Sunlight streamed in warm radiance through sheer curtains, coloring the walls in a gentle, violet hue. The open window allowed the distant laughter of children and the song of canaries to resonate in the otherwise silent room, and a vague scent of freshly baked bread wafted through the air.

Kurapika flipped a page in his book before placing his bookmark and closing it altogether, a content smile playing at his lips. The tickle of a breeze against his hair compelled him to close his eyes, and he leaned his head against the cool glass.

A gentle touch at the base of his neck roused him; the hand shifted his locks to the side before it was replaced by a pair of warm lips. Kurapika's eyes, now open, remained half-lidded as the familiar form sat beside him on the windowsill.

"Good morning," greeted Chrollo in a low voice—he must have woken only a bit earlier. His lips hovered above the blond's collarbone, and his arms had snaked to bring the other flush against his chest in a comfortable, lazy embrace. "You didn't come to bed last night."

Kurapika hummed, leaning his head backwards for it to rest snugly atop Chrollo's shoulder. "As far as I'm concerned, you weren't even here last night."

A deep chuckled rumbled through Chrollo's chest, sending a shiver down Kurapika's spine. "I snuck through your window at around one in the morning… and was quite disappointed not to find you in bed."

"Of course you were," Kurapika said with a playful eye roll.

"Only the best of intentions," Chrollo defended with a mischievous glint in his eyes, which quickly morphed into a gentleness that seemed almost unbearably heartwarming in those large, deep grays. "I thought you stayed up all night at work. I had half the mind to rush to the Association building and retrieve you."

A pause lingered in the air for a passing second, as though Kurapika didn't know how to properly respond. Eventually, he settled for a slowly spoken, "And what stopped you?"

In turn, Chrollo's response did not miss a beat. "It didn't seem particularly wise to walk straight into the clutch of the enemy. That bounty is still on my head, you know."

But the blond didn't wish to think about that one disillusioning fact, and so, craning his neck to look at his lover's face with a diverted expression, he said, "Do you realize how ironic your first sentence was?"

"Hmm, only slightly. You're the only enemy who's allowed to capture me." His voice was teasing as he nuzzled Kurapika's neck, who in turn faced away with a huff.

"Honestly, your idea of flirting is simply unorthodox." But the flush managed to reach the tips of his ears, and so his attempt at hiding his face was futile.

"Unorthodox is not synonymous with unpleasant."

"And now we're arguing semantics."

"Well, let's not argue at all," said Chrollo, his face infuriatingly handsome as he gave his charming smile. He stood and offered the blond a hand.

Kurapika looked at it, puzzled, before turning his questioning gaze upwards in an attempt to discern the older man's motive.

"I'm taking you out for breakfast. There's a coffee shop by the mountainside that serves baked goods from all around the world. I think you will like it."

The prospect did seem inviting, and the thought of the hot liquid's soothing slide down his throat made Kurapika take the offered hand.

"Let me change really quickly."

He made his way to his room before closing the door. Chrollo's voice reached him nonetheless, "If we hurry, we'll enjoy a meal by the morning mist!"

A soft snort escaped the blond at how unabashedly his lover enjoyed the romantic aspects of life, but he found himself making haste in his movements all the same.