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Eli sat at his desk, biting a pencil. Soft music played through his headphones.
He only vaguely realized his front door had been slammed open. He was too concentrated in his work to care, though.
"Eli!!" His friend called, waltzing into his room.
"Eli," said his friend again, stealing Eli's pencil.
Eli whimpered and grabbed at the pencil, not even noticing his friend.
"Dude. Earth to Eli?" A hand waved in his face, and only then did he realize the outside world existed.
"Wha— Oh, Abraham." Eli took his headphones off and looked at his friend. "Hey."
"Hey." Abraham sat on Eli's desk, smiling.
"Why are you here? How did you even get in here? My door was locked."
"I'm a #1 lock picker, baby."
Eli laughed.
"Anyway, I'm here 'cause I gotta tell you something."
"Okay?"
"I'm gay."
"...Oh," Eli raised his eyebrows. "That's all?"
"No. I also came to tell you to go the fuck to sleep because it's 1 AM."
Eli frowned. "I've tried. I just.. can't sleep."
"Want me to sleep with you?"
Eli blushed. "I - uh, I - I dunno, Abe, I mean, um —"
"C'mon. It's no problem. Maybe it'll help you sleep."
Eli looked down. "Um.. okay. Yeah, yeah."
"Okay. Cool. C'mere," Abraham grabbed Eli's hand and pulled him to his bed. The both laid down.
Abraham pulled Eli close and wrapped his arms around him, and Eli nuzzled his head in Abe's chest.
"Hammy?"
"Yeah, Elephant?"
"Did you close my door?"
Abraham was silent for a moment, in thought. He slowly rolled out of the bed with a groan. A soft slam was heard and then Abraham was back to his position.
"Of course I did, Eli."
Eli let out a soft laugh. "Good."
Abraham smiled and put a hand on Eli's hip. He rubbed it softly with his thumb.
Abraham noticed Eli was already asleep. I'm the cure to insomnia, I guess, he thought. He sighed and fell asleep next to him.
"...don't know, it was all really weird."
Abraham sat up and noticed Eli in a video chat with a friend.
"I bet," the friend said.
"Do - do you think it means anything?"
"Are you kidding? 'Hey Eli, I'm gay, now let's sleep together while I touch you.' Of course it means something! He totally likes you!"
"But - but we cuddle like that all the time. He says it doesn't mean anything."
"Because he doesn't want you to be like, super offended that he likes you."
"I - I wouldn't be offended! I'd be flattered, actually."
"It's still scary, Eli."
"Why?"
The friend didn't answer.
"Dude? You freeze or something?"
The friend laughed. "Sorry. I just can't keep pretending that Abraham isn't awake with a red face."
Eli turned quickly and gasped. "Abe!"
"...Mornin'. Don't worry. I didn't hear much."
Eli sighed and faced his phone again.
"Hey, I'm gonna leave so you two can have a nice friendly discussion about this. Later, E," the friend said, ending the call.
"No, wait, don't — !" Eli sighed and put his hands in his face.
Abraham got up and sat on Eli's desk.
Eli looked up. "Did last night mean anything?"
Abraham played dumb. "What do you mean?"
"I mean — you came out as gay and then asked me to go to sleep with you. Did that mean anything?"
"No, Eli. I love you but you're not my type."
"Okay, okay, that's fine."
Abraham smiled.
"I'm - I'm sorry for thinking it meant something."
"Hey, it's okay. I get it." Abraham awkwardly put a hand on Eli's shoulder.
"It's just, I've had a crush on you for... so long, Abe."
Abe blinked and took his hand back. "I'm sorry what."
"Yeah.. I - I shouldn't have said anything."
"No, wait, Eli," Abe jumped off the desk. "I - I like you too."
Eli gazed into Abraham's eyes. "...Can I kiss you?"
"...Okay," Abraham nodded, and he pulled the younger boy closer, kissing him.
Abraham blinked.
Fuck. That was a dream.
He rubbed his eyes and — was that crying?
He turned to his side and noticed Eli, wiping his eyes with his arm as he tried his hardest to hold back sobs.
"Eli?"
Eli looked at Abe and quickly looked away.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing, go back to b - bed."
Abraham sat up and put an arm around Eli. "Hey, elephant..."
Eli sniffled and closed his eyes tight. "I'm so s - sorry."
"No," Abraham said sternly. "Don't be. You have nothing to be sorry for."
"I do."
"No you don't, Eli."
"Yes I - yes I do. I - I woke you up and I'm crying for a stupid reason and I'm being stupid and I won't sleep —"
"No. You don't have to be sorry for any of that. Why are you crying?"
"I can't sleep," Eli said shakily. "It - it's so stupid. I'm being stupid. I don't know why I can't just fucking sleep."
"You're not being stupid, okay? It's not your fault."
"How is it not my fault? I'm the one who stays up all night."
"Because your um... your body doesn't know when it's supposed to make you sleep so it doesn't until it's too late."
Eli smiled lightly. "When you say 'until it's too late' you make it sound like I'm gonna die 'cause my body forgot to tell me to sleep."
Abraham smiled too. "You're not gonna die, though."
"I know." Eli leaned his head on Abraham's shoulder. "It's just so hard not being able to sleep. I just wanna be normal and sleep at normal times."
"Hey, you are normal. Just because you sleep weird doesn't make you weird."
"....I guess. Thanks, Hammy."
"Of course, Eli. Can you try to go to sleep now?"
"...Yeah. Try to fall asleep after me though, okay?"
"Guess I'll be here a while. Should I have packed?"
Eli grinned and punched Abraham's chest. "You're so rude."
Abe laughed. "And you punch like a girl."
"Try a little harder and maybe you could too, Abe."
They both just smiled at each other.