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“Xavier come on!” you groan, shaking your boyfriend’s groggy form among the blankets and plushies the two of you have hoarded and turned into a comfy little reading nook in the apartment.
He waves a heavy arm at you, murmuring, “Just five more minutes.”
“You said that 30 minutes ago, Xavie,” you whine, giving him a big push that flips him over from his stomach and onto his back. Still, he looks up at you between heavy lids and simply falls back asleep.
Groaning, you flop down on top of him. You don’t even peer at him to see if your sudden weight on him woke him up. You know very well it likely had zero effect on him whatsoever.
Burying your face in the plush of his sweatshirt, you grumble to yourself about missing the grand opening of the new arcade. Sure, things were probably going to be crazy expensive and the lines long and boring. But you and Xavier had planned to go to the grand opening anyway, and he owes you a night out after the two of you were called in for a surprise mission the night of your last big date.
Leaning back and looking down at him, he continues to sleep peacefully. You take the collar of his hoodie between your fists and give him a little shake. He snores lightly.
He could very well be faking it. He’s teased you this way before.
Deciding to test it out, you huff, “Alright, I’m going to invite Jeremiah to go with me instead.”
Pushing yourself off the floor, you turn and wait one second, two…
Still nothing.
Damn. He really is passed out.
Sinking into the beanbags, you stare over at your sleeping beauty. You two have honestly had an extremely busy week of back-to-back missions. A few days in, you weren’t entirely certain there were any other Hunters on the Unicorns team other than to two of you, only to learn that they all were swamped with missions as well. Protocore smuggling, small Wanderer fighting circles (most of those guys got torn up by their own ‘pets’ before you’d even arrived and you’d been there for cleanup), and illegal protocore modifications all within the same week.
Truly, you are exhausted. But your stubbornness is likely what’s keeping you up and insisting you follow through with the plans you’d made what feels like ages ago.
There’s not actually anything wrong with staying in and snuggling.
It would be a bit more comfortable, however, if it were done in the bed instead of on the floor.
“Fine, Xavie. Let’s stay home,” you grumble, giving him a little nudge, “But let’s go to bed. Your back is gonna hurt from sleeping down here.”
He is unresponsive. You poke his cheek. He scrunches his nose a little, sniffs, then returns to his dreams once more.
Standing up, you stare down at him. This situation would be comical if you weren’t so exhausted. But exhausted or not, you’re still going to get your boyfriend tucked into some blankets whether he likes it or not.
“Xavier, don’t make me pick you up.”
No response.
“Alright, I’m gonna do it.”
Still, nothing. You’ll take that as a go.
Rubbing your hands together, you walk a circle around him, trying to figure out some kind of technique for what you’re about to do. Despite his light and fluffy appearances, you know damn well that Xavier is deceptively solid as a rock. Sure, you could get him in the air, but one wobble will send you both careening to the floor. You don’t exactly want that to happen, though you’re uncertain that even that would be able to wake him up.
After careful consideration, you figure out your game plan. Grabbing a sheet from the bedroom, you lay it out on the floor. Rolling Xavier over onto it, you peer at him, watching for any movement, before grabbing the edges of the sheet and dragging him toward the couch.
When you get to the couch, you prepare for the first lift. You figure it’ll be easier to get him from the floor to the couch, then from the couch into the air.
Kneeling, you slide your arms between him and the sheet and lift. You hoist him past the first checkpoint. Feeling weirdly comfortably steady, you decide to test your limits and bypass using the couch for assistance. Taking a deep breath, you manage to push up off your knees and onto your feet.
Triumph. Pure elation and triumph course through your veins along with a sense of smugness. He was never going to believe you accomplished this feat. Whether your knees were shaking a little or not, you had the full weight of your boyfriend in the air, bridal style.
In the midst of your smugness, you miss the way Xavier’s eyes peel open, a deep frown between his brow as he notices the sensation of being suspended.
“Whashappenin’?” he murmurs, voice slurred with sleep. You squeak in surprise and his eyes widen in pure horror as you sway backward, manage to find your balance for a brief moment, before suddenly swaying to the side, “Bunny?”
You let out another squeak and gravity takes you both.
Xavier’s arms are around you instantly, spinning you around at an alarming speed and cushioning your fall, the air getting knocked out of him.
He looks up at you in surprise and confusion, and you feel your face heat with embarrassment.
“What was that all about?” he breathes.
Pushing off of him, you bury your face in your hands, “I was going to carry you to bed, but you woke up and ruined it. I had you in the air for a whole 20 seconds. And I would have been able to do it, too, if you didn’t wake up!”
His brow scrunches as he combines your story with the feeling he had woken up to. To your utter surprise, he starts laughing.
“It’s not funny, Xavier. We could have been gravely injured. What would we have told the doctors? What would we have told the Association?” you groan in embarrassment.
“I would have told them that my partner and I were injured in the line of duty,” he says reaching out and pushing a few strands of hair out of your face, “That my partner is so brave and strong that even while suffering from exhaustion, she lifted and carried me out of harms way for a whole 20 seconds.”