e621.net · 5636637

h4.Cuddle Puddle

[section=Story]
[i]It had not been a fun day at work for Dan. His boss had snapped at him (again), his workload had been overwhelming with the latest campaign, and it had been his turn to supervise a post-workday event. As the hours ticked by, only the knowledge that his contract would be up in a month when his predecessor returned from her maternity leave.[/i]

[i]It was with relief that Dan opened the door and stumbled in. The apartment was dark, quiet, and stuffy. Krista and Alex had told him not to wait up for them to come back from their date; at that moment, it did not sound like the worst idea. Too tired even to loaf in front of the TV and/or laptop, he went straight to the bedroom. The heat and still air were even worse than in the living room, a dismaying thought for the feline so early into summer. After turning on a bedside lamp and depositing his glasses on the table beneath, he opened a window to let in some air and started up a fan to spread it around.[/i]

[i]He stripped off his clothes and deposited them in the hamper on the way to the bathroom to floss and brush his teeth. He returned a few moments later and rolled onto the bed. "Fuck it, I'm sleeping in the middle," he muttered as he turned out the light. He wriggled to the middle of the bed and stretched out with a contented sigh, letting the cool breeze from the fan wash over his weary body.[/i]

* * *

[i]Sunrise glowed through the sheer curtain across the bedroom window. Dan was awake enough to know it was Saturday morning and he had nowhere to go, and resented what he automatically knew was an early wake-up call. He bent an arm so he could cover a yawn with his hand, but found it immobilized. Before he could react, he felt the gentle whistle of breath on his chin. That woke him up further.[/i]

[i]Opening his reluctant eyelids, he looked over. Alex lay along his right side, right hand on his upper chest in a tender embrace. A gaze to his left revealed Krista copying the action, her head on his shoulder. Both were as nude as he was, smiles on their sleeping faces.[/i]

[i][b]If I were more awake, I'd feel guilty about hogging the pillows,[/b] he thought to himself. His head hung back and he relaxed in the surprise cuddle pile. [b]Doesn't get much better than this...[/b][/i]
[/section]

My first ficlet for Pride Month 2025! I hope to have a few more before the month is out.

Original art by morgdl