Work Text:
The moment she opened the door, the first thing she heard was the sizzle of something frying and the steady rhythm of a knife against a wooden cutting board, the warm scent of food filling the air and wrapping around her like a familiar embrace. Then, as soon as the front door clicked shut behind her, the sounds stopped, and a second later, he appeared from the kitchen doorway, as if he had been drawn there by her presence alone.
He must have paused in the middle of cooking, leaving everything behind just to see her, and the moment his eyes found hers, the heaviness she had carried all day lifted—like a burden she hadn’t realized she was dragging had suddenly been taken from her shoulders.
“Welcome home,” he said, a gentle smile curving on his lips.
Lumine kicked off her shoes, dropped her bag without a second thought, and ran straight toward him. His eyes widened in surprise as he hurried to open his arms, bracing himself to catch her so they wouldn’t tumble onto the hard floor. It caught him off guard from the impact, but he managed to keep them both upright.
“I’m home, Scara.”
One of his arms circled her waist, pulling her close, while the other slid into her hair, fingers brushing through the soft strands. Lumine grinned, tightening her arms around his neck as her legs locked around his waist, holding him just as tightly as he held her.
“I’ve told you so many times not to do that all of a sudden,” Scara scolded lightly, though there was no real bite in his words.
But Lumine didn’t care. She only buried herself deeper into his embrace, tightening her hold on him.
Scara let out a quiet sigh, his hand lifting to pat her head. His voice softened. “What’s wrong? Did someone bully you at work?”
With her title at the company, no one would dare to bully her. Still, the new kids had been getting on her nerves. She couldn’t bring herself to say it out loud—it would make her sound mean—so she kept it buried.
Right now, she just needed her safe place.
Which was him.
She lifted her head and met his indigo eyes, a small grin curving her lips. “I just missed you.”
His brows rose in amused disbelief. “Then at least take a bath first—you stink.”
She smacked his back playfully, earning a faint smile from him. He leaned down and pressed a kiss to her hair, breathing in her familiar scent.
“Go change into something comfortable,” he said gently.
Lumine groaned, but she knew he was right. After such long hours, her work clothes felt suffocating. With a reluctant huff, she finally pulled away.
Scara felt the loss immediately—but he held himself back. She needed to relax first.
He helped her out of her coat, then knelt to slide off her socks. Lumine flushed, even though he always did this. They’d shared far more intimate moments than this, and yet the brush of his fingers against her thigh still made her heart skip.
Scara noticed. Of course he did.
He smirked at her expression before gently guiding her toward the bathroom, ignoring her soft grumbling under her breath.
While she bathed, he returned to the stove, the quiet crackle of oil and the soft clink of utensils filling the apartment once more. Yet as he continued cooking, a thought slowly formed in his mind, gentle but persistent, and he found himself setting aside what he was doing for a moment. Almost without realizing it, he began preparing something else for her too—something warmer, softer, something that would ease the exhaustion he had seen lingering in her eyes the moment she came home.
When Lumine finally came back, her skin was still warm from the water, faint traces of steam clinging to her as her damp hair fell loosely around her shoulders. She wore an oversized shirt that slipped slightly to one side and a pair of short sleepwear, the soft fabric making her look smaller, more fragile—so different from the composed woman who had walked through the door earlier.
“Perfect timing,” he said, patting the seat beside him. “I even made you a warm café au lait.” In his other hand was a hair dryer, already waiting.
Instead of sitting, Lumine jumped straight onto his lap. He winced. “Ow— I told you not to jump on me like that. You’re going to make me spill this.”
But as her cheek pressed against his shoulder, his scolding faded into a soft sigh.
“You’re impossible,” he muttered, a fond edge in his voice. “Too good at being spoiled. I can’t even stay annoyed.”
He stroked her hair gently, using the towel he had prepared earlier to wipe away the remaining dampness, his touch slow and careful, lingering longer than necessary as if savoring the simple closeness. His voice softened as he looked at her. “You’re adorable. Truly, having you as my girlfriend feels like the greatest gift.” Lumine only hummed in quiet delight, her eyes half-lidded as she pressed herself closer into him.
Then his tone shifted, lower and more serious, the words coming more slowly, as if he had been holding them back. “But listen… don’t ever show this side of yourself to another man. Don’t smile at them like this, don’t cling to them. You’re too sweet—any man would fall instantly.”
She laughed softly, tilting her head slightly. “You’re exaggerating.”
“I’m not,” he insisted. “Men are simple. No matter how polished they look, they’re easy to sway. Just imagining you acting this way with someone else makes my chest tighten.” His arms tightened around her. “Please… don’t make me jealous. Don’t make me doubt.”
Her voice was gentle, reassuring. “I only act like this with you. With others, I’m composed.”
His faint smile returned. “That’s true. When we first met, you were so serious and cold. It took months before you showed me this spoiled, gentle side. You’d never reveal it to anyone else.”
Her words eased his worries, filling him with a quiet, steady relief that softened his shoulders and slowed his breathing, and when he thanked her, telling her she always gave him more than he expected, more than he needed, how she calmed him without even trying, his voice was low and sincere. He leaned down to kiss her forehead, lingering there before admitting that it wasn’t fair if he only took from her, that he should give something back too.
She tilted her head, eyes full of curiosity. “Give back?”
“Yes. My time.” His gaze never left hers as he explained, “From now until the morning after tomorrow, before I leave for work, it’s all yours. I’ll spend it showing you my love, listening to your wishes, spoiling you as much as you want,” Her eyes lit up instantly, and she nodded without a second thought, which made him laugh softly, telling her that even such a simple gesture made her unbearably cute.
He pulled her close again, his arms tightening with quiet conviction as he pressed her against his chest. “I’ll never let you go. You’re mine, always. I’ll keep you by my side forever.”
The food slowly grew cold on the table, forgotten in favor of the warmth they found in each other’s arms, neither of them willing to be the first to pull away and break the quiet.