Work Text:
Ed doesn't have the mind to feel sorry for the poor soul living next to him when the metal, dog-shaped paperweight makes a loud, solid thud against the wall. He doesn't even have the mind to feel bad about throwing the paperweight his boyfriend gave him for their six-month anniversary. It was the only weapon good enough that he had sitting on his bedside table, and there was a blasted cockroach on his bed.
It skittered along the wall and landed on Ed's pillow after the paperweight hit the wall. Ed snatched the little dog from the floor and threw it again. It bounced off of the pillow, just missing the cockroach by a centimeter, and the swift bugger crawled into the crack between the mattress and the bedframe.
Ed growled out a slurry of curses and slammed the paperweight down on the bedside table. He could feel his skin crawl. Every part of his body itched and tingled uncomfortably. Even the bottom of his feet felt like they had a thousand needles poked into them. Ed didn't care if it would be his second one that night --he needed a shower.
He grabbed a pair of yoga pants and one of the soft linen shirts he borrowed from Stede and strided to the showers. He scrubbed his skin until it turned bright red and let the scalding water burn and wash his itchiness down the drain. Ed slipped on the clothes and walked much less irritably back to his room.
When he opened the door and stepped inside, the cockroach was back on the middle of the bed. Ed stared at it for a good minute before he turned back around, left the room, and slammed the door shut. He was definitely not sleeping in there tonight.
Ed stood tensely outside the room for about ten minutes before he finally decided to go to see if Stede was still up. He hoped he was. Ed didn't want to interrupt the good sleep Stede was probably having. Unfortunately, in all the time Ed knew him, Stede was never one to pull an all-nighter.
He walked as quietly as he could to Stede's dorm room. He knocked on the door and waited. After a few minutes, Ed held his fist out to try again when the door creaked open. A sleepy Stede stared at Ed blearily while he processed the man in front of him.
"Ed? What on earth are you doing up so late?"
"Do you think I could stay in yours for the night?"
Stede moved out of the way to let Ed in. "Of course, but I'd be careful. Lucius is a light sleeper."
Lucius snorted in his sleep from the right side of the room. Ed settled himself next to Stede in the bed and they snuggled close. Ed closed his eyes and sighed. It felt so much nicer to be against his boyfriend instead of that grimy bug.
"May I ask why you're here?" Stede whispered.
Ed groaned and said, "In the morning, Stede. Hardly have the energy to think."
"Alright, sweet dreams, Ed."
"Sweet dreams."