Chapter Text
It was later than he'd meant when Edge finally shut down his laptop.
He groaned as he stood, joints popping as he stretched and a glance at the clock made him wince. Stretch had gone to bed hours ago, a perfectly common occurrence. Usually Edge would join him for a bit, allowing his love to choose which spoon he wanted to play that night or perhaps taking the time to worship the lovely bones that Stretch never hid beneath pajamas.
But often Edge would get up again after Stretch fell asleep, leaving him to slumber for a few hours on his own while he did a few chores or worked. Much as he loved holding his husband in his arms, he simply didn't need as much sleep as Stretch did and even after a rousing bout of sex, once the afterglow wore off he usually rose afterward to shower and do something else, leaving Stretch behind in sated, sleeping collapse.
Tonight was later than he usually went back to bed and he still wasn’t exactly tired yet. His restlessness was unfocused, but his urge to be near Stretch was not.
The choice was not a difficult one. A quick double check of the door locks and he was on his way back upstairs.
Earlier, he’d left Stretch sound asleep, curled up with traces of sweat still damp on his bones. In the time Edge was gone, Stretch managed to get tangled in the blankets in such a way that his head was almost covered but an entire leg was bare, nearly dangling from the mattress.
Edge only shook his head. With the ease of long-time experience, he straightened the covers, carefully tugging them free and settling them back over the mattress. Next came coaxing Stretch into letting go of his pillow. Depending on the night, he often found Stretch with not only his own ridiculous amount of pillows but a stolen one of Edge’s as well, curled around it and his chin buried in as much as the firm cushion allowed.
As expected, Stretch barely stirred. He was as accustomed to this nightly ritual as Edge was.
Once the the blankets were straight, Edge hesitated, considering. Despite the air conditioning, the upstairs room was still a little warm. Edge stripped off his pajamas, sliding into the bed as bare as Stretch always slept with the exception of his gloves. The moment he did, Stretch moved to curl up against him, snuggling in tight against his side.
The feel of his cooler bones made Edge sigh appreciatively. He pressed a light kiss on top of Stretch’s skull, breathing in his scent. Stretch showered before bed tonight and the slight taint of cigarettes that normally clung to him was absent. There was only the sweetness of his magic, coupled with Edge’s spicier one lingering on him. The mixture was viscerally satisfying, temptingly so. But he wouldn’t wake Stretch again, even if the chance of him declining was vanishingly unlikely. He did need his rest. Instead, Edge unlocked his phone one-handed. Past experience taught him that the light wouldn’t wake Stretch.
Now that he was settled in comfortably, perhaps he’d be able to focus. He loaded a digital novel rather than work as he tried to get his restless thoughts to settle.
Halfway through the third page, Stretch stirred, making a querulous sound. One of his hands began fumbling sleepily over Edge searchingly. Edge held still, more curious than anything as to what Stretch was seeking, his hand perhaps? He did like to tangle their fingers together.
Or maybe…
…ah.
Edge stifled a embarrassingly high sound as Stretch’s hand settled directly between his legs with a startlingly firm grip, slender fingers curling around his pubic symphysis and holding tight.
Well, that was unexpected.
Setting his phone aside, Edge started on the delicate operation of moving that hand. First with care, then a little harder in desperation. It didn't hurt, yet, but it was on the cusp of discomfort. Worse, his magic was taking an interest in the proceedings. Math was not Edge’s strength but even his subconscious could add that touch to that place and come away with a sum of sex.
Finally, Edge wriggled those clinging fingers loose and relocated them to a less...ah...sensitive location at his ribs. They curled against the bones amicably enough and Stretch sighed in his sleep.
Well, that hadn’t quite been the sort of relaxation Edge was been looking for. The exact opposite of it. His magic was tickling at his pelvis, his husband was curled even tighter against him and Edge was the very definition of wide awake. The absurdity of it all hit him at once and the bed shook as he tried to hold in laughter.
Next to him, Stretch stirred.
“babe?” Stretch slurred out. He blinked sleepily, pale eye lights unfocused.
“Go back to sleep,” Edge managed to choke out, still struggling to hold back his amusement.
Only Stretch’s gaze was sharpening and the warmth of Edge’s agitated magic beneath the blankets was unmistakable. “you sure? seems like you have a little lighting problem down there, and i’m a pretty handy electrician.”
“Little…!” Edge started indignantly. It broke off into a groan as Stretch’s hand slipped down back between his legs, more knowingly this time.
Edge sighed and relaxed back, letting those clever fingers work. It was, admittedly, a pleasant way to handle his restless insomnia.
Heh. Handle.
He kept the pun to himself. Better not to get Stretch going down that road, or they’d never get any sleep.
-finis-