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Law didn’t need much sleep. Maybe it was just the way his body worked, or maybe it was the copious amounts of caffeine in his system at any given moment. Either way, he could function just fine with only a couple hours of rest.
Ace, on the other hand, slept so much.
Sometimes it was intentional. He’d take a hot shower, put on his favorite pajama pants, and sleep for 10 hours straight. But more often than not, his narcolepsy got the best of him, and his sleep attacks forced him into spontaneous naps.
Law had learned Ace’s tells over time. If a sleep attack was imminent, without fail, Ace would start to lose his balance. That was the first sign that it was time for him to lie down. Thankfully, sleepy Ace was very compliant, and it didn’t take much convincing for Law to move him to a safer location. After that, it was just a matter of waiting it out and letting Ace rest.
Late one night, they were studying together. Ace had never been one to cram for exams, as he tried to keep a consistent sleep schedule, but he liked to stay up late with Law occasionally. Even if he had to be quiet and non-disruptive, he could still enjoy his boyfriend’s presence while they sat in their respective study stations— Law sitting up in his bed, Ace hunched over the desk nearby.
When Ace stood up to grab a drink, he stumbled, which immediately caught Law’s attention.
“Ace?”
“I’m good,” Ace said with a chuckle, rubbing his face. “Just kinda dark in here, that’s all. M’gonna turn another light on.” He took a few more steps before he stopped, swaying slightly in place. “Shit.”
“You should get some sleep, Ace,” Law said, setting his notebook down on his lap. “It’s late, especially for you.”
Ace shook his head, though he knew protesting was pointless. If he didn’t follow Law’s directions, he’d end up on the floor. If he was going down either way, he might as well listen.
“Come here,” Law said, scooting over to make room for Ace on the bed. They didn’t get to share it very often, since it most definitely wasn’t built for two grown men, but Law figured it was a good time to make an exception. “Lie down.”
Slowly, Ace shuffled over, watching his step all the while to avoid tripping over anything on the floor. Once he got close enough to the bed, he completely ignored the space Law had made for him, and instead flopped right down on top of the man.
“Carefully,” Law added, even though it was too late for that. Ace was already out like a light, his body limp against Law’s and his face pressed against the side of his neck.
Even when he was barely conscious, Ace was a cuddler.
With a sigh, Law pulled his notebook out from under Ace so that he could continue his studies. While Ace was definitely heavier than him, he didn’t mind the weight— it was comfortable, in its own way. He’d never tried a weighted blanket before, but after a few nights sleeping with his boyfriend on top of him, he could understand the appeal.
Plus, Ace didn’t know it, but he talked in his sleep.
It was never anything Law could understand, really; just mumbles, occasionally with coherent words sprinkled in. Law even caught his name now and then, which always made his heart flutter a bit. And while a sleeping Ace wasn’t the best conversationalist, Law still liked to answer sometimes.
“I’ve been studying the functions of the endocrine system,” he explained to his sleeping boyfriend, referencing the notebook he had propped up on Ace’s back. “It regulates the release of different hormones in the body.”
Ace just breathed out a sigh, his breath warm against Law’s skin. Apparently, the endocrine system wasn’t interesting enough to warrant a response.
Law didn’t care. He just kept talking. “The hypothalamus is an important part of the endocrine system,” he continued, keeping his voice low. “It links everything else to your nervous system through the pituitary gland.”
Ace muttered something against Law’s neck, and while Law couldn’t understand most of it, he was almost sure he heard ‘meatball’ somewhere in there. He cracked a smile. “That’s an interesting point,” he said. “Thank you for your contribution, Ace.”
Law kept rambling on until he’d covered all the glands in the endocrine system and their functions. Ace occasionally gave some input, usually through incoherent sounds or more food-related words. It was comfortable for Law, much more so than lying in bed on his own.
When it came time to take his exam, memories of an adorably sleepy Ace arose along with the materials Law had studied.