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Len's house was peculiarly quiet on a cold, autumnal morning.
Bitterly pale sunlight filtered in through the windows, though it provided no warmth.
His house was sort of neat with some disorganisation and clutter. Tommy was the one who often cleaned up, not being able to stand his natural chaos. The walls were white with a couple of navy feature walls, and the furniture akin with greys, white and some shades of navy to keep in theme. All in all, it was much more put together and appealing that Len's style of going about life usually was.
The man sat, lounging on the pale grey couch and idly switching through the TV channels with the remote limply clutched in his hand. Len sighed, shifting on the couch and pulling the throw blanket up to his chest.
He felt abnormally lost, similar to that weird ache you feel on a Sunday night, dreading the impending doom of the looming Monday. Incapable of doing anything except sitting and wasting your life away on the couch watching mindless programmes.
Luckily for Len, it was a Saturday.
Clicking the button again to change the channel, he huffed when it didn't particularly capture his attention. He lost hope in it and let the small rectangular device drop onto the plush couch.
Now, he couldn't tell you how long he sat listening to some awful baking programme commentary and stared off onto the distance - chewing his lip and tapping his fingers against the uneven stubble which ran against his jawline.
The silence was broken by the faint shuffling of the door unlocking and sweeping open down the hallway.
Len sat up, hand stumbling to push himself against the couch arm and look vaguely presentable for the unexpected guest.
Fidgeting of taking a coat off and the kicking off of shoes, before the soft pad of footsteps closer around the corner to reveal a slightly exasperated Tommy.
His hand moved to rest on the wall, leaning against it.
"Hiya, Tommy. I wasn't, um, expecting you today," Len awkwardly chuckled, tilting his head at him in a friendly manner, curious at his unscheduled appearance.
"No, no, I suppose you weren't." He coughed back, shifting on his feet before continuing, "Just thought I might come over for the day. I didn't feel like being cooped up in my apartment,"
Another comfortable silence, before his darker blue eyes lifted up to meet Len's own lighter pair.
"You don't mind, do you?" Tommy murmured with a slight rasp, hesitating on coming any further in without permission.
Len laughed softly, moving further into the snug couch. "Not at all. You know you're always welcome,"
The shorter rolled his eyes, stalking into the centre of the living room and dropping his satchel at the foot of the couch and cocking a brow at the programme.
"Not like you to watch a baking show. Don't get any ideas, you know you're banned from the kitchen." He commented wisely, hand testily positioned on his hips with a stern look.
The taller grumbled in annoyance. "It was just on! And I'd like to remind you, actually, I've only nearly burnt down the kitchen 4 times!" He pointed an accusatory finger at him.
Tommy scoffed as he walked past the TV and rounded closer to the end of the couch.
"Only 4 times. You can't cook to save your life. Luckily you have me," He mused with a smug grin, leaning over and letting his hand grip the couch's arm to press an affectionate kiss to his cheek.
Len grumbled and flushed slightly as he pulled away, rolling his eyes. Tommy observed him for a few moments with a light upturn of his lips, before pivoting on his feet to the kitchen. He was still visible through the doorway from where he sat.
He stayed put on the couch, studying him from afar as he moved about the kitchen, pulling out two mugs and beginning to make a cup of tea without even asking. Tommy eventually stopped, leaving the water to boil in the kettle and moving to lean against the doorframe in his boredom.
"Leanne's still asleep at this hour?" He murmured with a tilted head and cheeky grin, cocking his brow in a curious manner at him. He had seen no sight of Len's daughter, which was unusual for a weekend's late morning. She usually would have sprinted at him and leapt at him for a hug at his appearance.
The taller shifted on the couch, shaking his head.
"No, no. I dropped her off earlier this morning at her friend's house. Birthday party," Len explained easily, pausing. "Why? You prefer seeing her over me?"
Tommy glanced over his shoulder and idly brushed off his shirt. "Hm. Surprised it took you this long to realise," He mused smugly.
The shorter man slipped back into the kitchen after the water boiled and began pouring the drinks into their familiar mugs. Len huffed at his comment.
"I'd like to remind you that I'm your lover. I should be your favourite." He claimed from the couch, eyes lidded with affectionate irritation.
"Since when was that a rule?" The black-haired man chuckled as he glided around the homely, wooden and warm kitchen. His fingers drilled against the countertop in a methodical manner as he hesitated his next move before springing back into action.
Len was hypnotised by him.
The way he moved so easily like he owned the place. His little unique manoeuvres and fidgets. His slim figure and waist that looked so divine in those shirts and tight pants he loved to wear so much.
His light stubble that grazed his chin. His pristinely maintained black hair. His beautifully deep and shining blue eyes that chilled him over with lovestruck awe every time he caught so much as a glimpse of them. Most importantly, his gorgeous face.
Len Shelby was most definitely, truly, and utterly infatuated with Tommy Drake.
He was brought out of his trance with the sharp tapping of a silver spoon again the mug edge as the man in question moved the cutlery away and began carrying the two mugs through.
The man ran a shaky hand through his wiry hair idly, sitting up as he placed the beverage on the table nearby.
"Thanks, love." Len murmured subconsciously, a sickeningly fond tone interlacing with his smile up at him.
"No problem, sweetheart." Tommy grinned back at him with an affectionately tilted head, eyes crinkling slightly. They shone with swimming admiration and light joy.
Len felt his stomach swirl uncomfortably with such overwhelming intensity. He felt the need to lurch forward in the sudden wave of love, but he controlled himself.
Tommy pivoted on his heels swiftly, stalking back to retrieve his own cup of tea and walking in a different direction - through to the study he often cooped himself up in to work.
Unconsciously, he let out a confused mumble, seeming slightly hurt by his actions.
The shorter returned, grabbing his satchel and slinging it over his shoulder.
"What're you doing?" He murmured to him in a state of vulnerability, the corner of his lips downturned and pathetic in disappointment.
Tommy cocked an easy brow at him. "I need to get some paperwork done, book some events, whatever. You know, business work." His hand animatedly guided along beside him.
Len exhaled in a disheartened manner, glancing away forlornly and reaching for the TV remote again idly. His fingers seemed to fidget against his blanket he had retrieved as he just nodded in acknowledgment.
The other frowned, immediately noting his obvious disappointment at him working.
"I'm sorry, Len. I'll try to be quick, okay?" He reassured gently, looking sympathetic as he walked up beside his partner and soothingly pet his shoulder.
Len just huffed and dismissively shooed him with his hand. "It's fine, honestly. Go on then." At this point, he wasn't that bothered anymore. He just hoped he wouldn't overwork himself like he was prone to.
Tommy opened his mouth to say something else, but clicked it shut instead. His lips pressed into a firm line and he nodded, stifling a cough as he backed away and slinked to the study.
His pale blue eyes traced his figure as he disappeared behind the partition wall. The brunette hesitated, debating on following him through and forcefully dragging him back to the couch to cuddle him.
But no, that would be irrational. To come over to your partner's house unexpectedly, with only you two on a cold Saturday morning and spend time together cuddling on the couch under a blanket? Unspeakable. Simply unimaginable.
Maybe he was slightly bitter.
Begrudgingly, he pulled up his woollen, soft blanket up to his chest against, settling on the plush couch. He lazily flicked on the TV again, settling into the slop of bingeing crappy programmes.
Len let his hand reach for his tea mug, taking a tentative sip and quietly smacking his lips together at the taste. It was relatively milky and with a sugar or two, like how he liked it.
Admittedly, it was not perfect. Tommy much preferred his tea black or with some minty tint to it, not with milk. Often he made it too milky or too strong for his liking, but he didn't complain. He'd have it because he made it.
The thought of adding a mild swig of alcohol to the hot drink crossed his mind, glancing at the kitchen.
The black-haired man had been recently insisting on making all of their drinks to ensure Len did not do that. He thought he would too enraptured in his work to notice him getting up, anyways.
So he did exactly that. He slipped from the couch as silently as possible, clutching the mug in his hand and shuffling past the partition and through to the kitchen. He eyed the other room as he went past, and continued going.
Len had managed to put his mug on the countertop and turn around to go get some sort of liquor, only to be met with his partner's disapproving stare and hand on hip.
How the hell had he known? Did he hear? Heaven knows. Somehow, he just knew how to read his mind.
"Oh! Hiya, um, Tommy," He nervously offered, glancing away in sheepish embarrassment.
"What are you doing with your tea, Len?" He quipped back with narrowed eyes, moving closer and shifting on his feet in an antsy manner.
The taller let his shoulders slump in disappointment, sighing and moving away from the counter.
The shorter relentlessly gripped his wrist firmly, cocking a testing brow with a dissatisfied frown.
He huffed again, looking away as he managed to grumble, "I was going to put some alcohol in it."
Tommy just sighed and looked up at him. His eyes seemed slightly pained and conflicted, as if he wanted to shout at him but loved him too much to do so.
He tugged on the other man's arm lightly, dragging him back through to the couch and pushing him down, tucking the blanket over him.
Pivoting, he went to grab his mug of tea from the kitchen counter and returned swiftly with a complimentary biscuit or two and left them on the table beside him.
"We spoke about this, Len. I better not catch you trying to do that again. I'm only trying to help." Tommy commented exasperatedly, but in a stern way that only a loving carer would use. Such as a mother to a child.
Len sighed, looking down at his lap and twiddling his index fingers against each-other.
"I know, I know. Sorry, love, I... I just..." He managed to murmur out, looking rather shameful.
The other just hummed lightly and seemingly took pity on him, leaning forward to press a gentle kiss against his forehead and neatly smooth his hair down. "I know it's difficult. I'll come spend time with you in a bit, I promise. I just need to finish off these papers."
The brunette flushed lightly at the contact and nodded, eyes sparkling as he watched his handsome partner leave again to the study.
Slowly, his heart sank again as he slumped back into the couch and his eyes lazily drifted back to focus on the TV and its slop in the meantime.
Minutes slipped by into hours, and through a concerning amount of Coronation Street and whatever was on, it had hit about 4pm.
Now, Len had gone and grabbed a bit of food here and there throughout, but he did think it was peculiar Tommy had not gotten up to get anything either.
He couldn't cook for his life, unfortunately, so his partner usually took it upon himself to make the meals when he was over. He hadn't gotten up from his work to make lunch - which wasn't entirely unusual, since when he worked he often lost track of time as he plowed on.
But it had grown into the afternoon, and he still hadn't shown a sign of stopping yet. Len shuffled up to his feet, stretching and sighing. He would have to pick up Leanne from her party soon, anyways.
Len trotted through to the study room, eyes landing on the sorry sight of his partner still sat at the desk.
There was a pile of papers pushed to one side and a good amount still in-front of him, with a clutter of stationary lying nearby. A pen was weakly held in his hand which rested on the page.
The other hand perched on his face to keep him upright, barely. He was slumped over the desk mostly, his face pale and sickly-looking with red and raw eyes. His hair looked messy and unkempt, very unlike Tommy. He looked completely lost and shattered, head drooping down over his work, threatening to fall asleep right there and then.
Len froze slightly, frowning and heart dropping. His stomach swirled uncomfortably at the sight of his partner so obviously ill and still forcing himself to work.
His hands twitched as he slowly approached, stopping as he hesitated behind him.
Reaching his hand out, he placed it gently on Tommy's back and leaned over slightly to get a better look at his face.
Tommy jolted awake, turning in a dazed manner to meet his gaze. His eyes flitted over his partner's face, growing more nauseous by the motion of turning by the second - but clearly trying to hide it.
Len's lips turned down in concern, eyes twitching as he observed him.
"You don't look well." He commented rather firmly, indicating his partner was not getting out of this by pushing him away in favour for overworking himself like he was so fond of doing.
"I'm fine, Len. Just didn't sleep well." Tommy dismissed swiftly, waving his hand and shrugging Len's supportive palm off his back. His voice had grown noticeably more rough and strained. He manoeuvred in his chair, straining as his hand hesitated over the papers again in front of him.
He nodded sarcastically, shifting his weight as he stood next to his partner. "Hmm. And you're sure that's not because you've definitely got a cold?"
Tommy scoffed as if the claim was ludicrous. "Yes, I'm," he paused, voice rough as he spluttered to cough sickly for a few seconds. "I'm completely fine. Just need to finish this off."
Len smirked and laughed for a few moments, glancing at the small pile of papers which were completed to a minimalist degree and the much larger pile sat in front of him. He was in no fit state to complete any work.
"'Finish?' At this rate, you'll be retired before you get another paper of that done." He quipped, his hand falling to his side idly as he watched his partner struggle to hold his pen straight to write anything legible.
The other huffed in response, shaking his head and then slowly groaning at the dizzy spell that followed, moving his spare hand to cup his mouth as if he were afraid of vomiting. He held on for a few seconds, before composing himself and continuing his attempt to work.
Len just sighed, heart aching at the sight. He couldn't take any more of this.
Letting his hands move to rest on his shoulders, he began pulling the chair out to face him. Tommy murmured something incoherent in protest as he did so. Hands reached up to try and pull himself back to the desk, but Len resisted his movements.
"Listen to me. You are ill, Tommy. Stop trying to convince yourself otherwise to try and push out some half-assed work. You need rest." The brunette decided, brows furrowed as he studied the man's reaction, afraid he may do something irrational to get out of actually working.
Tommy opened his mouth as if to make up an excuse, before clicking it shut again after a long few seconds. He let out an exhausted sigh, seeming to give up and let his defences down. He got up, knees threatening to buckle at the strain of standing.
Len exhaled in relief, shoulders slumping as he stepped back and offered his hand to lead him along back to the couch. The shorter stumbled along behind him, seeming conflicted as he sniffled quietly from a blocked nose.
Eventually, the taller managed to get him to sit down on the couch, patted him gently as he scurried around to grab comforts.
Slipping into the kitchen, he fetched another tea - this time, a peppermint one rather than his black - and some painkillers. He also grabbed a thermometer and a frozen gel pack of sorts and bundled back in, placing them all carefully on the coffee table. He also decided to get a box of tissues.
Len grabbed a couple of cushions to place at the arm of the couch, and tapped his lover's shoulder to signal him to lay down. Tommy took a few moments to comprehend given his state, but he mumbled as he reluctantly let himself rest.
Tossing a blanket over him and tucking it in nicely, he reached for the thermometer.
"Say 'aah'," He grinned lightly, eyebrows raised testily as he taunted the device in front of his face.
Tommy scoffed and chuckled, before coughing violently in a fit and rubbing his aching head. "Don't do that. It's weird."
Despite this, he still opened his mouth and lifted his tongue up so the metal end of the device could be placed there to take his temperature.
Len just laughed to himself and put the device into his mouth. "Don't like being pampered?" He murmured with an amused brow, trotting back into the kitchen to fetch a glass of water.
He hesitated as he poured it, turning around to look at the poorly man tucked on the couch, staring blankly at the ceiling with hazy eyes.
"... You able to take pills yet or still being picky and having to take liquid?" He teased with an adoring smile, eyes twinkling with a sense of delight.
There was a low grumble from the living room, which made him chuckle again and nod thoroughly as he put the glass of water aside. He reached into a top cupboard where he kept the medicine, to reach for some adult liquid painkillers (specially bought for Tommy since he refused to swallow pills).
Len slipped back into the living room, putting the bottle down and preparing to pour it into the spoon provided. The thermometer began beeping, so he carefully reached over and took it out.
He hissed as he read it. "38.3 degrees,"
Tommy rolled his eyes and wet his lips, coughing again. He opened his mouth again as Len poured him a couple spoonful of the painkillers to keep his fever at bay.
After, he grabbed the cold gel-pack wrapped in a paper towel and rested it carefully on his forehead, cupping his pale cheek and petting it softly with a sigh at his state.
He let himself raise to his feet, petting his shoulder slowly before letting his palm idly rest against the expanse of his chest under the blanket.
"M'kay. Right, well, I've got to go pick up Leanne from that birthday party. I'm going to pick you up some food. Anything you feel up to having? Soup? Toast?" He offered with a soothing smile.
Tommy hummed, eyes gently closed shut as he shifted on the couch to get more comfortable. "Soup sounds nice."
Len nodded, pivoting to wander to grab his coat and keys, slipping it on carefully. "I'll only be 15 minutes or so. I'm sure Leanne'll pamper you when she gets back, too. So enjoy it while you can, eh?"
He scoffed lightly, raising his chin in acknowledgment. "Oh, she will. Looking forward to it." Tommy's fingers fiddled on the edge of the blanket, letting his head fall back against the cushions and closing his eyes again.
"Ha. Okay, see you in a bit, love." Len murmured, ruffling his black hair tenderly before strolling down the hallway and out the door, signalling its closing with a soft click and rustling of locking it behind him.
Tommy lay idly, rubbing his face with a drained groan. He glanced at the TV, on some channel playing some game show nonsense at a low volume. He let his eyes rest there, not exactly taking it in.
His mind drifted off, just a husk on the couch as he endured the sickness.
He kept on feeling hot and cold in flushes, aching head and throat, a sore throat, blocked nose - a classic case of a fever. He had been aware of it since last night, of course, when he couldn’t sleep. Tommy just had a habit to ignore his own health issues in favour of work.
Which is exactly why he had gotten up 3 minutes after Len had left to pick up his daughter to stalk back over to the study and continue working.
His eyes narrowed at the printed writing on the form he was currently filling out, penmanship slightly more messy than usual. Not in perfect cursive and with black smudges littered through his work from where his hands had slipped and pressed ink back onto the white paper.
Tommy's other hand clutched the wooden desk lightly, fingertips running over the edge of the desk and drumming as he soldiered through and kept on working.
He didn’t even notice the clicking as the front door opened again, too enraptured within himself.
Len fumbled through the door, letting Leanne bumble through the door excitedly first as he turned and locked it, following behind with a plastic bag full of shopping.
Leanne was skipping through with her party bag, placing it happily down on the table and beginning to take off her coat and shoes when she paused and glanced at the empty couch and discarded blanket.
"Dad? Tommy's gone!" She called, subconsciously frowning as she tossed her coat onto her hook and put her shoes underneath. Scuttling back to the couch, she began lifting up the blanket as if she'd find him hiding under the cushions.
He placed his bag down, taking his coat off and hanging it up, kicking his shoes off and leaving them discarded nearby Leanne's own rather than undoing the laces and placing them neatly.
"He's not on the couch?" He replied back, carrying through the bag of shopping, full of necessities but also a couple more bottles of (liquid) painkillers and soup for Tommy.
"Nuh-uh! Unless he's shrunk down reaaaal tiny and is hiding from us!" She squealed back, bouncing on the balls of her feet and glancing around again. She backed away from the couch and hovered over the pink polka-dotted party bag.
Len laughed light-heartedly as he walked in. He slowly nodded at the vacant couch, having a vague inkling of where he might be.
"Aha. Why don't you go and get changed into your pajamas, eh? I'll go find Tommy. Anything you fancy for tea, Lea?" He asked in response, keen to get her away for a couple of minutes to scold the man in question alone.
She hummed and nodded, beginning to head down the corridor before hesitating and turning to face her dad.
"Yeah! Oh, umm... d'you have any sausages and beans? Oh, and chips! And eggs!" Leanne exclaimed, hands spreading out eagerly with a cheesy grin, giggling to herself.
Len guffawed at her. "A fry-up? Oh, maybe, princess," He cooed to her, ruffling her ginger hair and patting her shoulder to send her off.
She nodded in excitement, grinning toothily - with some noticeable gaps from where had lost some. Leanne suddenly skipped away and to her room, the door closing behind her.
He smiled fondly as she disappeared, and fell silent as he narrowed his eyes and began stalking back through to the study.
He wasn't surprised by the similar sight to last time. It was like déjà-vu.
Tommy had become slumped over the desk again, shakily holding himself over the paper and still trying to write. His hands were trembling as he fought to stay upright and awake, pen very lazily dragging across the paper.
Hair messy, his left hand's fingers wrapped on his head. He was relatively still and clearly distracted by trying to work, despite being heavily ill. He just hated to admit to needing help.
Len exhaled slowly, regaining his composure and beginning to walk closer. He completed a manoeuvre akin to previously, kicking his chair to the side again unexpectedly and glaring down at him.
"Tommy."
Tommy ploddingly moved his head to meet his gaze, shifting gingerly under the scrutiny.
"...Len," He coughed back meekly. He looked away again and hesitated over the paper again - yet not daring to turn away fully back to the desk.
The brunette stayed quiet as he himself turned to the desk and began packing away all the files rather neatly, straightening them and putting them into a pile.
"What are you doing? I..." Tommy muttered, hand reaching out to follow the papers and grab them back to no avail.
"Stopping you from overworking yourself. You need rest. Why do you never listen?" He replied sharply, obviously on-edge and stressed at his blatant ignorance of his illness.
"Len, please, I'm—"
"Fine?" The taller cut off with a tilted head.
"Yes, honestly! I promise you—" He spluttered back, hands fidgeting on the desk.
"Not listening." He commented simply, his own hands moving in swift, precise movements. Almost practiced.
Len grabbed his upper back and wrapped around. He then easily slipped his other hand down to his lower back, suddenly lifting him upwards into a bridal style carry position.
Tommy groaned at the motion, head pounding as his hands unconsciously wrapped around Len's neck. The man pivoted and immediately began carrying him to the other room.
The taller patted him as he knelt in-front of the couch, lowering him down gently and laying him back onto the couch. He grabbed the soft blue blanket from before and tossed it over him again, immediately beginning to grab the gel-pack again and applying it to his head.
"Don't... don't try and fight it. Please just stay there, love." Len practically begged, smoothing his hair down and getting up to the kitchen.
Tommy just mumbled, sitting up slightly and taking a sip from his now lukewarm tea. He shuffled further under the blanket and began shifting off his blazer to toss it aside.
"You still want that soup?" He called, plastic shopping bag rustling as he retrieved the items and began putting them away.
"Okay," He responded, voice croaky as he coughed again.
Len took the soup he had bought out, squinting as he grabbed a bowl and read the instructions and began pouring it into the bowl. He then approached the microwave and put it on for a minute or two, sighing as it began humming away.
"Leanne wants a fry-up." He mused.
Tommy laughed, clearly very entertained by the idea. "She does know you can't cook."
"Hmm. Apparently not, eh? I'll just have to do her some toast, or something... cos you can't do anything." Len replied with a light nod, slowly began to clean up and bring up two plates.
Suddenly, a door down the hallway creaked open again as Leanne began skipping down and back into the living room.
Dressed in unicorn pajamas, she turned and gasped at the sight of Tommy.
"Tom! We thought you had been shrunk down and ran away!" She cried, sitting down on the couch next to him, hands fidgeting as she observed him.
"Oi! Don't drag me into this, miss!" Len pointed an accusatory finger at her, but grinning all the while as he returned to scurrying around the kitchen.
She giggled wildly, covering her face with her hands. "Sorry, dad!"
Tommy laughed in amusement, lazily reaching over to ruffle her hair affectionately and smiling. "Hah, of course not."
Leanne frowned at him. "Tommy, you're so ill. Here, I'll show you what I got in my party bag to cheer you up. Will that cheer you up?" She questioned, but she had already reached over and strained to grab the bag and placed it on her lap.
Len frowned as he pulled the soup out of the microwave and hummed in disapproval, eyes narrowed. He placed it back in and gave it another minute. "Oh, Leanne, I don't think he'll—"
The black-haired man coughed, shaking his head lightly.
"Sweetheart, it's okay. Go on, Lea." He encouraged with a soothing hand.
The young girl smiled, nodding as she began babbling on about the tacky toys and treats in the bag, showing them off to him and telling him all about the games and music they played at her friend's party.
As Len glanced over, he softened and his heart ached.
His two favourite people in the whole world - and Tommy was staring back at her, so patient and soft like she owned the world. She giggled along and he just never stopped listening.
Len grinned to himself, chuckling as he finished making a bit of toast and a drink for both him and his daughter. He fetched Tommy's soup, red and hot, popping a spoon into the mixture.
He slowly made his way in, lowering them onto the coffee table.
Leanne put her party bag aside. "Where's my sausages and beans? And chips? And eggs?" She murmured, looking rather lost.
"Didn't have any sausages, love. Toast'll do." Len decided with a comforting grin. He met Tommy's knowing gaze, who just smirked lightly at him.
She hummed, picking up her plate and moving to the end of the couch as Len took a place between both of them.
Leanne began picking at her toast, as Len moved the bowl of hot soup up to Tommy's lap.
"Don't feel like you have to eat it all."
He met his gaze tentatively, nodding slowly as he reached over to blow his nose and splutter, shifting under the blanket.
The brunette grabbed his own toast, offering the TV remote to his daughter to choose what she'd like to watch. She squealed, immediately beginning to flick it to a colourful children's cartoon she liked.
The two didn't mind as they slowly ate, not exactly paying attention.
As the evening drew on, they had eventually finished their meal and Len had cleaned up. The TV was still playing a random episode of Leanne's cartoon lowly in the background.
Len was splayed in the middle of the grey couch, now with that blanket tossed over the both of them. Leanne had fallen asleep a while ago, curled up near her dad and under her own blanket, ginger hair awkwardly spread behind her.
Tommy, however, was cuddled right into Len's lap, his head resting on it and his arms curled into his chest, fingers resting on Len's leg. His eyes were shut, but he was not asleep. Still wrapped up to his chin in that blanket.
Len's own hand wrapped around the man's waist, the other messing with his hair in a soothing mannerism.
The sickly man was currently dosed up on as many painkillers as possible. He let out a quiet murmur of exhaustion.
"You know, you're going to get sick too... doing this." Tommy commented, almost silent and muffled by the blanket and his sore throat.
Len laughed. "No, you know me. Won't succumb to that." He squeezed the man's waist affectionately, yawning as he let his head fall back slightly.
"That's not how sicknesses work, Len," He muttered, scoffing. His eyebrows furrowed as he did so.
He hummed, an amused lilt within his tone.
"That's what you think, love." Len quipped with a self-confident smirk.
"Hmm." Tommy responded, shifting as he slowly fell silent and fell limp under him, except for the rhythmic fall and rise of his chest.
The taller stayed quiet, letting himself also grow drowsier and drowsier, eventually letting go. He dropped down, shifting to wrap himself around Tommy under the blanket. Leanne seemed to shuffle closer subconsciously as he finally fell asleep.
They stayed like that for the entire night. Huddled together on the couch under warm blankets, completely at bliss.
Until they woke up at about 9am on Sunday morning.
Tommy was already half roused from his slumber. He shifted against Len's arms, mumbling something incoherent as the other slowly began to wake up, too.
Len groaned in a sickly manner, sitting up and cradling his head as if he were nursing a hangover. He shook, before lying down again and curling back under the blankets.
Tommy just snickered to himself.