[Johan's POV]
Waking up to the sound of the alarm, a reminder flashing on the screen of his phone: Ray's Birthday. Johan grabbed his phone, stared at it for a long time before turning it off.
A part of him wanted to prepare himself early; mentally and physically. But the arm around his waist overpowered him with laziness. It was already past midnight when they came home to avoid unnecessary confrontations, and he's unsure if he wanted to face the music this early in the morning.
Looking up, Johan felt a sense of serenity at the soft expression of Russell's sleeping face, which always morphed with gruffness when he's awake. He smiled and reached out to place a kiss on the underside of Russell's jaw.
There were no more conflicting emotions. It just felt right to be by his side.
