Ketchup Hearts

Nick moaned as the obnoxious alarm clock blared through the room. He snuggled closer into the blonds side, pulling the duvet over his head as he laid against the broad chest. "Turn it off.." He croaked, nudging Jeff's leg with his knee. The alarm continued to scream, making Nick's head ache.

"Jeff!" Nick snapped finally when the other made no intention of moving, giving his blond pillow a hard shove which finally seemed to motivate the other. He watched as Jeff slowly rolled over, fumbling with the little box that was the bane of his existence. Finally the overly perky announcer was silenced and Jeff rolled back on his side, pulling Nick into his arms and intertwining his legs with the shorter ones beside him.

"What time is it?" Nick grumbled groggily, planting a few kisses along Jeff's collar bone. He ran his hand up the toned chest, stroking the blonds jaw where a bit of stubble was coming through.

"Six-thirty." Jeff said through a loud yawn, rubbing his nose into the dark hair underneath his chin, breathing in the others scent. He smiled feeling the slender fingers against his face and hummed softly when Nick groaned.

"Did we have to get up this early?" Nick whined, reaching up and pulling on a lock of blond hair. "Whatever you are doing to apologize, surely you don't have to have get up this early?" He smiled when Jeff laughed, his chest rumbling underneath his cheek.

"Have you forgotten how much time it takes even for my honed skills?" He asked lightly, running his fingers down Nick's side. He chuckled when Nick pouted, his lower lip sticking out slightly. He pulled them both up to rest against the head board, Nicks head now resting against his shoulder where the shorter warbler planted soft kisses against his neck.

He glanced over to the other side of the room where the spare bed was pushed up against the wall. Well it was really supposed to be Nick's bed since they shared a room, but why would they use it when Jeff's bed was positioned to where the sun couldn't reach them in the mornings?

Nick stifled a yawn before pulling away and sliding off the bed. He looked down around the bed and found the shirt Jeff had been wearing the day before and slipped it over his head. "I'll be right back." He mumbled before rubbing his eyes and leaving the room.

Jeff sighed and ran his hand through his messy hair before slipping out from underneath the warm blankets to get dressed. He chose simple blue jeans and a dark green shirt that had an alien head screen printed on the front of it since he didn't like them too much to worry about grease staining them.

By the time Nick had come back from the bathroom Jeff was already dressed and running a brush through his blond hair. He just grunted and picked up the jeans from yesterday before pulling them on over his boxers, not bothering to change out of Jeff's shirt. He walked over to his side of the room, digging through the small toiletry bag he had for his deodorant and tooth brush.

"Ugh.." Nick grunted when he realized he was out of toothpaste. "Jeff, can I borrow your toothpaste?" He asked hopefully, smiling when an arm snaked its way around his waist, pulling him against a strong chest.

Jeff pretended to think as he placed his chin on top of Nick's head. "Hmmm, I suppose so, but on one condition." He said, his own bag of toiletries in his free hand.

Nick sighed and rubbed his cheek, trying to control his morning grouchiness but Jeff really wasn't making it easy. "What?" He snapped, digging through his bag for his mouth wash.

"You have to kiss me first." Jeff whispered in his ear, laughing when Nick made a sound in the back of his throat.

"Gross, you want to kiss when we haven't brushed our teeth?" Nick asked, turning around in the arm that was holding him and giving the blond a disgusted look.

Jeff smirked. "Well I was just thinking of an innocent peck on the lips, but now I see how dirty your mind is in the morning. I might have to use that to my advantage one day." He said, holding back a laugh when Nick practically growled.

Nick took a deep breath to steady his head before standing on his tiptoes and pressing his lips against the blonds. "Can I use it now?" He asked, reaching up and moving Jeff's bangs from the bright brown eyes that he loved. Jeff grinned then nodded at him holding his hand as he pulled them out the door and down the hallway to the bathroom.

No one else was in the large, white tiled room when they arrived, making the dripping faucet in the corner more pronounced when they walked in. They both stepped up to a separate sink after Jeff had relieved his bladder and began their morning ritual, bumping hips playfully when they brushed their teeth.

One they had returned their things to the room they headed towards the entrance hall, fingers interlaced as they held each others hands. The hallways were quiet since it was so early in the morning, most of the other boys were dozing away and It made Nick a little jealous to think that they got to sleep longer than he had. He was not a morning person.

"What are you doing to apologize?" Nick finally asked when they had reached the entrance hall. He groaned when they started to walk towards the kitchen. "Really, Jeff? You are going to try to get him to forgive you by making him fat?"

Jeff sighed, reaching up with his unoccupied hand to rub at his temple. He had almost forgotten how much of a grumpy old man Nick resembled when he was woken up early in the morning.

"I'm not going to make him fat Nick, and if you ask me he could use a few pounds anyway." Jeff said, tugging the shorter warbler into the kitchen, smiling at a few freshman who were eating cereal at the counter. All of them stopped eating as they watched the two, holding their breath as they waited for Jeff to do something.

Nick rolled his eyes as the boys ogled the blond. It was a good thing he knew they only wanted Jeff for his pancakes. He shook his head as the boys sent their best kicked puppy expressions, which only made Jeff laugh.

"Sorry guys, I'm not making pancakes this morning." He called out over his shoulder as he pulled out a frying pan from a cabinet next to the stove. He put it on the stove as Nick hopped up and sat on the island, kicking his feet against the wood as he watched Jeff move about the kitchen.

The boys pouted but quickly finished their cereal and rinsed out their bowls before placing them in the empty dishwasher and leaving. Some of them sent dejected looks and a few huffed as they walked through the door.

"Whatcha' cooking?" Nick asked, leaning back on his hands as the blond pulled out eggs and other ingredients from one of the refrigerators on the back wall. He stole a kiss when Jeff walked past him, the blond giving a loud whoop in return from the affection.

"My, 'oh my god I'm so sorry scrambled eggs.'" He answered with a small chuckle. "I haven't made these since I replaced Blaine's hair jell with dish soap." He said as he cracked a few eggs into the pan after he had added some cooking oil.

Nick couldn't hold back a snort as he remembered how angry the older prefect had been and the way he came stomping up to Jeff with his curly hair filled with bubbles since he had tried to wash it out. That was they day when everyone knew just how much gel he used in his hair since he couldn't wash his hair out easily.

"Why did you do that again?" Nick asked, hopping off the island to pull the loaf of bread from the breadbox on the counter. He placed two pieces in the toaster, pushing down the little hinge to toast the slices.

"I think I was getting him back from coloring the bottom of my converses with pink sharpie." He said in thought before adding a few spices and herbs to the eggs he was scrambling. He reached over and placed a few strips of bacon in the pan after he had scraped the eggs over to make room.

"Oh yeaaah." Nick said as he remembered, grinning since he knew the blond still couldn't get the sharpie off. He pulled a large plate out from the cabinet above his head to place toast on once they had popped out. He buttered the browned bread and slathered strawberry preservatives over the melted butter when he placed the butter back in the refrigerator.

Jeff hummed as he continued to cook, looking over at Nick as the raven haired teen pulled out the breakfast tray and a dome cover for the plate. He had to hold back a laugh when the shorter male dropped a few forks on the ground from the silverware drawer when he pulled one out too fast.

"Damn." Nick said reaching down and scooping the fallen utensils up, placing them into the sink before placing the fork and knife that had survived on a folded napkin beside the plate on the breakfast tray.

Jeff turned the stove off before plating the eggs and bacon, placing the dome over the plate to keep the food warm on the journey to Kurts room. He put the pan in the sink and turned the water on to wash over it before heading to the refrigerator to return all the things he had taken out and to pull out a bottle of ketchup and orange juice.

Nick stepped up to the sink and washed out the pan, placing it and the large spoon Jeff had been using in the dishwasher. He looked over as Jeff poured orange juice into a clear glass and placed it next to the tray on the counter.

Jeff pulled the cover off from the plate and uncapped the ketchup to draw a heart over the scrambled eggs. He looked over to Nick when the boy huffed.

"What?" He asked, following his narrowed gaze to the heart he had just squirted over the eggs.

"I never get ketchup hearts on my eggs." Nick said, giving Jeff a frown.

Jeff grinned and quickly covered the plate on the tray before walking up to Nick, pulling the boys hand to him. "That's because you already have my real heart." He said as he drew a large Ketchup heart on the small palm.

Nick looked up, his green eyes watering for a moment from the confession, then quickly faked a scoff. "You are so sappy sometimes." He said, pulling back his hand and looking at the heart when Jeff left to place the ketchup back.

"What do I do with it?" He asked when Jeff turned towards him again. "Do I wash it off?" He asked, looking to the sink hopefully.

"What? No! That would be like washing my love away!" Jeff said quickly, taking the ketchup coated hand before Nick could run to the sink.

"But I hate ketchup!" Nick protested, trying to pull his hand away. Jeff sighed and shook his head.

"And you wondered why I never put hearts on your eggs." He mumbled before bending his head down and licking the ketchup form the palm of Nick's hand, making the boy squirm underneath him.

"So you basically just ate your own heart right?" Nick asked with a little grin, his cheeks flushed slightly.

"I guess that makes me a heart eater?" Jeff asked, handing Nick the breakfast tray before grabbing the glass of orange juice.

"I don't know what you would call it…Cannibal?" Nick asked as he followed the blond out of the kitchen. He smiled when the boy chuckled.

"No, a Ketchupable." He said, grinning at his own joke.

Nick rolled his eyes. "You better be glad I love you and your lame jokes." He said with a sigh.

"I don't know how I got so lucky." Jeff said, kissing Nick's cheek in return.