Work Text:
Cellbit is hunched over his desk.
It's dark, the lanterns hanging on the walls flicker and wave, casting ever moving shadows across the room, across the desk, across the enigma Cellbit is looming over.
His hand moves quickly over his notebook, wrapped around a pen that's nearly out of ink. He's scribbling down a translation, morse to Portuguese. The cryptically inscribed message forming from row after row of numbers. It doesn't phase him a particular amount anymore.
He's stood, it helps him focus when he's been going so long. Like a baker kneading bread, or an artist wedging clay, he can apply more pressure if he's stood.
And he's not sure he'd remain conscious for long if he sat.
But the puzzle is almost enough to distract from the way he wobbles on his feet. The long, deep breaths he has to take to keep his heartbeat at a conscious speed, to his body awake. It's almost enough to distract from his pounding stress headache- or was it dehydration?
He reaches for a cold cup of coffee, raising it to his mouth with his free hand in a practiced motion and takes a drink. It would taste better warm, but he doesn't have time to put it through the microwave.
He actually does, well, theoretically. But theoretically if he leaves the room he could come back and everything could be gone.
That's only happened once, but in his tired mind it's enough to rationalize his neglectful work habits
He only flinches a little at the first sound of footsteps behind him. Months ago he would have flinched a lot. Fortunately for him he memorized the sound of his husband's footsteps. He clicks his tongue in time with the noise. His ear flicks as the door swings open.
"Hola, Guapito." He greets as his husband approaches him. He turns his head to meet Roier's lips in a practiced motion. He's in pyjamas, Cellbit notes, and he presses a kiss to the bags under all four of his eyes.
"Hola Gathino." Roier mumbles into his neck. Cellbit makes an attempt to turn back to his enigma, when one of Roier's hands squeezes at his hip distractingly. "... It's late."
Cellbit licks his lip, then bites it. He's never been good at telling his husband no. But he's also not good at telling himself that. He could lay with Roier all night and still be awake when his husband's beautiful eyes blink back open.
Roier watches him lazily out of the corner of his eyes, lidded with exhaustion. A second hand reaches up to rest over Cellbit's beating heart. He leans back against his husband and a third wraps around his middle, then a fourth. To a spectator the hold might look possessive, and they would be right. But Cellbit is quick to recognize the uncharacteristic grip as too tight. As if to hold him still.
Before Cellbit can protest sharp teeth sink into his neck. Cellbits fingers curl into his husband's hair in a second. Pulling Roier from the crook of his neck in an instant. Roier let's himself be pulled along.
"You asshole!" Cellbit hissed with surprise.
"You won't let me if I ask!" Roier exclaims. "What am I supposed to do Cello, I want my husband in bed with me tonight." His voice is filled with fake exasperation. Cellbit's bloodstream, on the other hand is filled very real with venom.
Cellbit cusses his poor, neglected husband out for another moment before he sighs defeatedly. Roier doesn't so much as flinch.
"What time is it?" Cellbit murmurs.
"Eight," Roier starts, dragging his husband away from the desk. Cellbit groans, he'd been awake for a lot longer than he'd intended anyways. "It's *time* to solve the enigma called sleep, mi amor." Roier continued, Cellbit doesn't bother to say that doesn't make any sense.
Roier's arms are warm and strong against his body as he half guides, half carries Cellbit to their room. His husband's venom sets in quickly, leaving his limbs weak and heavy. His tongue thick in his mouth.
Cellbit always makes the bed when they get up in the morning. He can't help the twinge of guilt he feels when he sees Roier had tried to sleep alone, the comforter pushed halfway down the mattress.
Cellbit stumbles in his last few steps and Roiers bottom two arms wrap around his middle to hold him up, helping lift Cellbit's half limp body into bed.
Cellbit's eyes lid with a partially induced sleepiness. Part of him thinks he would feel about the same without the new chemicals in his bloodstream. He stares up at his husband, who's undoing the buttons of his overcoat and tugging it off with a moderate amount of patience.
He can see his blood on Roier's teeth, just a little bit. His heart skips a beat. Roier was wrong, if he asked Cellbit for a bite he would gladly let his lover tear flesh from bone.
Unfortunately for him the most his blood that will ever be on his lovers teeth- if they're lucky- was displayed tonight.
Plus Roier doesn't like the taste of blood... just like Cellbit, now.
Cellbit is hardly conscious by the time Roier is done shuffling Cellbit into a sleepable amount of clothing, setting his goggles on the nightstand.
The next moment Roier is next to him, tugging the blanket up over them. He doesn't move Cellbit much, wrapping all four arms around Cellbit.
"Calma gathino." Roier murmurs. A hand slips into Cellbit's hair and he can't stop the weak purr that starts in his chest. The three hands not petting him are wrapped around his torso, Roier's legs intertwined with his own. This, Cellbit vaguely register, is a possessive grip. It's nice, he feels safe in Roier's arms despite his paralyzed body. Safe isn't something that comes easily to Cellbit.
He can't move, or speak, but he sighs as Roier's hand moves back to the center of his chest. Right over his slowed heart. It's weird, Cellbit isn't usually awake this long after a bite.
As if on queue Roier presses a kiss to Cellbit's jaw.
"Goodnight, gatinho." He whispers teeth scrape over the untouched side of his neck. He's more careful this time, now that he's not sneaking the bite.
Sharp teeth sink into his good shoulder. The sting of venom feels duller this time.
"Now sleep."
Cellbit closes his eyes, with his husbands warm body pressed to his own and rests.