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The only sounds that fill the room are those of my laptop keys clacking and Kevin snoring softly.
I look over at my bed behind me to see him clutching my blue blanket close to his body. He has barely moved an inch in the couple of hours he's been sleeping. He hasn't tossed or turned or made any noise. He looks more peaceful than I've ever seen him.
Proper sleep was always kind of a rarity for Kevin. He usually has about three or four hours of sleep per night. Normally, he'd fall asleep, have mild nightmares thanks to his less-than-stellar childhood, then go back to sleep with some effort.
Other times, he wouldn't be able to sleep at all, and he'd stay up working on his car. I've seriously lost track of how many times I've walked into his garage in the morning to see him dozing off under his car, covered in grime and motor oil.
Sometimes, he'd have nightmares so bad and get so shaken that he'd call me just to feel better. Poor thing.
I've also caught him dozing off during the day a few times here and there. He'd sometimes wake up in a panicked state, ready to punch the next thing he sees. It was a little weird early on in our relationship, but I eventually understood why it happened so often.
If I had to guess, the nightmares, and by extension, Kevin's quality of sleep, have been getting worse lately. He's been a lot more lethargic and distracted. Of course, Kevin being Kevin, said he had everything under control. I didn't believe him, obviously.
I invited him to my place to hang out, but after seeing him fight to keep his eyes open when he walked in, I practically dragged him to my bed and forced him to go to sleep. He was out cold within five minutes.
Thankfully, that means I've been able to make good progress on my art history report. If he were awake, he'd be distracting me to try and get me to ditch my work. I have to admit, it's almost been too quiet.
I tiptoe to the side of the bed Kevin's facing and carefully get on the bed. I brush his soft black hair away and trace my fingers down his cheeks. His chest rises and falls routinely as he inhales and exhales. I can tell just by looking at his face that he's not dreaming about anything, which is a good thing. He was long overdue for an uninterrupted slumber.
I can't help but smile to myself. Quiet moments like this really make me stop and think about how lucky I am to have Kevin in my life. Yeah, he's annoying sometimes, but strangely, that's part of why I love him. He's funny, sweet, strong, charming, and he's always there for me whenever I need him. He doubts himself a lot, but I wish he could see himself the way I see him.
I move my arms down his body and loop them around the middle of his back, lightly pressing his body against mine. Barely five seconds pass before I hear him groan. Before I get the chance to leave the bed, Kevin blinks, looking down at me with a playful smile. He's so cute.
I stifle a laugh. "Sorry for waking you up. Didn't mean to."
"Don't you have an art history report to do?" He yawns, tenderly putting his arms around me.
"I found something more important to pay attention to." I give him a quick peck on the lips. "Did you sleep alright?"
"Alright?" He chuckles. "That was some of the best sleep I've had in a long time. I really needed that."
"Do you... wanna talk about the nightmares?" I look into his eyes. It was never easy for him to open up. He's been getting better at it, but there's always that part of him that thinks I'd judge him for talking about his feelings.
His smile melts away like ice on a hot day. "Do I have to?"
I twirl my finger in between some strands of his hair. "Do you want to?"
He shakes his head. "Not yet."
I gently place a hand on his chest. "Then I want you to know that I'll be here to listen when you feel like talking."
"Thanks, baby." He yawns again. I really shouldn't have woken him up.
I lovingly stroke his cheek. "You should go back to sleep."
"Mmm... only if you sleep with me."
Why'd he have to say it like that? "Kevin, phrasing!"
"Okay, okay!" He laughs. "I guess the reason I slept so well earlier is 'cause you were in the room. I wasn't alone, y'know? I figure if you're right next to me, I'll sleep even better."
"Of course I'll sleep with— I mean, next to you." I press my body flush against him to close any gaps between us. His hand moves to the back of my head, caressing my hair.
Closing my eyes, I bury my head in Kevin's chest. Before long, my eyelids droop, but in my half-dazed state, I manage to mumble Kevin's name. He utters nothing more than a tired "Mhm?"
"You're never alone." Neither of us say another word, basking in our embrace as our minds drift away.