Micah woke before Noah. Despite calling him a pervert the night before, Noah was still clinging to him in his sleep, face buried against Micah’s chest. Micah smiled faintly before heading to the bathroom.

  He twisted the shower knob, forgetting the settings. Ice-cold water blasted down on him. Micah nearly screamed, biting it back, and stumbled out shivering, wrapping a towel tightly around himself.

  Meanwhile, Noah stirred awake to the shriek of the smoke alarm and the acrid smell of burning food. He rushed into the kitchen to find Micah standing over a pan, smoke billowing from what was supposed to be a pancake.

  “Micah! What are you doing?!” Noah shouted.

  Micah, flustered, was waving a towel at the smoke alarm. “I was… venting it!”

  Five minutes later, Micah sat in a chair, ears drooping, while Noah scolded him like a mother with a misbehaving child.

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  “Are you going to punish me?” Micah asked quietly.

  “No! What? Why would you say that? I’m just… frustrated.”

  Micah lowered his gaze. “I’m sorry.”

  Noah blinked. He’s apologizing?

  “It’s fine. Don’t worry about it.”

  Noah smiled faintly. “You’re weird, you know that?”

  “Am not.”

  “You are.”

  “Not.”

  “Are.”

  The back-and-forth stretched until Noah finally gave up, sighing as he dressed for work. But Micah wasn’t about to let him leave.

  “Stay. Please.”

  “No, I have to go.”

  “Please?” His ears drooped, tail flicking.

  “No…” Noah’s voice wavered, his argument weakening.

  “Aww, come on…”

  “No.”

  Micah had enough. He scooped Noah up effortlessly and carried him back to the couch.

  “Put me down, Micah!” Noah yelped, cheeks burning.

  “No. You have to stay.” Micah placed him on the cushions, then rested his head against Noah’s chest.

  “You’re heavy…” Noah muttered, flustered, but Micah stayed put. Beneath his commanding tone, he was clingy, affectionate — almost childlike.

  “I have work, you know. I might get fired… and Daniel might be mad at me…”

  At the name, Micah’s ears twitched. His gaze darkened.

  “Who’s Daniel?” he asked, voice low.