Crescent x Gradient Oneshots

How to cuddle your mortal enemy without being suspicious

Crescent wasn't one to go down without a fight. Not because he was stubborn or anything. Not entirely. Mostly, his father wanted him to give his all, and Crescent wanted to make him proud.

But even if he wanted his father to be proud, he was tired. The last time he slept was... sometime last week and now he was engaged in combat. His body felt sluggish and he had a slight migraine that made it hard to think.

So it was no surprise he lost this one. One moment he was lunging at Gradient, the next, he found himself caught in the other's strings.

"Oh," Crescent said blankly. At least he wasn't suspended in the air for once. That wouldn't have helped his migraine.

"You're really out of it today, huh?" Gradient asked. "Normally, you'd be able to anticipate that move."

"I'm fine," he mumbled.

"Sure you are," he replied. "When's the last time you slept?"

"Does it matter?"

"It does if you look like you'll pass out any moment."

"It doesn't if I get the job done," he countered. Gradient hummed.

"I don't like that response. I think it's time for you to take a nap," he said. He pulled Crescent closer.

"What are you doing?" Crescent hissed, struggling against his binds. "Our parents are still in the AU!"

"I know," Gradient replied, ignoring his attempts to escape and hugging him tightly. "That's why I didn't untie you. You're my hostage now."

"Oh-"

"You've been helping me with my haphephobia," he said. "Now I'll help you with your... whatever it is you're doing to yourself."

"I was just really busy," he replied. "I'm perfectly fine."

"Maybe, you are, but as my hostage, you have to do what I say. And I say sleep." Crescent sighed.

"Why are you so-"

"No, shh," Gradient cut in. "Close your eye sockets and go to sleep."

"Fine, fine..." Crescent mumbled, shifting as well as he could while restrained until he was comfortable.

He was nearly asleep when he and Gradient were interrupted.

"What are you two doing?" Error hissed. Crescent decided he didn't want to deal with this and just kept his eyes closed.

He knew his father was here too, but he just... he was just really tired. His father was probably searching through Crescent's aura but he couldn't bring himself to care.

"I'm working on my haphephobia," Gradient lied. Or, well... maybe that wasn't entirely a lie.

"With Nightmare's son?"

"Well, I thought that if I could touch my greatest enemy then logically, I'd be able to touch anyone," he replied. "And he's always so tired. He makes it easy to hold him down."

"For the love of- Crescent, get up." He hummed, shifting slightly but otherwise making no move to get up. Gradient was unfairly comfortable.

"I don't think he's getting up," Gradient said. "He looked especially exhausted today."

Crescent was sure the conversation continued but he ended up falling asleep at some point and when he woke up, he was at home in his bed. With fewer chores to do, for some reason.

He didn't get grounded, that's for sure. His father said so. But no one would tell him what happened that day after he fell asleep. Gradient just gave him a sweet smile and his father would get really uncomfortable.