Work Text:
it's about 12:37 am when derek quietly enters the apartment.
he's careful to make as little noise as possible, gently pressing the front door closed behind him before turning the top lock and sliding the chain into the track, checking that off the list.
he switches his bag to his other hand and then leans down to unlace his sneakers. he slides each foot out with ease, lining them up beside avery's messily-lined up pair.
it makes him smile.
and just like that, derek is set on beginning and finishing his nightly routine swiftly and efficiently so he can lie down with the other as soon as possible. only does his concentration falter when he hears a particularly loud snore from one of the rooms nearby.
from the bedroom? no, that would be much too far for it to reach the foyer.
derek enters and stands around the kitchen for a minute, straining his ears. he assess the area for a moment before he spots strands of chestnut hair sticking out from the couch. he makes a beeline for the living room.
much to his surprise and slight disappointment, he finds avery passed out on his back, drool trailing down the side from his mouth.
with fond disappointment, derek rounds the couch and wipes the drool from avery's face with a tissue on the coffee table nearby.
the more he glances around, the more it becomes clearer to him that he must've been waiting for him, also obvious from the state of their living room. with a few games, soda cans scattered around, and the tv volume lowered—it probably was enough to lull him to sleep.
he folds the tissue neatly in his hand and walks back to the kitchen to toss it when he hears sleepy mumbles coming from the living room.
"deerrr..? is-" a yawn cuts him off. "is that you?"
"i'm here." he replies, already reentering and by avery's side.
"can't.. believe i fell asleep.." the shorter sighs, lifting his hands and rubbing the sleepiness from his eyes. there isn't much time to process the transition to that to avery having his arms around derek's neck, pressing his nose into his shirt collar.
"was supposed to wait for you.."
derek places a hand on his back, pulling his warm body closer. the tips of his ears flush pink as avery buries his face further into the front of his shirt.
that was the thing about avery, he got clingy when he was sleepy and derek didn't know if he enjoyed it too much or if it was too much.
"it's okay." derek brushes the tips of green from his freckled face, the ends of his lips curving into a small, fond smile as he watches avery peer up at him with determined sleepiness.
"i'm here now." he assures quietly, pulling avery closer and eventually shifting to lie down on the couch himself, avery tucked safely against his chest on top of him.
avery's arms loop around derek's waist as he mumbles sleepily into his chest, their legs tangling together while the taller rests his head atop the snoring others.
derek presses a small, faint kiss to the chestnut hair and allows himself to fall asleep in the warmth of the others embrace, his nightly routine entirely forgotten.
the next morning, derek would wake up to the smell of scrambled eggs and pancakes. he would find it preposterous at how avery willingly pours maple syrup on both.