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"Where's my toothbrush?"
"On the sink," Morpheus pointed vaguely, scanning one of Hob's many trinkets. This was an antique pipe. Hob used to smoke when he was younger, it caused him to have a bit of breathing trouble and he developed asthma. Morpheus knew this, and could hear the wheezing when the weather changed. It wasn't too bad because he was in shape, but still caused quite a few problems.
Hob returned to the living room and looked at the pipe. "I don't know why I still have that, I haven't smoked in 200 years."
"Yet it still affects you."
"Yeah, worst decision I ever made," He sat down next to Morpheus and wrapped his arm around his shoulder. He set down the pipe on the coffee table and rested his ear against Hob's chest.
"How are you doing?"
"My best, honestly," He smiled half-heartedly.
Morpheus only blinked in acknowledgement. He listened to Hob's heartbeat as it raced. He heard the wheeze in his lungs. He heard more than that. He heard the blood rushing through his veins. He heard everything happening in Hob's body.
"What are you...whatcha doin there, stranger?"
He sighed, "You're so alive."
"That's your fault," Hob smirked, petting Morpheus's head, tangling his fingers into his hair.
"Can you feel it?" Morpheus traced a finger along Hob's chest and stopped where his heart was. "Every beat, pumping blood through your veins?"
"I feel it beat, yeah."
"You're wheezing."
"Yeah, I'll probably take my inhaler soon. I don't know, it's just such a pain."
"A little inhale of the medicine and you can breathe again? That's a pain?"
"Um, well, it makes me lightheaded sometimes," Hob pursed his lips, then he gave a light cough that was extended with a wheeze.
"Such a burden so you can breathe right."
"Um, well..."
"You confuse me, Hob Gadling."
"Do you have a heart?"
"Just take the inhaler."
"But it's so far away," Hob groaned, "And this foul beast is using me as a pillow." Hob coughed hoarsely.
Morpheus handed him his inhaler.
"Why must you be like this?"
"Helpful?"
"Inconveniently."
About ten minutes after Hob took his inhaler, the wheezing eased up. Morpheus rested his ear against Hob's chest and listened to the easier breathing, his cheek on Hob's stomach that rose and fell as he breathed. He wrapped his arms around Hob's neck and reached his head up to kiss him. Hob pulled his face and closed the distance.
"We should head to bed now, yeah?"
Morpheus nodded, and removed himself from his human pillow. He grabbed Hob's hand and pulled him off the couch, and they both got under the covers and into the bed. They held each other tightly, a weighted blanket over them, and slept peacefully.
Until Hob awoke to a coughing fit. He gasped and choked, struggling to breathe. Morpheus put a hand on his back and looked him in the eyes. He had tears built up from the coughing. "Inhale deeper, just try."
He did, and coughed even more.
"Okay, okay, breathe slow, you're okay. I'll get your inhaler, just breathe."
"Easy-easy for- easy for you- to say." Hob coughed out the sentence after a bit.
He ran back to the bedroom, and handed Hob his inhaler. He took a minute to steady himself enough to take it, his hands shaking uncontrollably. "Okay. Done." Hob huffed.
"Breathe love, inhale," He took a deep breathe in through his nose, "Exhale," He let out a long sigh. "You're okay, right?" He wrapped his arms around Hob, holding him gently and kissing his neck.
Hob nodded, exhaling softly as Morpheus kissed him tenderly. "You're too good to me," Hob breathed. His eyes didn’t quite focus on anything, he was so out of breath.
“Alright, look at me,” Hob’s eyes searched for a while until they finally landed on his lover’s eyes, wide with compassion. “Come here,” He opened his arms and held Hob’s head on his chest.
“I can hear…” Hob started to regain his breath.
“What?”
“You’re…” Beyond his chest, there was the sound of wind, crickets, owls, the creatures of the night seemed to reside inside Morpheus’s chest cavity. Night itself was taking place in his body. “Alive.”