Morning Routines
Paring: Javid
Words: 1.1k
hectic mornings when they each need to be somewhere and they’re rushing around each other, ducking into bathrooms and bedrooms and kitchen cupboards, pausing to straighten tops and press kisses to cheeks
Prompt taken from here!
“Collar!”
Jack rushed past him, hand brushing over David’s arm at the speed of light, as he disappeared into the bedroom. Without meaning to, David paused in the middle of the hall and let his gaze follow Jack’s movement.
Reappearing with a pair of socks in his hand, Jack’s face cracked into a soft smile. “Collar, dummy,” he said fondly. He dropped his socks onto the floor and straightened David’s collar for him, pressing a quick kiss onto his lips afterwards. “And, don’t stand there! You’re gonna be late for school if you don’t move! And everyone knows that a teacher has no business being late.”
David jolted back to reality and grinned. “Right,” he agreed, before tacking on, “Brush your teeth before you go. Morning breath.”
Jack stuck his tongue out. “Oh, shove off.”
Laughter rang down the passageway behind David as he skidded into the kitchen and began pulling out supplies for lunch out of the cupboard. Bread, butter, simple fillings, an apple each. He stockpiled them on the bench before he began putting sandwiches together for both of them as quickly as possible.
It was not always like this. When the alarm failed to go off, though, their mornings generally ended up as quick kisses, fond reprimanding and an all-around rush to get out of the door before either of them were late. Neither of their jobs granted any relief for being tardy and neither of them were willing to push their luck on the matter.
Toothbrush in hand, Jack appeared in the kitchen. “Your phone’s by your bag,” he said, “Fully charged – I checked – and Sarah messaged you to ask about us confirmin’ meeting her and Katherine on the weekend.”
David nodded distractedly as he finished shoving the sandwiches he had thrown together into zip-lock bags. Setting both lots of food onto the countertop between himself and Jack, he finally looked up.
“Top buttons,” he said, stepping forward to do them for Jack. Jack’s tie was slung over his shoulder, today a bright red with an assortment of Disney characters on it. Even if his job required a button-up shirt and tie every day, Jack always did his best to choose something that was a bit of fun, if only to make the kids he worked with smile.
“Much better,” David said, smoothing down Jack’s shirt for him. “I’ll text Sarah back when I’m on the bus. You’re still good for Saturday?”
Jack nodded and leaned in quickly, aiming for David’s lips.
David pulled away, a teasing expression crossing his face quickly. “Finish brushing your teeth first, and then I’ll think about it. Lunch is on the bench.”
“You’re brilliant,” Jack said with a sigh.
“And don’t I know it!” David called behind him as he hurried into the bedroom. He scrambled around their bedroom, searching for the first pair of shoes he could find that were properly shined. Of all days to sleep through the alarm, of course it was the one day he had an important meeting during lunch.
Jack walked into the bedroom a minute later, his toothbrush abandoned. “I put your lunch in your bag, by the way - front pocket - and a bottle of water. Just because I strive to please.”
David seized a pair of oxford shoes and pulled them on as he looked up at Jack. “My hero,” he said with a glimmer in his eyes, “And, brush your hair, won’t you?”
Ruffling a hand through his hair so it stuck up in all the wrong directions, Jack smiled. “Don’t like the bedhead look?”
“Love it,” David tied his shoelaces and did not look back at Jack as he spoke, “But I think we can reserve that look for home. No kid should have to see that.”
“Spoilsport.” Nonetheless, Jack picked up a brush and began pulling it through his hair. For such short hair, it was remarkably knotted. David crept up behind him and pressed a kiss to his cheek.
Then, he walked through to the study to pick up his laptop, pencil case, and the vast array of marked papers that were neatly categorised into different coloured folders. David was nothing if not meticulously organised.
Putting it all into his bag, he caught Jack stumbling into the living room as he struggled to pull on his shoes while walking.
Picking up Jack’s bag and placing it next to his own, David completed the one last check over to ensure he had everything he needed. Finally satisfied, he zipped it up and swung the strap over his shoulder. Just as Jack said, his phone was right next to where his bag had just been seconds before. He flicked the screen on for a second, running through the notifications and dismissing the ones he did not care for.
Jack straightened up as he succeeded in pulling on his left shoe and skipped to David, who passed his bag with a smile.
“Alright, then,” Jack said, threading his arms through the arm straps of his rucksack, “Ready to go?”
David nodded and put his phone into his pocket. “Wallet, phone, lunch, keys?” It was a checklist that he went through every morning, no matter how little time they had. Somehow, the words had become so ingrained in their weekday routine that it felt like something vital was missing if they skipped it.
“Check, check, check and check,” Jack replied, patting down his jean pockets. He stepped closer to David, put his hands on his shoulders and pulled him closer. Gently, he gave a short, soft kiss that said everything. “You’re gonna kick the butt of that interview.”
David laughed under his breath and reached for Jack’s hand to give it a quick squeeze. “See you tonight at… Six?”
“Yeah, about then,” Jack agreed, “Maybe a bit earlier dependin’. I’ll text you.” He pulled open their front door and allowed them both to step out before shutting and locking it. They walked together towards the stairs and started climbing down them as quickly as they dared. In the mornings, it was quicker to take the stairwells than to wait for the lifts.
By the time they reached the road, they were barely ten minutes behind where they usually were.
“See you later! Love you!”
David rolled his eyes but nodded. “Love you, too. See you at six.”
