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K didn’t know when this had become a thing.
“This” being, well- the cuddling. The way that they would all pile into one bed every night, didn’t matter who’s, and just sort of fell asleep there. It must have started because they were used to sleeping in the same room, in the Chimeron dorms. And then at some point that just- sort of turned into sitting on one of their beds, all together. And then cuddling on one person’s bed. And they all were sleeping on one person’s bed, more comfortable cuddled together in a pile than apart. And at some point, they were doing it nearly every day, just crashing on whoever’s bed was nearest, and falling asleep in a huge pile of tangled limbs and snoring mouths. It helped with Evan’s nightmares, K was pretty sure. Helped them all feel safe.
But honestly, they had barely even noticed it. It was just normal, to them all. Until-
“They gave us a suite with four beds,” K said. “Four.”
“That’s how many of us there are,” Sam said.
“It’s a waste of money,” Evan said. “One person hardly needs their own bed-“
“Most people need their own bed, man,” Jammer said. “But us- we don’t need four beds.”
“We only need one bed,” Sam said.
K started laughing, unable to stop themself.
“What’s so funny?” Evan asked.
“It’s like- it’s like the fanfic trope,” K said. “You know? Only one bed?”
“Oh my god,” Sam exclaimed. “It totally is!”
“But there isn’t only one bed,” Evan said.
“Okay,” K admitted. “It’s like the opposite of that trope. Instead of only one bed, it’s too many. God, there’s so many beds!”
“Four really isn’t that many beds,” Jammer said. “Although we did share beds at tournaments, even, so I dunno why they gave us four whole beds-“
“What even is only one bed?” Evan asked. “Why would there only being one bed be significant?”
“Because,” K stressed. “It’s about the yearning!”
“The temptation,” Sam added.
“The forced proximity,” K and Sam said at the same time.
“What?” Jammer asked. “Forced- what?”
“Forced proximity," Sam said. “You know- being forced close to somebody else.”
“And then when you’re forced close,” K said, with a waggle of their eyebrows. “Sparks fly.”
“Our proximity isn’t forced,” Evan said.
“No,” Sam said. “It really isn’t.”
“But sparks are flying,” K added.
Sam threw a pillow at them, laughing. “Shut up, K.”
“Wait,” Jammer said. “They gave us four beds. How are we supposed to pick which one to sleep in?”
“Are we even all going to fit?” Evan asked.
“We could push two beds together,” K said. “Make a mega bed.”
Sam gasped. “A mega bed!”
“Could we-“ Jammer started.
“I don’t think all four beds will fit in one room,” Evan said. “And we’d have to carry half of them across the suite-“
“And it kinda ruins the point of us being all close together,” K added. “A four bed mega bed is basically just us sleeping in our own beds.”
“The two bed mega bed is the way to go,” Sam said.
“Oh, so true,” Jammer said. He was already moving to push the beds together. “Evan, man, come help me.”
“Are we- will we get charged for moving the beds?” Evan asked.
“We can move them back,” Sam said.
“It’s far from the worst thing people have done in a hotel,” K added. “There was this fic-“
“Less talking, more bed pushing,” Jammer said. “Teamwork guys, come on.”
Sam laughed. “You’re saying you’re not strong enough to push a massive wood bed frame by yourself?”
“I am,” Jammer said. “But cooperation is better.”
“Fine,” Sam said, with a laugh.
Soon, all four of them were pushing the beds together.
And then, as soon as the beds were pushed together, they were all climbing in. They didn’t even have to talk about it, they all just knew. They climbed into the bed- the mega bed, technically, and all cuddled in together. K ended up with their head on Sam’s chest, and Evan wrapped around her, and Jammer’s arms under her and Sam. K could see Evan fidgeting, out of the corner of their eye, and hear Sam’s heartbeat under them, and feel Jammer shift around to get comfortable. They all just sort of slotted into place. Like puzzle pieces. Comfortable. Together. Safe. Warm. It was perfect. It was just like how it was meant to me.
And K fell asleep like they always did, surrounded by their friends, in only one bed.