DWC 2017 - Day 2

Day 2! I can't believe I managed another ~600 words. Let's hope I can keep this up, ahahaha.

PROMPT: harshness, impoverish, reveille, managerial, grips, savoury

Yoni opens his eyes at the sight of Taavi's sleeping face. He stares at his beloved for a while, the quiet only punctuated by the crackling of the torches and the susurration of the insects outside. Oh how he looks more his age when he's asleep, Yoni thinks, the harsh lines of duty and responsibility softening and almost melting into nothingness. He loves his king, every part of him and more, but sometimes Yoni misses the days when they were only but children, carefree and ignorant of the world.

He brings a hand up, caressing Taavi's cheek, and presses a soft kiss on his fiery head before getting up and getting out of the tent they share. The sky is still dark and dotted with stars. It'll be a few more hours before sunrise, before the reveille sounds to signal the troops to prepare for another day of marching across the wilderness.

Yoni walks towards the mess tent at the center of their encampment, nodding and smiling at one of the soldiers assigned to patrol as he passed by. He enters the tent and immediately takes in the smell of the food. He talks the cook into letting Yoni help him prepare breakfast, and is pleasantly surprised he only gets two, grumbling "but you're the Lord General" protest from the old man today.

He spends the remaining hours there, chopping vegetables, preparing the game they hunted the day before, and occasionally stirring the numerous pots of stew needed to feed the troops.

When the reveille finally sounds all across the camp to wake everybody else up, the cook kicks him out of the mess tent, but not before handing Yoni a tray with two large bowls filled with steaming, savoury stew, a fresh loaf of bread, a block of hard cheese, and fresh dates for him and their king.

Yoni carefully makes his way back to their tent, and when he enters and places the tray of food on the small table on the side he sees Taavi up on his feet, although he still doesn't seem to be fully awake.

When Taavi sees him however, his king perks up, quickly striding towards Yoni and encircling his arms around the latter's waist and hugging him from behind. "Where were you?" his beloved asks, the words I woke up and you weren't there unsaid but understood between them, echoing past hurts healed and forgiven but never forgotten.

"I brought breakfast," Yoni simply says. "There's fresh dates too. I think everybody in the kingdom knows how much you love them by now, and you know how much they want to please you."

Taavi only gives an agreeable hum, and instead starts peppering kisses on Yoni's neck in reply. He sighs, but he lets himself enjoy the sensations for a few moments before disentangling himself off of his beloved's arms. Yoni sits himself on one of the chairs and folds his arms together. "Breakfast first."

"And here I am a fool for looking forward to having my way with you first thing in the morning," Taavi sighs but complies, taking the other chair opposite. "Does that mean we can do it after?" his king says with a smirk.

Yoni rolls his eyes, but the fond smile that is surely showing in his face is most likely ruining the reprimanding tone on his voice as he says, "Only if we have the time."

"I'll take you up on your word then, my love," Taavi says and starts wolfing down the food with inhuman speed.

Yoni shakes his head, resolving to take his time eating.