Sleep, Sugar

BEN Drowned/Jeff

(Pic Not Mine)

Jeff was most certainly not a night sleeper. If anything, he was a night owl. It was hard for him to fall asleep on even the darkest of nights, and would often only crash once it was daylight. The dark was needed for his profession, after all, and it wasn't like Jeff would try to find a way to stay up at night and sleep during the day regardless. BEN might have not minded on other occasions, as he himself rarely needed sleep (not like he enjoyed it, as most of his sleep was filled with nightmares of his death; making it hard to even want to attempt to sleep), but there were some instances where Jeff just couldn't sleep. Hell, BEN was sure Jeff's record so far had to have been a week at least . Which was what brought him to his current situation.

"BEN!" came Jeff's loud, gruff voice from up the stairs and down the hall. BEN didn't even attempt to look in the direction the voice came from even as he responded.

"Yeah?"

"I can't sleep!" came Jeff's reply.

"Ok?" BEN hummed as he tried to listen in on what the characters on the television were saying. "And? You want milk or something?"

"No, I just --!" Jeff was sounding more frustrated now, and BEN was sure he was going to hear hurried footsteps any moment now. "I just can't sleep ."

BEN huffed, brow furrowing on his pristine skin as he thought for a long moment. Finally the phantom sighed and, turning off the television, stood and proceeded up the stairs and down the long hall to Jeff's room. The door was ajar, and it squeaked loudly in protest as the door was opened. Jeff lay on his back, seemingly pertibuted, under his covers staring up at the ceiling in what one could only describe as anger. BEN snickered, earning a side eyed glare and actual acknowledgment.

"Still think it'd be a good idea to get blankets for the windows," BEN spoke, taking off his shoes quickly at the bedroom door before carefully returning the door how he found it.

"Don't think that'd help at all," Jeff grumbled as he glared back up at the ceiling. "Maybe if I sew a sleeping mask on my face, that'll help."

BEN's footfalls were nearly silent as he padded across the room and half leap onto the bed. Jeff had half a mind to kick at the blond once the force of his weight was off of his legs, but went against that urge once BEN steadied himself and crawled up next to Jeff with a grin on his cracked lips.

"But then how would you get it to move around?" BEN asked, flopping down on the bed with his head next to Jeff's on the pillow. "I mean, you could probably staple it or stitch it, but I'm pretty sure you could still bleed out, right?"

"Just have Jack stuff my insides with that candy of his," Jeff snorted as he rolled over onto his side to face the door and granted BEN access to the blankets. "Pretty sure I'd be fine and dandy then."

"Pretty sure you'd be dead," was BEN's reply. His body was practically attracted to the skinnier frame as he rolled over; almost instantly snaking his arms around that white, blood stained hoodie so his hands could easily lock together and his legs almost forcing Jeff's to bend as he spooned him. "Besides," he went on as he smooshed one side of his face against Jeff's back so he could still breath and talk, "I'm pretty sure that's not how you're supposed to make blood."

"Heh, it was worth a shot," Jeff snorted, his voice slowly dipping with drowsiness.

BEN could only find it in hum to him in response, nuzzling Jeff's back. And if Jeff cared, he didn't say. Man, he really needed to bleach this hoodie. Or burn it, whatever worked faster.

It was a few long minutes before BEN was sure Jeff had fallen deeply asleep; his free hand having moved absent mindedly and grabbed onto BEN's arms that lay curled around his waist. BEN thought for a moment that he'd be able to slip out without waking Jeff -- but thought against it. He was actually quite comfortable lying there, and it never hurt to have an occasional nap here and there.

Besides, with Jeff, the nightmares always seemed fleeting and easily forgotten, even if only for a little while.