New Year

A sharp alarm sliced through the silence, pulling Kai from the depths of sleep. He stirred beneath the warm covers, his body still heavy with exhaustion. Blinking away the haze of last night, he turned his head and found Natasha lying beside him, still fast asleep.

The soft glow of morning light filtered through the curtains, casting a golden hue on her bare shoulder. Strands of her dark red hair sprawled messily across the pillow, a testament to the night's events. A knowing smirk tugged at Kai's lips. The memories were hazy, but the lingering warmth on his skin told him enough.

Leaning in, he pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead. She stirred, murmuring something incoherent before blinking her eyes open.

"Good morning…" she mumbled, rubbing the sleep from her eyes before locking onto his gaze. Then, a teasing smile curled her lips. "I didn't know you were so… assertive~" Her voice dripped with amusement. "Looked like someone was really pent up, huh?"

Kai chuckled, shaking his head at her playful teasing. It had been a long time—years, actually—since he'd last been with someone. Three years of self-imposed restraint, broken in one passionate night. He wasn't sure what had come over him, but judging by the satisfied glint in Natasha's eyes, she certainly had no complaints.

He stretched, running a hand through his hair before exhaling deeply. "Can you blame me?" he muttered, smirking at her.

Natasha laughed, rolling onto her side to face him. "Not at all," she said, her fingers lazily tracing patterns on his bare chest. "But now, you owe me breakfast, Handsome."

Kai arched an eyebrow. "Oh? Is that how this works?"

"Yep." She grinned. "And I expect something good."

He sighed in mock defeat. "Fine, fine. Breakfast it is."

As he moved to sit up, Natasha pulled him back down, pressing a quick kiss to his lips before whispering, "But maybe… we stay in bed a little longer first."

"It won't be just a little longer if we stay in bed," Kai murmured with a smirk, brushing a stray lock of hair from Natasha's face. "Come on, take a shower. We're both all sticky from sweat."

Natasha pouted playfully, but he simply patted her head before sitting up and swinging his legs over the bed. "I'll make breakfast while you shower, okay?"

She watched him with a smile as he left the room, then stretched before slipping off the bed and heading to the bathroom.

In the kitchen, the scent of sizzling bacon and toasted bread soon filled the air. Kai worked quickly, whipping up scrambled eggs and pouring two cups of steaming hot coffee. As he set the plates on the table, the sound of the bathroom door opening caught his attention.

Natasha stepped out, wrapped in nothing but a fluffy robe, her damp hair cascading over her shoulders. She walked toward the kitchen, her bare feet padding softly against the floor.

"Breakfast is ready," Kai announced, placing the last plate down. He shot her a knowing look. "Now, go put on some clothes."

Natasha grinned, resting her chin on her hand as she leaned against the counter. "If you say so, Handsome." Her voice was teasing, but she turned and disappeared into the bedroom to get dressed. By the time she returned—now in a casual yet stylish outfit—Kai had already taken his seat. She sat across from him, reaching for her coffee with a satisfied sigh.

"Mmm… smells amazing," she said, taking a sip. "You really know how to spoil a girl."

Kai chuckled, picking up his fork. "Don't get used to it."

She smirked. "Too late."

After finishing breakfast, Natasha gathered the dishes and loaded them into the dishwasher. As she closed the door, she wrinkled her nose playfully at Kai.

"You should take a shower," she teased, nudging him. "You kind of smell."

Kai smirked. "I'll take that as a compliment."

He disappeared into the bathroom, and by the time he returned—freshly showered, dressed in a simple shirt and pants—he found Natasha sprawled comfortably on the couch. She opened her arms invitingly, a playful smile on her lips.

"Come here," she said softly.

Kai didn't hesitate. He settled onto the couch, wrapping his arms around her as she nestled against his chest.

"So, you took a two-day leave, right?" he asked, a hint of concern in his voice. "Is that okay? You're a doctor, after all."

Natasha hummed, tracing lazy circles on his arm. "Don't worry about it, Handsome. I'm dedicated to my job, but I wouldn't take time off without thinking it through. My cute little assistant is keeping an eye on things for me, and she'll call if anything urgent comes up. I trust her."

Kai raised an eyebrow. "Your assistant, huh? You never really talk about her. What's she like?"

Natasha chuckled, tilting her head to look at him. "Why? Thinking of stealing her heart too?"

He rolled his eyes. "Very funny."

She smirked before continuing. "She's been my assistant for almost a year now—not counting this new one. She's a good girl. A little shy, introverted… but incredibly determined. I actually offered her some time off for the holidays, but she refused. Said she had no one to spend New Year's with and would rather keep the lab clean and running." Natasha sighed. "Poor girl."

Kai frowned slightly. "That's kind of sad."

"Yeah," Natasha agreed, resting her head against his chest. "Maybe I should've forced her to take a break."

Kai tightened his arms around Natasha slightly, his voice thoughtful. "Maybe you should give her a call. See how she's doing. I'm sure she'd appreciate knowing you care."

Natasha's eyes widened slightly, surprised but delighted by his suggestion. "That's a great idea! Here, let me video call her. And you should be in the frame too—she won't admit it, but she's been eager to see you."

Kai raised an eyebrow. "Me?"

She grinned, tapping a few times on her wrist. A holographic screen appeared, displaying an incoming video call. A moment later, a young woman's face filled the screen—startled, as if she hadn't expected the call.

"M-Miss Natasha!" she stammered, adjusting her glasses. "I didn't expect you to call. I was just finishing up some lab cleaning and doing inventory checks."

Then, she noticed Kai beside Natasha, their cozy position on the couch unmistakable. Her emerald-green eyes widened behind her square glasses, and her pale cheeks turned pink.

"O-Oh! I-Is that Kai?" she stuttered, suddenly flustered. "Uhm, am I interrupting something? I'm so sorry! Wait—no, I shouldn't apologize… but—ah—I'm sorry!"

Natasha laughed, shaking her head. "Relax, Lily. You're not interrupting anything."

Kai smiled at her. "Hey, Lily. It's nice to see you."

Lily's blush deepened as she fidgeted with the sleeve of her lab coat. "N-Nice to see you too, Kai…" she murmured shyly.

Natasha smirked, clearly amused. "See? Told you she wanted to see you."

Lily's eyes widened in panic. "W-Wait! That's not—!"

Kai chuckled, watching as Natasha teased her assistant. It was clear that despite Lily's timid nature, she was dedicated to her work—and, perhaps, secretly enjoyed Natasha's playful antics. 

They kept talking for hours, covering everything from work to personal stories, until Kai eventually glanced at the clock. "It's almost afternoon," he noted. "We should probably get some lunch."

"O-oh really? Well, uhm, I should go too then. I need my lunch break too. Bye, Miss Natasha. Bye, Kai." Lily waved at them. "Yeah, bye, Lily. I hope we can meet face-to-face soon" Kai waves back at her followed by Natasha, "See you tomorrow, Lily." She waves back at Lily before hanging up the video call. 

"Oh wow, time really flew by," Natasha said, stretching. "We talked so much I didn't even notice. Let's cook together, shall we?"

Kai nodded in agreement, and they headed to the kitchen, moving in sync like a well-practiced duo. If they kept this up, his cooking robot might as well collect dust. While Natasha chopped vegetables and meat with practiced ease, Kai washed and prepped the ingredients. They were making Creamy Peanut-Lime Chicken with noodles, accompanied by homemade biscuits.

As the meal neared completion, Kai set the table, and Natasha plated the food before taking her seat across from him. Their conversation continued over lunch, lighthearted and filled with laughter, as if they were already a married couple.

Later that night…

After dinner, Kai and Natasha stepped into the shower together. Well, it wasn't just a shower.

By 10 p.m., they were back in bed, wrapped in a warm blanket, bodies relaxed from the long day. Tomorrow, the holiday would be over—Kai would return to training, and Natasha would be back in the lab, resuming her work.

Lying beside him, Natasha turned and pressed a soft kiss to his lips. "Good night, Handsome," she murmured sleepily. "Love you."

Kai smiled, tightening his arms around her. "Love you too, Nat. Good night."

With that, they both drifted into a peaceful sleep, ready to face whatever awaited them in the morning.