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You know that nice feeling when you cuddle up to someone on the bed, or when you feel their arms curl around your frame? It's great. You remember, as a child, the feeling of being secure in your parents' arms or when a guardian is taking care of you while they were out on trips, business, or otherwise. They'd let you sleep in their room, too, staying up late to play charades, or to read your favourite book Where the Wild Things Are.
And not just fairy stories either - you recall the nights you'd beg them to continue reading stories like Goosebumps and even retellings of Shakespeare plays on occasions. Little you just had a knack for tragic stories. Even if you may not have understood it completely, you enjoyed it a lot. Or, maybe you just liked having a reason to have company stay around you longer.
It's not unusual for you to request these kinds of things; for as long as you could remember your language of love has always been represented through physical touches and the enjoyment of another's presence by your side, even when you're spending that time wordlessly. For others, perhaps your careless affection arises issues from others who aren't so acquainted with this language of yours. You know your friends tend to bark at you to stay away when you feel a case of the zoomies, as they call it. Regardless, they love you all the same for it.
Oh, but yes, you just love a gentle embrace. Just the way you melt into a touch has you feeling a sense of euphoria. And the warmth that radiates from the person behind you during cold nights as you relish and soak in their scent is second to none.
But, well, you tend not to enjoy it so much when you know you're supposed to be alone that night.
You freeze in place with your arms curled and unknowing what to do as they twitch in place. The mystery person's breath hits the back of your neck, and you shiver. Testing the waters, you slowly creep away, trying to pry yourself from their arms. You anchor your foot at the end of the bed to steady yourself when you press down on something - or another someone - hard.
"OW!"
You leap into the air with a shrill scream, completely caught off guard. This results in the intruders screaming back in response and the impending panic as everyone scrambles off of the bed frantically - the distinct sound of a thud begin heard, also - and with you dashing to the opposing side to pull out your nearest weapon; which just happens to be your digital pen stylus.
You swing it out towards the two in a fearless display, your voice totally not shaking in the process.
"Who goes there?!"
You reach out to the lamp by the bedside and flick it on. It's only a few seconds of pure blindness as your eyes work to adjust to the abruptness of it, and you blink thrice before staring over at the blurred figures. Your vision begins to clear, making out much more recognisable silhouettes.
"Matt...? And - is that Edd??" You ask, beyond confused. The adrenaline felt just moments before begins to dissipate from your veins, and now you're just left with general curiosity - and perhaps just a little bit of irritation after having been woken up from such a fiasco.
Now illuminated by the lamp at your bedside, you can see Matt hanging off the end of the bed, looking up sheepishly. Meanwhile, a pair of feet clad in green socks sticks up into the air from the opposing side. They kick away from the bedframe, and shortly after, a head of brunette peers out beneath sheets that were dragged off of your mattress sometime during the process.
"Hi."
You sigh exasperatedly, putting your arm down and resting them on your hip.
"And what are you two doing here, exactly?" You raise a brow. "Because last I remembered, I came to bed alone."
Matt sits up properly now, situating himself back onto your mattress.
"We were scared!" He declares, eyes large and wet with impending tears. You don't really say anything, continuing to stare at him to urge him further. He continues, and you could basically hear the pout in his voice as he does. "The monsters, (name)! Creepy ghouls and ghosts! They were after us."
Edd, muffled through the sheets, speaks up, a little embarrassed now. "It was... a stupid movie Tord put on tonight. It was maybe just a little bit more than we signed up for."
You remember now. The boys wanted to spend the evening together to watch some films. They extended an invite to you of course, but you were in the mood for some me-time and opted to stay in your own room, blasting music and flipping through a couple e-books you had just recently purchased after being recommended some by a friend of yours. An ideal night just for yourself had it not been so rudely interrupted.
You look at their faces, gauging their expressions. They watch you right back, hands placed together, and a pleading look on their faces. You narrow your eyes, but they only press further, bottom lips now jutting out and eyes fluttering. It was a tough minute, but you relent with an exhale.
"You can stay."
They cheer, leaping up into the bed and rolling around the sheets.
"Yay! Your bed's softer and smells nicer anyway," Matt says as he promptly shoves his face into the covers, which you shake your head at with a snort.
Edd lays down parallel to Matt, scooching over to leave room at the centre - presumably for you. You crawl over and nestle yourself comfortably in between. This queen-size was a good investment, it seems. Maybe it was really just an excuse for them to test your bed? You'd been giving your room a makeover the past week and refused to let them enter for some time since you wanted to just enjoy the new-ish feeling of it all before having it be potentially ruined by some otherworldly creation they would surely introduce to your space. Unfortunately, with guys like these, it was a lot like having siblings but worse. Much, much worse.
"Sooo..." You click your tongue. "Turn off the lights and get some sleep?" You propose.
"No!" They say in unison. You're sure your expression is overused at this point, but the boys, being as questionable as they are, don't really leave much room for anything else.
"Just for a bit. Promise." Edd grins, and it might just be a trick of the light, but his face appears slightly pinker than usual. You shrug and continue to lay on your back so you face the ceiling. Nothing's really being said as you all just lay there breathing quietly, Matt's face still planking against the duvet. It's strange, but it's quiet. You even begin to feel your eyes shut, the weight of sleep taking over you. The bed gives way with Matt to the right of you shifting in place, and then you can feel his eyes on you. You turn your head, eyes meeting a pair of cerulean ones looking back at you. He's really close, closer than you remember, and suddenly you take in the intimacy of the gesture of sharing a bed with two men.
You're not sure where to look, gaze not quite meeting his as you suddenly feel shy.
"What...?" You ask, though trying to keep your voice low.
"I'm still kind of, well..." he trails off.
"Scared?" You finish. "Did you want to be in the middle?"
Just as you say that, a pair of arms encircle your waist, and you gasp. You feel a face nuzzle into your back, and your breathing halts at the sudden gesture.
"Don't be greedy, Matt." Edd pulls your closer to him now, his chest pressed against you. You hear Matt huff, and when you look back, your face is smooshed into his chest. His arms pull you in, inadvertently starting a light game of tug of war between the two.
"I'm not being greedy! They offered first," he speaks with conviction. "So why don't you Edd-scuse yourself."
"Hey! Puns are my thing!"
They start to pull at you now, which honestly is making you a little nauseated. You wiggle yourself free and sit up, crossing your arms over.
"Okay, stop! No more!" You declare, though, fail to look very convincing when the heat on your face gives away your internal feelings too easily. "Can't we just sleep? Why are you guys so damn restless?" You rub at your eyes groggily, yawning as you do.
You look down at the shy expressions on their faces. They don't say anything for a bit until they tug you back down.
"It must just be the cola in our systems - all that sugar, you know?" Edd says, looking over at Matt.
"What cola? That was hours ago - ow." He rubs at his arm, which Edd somehow hit from over your body.
He looks back at you with an all-too-innocent smile plastered on his face, and you nod, trying to settle in again. This time, with all this sudden energy spent on just being around the boys completely depleting you, and you yawn, stretching out.
"I'm serious now, guys. Get some sleep." You shut your eyes, feeling the weight of the blanket settle up over you. "G... night."
They instantly simmer down, and nothing happens for a while. You all lay there, feeling the need for sleep consume you as it washes over your being. When the morning you come, you don't even notice the sound of the door creaking open.
Limbs crossed over one another, Edd and Matt cling to you from each side, arms surrounding you. Your face is snuggled into the crook of Edd's shoulder, softy breathing into his skin. He rests his ahead atop yours, gentle puffs of air passing through him. Matt is pressed into you from behind. His face is pushed into the blade of your shoulder as he snores softly in his slumber.
"So that's where they went, huh?" Tom says, arms folded over. "More conniving than I thought."
Tord peers over as he passes by the room also, eyebrows cocked slightly. "Huh. Should have done the same thing. Smart," he says, sipping the piping coffee in his hand.
"Wouldn't have worked with a face as obviously evil as yours." Tom scoffs.
"Riiiight. And void eyes is saying this to me?" He counteracts.
"ITS A CONDITION."