The rain pattered softly on the glass, a constant but steady backdrop. It had been raining for days, with little respite, the world was a soggy gray mess as winter transitioned into spring. Rian had complained, loudly, that it was a Sunday when Edward groggily rolled out of bed that morning and dressed for work. Edward had kissed him and promised him only a few hours and he'd be back and they could spend the rest of the day in bed if that was what Rian desired.
"Only a few hours," of course, turned into almost four o'clock in the afternoon by the time Edward shambled through the front door, looking exhausted. Rian had started on a new project, the contents of one of Edward's cupboards spread out on the floor and shelves around him. Rian looked up at Edward's entrance, an eyebrow cocked.
"Mhhnhn," Edward muttered, hanging his damp coat on the rack in the foyer. "I know, I know, I'm sorry." His sodden ponytail dripped down the back of his jacket, and Rian got to his feet. "You didn't take an umbrella?"
"It wasn't raining when I left base," Edward said, ringing his hair out, still standing in the foyer. "I thought I'd make it back in time." Rian dropped a towel on Edward's head, then leaned in and tugged the band out of Edward's hair. "What have you been up to all afternoon?"
"Cleaning, mostly," Rian said. "I cleaned out the pantry, I wasn't aware that we were breeding our own penicillin."
"I have a pantry?" Edward asked, tugging the towel back so he could at least see.
"And that is why we eat out as often as we do," Rian murmured. Edward heeled off his boots and kicked them against the wall, where one fell over onto its side. Out of his military boots now Rian was definitely taller. Edward huffed, it wasn't fair. Rian smiled at him, knowing the source of his frustration, and put one head on top of Edward's head. "My own little colonel."
"I used to be able to throw you over my shoulder," Edward lamented, tugging the towel to his shoulders.
Rian hooked his arm around the small of Edward's back. "I can return the favor," he said, his forehead nearly touching Edward's.
"You'll throw out your back, I'm heavier than I look," Edward said, putting one hand on Rian's face to push him back. "Besides, I'm famished, I had to work through lunch. I don't suppose there's anything left to eat after you went on your search-and-destroy mission, is there?"
"As a matter of fact," Rian said. "Go get changed, I'm working on dinner, too."
"Mm," Edward only had to rise a little off of his feet to reach Rian's mouth, and that was if he didn't tilt his head down to meet him. "You think of everything."
"I do," Rian purred. Edward laughed and they kissed again, before Rian shoved him off in the direction of the bedroom. "Get out of that uniform, I don't want to see it again before tomorrow. And put real clothes on, don't come out here naked again, the blinds are still down."
Edward stuck his tongue out at Rian as he trotted down the hallway to the bedroom. By the time he returned, Rian had cleaned up his explosion of genius, and was setting a phonograph player on top of the cleaned-out cupboard. Edward leaned against the wall with his shoulder and watched Rian fiddle with it for a moment, then inhaled deeply. "Meat?" Edward asked.
"Roast," Rian promised, sliding a record out of its sleeve. "There's whiskey on counter, it'll still be a bit before the food is done."
True to his word, the kitchen smelled like meat and spices, and there was a half-filled bottle of whiskey on the counter with a couple of glasses next to it. Edward smiled and opened the bottle.
As he returned to the living area with two glasses of whiskey (Rian's was on the rocks, Edward preferred his straight) the first strains of music emitted from the phonograph. "Where did you find that thing?" Edward asked as he handed off Rian's glass.
"In a closet," Rian said. "On a shelf in the closet, behind boxes – were you trying to hide it?"
"Honestly, I'd forgotten all about it," Edward said softly. The strains of music were familiar, they brought up an old and not-unwelcome sense of nostalgia. "It was a gift, from an old friend."
Rian recognized the distant look on his face, Edward always was shit at hiding his emotions from him. He set his glass of whiskey down and then took Edward's from him. Edward, who had cast his eyes on the floor, heavy with thought, looked at Rian with surprise as Rian set Edward's glass alongside his own. Rian took Edward's hands in his own and pulled him away from the doorway. "What...?"
"Come on," Rian said. "Dance with me, colonel."
Edward stared at Rian in disbelief. "What?"
Rian put one hand on Edward's hip. "Dance. With me."
Edward blinked owlishly at him. "Why?"
"Why not?" Rian moved with the music, and Edward moved along with him. "It's not like we can go out dancing," he said. "Too many questions." He met Edward's eyes and not for the first time reminded him of someone else, long ago. It had been a long time since he'd had that thought, though – and Edward finally smiled for Rian.
"Just because you're taller doesn't mean you get to lead," he informed Rian.
Rian laughed and leaned in for a kiss, before surrendering the lead to Edward. The rain still beat against the large window in the living room, but now the day was considerably less dreary as the sounds of music and laughter drifted out of the small apartment.