The door eased open, and Hazel only dimly acknowledged the creak of its hinges. He didn’t react until touch fell over his shoulders, sliding further with every passing second. Initially, he tensed, curling inward on himself in surprise before his body slumped back against Hugo with a stubborn, but relenting whine. “Looks like I’ve been caught,” he murmured, though he didn’t sound nearly as irritated by that fact as he might’ve been earlier.[break][break]

Lips drifted over his skin, and Hazel sighed quietly as his head lolled to the side. It wasn’t until his eyes fell shut that he realized how sore they were from squinting at his notes as he read them again and again for any sort of context clue he might’ve missed before. Tired, he was tired. But he couldn’t just leave it be.[break][break]

In his mind, there was too much at stake.[break][break]

Now that he’d been found out, though, Hazel couldn’t find in himself to grow angry with being halted. “I just wanted to go over everything a few more times,” he replied, limp and eyes still shut. His hands slipped away from his notepad littered with nearly incomprehensible shorthand. They snaked up to where Hugo’s rested against his chest to curl around them. His thumbs rubbed back and forth over knuckles, soft and slow.[break][break]

Now the flutter of guilt stirred in his stomach. Still— “My mind wouldn’t quiet down, I couldn’t sleep until I did.” It wasn’t the first time he’d used the excuse, but it wasn’t untrue. He would’ve tossed back and forth, only stilled if he’d woken Hugo to soothe him, and Hazel hadn’t wanted to do that.[break][break]

Only, he’d still managed to. Hazel tipped to the side enough to twist slightly in the drapery of his husband’s arms so that he could find Hugo’s mouth with his own. Heavy with exhaustion. It clung to him as much as the other did—dark crescent moons hung under his eyes, drooped his eyelids and loosened the rigidity he typically held himself with.[break][break]

Retreating a fraction, Hazel eyed Hugo with a dreary sort of tenderness that belied the fact that tonight, at least, he wouldn’t be exceptionally resistant. One hand lifted to brush through downy silver hair. “Sorry I woke you, darling.”

[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] Hugo Albrecht | :3c [break]


[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-espeon"]

“As far as you know,” he grumbled back, though it was no more than a halfhearted joke. Hazel knew full well how good Hugo was at figuring him out. And honestly, if his husband had been unable to do so, then maybe that would call into question some aspects of their relationship. Hazel knew the other just as thoroughly–learning how to find him out had been something he’d done quickly. Granted, Hugo wasn’t the one who snuck out of bed to do late night work because he couldn’t leave it at the office.[break][break]

Most days, Hazel felt like he was built with the tenuous fragility of too thin glass. Too much pressure and he might fragment and crack. But the weight Hugo leaned on him was comforting in its contained heft. Solid and stable, pulling him back from the edge of becoming all consumed by the studying he couldn’t seem to leave alone. “Still…I had to try. Tired or not.” It was appreciated that his partner didn’t scold or reprimand him. Because no matter the means he went to in order to further his studies, it was for something. Ultimately selfish, maybe. But also out of a drive to not leave Hugo alone.[break][break]

At least that silent understanding still existed.[break][break]

His head turned inward toward Hugo’s neck, forehead pressing against the curve of his jaw. Another soft sigh shuddered from his lungs, and any lingering tension in his frame sagged away entirely. “I know I can,” he murmured, eyes fluttered shut as he sought out the warmth radiating from the other. “I didn’t want to wake you up. Your days are just as long.”[break][break]

It was true, but also slight avoidance. There was just so much he didn’t want to put on his partner. “Nico likes to tattle. Or maybe he just wanted to make some biscuits.” Hazel yawned then, and he knew his work was not continuing. Not tonight. Maybe not tomorrow, with how mentally worn out he felt on top of physically. Still, a smile graced his lips. “And how will you do that, love?”

[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] Hugo Albrecht | :3c [break]


[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-espeon"]

“I know it is,” he huffed in quiet resignation, a slight whine twisting the ends of his words. By then he’d given up on returning to work entirely. A pair of reading glasses had been nested in the messy tangles of his hair, which was hastily tied back in a loop bun. Though a lot of it had fallen loose in the time since he’d first sat down at his desk. He pulled the spectacles free and dropped them on his now closed journal. Subject closed for discussion or debate. No more work.[break][break]

A fond smile settled on his face at the little peck against his neck, and he wouldn’t have really minded a continuation of it. But he also perhaps felt a bit too worn out as well, which, for Hazel, was a clear sign he needed the rest.[break][break]

Even if it was resting while awake, which was not his favorite thing to do. Hazel was a restless sort, no matter how prim and put together he seemed. Letting his hands become idle for too long prompted the anxiety that he wasn’t doing enough quickly enough, and that he would simply…run out of time.[break][break]

So it was a good thing that Hugo had come into his life and had stayed put. He fostered that sense of calm in slowing down. Reassured him that it was okay to do so. Hazel was certain that he would have burnt out long ago in a far more detrimental way had it not been for his husband.[break][break]

Despite his gratitude and appreciation, that did not mean Hazel understood some of Hugo’s more peculiar methods. His head tilted to the side, eyes narrowing. Horror films were not his idea of a fun time in the least. Unless it was the middle of a bright afternoon with all of the lights on. “Your methods are incomprehensible, dear,” he replied flatly as he pushed himself up, feeling his spine pop from sitting hunched for far too long.[break][break]

“But fine, I will watch your scary movie.” Rather than head to the living room, he tucked himself against Hugo for a moment, though. Leaning against him, face pressed against the solidity of his chest while he soaked in the warmth of him and the familiar scent of detergent and cloves. “Can we watch in bed?” It wasn’t an offer he typically liked to make. Watching the television from their room was often equated to bouts of being bedridden. Too unwell to even move to the couch, so he’d grown to resent it.[break][break]

Tonight, though, felt like an exception. If he was going to watch something scary when he was this tired, he wanted their room and his fluffy, heavy blankets.

[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] Hugo Albrecht | :3c [break]


[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-espeon"]

Though he was long used to Hugo scooping him up on whims, Hazel still let out a quiet squeak of surprise as he was lifted up. It was followed by a laugh as his arms slipped up around his partner’s neck. “Sounds good to me.” Leaning up he pressed his lips to the curve of Hugo’s jaw—lazy, warm.[break][break]

Despite being brushed off by Hugo, Nico trotted after them, thoughts quiet. With fluid ease he hopped up on the bed and made home at the foot—a little lavender nautilus shell.[break][break]

“I can hack it, I think. And if not I could probably come up with a few ways for you to distract me..” Hazel was quick to settle in once deposited as well, slipping underneath the heavy comforter and shivering at the sheets that had gone cold in his absence. He wouldn’t be able to get fully comfortable until Hugo had returned as well, though.[break][break]

It was funny how he’d been used to sleeping alone for so long, but from the moment Hugo had taken up residence on the other side, Hazel was never fully able to sleep soundly without him again. Even when one of them was called away on work obligation, his sleep was a restless affair. Uncomfortable. Too spacious.[break][break]

So when he did flip into bed beside Hazel, he wasted no time curling into his side. Propped up after fluffing the downy pillows behind him and fingers greedily curling into Hugo’s nightshirt as head leaned to rest on his shoulder. “So which one is it you’re having us watch? You didn’t say before.” Probably for a reason.

[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] Hugo Albrecht | :3c [break]


[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-espeon"]

Hazel would’ve much rather found distraction from his work by other means. That, at least, would be far more enjoyable than a scary movie. It wouldn’t do much in the way of spurring him to sleep, though, so he supposed he understood why Hugo was using this method instead. It was enough, at least, to cuddle up to him and keep close. The act alone added an extra dose of sluggish comfort to his bones.[break][break]

“Wow, that is very informative..” Hazel replied flatly, glancing up at Hugo with a dry twist to his smile. Already, his eyes felt heavy and achy with exhaustion, and it was furthered by the strain it took to watch the dark toned cinematography of the woods on the screen. It was embarrassing–the fact that he immediately fell for the first jump scare even if they were far and few between. It wasn’t like Hazel had never seen a horror flick before. But he somehow never grew numbed to them.[break][break]

Irritable grumbles followed, and he tucked closer into Hugo’s side. Face turning so that only one eye peered at the screen, which made it easier for him to hide his face fully if he decided there was something he’d rather not see. The dreary, suspenseful feeling built in his chest easily, despite his preference for tuning these sorts of films out. If it’d been daylight, Hazel probably wouldn’t have been so affected.[break][break]

Middle of the night? Not so much.[break][break]

Despite the anxious edge that twisted through him, eventually his eyelids began to droop as his exhaustion got the better of him. He almost remarked that he was surprised it had taken this long into the film–near the climax, to get to that dozy point. But talking seemed like so much effort. It would be fine to just close his eyes, let his weight go slack with slumber. And then Hazel was out like a light.[break][break]

But not peacefully so.[break][break]

His dreams spit him out in the darkness of the forest, alone with a sense of building urgency. It all devolved from there, worsening and worsening until Hazel snapped himself awake with a heave of breath. Eyes wide and heat prickling uncomfortably under his skin. Frantically looking around until he remembered where he was, who he was with. Safe and sound.

[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] Hugo Albrecht | :3c [break]


[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-espeon"]

Another sharp inhale followed the first, a struggle to catch his breath after feeling as though he’d been tearing through the forest in his sleep. Full sprint, stumbling over roots and fallen limbs. Tension was written into his musculature, pupils blown wide as a cold sweat prickled over his skin. Then, through the dark came the soft, groggy coo of Hugo’s voice–the only thing to begin slowing the rapid rise and fall of his chest.[break][break]

Hazel rolled inward toward the sound, nestling tighter against the warmth of his body. Presence. “You’re okay..” he muttered, a hand lifting to press against Hugo’s chest, feeling for the steady, strong thrum of his heart. The breath he exhaled wobbled, eyes falling shut as he tried to pull himself together. Just a dream. The influence of the movie on the now-darkened tv screen.[break][break]

He didn’t want to talk about it, really. The thick forest, the small hunting shack tucked away there–the sort used for disassembling caught creatures. What he found there, and his powerlessness to do anything about it before he became the hunted as well. But if Hugo had watched the film with as much attentiveness…he probably had an idea of what had happened during Hazel’s REM cycles.[break][break]

Slowly, the hand on his chest curled into a loose fist as he remained pressed to his husband, allowing himself to be soothed by the cadence of his reassurances. That fist half-heartedly thumped against the same spot. “Yeah, it’s all your fault,” he grumbled, a shaky breath that resembled a weak laugh following.[break][break]

Dragged closer, Hazel tucked his head up under Hugo’s chin. “Thank you.” His voice was smaller then, uncertain. Because there was more than just the dream, of course there was. But Hugo grounded him right there in the moment, fingers through his hair and the comforting bind of an arm around him convincing him that what his partner said was real and true.

[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] Hugo Albrecht | :3c [break]


[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-espeon"]