
“Armour and everything. At your service, milady.”
Face breaking into a warm smile at that, Y/N snuggled deeper into his chest. She was quiet for a moment, relishing in the soothing thump of her husband's heartbeat kissing her cheek, and the way his velvety skin seemed to glide perfectly amongst the grain of her own, like he was completely made for her. For a moment, the thought alone cut through her frazzled thoughts and she smiled to herself, nuzzling her nose on his collarbone.
“I'm still scared,” she broke the short silence a few seconds later.
Chuckling all over again, Chris cupped her face in his hands. “Am I gonna have to distract you?”
“Distract me how?” She raised a curious eyebrow, though the pit of her stomach coiled in anticipation.
“Oh, I don't know … “ her body was suddenly rolled onto her back as Chris loomed above her, his grin devilish in the moonlight. His arms came down around the sides of her head, caging her in, and she giggled at the way he was gazing down at her. “Maybe I could just read you a bedtime story.”
Hooking her legs around his as he came down on top of her, Y/N grinned against his lips. “Maybe you could.”
“Yeah? That all?” Chris hummed, his breath fanning out across her skin.
“What if the story's not enough?”
He laughed as his teeth grazed over the sensitive skin of her neck. “Ah … we can't have that, can we? Gotta get all those thoughts out of your pretty little brain somehow … “
A groan escaped him when Y/N dug her fingernails into the taut planes of Chris's shoulders. His lips were like pillows as they dragged down her skin, following the column of her throat and down to the neckline of her pyjama top. His hair fell into his eyes as he moved, and when he looked up at her through the curls, Y/N felt her whole insides give way to the dangerous glint in his dark eyes.
“Chris … “ her breath hitched when his lips found hers again, his hands cradling the back of her head as he covered her entire body with his own. “Don't stop distracting me.”
“Alrighty … everyone ready?” Chris leaned back in his comfy chair and stretched his arms above his head as his gaze surveyed the flood of comments spilling over one of his large screens. “What movie are we … yeah so about that … I'm gonna put a poll up of the top three movies you've all been throwing at me, and we'll watch the one with the top votes. And hey, I know a lot of you have been dying for me to play the new Genshin update - I'll save it for next week. Or I might do a bonus stream later on if I'm not too busy … sound good?”
The man clasped his hands together as a surge of agreement followed his words, and he chuckled under his breath before quickly tapping at his keyboard. “Alrighty … there. Poll's up. You got it? Can everyone see it? Yeah? Nah … ? Kay ima give you … seven minutes. Seven's a good number, yeah? Choose wisely.”
Leaning back in his seat, Chris continued to watch as the comments rolled up and up and up with a speed that nearly made him dizzy. It was the middle of the day, and the man had settled down in his office for his livestream of the week. He had suggested the previous week for himself and his loyal viewers to watch a movie together in the next stream, something he knew often filled many of them with excitement - it was the end of the year, and he knew a large handful of the people watching him were feeling loneliness creeping up on them like a second skin. Chris himself felt extremely lucky that he hadn't experienced that particular feeling in a long, long time, all due to the adoring family he had by his side … but it was something he was only too acquainted with from his rocky past. His heart ached for the people who were stuck in that particular darkness; he always wished he could take it away from them. But Chris knew he couldn't, and instead he hoped his livestreams were able to provide even just a little bit of distraction for the people who needed it.
His favourite colourful lights glowed with violet around him and painted Chris's face a charming rosy shade, making his eyes twinkle extra under the shadows as he moved around. He leaned forward at a particular comment, and he started to chuckle, pulling his cap further down his face.
“Isn't your wife jealous that you're watching a movie with us … ?” He read out loud, lips twitching. “Uh … nope? Don't think so, considering she's literally sitting right next to me.”
Out of sight from Chris's streaming camera, Y/N was curled up in a comfy armchair, her phone displaying the poll Chris had just posted into the chat section of his stream. Startled at being called out suddenly, she looked up to see Chris's eyes sparkling in her direction.
“Aren't you?” He teased. “Wanna say hi?”
Y/N wrinkled her nose. Making sure her face wasn't in view, she stuck her hand out and wiggled her fingers shyly, watching as it appeared on her own screen with a giggle.
“Hi,” she said. “I'm not here. Don't mind me.”
Smirking, Chris nodded towards the poll. “Which one you choosing?”
She smiled knowingly at the man, thumb tapping at her screen.
“Guess.”
Chris chuckled. He pointed to his own screen. “That one.”
“Yep.”
Laughing again, Chris turned back to look at his comments, watching the poll fluctuate with curiosity. He was about to speak again when the door to his office opened slowly, and both Chris and Y/N turned to see their second child toddling into the room, eyes round and hands grabbing in the air.
“Ky … what are you doing?” Y/N laughed, watching as Sky barreled straight for her father. “Where's uncle Lixy, huh?”
From the door, Felix sighed. “She wants Chris,” he said in a funny voice, pulling a silly face at Chris. “Sorry. Can't be a babysitter when the baby doesn't wanna be sat.”
“You want your daddy? Huh?” Chris cooed, leaning down and expertly lifting the two year old into his arms. He cradled her to his chest, making sure her face was turned away from the camera, and Chris grinned, peppering tiny kisses all over her chubby face. “Daddy's pretty girl … wanna watch a movie with us?”
Sky squished her small hands into his cheeks in response, and Chris's smile widened. He pressed a tender kiss to her forehead before looking over to the doorway where Felix was still loitering.
“Wanna join?” He asked.
Felix raised his eyebrows. “Whatcha watching?”
Chris shrugged. “Take part in the poll and we'll see.”
Sticking his tongue out at him, Felix wandered into the room with a large mug in his hand, and he shut the door behind him before taking up seat on the soft sofa behind Y/N and Chris. He slapped the back of Y/N's head in greeting as he passed by her, mischief written all over his freckled face, and Chris burst into laughter when Y/N mouthed something inappropriate in response.
“Far out … “ he shook his head and turned back to his screen, his arms curled delicately around Sky with her face smushed against his shoulder. “Looks like we've got two more joining us, chat … that okay? Everyone say hi to our favourite Angel … Felix!”
Felix waved, and Chris started to read out a few more comments before taking a look at the poll results. Sky, meanwhile, was standing up on her father's lap, and her arms were outstretched over his shoulder towards Felix. Her eyes were glued on the mug he was holding; or rather, the giant mountain of whipped cream floating on top, and the tiny pink marshmallows nestled inside.
Felix's face grew a sunny smile. “Want some?”
Sky clenched and unclenched her fingers, pressing further into Chris as she tried to lean closer to Felix. She giggled when Felix moved the mug out towards her, and she dunked her fingers into the top of the drink, scooping up a cream-coated, half melted marshmallow.
She immediately shoved it in her mouth, just as Chris turned to look at her. She blinked innocently, and Chris chuckled at the sight of her pink cheeks.
“Whatcha got there, you little gremlin?” Chris teased. “Stealin’ from your uncle Lix?”
In response, Sky pressed her hand onto her father's face. Her sticky fingers smeared the excess cream along his nose and chin, and Chris scrunched up his face at the feeling, just as his comments escalated, and pinging sounds echoed from his speakers.
“Lovely … “ Chris sighed, turning a fond smile onto his daughter. “Thanks for that, Ky-Ky. Really wanted cream all over my face. Yep yep. ”
Giggling, Sky finished her masterpiece by placing a fat, wet kiss onto his cheek. Despite the sticky state of him, Chris beamed, and he kissed her hair before reaching to the side for his box of tissues. He gently closed his fingers in a delicate grip around Sky's wrist before wiping away the creamy residue off of her fingers, her pink cheeks, and her rosebud shaped mouth, as his large screen continued to swarm with fond comments.
“Mama,” Sky suddenly turned to the side, hands reaching for her mother. “Mama mama ‘uddies.”
“You want cuddles?” Y/N laughed softly and extended her arms out towards the toddler. “Thought you wanted your daddy, hmm?”
“Mama,” Sky repeated, and Chris sighed loudly.
He pinched the bridge of his nose and pouted towards the camera, facial expression dripping with melodramatic theatrics. “She doesn't want me anymore.”
“Heart of a lion, aye?” Felix snorted with amusement from behind him.
Chris slid his slitted gaze to his friend. It only made Felix's grin grow, and he pulled his legs up beside him, taking a large sip of his hot chocolate.
“What movie?” Felix repeated, leaning forward to peek at Chris's screen. “Kinda in a rom-com mood.”
“That's the one I picked,” Y/N said as she smoothed wisps of wavy hair away from Sky's forehead. She was sitting neatly in her mother's lap, pliant and still with her hands clutched like tiny starfish around Y/N's forearm as she blinked at all the screens on her father's desk. “Which one won?”
“Uh … “ Chris rolled his chair closer to the desk and cupped his fingers over his flowing mouse. He started to chuckle when he saw the considerable difference in percentages. “Really? You guys all in a sappy mood today, or … ?”
He moved towards the laptop that was propped up to his other side, right in the middle of him and Y/N, and directly opposite Felix. It was already set up, and he searched for the movie name, making sure it was ready to go before turning to his main camera again.
“You guys all ready?” Chris asked, stretching his arms above his head. “I'll give you a few minutes to get a snack if you haven't already … “
Turning back to Y/N while he waited, the man smiled at her. She was feeding Sky the mini marshmallows from her own hot chocolate, the toddler sucking them up like a vacuum, and with every piece she ate, Sky wiggled around happily on Y/N's lap. She tilted her head back and looked up at her mother with a happy smile, and Y/N laughed, leaning down to pepper her face with a flurry of kisses.
“Who needs a romance movie when you have this,” Felix snorted, reaching over for a large bowl of popcorn. His gaze flitted from Chris to Y/N, the woman obvious to the way Chris was watching her as if she had hung the moon. “They're all going crazy, by the way.”
Snapping out of his little daze, Chris looked at Felix and then his screen, his eyes widening.
“Guys no,” Chris shook his head, ears turning magenta under the soft lights. “No, no, no … I told you before - I don't want your money. Stop, please?”
Groaning when another exploding animation slid onto his screen, Chris dropped his face into his hands.
“Lix? How do I turn this off?”
Sporting a cream mustache, Felix blinked. “Turn what off, mate?”
“The gift feature,” Chris huffed, gesturing to his screen. “How'd I turn it off?”
“You can't,” Felix said simply. “Takes ages … gotta contact them about it and opt outta the affiliate program. It can take months.”
“Fuck,” Chris sighed. He rubbed his hands over his face and removed his cap momentarily to slide his fingers back through his messy hair before settling the hat back down. “Okay well … guys, no more, yeah? Keep your money to yourselves … I'm gonna donate everything you've sent. Don't send anymore, otherwise, no movie night. Got it?”
Thankfully, his screen calmed down and a chorus of subdued agreement replaced the chaos. Satisfied, Chris nodded and leaned back into his chair again, a soft smile spreading across his face.
“Good … now are we ready? You all comfy? Got your hoodies? Blankets? Hot chocolates? Popcorn?”
He chuckled as he read through a few of the responses. He reached for his large mug resting atop of his favourite heated coaster and held it up, showing the still steaming beverage to the camera.
“Wifey made the hot chocolates,” Chris grinned, taking a sip of the velvety liquid. “Literally no one makes it better than she does.”
“I agree,” Felix nodded.
Out of view, Y/N flushed. “Oh, shush.”
“She's getting all shy,” Chris elaborated. “You can't see, but she's the cutest thing ever.”
“Stop it,” Y/N slid a little down her hair, suddenly embarrassed as he clutched Sky towards her like an emotional support plushie. She nodded towards the laptop as Chris chuckled at her. “You starting the movie or not?”
“Oh, right,” Chris cleared his throat. He clasped his hands together for a moment before starting it. “Oh, by the way … I just wanna say, I know this time of year can be really difficult for some, but … you're not alone, yeah? We're all together right now, about to watch a lovely movie … I want all of you to, you know … get rid of all those negative thoughts for a bit. Don't think about anything else, yeah? Enjoy the movie, enjoy the snacks … and as my old man says, ‘just enjoy’, yeah?”
Pleased with the positive comments that sprung up a few moments later, Chris smiled and took up his mug again.
“Okay … are we ready? Ima count down … three … two … one … let's go!”
“Okay … “ fingers pinching the bridge of his nose as a dull ache began to bloom behind his eyes, Chris reached for his phone and scrolled through his schedule for the week. He knew he still had a lot to do, his roster thoroughly packed the last time he had glanced at it. Though with the already strenuous events of the morning and afternoon, the hours were beginning to blur together, and Chris couldn't remember what it was exactly that he had to do next.
He swiped at his screen with a frown, and then back again. “Huh … ?”
The heavy door to his studio clicked open and Chris looked up to see Y/N slipping inside, his eyes softening momentarily at the welcome sight of her. But the frown must have still been visible on his face, for Y/N tilted her head to the side in question.
“What's the matter?” Y/N asked as she moved towards where Chris was leaning against his desk, and she handed him a fresh bottle of water.
Chris rubbed his jaw before taking the bottle from her. “My schedule … it says here that I don't have anything to do until next week? It's blank - which is impossible … did I delete it all by accident?”
Y/N's lips twitched at confusion laced in his musings. She gently plucked the phone out of his hand and deposited it into the deep pocket of his velvety sweatpants. “You didn't. I cleared your schedule for the next few days.”
Chris blinked. He wasn't sure he had heard her correctly. “What?”
“I talked to the company,” Y/N explained a little sheepishly. “They shifted some stuff around, gave a few of your jobs to the others, did some stuff themselves … you're off for the weekend. Well … a long weekend technically - you have a couple extra days into next week off too.”
At that, Chris grew quiet. He was baffled - that was his work. Things that he wanted - needed to do. But at the same time … he would be lying if he said he hadn't been dreading it all. There was only so much distraction work could provide from his own issues that he had been trying so hard to ignore …
For a moment, he considered protesting. He considered arguing and telling her that she had no right to do that.
But he knew deep down she wasn't the one in the wrong, and his words would sound entirely unconvincing to either of their ears. After all … one glance at her eyes was enough for him to realise that she really had done it for his own good.
He wasn't one to admit it, but he really could be very stubborn at times, to a fault.
A lump formed in the pit of Chris's throat. He didn't risk speaking; instead he slumped forward into Y/N's arms, dropping his forehead against the curve of her shoulder as he squeezed her tight in silent gratitude.
Y/N rubbed his back, her lips curving up into a tender smile as she pressed them to his temple. “Come on.” She slipped her hand into his, and tugged him towards the door. Chris followed her curiously, grabbing his jacket off of the sofa as he went.
“Where are we going?” He asked.
“To do nothing.”
“Nothing?” Chris repeated. “But … “
“No buts. You're doing nothing, and I'm gonna be there to supervise you.”
Chris started to laugh. “You're gonna supervise me? Really?”
“Mhm. To make sure you actually do nothing. I know you … if I sent you home on your own you'd sneak in some more work from bed.”
Sheepish, Chris followed her down the hall. “I don't know whether I want to cry or kiss you.”
She grinned up at him. “You can do both later. When you're home.”
Ending up in his bedroom a while later, the first thing Chris did was walk to the edge of his bed and fall onto it with a thud. His socked feet stood firm on the carpet as his face disappeared into the surface of his duvet, and he let out a groan so long that Y/N started to giggle. She shrugged her jacket off and padded over to Chris, his body completely rigid and diagonal over the mattress, legs locked together and arms pin straight at his sides, and she placed a hand on his shoulders, lips curving up into a satisfied smile when she felt them give way beneath her touch.
“Is this the same guy who looked like he wanted to explode when I told him I cleared his calendar?” Y/N teased, peeling his jacket off of his back.
Chris huffed into the duvet. “I didn't look like that.”
“Oh, you did,” Y/N snorted. “I thought you were gonna throw a tantrum.”
“I - “ voice coming to a halt when he realised he couldn't exactly deny her claim, Chris cleared his throat and turned his face to the side. It was flushed from the heat that had been trapped between his face and the sheets, and he inhaled deeply, eyes drooping into hooded curves. He watched tiredly as Y/N set aside both their jackets before the mattress dipped by his face as she sat down. Her fingers found their way into the textured crop of his hair, and he grunted at the feeling, the air he had been holding in his lungs suddenly flooding out of him as he deflated.
“You're gonna get a back ache if you stay like that,” Y/N laughed under her breath, gently brushing his hair away from his forehead.
“I already have one,” Chris mumbled, not bothering to conceal the information he usually would as his eyes fell shut like a content puppy. “Don't wanna move.”
“You wanted to keep working, huh?”
Chris grunted at Y/N's words, his lips curving up at the corners in a soft smile. “Shush.”
“Silly boy,” Y/N leaned down so her face was a mere inch away from his. She brushed her hand along the perimeter of Chris's cheek, relishing in the way his mouth spread into an even larger smile upon the affection. “You're so handsome.”
Her words were a playful whisper, designed to make Chris chuckle against the curve of her palm. He hummed in contentment when she grazed her nose against his, and he mustered up what little energy he had to fling an arm over her lap and bury his face into her side.
“Christopher … “ Y/N sat up again and looked down at the man's face tucked against her lap. Her heart lurched at the sight of him, at the evident depletion needled into each one of his features. Her hand came down to caress his face again, her fingers kissing his cheekbones before she sank them into his loose curls.
“Aren't you hot?” She asked, noticing the smudge of t-shirt fabric peeking out from the hood of his neckline.
“Mhm … “ Chris nodded against her hip. “So hot.”
“Don't you wanna take your hoodie off?”
He whined in protest. He snuggled deeper into Y/N, and the woman sighed fondly.
He felt her hands on his back a moment later, her fingers pushing up the heaviness of his hoodie up his scorched body.
“Here … lift your head for a second, baby.”
He groaned but did as he was told; Y/N pulled the hoodie off of his torso and draped it to the side, leaving him in a black t-shirt that stretched deliciously over his built frame, and his grey sweatpants that hung low on his hips, leaving a small band of smooth skin on display.. Goosebumps suddenly prickled along the lengths of Chris's muscular arms as the cool air met his skin, and Y/N rubbed her hands along his biceps, eliciting another contented sound from him.
“What do you wanna do?” She asked him then, fingers teasing the skin beneath his shirt sleeves.
Chris frowned in confusion. “Huh?”
“Do you wanna do anything?”
“I thought you said I was supposed to do nothing.”
“Yeah, well, you can do whatever as long as it's not work. And as long as you stay here, at home.”
At that, Chris started to smile. He sighed and finally shifted his legs onto the bed, heaving them up with immense difficulty, before circling his other arm around the back of Y/N's waist and burrowing his head deeper onto her lap while she stroked his hair..
“Wanna stay here with you … “ Chris mumbled, breathing deeply. “‘S all I want.”
Chest twinging, Y/N lowered her head and planted a loving kiss onto the bridge of his nose. “You don't even wanna play games?”
He shook his head, squeezing her tighter. “Cuddles.”
Only too happy to oblige, Y/N gently shifted her own position until she was laying down on his bed, pulling him down on top of her. He dropped onto her like a weighted blanket, and she giggled at the way his face immediately sank into the crook of her neck, inhaling both her scent and her warmth.
“This is … the best. Day. Ever … “ Chris said slowly into her skin, each word sending tiny shockwaves fizzing through Y/N's body. She tightened her hold around his broad shoulders, one hand sliding down his spine before slipping beneath his t-shirt and grazing her nails lightly up to his neck in another long sweep. “Thank you,” he added quietly.
She felt the weight behind the two words almost as much as she could feel the addictive pressure of him on top of her. She wrapped her legs around his too, tucking him in to her completely as her other hand returned to the silkiness of his hair.
“You don't have to thank me,” she whispered. “If anyone deserves a break, it's you.”
His hair tickled Y/N's neck as he shook his head again. He spoke again, softly, his words stretched out and almost hesitant when he let them slip.
“I find it hard,” Chris's fingers squeezed the soft curves of her sides. “Feel like I don't deserve it.”
“Why?” Y/N caressed his jaw.
“Dunno,” Chris slurred, moving to rest his cheek against her collarbone. “I just … I guess I feel like I haven't done enough. There's so much more I want to do, need to do … if I spend time resting … I dunno. I feel like I'll fall behind.”
Y/N had always known he felt like that, though he had never said it out loud - she had always seen it in the way he completed task after task with the competence of what she could only compare to the most advanced machine technology could create. But there was a vulnerability in the way Chris finally admitted the words to her, and Y/N felt her heart split open and fall to the bottom of her ribcage.
“Doesn't matter how much I do,” Chris continued, letting out a heavy sigh. “‘S not like anyone cares anyway. Maybe if I work even harder they'll finally notice me.”
He turned and planted the entire front of his face in between the plush curves of Y/N's chest as he groaned all over again. “Sounds stupid, huh?”
“No,” Y/N smoothed her hand through his hair and cupped the back of his neck with a reassuring grip. “It's not stupid. But I just … “
Chris lifted his head then, chin resting on her front as he looked into Y/N's eyes. “You just what?”
Y/N offered him a sad smile. “I just wish you'd understand that no amount of work is ever going to turn the heads of people who don't want to acknowledge you. Because they're bitter and jealous and angry and they don't know how to be happy for people that have what they can't even imagine having for themselves.”
She continued to trace her fingers over his facial features, gliding a fingertip across his dark eyelashes that prompted the cutest of nose wrinkles from him. “You can't do everything all at once, baby. Rome wasn't built in a day.”
“Yeah, but … “
“Don't even think about saying you could have done it in a day.”
Spluttering with soft chuckles, Chris dropped his head back down again and locked his long arms around her torso, using her like a long pillow.
“I wish I could do everything all at once while resting at the same time,” Chris said. “Forever in bed, but forever working.”
“You really wanna work forever?” Y/N peered down at him.
Chris was quiet as he thought about it. And then, “Not really, no.”
Erupting into shared giggles, the two of them snuggled closer to one another until their faces were joined by the lightest of brushing of their noses. Still flopped on top of Y/N with no intention of moving for the next couple of hours, Chris pressed his forehead against hers and kept his gaze fixed on hers, as if she had every answer he needed tucked into the sparkling pupils of her eyes.
“I just want you to be proud of me,” he let slip with a voice so tiny that he wondered if he had even said it at all.
Y/N's face melted. She grew quiet as she gazed back at him, her hands dancing along his sturdy shoulders, soaking in his addictive heat.
“You're enough, Christopher Bahng,” Y/N whispered then, lips feather-light against his own. Her words hit him like a loving punch to his gut, and he gulped slowly, the centre of his throat bobbing up and down from the action. “You're more than enough. You don't need to wear yourself out to prove that to anyone.”
A silent question floated around in the galaxies of Chris's eyes then, and Y/N smiled.
“I'm proud of you,” she breathed, cupping his face between her two warm hands. “I'm always going to be proud of you. No matter what you chose to do, no matter what you chose not to do … I'm proud of you, and I love you so much.”
“Really?” Chris whispered.
“Really,” Y/N nodded. “I'm with you for you, baby. Not your job, not your status, not the things that come with you … I'm with you because I love you as a person. I know you love your job, and I know you love working your butt off until you can't move … but Chris, none of those things matter to me. I like them because you like them, but apart from that … I just want you to be happy. And healthy. I want you for you … the caring, kind, selfless, funny, goofy man that I fell in love with.”
Her lips kissed away the shine along his eyelashes, Chris's heart constricting in his chest as he pressed closer to her, needing to be forged with her more than he needed air. Her words rolled over him like a frothy wave crashing against sand, washing away all the worries he had been holding onto.
“What if I quit?” Chris hummed. “What if I just ran back home and left all this behind me? Would you still love me?”
Giggling against his lips, Y/N stroked her thumb over his crimson cheeks. “Honestly? I think I'd love you even more.”
The grin that broke out over Chris's face was heart wrenching. “What about the kids?”
“You really think you'd leave them behind?” Y/N laughed. “I know there's already seven houses near yours with their names on them.”
“You know me too well,” Chris grinned. He brought his hands up to her face and outlined the shape of her soft lips with his fingertip. “Did you really clear all those days for me?”
Y/N nodded, nuzzling her cheek into his palm.
“How … ?” Chris exhaled, still in slight shock. “I mean … they wouldn't even listen to me. How'd you convince them?”
“Well … I can be quite persuasive when I need to be.”
Chris smirked. “Did you threaten them?”
Y/N flushed.
“You did!” Chris exclaimed, sitting up suddenly on top of her thighs. “What did you say?”
“It wasn't anything crazy,” Y/N dropped her hands onto her face, peaking up at him through the gaps in her fingers. “I just said that … that they had to give you some days off unless they wanted your death on their hands once you pass out from burn out. And then they'd have significantly less money coming in and all they'd be able to do is wish they treated you better.”
Mouth dropping open at Y/N's words, Chris's face suddenly crumpled with amusement and he burst out laughing. “You didn't.”
“I did.”
“Really?”
“Yeah.”
“You're insane,” Chris snorted with another round of laughter as he dropped his head back into the crook of her neck. He pressed his puffy lips to her cheek and dropped soft kisses onto her heated skin. “What would I do without you, huh?”
“Probably have less pissed off staff … ?”
“Yeah, well, if they're still pissed when I go back then that's on them,” Chris chuckled. “I might be shit at accepting I need time off, but I won't lie, I don't think I've felt this excited to live in a long time.”
“Don't say that,” Y/N whined, hastily peppering his head with a sudden flurry of kisses. “You're gonna make me want you to never work a day in your life again.”
“Sounds great right about now,” Chris yawned into her neck. “Can't feel it when I'm working but now that I'm laying down I feel like I've been repeatedly run over by a truck or something. My entire body just … “
He shuddered for emphasis, and despite the sympathy that coursed through her veins, Y/N giggled.
“Behave yourself and I'll give you a massage later,” she said, tugging at his hair that was sticking up in every different direction.
Chris groaned under his breath. “Want.”
“Thought so. Now or after a nap?”
Humming in thought, Chris yawned again and curled his legs up around Y/N's, tucking them in towards himself as the rest of him sank so deep into the cocoon of her body that it was like he was melting with her. “After. You gonna … nap with me?”
“Mhm,” Y/N hugged him closer, squeezing him tight suddenly until he let out a muffled sound of contentment. “Want me to?”
Chris nodded against her neck, his lips pursing up and leaving a kiss along her shoulder. “Don't go anywhere. Stay.”
“I will,” Y/N whispered. “I'm not going anywhere.”
“Dad … can you … “ Noah turned to see Chris leaning against the side of the counter, his head tipped back as he drizzled a constant stream of silky caramel into his mouth. The eighteen year old sighed as a slow smile spread across his lips, and he folded his arms across his chest just as Chris caught his eye and abruptly flipped the caramel bottle back to its rightful position. ”Dad.”
“I wasn't … mmf … I wasn't doing anything … “ Chris said thickly around his mouthful of caramel. He gulped it down and cleared his throat, offering his son a sweet grin. “Whatcha need?”
“The caramel,” Noah snorted. “If there's any left.”
“There's plenty,” Chris chuckled and slid the bottle over to his son. “You having caramel today? This early in the day? Thought you're usually a black coffee kinda guy.”
“I grew out of that phase,” Noah said. “Going through a milk and caramel phase now because of mum.”
“Yuck!”
Noah and Chris both turned in alarm to see Minho's tongue hanging out of his mouth in disgust from Noah's words. The man was angled awkwardly through one of the open side windows, the morning sunshine flooding the back of his silhouette, turning him golden. He heaved himself through the tight gap and slipped, tumbling into the house, landing on the warm wood floorboards with a thud that had Chris's eyes bulging out of their sockets.
“What the … Minho! I told you to stop doing that!” He tutted loudly, rushing to help his friend up from the floor. He grabbed his shoulders, looking him over with concern. Once he had made sure he was mostly unscathed, Chris landed a smack on Minho's backside. “Those doors are wide open, you lunatic … why the window? And I literally gave you a key! Use the front door!”
“He said he could do it this time without falling,” Seungmin explained, strolling in through the French doors. He was holding a tall cup in his hand, and Chris stared. “I said he wouldn't. He didn't listen.”
Chris shook his head, exasperated. “No more window climbing. Behave yourself. Got it? Otherwise ima have to put a damn lock on all the windows. Use. The. Doors.”
Minho just smiled like a cat that had been given a bowl of cream. “Hi Noey.”
“Hey,” Noah laughed under his breath, stifling a yawn. “I heard that yuck, by the way. Hi Uncle Seungmin.”
“Yuck,” Minho repeated happily. He too had been carrying a cup of his own - one that Noah had to squint at before recognising images of his uncle's cats printed all over it - and he plonked it down onto the counter beside Noah's mug. “Coffee. Thank you.”
“Hi kid,” Seungmin ruffled Noah's hair in greeting. He placed his cup beside Minho's.
Noah rubbed his face. “You both came here for coffee?”
“Yes,” they replied in unison.
“And to see you,” Seungmin added.
“Yeah,” Minho nodded.
Chris frowned. “What about me? You didn't come to see me?”
“No one wants to see you,” Seungmin rolled his eyes up to the ceiling.
“This is my house,” Chris grumbled, slapping Seungmin's arm. “Not that any of you care … you're like rats, scurrying into the kitchen for food.”
At that, Noah spluttered with laughter. The sound made Chris's eyes soften, and he grinned, pleased by the reaction.
“Where's Sky?” Minho asked, frowning as he looked around.
“School,” Noah said.
“And why aren't you?” Seungmin asked in return.
“Because,” Noah clicked his tongue. “I only have one lesson today. And I can't be arsed.”
He looked over his shoulder then at both his uncles. “How do you want it? Black?”
Seungmin and Minho nodded, affectionate smiles crossing their faces for a split second before relapsing into their usual teasing expressions.
“Wait … Uncle Seungmin you literally have a café,” Noah pointed out as he pressed a button on the espresso machine. “Why do you need me to make it?”
“I'm not working today,” Seungmin shrugged.
“Why?” Noah asked.
Seungmin smirked. “Can't be arsed.”
Noah started to chuckle.
“Besides. Coffee always tastes better when someone else makes it. You make good coffee.”
Minho nodded demurely. He was rubbing his knee - Chris caught sight of the action and narrowed his eyes at him.
“You good?” He asked.
“Yeah,” Minho blinked.
“Are you sure?”
Minho grinned widely. Too wide.
Chris sighed and grabbed the man by his wrist before pushing him down onto one of the stools. “Just sit down. Tell me the truth. Does it hurt?”
“ … Maybe.”
“For fuck's sake … show me.”
Groaning deeply as if it was the absolute last thing he wanted to do, Minho rolled up a leg of his long shorts, exposing a blossom of purple and crimson spreading across the width of his knee. He smiled innocently, and it was all Chris could do to shake his head as his face broke into an affectionate smile of his own.
“Honestly … what am I gonna do with you? You still behave like legit kids … “ his voice trailed off as he walked across the kitchen, disappearing into a nearby room. He came back with a small case in his hands, placing it on the counter and unzipping it to retrieve a compression bandage.
“I'm not letting you move for the next few hours,” Chris said sternly. “You're staying on the sofa. You hear me?”
Minho flopped into his stool, his lips turning down at the corners as he took on the appearance of a collapsed jelly. “But I was going to the shop.”
“Fuck the shop,” Chris grumbled. “I'll go for you. Stay still.”
Snickering at the look on Minho's face, Seungmin moved to the counter Noah was standing at just as Y/N entered the room. Her eyebrows floated upwards as she took in the sight of Chris bandaging Minho's knee, and Seungmin chatting with Noah with an easy smile on his face. She was unfazed by their sudden appearance, but she was surprised at the lack of menacing sparks in Minho's eyes, and she padded over to him with concern crossing her face.
“Min? You okay, love?” Y/N asked him, peering down at his knee in horror. Her hand slid automatically to her husband's shoulders in silent greeting, her warm touch rubbing slowly across the width of them as she stood beside him, his figure immediately melting under her hands. “What on earth did you do?”
“He came in through the window again,” Chris explained with a tired upturn of his lips.
Y/N's lips twitched. “Ah. He still thinks he's a cat.”
“Meow?” Minho offered.
Giggling at that, Y/N patted Minho's shoulder before making her way to the coffee area. She kissed Noah's freckled cheek before grinning at Seungmin.
“Howdy,” she joked.
Seungmin cackled. “Partner.”
“What?” Chris spluttered at the short interaction as they both burst into a fit of laughter.
“Whose cups are these?” Y/N picked up the heavy duty travel cups in confusion. “I don't remember seeing these before … “
“They're Uncle Seungmin and Minho's,” Noah said. “They came for coffee. But Minho messed his knee up so dad is forbidding him from leaving the house. Do you still want the coffee, uncle Min?”
“Yes,” Minho said simply, eyes hooded as he sat awkwardly in his seat, completely frozen as Chris continued to tend to his injury. “Please,” he added.
“Min, you really have to stop climbing through those windows,” Y/N turned and looked at Minho with anxious eyes. “The doors are always open! Use them. I don't like you getting hurt.”
Minho smiled softly at her. “Okay.”
“Oi!” Chris flapped a bandage at him. “I said the same fucking thing! This is what I get for caring so much, huh?”
Y/N giggled. “I think he's pretending to ignore you because he cares about you so much.”
Chris's shoulders dropped. “Oh right.”
“Besides. He wouldn't let you look after his knee if he hated you,” Y/N added. She looked up at Seungmin who was rifling through the large glass cookie jar on the counter. “You staying too?”
“I guess.”
“Good morning fam … !” A hyper chirp rang out in a sing-song voice through the space and all five heads swivelled to the side. Felix skipped in through the garden doors, his face alight with his signature bright smile. “Woah everyone's here … what's going on?”
“Uncle Minho climbed through the window,” Noah explained again as Felix kicked his slides off and slid across the kitchen floor in his socks. “Uncle Seungmin is raiding the cookies. Dad is being a doctor. And mum is … being mum.”
“And you?” Felix chuckled. “Making coffee. As always.”
“Do you want some? Everyone else is having it … I think?”
He looked up at his mother who nodded, her eyes crinkling up with a grateful smile.
“Got any ice cream?” Felix questioned, heading to the freezer. “Kinda fancy an iced coffee … “
“Ooh that'd go hard bro,” Chris looked up to see his friend pulling out a tub of vanilla ice cream. “Hey, Noey … ?”
“Got it,” Noah reached for a pair of tall glasses from the cupboard above him. “Mum?”
“Oh … go on then, love,” Y/N slipped her fingers through his curls with her soft touch. “What about these two? Don't you guys want an iced coffee?”
“Yuck,” Minho said again, making Chris shake with laughter. And then, “Okay.”
“You're so lucky I haven't poured your coffee into the water yet,” Noah said, dumping the water out of Minho's cup. “Uncle Seungmin?”
“Fine,” Seungmin sighed. “Thanks.”
“No bother,” Noah took the ice cream from Felix with a warm smile, the man squishing him in a big hug as he watched Noah place all the glasses and cups in a neat row beside the machine. His own hot coffee was half drunken, milk foam kissing the lip of his mug, and he took a large sip of it as he scooped generous sized blobs of the vanilla ice cream into each glass.
“You're not having an iced one?” Felix asked, dismayed.
Noah shrugged. “Already made mine a while ago.”
“You could put ice cream in yours,” Chris suggested, his eyes lighting up. “Make it an aff … afa … ?”
“Affogato,” Y/N giggled.
“Yeah, that,” Chris chuckled. “An affogato.”
“True, but mine has milk in it,” Noah said. “And affogatos don't.”
“So? Milk isn't gonna stop it from tasting good,” Chris pointed out.
Noah's lips twitched. He plopped a scoopful of ice cream into his mug.
“Aight … all done,” Chris said, gently patting Minho's knee. “Now stay put. If I see you up in the next few hours ima get really mad.”
Minho stuck his tongue out at him in response.
“Lord,” Chris sighed heavily and shook his head and walked away. He placed the pouch back from where it came, before making his way to Y/N, his chin dropping against her chin as he softly nuzzled his nose into the warmth of her neck. “Hi.”
“Hi,” Y/N whispered, squeezing his forearm.
“Whatcha doin’?”
Y/N picked up a large bag of chocolate chips. “Fancy some cookies?”
“Cookies?” Felix barked from somewhere near the tall bookcase on the opposite end of the room. Footsteps thundered across the floor, and Felix appeared behind Chris and Y/N in record speed. “You're making cookies?”
“You want some?” Y/N laughed.
“Who wouldn't want them?” Chris chimed in.
A chorus of agreement sounded in the kitchen, and Chris grinned before frowning. A voice was missing. “Minho? Want some cookies?”
When the man didn't respond, Chris turned around and reluctantly retracted his arms from his wife before swivelling his gaze to the sofa where he had left his friend. He wasn't there, and Chris groaned in agitation.
Stomping to the other side of the kitchen, Chris found Minho hauling himself up onto a different window ledge.
“Minho!” Chris barked. “Get off from there!”
“I dropped my phone in your garden,” Minho whined, hooking a leg over the wall.
“Then tell me and I'll go get!” Chris exploded. His eyes widened when Minho slid further into the open window, a leg outside now. “For fucks sake! Minho! That is not a cat flap … !”
She didn't need to say anything for Chris to understand the way she was looking at him. Y/N swallowed back the lump in her throat as Chris turned back the corner of their duvet before opening the long lines of his arms towards her, the edges of his eyes softening into downturned slopes that made Y/N's vision blur. She almost tripped with her urgency to get to him - she climbed into her husband's lap and immediately tucked herself into the warm bubble of him. Chris's arms came down around her body with a sturdiness that caused the damn to break, and Y/N's fingers curled into the soft t-shirt at his sides as tears seeped into the fabric. Every inch of her frame trembled from the way Chris had enveloped himself around her, resting his chin upon her head and rubbing his hands in soothing strokes over the expanse of her back. She squeezed him tighter, and he hugged her harder. Chris's breath was a reassuring cloud of heat against her hair and her temple when he moved to pepper her flushed skin with tender kisses, and it was all Y/N could do to make herself even smaller on his lap, almost folding in on herself as she melted into him.
He didn't need to say anything. And she didn't need him to; the way Chris was cuddling her spoke louder than words at that moment. His hand carded through her hair in sweeps so gentle that his fingers seemed to shake with each movement, and when his palm cupped the back of her head, Y/N went limp. All thoughts melted away from her mind, and her breathing slowed, the tight coil that had been spreading across her chest now retracting and disintegrating into nothing. She was growing warmer with every passing second, the hard cushion of Chris's muscle almost molding to the shape of her as she sank further and further into him, and the sweetness of his familiar scent surrounded her in a way that made her feel as if perhaps she had somehow magically crawled into the depths of him, and was now safe within the four walls of her husband's body. Nothing could hurt her with Chris shielding her and with his heart kissing her cheek as if it was welcoming her back home.
Suddenly it didn't matter how difficult her day had been. Warm and safe in her husband's arms, Y/N soon couldn't even remember what had been hurting her in the first place. Her lips turned up ever so slightly at the corners as another lingering kiss made its way to the tip of her nose, and her smile stayed soft as she slowly drifted to sleep.
How far gone did one have to be to not even feel the hammer of rain droplets beating against one's self? Rain drops so cold that they were one degree away from being pellets of ice, sharp and piercing through the thin fabric of Y/N's clothes.
But she likely wouldn't feel that either. Not even if she herself had frozen into a statue, binding her feet to the path she had been walking on.
She had been making her way through the sodden streets for hours now, blindly weaving her way through the puddles and the low hanging branches that were almost invisible to her from how dark the night had drawn in. She hadn't felt their jagged edges skittering across her cheeks, nor had she felt the give in her ankle after stepping awkwardly on a broken piece of concrete. Nothing about her surroundings registered in her whirring mind, not even as she turned towards a wider street, traffic thick and lights flashing in every direction, bouncing off of the rippling water on the road. A faint whistle, perhaps. Someone bored hanging out of a car window calling out, slitted gaze following her uneven tread. Murky water splashing at her as someone sped by her. It was as though a thick bubble surrounded her nervous system and her brain; everything inside was bubbling and roaring like a volcano on the verge of eruption, the bubble stopping it from escaping, and anything external from entering.
But that was okay. Y/N could hurt herself more than anything else ever could.
Rage shot through her veins like electricity, sizzling and shocking her inner mechanisms. This wasn't right. She was supposed to be the strong one. She was the one who provided calm to the storms people around her faced on the daily. She was their anchor, their steadiness in a world of uncertainty. It had been a very, very long time since she had done anything other than look within and work on healing herself. Over and over, she had knitted together the seams of the wounds others had inflicted upon her, and then stitched them even more securely when others tore them apart again. Her entire existence was covered in thick, silvery scars - much like the inner skin of her forearms and thighs from a long, long time ago - reminders of the unspeakable things she had been through, and a sign of her strength which most people could only dream of enduring. She knew not everyone would have been able to handle the chaos of her life the way she had, let alone begin to understand it should she have tried to confide in them. She also wouldn't wish any of it upon her worst enemy - Y/N had never been that sort of person. She healed, and shared her wisdom with the ones that needed it.
It had always been that way. She would always care more than anyone would ever care about her.
But perhaps there was only so much one could do to fix themselves. And regardless of the conviction that she was completely fine all alone, everyone deserved another to lean on in the depths of their despair. All it took was one, single person, a soft hand on a shoulder, a tender look that showed they cared.
But Y/N had never known such a thing as that. The notion of it was entirely foreign, and frankly, rather unsettling. To unsheathe one's innermost later and bare their soul for another to scrutinise and unleash their likely judgement … it wasn't something Y/N had any desire to go through ever again.
It was always easier to shut them off from her instead.
Talk, but don't reveal anything valuable.
Be kind, but don't let anyone get close.
Make friends, but don't trust anyone.
Ever.
Again.
But something had ripped in Y/N's shield. She hadn't even felt it in the beginning … a prickle of discomfort, perhaps. A single eye twitch from stress she hadn't even realised she was carrying. A sharp pain through her trapezius muscle from the sheer rock solid quality of it. An upset stomach from a particularly anxious day.
Alone, nothing was out of the ordinary.
Together … everything had begun to pour out of the tear in the membrane of the metropolis she had so carefully built up and constructed with her own bare hands. The years and years of working so hard had begun to crumble - and every brick that fell down fell with a crash twice as painful as the first time, when she had swore to never stoop to such a low level again.
She had promised she would never think of coming to an end after that time.
And it had been going well.
Until now.
Whereas once, his face would have crossed her mind, now there was nothing. Nothing but a bleakness that flooded her system - numbness that corded around her limbs, conflicting with the shrieking of her soul, trapped under the ruins that were crashing down around her.
The shadow she thought she had said goodbye to for good stepped out from the shattered foundations of the last decade, and extended a long, wispy hand, spiralling with an obsidian flame so dark that it seemed to absorb every flicker of light from her surroundings. A black so black that it looked like an endless, bottomless tunnel.
Eyes blurring, Y/N slipped her fingers into it. Her knees buckled and she was falling,
down,
down,
down.
No.
No.
Get up.
But she couldn't. She couldn't feel her legs on the near-frozen pavement, nor could she see an inch in front of her face. The night sky spiralled around her in a cloud of smoke, obscuring the vision from where she had collapsed into a side alley away from the hubbub of late vehicles.
Get … up …
Don't be so fucking weak.
Her fingernails tore into the palms of her hands, far away frustration seeping out of her pores. A metallic twang filled the thick air as her fingers grew sticky. It went unnoticed; a waterfall of hot, steaming tears rushed down her cheeks as the dam broke, and as her head dropped forward, unable to hold itself up any longer. She was too tired to do anything but let her body control her; the sobs that tore from her throat were foreign to her ears, and her eyes clenched shut so tightly that for a moment she felt her eyelids would flip inside out. Her eyelashes were sticking to them, prickling her eyes. But her head dropped lower, fingers unfurling by her sides, the puddles of water beside her growing pink as the rain washed away the salt from her hands.
She hadn't planned on this.
But the thoughts that had plagued her all those years ago resurfaced, and for a moment, she wondered why she hadn't done it sooner.
They said that stars burned the brightest the moment just before they died. During their long lives, they flickered and provided direction and light for millions of people - no matter that they were billions of lightyears away, they still managed to bring joy and comfort to anyone who tilted their head up on a cloudless night. And when they died, they imploded and shattered and spewed their celestial guts across space and time, stardust connecting in glittering webs to create new life. A supernova. Still benefitting the universe despite the darkness inhabiting its own core.
Y/N had burned. Burned so brightly it had begun to sting and char, turning her to ash. But what was the point in shining for so long, if no one cared?
☆☆☆
“Wake up … fuck … Y/N. Wake up!”
Black.
Everything was black.
“If you don't fucking wake up … Y/N … baby please. Fuck, I'm sorry, okay …? Please just wake up … “
Someone was breathing heavily. Skittish. Uneven.
“Baby … “
Her eyes were glued together. She could barely pull them apart, her eyes rolling around in their sockets at her attempt. They cracked open a little, the skin of her eyelids so cold she couldn't feel them. The moment her vision started to clear, a wide pair of brown eyes came into sight.
Worried eyes.
Eyes that she knew like the back of her hand.
Eyes that once would have filled her with warmth, quieting her head.
But there was nothing. Nothing as she blinked slowly, neck frozen stiff.
“Oh baby … “ Chris exhaled, shoulders dropping with relief. His hands clasped together as his head hung for a moment, and then his fingers were on her face, trembling so hard they slipped against her wet skin. “Thank God. Thank God. Baby … “
He was breathing heavily again as his forehead connected with her own. His chin jerked to the side as he sniffed, and his eyes flitted to the pavement she was slumped on. It was a gesture Y/N had seen many times before, one he did when he was trying his level best to not cry. But … why would he be crying now?
Who hurt him?
She hated seeing him hurt …
Chris's face changed, a mask of authority slipping into place over his facial features.
“Let's get you up,” Chris said, voice suddenly calm. “Can you stand, baby?”
Y/N let her eyes fall shut again.
Her head was pounding.
He sounded so far away …
Was she still alive? Maybe she was lost in the veil between life and death, somehow … able to hear the sounds of the world, yet her body being pulled in the other direction.
And Chris …
Perhaps her mind brought him to her one last time.
Y/N didn't feel her lips curving up at the corners. But she heard the hitch in Chris's breath as his hand cupped the side of her head.
“Are you … smiling?” He whispered.
Her tongue was like sandpaper in her mouth. “You … came to see me.”
Chris's chest heaved. “What?”
“I'm happy it's you … “ Y/N mumbled, eyes moving beneath her eyelids. “Even when I'm dead … you're … “
He didn't get to hear what he was; her voice trailed off again, though her smile widened in a way that made Chris's eyes burn with tears.
“You're not dead,” Chris choked out, carefully reaching for her arm.
Y/N imagined herself frowning. “I'm … not?”
“No.”
No …
No no no …
“Oh … “ tears spilled down her chin all over her again. “Why … not?”
“What do you mean, why not?” Chris inhaled, incredulous. “Come on … I'm getting you up. You're soaked, Y/N. Fuck … how long have you been out here?”
“Leave me alone … “ Y/N mumbled, feebly pushing against him. “Let me die.”
“Don't say that,” Chris gritted out. “You're coming with me.”
“Don't be so selfish,” Y/N cried. “I … I don't want to be here. I can't do it anymore. No one … would care … “
Chris slung her arm around his shoulder and ignored her protesting, his own arm sliding around her waist. “You are not dying. You hear me? You do not get to die on me, Y/N.”
She could barely hear him anymore. She was beginning to feel warm. Too warm. Her fingers tingled and her toes buzzed in her boots - the rain was pouring in thicker sheets now, weighting her clothes down, plastering her hair to her face. She still couldn't feel it. She couldn't bring herself to open her eyes again to see it either …
She was moving. Was she floating? The ground wasn't firm beneath her any longer. She hummed as her body was jostled a little, and a moment later she grew so much hotter that a whimper escaped her parched lips.
“It's okay baby,” his voice was soft as he murmured close to her head. “I've got you. I'm taking you home.”
Home … ?
“Hot … “ Y/N managed, brows creasing.
“It's okay. It'll be okay. You're just cold.”
“Hot … “ Y/N repeated. “Hurts.”
He didn't reply this time. But the heat grew across her torso and her head, and she was sure her skin was melting off of her bones.
☆☆☆
Chris carded his fingers through the frazzled strands of Y/N's hair. Her head was nestled against his pillow, his duvet tucked just beneath the curve of her chin, and an extra heavy blanket folded in half over her body. She had been so cold when he had found her that he had been terrified - her fingers had been nearly blue, her skin void of any colour, and her lips … no wonder she had said she was feeling hot. Being so cold that it began to feel like heat …
Chris shuddered. He didn't want to think about it. But it was all he could think about.
He hadn't left her side since he had brought her to his place. She had fallen unconscious all over again, as he had carried her the entire way, and after peeling off her drenched, muddy clothes, Chris had gently dressed her in the softest, warmest clothes of his own that he could find. The doctor he had called had checked her over, assuring him that she would be okay and would wake up on her own, despite his numerous, frenzied concerns.
The doctor had clasped the anxious man on the shoulder and told him not to worry. At most, a cold developing would be unsurprising.
But Chris worried. He chewed on the skin at the edge of his nail, his eyes glued on the sleeping woman at his side. He had stayed in bed, working on his laptop, one hand on the keys while his other hand stayed on Y/N - her hair, her cheek, her arm, even just her hand.
He felt as though his insides had been clawed apart, leaving him empty - emptier than he had ever been before. This was all his fault. He should have known. He should have known she was pushing him away because she felt she had to.
He should have known because it was exactly what he did.
He should have -
“Mmh … “
A puff of air tickled his fingers and Chris's head snapped to his side. His eyes widened when he saw Y/N's face scrunching up half beneath the top of his duvet. A shaking hand came up to close over her face, and Chris shut his laptop, pushing it away.
“Hey … “ he whispered, turning onto his side. He reached for a bottle of water and cracked off the lid. “Here. Drink.”
Y/N's eyes peeled open, her gaze disorientated. It seemed to take her a few moments before she realised what was going on, and she couldn't bring herself to protest when Chris's hand cradled the back of her head, the water bottle pressing gently across her lower lip.
They were quiet for a while. Y/N rolled onto her back, her unseeing eyes starting up at the ceiling.
A moment later they welled up. She couldn't stop the tears rolling down her temples, seeping into her hair. She couldn't stop the full body shudders that shook the bed as strangled cries left her hoarse throat. She couldn't do anything but lay there and let it happen, her hands clamping over her mouth.
Chris couldn't take it any longer. He had been holding himself back since the previous night, but his cells roared at him from the constraint. He moved forward and curled his arms around the sobbing woman. She didn't kick him away like he had expected her to, so he pulled her closer; they ended up deep below the duvet, Chris's hand cupping the back of her head, keeping her face secure against the hollow of his throat as she collapsed into his body. Y/N's fingers dug into the t-shirt he wore, and the soul wrenching cries that tore from the pit of her chest reverberated into his skin.
Chris shut his eyes, the backs of them prickling for the dozenth time.
“Shh … “ Chris squeezed her tight. Tighter than he should have been, perhaps. But in his mind, the firmer he held her, the higher the likelihood of whatever had shattered her soul to start to glue itself back together again. “I'm here baby. I'm right here.”
She cried harder at that. She cried so hard that soon the sounds she was making stopped completely. The entirety of her body tensed, freezing in place, and Chris's own tears slipped into her hair.
“Breathe, baby,” Chris said thickly, rubbing her back. “You're gonna choke … breathe. Look at me, baby. Hmm?”
She shook her head, forehead rubbing against the broadness of his chest.
“Look at me,” Chris repeated. “Come on … let me see those pretty eyes.”
Coughing like Chris had predicted, Y/N heaved, before moving her head back a little to look up at him. He was already watching her with a tenderness that made fresh tears pool against her lashes, and she watched slowly as Chris reached for one of her hands, encapsulating it in his slender fingers.
Crimson crescent moons spilled across the width of her palm. Voice lodging in his throat at the sight of them, Chris gently raised her hand and pressed a series of slow kisses to her damaged skin, before he placed her hand over his chest.
“Can you feel that?” Chris hummed in the small space between them.
Y/N was so shocked by the unfamiliar affection directed towards her that her tears stopped in their tracks. She stared up at Chris with wide, watery eyes, his own seeping reassurance into her.
She nodded. His heart drummed slow and steady beneath her fingers.
“Close your eyes,” Chris whispered. “Breathe in time with my heart … can you do that for me?”
Breathe in time with his heart …
Y/N gulped and did as he said. Her eyes fluttered shut, and her brows creased as she tried to focus.
Thud.
Thud
Thud.
“Breathe in for five beats,” Chris breathed against her temple.
Inhale.
Thud. Thud. Thud. Thud. Thud.
“And exhale for five … “
She released her breath, forehead falling forward into the crook of Chris's neck.
His hand was still holding hers over his t-shirt, and he began to move it down slightly, slipping it below. Her breath shuddered when she felt the scorching planes of his velvety skin, and the way his heart felt stronger without the barrier.
“Again,” Chris said gently.
She breathed in, and breathed out. Chris's other hand rubbed soft circles into her back as she breathed, and the longer she focused on the slow breaths, the more distracted she became from her violent crying. Her shoulders melted and her fingers loosened, and Chris started to smile.
“Good girl,” Chris kissed the top of her head.
The words were too soft. Y/N's eyes watered and she lifted her face, her eyes level with his.
“I'm sorry,” her voice trembled.
“Don't you dare,” Chris said firmly. “Don't you dare apologise to me, baby. Fuck … I'm the one who's sorry. I'm sorry I didn't stay when you pushed me away.”
Her words broke. “You were doing what I asked you to. I … couldn't feel anything anymore. I didn't think I cared.”
Chris's chest tightened. “And now? Do you … do you feel anything?”
Y/N thought for a moment. She turned her face, resting her cheek against his shoulder. “I know I don't want to move.”
At that, Chris's face warmed. He pulled her further into him and secured his legs around hers, his lips curving into the softest of smiles when she heard the faintest of content sounds escaping Y/N's lips.
“I'm never letting you go again,” Chris spoke into her hair. “I'm never going to let you feel alone again. I don't want you to be strong with me. Just … be.”
Y/N wasn't sure if she could surrender herself that quickly, even if it was with him. But she felt so weightless in that moment that she found herself nodding and burrowing her face deeper into the crook of his arm.
Maybe just this once she would allow herself to believe that there was someone who had good intentions.
“I love you so much … “ Chris was whispering, fingers grazing her scalp. “Please don't ever do something like that again.”
Finally pushing open the door to his bedroom with a laborious sigh, the last thing Chris expected to see was his usually neat duvet bunched up in the middle of his bed. He frowned, and then his eyes widened as a face came into view, a split second before his brain had registered what was happening.
“Boo!”
The loud yelp that Chris let out was nothing short of comedic. Bursting into satisfied laughter at the sheer horror on Chris's face, Y/N doubled over on his bed, his duvet still wrapped around her body. Only her face was exposed, and she looked like an evil marshmallow as Chris sagged against the wall closest to his door.
“Baby … “ He exhaled slowly, his shoulders shuddering from the impact. He dropped his head into his hands and his fingers rubbed at his face as he let the shock ebb away. “God … you nearly gave me a heart attack.”
“Sorry,” Y/N giggled. She pulled the duvet off of her frame and shook it out, neatly arranging it over his mattress again. “Couldn't resist.”
A tired, but warm smile spread across Chris's face as he lifted his head again, his hands dropping to his sides. His gaze was hooded as he took in Y/N's form, his heart constricting in his chest just by watching the way her fingers were smoothing out the creases in the sheets. His eyes stung, and he was bewildered when his cheeks grew wet a few seconds later.
“Chris?” Y/N froze, halting her movements as she caught sight of the glimmer on Chris's flushed cheeks. “Baby? What's the matter?”
Chris rubbed at his eyes with his thumb and fingers. “I … don't know. I'm just so tired and … and I wasn't expecting to see you here, and … fuck … I missed you so much.”
Eyes softening, Y/N held her arms out to the man; he immediately stumbled his way over to the bed, and he crashed into her arms with a force that almost knocked the breath out of her. Y/N held him fiercely, squeezing him tight to ground him. Chris's fingers tangled into the back of her tank top as his head landed with a soft thump against her stomach, the curls of his hair askew and tickling the band of skin where her top had ridden up; she leaned down and pressed tender kisses to the top of his head, and she sank her fingers into his hair, stroking his scalp gently as she leaned back against his headboard.
“My baby,” Y/N hummed, coiling his fine hair around her fingers. His tears were hot as they seeped through her clothes, but she didn't mind. She curled herself around him even further and brushed her fingers over his cheek as he turned his face to the side, his hands sliding down to rest on the sides of her thighs. “I missed you too.”
Chris looked up at that, his eyes shining like the wintery constellations decorating the night sky outside his bedroom window. “Why are you here?”
Y/N smiled. “Because you gave me a key.”
“Not that,” Chris rolled his eyes to the ceiling, sassiness dripping from the expression despite his fatigue.
Giggling, Y/N dropped a kiss to the bridge of his nose. “Wanted to help you sleep. I don't know if it'll help but … I brought you a new pillow. It's really fat so it won't be as uncomfy sleeping on your side. Well. Hopefully.”
Chris stared. “You brought me a pillow?”
“Of course I did,” Y/N nodded. “It's … here - “
She reached over the side of the bed and heaved up the fresh pillow she had brought along with her. It was still in its plastic packaging, and Chris sat up as Y/N wrestled the pillow out of it.
“That's … massive,” Chris started to chuckle when he saw the thickness of it.
Y/N giggled, fluffing it up and reaching for the pillowcase she had taken out earlier. “Mhm. The idea is that it'll reduce the gap between your neck and the bed when you lay on your side. ‘Cause having broad shoulders means there's more of a distance between everything, right? If you have a fatter pillow it should align your head and your neck better … I know you have your fancy pillows but I thought we could try this?”
Chris bit his lip. “Let me do that.”
“Ah - hands off, Mr Bahng,” Y/N tutted, swatting away his reaching hand. “You're always looking after everyone else … just let yourself be taken care of for once. You're mine and I wanna look after you.”
Chris couldn't bring himself to speak. He was sure that if he was to open his mouth, fresh tears would stream down his cheeks all over again. So he just nodded, the back of his throat clogging up.
“There,” Y/N patted the pillow once she had slid it into its case, and she placed it behind her, next to Chris's other boxy cushions. She turned to Chris with warmth radiating from her eyes, and she reached for him again, the man melting into her instantly.
She kissed his temple, sliding her fingers down to the hem of his starchy shirt. “Let's get you all comfy.”
Humming in agreement, Chris let Y/N peel off his day clothes, and he welcomed the sweet, familiar caress of his bedsheets against his bare skin. He shivered from the sudden cold, and Y/N laughed under her breath as she gently draped the duvet over him.
“Turn around,” Y/N whispered, kissing his lips. He kissed her back, once, twice, three times with a watery smile before he did as she said, and he turned until the muscular planes of his back faced her, bowing slightly as she curled in on himself.
Y/N's fingers were soft as they smoothed over his tense shoulders, her lips caressing his silky skin. “Here … put your head on this … “
She tugged the new pillow down until it was nestled between the juncture of Chris's neck and shoulder, cushioning his head. It wasn't too soft, nor too firm - it allowed his head to stay in the correct position without dipping down, straining his neck, yet was plush enough that it provided a substantial amount of comfort that his other ones didn't. Y/N's hands found their way to his waist, and she maneuvered him slightly, lips brushing the back of his neck.
“Lean back into me … like this,” Y/N adjusted his position, and the pillowy curves of her chest met his back as he did so, his knees bending. She slipped one of her legs between his, elevating his top leg, while her arms curled around his torso, hands landing over his toned chest. “How's that?”
Chris swallowed thickly. It took him a moment to find his words when he realised his shoulder didn't feel like it was crushing itself, and his neck felt more supported than it had in a while. Not to mention Y/N cradling him with her careful embrace - he couldn't remember the last time he felt so … comfortable.
“Doesn't hurt,” Chris whispered, the words trembling. “Can breathe.”
It was all he could manage, but it was enough; Y/N caressed his chest, her face dropping against the back of his neck where his hair was the softest, and where his skin smelled like the sweet muskiness that she was always craving. She peppered another flurry of slow kisses onto his body, and Chris sniffled, his hand closing over hers under the duvet.
For a while, they were both quiet. Y/N stayed wrapped around him, ensuring Chris kept laying on his side, his breathing steady and soft in their little cocoon. But the longer they stayed entwined like that, and the longer Chris breathed with ease, the more Y/N's chest began to ache.
“Baby?” Chris hummed sleepily, as if sensing the shift in Y/N's breaths on his skin. “You okay?”
Y/N buried her face deeper into him. “I know you find all of this so hard … and that you find it hard to put yourself first most of the time, especially when you need to. But Chris … baby you're everything to me. I just want you to be happy and healthy all the time and I want you to look after yourself. Because fuck, if anything happened to you, I … I … “
Y/N's voice cracked, and Chris's fingers tightened around hers, still lingering over his heart.
“I need you so much,” Y/N breathed. “I need you here. With me. All the time. I … really love you, Christopher. I hate seeing you hurt. And I hate seeing you push your health aside because you think other things are important. Nothing is more important than you right now. Nothing.”
Unable to contain himself any longer, Chris turned around under the duvet and slid his arms around her. Her face found its way to the hollow of his throat, and her hands curled around his biceps as he held her close, the plumpness of his lips brushing her head.
“I'm sorry,” he whispered, his tears trickling into her hair as Y/N's tears heated the swell of his throat. “I'm sorry for making you worry, baby girl. I'm so, so sorry.”
“Don't be sorry,” Y/N hiccuped, squeezing her eyes shut even tighter. “I'm always going to worry about you because I care about you.”
Chris cupped the back of Y/N's head, his hair rustling against the pillow. “I don't think you'll ever understand just how much you mean to me.”
Looking down into Y/N's face, Chris cupped her cheeks with both hands. “I'd do anything for you. You know that, right?”
Y/N exhaled shakily. “Does that include taking care of yourself and going to the hospital?”
At that, Chris smiled softly. “For you? Yes.”
“What about for you?”
His eyes clouded over. “I … I could work on that.”
Y/N kissed the very tip of his nose. “Promise?”
Chris nodded slowly, forehead going to rest against hers. “I promise.”
Content, Y/N ducked her head and planted kisses along the moles surrounding his collarbones. “I came here to help you sleep. Not make us both cry.”
Chuckling under his breath at her words, Chris let her turn him around again, so she was spooning him once more. “Will you sing me a lullaby?”
“Do you want me to?” Y/N grinned.
“Maybe.”
Smiling to herself, Y/N tucked herself around him as much as she could, cradling his body with her own. Chris seemed to melt into her, his skin growing warmer and warmer by the second, and his hands found hers again as his eyes fell shut, the tenderest of smiles lingering on his lips.
Voice barely a whisper, soft as the moonlight spilling through the small gap in the curtains, Y/N began to sing.
A loud slurp of hot chocolate paused Sky's frustrated storytelling to her uncle Seungmin.
“ … And then, then she went and talked shit about me to all of my other friends when I didn't even do anything,” Sky finished with an agitated thud of her fist on the counter. Seungmin grunted at the sudden sound, but he ignored it, continuing to wipe a damp mug with a clean tea towel.
She sighed then, face landing with a smack against the wood. “I'm tired, Uncle Kim Seungmin. I hate everyone.”
“Me too, kid. Me too.”
“No, you can't say that, you have to be an enlightening adult and tell me why I'm not supposed to hate people,” Sky huffed. Her cheek smushed against her hand as her elbow slowly skidded across the counter, her body descending further and further.
Seungmin's lips twitched. “I've got nothing for you. People suck. End of story.”
“What are you teaching my daughter, Kim Seungmin?” Chris emerged from the back room and raised an eyebrow in Seungmin's direction.
“Nothing you haven't said before," Seungmin grumbled. “You've said you hate people way more than me.”
“Yes, well, sometimes people can really test your patience,” Chris cleared his throat hastily, much to his daughter's amusement. He turned to Sky, eyebrow raised. “Who do you hate?”
“Ella,” Sky gagged, causing Seungmin's lips to twitch.
Chris frowned. “Is she the one you beat up?”
“I didn't beat her up,” Sky grumbled as her cheeks took on a deep crimson hue. “She hit me first anyway.”
“Oh right, my bad,” Chris smirked. He reached over for his container of sprinkles and wordlessly shook a generous amount over Sky's half-full mug of hot chocolate. “What'd she do this time?”
“I thought you were over her?” Y/N chimed in, appearing between Seungmin and Chris. Her face was gentle as she looked at Sky, quickly taking in the quiet pain behind her disgruntled expression. “What happened, darling?”
“Nothing,” Sky huffed, stirring the melting sprinkles into her drink with a dainty spoon. “She's just … trying her hardest to make my time a living hell. The mere friends I had have sided with her because she keeps chatting shit about me. It's not like she slept with my boyfriend at the time or anything.”
She sat up then, the mild vulnerability on her face vanishing. “Anyway. This is why I hate boys. Everything is their fault.”
“Lovely,” Seungmin said flatly.
“You're not a boy,” Sky giggled. “You're a man. You're excluded from the narrative.”
“How kind,” Seungmin sighed.
Leaning forward on her elbows, Sky cocked her head up at him. “What's wrong with you today? You're like … extra grumpy. Do you want my hot chocolate?”
At that, Chris smirked. “He misses his wife.”
“I do not,” Seungmin was quick to snap, though for the first time that morning, Sky caught a glimpse of his teeth as he smiled. “I'm just tired. I want to go home.”
“Yeah, to your wife,” Chris snorted. “And he makes fun of me for being sappy.”
“Well, you are very sappy,” Y/N smiled, her hand secretly smoothing over his back. “Give the man a break … it must be exhausting, pretending to be so emotionless all the time.”
Seungmin turned slitted eyes onto his friend. “I don't pretend.”
“Sure you don't,” Y/N said sweetly. “It's okay to acknowledge you have a heart sometimes. I've seen it in full force before.”
Eyes narrowing further, Seungmin grumbled under his breath, making both Chris and Y/N laugh.
“Have a cookie,” Seungmin changed the conversation by dumping a thick, chocolatey cookie into the saucer beside Sky's mug. “And ignore everyone else. They aren't worth your time.”
“I agree with that,” Chris said thoughtfully. He was about to speak again when the door to the café opened, a new customer entering the cosy space.
Y/N wrinkled her nose. “Oh dear.”
Intrigued by her mother's tone of voice, Sky turned to look over her shoulder. Her eyes bugged out of her head at the sight of the newcomer, and she watched in disbelief as Ella, her previous best friend, made her way to the counter where both Chris and Y/N suddenly looked very uncomfortable.
Before she could order, Ella's gaze dropped onto Sky. Her eyes rounded ever so slightly, but then they filled with a satisfaction that immediately had Sky's blood boiling in her veins.
“Oh, hi Sky,” Ella smirked, folding her arms across her chest. “Fancy seeing you here.”
Sky stared.
“What do you think I should get? I can't decide … maybe I should order the whole menu. I'm sure no one would mind,” Ella provoked. She examined her nails, well aware of Sky bristling from her seat at the counter.
“What are you doing here?” Sky asked coldly.
Ella sneered. “Don't get excited. I'm not here to see you. Just wanted a drink.”
“Really? Out of every café in town, you had to come to this one?” Sky's chin tipped up the way it always did when she was irritated. “You're not welcome here.”
“Sky,” Y/N warned gently, her voice soft.
But Sky barely registered it. The roaring in her head was too loud all of a sudden, and she curled her fingers into fists by her side.
“No? It's a free country. I can go wherever I want,” Ella snapped back. “If I want to come here, I will. I'll come here everyday and get your parents to wait on me hand and foot … you know, since it's their job - “
Her last few words were cut off as Sky's vision blurred. She barely knew what had happened until it was too late; her hand had struck something warm and solid, and after a sharp crack, Ella stumbled back into the stools, clutching her cheek.
“Sky!” Chris exclaimed, eyebrows shooting up his forehead in shock. “That's enough. Hands behind your back, please. Out of sight.”
Her father's words seemed to be the only things that cut through the static in her mind. Breathing prickly, Sky hastily tangled her fingers together behind herself, just as her father had taught her to a long time ago. It was strange how it worked; if she couldn't see her hands, she couldn't do anymore damage.
Most of the time.
“Are you alright?” She faintly heard Y/N ask Ella, with a kindness she didn't deserve. Sky watched as Ella dropped her hand from her face and looked up at Y/N with such vehemence that she wasn't surprised when she felt her father's hand clasp her shoulder in a firm, but gentle grip.
Without confirming or denying, Ella's eyes scanned around the room with embarrassment. She stumbled into the nearby table before legging it out of the throng of surprised customers and disappeared out of the door.
Seungmin couldn't help it; he had watched the entire scene in silence, and now, he snorted with laughter in a way that made Chris glare at him with frustration.
“Wow,” Seungmin ignored the look in his friend's eyes. “Never a dull day with our Sky around.”
At that, Sky's face crumpled. She pushed her stool back and darted behind the counter, heading towards the back room. The door shut behind her with a slam, leaving the three adults to share a glance amongst themselves.
Y/N sighed, her expression sympathetic. “I'll go check on her.”
“I'm coming with you,” Chris said. “Seungmin, man the desk.”
“It's not a desk,” Seungmin rolled his eyes up to the ceiling. “What else do you think I've been doing all morning? Go on … go see if the troublemaker is okay.”
Chris flashed him a grateful smile. “We'd be lost without you, Kim Seungmin.”
“Yeah. I know.”
Chuckling, Chris patted Seungmin's shoulder before following his wife into the backroom. She was already there, and his gaze landed on Sky curled up on the floor, nestled against one of the stock shelves that were home to sacks of coffee beans. Her face was tucked up against the tops of her knees, her arms tight around her legs, and Chris's heart twinged at the sight of her.
“Ky?” Y/N hummed, crouching down beside their daughter. She reached out a soft hand, placing it on one of Sky's arms. “Are you alright, darling?”
Sky sniffled and shook her head hastily. “I failed.”
“You didn't fail, sweetheart,” Y/N frowned, carding her fingers through Sky's ruffled hair. “I saw the hesitation in your face before. That's not failing, baby. You tried.”
“No, I failed,” Sky finally looked up, her cheeks and her nose red, her eyes glistening in the dim lighting. “I'm sorry. I didn't mean to … I … I - “
Exhaling slowly, Y/N reached for the girl and pulled her into her arms, just as Chris kneeled at Sky's other side, his fingers warm on top of her head. His gaze was locked onto his wife's as they embraced her together, silent understanding and communication travelling to and fro via their gazes, and Chris's lips curved up into a sad smile as he continued to caress Sky's head.
“I hate being like this,” Sky sobbed into her mother's chest, her body trembling against her father's. “I hate that I … can't control myself. I … I didn't even see it coming. It just happens and I fail every single time … “
“You didn't fail,” Chris repeated Y/N's words. “You made a mistake - making mistakes doesn't mean you're failing, princess. Making mistakes is a part of learning and growing.”
“But I slapped her,” Sky exploded again, a fat tear rolling off her cheek.
Chris's lips twitched. “You did do that, huh?”
She could see the teasing sparkle in her father's eyes, and her face crumpled all over again. “Dad … “
“Listen to me,” Chris grinned and kissed Sky's temple. “Yes you hit her, but, if you think about it, it wasn't as bad as you used to be. You could have punched her again … a slap is very different.”
“It's still violent,” Sky protested.
“It is,” Y/N agreed. “But, it's still an improvement. You're not going to immediately get better overnight, darling. Healing takes time, and it's full of setbacks and little slip ups. Trust me. I do think your boxing is helping … it'll just take a little more time than you think.”
Sky was quiet for a while. When she spoke again, her voice came out in a hoarse whisper that broke both adults' hearts. “I don't want to grow up to be violent. I … I can't stand people like that. I don't want to be one of them.”
“You are not one of them,” Chris said firmly, tilting Sky's face up with a gentle finger on the underside of her chin. “You know how I know?”
Sky's lip wobbled as she looked at him for an answer.
“I know, because you're already doing something about it,” Chris hummed. “You identified a problem, and you're working to get better. Most people who struggle like this don't think there's anything wrong with their actions, and therefore they never get better, or change. But you're working really hard, and you want to change. One day, you're gonna look back on all of this and it'll feel like a distant dream. You're not always gonna be like this, baby. Learning how to control your emotions doesn't make you weak - it makes you strong.”
At that, Sky turned around in her mother's arms and threw herself into her father's. Y/N smiled as she watched Chris hug her tightly, her fingers lightly dusting off the back of her top.
“Uncle Seungmin's gonna make fun of me,” Sky said suddenly.
Chris started to chuckle. “Yeah, he probably will. But he might also just give you a hug. He might feel … sympathetic.”
“Ugh. I think that's worse,” Sky grimaced as she pulled away from her father. She took a deep breath before releasing it again, her entire body sagging as she chewed on her lip. “I'm sorry. For hitting her. I just … got really angry. I mean, who does she think she is? She makes my life at school a living hell, takes all of my friends, and now she thinks she can come to my family's café? And then she was so rude. You're not her waiters. She's a bitch.”
Chris secretly grinned at his wife over the top of Sky's head.
“I mean … you do have several points there,” Chris patted Sky's back. “Even though you went about it in the wrong way, she'll probably never set foot in here again.”
“Good,” Sky grumbled. “She can stay away.”
“Is your hand okay?” Y/N asked then, cocking her head to the side. “It was a pretty … energetic slap.”
Sky flushed. She raised the hand in question, holding up her palm. “It's fine. Just red.”
Fingers gentle on her wrist, Chris leaned close and pressed a fat kiss to the centre of Sky's palm. It made her giggle and she snatched her hand back, her eyes beginning to twinkle again.
“Silly billy,” Chris grinned, giving her another squeeze. “Now … you plan on staying here all day? You can't delay uncle Seungmin's teasing forever.”
*☆*☆*
“Stop laughing,” Y/N reprimanded her husband, though her own face was full of mirth as she slid into bed beside him that night. “Honestly, Christopher … “
Lips pressed together to prevent himself from laughing again, Chris didn't last very long; he erupted with another fit of breathless chuckles, his head falling and landing against Y/N as he pinched the bridge of his nose with his index finger and thumb.
“Her face,” Chris wheezed, his bare shoulders shaking with the intensity of his laugh attack. “Oh gosh … fuck … she looked so smug and then Sky came in all like boom - “
“You're such a bad influence,” Y/N tutted, a bubble of laughter escaping her too. “Poor Ky … she looked distraught afterwards.”
“Yeah,” Chris sighed, deflating as his energy left him soon after. “The other girl kinda deserved it though. What a cunt.”
“Stop beefing with a seventeen year old,” Y/N grabbed her pillow from behind her and swatted her husband with it.
Chris chuckled, grabbing the pillow and moving it out of reach. “If someone hurts our daughter, of course I'm gonna have beef with them. No one makes our Ky sad and gets away with it.”
She was about to reply when Chris smushed the pillow into her face. He burst into another round of hushed laughter as they both kicked around the bedsheets, and Y/N's face was flushed, gaspy giggles leaving her when her gaze landed on her husband on top of her, his devilish face grinning at her struggle.
“This is where she gets it from, you know,” Y/N huffed, jabbing her knee up between his legs. It was cushioned by the duvet on top of her, but Chris groaned nonetheless, and he flopped down on top of her with a contented smile.
As if he had planned their current position all along.
“Maybe,” Chris yawned, nuzzling his face into the crook of his wife's neck. “But you're the one who started it.”
Y/N giggled. “Let me finish it then.”
Her fingers were warm on his jaw as she turned his face towards her; her legs tangled with his, just as her lips closed over the soft comfort of his mouth. It earned a satisfied groan from him, and Chris couldn't help but fully melt into her, his entire bodyweight giving out as he cocooned her into their bed.
As soon as Chris sank into his bed with a deep, contented sigh, his bedroom door flung open. The man's eyes snapped open and he stared in surprise when Y/N hurtled into the room, her figure an almost comedic blur as she elbowed the door shut with a click, tore off her clothes, and dive bombed onto his bed before crashing into his arms with such an impact that his breath was ripped out of him.
She clung to him as if her life depended on it; Y/N's body was soft against his, and despite his initial startled disposition, Chris's muscular arms immediately came up around her, encapsulating her in the safety of his ever-present warmth. He held her tightly, his hand squeezing her shoulder while his other one smoothed across the expanse of her waist and settled at the curve of her bare hip. Every inch of Y/N's skin pressed against his felt like little licks of fire blooming between the two of them, seeping beneath the surface of his skin and igniting the marrow of his bones. The day's fatigue left his consciousness momentarily as he buried his face into the crook of her neck and deeply inhaled, his eyes fluttering shut. Her unique scent surrounded him in a familiar, heart-constricting cloud, and his fingers tightened around her shoulder, digging into the soft flesh of her side as he drew her closer into the planes of his sculpted torso.
“My girl,” Chris's voice was barely a whisper, tickling the shell of Y/N's ear. His fingers flexed against her upper arm. “Everything okay?”
Y/N shook her head, her arms tightening around his neck as her face dropped to the hollow of his throat. She was completely curled up on his lap, thighs on either side, and her heart skipped a beat when she felt the man adjust his hold on her to pull her into him even more, merging their heat completely.
“Missed you,” Y/N's breath hitched and she screwed her eyes shut. “Missed you so much.”
“Baby … “ Chris groaned, the sound almost pained as he turned his face and planted a tender kiss against her temple. He was about to speak again when he felt a wetness grow across his skin. Alarmed, Chris moved his head back a little to look down at Y/N, and his hand found its way to her cheek.
“Are you crying?” Chris caressed her jaw. His eyes widened when he saw the faint glimmer under her lashes, the dim lighting in his room mellowing it out slightly. “Oh baby … c’mere. What's wrong, hmm? Why's my girl all sad?”
“‘M not sad,” Y/N sniffled, looking up into the heartbreaking softness of Chris's expression with a twinge breaking through her ribcage. “I'm … happy. Because I … i really missed you. All I wanted all day was to be in your arms, and … now I am. And I'm happy.”
Chris's face crumpled, turning his expression into something stuck between a smile and something a little more teary. His fingers were incredibly gentle as they cupped the back of her head, threading through her hair in soothing passes as he carefully tugged his duvet out from underneath her and draped it over her shoulders.
He shifted his position, hands keeping Y/N secure against his chest as he moved to lay down, head nestling into his pillow. He curled his arms around Y/N and pulled her up so her head was closer to his; he smiled at the sleepy, watery expression on her face, and he couldn't help but chuckle when she turned away, shyness creeping up into her features.
A permanent smile etched onto his lips, Chris began to pepper the softest of kisses all over Y/N's face. He started at her temple, moving across her forehead, and down the bridge of her nose, which made Y/N scrunch it up with a soft giggle. Kisses graced both flushed cheeks, and her chin, before they made their way to her lips. They were tiny pecks, each one delivered by the softest pout of Chris's lips, followed by the softest of smiles as he kept his gaze fixed on her. Y/N's hand was curled slightly against one of the curves of his chest, and Chris's fingers closed over it, his fingertips tracing her knuckles and his thumb brushing the back of it.
“You're my whole world,” Chris breathed then, lips finding her forehead again. “My needy baby. I love when you come to me out of nowhere for cuddles. Makes me so happy.”
Giggling, Y/N hid her face against Chris's pec until the sound was muffled. She smiled against his fragrant skin, and the smile deepened when she felt his hand to her head, patting reverently, each touch instilling the comfort that she had been craving all day long.
“Can't sleep without you anymore,” Y/N mumbled, turning her face again until her cheek rested on his chest. Her finger drew shapes over his skin and traced the curves of his muscles, circling the star-like scatter of moles decorating him. “You make me feel so warm and safe. Sleeping on my own just feels cold and empty.”
Chris let out a tired puff of laughter. Her fingers on him were making him drowsy. “Mmm … stay here forever then. My bed is your bed. My body is your body. I'm yours, forever and always.”
Eyes blurring all over again, Y/N tilted her head ever so slightly so she could look at his face a mere inch away from hers. He was already watching her, the ethereal, chocolatey cosmos of his eyes fixed on her as he continued to dance his fingers along the line of her arm.
“Forever?” She whispered, the world breaking off at the end.
Chris's lips spread into a wider smile. He enveloped her hand in his and brought it to his lips, leaving a burning kiss to the back of it. “Forever.”
Y/N rubbed her face against his shoulder as a tear spilled escaped her eye. “You're gonna have to cuddle me forever. That's a long time.”
In response, the man tensed his biceps around her, keeping her secure in a cage of muscle. They bulged against her face and she giggled, burrowing deeper into the warm crevice where his arm met his chest, locking her away from the rest of the world.
“Easy,” Chris kissed the top of her head. “No one is ever gonna cuddle you more than me. That's a promise.”
From a considerable distance away, Y/N watched her husband expertly slice a medium sized onion into thin half moons, before turning it around and chopping it into tiny cubes. He made it look so easy, his delicate fingers holding the knife with a careful precision that somehow managed to make Y/N's heart flutter like a bird within the walls of her ribcage.
“I hate onions,” Y/N commented with a wrinkle of her nose.
Chris's face broke into a wide grin. He already knew that; he slid the diced onion into an oiled pan, a hunger-inducing sizzle filling the kitchen. “For as long as I live, you'll never have to cut an onion if you don't want to. I promise.”
“That's a big promise,” Y/N giggled.
“I'll have to be extra careful in making sure I keep it then, huh?”
He was scrubbing his hands at the sink, a comical amount of lather coating his fingers in the hopes of removing the onion smell from his skin. Y/N stepped back some more - when Chris turned back and caught sight of her, he burst into laughter.
“Any further and you'll be in the next continent,” Chris joked, stirring his onions. “You really can't stand onions, can you?”
Y/N shook her head energetically. It made Chris smile further, and his eyes crinkled as he gazed at his wife.
“You won't be able to taste them. Ima blend it all up - it'll be completely smooth, just the way you like.”
Being in a healthy, playful relationship that stood its ground on an architectural web of close friendship meant that for Chris and Y/N, every day together felt like a date in itself. They didn't have to go to lengths in order to feel special; sometimes, even just drinking a large glass of water at three in the morning when they were thirsty and dying with sleepy giggles felt more like an intimate date compared to something fancy and over the top. That just wasn't their style - they enjoyed the simplicity and comfort of their own home and their own safe space, where they could do anything and everything they wanted to do, with no interruptions, and no concern about the people around them.
Still, that didn't stop them from having at least one real date every week. Tonight, they had decided to cook dinner together, which was something that they did almost everyday anyway - but this time they would dress up, and pretend they were in a fancy restaurant … without having to actually go to one.
“I'll make the savoury stuff,” Chris had said, kissing his wife's temple before reaching for a large saucepan. “You make the sweet stuff. Deal?”
It was the best of both worlds, really.
Now, leaning in close to the mirror she held in her left hand, Y/N swiped a velvety bullet of lipstick over her lips. Her makeup was sultry, fine glitter shimmering on her eyelids as she turned her head. It complimented the deep red dress that clung to her curves as she walked down the stairs and into the main living area. Her brows furrowed; she had expected to see her husband somewhere around there, but he was nowhere to be seen.
Y/N gasped when a pair of strong arms suddenly curled around her waist, a broad body pressing heat through the thin fabric of her dress and into her back. He chuckled at her surprise, and his hold on her tightened, fingers splaying over the gentle curve of her lower stomach.
She shivered as Chris's lips found their way to her neck. The plush fire of them grazed Y/N's skin with kisses that left her alight, and she sighed at the feeling, tipping her head back against Chris's shoulder.
“You look delicious,” Chris growled into her skin. “I should just eat you for dinner instead.”
Y/N's smile grew, and her cheeks darkened further under her rosy blush. “Then you'd have cooked all of that for nothing.”
Chris grinned devilishly. “There's always tomorrow.”
“Mmm … i don't think so,” Y/N turned around in her husband's embrace and curled her arms around his neck, drawing him closer until his chest pressed firmly against hers. “I - “
She was cut off when Chris's lips collided with her own. Her eyes widened in momentary surprise - apparently the short moment in which her eyes had landed on his as she had looked up at him had already been too much for Chris to handle. He kissed her ravenously, as if he really was starving and she was the only thing that could quell the hunger deep inside of him. His hands found their way to her jaw and despite the fervour with which he kissed her, his hands were as gentle as ever. They cupped her face as he deepened the kiss, and he groaned in a way that sent shockwaves of electricity pumping through Y/N's body when she curled her fingers into messy curls of his hair, scratching lightly at his scalp.
He pulled away after what felt like both an eternity and less than half a second; his lips were slightly swollen and bruised where Y/N had dragged her teeth across his bottom lip. Chris's eyes sparkled with tender affection, and something else that made Y/N's stomach flip as she bit her lip.
“Huh,” Y/N mused to herself, caressing her thumb over her husband's lips. “Not even a trace of lippie. Completely transfer proof.”
Chris smirked. “Yeah? So you're telling me your makeup is gonna stay intact later when I - “
“Shh,” Y/N placed a finger across his mouth. “Don't you dare say another word.”
He grinned behind her finger. He kissed her fingertip, and for the first time that evening, Y/N had the opportunity to properly take a look at him. Her chest throbbed with the way her heart sped up against her ribcage; the suit Chris wore was a rich, dark black, and it looked as though it had been tailored specifically to fit like a second skin against his muscular body. He hadn't styled his hair much, and it made Y/N all the more weak in the knees for it. Strands of his silky hair fell into his darkening eyes as he looked back at her, the lengths curling against the very top of his jacket collar; she had already done so just a moment ago, but Y/N suddenly wanted to tangle her fingers in his hair and tug until he made that devastating sound that never failed to make her mouth run dry.
“You know … you kinda look like you're eating me with your eyes,” Chris broke the silence as his hands found their way to his wife's waist again. They travelled down in a languid sweep before settling lower, his fingers squeezing and prompting a broken gasp from her. Chris's face broke into a deep smirk, and he tugged her closer.
“Maybe. But unlike someone, I know how to show a bit of restraint,” Y/N hummed, earning another chuckle. “I was gonna say … don't make me tell you to eat all of your dinner so you can eat me after.”
Laughter rumbled in Chris's chest, sending vibrations into Y/N's. “Maybe that's what I want. Maybe I need to be put in my place.”
Lips twitching, Y/N placed a hand over Chris's heart and patted softly. “Dinner first, you fool.”
“Say you promise.”
“Promise what?”
Chris grinned. He leaned closer and whispered against her neck, “That I get to have you after.”
She had to grip the lapels of his jackets tight for extra support. “Fine. I promise.”
With more soft laughter growing between them, Chris slipped his fingers into Y/N's and led her towards their dining table nestled in a cosy nook near the large French doors. He had picked a handful of fresh flowers from their garden, it seemed, and the colourful blooms stood proudly in the middle of the table alongside a couple of candles that cast elongated shadows across the table and the walls. Y/N smiled at the sight - it was simple, the table still left with plenty of space so as not to appear overcrowded. She felt Chris's hands curl around her upper arms from behind, and she smiled as he pressed a tender kiss to her temple.
“I'll get the food,” he hummed, giving her arms a gentle squeeze. “Sit.”
She couldn't stop giggling when they started to eat. Chris was seated opposite her, his face one of pure amusement as he watched Y/N crack up over and over again, until neither of them were eating anymore, but were rather trying to get a grip of themselves.
“This is … really … good,” Y/N paused long enough to breathe out the compliment as she pointed to her plate. But then she caught sight of the glint in Chris's eye and she couldn't help it; an undignified snort escaped her, followed by another stream of frenzied laughter, and Chris dropped his face into his hands, shoulders shaking.
“Can you imagine if we acted like this in a restaurant?” Chris shook his head, his fingers rubbing at his damp eyes. “They'd kick us out.”
Y/N giggled again. “They'd just be jealous. Because they don't know what being silly is like.”
Neither of them knew what was in the air.
They had to microwave their food twice.
“That was the longest dinner I think we've ever had,” Chris groaned, tired from joking around more than they had eaten. His eyes sparkled with mischief as he suddenly grabbed Y/N's hand, and the woman yelped as she was pulled into his engulfing embrace, her lips held hostage by his all in a split second.
“We ate,” Chris stated, nipping at her lower lip. “Gonna hold up your end of the promise, or what?”
In response, Y/N crashed her lips against his. Chris growled deep in his throat, and Y/N hummed into his mouth when she felt his hand sliding down to the back of her thigh before hoisting it up until her leg was hooked around his hip. The strap of her dress slid down her arm, Chris's jacket on the floor, and the wall was cold against Y/N's back as they collided into it.
☆☆☆
“Your eyes are closed.”
Y/N snapped her eyes open, gaze fixing itself onto the TV. “No … open.”
Gazing down at Y/N's head in his lap, Chris grinned. His fingers were carding through her hair with such careful precision that it almost felt hypnotic.
“Mmm … yeah right. I'm gonna win,” Chris teased, fingers dancing down her neck and to her bare arm. She hummed at the feeling, cheek nestling deeper into his thighs, her lashes fluttering. “Oh look … your eyes are closed again.”
It was late, almost the early hours of the next day; Chris and Y/N were tangled up on their plush sofa, a half eaten tray of snacks on the coffee table and an oversized, heavy blanket wrapped around their bare skin. A dull buzz came from the movie playing on their TV, but neither of them had really been paying attention in the last half an hour. They were in a state of bliss and exhaustion, yet they both refused to go to sleep.
It was only heightening their delirium.
Y/N whined, curling her hands around one of her husband's arms. His hand cradled her face now, thumb caressing her cheek, and she couldn't help it anymore; she let her eyes stay closed, a content smile forming on her lips as she tightened her grip on her husband's arm.
Chris exhaled slowly as he watched a vulnerable softness creep up into Y/N's features. She looked so tiny curled up and tucked up against him; the blanket was nestled just under her chin, hiding all the darkening marks Chris had kissed into her earlier, matching the ones peppered across his chest and back. They almost glowed in the dim lighting of their living room, and Chris smiled to himself, heart fluttering with satisfaction at knowing they were just one more thing that they shared.
He leaned down and planted a lingering kiss to Y/N's heated cheek, his hand cupping the crown of her head. She hummed at the feeling, smile growing, and Chris chuckled lightly, fingers dancing against her scalp.
“I'm so happy you exist … “ Y/N slurred, voice less than a whisper. “So … so happy.”
Chris inhaled sharply. His face was a mere inch from hers as he continued to gently pat her head, and he stopped for a minute, letting the sweetness of her words wash over him.
“Promise me something?” She broke the silence again with a soft murmur.
“Anything.”
Y/N's fingers squeezed his veined forearm. “Promise you'll stay with me forever?”
He gave in too; Chris let his eyes fall shut as he dropped his forehead against her blanketed shoulder, her hand curling around hers.
Leaning over to pick his hoodie up off of the floor, Chris could almost feel a warm presence caress his shoulder blades. He stood and turned around, and sure enough, Y/N was watching him expectantly from their bed. Her book was nestled in her lap, no longer capturing her attention, and her gaze burned into his skin as her lips curved up at the corners in a soft smile. Chris almost shivered when he felt the heat of her eyes brush against his skin again.
“What?” Chris chuckled a little shyly. He smoothed his hands down his hoodie and gently folded the arms into the middle, straightening out the seams. It had been a long, long couple of days - yet somehow the methodical action of folding his clean clothes to put away did wonders to soothe the fatigue in his bones.
Y/N tilted her head just a touch to the side like a cat. “Nothing.”
“Nothing? You're staring into my soul,” Chris grinned. “I can feel it.”
Giggling, Y/N turned and wrapped her bare arms around the duvet, hugging it close to her heated skin. “Just waiting for you to come to bed.”
At that, Chris chewed his lower lip. She looked so cosy, curled up in their fresh sheets, that Chris turned and stared at his small pile of clean laundry in his arms with sudden contempt.
“Fuck it,” he suddenly dropped his clothes in a heap on the floor and almost flew in his eagerness to get into the bed.
Y/N's eyes widened in surprise. “Really? You're gonna leave your clothes there?”
At that, Chris halted before the edge of the bed and his face scrunched up in agitation. She was right - the knowledge that his clothes were in an undignified heap on the floor all night instead of in their proper place would stress him out so much more than he wanted to admit. Besides … did he really want to leave them there?
Fresh out of the dryer?
Gathering dust?
He let out a loud groan that made his wife giggle, and he reached out to curl his fingers around her arm.
“Two minutes,” Chris promised, landing a tender kiss on Y/N's forehead. She melted under the contact, her face dipping below the edge of the duvet in a way that made Chris smile. “Two minutes, and I'm all yours.”
She hummed as he pressed another kiss to her skin. “Mmm. Okay.”
Y/N watched him comically jog back to his clothes on the floor with a soft smile hugging her face; Chris zoomed around the room, shoving neatly folded garments into drawers, hangers clanking as he slid hoodies onto them. He truly was done as quick as he had said he would be, and Y/N giggled when Chris jumped into bed with such a force that the duvet flapped away from her body and thunked onto him instead.
“Whoops,” Chris's laughter was muffled against the duvet. He pushed it off of him and nearly tucked it around his wife again, his lips honing such a tender smile as he gazed at her face that Y/N felt her insides melt into a molten liquid. “There. All cosy again.”
He held his arms out to her expectantly, intending to wrap her up in his embrace with her head tucked below his chin, just the way he liked. But she shook her head, flipping her book shut and setting it onto the night stand with a smile.
“Nope,” Y/N said.
Chris's eyebrows slid up his forehead. “No?”
“No,” Y/N repeated with a smooth smile. “Turn around. It's my turn.”
At that, Chris's nose reddened. Y/N watched in fascination as the flush spread across the centre of his cheeks and towards his temples, kissing the tips of his ears before travelling down his neck and colouring the sturdy curves of his chest.
It was amusing, just how quickly her soft words had an effect on him.
“You … your turn?” Chris laughed nervously. “You sure?”
“Just lie down,” Y/N firmly planted her hands on his shoulder, pushing him so he was on his side, facing away from her. “You're boiling.”
Chris cleared his throat. His shoulders had taken on the same rosy glow too, and Y/N grinned to himself when she caught the sight of his back as he laid his head against the pillow. It was the same colour, and she couldn't help but lightly rake the very tips of her nails from the top of his relaxed muscles to the bottom of his spine.
He growled under his breath at the feeling. “Yeah, because someone is making me all … “
Y/N's breath was hot against his neck as she slid closer to him. “All what?”
Chris's hands came up and his steaming face fell into them. He let out a muffled sound that made Y/N burst into soft laughter, and she ceased her teasing before sliding her arms around his waist, letting the top of his head settle in the small hollow between her chin and neck.
“You get so shy sometimes,” Y/N hummed as she curled her legs around his, tucking her into her. He was bigger than she was, yet with him curled into the softness of her body, Chris suddenly felt smaller, and his eyes dropped. “It's so adorable.”
“Dunno what you're talking about,” Chris mumbled. His skin prickled with heat, shyness creeping up within him and replacing the exhaustion that had been plaguing the marrow of his bones. He felt as though he was becoming putty in his wife's embrace, the very essence of his being molding so perfectly into hers that he couldn't even tell where she started and where he ended. “I'm not adorable.”
“You are. You're the cutest,” Y/N whispered. She tilted her head and pressed a lingering kiss to his hair, her arms tightening under his as she caressed his torso with her fingers. “I love holding you like this. I love when you stop being so strong and let me take care of you.”
Letting out an embarrassed whine, Chris snuggled deeper into their bed. He could feel the steady rise and fall of Y/N's plush chest against the planes of his back, her skin silky smooth and full of heat as she pressed in a little closer with every inhale. There was something so incredibly intimate in just that movement alone that Chris found his lower lip catching between his teeth, his hands closing over Y/N's just so he could hold onto something to ground himself.
He was beginning to feel lightheaded. In the best way.
“My baby,” Y/N breathed against his soft curls. Her fingers were moving over his skin, and they caressed the dips and mounds at the muscles of his stomach, her touch travelling upwards in slow, soothing strokes. Every touch prompted a shaky breath or a hum of pleasure from her husband, his body becoming more and more pliant the longer he stayed folded up in her arms.
Chris exhaled thickly. He nodded once, his hair tickling Y/N's cheeks. “Yours.”
The duvet was heavy above them both, cocooning their bodies and providing a bubble of extra heat between them. The sheets were velvety against their skin, and more than once, Chris rustled around in a fit of contentment, just to feel the brushed cotton kiss him again. It made Y/N laugh under her breath, and she held her husband tighter, carding her fingers through his hair.
“Sure you … don't wanna be the one being … cuddled?” Chris whispered, his words slurred from the soft state he was dripping into.
Y/N squeezed him in response. “Shh. Let me hold you.”
He made a tiny noise of acknowledgement as his eyes closed all the way. The broadness of his sculpted back loosened up and seemed to forge with Y/N's front as he allowed himself to lean further into her, all traces of trying to regain composure leaving him entirely. He was nothing but a bundle of sweet, musky warmth, and in the back of his mind that had begun to grow hazy with sleep, Chris was sure he would even forget his own name, if his wife were to keep holding him the way she was. Her breathing was slow, steady, and rhythmic, and her heart was pressed up against his own, matching his soft, thudding beat. Perhaps she was putting him in a trance, spelling him to clear the contents of his mind and the pain in his soul. Perhaps she was hypnotising him to feel nothing but her comfort.
Chris wouldn't have minded, if either of his silly, cloudy thoughts happened to be real. She was addicting, and all he wanted was to stay glued to her for a very, very long time.
He barely even noticed the subtle smile on his lips as he drifted asleep.
For the first time since moving into her home with her husband, the sheets of their shared bed were icy to the touch when she slipped in between them. They engulfed her skin in goosebumps, prickling down the length of her limbs, and her eyes instantaneously flooded with a fresh set of tears.
She hated this.
The silence within the bedroom was too loud. It gnawed at her, digging sharp talons into her chilled flesh like a constant reminder of the day that had unfolded and led to … this. She hugged her arms around herself in an attempt to soothe the prickly anxiety coursing through her veins in a way she had previously hoped she would never, ever feel again. But it was there again, resurfacing and lodging itself like a jagged shard between her ribs, the very tip of it piercing the outermost layer of her thumping heart.
With a faint click, the bedroom door opened and Chris entered with just as much silence as the room had been already holding onto. Y/N's eyes blurred once more, and she looked up at him, with a sliver of hope as her fingers tightened on her elbows.
“Chris?”
He briefly glanced in her direction before moving to the other side of the bedroom. Chris wordlessly pulled his clothes off and turned away, the bathroom door shutting behind him with a soft thud.
The speed at which the blood that rushed around in Y/N's ears made her nauseous; she pressed her fingers over her lips, sure she would hurl up her guts at any moment. She wasn't surprised when the tears she had been suppressing now freely spilled down her cheeks and pooled around her fingers in streams of salt and heat, stinging the very corner of her eyes as her body almost gave way, her head falling back against the pillow. Above her, the ceiling swam and warped as her tears continued to trickle into her hairline.
She quickly dried her eyes when she heard the click of the bathroom door again. Chris stepped out, toweling his hair; he didn't even look at her this time, instead padding over to his side of the bed and turning back the duvet before sliding into it. The lamp on his nightstand went out with a flick of the switch, leaving him in darkness as he turned away from his wife and settled onto his side.
Y/N's breath hitched. She inhaled shakily, staring at him in disbelief. “You're really not going to talk to me?”
He didn't respond. The muscles in Y/N's chest constricted and she couldn't take it any longer; she flipped back her corner of the duvet and swung her legs over the bed. Grabbing her pillow, Y/N got out of bed just as Chris turned and looked at her.
“Where are you going?” His voice was cold, colder than she had ever heard him use for her before. But there was just a tinge of his usual warmth on the other end, and her fingers curled into a fist.
She shook her head, moving towards the door. “Now you're talking to me?”
“Get back into bed, Y/N,” Chris said firmly.
Y/N scoffed. She made to open the door, glaring at him through her wet eyes; it was dark, and he couldn't see that she had been crying. “Fuck you.”
She pulled open the door, but a second later a shadow fell over it just as a hand pushed it shut again. Chris's body caged her own as he stood behind her, his hand braced above her head, and his overwhelming heat suddenly brushing her back for the first time since that morning. Her entire body froze, her fingers slipping from the door.
“I said, get back into bed,” Chris growled, breath hot against Y/N's neck.
Y/N shivered, though her eyes fell shut, eyelashes sticky with tears. “I don't want to share a bed with someone who won't talk to me.”
She could hear him exhale slowly, as if it pained him. But his hand on the door trailed downwards and suddenly curled around her wrist, flooding with heat.
“Come on, Y/N,” Chris said a little gruffly. “I'm not letting you leave. It's cold.”
“Don't touch me,” Y/N heaved, flinging her wrist out of his grip as she whirled around, tears streaming down her cheeks again. “I don't … I … just fuck off, Christopher.”
Chris's eyes widened when he saw her cheeks glistening in the low light. “Shit … Y/N - baby are you crying?”
“Do you only care when I'm crying?” Y/N sniffled, jerking away from his hand that had come up to brush against her cheek.
“No, baby that's not … “
She rubbed at her tears herself, staring up at him indignantly. “You're a bastard.”
“I know,” Chris said simply. Hurt bloomed in his eyes as he took in the wrecked expression on his wife's face. He tried again, bringing his hand up to cup her face. His fingers kissed her skin, his eyebrows knitting together as his stomach coiled with regret.
Y/N grew rigid, but she didn't move away this time. She let his thumb sweep across the area under her eye, and her eyes flooded with tears all over again.
Exhaling brokenly, Chris's own eyes fell shut. When he opened them again, his lashes shone, and Y/N's face crumpled.
“Fuck,” Chris's breathed as he pulled her into his arms. She melted against him in an instant, her head tucked beneath his chin as he engulfed her as best as he could with the soft strength of his arms, his hand coming around to cup the back of her head, holding her to him. “I'm sorry, Y/N. Fuck … I'm so, so sorry.”
Y/N's fingernails dug into the soft skin of his lower back as she held him tight. “I hate you.”
“I don't blame you,” Chris whispered as he dropped his face against the top of her head. His fingers sported a faint tremor as he carded them through her hair. “I didn't mean to make you cry.”
“Really? You seriously thought that the man I love ignoring me all day wouldn't make me cry?” Y/N hissed into his chest, squeezing her eyes shut.
Despite everything, Chris's body vibrated as he let out a small huff of laughter. “I guess I wasn't thinking. I really am sorry baby.”
Sniffling, Y/N pulled away from him. She stared up at him, and her entire heart shattered when she saw the tenderness in his gaze as he looked back at her.
It only made fresh tears spill down her cheeks.
“Oh baby … “ Chris sighed and planted his hands on either side of her face. “Baby … don’t cry … “
Y/N shook her head. “I'll cry if I want to.”
Chris chuckled, and Y/N gave him a very watery smile. “Hey … if it's any consolation, this was probably the worst day of my life. I hated not talking to you.”
“Good,” Y/N sniffled. “Suffer.”
His eyes crinkling as he laughed quietly again, Chris pulled the woman back into his arms. He rubbed her back with soothing circles, and Y/N immediately clutched at his arms, burying her face into the crook of his neck the way she had been longing to do all day.
“Don't do that again,” Y/N whispered into his skin. “Please … I can't stand it when you do that.”
“I didn't know it would hurt you that much,” Chris murmured back, hand training up and down her spine. “If I did I wouldn't have done it.”
Tilting her head back so she could look at him, Y/N blinked her watery eyes. “Before I married you, I spent my whole life walking on eggshells around everyone I knew. My parents loved using silent treatment on me. They would ignore me for days on end, sometimes for weeks … half of the time I hadn't even done anything wrong. No matter how hard I tried to apologise or get them to talk to me, they wouldn't. The friends I had weren't any better - I was always ignored. It was awful … I don't want to feel like that again, Chris. I don't … I didn't think marrying you would mean I'd still have to go through the same thing. It hurts. It makes me feel like I'm invisible and I don't belong here. Like if I disappeared no one would care.”
Realisation exploded in Chris's eyes and his fingers on her tightened. His face took on an expression full of so much pain that Y/N felt her heart skip a beat as she watched him.
“Baby … I didn't know,” Chris exhaled, running a hand through his hair. “Fuck. I just … I get so angry sometimes and I don't want to say or do something I'll regret. So not speaking at all makes it easier … well, I thought it did. I'm not sure it does anymore.”
He caressed Y/N's cheeks, forehead creased with regret. Another one of her tears burst with heat on his thumb, and the man crushed her into his arms again, holding her so tight that Y/N was sure she would soon melt and merge into his body until they were one.
“I'm so used to doing certain things and thinking so hard about not hurting you, that I never really stopped to think how me pulling back might hurt you even more,” Chris whispered into her hair as he stroked her way down her head. “I think I have to do things differently from now on. I'll try harder, baby. I promise.”
“I just want you to talk to me,” Y/N said softly, fingers curling into the curls of hair at the nape of his neck. “If I do something wrong, tell me instead of making me overthink in the silence. It drives me crazy.”
There was a pause. Chris lifted his head and looked at her a little hesitantly. “If I tell you something, promise you won't get mad?”
“ … What?”
“I … i don't even remember why I got upset in the first place,” Chris confessed, nose turning pink. “I forgot about ten minutes in … and then I got so embarrassed and felt so stupid that I couldn't bring myself to tell you.”
Y/N stared at him. “Christopher - “
“I'm sorry!” Chris squealed when he caught the look in his wife's eye. “I really am, baby. I couldn't be more sorry if I tried.”
She continued to stare at her husband, trying to conceal the secret incredulous mirth that threatened to bubble up inside of her. He looked sheepish, and as her lips twitched, Y/N couldn't hold it back anymore. She curled her hand around the back of her neck and tugged him towards her, crashing her lips onto his with such desperation that Chris gasped against her lips in surprise. His hands fell to her waist as he pulled her into him, Y/N's mouth seeking out the familiar plushness of his with such a fervour that it was a wonder his knees didn't buckle right then and there.
“I forgive you,” Y/N spoke against his lips when she finally pulled away, trying to regain her breath. “But if you ever do that again, I'll cut your balls off.”
Chris gulped. His face broke into a warm grin, and he pressed a loving kiss to her forehead. “Understood. Now … will you get back into bed with me, or not?”
She nodded. “I will. And … Chris?”
Chris cocked his head to the side in question.
“I don't hate you,” Y/N said softly. “You're still a bastard though.”
Laughing at that, Chris scooped her up into her arms before dropping her softly onto their bed. “Hmm … let's see if you still think that once I've made it up to you … “
“Hoodie on, or off?” Chris asked, flipping the hem of his hoodie up, and then down, repeatedly.
Eyes poking out from above the duvet, Y/N giggled. “On. Just get in here.”
“On? You sure?” Chris teased. He pushed up the heavy material again and lightly dragged a hand across the toned planes of his stomach, his eyes sparkling with mischief in the dim lamplight. “You really wanna miss out on all this?”
“Christopher,” Y/N groaned, dropping her face into her hands. “On, off, whatever … just get in here. It's freezing.”
She rustled her feet around at the bottom of the bed on cue, and Chris grinned at the frantic movement. His hands grabbed at her feet through the duvet, and Y/N squealed, her giggles muffled when she ducked her head back against the covers.
“Let go of me,” Y/N giggled, trying to kick her captured feet out at him. “Chrissy … cuddles.”
“Okay, okay, I'm coming,” Chris let go, pressing a fat kiss to the bundle of duvet instead. He shuffled over to his side of the bed and finally slipped inside; he hadn't taken off his hoodie or his sweatpants, though his feet were bare, and he shivered as the chilled sheets brushed them, the low temperature spreading through his cheeks too. “Ooh. ‘S cold.”
“It's freezing,” Y/N sniffled. She turned onto her side so she was completely facing her husband, and she let out a happy sound when she was scooped up by his arms a mere second later. The swathes of fabric he was dressed in cushioned the entirety of her face and brought along the mixed scent of his sweet skin, the warmth of his cologne, and the fresh fabric softener that now always smelled like home. She nuzzled deeper, eyes falling shut just as the rest of the world outside of their small bubble disappeared. “Mmm … “
Chris grinned against her hair at her reaction. Y/N had immediately buried her face into the crook of his neck, and her nose was ice cold against his skin; she wiggled closer to him, her limbs like jelly as she tightened them around her husband.
“Comfy?” Chris laughed softly, hand landing in soft pats against the top of her head. “You little Wriggle Monster. You're so cute.”
Giggling into the plush material of his hoodie, Y/N tangled her legs with his. “Can't help it. I've been waiting for this all day.”
Chris grinned and pulled Y/N closer. He kissed the centre of her forehead, the brush of his plump lips leaving a kiss shaped mark of heat behind even when he moved away. “Me too. Hate waking up in the morning. Just wanna cuddle you forever.”
Y/N hummed in agreement at that as she let out a large yawn. She sighed a moment later, eyes watering, and Chris started to laugh, his face peering down at her all tucked up against his chest.
“What am I gonna do with you?” Chris groaned, the sound rumbling through his chest and vibrating against Y/N's cheek. “You're so cute. Like actually the cutest thing ever. I wanna eat you.”
Y/N smiled sleepily. “Oh no. The Wriggle Monster is gonna get eaten by the … the … Eating Monster.”
“The Eating Monster?” Chris spluttered. “Really? Is that the best you can do?”
“I don't know,” Y/N whined, feet kicking against his. “I can't think right now. My brain is all mush.”
“Mush?”
Y/N nodded sleepily. “Mmm … you're turning it into mush.”
A satisfied smirk spreading across his lips, Chris shuffled down the bed so his face was level with hers. She opened her eyes and blinked at him, lips parting slightly at their proximity, and she wrinkled her nose, making Chris chuckle.
“Someone's feeling shy,” Chris commented, nudging her nose with his own. “Huh? I can feel you blushing.”
‘M not,” Y/N's cheeks prickled. Even with their heads mostly hidden under the dark cavern of their duvet and mattress, Y/N could make out the intensity of her husband's gaze. Her insides became molten, and Chris's eyes burned with a fiery spark as if he already knew exactly the sort of effect he was having on her. “You just … feel like such a man sometimes. And it hits me randomly and makes my brain all mushy.”
Laughing under his breath, Chris reached for her hand and curled his fingers around it, resting their entwined hands between them. “I am a man.”
“I know, I just mean like … you feel warm. And you're big and strong and you smell like a man and … you just … “
“Well, thank you?” Chris snorted with teasing laughter, making Y/N's entire face adopt a deeper, rosier shade. “Good to know I have your man stamp of approval.”
“You know what I mean,” Y/N grumbled and hid her face against her neck.
“You missed a really vital point, you know.”
Y/N sighed. “What point?”
“You know … if you're going on about me being a man, there's something really obvious you could have mentioned.”
“Christopher.”
Words coming out along with puffs of laughter, Chris's eyes followed Y/N's with a cheeky gaze. “What, am I wrong? Do you want me to show you what you missed out on? I mean … literally. You told me to keep my clothes on.”
“It's cold!”
“You're cold. I'm not anymore.”
Chris leaned closer, his lips brushing Y/N's as he attempted a joke. “I burn for you.”
It promoted the exact reaction from her that he had predicted; Y/N exclaimed in exasperation, her hands swatting at his chest as he burst into laughter. It was all he could do to hold her tighter, cuddling her squirming body until she gave up and settled back against the curve of him as she had before, mumbling about how his humour was going to kill her one day.
Still grinning, Chris's hand danced along her back before delving under the hem of her top. Her breath hitched as soon as his fingertips came into contact with her skin, and she fully exhaled when his palm closed over the small of her back.
“You're so warm,” Y/N shivered again, pressing closer. Goosebumps had begun to spread over her arms from the difference in her and her husband's temperature. “How are you always so warm?”
“Told you I’m not cold anymore. And I gotta be … so I can always keep you warm,” Chris hummed. “But I'm kinda getting too warm … “
Y/N huffed loudly. She knew what was coming next.
“Gonna have to take my clothes off after all … “
There it was - that playful lilt to Chris's voice that had Y/N's bones quaking. She raised her head and wasn't surprised to see the smirk painted on his handsome face, and when she shook her head in defeat, the man burst into laughter.
“Go on then. Strip.”
“I am, but your personal stripper, my lady,” Chris said in a funny voice. He caught the disgusted sound Y/N let out in response just as he pulled his hoodie up and over his head before dropping it onto the floor with a soft thump. His sweatpants soon followed, and suddenly the space under the covers felt much warmer than it had a few moments ago.
“Wow. Your clothes actually acted as a barrier,” Y/N said, staring at her husband. He was further away from her now, arm extended as he gave in and picked up his clothes, yet she could feel the heat radiating off of him as if he was glued to every inch of her body, and a dozen heat packs were glued to him. He was a living heater warming their bed, and Y/N couldn't help but smile. “Where are you going?”
“Just putting these over here,” Chris placed his clothes neatly on a shelf in his wardrobe. “Can't let them spend all night on the floor … they'd get lonely.”
Y/N smiled. She waited for him to come back before holding her arms out to him, fingers wiggling in his direction as he dove back into bed.
This time, Chris turned Y/N around; he tucked her head below his chin, molding the entire front of his body into her back as he locked his hands over her tummy. For a while, the both of them stayed like that, nothing but the sound of their synced breathing filling the space between them. Y/N's face sported the permanent, soft upturn of her lips as Chris gently covered her neck in his adoring kisses, one of his legs hooked over her hip to keep her tangled up in his embrace. Her own hands drew soft shapes over his arms with her fingernails, following the intricate webbing of his veins with her fingertips.
“It's raining,” Chris breathed against the back of Y/N's neck.
Y/N hummed in response. “Well done, genius.”
Chris laughed, the sound hot on her skin. “You know what we're supposed to do when it rains?”
“Use an umbrella?”
“No,” Chris grinned, and his hands began to move, slipping under her top again and onto her stomach. “You know what I'm talking about … “
Y/N gulped, her skin prickling with heat as his fingers drew languid circles on the area just barely below the waistband of her pyjamas. She adjusted position in her arms until she was looking up at him, spotting the look in his eyes.
“I don't think we're supposed to do anything,” Y/N whispered, though she tilted her head all the same when Chris's lips brushed against her throat again. “I think you just need an excuse.”
His laughter rumbled against her skin like thunder. She didn't object when he flipped her onto her back, nor when his lips finally met her own in a kiss so hot that every inch of her cold skin melted and forged with his own.
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