for @doggonemad

[throughbamboo]

just bros being bros

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[throughbamboo]

[Saejima tries to sleep; he gets under the covers and tries to quiet his mind down and do what he normally would, stare at the ceiling until sleep took over.

But the ceiling is unfamiliar and the bed is way too soft and the noises are all wrong, and after a while he sighs heavily and sits back up. It's too comfortable and it says something that that's a problem.

He's seriously considering getting up to go out for a smoke when he hears Majima's shuffling in the hallway]

[doggonemad]

[ he opens the door, staring over at Saejima quietly to see if he's awake. ]

[throughbamboo]

[he tilts his head, staring back for a moment with a frown]

. . . bro?

[doggonemad]

[ wordlessly walks over to his bed and flops down on the other side.

it's a big stupid penthouse with big stupid beds so there's more than enough room. ]

[throughbamboo]

[ah. He watches Majima flop down, expression stone-faced.

Then he shifts to lay back down without a word]

[doggonemad]

[ he still has his eyepatch on. and a comfy pair of sweatpants, because it's December and he's still more used to bundling up than, you know, turning on the heat.

he keeps his back to Saejima for now as he tries to settle in. ]

[throughbamboo]

[. . .

He reaches over to tug the covers up over him, making his movements obvious. He doesn't touch him except for a very brief pat on the arm, before settles back down]

[doggonemad]

[ he tenses up briefly, though that tension seems to leave him just as quickly.

it's Saejima, it's just Saejima. ]

[throughbamboo]

[he stretches out on his back, returning to staring at the ceiling. It's familiar and at the same time, the weirdest part of it all]

[doggonemad]

[ if he closes his eye, it's almost like being back in Saejima's old shitty apartment. almost, because the futon on his floor was never this comfortable.

but he can still burrow under the covers at least. ]

[throughbamboo]

[the futon was barely half the size of the bed, too, maybe (probably) less.

As he burrows, Saejima decides he's sick of the ceiling and shifts onto his side. Watching the lump of bro next to him is much better than the ceiling. Less like a dream, too]

[doggonemad]

[ after a moment, he mumbles: ]

Can feel yer eyes at the back of my head, bro.

[throughbamboo]

[he mutters back]

I ain't starin'.

[doggonemad]

[ rolls over, resituating himself so he can check that. ]

[throughbamboo]

[he meets his eye with a raised eyebrow]

Lookin' is different.

[doggonemad]

. . .

Bro.

[throughbamboo]

[what :( He shuts his eyes]

Whole thing's different. Hard not to.

[doggonemad]

So, what, yer lookin' at the one thing that's kinda familiar?

[throughbamboo]

Yeah. Lookin' long enough to make sure it's still real.

[doggonemad]

. . .

S'real, bro. Yer out. An' I ain't dead.

[throughbamboo]

. . . I know. Last part's the only one I really care 'bout makin' sure of.

[doggonemad]

[ watches him quietly for a moment, before reaching out to try and take his hand by the wrist. ]

[throughbamboo]

[he opens his eyes, watching that. He doesn't stop him or pull away]

[doggonemad]

[ tugs it over, resting his hand on his neck. not in a "strangle me, bro" sort of way, though, but just so he can feel his pulse through his carotid artery. ]

[throughbamboo]

[there's a brief, startled look on his face when realizes what Majima is doing, but then it softens into something more unreadable. He doesn't say anything, just rests his hand where Majima puts it]