Andrew is most tactile in the early morning, before heâs fully awake. while theyâre brushing their teeth, he absentmindedly rests a hand on Neilâs waist, his fingers lazily tracing slow circles over the small of his back. the touch is so automatic that Andrew probably isnât even aware heâs doing it. afterward, Neil fully expects Andrew to wander off to the kitchen like he always does. Instead, Andrew quietly steps behind him, wraps both arms around his waist, and pulls him close, resting his chin on Neilâs shoulder before burying his face against the side of his neck. their bare skin presses together, warm and unhurried, and that warmth only makes Neil question whether their morning run is really worth it. Andrewâs eyes are still glazed with sleep, softer than the calm, unreadable gaze Neil is used to. his hands continue their slow path along Neilâs sides, occasionally coming to a complete stop, as though heâd almost drifted back to sleep standing there. Neil turns just enough to cup Andrewâs slightly pouty cheeks, smiling as he wipes away the tiny smear of toothpaste left at the corner of his mouth. âJust go back to bed,â he murmurs before pressing a slow kiss to Andrewâs lips. Andrew doesnât even bother kissing him back properly. he only looks at Neil through an unfocused, sleepy gaze, his hands still loosely holding Neilâs waist, before giving the smallest shake of his head. so, despite Andrewâs obvious reluctance to begin the day, Neil ends up watching him shuffle around the kitchen half-asleep, gently swaying on the balls of his feet while waiting for the kettle to boil. he stirs his coffee with slow, absent movements, and when his morning need for closeness begins to reach its limit, he quietly leans back until his shoulders meet Neilâs chest, staying there while he finishes the last few sips of caffeine. these moments exist only in the earliest hours of the morning, before Andrew has fully become himself again. Neil treasures every single one of them. truthfully, heâd wake Andrew up at five in the morning every day if it meant getting to spend just a little longer with this sleepy, unguarded version of him.