😴 nap 😴

Sae Itoshi rarely naps. Napping is "inefficient." "Naps ruin training rhythm." "Naps are for people who can't regulate their energy."

...And yet here he is, half-asleep on the couch in the dim living room, hair just slightly messy, hoodie too big for him, eyes heavy like gravity remembered him personally.

The reason?

Shidou Ryusei has been draped over him like a human electric blanket for the last twenty minutes.

At first, Sae had sat properly, stiff and dignified, like a man immune to affection. And then Shidou — warm, smug, annoyingly soft today — slid onto the couch beside him, tucked himself under Sae's arm and sighed:

"Hold me."

Sae had scoffed. "Grow up."

Shidou just nuzzled into his chest like a cat with a vendetta against personal space.

"Too late, you're already holding me in your heart."

"I hate you."

"Mhm," Shidou hummed sleepily, "love you too."

And Sae, tragically weak to warm idiots, did not shove him off.

He adjusted the blanket instead.

Now Shidou is tucked against him, hair brushing Sae's jaw, arms around Sae's waist, breathing slow and stupidly peaceful.

Sae tries to stay awake. He does. He reads the same text message four times. He blinks. He fails.

His head tips back against the cushion, breath softening. His hand, traitorous and gentle, settles in Shidou's hair, absently stroking.

Shidou cracks one eye open when he feels it, lips curving lazily.

"Knew you liked petting me."

Sae, voice barely above a murmur, eyes half-closed: "...Shut up. I'm tired."

"You're cute when you're sleepy."

Sae doesn't respond. Mostly because he's drifting.

Shidou smiles like he won the universe. He snuggles closer — yes, snuggles — limbs tangling around Sae's like he plans to fuse into one over-affectionate nightmare.

Sae's next breath is a soft exhale into Shidou's hair, and then?

He's totally gone. Sleeping. Peaceful. Vulnerable and warm and human.

Shidou whispers, grinning into Sae's chest: "Knew you'd nap if I cuddled hard enough."

He presses his cheek to Sae's hoodie, feeling the slow, steady heartbeat.

A rare sight. Sae, relaxed. Not thinking about football, not analyzing, not calculating.

Just breathing.

Shidou's voice softens in a way nobody else ever hears.

"You look good like this, y'know. Like you're not carrying the whole world on your back."

No response. Sae is fully asleep, mouth the tiniest bit parted.

Shidou can't resist — he kisses Sae's jaw, feather-light.

And Sae — still asleep — murmurs something so quiet Shidou almost misses it.

"Don't move."

Shidou freezes. Then he melts.

"Oh I'm never moving again." He tightens his arms, content like a lion after a feast. "My little sleepy genius."

Sae grumbles unconsciously, eyebrows twitching, and nuzzles deeper into Shidou's chest like he instinctively KNOWS where warmth is.

Shidou's heart does a stupid flip.

"Yeah, okay," he whispers, brushing hair away from Sae's forehead, "I'll hold you forever."

Minutes stretch. Sae breathes steady. Shidou keeps petting his hair because he can't not.

And in the quiet coziness, Shidou dozes too — wrapped around Sae like he's guarding treasure.

That's how Rin finds them when he walks in later — staring at his brother spooning a purring football gremlin on the couch, two blankets, one cat plush somehow involved, and Sae's hand gently curled in Shidou's shirt.

Rin stares.

Stares harder.

Contemplates deleting his entire memory.

"...I'm calling an exorcist."

Shidou doesn't wake, just tightens his hold like Sae is the world's most precious heating pad.

Sae murmurs again, soft, drowsy:

"...mine..."

Rin slowly backs out of the room.

"Yeah. Definitely calling an exorcist."

art credit: https://www.tumblr.com/bkblaise/776735384367497216/i-love-my-fake-husband-his-boyfriend-and-his-emo