Work Text:
Leo always slept so deeply. It was a trait that Takumi was just a little in awe of, and simultaneously envious of; not dissimilar to how he felt about Orochi being so impressively flexible. Takumi, though, had been blessed with neither flexibility nor a complying sleep schedule. So on nights like this, shaken awake by some illusionary darkness behind his eyes that he couldn't even remember when he woke, as annoying as that was—
He watches Leo.
It feels a little creepy, sometimes. But mostly it's just serene. Leo is always so tense in the day, posture perfect and poised, head high, and eyes alert, calculating- and that confidence can be attractive, he'll begrudgingly admit, but only when it is confidence. Too often, it's just a manifestation of years and years of discipline and control.
So, yeah, Takumi likes watching his boyfriend while he's asleep, because he finally relaxes. His shoulders sink, his neck goes slack, his lips don't part but they aren't pursed like they usually are in his neat little frown.
His breathing slows, too. An easy rhythm of in and out that reminds Takumi he isn't alone in the darkness of their room. The occasional snore, not loud enough to bother him but present enough to tease Leo about later. It's so soothing that on his worst nights, when he can't quite bring himself to wake Leo, he synchronizes his own breathing with it to act as a balm to the restlessness of a bad night.
And, Takumi is about to do just that when he realizes the deep, easy breaths of sleep have gone near silent and replaced with quieter, more controlled ones. The snoring has stopped entirely.
Takumi comes back to reality. He's been staring Leo in the face this whole time, but only now realizes that Leo is staring back.
...That's embarrassing.
"...Sorry." He mumbles quietly. Leo is only barely awake, and Takumi doesn't want to wake him further. "Got lost in thought."
He goes to turn over to stop facing Leo, let the other prince return to his peaceful slumber, but a hand catches his after a few missed attempts and stops him.
Leo is looking at him with sleepy, crimson eyes half hidden by his blonde lashes. He doesn't say anything, only takes Takumi's hand gently, so gently, not like he's fragile, but like it's precious, and brings it to his lips to press an equally gentle kiss to his knuckles.
It's a display that makes Takumi's heart throb. Not in the way it used to, with waves of embarrassment or overwhelm (though Leo certainly knew how to push those buttons, too)— but just as intense. It's one of those reminders he never expects, that rock him to his core every time he gets them: the reminder that Leo truly does love him.
Leo brings Takumi's hand to his chest, cradling it like the priceless thing he's decided it is. Then, he speaks for the first time tonight.
"You're awake." He says. It's evident he hasn't spoken in hours. His voice creaks awkwardly and it's pitched lower than normal. Takumi is hit with another surge of emotion from his heart, this time reminding him that he truly loves Leo, too.
"Yeah," Takumi says. Then, both out of worry he was the one who woke Leo and because he has nothing else to say, says, "sorry."
Leo makes a half-grunt, half-sigh of dismissal. "Wasn't you." He says easily. Takumi watches the gears turn behind his eyes, sleep-addled brain searching for words to put his thoughts into. The only one that seems to suit his needs is, "...Why?"
And Takumi could lie, but Leo isn't stupid, even half-awake as he is. Leo knows that Takumi knows what he's asking, and he also knows that Takumi struggles. And he's learned it's pointless to lie when he knows Leo would see through it so many times that he doesn't even bother.
He shakes his head. "...Couldn't go back to sleep." He admits.
Leo hums. And this is part of why telling Leo has become so easy. He knows that Takumi's dreams render him terrified, knows that they leave him shaking, that on some nights he wakes so violently he doesn't realize he's awake. But he doesn't treat him like a child. Leo doesn't fret or smother him, just...looks at him. Like he does now. He waits for Takumi to speak, and listens when he does.
But there's nothing to listen to tonight. So instead, Leo asks,
"Do you want me to stay with you?"
Which is his other routine question. It's funny, endearing, how Takumi can pick apart the mental flow-chart that he's sure Leo doesn't even realize he has. So methodical, even like this.
Takumi considers the offer. It isn't uncommon, where he accepts it. Leo will hoist himself upright to force himself to wake, and they'll just...talk. Walk the grounds. If they're too tired for that, there's a chess board that Leo will stumble out of bed to grab, and they'll play a silent game in bed.
But...
This night isn't one of those nights. Not because of some insecurity or some fear that he isn't worth keeping Leo awake. Not anymore, or at least, not tonight. It's because he's enjoying the serenity of the night. He even thinks, maybe, if he's lucky, mirroring Leo's easy breathing might actually put him back to sleep.
"Nah." He says. "I'll be okay."
Leo squints, which looks just a little funny when he can already barely keep his eyes open.
"You're sure?" Leo asks.
"Yeah." Takumi promises, settling himself in the blankets. Then, as an afterthought, he scoots closer until he can kiss Leo's forehead. "Go back to sleep."
Leo rolls his eyes, but squeezes Takumi's hand tight. Takumi is reminded, again, about the difference between fragile and precious— something fragile would have broken. But Leo only intends to cherish.
"Goodnight." Leo says. As his head relaxes back into the pillow, Takumi watches his face fall slack. His shoulders sink into himself. Listens to his breathing get slower, deeper, until the snores start up again. His grip on Takumi is just a little looser than before, relaxed with sleep— but still tight with devotion.
Takumi smiles. Resists pressing another kiss to Leo's face, and settles on relaxing into his serenity with him.
"Goodnight." He whispers.
He doesn't quite fall asleep. It isn't deep enough to be sleep, it's somewhere cloudy in the middle, the sight and sound of the world falls away and his mind goes blank and fuzzy and dark, but where dreams cannot catch him, too closely tied to consciousness. Where he knows, instinctually, he is still holding Leo's hand.