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Joel was glad Jimmy was a sound sleeper.
Grian, however, was not. He was watching Joel now, as sharply as Joel had been watching Jimmy.
“You ever sleep?” He was propped up in bed on the other side of Jimmy, chin rested on his palm.
“Mmmhm.” Joel dismissed.
Grian scoffed and rolled his eyes. He already knew what Joel was doing. “He’s not going anywhere.”
“He might be.”
“We’d both be wide awake before he even moved a muscle. And he’s not going to spontaneously despawn right out from between us. You’re gonna be a problem when you pass out from exhaustion.”
“I’ll sleep.”
Grian made an incredulous little sound. “When? I haven’t seen you do it yet.” Joel ignored him.
They sat in silence for a long moment. Joel spent it listening to Jimmys even, peaceful breathing.
“You’re lucky he doesn’t see this.” Grian broke the silence again.
“Would you shut up.” They were both whispering, but it all sounded so blimming loud. And Grian was trying to get on his nerves.
“You know you look like a real creep.”
“I’m just trying to keep him safe.”
“Yeah, sure he’d feel real safe with you watching him sleep like a perv.”
Joel made a mock move to hit Grian, but stopped on the downswing, there was no way hit him without disturbing Jimmys slumber. Grian grinned devilishly at his good fortune, and snuggled more into Jimmy’s side, he was using Jimmy as a blimming shield! But Jimmy didn’t seem to mind, he just shifted appreciatively in his sleep.
“Whatever floats your boat— or submerges your submarine.” Grian made that little self-satisfied look of his at his stupid joke. Joel just scowled back. “I’m going back to sleep. Don’t watch me, too, you weirdo.”
“Watching your ugly mug? Like hell.”
“Yeah, yeah.” Grian unfurled what remained of his left wing, blanketing Jimmy and himself as much as he could with his short-clipped feathers. “You better get some rest.”
It didn’t take long for his breathing to fall in sync with Jimmy’s.
This was nice. It was really nice. Just the three of them all together like this, any mocking of friendly banter melting away and revealing just loyalty and love and… peace.
Jimmy looked gorgeous like this. Moonlight beaming in and lilting against his face, feather-brushed by Grian’s gentle touch, a quiet almost-smile against his lips, chest rising and falling slow and steady.
Joel cleared his throat.
Look at him, getting all choked up. It was just… a chill ran through him. It was nice to have, after last round. It was hard to keep the image from his head, of Jimmy laying almost like this, but just so different, so broken. He hadn’t been sleeping soundly, then, no matter how much Joel had wanted to pretend. Joel hadn’t protected him.
But Jimmy was now. And Joel could now. Jimmy was happy, and he loved him.
Joel was lucky, he was really lucky.
He finally relented; he would join his fellow Bad Boys in sleep. He laid down beside Jimmy, just letting his head rest on his pillow for the moment, just far enough away he could take in all of Jimmy’s sleeping visage. Memorize every freckle, every skewiff whisker of stubble, every long pretty eyelash.
Joel shifted closer, nestling his face into Jimmy’s neck and brushing his lips against him. He only allowed himself whisper-soft kisses along Jimmy’s jaw and neck, shushing Jimmy gently as though he was about to stir and wake, though he barely budged.
Joel let his fingers linger against the cuff of Jimmy’s sleeve for a moment before he wrapped his arm fully around him.
It was the best sleep Joel had gotten in weeks. He would tell the Bad Boys later that he never needed to dream, everything he could’ve wished for was already in his arms.