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By the time Sabo gets home, Ace is already dead to the world, sprawled out on the couch and snoring like a chainsaw. Sabo’s lips twitch a bit, the sight before him not at all an unfamiliar one. He drops his bag into a chair and picks his way over the the couch, tiptoeing around all the random junk laying on the floor that they really ought to pick up at some point.
Quietly, Sabo grabs a blanket and gently drapes it over the exposed form of his lover to keep the cool air at bay while he sleeps. Ace’s sleep schedule isn’t the most coherent thing, so he needs all the rest he can get. Unfortunately, Ace’s eyes open once the blanket settles on his body, and they drowsily wander up to Sabo’s face.
“Sa’o..?” he murmurs, and Sabo rolls his eyes, fondness curling warmly in his chest.
“Yeah, it’s me,” he says softly, perching on the arm rest. “You know sleeping on the couch isn’t good for your neck, babe.”
Ace shifts into a more upright position, wiping the sleep away from his eyes. “I wanted to wait til you got home.”
“I told you I was going to be late, didn’t I?”
“Yeah, well.. I wanted to wait anyways. You’ve been so busy lately, I wanted to see you. Plus it’s your birthday, so...” His eyes flutter closed as he lets out a cat-like yawn.
“Well it’s only 11:30, we still have another thirty minutes,” Sabo teases.
“Not enough time,” Ace pouts. “We’re still good for dinner on Saturday though, right? Since you’re apparently too good to celebrate your birthday on the actual day of your birth unlike the rest of us.”
“You said it, not me.” Sabo’s eyes crinkle in a smile, and doesn’t pull away when Ace reaches for his hand to entwine their fingers together. “Just a few more days and then I’m all yours.”
“Is that a promise or a threat?” Ace asks suspiciously, and Sabo gives a high, lofty laugh.
“Yes.”
“Well who says I’m willing to wait a few more days then?” Ace asks mischievously before quickly tugging on Sabo’s arm, flipping him over and onto the couch with him. Sabo gives out a yelp that turns into a laugh as his world is suddenly turned upside down—literally.
While normally this would turn into a wrestling match between the two, Sabo finds himself sagging onto Ace’s chest instead, bathing in his familiar presence. They fall into a long, peaceful moment of silence, only broken by the quiet tick of the clock in the kitchen.
“You know that you mean the world to me, right?” Ace asks softly, shifting so that they’re laying more comfortably on the too-small couch.
“Of course I do,” Sabo replies with a small, earnest smile, not protesting in the least.
“Good. And don’t you forget it.”
Ace is warm and the moment is soft, the hard edges already becoming fuzzy after a long, hard day. He allows himself to relax, eyes slipping shut as he listens to the steady beat of Ace’s heart. He doesn’t fight the drowsiness, sinking into both Ace and the cushions even though neither are particularly comfortable.
“Hey, now who’s the one falling asleep on the couch?” Ace teases.
“Shhhh, pillows don’t talk,” is Sabo’s only reply as he wraps his arms around Ace’s torso, further ensnaring him.
“Shit—you’re freezing!” Ace complains, trying to push Sabo’s arms away, but he only holds on tighter.
“Pillows don’t feel things either.”
“You’re the worst,” Ace groans, giving up even though he honestly isn’t all that bothered. It’s the small, quiet moments like this that Ace treasures most; when it’s just the two of them and nothing else.
“Love you too,” Sabo replies, words muffled in the fabric of Ace’s shirt. They chat for a little longer, but by the time it reaches midnight, Sabo’s replies already start becoming less and less coherent, his long day taking its toll. Ace lets his eyes close too, finally slipping into sleep in an unassuming, unwitnessed moment.