a warm, barely perceptible breath tickles Andrew’s neck in the early hours of the morning. he wakes in his usual position, flat on his back, only this time to the steady rhythm of quiet breaths spilling into the curve of his neck. even in his sleepy haze, it doesn’t take him long to figure out who they belong to. the tousled strands of red hair, stirred by the faint breeze drifting in through the cracked window and brushing against his cheek, make the answer even more obvious. sometime during the night, Neil had instinctively inched closer in search of warmth, settling his head against Andrew’s shoulder. one arm had become hopelessly tangled somewhere between the blanket and Andrew’s forearm, while one of his legs had already found its way halfway over Andrew’s thigh. the more awake Andrew becomes, the more acutely he feels that warm breath washing over the sensitive skin of his neck, sending an entirely physical shiver low through his body. without thinking, he tilts his head ever so slightly, exposing more of his neck to that gentle warmth. he should have known the movement would rouse Neil. despite every silent prayer Andrew offers for him not to do exactly what he’s about to do, Neil sleepily parts his lips, absentmindedly brushing them against the already overheated skin of Andrew’s neck. Andrew draws a sharp breath through his teeth. his fingers disappear into Neil’s unruly hair, gently tugging his head back just enough to put a little distance between those dangerously drowsy lips and his neck. when Neil finally blinks his eyes open, they’re still glazed with sleep, those blue eyes struggling to focus on Andrew’s face. “Morning…?” Andrew asks. the only reply is a sleepy, incoherent hum before Neil lets his head fall right back into the hollow of Andrew’s neck, making it abundantly clear that he has absolutely no intention of getting up. a few minutes pass before Andrew feels the slowest, softest kiss pressed against the pulse at the base of his throat. his head immediately dips, catching the sigh before it has the chance to escape, and he meets Neil’s gaze once more. the sleepiness is still there, but now it’s accompanied by an unmistakably stubborn question in those bright blue eyes. “Morning,” Neil murmurs. by now, the sparkle in his eyes can no longer be blamed solely on sleep. it’s also the reason neither of them leaves the bed for another half hour, choosing instead to wake each other properly through lazy morning kisses and caresses, until Andrew’s warm breaths and Neil’s quiet, contented sounds gradually chase the last traces of sleep away.
