Warm Blood

The doctor finally settles down sitting next to his partner who was waiting for him on their king-sized bed, crossing his prosthetic leg on the bed as his organic one rests on the floor while the mage sits with both his legs crossed on the middle of the sheets, fidgeting with his own hair while looking slightly down with a pensive expression.

"Alright, now that's finally finished we can watch that thing you wanted! You said that I would enjoy it because-"

Screks' rambling is interrupted by Katsu who reaches out towards him, hugging the doctor from behind, pulling him close, and burrowing his head on his partner's shoulder.

The doctor freezes for a moment, but eventually relaxes into the embrace, shifting his gaze rapidly between the wall in front of him and the mage, as Katsu's magical braid starts gently wrapping around the doctor's torso.

"Is... everything okay?" - Screks questions, a hint of confusion in his voice.

The mage responds by holding the scientist slightly tighter, sinking his face deeper into Screk's neck.

The doctor lets his partner take his time, in silence, the light breathing of both as well as the distant sound of a waterfall being the only noises present in the room.

Katsu's embrace lighters - "Yeh... It's just..."

Screks takes the opportunity to turn his torso slightly around so he is facing his partner who looks away from him.

"If you don't tell me directly, I won't know what's happening." - the doctor expresses as he reaches out, placing his organic hand on Katsu's cheek, the mage nudging his face against it as he slowly diverts his eyes toward Screks that stares back.

"Can we just..." - Katsu drags his gaze across the bed to stare at a picture frame placed on the bedside table behind the scientist for a few moments.

It's the photo of two young men, a dark-skinned one with long orange hair and a pale man with half of his face bandaged up and grey hair being pulled into an embrace by a smaller brunette lady wearing a flower crown, the three of them happily smiling.

After some good seconds Katsu looks back at the doctor, his expression heavier than before.- "Can we just cuddle and chill for the night?" - he asks with slightly shaky eyes.

"Uhm, okay? I don't mind that, I just thought that you would want to watch that play...? Was it a play? I don't remember what you called it exactly but yesterday you said that-" - Screks stops himself in the middle of his ramble as he realizes that the eyes of the man in front of him are watering slightly and his body trembling.

"... today is 500th the anniversary of her death..." - Katsu sobs, holding at his chest.

The doctor freezes for a moment the image of a familiar face appearing on his mind. He hesitantly reaches out with his organic hand, taking Katsu's right hand, which was clenching at his chest, shaking softly, onto his own, while staring at the magician who seems lost in his own thoughts.

A hint of panic starts forming deep inside Screks and he feels his jaw clenching up, not knowing what to do in this situation.

The doctor holds Katsu's hand in his, grasping it with a gentle tightness as he sees the mage looking away slightly once again, closing his shaky eyes as tears itch to start falling.

"Hey uhm..." - Screks tries his best to think what Katsu would do in this situation as his organic leg starts tapping repeatedly on the floor. - "I'm here with you, you're not alone we uhm..." - the doctor starts blinking rapidly as uneasiness starts to take the better of him, watching as a tear rolls down Katsu's face, which makes him freeze once again.

The doctor takes a deep breath, he doesn't want to lose his bearings now, he knows that would make things worse. He focuses his eyes on the man in front of him once again who is still looking away with a pained expression as painful memories from long ago float clearly on his mind.

Screks adjusts himself so he is lying on the bed and gently pulls Katsu along with him, holding him close, making it so the bigger one lays on top of him, his head resting on the scientist's chest as he starts softly passing his fingers through the mage's hair, patting his head as the one above him hugs his partner's waist tightly.

"Focus on my heartbeat. It's... everything is okay, you're okay, we're okay, everything is going well, really well actually uhm... The new lab came together way nicer than we imagined and honestly, I think it was a really good thing that we moved, and uhm... Since you... you came back from your... from your..." - the doctor closes his eyes for a moment taking a deep breath and focusing on the warm feeling of Katsu's hair. - "From your little adventure we've been spending a lot more time together, and that's... nice...? Yeah, I uhm... I think that is nice and I'm pretty... Well, I think you... you think... that as well and you met some new uhm... Well, you made some new contacts on your trip and now you have access to uhm... more... more magical things, and more customers from the lab have been talking to you about magic and buying those kinds of things from you and..." - Screks feels his partner's grip tighten around him as well as something warm and wet rolling down his torso. 

He pauses for a moment.

"... Please don't cry..." - Screks hugs Katsu's tightly. - "...please..." - he doesn't know what to do. - "I know that is hard for you since today is the anniversary of her death and I know that even if it has been a long time the pain doesn't get easier for you but, just... I... I think she would really hate to see you still uhm... mopping over her death..." - a light side smile starts growing on the scientist's mouth as memories of Sophie start passing through his mind. - "I bet if she saw you right now she would say something along the lines of, "Really? Still crying about me? Well you were always a crybaby weren't you? Quit yer yanpering and focus on what's in front of you, you silly!", you know she would be happy about where you are right now. She would be happy for... us, she did really want us to get along back then, and even with an immensity of differences between us we did... we did get along after all, more than "getting along" actually but, but I'm sure she would be really happy for you, and for not forgetting her, but she definitely wouldn't want you remembering her to be a sad thing." - the scientists caresses his partner head gently for a few moments, while memories from long ago flow through his mind.

"She would want you to remember the happy moments, the smell of the flowers on her little garner, her smile as she patched you up after your failed attempts in the kitchen, her laugh at our dumb fights as she lightheartedly scolded us and her gentle touch while watching the sunset together, that's what she would want you to remember her by." - he nudges his nose tenderly against Katsu's head, feeling his partner's magical hair wrapping all around him. - "More than anything she wanted you to be happy and successful and she would be proud of how far you've come, so please... don't cry." - as Screks continues with his long messy discourse the mage's soft sobbing begins to seize, his pained frown starts transforming into a light smile and his shakiness subdues, happy memories from way back starting to overwhelm the bad ones.

A cozy silence fills the room as Katsu grip lighters, followed by Screks who does the same, the doctor's fingers starting to slowly travel down his partner's magical hair.

"... I'm okay." - Katsu mumbles as he raises himself from Screks' torso, staring at the scientist's scarlet eyes that stare back. -  "Thank you." - Katsu lowers himself slowly for a gentle kiss on his partner's lips, as he raises himself up again the mage takes a deep breath. - "You're right, she would... she would be happy for us, I know she would." - a warm smile grows on his lips.

The doctor gently reaches for the back of Katsu's neck, pulling him for another tender kiss. - "Are you... better... now?" - he questions, gently wiping Katsu's remaining tears with his fingers.

A soft chuckle leaves Katsu's mouth as he hears the worry in his partner's voice. - "Yes Cael, I feel... better now, thank you." - he responds nudging his fingers softly against his partner's cheek which is slightly warm.

"I'm glad..." - a word gets stuck in Screks' throat, which makes him pause for a moment. - "I'm... happy to hear that..." - the doctor faces away from his partner who is still looking at him with a soft gaze. - "... dear..." - he feels his face flush up.

A snort leaves Katsu's mouth followed by a happy laugh as the mage's face also flushes up.

"W-what??? Why are you laughing??? I tried really hard here you idiotic stupid, stupid mage! UGH." - Screks immediately covers the mage's face with his organic hand pushing a giggly Katsu away from him as his laugh becomes louder. - "STOPPP UGH YOU'RE HORRIBLE! FINE. I WON'T SAY IT AGAIN YOU'RE SO DUMB. STUPID. GET LOST. UGH." - Screks whines, gesturing extravagantly as the mage sits back and holds at his stomach to try to control his laughter. - "SHUT IT." - the doctor shouts out as he raises himself up and crosses his arms in annoyance as the mage's laugh turns back to a happy chuckle, begining to get a hold of himself.

"No, no, no." - a soft giggle escapes Katsu's mouth once again. - "That was just really, really cute, watching you try so hard and turn so red just to say that." - the mage explains, with a big smile on his face.

"UGH, YOU'RE ANNOYING, FUCK OFF STUPID MAGE, I TAKE IT BACK." - Screks screeches, angrily glaring away from the mage, his face tensing up.

With a full smile, Katsu gets closer to the scientist, gently pushing on the smaller one's shoulders so he lays back once again with the mage on top of him one hand on each side of his partner's head.

"Do you really take it back?" - he asks with a tender plea, still smiling widely.

Screks doesn't answer, looking away from his partner, but his body relaxes a bit as he lays down.

Katsu takes the chance to gently grab his partner's left wrist, breaking the scientist's blocking stance, and placing it above Screks' head, getting closer to the doctor who still doesn't look back at him.

"Cael..." - the mage whispers softly onto Screks' organic pointy ear that reacts by twitching lightly.

"...what...?" - the doctor murmurs under his breath, slowly gazing up at his partner.

"I love you." - Katsu declares in a gentle voice, looking Screks in the eyes with passion. - "I love you a lot, dear." - his hand that was previously softly grasping his partner's wrist travels down towards the doctor's cheek, caressing it gently.

Screks' prosthetic hand tenderly travels towards the back of Katsu's neck once again, pushing him close for another quick but sweet kiss, the tension from his face completely subduing. Upon realizing the saturated warmth lingering on his partner's face he doesn't try to hide his own redness anymore.

"I love you too." - the doctor replies in a gentle tone, pushing his partner back into a tender embrace.