Russell Adler x Reader

Twenty-Three

It had been difficult to sleep at war.

Every single noise had made you snap out of your sleep, drenched in sweat and fearing that the enemy tried to burn you alive.

Your place to sleep had been next to Adler's. From the beginning on you had noticed how bad of a sleeper he was.

He didn't wake up easily, but he slept as restless as a madman. Every other second his head turned, slight breaths and sounds escaping him.

His legs were twitching.

That night his hand had fallen into your face, slapping you awake, just like it had a lot of time before. But this time you were fed up.

Instead of hitting him, as you usually did, you locked your fingers with his and forced him to stay still.

That night you had noticed how soft his hands were.

His skin was smooth and without any signs of the war. His nails were clean, as always, and they smelled like moisturiser.

A few moments passed, in which his hand kept twitching, before a sudden tug made you open your eyes.

Adler's face came into sight, grim and adored by the shadows of the night.

"What are you doing?", he asked and shook his hand in an attempt to get you off of him.

You gifted him an annoyed look. With a harsh gesture, you pulled him down and only gave him the chance to hold onto the edge of his bed so his entire weight wouldn't crush you.

"Your hand is annoying the shit out of me...", you hissed in a low voice. "I can't sleep when you hit me."

His eyebrows pulled together.

Adler never wore shades at night. It was an unusual sight, but somehow also something entirely different. He looked like another man.

Without the shades, you were able to read in his eyes.

Those eyes, bright blue and hard just like the ones of a born leader. But there was also something else inside those eyes: a kind of pride that could easily be seen as ignorant and cocky.

Your heart skipped a beat as he leaned forward, so close that his nose almost brushed yours.

"You sleep well?", he asked and forced your grip open.

You let go of his hand. But instead, your hand snapped forward and grabbed him by the dog tags that dangled around his neck.

He wasn't wearing a shirt to bed, Vietnam was too warm for that.

Struck by the gesture, he blinked.

"What are you doing?", he asked, frowning.

You locked eyes with him. For a moment, you didn't say a word. You just stared at him.

Confusion and a hint of discomfort appeared inside Adler's eyes.

"I sleep about as good as any other poor fuck here.", you breathed after a while. "But your constant slapping and twitching takes the last bit of sleep I have in this shit hole. Keep. It. Down."

He swallowed hard.

You could feel how his throat moved. With a warning gaze, you released him and turned away to get back to sleep.

Adler lay down back as well. Not a few moments later, he dozed off and started twitching again.

Annoyed, you rolled your eyes and let out a groan. You sat up straight, glaring at him as if it could make his existence vanish from the face of earth.

But he didn't seem to notice. He was a lucky guy, fell asleep fast and managed to sleep through the night. Unless he had to take a piss.

He always got up at around the same hour of the night to go and take a piss only to returned and drop dead again. He was a mystery, both admirable and weird at the same time.

As you sat there, glaring at him, his hand slipped over the edge of his bed again. This time it brushed your shoulder.

"That's enough!", you growled and jumped up to climb on top of him.

Disturbed by the sudden weight on his chest, Adler tore his eyes open.

Your gazes locked. Confused blue kissed annoyed (E/C).

Out of reflex, his hands found your hips.

"What's this supposed to be?", he asked.

You shrugged.

"I want to switch beds.", you said, dead serious.

He frowned.

"Get the fuck down!", he hissed and wanted to yeet you off his bed.

But you dug your nails into his shoulders.

Flinching in response, he pulled a face. But it wasn't a face of discomfort.

"Get off!", he repeated and started to struggle underneath you.

But you twisted and turned, just to slide down in a clumsy manner.

With a deadly glance, you grabbed his face and forced him to look you in the eyes.

That had been the very first time you had looked him straight in the eyes. As the bright blue hit you, distorted by anger and annoyance, goosebumps grew all over your body. A pleasant shiver crawled down your spine.

In that moment you knew that his eyes would be the most dangerous thing about him.

"Get on the floor!", you hissed in such a threatening manner that he froze. "I'm not fucking around anymore."

Adler swallowed hard.

"I can't.", he said.

You tilted your head.

"You can sleep on the floor. Don't be a sissy."

He shook his head.

"I can't sleep calmly. Not anymore."

You sighed, annoyed.

"Then stop hitting me at least.", you demanded. "I get that war doesn't help find rest, but I don't deserve to catch some hands at night."

While halfway sitting on him you could feel how his heart was beating inside his chest.

It was a calm beat, even and almost relaxed.

Adler's gaze looked you up and down.

All of a sudden, his arms wrapped around your torso. Without warning he turned around and pulled you with him.

You found yourself trapped between the wall and his chest.

Confused, you remained motionless for a moment.

"What the hell is this supposed to be?", you asked.

He let out a deep breath.

"Your weight against me helps calm the nerves.", he whispered. "If you don't want to sleep on the floor we can share the bed. I know you use it anyways."

Swallowing hard, you squeezed your eyes shut.

Ever since that night Adler had slept calmly and the nights were peaceful.