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Wanderer didn’t sleep much. He used to not sleep at all, in fact. Only when he got to a more intimate level in his relationship with Sethos did he start to sleep, purely because Sethos craved the closeness under the covers.
You don’t have to if you don’t want to.
He’d still given Sethos what he wanted.
You don’t have to force yourself to try to sleep.
He’d still tried, because, despite how much he likes seeing Sethos’ face full on resting, it was boring to stay awake while he was entangled with a sleeping body. After a few days, he’d finally experienced the first glimpse of sleep in his existence. Since then, it’s only improved, and he spends many nights in Sethos’ abode, resting against the warm, human body that his boyfriend exists in, even dreaming dreams that Nahida gifts him. Tonight had been the same.
He could feel consciousness return to him, albeit slightly different. He remained under the covers, but he felt no warm body laying next to him, like how it’d usually be (since he's up earlier than Sethos most of the time. He then lays there until the other wakes up as well.). He did feel a faint repeating pressure on his face that he zeroed in on to regain proper consciousness. He was being kissed all over. Slowly, he opened his eyes.
“Morning, birthday boy.” Sethos’ voice sounded, still some sleep in it, but much more awake than Wanderer was. Instead of laying next to his partner, he was sitting on the edge of the bed, opposite of where he usually laid. He bent down again to place another kiss on Wanderer’s cheek.
“What..?” The puppet murmured, turning to look at Sethos when he’d leaned back up. “What are you doing?”
Sethos gave him a warm smile. “Giving you a little over five hundred kisses,” he explained in a tone that made it sound like it was the most normal thing to do. “Neither of us know your precise age, only that you’re a little past five hundred now, so I’m giving you about that amount of kisses. The only right way to wake you up on your birthday.”
Oh, right. it’s January 3rd…
Wanderer’s birthday was of very little significance to him. It was so insignificant, in fact, that he himself quit keeping track of his age. Technically, he doesn’t even age. He just knows he’s been walking in this world for over five hundred years now.
He moved from laying on his side to laying on his back, pulling his arms up from under the blanket and stretching his body, a habit he picked up from the man that was still kissing him everywhere and nowhere on his face. He scrunched his face up slightly, the attention being a little much for just waking up from slumber. “You’ve given enough kisses now,” he murmured, voice too weak and sounding too sweet for Wanderer’s doing. It’s fine, he didn’t mean it any other way. His arms lowered from the stretch, circling around Sethos’ neck.
“I’m on twenty-three,” Sethos informed, leaning down once more to leave a final kiss on the puppet’s lips.
“It’s enough,” Wanderer repeated, removing his arms from the other and sitting up. He leaned forward far enough to rest his forehead on Sethos’ shoulder momentarily, wanting to fall asleep again but forcing himself to stay awake, just waking up slower than usual.
Sethos, not being able to help himself, brought a hand up to his boyfriend’s head and carded a hand through his indigo locks. “I made you breakfast,” he said. “Just not too much, knowing that Lord Kusanali will likely bring a cake, and I’m not sure if your classmates will give you snacks for presents again this year.”
Wanderer hummed absently before forcing himself to lean back up. He has to start his day. Despite it being his birthday, he still has to attend classes. “I don’t need any of that.”
“You’re getting it, anyways,” Sethos stood up from the bed. “Let yourself be treated like a human today, you deserve it.”
Wanderer refrained from letting out a sigh. There’s no use in arguing. There’ll also be no use in rejecting any birthday wishes, or presents, or anything for that matter. Humans are stubborn and obligate themselves to follow traditions that don’t matter to some. Wanderer will just have to succumb to it all for a day. Once a day every year, on January 1st. Only then does he succumb to things that are insignificant to him.
“Come come,” Sethos urged him, reaching his hands out to Wanderer, who reached back to him without thinking, allowing the tanned man to hoist him out of bed. “Focus on getting ready for your classes; we’ll celebrate your birthday tonight at Lambad’s. Our friends will be there, and you’ll get the present I got you then. Lord Kusanali already told me that she’ll make sure to wait for you in the Sanctuary when you’re done with your classes so you can see her before we go out. Sound good?”
Wanderer hummed. “Fine,” he murmured. “Whatever.”
That last word was full of fondness, something Sethos heard but Wanderer would deny if he was being asked about it.