Days Go By | lavashipping

*.*.**-**.*.*

His entire body was sore but the aroma of fresh coffee still managed to pull him up. There was way too much light to his liking and the noise coming from outside must have meant that he was far from being an early bird.

“Welcome back from the dead,” Kai mused while Cole had to decide to take a rain check on a snarky remark. Instead, he focused on the life energy-restoring magical brew Kai gave him. Man's best invention right after beds and cosy bakeries.

“What time's it?”

“Just about nine o'clock.” Well, that wasn't so bad. “How are you feeling?”

Cole hummed as if thoughtfully while placing the mug on a safe spot, away from them. He cupped Kai's face with his other hand, kissed him, brought him along back down into the mess of sleeping bags and blankets.

“Like not getting up or doing anything.” His eyes were closed as he snuggled into their arms in hopes of continuing getting the rest his body craved so much. It was all so unbelievably comfortable.

“I guess I was too hard on you yesterday, huh?”

“It was worth it.”

“All right…” Kai mindlessly rubbed up and down his back. “How about you get some more rest and then I was thinking we could go look around the town to have lunch?”

“I like the first part a lot.”

Maybe it was the drowsiness, but hearing Kai chuckle was one of the most beautiful sounds in the world. Or maybe it was purely thanks to the bright and colourful pit he fell farther down into with each second they spent together and now all that was left was the sweet, intoxicating feeling. All Cole knew for sure was that he wanted to make Kai laugh as much as he could.

“And after that we could go to the lake… find a nice spot… chill until the sun goes down…”

“Hmm, that sounds lovely, how about I get us started so we can get to the rest fast?”

“Great!” Kai began untangling himself to get up – something Cole wasn't too keen on.

“Where are you going?” Cole asked holding Kai's hand. Somehow the sunlight was still stronger than he anticipated when he was forced to open his eyes.

“I thought I'd start looking around if there isn't anything interesting nearby…”

“That's not a bad idea,” he replied, then pulled Kai back into their messy nest. “But I've got a better one – how about we both get some more rest?”

Based on the stiffness, there was a lot of thinking being made but thanks to the power of cuddles and Cole's hypnotising cooes, Kai caved in.

“You know– All right. Yeah, I can do rest.”

“I promise you won't regret it.”

***

It was a long and exhausting fight. Eventually, Kai won, of course, and Cole had to join them in the fully-ready for the day club. Well, if it wasn't for his empty stomach, Kai wouldn't win. For sure. Certainly.

As they ate their lunch in the restaurant's garden, Cole felt like he began a whole new life. Now, was it a bit silly to have these thoughts when he's been out of the city for just a few days? Probably. But Cole never was too much of a city guy and the slowed peace of the small town made him crave the rural idyll once again.

As if he wasn't craving exactly that since they first moved out.

He pushed those thoughts aside to enjoy the food. Enjoy the sight of Kai sitting in front of him, smiling in content as the sun lit him up brighter than everything else in the world.

It took them longer than he expected to find something, mainly because neither of them could decide on what they wanted. In the end, it was the offer of homemade lemonades what finally made them sit down and pick up a menu. They also quickly became Cole's favourites.

Because they brought all the necessary things along, there was no need to walk all the way back to the camp. Soon enough they found the perfect spot on the beach with enough sun and enough shade.

While Cole immediately ran to the lake, exhaustion be damned, Kai used the opportunity to throw his t-shirt off and stretch out in the sunshine, claiming the whole blanket for himself.

They could spend the entirety of time like that, being gently stroked by the heat, the surrounding sounds slowly drowning out… It was warm and peaceful and perfect.

“Warm me up, sunshine!”

Kai shrieked and would've jumped into the stratosphere, had it not been for Cole, who threw himself at them. He was wet and cold from the lake but Kai couldn't manage to push him off because of the shock.

“For the love of– What the fuck, Cole?”

“I'm cold,” he muttered into Kai's neck.

“Yeah, I can feel that. Get off!”

“But I thought you'd warm me up with your love. Don't you have a heart?” Cole batted his eyelashes at him.

While Kai did stop trying to wrestle Cole off, the frown didn't disappear as fast as his resolve. “I might as well not! You can't do this!”

“Sorry, you looked so peaceful, I couldn't help myself.”

“You're the worst of the worst,” Kai grumbled, then kissed his forehead. “Have you ever heard of towels? We have some, you know, I packed them especially for you. Come on.”

Cole groaned and gave him a frown like the kids in Kai's karate class before sitting up and taking one of their towels to dry off, as if most of the water didn't already evaporate or end up on Kai. He looked around, while his boyfriend recollected himself from the vile attack.

“Do you want something?” he asked. “I'm starving. I think I saw a stand a little down the beach.”

“Get me a beer and some fries and I might forgive you.”

“Sounds like a deal.” Fetching his wallet, Cole grinned at him. Before he could leave, Kai pulled him back down for a kiss, then pushed him away again.

“There. You warm now?”

“Mm, you kiss like the sun!”

“Whatever you say,” Kai chuckled. “Go get me my beer.” Watching after Cole's retreating form, he couldn't stop the grin creeping up on his own face. Embarrassing. But he lived for the thrill.