Hello Readers!

I apologize for my long absence. I actually forgot I was working on this story, but I recently rediscovered it! I'm still in college so life is hectic, but now the flames of this story have been reignited. So for the small and loyal group of you who have been waiting patiently for the next installment, here it is! Enjoy!

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Sunday morning. A magical time of the week when everything seems laid back and relaxed. Nothing is better than a Sunday morning, in my factual opinion.

This Sunday morning is particularly enjoyable since Nowaki and I are finally able to share breakfast together. We hardly ever eat breakfast individually, so we have all but given up on the idea of sharing it. But today is special. He was finally given a day off from his night shift so he was finally able to sleep normal human hours last night. He really deserved it.

I flip the veggie omelet in the pan, satisfied when the now exposed side proves to be perfectly cooked. Smirking proudly to myself, I check the microwave's clock. 8:17. Nowaki should really be up by now…but considering the inhumane hours he worked the past week, I should really let him rest. I don't want our food to get cold, though.

I look over my shoulder to check on the large bowl of rice on the table. It still steams a bit, so it should be okay a short while longer…

My head whips around in the other direction when I hear our bedroom door squeak open. I instantly regret it when I feel the rush of blood in my brain, but my pain dissipates when I see a very sleepy Nowaki come lumbering out. He rubs one eye with the back of his hand, then his face lights up at the sight of me at the stove.

I try my best to meet his gaze with a neutral expression, but my heart melts at his pure, innocent joy.

"Hiro-san, good morning!" he cries, not even trying to contain himself. "What's all this?" His gaze excitedly goes between me and the table, where the bowl of rice waits for us.

"Don't get too excited," I warn him as I turn my attention back to the omelet. "It's just a simple breakfast. No big deal."
"This is a very big deal," he assures me as he makes his way over to me. "We haven't had breakfast together in so long!" Then he tenderly wraps his arms around my middle and presses up against my back. "This is so nice of you. I could die of happiness right now," he murmurs into my hair. He holds me like this for what feels like forever, swaying ever so slightly.

My heart pounds in the base of my throat as blood boils up to the surface of my cheeks, but I say nothing in response.

I just press the omelet down gently with my spatula. "Nowaki, move. I don't want this to burn."

"Ah, yes," he says patiently as he backs off. I step to the side and carefully slide the omelet onto a plate that has been waiting beside the stove. Another plate with an identical omelet sits next to it. After putting the dirty pan in the sink, I carry the two plates to the table and put them at our place settings.

I make sure to give Nowaki the fresher, piping hot omelet.

I sit down without a word, only to look up and see Nowaki still standing in petrified awe. I roll my eyes. "Come sit," I tell him. Geez, he's like a puppy.

Nowaki happily obliges, and when he starts digging into his food I can practically feel his joy oozing out of him. "Hiro-san, this is so good!"

"Mhm," I grunt in response as I pick the best-looking clumps of rice out of the bowl and pile them on my plate.

Then we eat in silence for a few minutes, enjoying the familiarity of the moment. All of our dates used to comprise of simply eating out together, so it feels almost nostalgic. It's nice to unwind like this every once in a while.

Nowaki pops my reverie like a bubble when he reaches out to to place his warm hand on mine. "I mean it," he says. "This is really great."

"Alright, I get it," I complain loudly. "You don't have to keep saying it."

Nowaki just keeps smiling at me. He squeezes my hand once, then returns to his food.

Sappy moron.

"Oh, I forgot to ask you," he says after a minute. "How did you like meeting Yuki?"

My train of thought stops in its tracks as I recall the image of that person. Yuki…that sick little kid from the hospital. How could I have forgotten about her so easily?

"Ah…right," I say slowly. "What about her?"

"She wasn't as 'slobbery' as you were expecting, huh?" Nowaki teases.

I shoot him a glare. "Hardly! Any child less than 20 years old is, by default, a slobbering idiot. In fact, make that 25."

Nowaki gives a halfhearted laugh. "Come on, Hiro-san…you should have more faith in people."

"I don't have time for faith, " I scoff.

Nowaki is silent for a few moments. "Well," he finally says, picking at the last of his food, "I thought you would like her. She reminds me of you, after all."

…Oh. Thanks for making me feel bad, idiot.

I squirm in my chair a little. "I guess she wasn't that bad," I say after an uncomfortable minute.

Nowaki seems relieved. "She had a book you like, right? I remember you talking about it before."

"Yeah. It's a book I use in one of my classes, actually. I wasn't expecting a little kid to have it, let alone understand it."

"See? People are full of surprises. That's why you should have faith in them," he says earnestly, giving me that sweet smile again.

"Don't get cocky with me," I say sternly, placing my chopsticks down across my empty plate. "She's still a little brat."

Nowaki decides to drop the subject. It's probably for the best. "Would you like me to make some coffee?" he asks.

I give an affirmative grunt. "Please."

He gets up without another word and takes our picked-clean plates to the sink before locating our tin of coffee. His wide back is to me as he prepares it, and before long the apartment is filled with the aroma of the deep brown bean.

I sit back in my rigid chair and cross my arms. What is he playing at? I have to wonder. And whatever happened to his random outburst about us starting a family? The thought still gives me goosebumps. Why he thinks I am fit to be a parent is beyond me.

I watch his large frame move slowly about the kitchen, cleaning things up here and there while the coffee brews. Hopefully in that busy mind of his he forgot all about the huge request he made. Yes, we would be better off if we just pretended like it never happened.

Soon enough, Nowaki comes back over to me with two mugs of fresh coffee. I receive mine gratefully and give him a nod of thanks. We sit at the table in silence, an uncomfortable feeling still hanging in the air.

I stare at him while he mixes sugar and cream into his coffee. He looks calm, but if I know one thing about Nowaki it's that he always has a hundred thoughts going through his head at once. I want to know what he's thinking but I can't seem to find the words to ask.

I look down at my own hot drink in my hands. My thoughts are as cloudy and restless as the steam swirling up from my mug.