[He doesn't sound very much like he means it. It sounds more like idle grumbling, really, as he curls his arm around Hypnos' shoulders and rests one hand against the back of his head.
Then he quiets for a while, his fingers occasionally twitching in Hypnos' silvery curls, before he speaks again.]
You might have told me sooner if you were struggling.
[ Yawn. He won't delay and he'll cuddle right up to Thanatos right away, right? Yeah. He will. But it's been so long. He can't even remember how long, really - since Thanatos has put a hand on him. Since he's touched his head, since the touch was so soft.
There's a lot of times when he doubts that Thanatos cares about him or loves him. Often - most of the time - even. But right now? Those doubts are gone and he feels like his brother does truly care about him.
Then, he adds quietly: ]
I may just tell you so we can do this like we are kids again.
[Thanatos chuffs out a very quiet laugh, the sound barely snatching enough air to be audible. His hand is still gentle on the back of Hypnos' head, and he can't remember the last time that they were voluntarily this close to one another either.
He's always so busy. So busy with everything, and Hypnos has always been the antithesis to everything he tried to stand for. Irritatingly lazy, unmotivated, constantly falling asleep at his post. His absolute opposite.
At least, so he often thinks. They are twins after all.
And he does care.]
We haven't been children for a long time, little brother.
[ He's teasing, of course. It's his nature to tease, even more so when he's comfortable with someone like he is with Thanatos right now. It's nice to feel comfortable with him. They may be brothers - twins - but that's where their similarities end and he has always had issues connecting with him. So here he'll sleep, one arm draped over him. It's as if he were a pet cat.
And though he has always had doubts. He know one thing:
If Thanatos didn't want him here, he wouldn't be here right now. ]
[In that, at least, Hypnos is entirely correct. Thanatos has borne his brother's intrusion and antics with gritted teeth, but he has borne them. It would have been easy to refuse his company, to turn him away, or to tell him to leave. Thanatos has never been shy of speaking his mind about things like that.
Maybe it's this place. With the reality of mortality shoved so abruptly in his face and it being his own, there has been something of a shift in the god of death's priorities.]
You know... [And he turns his head slightly so Hypnos' curls brush his cheek.] You don't need to make an excuse to spend time with me here. Just ask me.
[ He never really thought that it was an excuse, but he supposes it was. But at first he had just wanted to tease Thanatos. After that...it turned into something else. It's been so long since he's been this close to Thanatos, though. And he sort of thinks it might be some dream fulfilling his need to know that his brother cares. But -- he's certain it's not that.
He would know, even as a mortal. ]
Old habits, I guess.
[ It's nice to think that he doesn't need some excuse to see Thanatos, though. ]
[All that spare time he has, and had he given a single thought to how he could spend so much of it with his brother? He... hadn't, really, and it's strange how he feels a prickle of shame at that.
Ugh. It had been easier to feel nothing at all.
He moves his hand from Hypnos' head to the back of his shoulder and lets it rest there. Thanatos knows very well that he has never been the kindest person in Hypnos' life and he has always had his reasons for that, but while they're here... While they're here maybe things can be a little different. They can be different. How? He isn't sure yet, but he's sure that while they're here he's going to be keeping a close eye on his twin.]
Do you think you can get to sleep now? [Thanatos asks, tilting his head just enough to barely be able to see Hypnos' face.]
[ He teases a little. Just a bit. Sometimes it's weird to still call him that. To still call Thanatos big brother simply because he's just a small bit older. He's settled in against him easily. Comfortably. More comfortable than he ever thought he'd be cuddled - yeah, cuddled - up next to him. And he knows he won't tease Thanatos about the fact that this interaction is happen because he's too delighted by it to do that. ]
You too.
[ He'll fall asleep fast, though. He always does when he's comfortable. ]
[He believes that Hypnos is wise enough to not tease him about this, because he assumes that his brother would like this to happen again.
Thanatos closes his eyes and adjusts his position slightly to account for the weight of someone against his side, and though he doesn't fall asleep quite as quickly as Hypnos does he does, eventually, doze off.]
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timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2021-04-23 10:44 pm (UTC)[He doesn't sound very much like he means it. It sounds more like idle grumbling, really, as he curls his arm around Hypnos' shoulders and rests one hand against the back of his head.
Then he quiets for a while, his fingers occasionally twitching in Hypnos' silvery curls, before he speaks again.]
You might have told me sooner if you were struggling.
no subject
Date: 2021-04-23 11:07 pm (UTC)[ Yawn. He won't delay and he'll cuddle right up to Thanatos right away, right? Yeah. He will. But it's been so long. He can't even remember how long, really - since Thanatos has put a hand on him. Since he's touched his head, since the touch was so soft.
There's a lot of times when he doubts that Thanatos cares about him or loves him. Often - most of the time - even. But right now? Those doubts are gone and he feels like his brother does truly care about him.
Then, he adds quietly: ]
I may just tell you so we can do this like we are kids again.
no subject
Date: 2021-04-23 11:13 pm (UTC)He's always so busy. So busy with everything, and Hypnos has always been the antithesis to everything he tried to stand for. Irritatingly lazy, unmotivated, constantly falling asleep at his post. His absolute opposite.
At least, so he often thinks. They are twins after all.
And he does care.]
We haven't been children for a long time, little brother.
no subject
Date: 2021-04-24 01:13 am (UTC)[ He's teasing, of course. It's his nature to tease, even more so when he's comfortable with someone like he is with Thanatos right now. It's nice to feel comfortable with him. They may be brothers - twins - but that's where their similarities end and he has always had issues connecting with him. So here he'll sleep, one arm draped over him. It's as if he were a pet cat.
And though he has always had doubts. He know one thing:
If Thanatos didn't want him here, he wouldn't be here right now. ]
I think I'm going to sleep easy here.
no subject
Date: 2021-04-24 10:17 pm (UTC)Maybe it's this place. With the reality of mortality shoved so abruptly in his face and it being his own, there has been something of a shift in the god of death's priorities.]
You know... [And he turns his head slightly so Hypnos' curls brush his cheek.] You don't need to make an excuse to spend time with me here. Just ask me.
no subject
Date: 2021-04-26 04:46 am (UTC)[ He never really thought that it was an excuse, but he supposes it was. But at first he had just wanted to tease Thanatos. After that...it turned into something else. It's been so long since he's been this close to Thanatos, though. And he sort of thinks it might be some dream fulfilling his need to know that his brother cares. But -- he's certain it's not that.
He would know, even as a mortal. ]
Old habits, I guess.
[ It's nice to think that he doesn't need some excuse to see Thanatos, though. ]
no subject
Date: 2021-04-28 09:47 pm (UTC)[All that spare time he has, and had he given a single thought to how he could spend so much of it with his brother? He... hadn't, really, and it's strange how he feels a prickle of shame at that.
Ugh. It had been easier to feel nothing at all.
He moves his hand from Hypnos' head to the back of his shoulder and lets it rest there. Thanatos knows very well that he has never been the kindest person in Hypnos' life and he has always had his reasons for that, but while they're here... While they're here maybe things can be a little different. They can be different. How? He isn't sure yet, but he's sure that while they're here he's going to be keeping a close eye on his twin.]
Do you think you can get to sleep now? [Thanatos asks, tilting his head just enough to barely be able to see Hypnos' face.]
no subject
Date: 2021-05-01 08:56 pm (UTC)[ He teases a little. Just a bit. Sometimes it's weird to still call him that. To still call Thanatos big brother simply because he's just a small bit older. He's settled in against him easily. Comfortably. More comfortable than he ever thought he'd be cuddled - yeah, cuddled - up next to him. And he knows he won't tease Thanatos about the fact that this interaction is happen because he's too delighted by it to do that. ]
You too.
[ He'll fall asleep fast, though. He always does when he's comfortable. ]
no subject
Date: 2021-05-06 08:06 pm (UTC)[He believes that Hypnos is wise enough to not tease him about this, because he assumes that his brother would like this to happen again.
Thanatos closes his eyes and adjusts his position slightly to account for the weight of someone against his side, and though he doesn't fall asleep quite as quickly as Hypnos does he does, eventually, doze off.]