The first thing Jongho did when he woke up was to wash his face, not even going to the bathroom to pee. He quickly freshened up with a short shower and put on lipbalm, quickly throwing a hoodie on top of a tank top and sweats. Running out of the apartment and to Yeosang's apartment just a few blocks away, taking his cigarette too. He lit one and started to take a moderate tempo, taking a long drag before exhaling.

In just a few minutes, he was at Yeosang's front door, knocking frantically. He bounced on his heels as he waited for Yeosang to open the door, and just as he imagined, he was pulled in a hug by a very sleepy Yeosang, still in his pajamas.

"Morning, baby," he murmured, pecking Jongho's lips. Jongho pushed Yeosang aside, gently, and rushed to the olders' bedroom. Curling up under the blanket the second he laid on the bed and sinking into the familiar warmth, he sighed contentedly. Yeosang chuckled softly as he followed Jongho, dragging the comforter up to cover both of them.

"You're always so impatient in the morning," Yeosang teased, settling in next to Jongho and wrapping his arms around him, their bodies fitting together perfectly.

"I couldn’t wait to see you," Jongho replied, his voice muffled slightly by the pillow as he buried his face in it. He could feel the warmth radiating off Yeosang, calming the slight jitteriness that came from the cigarette.

"You need to stop smoking so early," Yeosang said, brushing his fingers through Jongho’s hair. "It's not good for you, and I don’t want you smelling like ash."

"I know, I know," Jongho mumbled, his cheeks slightly reddening. “But it helps me relax before I get my day started. Just five minutes of peace.”

Yeosang rolled his eyes playfully. “You should try meditation or something instead.”

Jongho pulled back slightly to look at him, eyebrows raised. “With your snoring? There’s no way I can meditate with you crashing through the night.”

Laughing, Yeosang pinched Jongho's side affectionately. “Hey, I do not snore!”

Wrestling playfully, they ended up entangled in the sheets, salty giggles filling the space between them. Jongho took a moment to just admire Yeosang’s sleepy face, the way his hair fell haphazardly over his forehead, and how the morning light painted soft shadows on his skin.

“Let’s just stay like this a little longer,” Jongho suggested, his voice quieter now, the playfulness fading into something more tender.

Yeosang nodded, a soft smile spreading across his face. “I could get used to mornings like this.”

With that, they settled into a comfortable silence, Jongho closing his eyes and feeling utterly content just being close to Yeosang. Out in the world, responsibilities awaited, but here, in this moment, it was just the two of them, cocooned in comfort and warmth.

It was a bit later that Yeosang noticed the shivers from Jongho, the younger cuddling closer to his body. "You ok? You're shivering. Should I open the heater?" Yeosang asked, lifting his head slightly to peer at Jongho with concern. He reached over to turn down the volume of the heater, glancing around the room to find the remote.

Jongho blinked back into reality, realizing he had been lost in thought for a moment. “Oh, no, it’s not the cold. I just… I don’t know. I feel a bit off today,” he admitted, pulling the blanket tighter around himself.

Yeosang frowned, his eyes narrowing with worry. “What do you mean? Did something happen?”

Jongho hesitated, trying to find the right words. It wasn’t that anything horrible had happened; it was more like an unease creeping in, a sense of restlessness he couldn’t place. “I’m not sure, honestly. Just a lot on my mind, I guess.”

“Wanna talk about it?” Yeosang offered, brushing his thumb lightly against Jongho’s arm, trying to convey his support.

Jongho shook his head lightly. “Not yet. I just need a little time to process.” He looked up, meeting Yeosang’s gaze, which was filled with understanding. “But being here with you helps. I really appreciate it.”

A small smile returned to Yeosang’s face, both reassuring and sweet. “Alright, no pressure. Just remember I’m here if you need anything.”

“Yeah, I know,” Jongho replied, a hint of gratitude lacing his voice. He leaned closer to Yeosang, inhaling the comforting scent that always seemed to linger around him. “Can we just stay like this a bit longer?”

“Of course,” Yeosang said, settling back against the pillows. They stayed wrapped up together, letting the quiet settle around them, the world outside fading into a distant hum.

For now, it was enough to just be in each other’s presence, the simple act of holding each other reminding Jongho that, despite the whirlwind of emotions within him, he was grounded here, in Yeosang’s arms.