“Kane? You home already?”
His head snaps toward the voice.
Rafael stands in the kitchen doorway, shirt sleeves rolled up, with a smaller, half-open box in his arms.
Kane’s grin widens. “Expecting someone else?” he teases as he shrugs off his boots and armor to the floor.
“Of course not.” Rafael laughs, setting the box on the kitchen floor beside a group of others.
Kane drops his gear onto a box near his old couch and crosses the room. His hands settle at Rafael’s waist, drawing him close. Rafael’s arms slide around his shoulders like they’ve always belonged there.
As their lips meet, the noise of the day falls away. The tense meeting with the lieutenants. The clumsy new recruits. Reclaiming District Four. Nothing else matters. At least for the moment.
There’s only the warmth of Rafael’s mouth, the steady press of his body with the familiar citrus-and-smoke scent of home.
When they part, Kane rests his forehead against Rafael’s, reluctant to let even an inch separate them. He almost wishes he’d let Coda install that memory loop in his visor after all—just to keep this. His first time walking back through that door after patrols.
He takes in the kitchen when they separate, noting the old setup alongside their jumble of ingredients and tools. “Looks like Coda’s drones came through. I mentioned to him earlier that we ran out of time to get everything.”
“Yeah, they dropped by about an hour ago.” Rafael’s attention flicks to the container at his feet with the word “seasonings” scrolling along the side. “I unpacked a bit since the stand was closed…but I didn’t want to move too much without you here. Felt kind of strange.”
“I had a feeling,” Kane declares, lifting from Rafael’s waist to cradle his jaw. Rafael instantly leans into the touch. “That’s why I spoke with the lieutenants tonight. From now on, I’mtaking at least three night shifts off a week.”
“Really? Are you sure?” Rafael asks, practically beaming.
Kane nods, fingers threading through his dark curls. “They’ll manage fine without me. And if they don’t, it’s not like I can’t be reached.”
Rafael’s hold tightens. “Thank you, Kane,” he murmurs. “I knew the opposite schedules were bothering me. I just didn’t realize how much until we moved in here.” His voice drops lower. “I was even considering bringing it up tonight…”
The admission twists a knot in Kane’s chest.
Sliding a hand to the back of Rafael’s head, he tilts their faces closer. “Now you don’t have to,” Kane says. “Tonight, we do whatever we want. And tomorrow…we have the whole day, the whole night.”
Tension eases from Rafael’s face. “I’ve missed this. Getting to be together…without watching the time,” he whispers.
Kane’s thumb traces his cheekbone. “Exactly.”
Brown eyes flutter open, plush lips curving upward. “So…we’ve got time to unpack or cook dinner…” Rafael drawls, a flush spreading across his cheeks. “But maybe we should start upstairs…make sure Coda’s drones didn’t mess with the bed.”
Desire surges through Kane. “Good idea. We’ll take a look upstairs.” He guides Rafael’s face up, closing the distance as he tilts down.
Rafael’s smile sharpens, inching closer. Kane meets him halfway.
The kiss deepens instantly, and a groan tears from Rafael. When Kane’s tongue darts past them, his pulse races at the familiar taste of cinnamon and citrus.
But not here. Not with boxes stacked everywhere and nowhere to sit.
Mouths parting slowly, he meets a dark and heavy-lidded gaze. “Let’s go check on that bed,” Kane husks out.
An arm slides behind Rafael’s back, the other under his legs, and with a grunt, Kane scoops him up. Rafael laughs, arms circling his neck, while Kane rushes toward the stairs.
Halfway up, he catches his reflection in a mirror in a darkened window screen and lets out a snort.
A laugh drifts up from Rafael. “What?”
Kane exhales, a strange weight pressing against his ribs. “I just—” He adjusts his grip as they keep moving. “I want to keep this. Somewhere to call home. Time off. You…waiting for me at the end of the day, or vice versa.”
Rafael nestles into the crook of his neck. “I don’t want to lose it either. I love it here, Kane.”