Work Text:
Exhaustion settled in your bones. The work week always drained you, but for some reason this week was more exhausting than usual. Maybe it was due to the demanding nature of your job, maybe the physical expectations from it, or maybe you just talked to one too many people at work. Regardless of the reason, you were tired beyond belief. As you got off the bus to walk the rest of the way home, you pulled your phone out and texted a quick ‘I’m almost home’ text to your fiancé.
Choso was already home. The hours your fiancé worked were different from yours, usually getting home right before dinnertime. You often got home later in the evening when it was already dark out. He texted you back almost immediately, telling you to ‘get home safely’ and in a separate text saying that he ‘can’t wait to see you.’ Smiling at your phone, you pocketed it and continued to walk. The walk to your house wasn’t very long, but you had to wind through a few streets and walk around some construction.
You sighed as you finally got to your building, walking up the stairs since the elevator was temporarily out of service. Even this walk home drained you, having to do extra work just to get back to your apartment. Nothing was as simple or easy as it should be. It was all just catching up to you at once. You got to your apartment and slipped inside the door, listening to music coming from the kitchen.
“Hey,” you called out, dropping your bag down and shuffling inside. Even you could hear it in your voice, the pure exhaustion and almost deadpan tone. Your eyes drooped and your head bobbled down, the weight of the week pressing down on you. As you walked towards the kitchen where your fiancé obviously was, the top of your head bumped against something solid. Arms wrapped around you in a gentle, yet firm, embrace.
“Hey you,” Choso murmured, one hand brushing your hair from your face. You groaned in response, letting him know how you felt without really having words to describe your feelings. He always knew whether you told him or not. It was kind how much he cared for you, how he went out of his way to take care of you. The other hand that held you against him rubbed circles on your back. Intuitively, he knew you had a rough week. He could see you getting more and more worn down as days progressed, so he decided to do something nice for you. Since today was the last day before your weekend, he wanted to set you up for a relaxing few days off.
“C’mon,” he prompted, ushering you to the kitchen. “I made dinner.”
You walked with him, finally looking up. Choso was dressed in gray sweatpants and a purple t-shirt, his dark hair falling against the tops of his shoulders. He was wearing his glasses, so he probably already showered and took out his contacts. You always teased him that he looked smarter with his glasses on, which always ended up with him tickling or bothering you in response. A thin smile pressed into your cheeks briefly, before falling again. God, you were exhausted. Your fiancé’s hand brushed lightly against your lower back.
The dinner table was set, a bouquet of your favorite flowers in the middle and a bottle of wine on ice. You looked up at him, eyes teary. His hand stroked the side of your face, tangling gently in your hair as he kissed your forehead. Somehow, Choso always found a way to touch you either casually or intentionally. As he let go of your face, his hand found your back again as he scooted a chair out for you at the table. You sat, and he kissed the top of your head before stepping back to the stove and grabbing a plate full of food for you.
You didn’t talk much as you ate, choosing to enjoy each other's presence and relish in the comforting meal that Choso made for you. He seemed to just understand that you needed a little bit of time.
At the end of the meal, he took away the dishes and put them in the dishwasher while you finished your wine. To be honest, you felt a little guilty letting him do the work while you sat there, but you knew that taking care of you made him feel content. He told you every time you expressed guilt over it, bombarding you with affection and kisses until you relented. You watched him as he worked, his movements fluid and practiced. Spinning on his feet, he turned towards you and leaned against the counter, a big smile on his face. You stood, offering him a half smile and your now empty wine glass, which he put in the sink.
“Alright, come here,” he smiled, beckoning you closer to him. A pout on your face, you shuffled forward till your cheek pressed against his chest, your arms wrapped around his waist and dipping under his loose t-shirt. You pressed your fingers into his back as if it would will your bodies closer together. It’s obvious that you craved the physical contact, needing him near you and touching you.
Choso was your comfort. He was your home and your heart. The two of you met about five years ago at a comic store and instantly, you were a pair. He treated you kinder than anybody had before, loving you like his life depended on it. Choso was with you through art school and through your horrible jobs. He was there with you when you felt homesick, and he was there when you wondered if you were worthy of love. With a brush of his fingers through your hair and a kiss to your temple, he quieted your anxieties and grounded you when you spiraled.
So now, when you had reached the end of a fatiguing and long week, he was there for you with a warm meal and soft touches. As you clung to him, he stroked your hair and kissed the top of your head.
“Hey, do you wanna go lay down?” he asked you. His voice was so gentle, as if he was trying to coax you out of your shell. You nodded against him, and he scooped you up bridal style. Breathing him in, you relaxed against his chest. As he walked, your body rocked back and forth with his movements.
“My day was nice today,” Choso started, wanting to talk to you without expecting a response. Sometimes he just talked to you. It was relaxing to not be expected to talk back. “I did some work at the lab. We had a really cool breakthrough with this sequencing for blood transplants.” His thumb stroked your knee as he cradled you. “I’m really excited. We are getting really close to being able to publish the data.” You looked up at him, seeing his eyes lit up and a sweet smile on his face. He walked down the hallway and through the bedroom door. “Then I got to come home and make you a nice dinner. And then you got home– best part of my day.” He looked down at you, beaming.
Your heart clenched as he deposited you on the bed. How did you get so lucky with such a sweet man? He kissed the top of your head and moved to rifle through the dresser, returning with a pair of comfy shorts and a tank top. You were a bit particular about the clothes you were able to sleep in, but Choso knew you. At this point, he knew all of these little things about you. The man helped you dress, kneeling on the floor in front of you. As he pulled on your shorts, he kissed the insides of your knees and rubbed his hands down your calves. The soft touches were so comfortable, feeling like home and safety.
The two of you finally were ready to lounge, both in some pajamas. You slipped under the sheets with him, the heavy blankets weighing on you like a familiar embrace. Choso scooted closer to you, pulling you to his chest. Your legs tangled together as your head rested just below his chin. The sheets were fresh, you realized. Choso must have washed them and put them on the bed before you got home. Tears came to your eyes, which you blinked away fast. You were so grateful for him. A hand threaded through your hair, finger combing your locks as he watched your body relax a bit more.
“Do you wanna talk about what’s been going on with you, angel? I don’t wanna pressure you, but I’m here if you want,” he murmured. The arm around your shoulders seemed to pull you to him more firmly. You sighed, feeling drained.
“I want to talk, I’m just so tired. I missed you all week. It feels like I haven’t seen you at all. I hate when I don’t get to see you,” you mumbled, rubbing your cheek against his chest. Another sigh passed through your lips, your bottom lip sticking out slightly.
“I hate it too, sweetheart, but I’m always here. Even if we just get to get in bed and sleep, I’m always here,” he consoled you. His dark hair tickled your neck and made you giggle, which caused him to chuckle in response. “Sorry, it’s gotten so long.” Choso brushed his hair back, away from your skin. His hand cupped your cheek, thumb stroking against your cheekbone.
Choso adjusted against you, slipping down under the covers a bit more so your faces were next to each other. “Hey you,” he said, his golden eyes meeting yours. One side of his mouth quirked up in a silly smile, his hand gently holding your chin so you can’t look away. “I love you, y’know.”
You nodded, a soft smile on your lips. “I know,” you returned. “I love you too.”
“You better,” he teased, kissing your cheek. It was in real time that you watched him plot, his eyes becoming mischievous as his lips were suddenly bombarding your face with soft kisses and pecks. His soft lips and long eyelashes tickled your skin, kisses being pressed into your cheeks and nose and eyelids and lips. Choso washed away the week so quickly, and suddenly you felt energized. You thrashed gently against him, warmth blossoming in your chest and laughter bubbling up in your throat. He laughed too as you two messed up the way the bedsheets were tucked in.
An arm wrapped around your waist, suddenly pulling you tightly against him as he looked into your eyes. Your laughter waned but your smile stayed as you stared back. “I mean it,” Choso said. There was a look in his eyes as if he was trying to convey a million thoughts and feelings without saying them. “I love you so much, I’ll always be here for you whenever you need it. I’ll never leave you behind or let you deal with these things alone. Do you understand?”
You nodded, pressing your lips to his and pulling back. “I love you too. And me too, always.”
Choso smiled, his hand brushing through your hair. For a while, the two of you laid there and looked at each other. Choso touched you gently and sweetly, with soft brushes of his fingers on your skin. You felt your eyes start to get tired from the comforting and warmth of the man. As if he knew, his arm dipped under you and pulled you against his chest once more. He kissed the crown of your head.
“Wanna get coffee with me in the morning? We can go to that park you like and sit in the sun,” he offered. You smiled sleepily against his chest.
“Mhm, that sounds so wonderful Cho. I love you,” you murmured sleepily, snuggling into him more. He smelled so good and was so warm. A silly thought crossed your mind as sleep overtook you. The thought that this is what a cat felt like basking in the sun.
“I love you too, sweetheart. Good night,” Choso whispered, kissing your forehead as you drifted into the first comfortable sleep you had all week.