Sunday morning light peeked through the gaps of Ansel's black curtains, gently rousing the older man awake just a short while after the sun began to rise. His head hurt, his mouth was incredibly dry, but otherwise Ansel felt all right. He turned his head to see Lucio still asleep, gently clinging to him. Memories that had momentarily been pushed away now came rushing forward. The party, Lucio's gift, the realization of what Buckley had done to him, what Ansel was going to do. Although the specific words of the conversation were blurry, Ansel could still recall the most important points. He had, in so many words, told Lucio that he was dedicated to him, in this for the long haul. Lucio hadn't given Ansel the same verbal confirmation, but he had stayed with him through the night, and that was all that Ansel needed for now. The professor pressed a soft kiss to Lucio's forehead and sighed as his eyes passed over Lucio's beaten and bruised body. Although seeing all of Lucio's injuries had been horrific enough when he was drunk, somehow it was worse now, under the clear magnifying glass that was sobriety. Every small detail of his wounds was in clear view, not softened by the cushioning alcohol usually gave. It would be a while before everything healed well enough for Lucio to feel good again.<i>I suppose that means no fucking for a while, too</i>, Ansel thought selfishly, then chastised himself for even thinking of something so crass.<br/><br/>Moving slowly and carefully as he could so as not to disturb Lucio, Ansel slipped out from underneath his lover's arms and made his way to the bathroom. He relieved himself, then washed his face, feeling momentary serenity as the cold water ran down in small, dew-like droplets and got caught in his beard. Skipping the shower for now, Ansel quietly made his way to the kitchen, still in the nude as he liked how chilly his apartment could be in the early hours of the morning. He poured himself a glass of ice water and took a couple of Advil to help with his headache, hoping it would be a gentler one and not last for the rest of the day. Sifting through his refrigerator, Ansel collected a few breakfast items and piled them on top of the counter before realizing that he had no idea what Lucio would like to eat, if anything. Aside from their shared love of oysters and seafood, Ansel had never inquired what else Lucio liked. He stroked his beard thoughtfully before deciding that he'd try a little of everything, hoping Lucio would find something he liked.<br/><br/>Ansel prepared a bowl of fresh strawberries, orange and melon slices, a plate of eggs, bacon and wheat toast and he even took the time to make Lucio a German apple pancake like his grandmother used to make him, topped with a light dusting of confectioner's sugar, if Lucio was craving something sweet. The professor started a pot of coffee and grabbed a serving tray from one of his kitchen drawers, piling all of the food on top of it. Balancing everything as carefully as he could, Ansel made his way back into the bedroom, hoping that Lucio hadn't awoken yet.<br/><br/>"Lucio, sweetness?"