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He sat there, and stared at his best friend's sleeping form, and thought,
This is wrong.
He shouldn't be doing this, he shouldn't be looking at his best friend like this, he shouldn't be thinking about his best friend like this.
He was so grateful for the fact that John was such a heavy sleeper, because if he woke up to see Dave just staring at him, he'd be creeped the fuck out.
Dave was awake because of his nightmares. Nightmares of blood, and death, and destruction. Nightmares that left him shaking, nightmares that took him hours to calm down from. He had them at least a couple of times a week, and whenever he had one, he wouldn't be able to go back to sleep for the rest of the night. It was something that he had gotten used to, over the past few years. Of course, whenever he was at John's house, he spent the time after he was woken watching John. There was a calming effect about it, and if it was only because Dave had a massive raging homocrush on John, then, well. He wasn't going to--
Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit, oh shit. He's moving. He shouldn't be getting up, it's four thirty in the fucking morning, why is he tossing in his bed, he never tosses--oh, okay, he's going back to sleep. Good. No, fuck, fuck, fuck. He's awake. And looking right at me. Guess I fucked that up.
"Dave?" he asks, like there would be anybody else in his room.
"Uh, yeah. I understand if you're creeped out, or whatever. Like, I'm cool with that, you know, I understand where you'd be coming from, I mean, if I woke up to...wait, no, that's a lie, but anyway, the point still--" Shit. John hadn't even said anything about noticing his staring.
"Dave, you're rambling." John giggled just the tiniest bit. The rare moments that Dave lost control over his words just made him inexplicably happy.
"Oh. Right. Sorry." Dave looked away. He hated being caught rambling.
"What are you even doing up? It's like, three in the morning!"
"Yeah, fuck, I know. You don't have to tell me what time it is. It's like crazy late all up in here."
John just looked at him, silently.
"....What?" His stare was slightly unnerving. Dave thought about revising his opinion that he wouldn't mind waking up to John staring at him.
"What what? I asked you a question! One that you have yet to answer!"
"Oh. What was the question again?" Smooth, Dave. You know what the question was.
"I asked you why you're up so early!"
"Why am I up so early? I could ask you the same question, I mean, you're never up at this time, what's the deal?"
"Dave, you're deflecting."
"And you've been talking to Rose too much."
"Just answer the damn question."
"Fine, alright." Dave sighs, exasperated. "I, uh, I get nightmares. Sometimes. It's not a big deal. There, I answered you. End of discussion."
"Really? How long have you had them for? I mean, if I'm not intruding or anything!"
"Nah, it's cool. I've gotten them at least a few times a week, sometimes more, for the past three years or so. Ever since the Game."
"Huh...." John just sits there for a little bit, and Dave lets him, not saying anything, until John speaks again. "How come I didn't know about this? I mean, you're my best friend! And you spend most of your time over here! Why didn't I hear it if you got up?"
"Uh, you're just a heavy sleeper, I guess."
"Huh...Did you like, just have one? And that's why you haven't gone back to bed yet?"
"No, I, uh, can't really fall asleep again after I have one. I've been up since one-thirty."
"Really? What have you been doing that whole time?"
"Uhh..." Dave really doesn't want to answer this. He doesn't want to remind John of what he woke up to.
"Uh, what?"
"I just sort of. Watch you. I guess. Wow, that sounded a lot less creepy in my head, Jesus fuck."
"Hehe. That's not creepy, Dave! Well...it kind of is, actually! But not to me!"
"Wow, thanks, Egbert. That's nice to know."
"No, I really mean it!" He's smiling earnestly, and you can't hep but believe him.
"Heh. Okay, sure, whatever. Anyway, you should get back to sleep. Just because I can't fall asleep doesn't mean both of us should be tired tomorrow." John hesitates for a second, before he gets up, and walks over to Dave's bed.
"Scoot over," he says firmly, like he won't be dissuaded from what he's about to do.
"What--" Dave starts, but John is already pushing him over and climbing in. "Yo, dude, what are you doing?" John laughs, but doesn't answer, he just gets himself comfortable, which happens to be his knees touching Dave's, and his hand's on Dave's chest, faces inches apart.
They're silent, for a few minutes.
And then Dave sees John move forward, feels John's lips pressing against his, softly, before pulling away. His heart does an acrobatic fucking pirouette in his chest, and he just stares at the other boy.
"Is...is this alright?" John asks, hesitantly, and fuck, if that isn't the cutest thing. Dave huffs a laugh.
"Yeah, it's, uh, it's more than alright." John responds by kissing Dave again, and again and again, and Dave kisses back, and it's wonderful, and he probably would have continued until morning, except Dave stopped him.
"Wh--"
"You should really, really get to sleep." At the look on John's face, he continues, "There's plenty of time for this in the morning."
"Alright, I guess I can try to sleep. Not promising anything, though!" He snuggled even closer to Dave, entwining their legs, and scooting down to rest his head on Dave's chest. He wraps his arms around Dave's waist, and sighs contentedly. Dave surprises John by wrapping his arms around him, and lightly kissing his forehead.
"Good night, Dave," John says, quietly, not wanting to break the moment.
"Good night, John."
Dave feels John relax against him as he drifts off{Dave swears that boy falls asleep faster than a bag of rocks in the ocean}, and Dave smiles. And for once, for the first time in three years, he's able to fall asleep after a nightmare.
After that, John didn't sleep in his bed any more, and Dave spent even more time over at the Egberts' household. It wasn't long before the boy's announced their relationship. Though, to be honest, nobody was really surprised.