Work Text:
Linhardt rubbed at his eyes, the light from the candelabra far too bright. He closed the book in front of him and slid it across the table, laying his head down smack against the wood. He’d just close his eyes for a few minutes , he bargained with himself, and he would even bounce his leg to stay partly awake. The library was a cozy temperature, after all, it wasn’t his fault that he was so sleepy when he came to do his reading assignments. Besides-it was only advanced battle techniques, he didn’t really need to know about that stuff.
When he opened his eyes again it was with a jolt, he snapped to his left side as he felt a hand on his shoulder. “Hey there, sleepyhead.” Caspar’s grin spread across his whole face, and Linhardt felt his cheeks get hotter. “How long have you been in here?” he slid into the next seat over and leaned onto the table, resting his head in his hand.
Linhardt relaxed a little and looked around the room. The candles had melted significantly, a little pool of wax had made its way to the table underneath. “Not long enough.” he sighed and laid his head back down on the table, looking up at Caspar. “I’m still sleepy.”
“You’re always tired, Lin!” Caspar exclaimed, “Come on, at least go back to your room.”
Linhardt groaned, “Don’t wanna move.”
“Ugh, you’re such a baby.” Caspar rolled his eyes and stood up, lifting Linhardt into his arms as he stood. Linhardt’s eyes went wide with the sudden change in position, his arms were tightly wrapped around Caspar’s neck. “You need to sleep in your bed or you’re going to be extra tired tomorrow.” he lectured.
“I’m going to be tired regardless.” he pouted his lips and frowned.
Not willing to listen to Linhardt’s pleas to let him sleep in an uncomfortable wooden library chair, Caspar continued walking outside into the night air towards the dorms. Linhardt eventually relented and relaxed again, mostly confident his friend wasn’t going to drop him on the hard ground. He leaned his head against Caspar’s chest and closed his eyes again, too tired to be defiant.
“Don’t go falling asleep on me already, Linhardt!” Caspar was uncharacteristically quiet as they walked through the monastery hallways, a hint of a smile visible on his lips as they passed underneath lanterns. “You know we get to sleep in tomorrow, anyways, right?”
“What are you talking about?” Linhardt asked, words a little slurred together as his eyes fluttered open again.
“Tomorrow’s Saint Cichol day, the Professor said we can sleep in since we aren’t participating.” he stopped walking at the doorway to Linhardt’s room. Opening it was a bit precarious, because he refused to set down his passenger, but it eventually opened and he walked into the warm, darkened interior. He gingerly laid Linhardt down on his bed, he even pulled off his boots and tossed them haphazardly across the room.
“Mm, I suddenly really like Saint Cichol.” Linhardt smiled as he buried himself underneath the blankets, scooting so that his back was against the wall.
“Well, goodnight, Lin.” Caspar said softly and turned to leave.
Linhardt huffed, “Why don’t you just sleep here?” he weakly lifted the blankets a little, offering Caspar a space. “It would be a waste to walk all the way back to your room.”
“Woo! A sleepover!” Caspar grinned and kicked his boots off and shrugged out of his jacket. He snuggled under the covers and laid stiff next to Linhardt, kind of hanging off the side of the bed.
Linhardt slumped forward and threw an arm over Caspar’s chest and pulled him closer. “Don’t be weird.” he closed his eyes and sighed softly, head leaning on Caspar’s shoulder.
“Right, right.” Caspar scooted in closer, “Goodnight, Linhardt.”
“Goodnight, Caspar.”
He wasn’t sure what compelled him to, but Caspar leaned over and gently kissed Linhardt on the cheek. Linhardt felt his face grow even hotter and his heart fluttered in his chest, he tried to pretend he was already asleep but he couldn’t help but snuggling in closer to his friend.