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Veritas never thought he would consider those from the Intelligentsia Guild idiots. Of course, they were selected for their high intellect and outstanding studies, not just anyone could become part of this academic institution. Everyone was hand-picked for their above-average understanding of the world. To call them idiots would be a false accusation.
And yet, he couldn't help but find the quarrels amongst them to be just that. Idiotic. It was inevitable for personalities and beliefs to clash. The smart choice was neglected to prove a point. Things were left undone as the annoying bickering increased. Like a classic group project, one was left to do all the work while the others were left to their own devices.
With an aggravated sigh, Veritas plops down a stack of papers at his desk. He swears it grows an extra inch every time he looks at it. He rubs his temples, feeling as if a migraine is going to strike.
"This would take them all less than one system hour if they would cease their incoherent ramblings..." Veritas grumbles while pulling out a paper.
The work is easy, but the process is laborious. Each paper requires time to look through it. If he rushes, he could overlook something significant.
The only good pro about working on these extra papers was being able to bring it home if one could consider it a pro in the first place. At least here he would have no student or colleague interrupting him.
A distorted meow does instead. He's not surprised to find one of those snacks- Trash Cakes at his side. One of them pawed at his foot and looked up at him with its big eyes.
"Not now," he sighs out. A hand runs through his hair. A part of him feels guilty for having to turn down the option of presenting it with affection. He's just far too busy. With the rhythm he has going, he should be able to complete a sizable amount of papers.
Another cry escapes the snack. Snacks. The other two seem to have trailed after this one. Veritas had nearly forgotten that these little creations enjoy each other's company. He couldn't tell if it was a good or bad habit that they trailed after each other.
Perhaps they were trying to tell him to take a break and pay attention to them instead. For once, it's a tempting thought. But he isn't one to slack off. If he doesn't get this done, his colleagues surely won't either.
Ink flows onto each paper, yet it feels as if he hadn't made a dent in this pile. The only thing changing in this situation is how heavy his eyelids feel. His head bobs up and down as he forces himself to stay awake. Reading each paper is getting harder and harder. With every passing second, he's losing this fight to stay conscious.
The last thing he hears are the meows from the snacks before his head hits the desk.
~...~
"Oh, Doctor~!" Aventurine's voice chimes throughout their home. He knows that Veritas is home. The lights are still on despite how late it is. He has to admit that it is a bit odd. This would be an odd thing considering how Veritas is the one to go on and on about having a proper sleep schedule. But lately, he's been unable to follow his own teachings.
Aventurine would be lying if he said he wasn't worried. He'd seen the doctor work late into the night before, but never so consistently. One night out of the week isn't too bad, but every day? Now that was worrisome.
He isn't a stranger to piles of paperwork. It's something he's used to, which is unfortunate. Seeing it outside of work made him want to groan and swipe them off the doctor's desk. Neither of them should be dealing with that, especially in their own home.
Walking through the house, all he can hear are his footsteps. Each step echoes throughout the building. It's a bit too silent for his liking. While the gambler doesn't fear the silence, his curiosity peaks.
His curiosity is sated when he finds the door to Vertias's study open.
"My, my...who would have thought I caught you so...defenseless," he chuckles.
It's rare to see Veritas like this, slumped over on his desk fast asleep. Despite his position and the fact that his back is going to kill him when he wakes up, he looks peaceful.
And he's not alone.
The Trash Cakes are scattered around him, fast asleep just like their owner. Ace is pressing up against his arm that's lying on his desk. A pen lying near its paws as if it were trying to help with his papers. Spade is nestled on top of his head. It keeps the doctor from moving his head around in his peaceful slumber and the gambler can't tell if that was intentional or not. As for Jack, it had fallen asleep at an odd angle. It looked like it was trying to climb his leg to reach his lap, but fell asleep halfway.
"You're lucky, you know," Aventurine whispers with a smile. "These little guys barely even curl up with me." It's a teasing remark that gets no backlash. He could imagine the glare that the doctor would give him due to his false words. They enjoyed sleeping with the gambler due to him being more affectionate, but that didn't mean they would avoid the doctor. They relished in the rare instances they could snuggle up beside him.
Aventurine takes silent steps further into the study. As he stands beside his sleeping boyfriend, he can't help but adore his peaceful look. Perhaps all that hard work has paid off to grant him such a lucky sight.
He doesn't linger for long and gets to work. The stack of papers is moved away from his desk. Pens are removed as well, even the one close to Ace's paws. He makes sure the desk is devoid of anything that could cause an avalanche. The last thing he wants is one movement, from his boyfriend or their little cats, to brush against something and create a mess.
Once satisfied, he temporarily leaves the room. When he returns, he's holding a large blanket and a pillow.
"This is going to be tricky..."
It's hard to slip the pillow underneath Veritas's head. Spade acts as extra weight and he has to make sure the Trash Cake doesn't slide off. For once, Aventurine is grateful that he's out cold. After a moment of struggling, he manages to slip the pillow underneath his head, without disrupting their slumber.
The blanket is easier to deal with. He drapes it over Veritas with ease. It only looks awkward due to how spacious the blanket is. It had to drape over Spade, reach Ace, and provide some warmth to Jack. All while making sure Veritas was covered properly too.
"Just one last thing." A hand reaches out to click the light at his desk off. If it weren't for the light in the hallway shining in, the room would be swallowed by darkness.
Aventurine looks over his handy work. A genuine smile spread across his face. Carefully, he leans forward, moving aside the blanket to press a chaste kiss against Veritas's cheek.
"Good night, Veritas."
~...~
When Veritas wakes, his head feels heavier than usual. He wants to blame the headache prior to his sudden sleep but knows better than to cast quick judgment. As his eyes open, he finds a tail loosely swaying in front of him. That explains it.
He allows himself a moment to wake before moving his body. He moves his arms, carefully to not wake the snack sleeping beside him and to remove the one on his head. He also feels some extra weight on his foot and it doesn't take long for him to guess that it was the last snack.
The Trash Cake from his head is placed beside the other on his desk. It stirs slightly but cozies up next to the other. Due to moving the creature, the blanket had fallen to his shoulders.
His gaze drifts around the room, processing the changes that occurred while he slept. It was once dark, but now the sunlight was beginning to trickle into the room. His desk was clean and a pillow had replaced one of the papers underneath him.
While his mind instantly goes to finding his work, something else catches his attention. Another oddity is found upon his desk. It isn't the snacks, but a photograph. With a raised brow, he reaches out for it.
It's a picture of him and the state he was in a few minutes prior. Sleeping on his desk, surrounded by the snacks. It's something he would never admit to. Overexerting himself to falling asleep at his desk. He supposes it's better than falling asleep in the bathtub.
Despite his slight annoyance at being caught like this, a small grin forms. Especially due to the little heart drawn around him.