*I just want to say that I am SO sorry for the delay on all of my stories. It's been a busy semester and I've just gotten off for Winter Break.
Thank you for waiting, and here is the next chapter of Tenderness!
All characters are 18+*
--------DANIEL--------
I'm not much of a morning person. When I was roused to a very sluggish state of semi-consciousness at about seven AM, I went back to sleep right away. I was roused by the warm body under my left arm yawning, squirming, and leaving the bed. I rolled sleepily into the warm indent his body had left, and dozed, waiting for him to come back.
When he didn't come back after about ten minutes of dozing, I started to wake up. Very slowly, might I add. Waking up wasn't one of my strong suits. I yawned and stretched, and went limp. The bed was so warm... I didn't want to leave.
Eventually I did get up, stretching and wincing from the slight headache I had. If I hadn't cut us off when I did, it would have been worse, but my head still ached hollowly. The strangest thing though, I could smell bacon.
I might as well have been bugs bunny, or maybe the coyote, floating heels up and following my nose. I stumbled down the hallway, eyes half shut. I nearly tripped over Zoe and she gave me a reproachful meow.
I got into the kitchen, and Aaron was already there, moving around the kitchen. A panful of bacon was sizzling on the stovetop (with Noel attentively sitting near the stove, eager little opportunist!) and a chopping board piled high with chopped onions and green peppers and garlic. A bag of cheese and a carton of eggs were sitting on the counter.
Aaron turned and looked at me. He was red-eyed from chopping the onions, and he smiled shyly at me. "Morning Daniel." He murmured. "Was it okay that I did this?"
I fell to my knees melodramatically. "Oh Aaron, I might have to beg you to come over and make my breakfast every day! This smells so good!"
He giggled and sniffled as he went back to chopping the onions. "Get up and set the table silly, the eggs aren't even cooking yet! Do you like peppers on your omelet?"
I got up and snuck up behind him to nuzzle the back of his neck. I could see a lopsided red mark that I had left there last night. He giggled and leaned back into me. He looked so sweet and sleepy and happy.
"I'll take everything you have out Babe."
I felt ridiculous and giddy with love. He finished chopping and started mixing bacon and eggs and all of the ingredients together to make omelet mix. I set up two plates, two cups, and two forks. I shooed Noel from the kitchen over and over while he gave me a mournful look. I fed the animals and poured us both some orange juice. The cooking omelets smelled divine, and my stomach rumbled.
I almost never had breakfast. I had eggs and bacon around the house because I liked to eat them for lunch and dinner, and they were easy and fast. Aaron was so at home in the kitchen. He had that quick easy grace when it came to working with food. Little things, like how fast and efficiently he chopped the vegetables and the practiced flip of the wrist when he folded the omelets.
I had a dining room table and I put our places right next to each other. He slid the omelets onto our plates, blushing cutely when I praised them over and over.
"Stop it! I just made you breakfast! Its not a big deal..." He was blushing bright red. I swooped in and kissed his mouth hard and released with a loud smack.
"Means a lot to me sweetheart." I murmured, grinning ear to ear.
--------AARON--------
It was the morning after. I had never had a morning after before! Daniel was such a joker, but he kept making me blush. He was sort of clingy this morning, but in a good way. I loved how he kept reaching out to touch me, to brush his hand across my shoulder or cheek. To give me a quick kiss, to mess with my hair.
I thought he might be a little horny, but was being careful not to push me too far. I felt a squirmy excited little feeling in the pit of my stomach. I wanted to be the one to initiate it this time. If we went slow... If we went nice and slow, I could do this!
First, breakfast. I was surprisingly hungry. With a happy little feeling, I realized that I was probably hungry because I had had sex last night!
Okay, maybe a lot of couples wouldn't consider it sex. Other then a few kisses and some light petting, we hadn't even touched each other. It had been in the dark, so we hadn't even seen each other. But considering how maudlin and shy I had been last night, hell, how maudlin and shy I had been since I was a little kid, I thought that I was doing great.
I rinsed the dishes off, stalling a little because I didn't quite know where to begin. Finally I just sort of blurted it out.
"Um, Daniel?"
He had been in the bathroom, brushing his teeth. "Hmm?"
"Um... Nevermind." I instantly felt like smacking myself. I needed to get ballsier then this if I was ever going to initiate anything. I walked to the bathroom and he was gargling. He grinned at me, innocent of the struggle going on in my mind.
"Hey, what's up? Did you want to stay over for a while, maybe watch a movie or--"
I interrupted him by jumping up on my toes and giving him a kiss. The kiss was passionate and clumsy and quick, with my tongue in his mouth. I fell back onto my heels, and felt a hot blush spreading over my face.
"--something..." Daniel looked slightly dazed for a second, and then he smiled again and cupped my face in his hands. He pressed his mouth into mine and I whimpered softly. He was a much better kisser then me. His lips were gentle, and he had a way of teasing me in a very playful and erotic way. He would deepen the kiss, and then lean back just enough so that our lips were barely touching and I would have to lunge forward a little to continue it. He was such a sexy kisser!
I decided to try. I took a step backwards, and he had to take a step forward. I drew him down the hall, nearly tripped over Zoe, and teased him into the bedroom.
He suddenly became very careful. His eyes were open, and his hands were very gentle. I was slightly frustrated, but at the same time very glad. I still felt good, but I didn't want to go too far.
