Word Count: 2026

The summer of 2017 was undeniably the best summer Yuuri had ever had in his nineteen years of life, and living with Adrien was like an impossible dream come true.

Every morning, Yuuri would wake up feeling light and happy, warm and comfortable either in Adrien’s arms, or with Adrien pulled close to his chest. He loved being able to lie there and listen to his boyfriend’s steady breathing, and was convinced that, thanks to his own presence, Adrien was finally able to sleep almost completely through at least six hours at night.

Well, it might also have to do with trying to sweet talk Adrien out of drinking so much coffee so close to when they planned on going to bed, but Yuuri was sure that it helped to have someone there with him.

And Yuuri knew that, because of Adrien’s presence, he was able to sleep almost completely through at least six hours at night. Because Adrien made him feel safe and wanted in a way he’d never felt before.

Some mornings, especially the mornings that Adrien didn’t have to get up right away for work, Yuuri would just watch Adrien sleep, maybe let his fingers card gently through his soft, pale hair. It was probably really creepy that he liked doing stuff like that, but he couldn’t help it. Sometimes it was difficult to believe that all of this was real, that Adrien was really his boyfriend, that he was happy. That they were both happy.

Yuuri liked waking up before Adrien, not just because he liked to watch him sleep, but because that meant he got to wake him up with kisses and the promise of coffee. He knew he would never get tired of the way Adrien looked at him when he woke up, too. Like it was impossible for Yuuri to still be there, to be the one waking him up and giving him kisses even before getting the chance to brush their teeth. While the look Adrien gave him also made him sad to think that Adrien doubted he would want to be there with him, Yuuri couldn’t help but feel giddy that Adrien still seemed to be interested in him.

He was learning to cope with the mess in the apartment as well. It really wasn’t that horrible after getting used to it, although Yuuri wished Adrien allowed him to pick up some of the clothes he left scattered about the place. Some days he thought about going ahead and organizing Adrien’s closet by color and style, if only to prove that it would be much less stressful for his boyfriend to find exactly what he wanted to wear, or even compare pieces of clothes, without having to worry about running around the apartment trying to remember where that one pair of pants with the pockets that made his butt look exceptionally nice had been thrown.

Instead, Yuuri somewhat awkwardly at first, unpacked his few pieces of luggage and hung up his clothes in the back corner of Adrien’s closet, so as to leave space just in case Adrien allowed him to help clean up more. Once emptied, the suitcases were carefully nested inside each other, and pushed to the back of the closet as well, because other than traveling, Yuuri didn’t want to think about the inevitable time in which he had to leave.

It was thrilling to see his own stuff, even if it wasn’t much, spread out in the apartment. There were two toothbrushes in the bathroom, his contacts case and solution placed in one of the bathroom drawers (although he kept his glasses hidden in his messanger bag because he hated them), his shoes left by the door, the snacks and food he bought to share with Adrien placed in the pantry or left on the counter, his sweater over the back of a chair because he planned on grabbing it before leaving the apartment -

The list went on, and he was slowly feeling more and more comfortable there with Adrien. Like it might actually be okay for him to be happy there. To not be alone anymore.

He felt guilty about not having a job for the summer. It wasn’t that he didn’t look for work, but it was difficult with his anxiety to actually be able to manage a job that handled a lot of people. On top of that, he still had his duties as a Negaverse officer.

And as always, Adrien was such a sweetheart about things. He insisted that it was okay that Yuuri stay there, and that it was no trouble, and called him sweet names that made Yuuri feel all warm and tingly inside.

It was difficult for him not to love Adrien, although he had yet to tell his boyfriend how he felt, even if the words slipped out that one night months ago. An accidental parroting of something similar Adrien had said. Those three words rolling off his tongue more easily than he would have ever imagined. Adrien didn’t seem to mind, and he hadn’t told Yuuri that he was crazy for saying something so ridiculous, even if it was on accident.

Yuuri didn’t just sit around the apartment all day though. He made sure the kitchen remained clean, he made coffee in the morning for Adrien to start his day, and every so often he would somewhat awkwardly make his way down to the salon to bring Adrien a refill, because everyone knew the man lived on caffeine.

After that, Yuuri would cloister himself away in the darkness of Adrien’s apartment, and work on his computer, and watch videos about editing techniques, and brush up on the languages that he didn’t get much of an opportunity to speak in America.

Once Adrien was done with work, Yuuri would make sure that something for dinner was ready, even if that meant getting takeout. And of course Adrien would surprise him with excursions to the movies, or a club, or putt putt, or just a walk in the park, and Yuuri loved it all and loved his boyfriend and loved everything for the first time in such a long time.

On one particular Saturday morning, Yuuri could tell that Adrien was more flighty than normal. He looked agitated and worried and was flitting around the apartment in something on a daze. While texting. Until Yuuri ushered him over to the couch so he wouldn’t stub his toe on another table.

Adrien’s receptionist had gotten mono, and was told she wasn’t allowed near people for at least a week, if not more. Which meant that Adrien would be the one left to try to find someone to cover, or do it himself, and Yuuri could already see the stress pulling at the corners of his pretty blue eyes.

“I can help,” Yuuri had said quietly to his rather stunned looking boyfriend. Yuuri tried not to think too negatively over the fact that it was apparently surprising that he would offer to help, and more that it was surprising that he would actually offer to deal with people.

Attempt to deal with people.

His first day at work was absolutely nerve wracking, and Yuuri felt bad that he had to rely on Adrien and the other stylists there to show him what he needed to do. It was simple enough, and yet Yuuri could feel his heart trying to beat out of his chest every time the phone rang.

“Hello? Oh, um… This is… uh, Pinktrest. Oh, an appointment? Okay, uh… what time? Er, day? Do you know what day? Oh, uh, I think Adrien is available on… no, not this Tuesday. Is… eleven okay? Okay. Thanks. Bye,” wasn’t even the worst attempt. He put a question mark for this part of the schedule because he forgot to ask for a name.

If he didn’t have to talk to people, he didn’t, but most of the clients that came in were very friendly, especially once they found out why Yuuri was sitting there instead of the usual receptionist.

“This is my boyfriend, Yuuri! Isn’t he just an absolute cutie??” Adrien would enthusiastically introduce, arm thrown around Yuuri’s shoulder as Yuuri sputtered and blushed, until a quick kiss was pressed to his lips to calm him. And then Adrien would casually flounce off, leaving Yuuri to be gushed over by the clients waiting for their appointment times, or for their dye to set.

“How did you two meet?” was a weird question to answer. They’d gotten soaked and Adrien followed him onto a bus to insist on taking him to get his hair cut, but brought him to his apartment instead of the salon, was given some of Adrien’s dry clothes to wear, and then Yuuri had fallen asleep on the couch. Usually Yuuri kept it short and just said they met at a bus stop.

“Where are you from?” was also weird, because it was easy to say Japan, but he’d never really felt any sort of connection there. France and Switzerland were where he’d gone to boarding school, and his decision to go to America was more of a sudden opportunity than planned out. He deliberately avoided mentioning how he was only in America on a student Visa and would one day need to go back to Japan.

“Can you say something in,” and a language would be inserted there. By request, he would say things in Japanese, and in French, and in Russian, and in Italian. And it was exhausting. The whole thing was exhausting. He didn’t know how Adrien did it every day.

By the time the last client left, even though Yuuri was not on his feet all day like Adrien was, he practically collapsed into his boyfriend’s arms on the couch, and fell asleep curled up against him as a movie played in the background. He was sure it was no fun for Adrien, who patiently and wonderfully put up with Yuuri’s low energy after dealing with people all day. He was sure Adrien got frustrated that Yuuri was still so uncomfortable with his own body that any intimacy was usually awkward and shy. At least anything beyond making out.

Yuuri felt as though he could kiss Adrien all day and all night and never get tired.

Even when Adrien’s normal receptionist finally came back to work, Yuuri found that he missed Adrien too much, and would bring his books and computer down with him to the salon so he could make himself comfortable in an empty salon chair, if only to get a quick peck on the lips as Adrien sashayed by to greet another client.

And Yuuri was starting to recognize Adrien’s clients, and they him, and they seemed to think it was adorable that he and Adrien were dating. They would say hello to him if they passed on the street, or when they came in for appointments, they would ask how he was, and he would ask them the same.

There was something inside him that seemed to be changing, the longer he was with Adrien. A warmth that hadn’t been there before was slowly being kindled. As though he’d finally found something worth keeping in his life. As though his life suddenly had meaning. As if he was worth something. And even though they hadn’t said it to each other, Yuuri had to wonder if maybe, just maybe, Adrien might love him too.

The summer of 2017 was undeniably the best summer Yuuri had ever had, and as he kissed Adrien good night, his boyfriend gave him a curious look. It wasn’t difficult to realize it was because Yuuri had been smiling. A small, soft smile, but a smile nonetheless. It wasn’t as though Yuuri never smiled, but he knew it was rare.

“I’m just happy,” he promised with a kiss to Adrien’s nose, his arm slung over Adrien’s waist. And Yuuri found that there was nothing but sincerity in that statement as he drifted off to sleep, looking forward to whatever the next day brought.