The Story Of Bunny And Fox

Vol 5 (Side Story 2): Chapter 3.1

Only you can love me this way

On the day he returned from his business trip, Karlyle came home in the back seat instead of the passenger seat. Drunk with Ash's pheromones, Karlyle couldn't calm down even after coming home. As a result, Ash locked him in the bedroom as soon as they arrived and indulged in him until the sun began to slip over the horizon. Finally, when both were tired, they stopped to simply spend time together, existing in each other's presence as slow and inexorable as an evening tide.

The next day, Karlyle doesn't go to work. Ash had written down his annual leave this week in advance, so Karlyle had also decided to take a few days off. When Karlyle asked Ash if it was okay for him to take an absence that long since he would absolutely start tearing through his vacation days due to their wedding schedule, Ash only thanked him for worrying about him.

After watching a movie until late last night, they wake up late in the morning. Birds have begun to live in the little birdhouses that Ash had hung on the trees in the garden last month. A flock of titmice with blue and yellow feathers are perched  on branches, and there are often small, tiny scarlet finches sitting on some faraway trees. The loud chirping of birds come through the windows of the terrace, lifting  Karlyle from sleep. Sunlight fills the room like a golden wave.

Ash is still sleeping. Karlyle watches his soundly sleeping face attentively, wanting to make up for the past few days. His long black eyelashes, his perfect nose bridge, his soft, kissable lips, and the slightly curved soft corners of his eyes make his heart flutter just by looking at them.

Feeling just a little greedier, Karlyle reaches out. In order not to wake Ash up, Karlyle doesn't touch him, he only uses his finger to trace the shape of his features in the air. His eyes, his nose and his lips, each feature is so delicate and beautiful. But unlike their delicacy, when they are put together, they become Ash's handsome face. It’s a contrast that Karlyle falls in love with a little more each day.

His gaze is still glued to Ash much longer than Karlyle would ever admit. Ash’s peaceful face beside him every day for the rest of his life feels like every miracle Karlyle has ever experienced compounded into this beautiful man. Karlyle breathes in, carving the image of Ash into his eyes. He can't believe he can feel so grateful that it hurts—yet another testament to his love for Ash, he supposes.

Being all emotional, he can't help but get more greedy. The moment he touches Ash's hair, Ash opens his eyes. He just stares blankly at Karlyle since he tends to take a moment for all his faculties to get up to speed in the morning. His eyelids flutter slowly. Only Karlyle knows this dazed and expression of his. Karlyle savors that fact. When he remembers Ash once said that he had never let anyone sleep in his house and vice versa, his mood brightens instantly. A faint smile blooms on his lips.

"Hi." Ash says the first greeting of the day.

"Good morning."

He answers softly. Ash smiles. Grinning, he pulls the blanket up, covering the two of them. The sunlight filtering through the white blanket feels like heaven. The smell of their familiar detergent and dried cotton blends with Ash's scent gently.

"Did you have a good sleep, Lyle? Any scary dreams?"

Ash digs his arms into Karlyle's sleeping gown. Their different body warmth melts together. Ash gently rubs his skin, his strong arms envelop his waist tightly. Their legs are entangled under the sheet. Ash is always so warm, his feet tickle Karlyle's cold ones, making him laugh silently.

"I told you, I wasn't scared." He answers.

Before going to sleep, they watched a movie set in the apocalypse. He chose the movie based on the title and the thumbnail only, he didn't read the description. Because of that, he ended up choosing a zombie movie. Ash hugged him from behind and made him watch from the beginning to the end, not allowing him to stop the movie midway.