Aster woke to something poking his chest.
A small finger. Followed by a quiet whisper, close to his ear.
"'Bwow... 'Bwother, wake up..."
He blinked.
And nearly jumped out of his skin when he saw Finn kneeling on the bed between him and Adrian, face inches away, his hair a wild fluff of bedhead.
"F-Finn?!" he rasped, throat dry.
"You wasn't in my room," Finn said, rubbing his eyes with a fist. "I looked and looked. Then I found you here! With the big guy."
Aster jolted upright—then immediately winced.
Pain flared low in his back and hips. His thighs protested. His entire everything hurt.
Oh god. My body. I can't even—
He tugged the sheets up to his waist and quickly glanced down.
He was... dressed.
Someone had put a clean shirt on him. Soft boxers. Nothing sticky. Nothing exposed.
His breath came out in a shaky puff.
"Morning," came Adrian's voice—low and calm, like he hadn't just been caught post-sin by a toddler.
Aster turned slowly.
Adrian was awake, lounging with one arm folded behind his head, his hair tousled. He looked like sin and smug satisfaction wrapped in a silk duvet.
"You dressed me?" Aster asked, mortified.
"You passed out," Adrian said lazily. "Figured you wouldn't want your kid crawling into bed with you naked."
Aster flushed so hard his ears burned.
Finn, still oblivious, crawled over and plopped down on Adrian's chest. "You smell like toast," he said, sniffing exaggeratedly. "Didja make food?"
"I did."
"You can cook?" Aster asked before he could stop himself.
Adrian raised an eyebrow. "Come see."
Walking to the kitchen was an ordeal.
Aster limped. Adrian tried to help him but he is too embarassed to receive it.
Finn, of course, darted ahead like a puppy chasing butterflies, calling back, "Faster, 'Bwow! I smell 'gurt!"
The kitchen was huge. Marble counters. Polished everything. More expensive than Aster's entire last apartment.
And yet—
Adrian stood at the stove, in a fitted black t-shirt and joggers, flipping pancakes like it was a lazy Sunday morning. His sleeves were rolled. The sunlight giving him a shining glow. He looked... unreal.
Aster stopped in the doorway.
He had no right to be that hot while holding a spatula.
He can't help asking why does someone like that need to pay for a relationship?
Must be some weird rich-guy hobby. A "I-buy-humans-now" phase.
Adrian looked over his shoulder. A sexy smirk playing in his lips. "You'll enjoy the view more while sitting." he teased.
Finn scampered up onto one of the barstools with a happy wiggle.
Aster followed, slower. Sore. Quietly dying of embarrassment after being caught staring.
Adrian placed a plate in front of them.
Pancakes, scrambled eggs, bacon. A tiny cup of yogurt with sprinkles.
Finn gasped like it was Christmas. "For me?!"
"For both of you."
Aster picked up his fork, still suspicious.
Then he took a bite.
His eyes widened.
"...Holy crap, not poisonous."
Finn had already shoved half a pancake into his mouth, cheeks puffed out like a squirrel. "Mmm! Fluffy!"
Adrian leaned back against the counter, sipping coffee with the tiniest smirk.
"You two are dangerous," he said. "Same expressions. Same cheeks. Same sparkling eyes."
He walked over, then—without warning—rubbed both of their heads at once. Ruffled Finn's messy curls and then Aster's with the same hand.
"Cute," he added, casually. "Like two little hamsters."
Finn beamed, flapping his arms. "Imma hamster! Nibble nibble!"
Aster choked on his eggs. "Hey—!"
Adrian gave him a slow, pointed look.
"Though, I didn't treat you like a kid last night." his hot eyes giving him a glimpse of the encounter last night.
Aster turned red from neck to ears. "Can you not say that in front of—"
"Whatchu sayin'?" Finn asked with a mouthful of yogurt.
"Nothing!" Aster said quickly. "Eat your breakfast, bud."
Finn blinked. "Okay!" Then cheerfully went back to stuffing his face.
After breakfast, Adrian washed his hands and dried them neatly on a linen towel.
"We have an appointment this morning."
Aster frowned. "What kind of appointment?"
"At Finn's new school. The kindergarten I mentioned. You'll both want to check it out."
Aster stared at him.
"You already found a school?"
"Arranged the paperwork. Submitted your IDs. Had someone call to verify your legal guardianship. There's a private tour at 10."
Aster just sat there, stunned.
"...You did all that already?"
Adrian tilted his head, casual as anything. "You were sleeping."
Aster opened his mouth, then closed it.
Who the hell is this guy?
He looked over at Finn—now licking syrup off his fingers and humming to himself with yogurt on his cheek.
And then at Adrian.
Cool. Gorgeous. Unshakable.
A man who arranged housing, legalities, private education, clothes, and breakfast... all before 9 a.m.
Efficient was an understatement.
And dangerous. Very, very dangerous.