RANE - Life

Shane loves when Reed wears his shirt the morning after they've made love.

Shane awakes to the blinding brightness of the sun behind his eyelids, but he can't help but smile at the arrival of the day. Last night comes to him like a rolling wave, fresh and gentle, as he turns in the comfort of the bed to revel in the poetic warmth, in the soft skin and sweet-smelling blonde curls that he succumbed to that night. He's surprised when his arms catch space, and he frowns. The savory smell of Reed's skin care products stain the sheets, and he buries himself in them, pretending that an expanse of creamy skin was beneath his fingers instead of cloth. Eventually, he sighs and hops off the bed, hoping that Reed was downstairs.

Shane eagerly jogs down the stairs, guided by the inviting waft of freshly cooked pancakes. Shane smiles to himself.

When he enters the kitchen, his breath is taken from him.

His vision runs down from Reed's disheveled hair that Shane so rarely sees unkempt to the back of his slender neck that Shane peppered with kisses only hours ago to the faint hint of a shoulder peeking out of the dress shirt Shane had worn on that perfect date. The buttons are done only halfway as the shirt hangs loosely from Reed's shoulders and the sleeves allow only the fingertips to be shown. And those legs. Dear God, those never ending legs.

Shane is dumbstruck for a moment, slack-jawed and wide-eyed as Reed looks over his shoulder, surprised as well, and catches his attention.

Reed's cheeks are feathered with red when he greets Shane and asks him how long he's been standing there. 'Enough to look like a stalker', he says and he relishes the way Reed laughs so openly. Shane hugs Reed from behind, placing a chaste kiss on his temple, and asks what he's making.