does colt sleep naked as an adult yes or yes
and does ryland discover this unwillingly when he’s staying over early into them officially dating and proceed to start internally freaking out as colt wordlessly starts stripping because he thought they were just sleeping WAIT HOLD O—
and ryland’s like, becoming increasingly red, “colt? what- what are you doing?”
and colt, down to just his underwear and nothing else, drops his pants into a nearby hamper and frowns.
“um.” he looks down at himself, then at ryland in bed. “getting ready to… sleep?”
ryland blinks, trying very very hard not to let his eyes stray below colt’s chest. it’s. a lot of skin. and while that’s not necessarily new for them, it feels different in this context. very different.
strained and reedy, ryland manages, “naked?”
ryland watches in real time as realization dawns on colt’s face; the confused frown melts away, lips parting and brows lifting.
“oh,” is all he says. he runs a hand through his hair, pink in the cheeks. he’s suddenly unable to maintain eye contact.
ryland, draped in colt’s clothes that are too big around the thighs and shoulders, just watches.
colt’s next word is, “uh…” and he wordlessly walks back to the hamper and grabs his pants.
“you don’t—” ryland starts, embarrassment cutting him off when colt immediately halts.
his back muscles are genuinely insulting. who the hell needs all that? good lord.
it’s still an easier sight than front-facing. then colt turns around, pants in hand. fantastic.
he blinks expectantly, waiting for ryland to continue. ryland feels a lot warmer than he did a couple minutes ago.
“you don’t… have to,” ryland swallows, “uh. be- be dressed.”
flawless execution, really. couldn’t have worded it better. ryland nearly facepalms.
instead, he shakily clears his throat, staring very intently at colt’s shoulder and NOT anything below that—
“if you don’t want to, i mean,” ryland continues. “not that— i mean, i don’t mind. either way.“
a quick glance at colt’s face makes ryland want to bury himself under these sheets and never resurface. his lips are pressed together, brows halfway up his forehead. ryland can’t tell if he’s trying not to laugh or if he’s surprised.
ryland’s mouth keeps moving without his consent. “actually, it’s great if you don’t. y— for you. you know. if you… if you like that. by the way, how did i not know this? is this new?”
ryland shakes his head though colt hasn’t said a word in response. “am i special?”
oh, god. what the hell did he just say?
ryland promptly buries his face in his hands and slides down until he’s flat on his back. his cheeks feel hot enough to fry eggs on.
into his hands, ryland squeaks out, “i’m going to sleep. ignore me. don’t answer that.”
ryland then flips onto his side, away from his brother. he curls into a ball of mortification.
it’s silent for a few long, horrible seconds. then colt resumes movement. ryland hears the drag of a waistband, the shuffle of feet. no whisper of fabric.
so, colt’s naked now. great.
footsteps, and then the bed dips at ryland’s back. he turns his face, still in his hands, further into the mattress. he doesn’t want to scoot up to the pillow. he’ll sleep like this now. hiding in the safety of his hands with his back complaining the curved position.
it’s silent but for ryland’s uneven breathing and the rasp of the sheets as colt settles down, an occasional creak here and there.
eventually, colt sighs. ryland does NOT think about how it sounds and he never will. no matter how soft and low and pleased. nope. never.
“it’s new-ish,” comes colt’s voice, close enough that ryland startles despite the quiet rumble of it. “but you are special.”
“great,” ryland squeezes out, muffled. his heart feels like it’s trying to burst from his ribcage, hummingbird-fast.
so you get naked just for me?
colt shifts. ryland doesn’t know if he flipped onto his back, onto his side, or sat up, or what. and he won’t check.
“ry,” colt murmurs. “would you look at me?” he pokes between ryland’s shoulder blades, and there’s no way he doesn’t notice the resulting full-body twitch. “turn around.”
“i’m,” ryland says, “not doing that.”
“suit yourself,” colt says, in a tone that suggests he is not actually letting ryland suit himself.
sure enough, ryland is then promptly rolled over by force. then, as if that wasn’t rude enough, colt gently pries his hands from his face.
ryland sulks up at his brother, cheeks no doubt ruddy red.
colt’s on his right side, covered from the waist down by the sheets, blanket also pulled up to his torso. so, that’s good.
but his very bare very prominent chest is not. there’s a thin scar right over his left topmost rib. silvery; old. ryland’s never seen it this close up before.
colt cups the back of ryland’s hands and starts lightly massaging his palms, thumbs rubbing sweeping circles with just enough pressure to make the tension in ryland’s spine melt out of him.
dang it. man, that’s nice.
ryland relaxes with a quiet exhale, the heat in his cheeks spreading to the rest of him. he arranges himself properly, mirroring colt’s position.
colt’s eyes are soft and amused when ryland meets them. “does this make you that uncomfortable? you’ve seen me naked.”
ryland’s calf finds colt’s, fabric to skin. colt catches him, tangles their legs with a small smile. it’s ridiculously hard to stay focused on his face.
“it’s not that i’m… uncomfortable,” ryland says. “it’s different.”
“why?” colt asks. “‘cause i’m so close?”
he releases one of ryland’s hands to fall to the bed, bringing the other one up to his lips to kiss the life line creasing ryland’s palm.
“you’re, ah,” ryland stutters, “it’s— intimate. and you’re… very distracting. not in a- a bad way. i like it. -oh my god.”
ryland should just stop talking for the rest of time.
colt chuckles softly. already, his eyes have a sleepy tilt to them, and it’s extremely charming.
“distracting, huh?” he drawls. “i’m flattered, ry. you’re not easy to ignore yourself.”
good lord. what a cornball.
“…that’s such a weird way to phrase a compliment.”
colt threads their fingers together and sinks sideways onto the pillow. ryland follows, and then they’re facing each other in the dimming light.
colt’s very handsome, all swathes of tan skin and soft lines.
“if it actually bothers you,” colt murmurs, a quiet seriousness in his voice, “i’ll get dressed. promise.” his eyes dart between ryland’s, soft and sincere.
wordlessly, ryland scoots closer, until he can slot their bodies properly together. colt looks quietly delighted, smiling slow and syrupy.
he’s absolutely radiating heat. ryland’s other hand finds colt’s chest, pressing into his heartbeat. it speeds up beneath his touch.
“no,” ryland whispers, “this is nice.”
colt’s eyes crease. “good.”
and then, after all that drama, ryland still ends up falling asleep pressed close to his brother.
even if ryland forgets upon waking up and finds himself being spooned by a very naked colt and almost flings himself off the bed.
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