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It was only 23:00, 11pm, much earlier than Adler had expected to be tired by. However, he suspected that this was what settling into civilian life in the countryside, if only for a little bit, could do to a man.
He looked beside him to the man cuddled up beside him and couldn't help the soft smile that appeared on his face. Bell was mostly asleep, their attempt at fighting sleep just to spend more time cuddling seemed to be failing. Adler chuckled softly, placing a soft kiss to their forehead, silently assuring his lover that it was okay to sleep.
Despite being tired, Russell couldn't sleep. He looked to the slightly open window, listening to the sounds of the crickets, cicadas, and what he assumed were frogs. It was surprisingly peaceful, a stark contrast to his line of work, but he had to admit that it was a welcome change, made better with Bell being by his side. He moved to gently play with Bell's hair, letting his mind wander a little.
Suddenly a thought popped into his head, something he needed to get down on paper. He carefully sat up and grabbed a sheet of paper, lucky he kept some in the bedside table just in case. He made sure Bell was still asleep before reaching for a sharpened pencil.
Russell Adler wasn't usually a poet, but tonight, he decided the best and only way to get his thoughts out properly was to frame them as poetry.
He wrote for no longer than an hour, slightly tweaking words as he wrote. He found he kept going back to the same phrase, emphasizing the warm summer night, and decided that since pretty much all poetry seemed to have some form of title, that's what he'd title his.
Soon, happy with his work, he set the paper to the side and lay down once again, gently holding Bell close to him, kissing their cheek softly before finally drifting off to sleep.
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The sun streaming through the window and the sound of birds chirping gently pulled Bell from their sleep. It was much too early to need to get up, and so they cuddled in closer to the body next to them. Adler was still fast asleep, the occasional snore from him breaking the comfortable silence. Bell smiled and did their best not to wake him. As they shifted in bed to move closer, they found themself laying on something odd, and so they moved to retrieve it.
There was a pencil resting in Bell's hand. The tip had been broken from being slept on, but Bell decided they'd sharpen it once both he and Russell were up. As they moved to set the pencil on the bedside table, their hand brushed against a sheet of paper, nearly knocking it to the floor. Bell grabbed the paper, curious as to what it was. Part of them recognized they probably shouldn't read it in case it was private, but curiosity got the better of them.
When they started to read it, they were smiling.
Warm Summer Night
Laying in bed on a warm summer night
With the window open to try to stay cool
Listening to the sounds of crickets and frogs
And the soft, calm breathing from my lover in my arms
There's nothing pressing that we need to do
No missions to go on or intel to scour
All we have now on this warm summer night
Is the sound of our breathing while we hold each other tight
Soft, gentle touches while we're watched by the stars
Soft, gentle kisses in the softest moonlight
For once, at last, we finally have peace
And we'll make it last for as long as we please
The ways that I've hurt them seem so far away
But I've made my amends, so we're here to stay
Cuddled up close on a warm summer night
Soft kisses and touches while we're safe out of sight
And soon I will notice they've slipped into slumber
Their long day setting in, I'll hold them so close
A silent vow is made, to cherish and protect
Laying in bed on a warm summer night
I love you, Bell...
-Adler
Bell smiled more and more, soon grinning as the poem reached its end. Adler must've written the poem after Bell had fallen asleep, and if the slightly messier than usual handwriting was anything to go by, the CIA agent had also been on the brink of falling asleep when writing.
They continued reading that one line over and over again.
"I love you, Bell."
Those were words Russell still struggled with saying out loud even when they were alone together, and they were proud of their lover for being able to say it so confidently in writing.
Bell paused as they noticed Adler starting to stir, trying to carefully reach over him to replace the paper without startling him. However, they realized they were unsuccessful as soon as they were caught up in a soft, sleepy kiss. Bell was immediately melting into it, happy to accept any affection Adler was comfortable with giving them.
"Well, someone's up early," came the soft yet gruff morning voice of the older man after the kiss was broken.
Bell chuckled softly. "Not by too much."
"Sleep well?" When Bell nodded, Russell let a small smile settle onto his face. "I'm so glad." Bell then wordlessly settled in next to their lover, melting into his warmth.
Adler then noticed the paper in their hand. "Hey Bell, you go spying on me while I was asleep?"
They shook their head slightly. "You left your pencil in the bed last night, I nearly knocked the paper off when trying to put it back. Got curious and decided to read it. I didn't know you did poetry."
"I don't normally, it was just that what happened last night left me wanting to write something..." Adler sighed softly, gently running a hand through Bell's hair. "Did you like it?"
"I loved it, Russ... and I love you too."
Bell looked up a little and smiled wide upon seeing the slight blush that was dusted on their lover's cheeks.
They cuddled in closer and Adler did the same. Neither of the two had anywhere pressing they needed to be, and neither wanted to get up yet anyways. They spent time in each others' arms, with loving touches and soft kisses passed between them.
It was a while before either of them dared to speak, unless the comfortable silence between them be broken. But Bell had always known Adler to be brave, and now was no exception. Adler had pulled back a little to look his lover in the eye before speaking into the calm;
"I love you, Bell."
They smiled, kissing his cheek. "I love you too, Russell."
And he was smiling too, pulling Bell in for another kiss and holding them in a protective embrace.
Warm summer nights were spent sleeping in each other's comfort, but the bright summer mornings they lead to reminded them how far they'd both come to get to the next day, still by each others' sides.