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“I'd appreciate a warning next time instead of you just poking me roughly to wake me up,” groaned Eric, stirring and lifting an eye to see just who had intruded into his bedroom. “And what are you doing up so late?”
“How am I supposed to warn you if you're asleep?” Jeremy retorted, sitting himself down on the edge of Eric's bed. Quietly, he added, “I couldn't sleep, and I haven't seen you all day, so…”
“Did you miss me?” Eric teased, though there was a hint of genuine curiosity in his voice as he fluttered his eyes open to look at Jeremy. The boy in questioned flushed in embarrassment.
“Little bit, yeah,” he confirmed, trying to remain casual while he flopped over and landed his head on a pillow beside him. “Missed your face.”
“My face?” his roommate repeated. “Why my face?”
“N’ your hair, n’ your voice…” Jeremy drawled. Realizing Eric had asked a question, he shrugged. “I dunno. I just like seeing your face? And your hair, and hearing your voice.”
“Hm.” Eric silenced himself for a good minute, the concept lingering on his mind. “So, are you sleeping in here tonight?”
“Can I?” Jeremy threw the crook of his elbow over his face, for no particular reason other than that it made the already pitch black room even darker.
“Always.” Eric, in his wake, had since adjusted to the darkness. “I quite enjoy your company, you know.”
“What? Why?” Jeremy prompted, arm lifting from his face to give Eric an unseen inquiring expression.
“You can say some very interesting things sometimes,” his roommate reasoned.
“I can also say some very- stupid things sometimes,” Jeremy retorted. Eric rolled his eyes.
“Like what?”
“Like the time that I called you 'Neo’ for, like, a month because I couldn't remember your name.” Jeremy had to laugh at his own stupidity. Seriously, how hard is it to ask someone for their name?
“Mm, I think it's a fitting nickname,” Eric mumbled, soothing his worrying.
“You think?” Jeremy asked, seeming to perk up a bit.
“Indeed I do, Trinity.”
“Trinity?” Jeremy echoed. “What does that even- oh. Wow.”
“I don't know.” Eric rubbed his eyes. “I'm tired, it was the first character that came to mind.”
“Huh.” Jeremy tilted his head to look at him. “You know, that would make me your significant other by extension.”
“It would?”
“You know, 'cause Neo… and… Trinity… You get the joke.”
“That was a joke?”
“Well, not like a joke, but- a thing, uh- nevermind.”
“Oh.” Eric pushed his hair out of his face, giving a yawn. “Are you going to sleep, then?”
Jeremy made a quiet noise, figuring that he should actually sleep lest he say anything to further embarrass himself. “... Yeah. Goodnight, Eric.”
“Goodnight, Trinity.”
By the time that Eric had woken up, his arms had found their way around Jeremy and his face hidden in the nape of the other's neck. He just smiled to himself and adjusted to pulling the other closer. Jeremy was even curled up, making himself smaller in Eric's arms and providing the optimum cuddling position between the two of them. Eric knew he was awake when he moved to sit up and Jeremy whined in protest while huffily holding him in place.
“Good morning,” Eric mumbled, voice hazed with sleep, right into his roommate's ear. “Did you sleep well, Trinity?”
Jeremy snorted, and went along with the nickname, granted he had started it to begin with. He hadn't expected Eric would remember it though. “Good morning,” he answered, letting his fingers intertwine with Eric's when the other's hand found its way to his own. “Yes I did, Neo.”
Jeremy glanced at the two of their hands, both placed firmly over his own hip. Sure, one could consider his arm bent awkwardly to lay in the position, but Jeremy found himself to be quite comfortable. Until Eric lifted his hand up.
Actually, no. That wasn't uncomfortable at all. None of it was. Not even the way that Eric gingerly kissed the back of his hand.
It all fell into place so naturally.
Jeremy huffed out a laugh. “Hah, you're, uh, taking this whole Neo-Trinity thing really seriously, huh?”
Eric kissed his knuckle, peering up through his lashes and looking right at Jeremy. “Maybe,” he said, punctuating his answer with another gentle kiss. “Maybe I'm taking this Eric-Jeremy thing seriously.”
“Eric-Jeremy thing?” the other sputtered, growing wide-eyed.
“Mhm.” Another kiss, and Jeremy was putty in his hands.
“So that- that's a thing now, is it?” He tried to have a teasing edge to his voice. It didn't work.
“If you want it to be.”
Oh, yes, he did want it to be. Very much so.