DREAM
The soft orange glow of morning light spilled into the room through slightly parted curtains. Ruan stirred beneath the blanket, blinking slowly. For a second, he forgot where he was. Then he sat up, eyes adjusting to the quiet apartment.
Something smelled… good. Like warm toast, eggs, and coffee.
He rubbed his eyes, stepped out of bed barefoot, and padded softly into the small living area.
On the table was a plate: toast neatly stacked scrambled eggs, and a steaming cup of black coffee. Beside it, a small folded note written in clean handwriting:
*"Eat well. I'll be back after work. – Akari"*
Ruan's lips curved into a rare soft smile. He picked up the note, stared at it for a moment, then quietly sat down. No one had done that for him in a long time. He took a slow bite of the toast and ate while smiling to himself like crazy.
That day, Ruan spent his day surveying Akari apartment. He didn't touch what was private, only that was visible.
In the evening, the front door creaked open.
Akari stepped inside, expecting the usual silence. He kicked off his shoes, dropped his keys on the tray by the wall—then paused.
The soft sound of pages flipping.
He looked up and saw Ruan lounging on his couch, one leg up, shirt loose, flipping through a manga volume.
"You're still here?" Akari asked dryly.
Ruan without looking up, said, "My suspension's two weeks. I figured... I'd spend it with my favourite teacher."
Akari raised a brow, trying to ignore the warmth blooming in his chest. "So you plan on spending two weeks here?" still, dryly.
"Hm...maybe." Ruan answered smiling.
He stood up and followed Akari who entered the bedroom.
"Tch...Why don't you spend it with your friends or you girlfriend instead. She could be in worry to death right now," Akari said.
That one hit. Ruan's smile faltered, just for a second. He lowered his head.
"She's not my girlfriend." He quietly said.
"Come again," Akari said because he didn't hear what Ruan said.
Ruan raised his head, brushing past off him with a broad smile. "I'm starving. Let's cook." He said to kill the topic.
Soon they were in the kitchen. The kitchen was small but cozy. Ruan rummaged through the fridge while Akari stood by the counter, tying on an apron.
"I didn't know you were good at cooking," Ruan said, placing the onions for Akari.
"Tch...Talking as if you know anything about me," Akari chuckled.
"I know you," Ruan said confidently.
Akari glanced at him with a beam.
"I do. Trust me!"
"I didn't say anything." Akari said shrugging off.
Ruan smiled, "Cold teacher with a warm heart." He whispered into Akari's ear. "Do you always eat healthy stuff like tofu and greens?" he asked
Akari grabbed a chopping board, "I try. Some of us have to care about our health."
Ruan chuckled and leaned over Akari's shoulder, peeking at the ingredients. His hand brushed Akari's side as he reached for a tomato, intentionally or not.
Akari flinched just slightly at the closeness.
Ruan smirked, "You always tense up when I'm close."
Akari trying to avoid contact said, "Because you don't know what personal space means."
Ruan leaned in even closer, whispering near his ear. "Or maybe you just like when I don't."
Akari turned, face red, and shoved a spoon into his hand.
Akari flustered, "Just stir the damn soup."
He turned to collect the dirty dishes, he was smiling and the butterflies in his stomach couldn't stop jumping. Ruan stirring the soup, noticed Akari enjoy his comment. He smiled biting his lower lip.
The two couldn't stop stealing each other's glances afterwards.
A few minutes later, the two were moving around the kitchen like a rhythm. Ruan reached over Akari to grab a spice jar, their arms brushed. Akari tried not to react, but Ruan noticed everything. It was so tense.
They sat across from each other, plates steaming with bok choy and stir–fried tofu. It wasn't fancy, but it was full of laughter and the little accidents that made the food taste better.
Midway through the meal, Ruan asked, "Hey coat check, where are your parents at?"
Akari paused. He didn't answer the question.
"Just eat," he said quietly.
"No...family?" Ruan asked low.
Akari's chopsticks paused halfway to his mouth. His gaze lingered on his plate.
"Mmh," Akari answered meaning yes.
Ruan's brows knit, but he didn't push. He softly said, "Must be lonely sometimes."
Akari shrugged, "You get used to it. When you grow up you will get it."
A short silence fell between them, comfortable, but heavy. Then Ruan reached across the table and gently flicked tofu at Akari's shirt.
"Your apron didn't do much, huh?" Ruan killed the unhandy situation.
Akari blinked, and then cracked a small laugh. "You're such a child."
"Be careful this child might do big stuff too," Ruan teased.
They both laughed softly, but behind their smiles was something else neither dared to name yet.
***
It was raining that night, Akari was trying to curl himself up not to feel any cold. Suddenly, he felt a familiar touch cuddle him up.
"W...wh...What are you doing?" He stuttered, trying to push Ruan back to the floor.
Ruan hold to him tighter, "Down's so cold. Can't we cuddle just like last night?" Ruan wined.
"No, yesterday was different. Yesterday, I was trying to calm you down. Now back to your place big boy," Akari resisted.
Ruan didn't back down. Instead while still holding to him tighter; he looked into Akari's eyes. Akari was trying to escape his look.
Ruan's tone shifted, "I feel like..." Ruan squinted, "you are trying to hide something else. You don't want me to go back down. Do you?"
Akari was blushing. His fingers and toes were fidgeting. Eyes pacing.
"Wha...what...what do you mean?" he stammered.
Ruan raised his hand and caught Akari's fair cheek. Slowly, he started caressing it.
"You are blushing," Ruan said softly.
This time, Akari didn't try to push Ruan again. Over sudden he was stuck. Ruan caressed his cheek tenderly, then led his thumb on Akari's lips and stroked his lips softly.
"Your eyes are beautiful," Ruan complimented. His voice was low and soft. "Your lips..."
Meanwhile, Akari was burning up. It was cold but the tension was heavy making the temperature rise. He was breathing heavily as he felt Ruan's touch stroke his skin.
Still he tried to resist, "Ru...Ruan this is not..."
Ruan immersed his thumb in Akari's mouth, "Can I...have a taste of them?" he sentimentally asked.
Akari's breath was unsteady. He wanted it. He knew he couldn't resist Ruan, moreover right there when the situation was that tense. He ran out of words and just closed his eyes and let Ruan take the wheel.
Without wasting a single second, Ruan pressed his lips on Akari's. Ruan's tongue found a way into Akari's mouth and soon the two were sharing a heated kiss. Slowly and tenderly, they sucked into each other's lips and tongues.
Ruan held Akari's thin waist tighter and pulled him closer. Akari didn't resist. As a matter of fact, he was somewhere else. As they kissed, Ruan's hand caressed Akari's cheek and soon, it slid into his hair.
Ruan shifted the hot kisses to Akari's neck and collarbone. He showered him with kisses every part he came across with. And soon his hand was finding Akari's pants.
"Ruan no!" Akari grabbed Ruan's hand before it slip more under.
"Oh! I'm sorry. Do you want me to stop? I'm I taking it too fast?" Ruan asked low and soft.
Ruan's eyes lingered in Akari's for a while. Akari wanted to say no, but his mouth was heavy. His body said otherwise.
"I'll be gentle," Ruan whispered softly. He caught Akari's cheek and kissed him.
Then slowly, his hand slid under Akari's pants and reached for the arcon. It had already reacted from the hot service Ruan was offering for the night. He grabbed stroked.
Akari moaned.
Gently.
Then harder.
More harder.
"Ah...Ruan...ah...mmh!" Akari moaned. And the more Ruan stroked, the more he cried. Cried for more.
...
"Coat check, coat check. Hey Akari," distant sound was heard.
What is this? What is happening? Akari's mind snapped.
"AKARI!" Ruan called.
Back to reality.
Akari jolted up. Waking up from the dreamland. Eyes wide, breathing heavily. There he saw Ruan beside his bed, dressed in an apron.
It was a dream! He screamed inside.
"Oh, you are sweating. Are you sick?" Ruan asked raising his hand to check on his temperature.
But Akari pushed Ruan's hand halfway before he touched him. Still puzzled, he bolted off the bed and ran in the bathroom.
"Oh...what's with him?" Ruan asked himself, brows knit. "Nightmare maybe."
He shrugged it off. "Breakfast's ready! Clothes on the chair by the table!" Ruan said before he left the room.
"O…o...Okay," Akari replied.
He was pinned to the bathroom door. Still breathing heavily from the dream he just had. His centre part said it all. He walked to the shower and let the water cool him off
"What was that dream. How can I even face Ruan after this. This can't be happening. No. No," Akari thought.