In the late hours of the morning, Markus stirs, hazy and leaden with sleep. The sheets are tangled between his legs, twisting and shifting lazily over his skin when he moves, and he flounders in them for a moment before he gets his bearings. Exhaustion clings to him like a second skin. He arches his back and reaches out with an idle hand, and thereâs Connorâcurled on his side, lips parted, warm under Markusâs touch. Like magic. Like waking up together is something theyâve been doing their whole lives, instead of a new and beautiful thing.
Markus exhales into the sun-heavy air. He wraps his arms around Connorâs waist and nuzzles into his hair, and thatâs when he notices it. Granted, his powers of perception arenât exactly at their height at the moment, but itâs so obvious that he canât believe itâs taken him this long. A grin tugs at his lips just as Connor fidgets and makes a small noise into his pillow, and reluctantly, Markus loosens his grip. He canât quite wipe the ridiculous smile off his face as Connor rolls over to face him, eyelids fluttering, LED cycling into blue.
âYouâre smiling,â is the first thing he says.
Astute as always. âGood morning to you, too,â says Markus, and presses a gentle kiss to Connorâs forehead. Connor closes his eyes against Markusâs lips, and when he reopens them, he looks a little less glassy, although Markus will be the first to admit heâs incredibly charmed by Connorâs drowsiness. Itâs a little bit messy. A little bit human. âSleep well?â
âWe werenât really sleeping, butâyes.â Connorâs eyes dart briefly towards the ceiling. âAre you going to tell me why you were smiling?â
âAwake and already questioning everything.â Affection melts, unfiltered, through Markusâs words. Itâs too early to be tactful, anyway. âItâs just amazing,â he says, and reaches out to card his fingers through Connorâs hair. âYou have curls.â