Work Text:
"So... This is what helps you sleep?"
"In a way yes."
He felt his eyes getting droopy as he looked over the pieces, he nearly slammed his face onto the table but quickly catches himself from doing so.
"You don't have to stay, you can go back to bed."
The other shook his head.
"No way man, I need someone to cuddle with when I sleep, and if you can't sleep then I can't sleep." The older one smiled before remarking;
"You nearly did just now."
"Yea, nearly. It's okay man really, I'll help you finish this dumb puzzle and we'll both go to bed."
He shook his head.
"It's fine Tucker, you don't always have to stay up with me until 4 am."
"No Wash, it's fine look, try this piece." He handed him a black puzzle piece with small white dots. He took it then placed it where he thought it would fit.
"That doesn't fit." He mumbled then placed the piece next to the other pieces that won't fit.
"Sigh... Of course it doesn't."
It was only 2:30 in the morning, usually Wash sleeps around 4am, Tucker didn't know until two days ago when he woke up to get water he found Wash on the couch reading with the lamp on.
He learned that Wash gets really bad nightmares and would keep himself busy until around 4am, it was so bad that Wash feared he would hurt Tucker if it happened so he would not risk it.
At first Tucker was against it and it even started a heated argument about it, Tucker was confident that Wash wouldn't hurt him and even if he did he would know it was not on purpose and he just wants to help him.
But Wash is not willing to risk it so he continued every night either drawing, reading, exercising, or solving puzzles by himself. It was then that Tucker joined him. If Wash wasn't going to sleep yet then neither was he.
"Ok what about this one?" He handed him a different piece, this time a black piece with some brief faded colour onto it. Wash took it and placed it where he thought it would fit.
"Ah it finally fits." He said with a content smile. Tucker formed a smile himself looking at the puzzle as it was slowly taking form, a picture of the galaxy.
"You must really like puzzles, especially ones that are 2,000 fucking pieces..." He scowled at the puzzle that was basically taking up nearly all the damn small table that they had near the kitchen.
"What? Puzzles are fun." The older one shrugged.
"Whatever you say dork."
They continued until it was almost 4 am, Tucker was kinda thankful his son was visiting his mother this week, he couldn't handle waking up way too early to take him to school, at least work isn't til noon.
"You ready for bed now?" He asked as he noticed Wash rubbing his eyes.
"Hm? Oh yea, I'm getting sleepy."
Tucker chuckled and helped his boyfriend up to lead them to their room to (finally) sleep.
This kept going, by the third night they stayed up playing a bunch of different card games, they even made up their own game.
On the fourth night, they tried drawing each others faces as best as they could, Wash tried his best to draw Tucker but it looked more cartoony than realistic, when Tucker showed his, it definitely made him feel better about his drawing.
"Wait let me see it."
"No! You'll just make fun of it again!"
Wash tried to stop grinning but let out a small chuckle.
"See! No way in hell am I showing you now!"
"Alright alright I'm sorry I won't laugh, please let me see it."
Tucker gave him a skeptical look until he sighed and gave his drawing to him without looking at him.
Wash took another look since he didn't get a chance to look at it better after he stifled a laugh.
Tucker was no artist, hell neither was he but it seemed Tucker tried to get his good side making it a little more exaggerated since no way does Wash has a butt chin nor is his face shape so square, but it gave him a warm feeling inside that Tucker made it.
"We should put it up on the fridge." Wash declared.
"NO."
The fifth night was the last night Tucker would stay up with Wash until Junior comes back and he would have to sleep in order to get his soon to school.
At first he tried to make a plan that he can still stay up late with wash, get 3 and a half hours of sleep then try to get another hour of sleep before going to work.
But Wash rejected the idea and insisted he would be fine alone, he also wants Tucker to get some proper rest as well.
Even though Wash insists he's fine, Tucker can see the loneliness in his eyes now that they won't enjoy staying up late until next month or so.
He felt bad so for their last night Tucker had an idea.
Around 130am Tucker threw a chief hat to Wash as he was reading a book. He looked at the hat then gave Tucker a look.
"What are you-"
"Get up, we're making chocolate chip cookies." Tucker declared he wore his own chief hat and wore his 'Kiss the cook' apron then handed Wash his apron, the one one with the kittens.
"Uhh ok?" Wash put his book away, he got up, put the apron on along with the hat.
"Is the hat necessary?" Wash asked.
"Of course it is, you can't make cookies without the proper gear! Now let's start!"
Now Wash understood why Tucker was in a rush to go to the store before they closed, especially since they already had groceries. The ingredients were placed out along with the tools they needed.
They got started, trying their best to follow Tuckers mother recipe, they weren't the best at cooking or baking but they were having fun, Tucker playfully hit Wash's cheek with his hand covered in flour, Wash laughed and did the same.
"Why are you making them so small?" Tucker asked, Wash was moulding the shapes of the dough to put on the tray.
"Because," he said in a matter of fact voice.
"The dough will spread and if I make them too big, then they will stick together and they'll not be perfect."
"Oh whatever." Tucker scoffed. Wash just chuckled and continued making small balls of cookie dough.
Tucker took a bit to help Wash, but he shaped it differently and made sure Wash wouldn't notice it.
Wash placed the last of the dough onto the tray, he was about to put the oven mittens on, but Tucker snatched them first.
"I'll put them in, why don't you go back over there and read whatever it was you were reading, and I'll clean up."
Wash made a surprised look, Tucker knew that it didn't sound like him but fuck it, he just needed Wash out of the room.
"Yes I too can clean up, now go." He urged the older one away.
"If you say so..." He answered going back to his book.
After Tucker made sure Wash was out of the way, he made room for one more cookie onto the tray, he shaped it specially for Wash, it was a cheesy thing to do but fuck it, Tucker doesn't give a fuck at the moment, Wash deserves this.
Satisfied he placed the tray of cookies into the stove. He took his apron off along with the chief hat then joined Wash.
"Alright, whatcha reading nerd?"
Wash just scoffed then gave a summary of the book he was reading, he continued to read out loud. Tucker started to dooze off, it was almost gonna be 4 in the morning, he would've completely fallen asleep until the timer went off, he sat up startled.
"The cookies are done." Wash stated, he put his book down so he could retrieve them but Tucker quickly stopped him.
"I'll do it, I'll be back!" He jumped over the couch to take the cookies out of the Oven.
"What's with you Tucker?" Wash asked suspiciously.
"Nothing! Now pipe down and enjoy your cookies." Tucker came back with a plate full of hot cookies, Wash's eye caught a specific cookie on the plate, considering it was stacked to the top.
"Is that one for me..?" He asked. Then carefully grabbed it from the plate and tried to cool it down since it did came out of the oven.
"Well yea... I mean it is our last night to stay up really late together... And well you deserve this." Tucker said nervously.
Wash smiled and took a bite out of the heart shaped cookie.
"Thanks Tucker." He said as he chewed. Tucker smiled and grabbed himself a cookie as well. As he chewed, Wash walked over to him and give him a quick kiss to his lips.
"Thank you Tucker, I really appreciate everything you do for me."
Tucker just scoffed, he sat down and made Wash sit next to him.
"Eat your cookies man." Tucker said with a chuckle.
They sat cuddled up with each other on the couch, they talked for a bit eating the cookies until they both eventually fell asleep.
Even though it's their last night for the month to be up late together, and that Wash is getting the help he needs, they'll have more nights like this in the future.