Off*Beat (Tory/Colin)
Title: Somnophilia
Author/Artist: louiselux
Rating: mild m/m kissing
Warnings: vague spoilers for vols 1+2
A/N: thanks to emungere once again. So sorry this is late - it was due yesterday.
Summary: Tory doesn't record everything about Colin in his notebook
Somnophilia
Colin Stephens had fallen asleep. It was nothing new. Tory had seen him like this once before, except that time Colin had been propped up against a bookshelf in the corner of the school library, legs sprawled out like a left-behind rag doll.
This time he was in Tory's bed. He'd slumped at dinner, giving Tory a desperate, woozy glance. So Tory had made some excuse to Mom and had gotten the two of them away and safely into Tory's room, hurrying away from her curious gaze. Colin hadn't even said thanks. Instead he'd wobbled over to Tory's bunk and had laid down on it, curling onto his side like a small animal.
"Don't worry," he'd slurred, his voice low. "Jus' need t'rest."
"Colin," Tory said now, not too loud. Colin didn't even flicker an eyelid. "Are you okay?"
No response, and Tory maybe hadn't even expected one. Through the closed door he could hear his mom clattering dishes into the dishwasher and talking to herself. Maybe he should call her, get an ambulance? Except Colin had said not to worry.
He knelt at the side of his bunk and clenched his fists on his knees. This was just typical. He took a deep breath and scrubbed at the back of his neck with one hand. It was also the perfect opportunity for observation.
Colin's hair fell over one side of his face. His mouth was soft and a little open, like he was just about to say something. He had long eyelashes for a guy. They were thick and shiny, the same colour as his hair. Tory leaned closer. Did he dare get his notebook out now? Colin might punch him again if he woke up and saw, and maybe with good reason.
"Hey," he said. "Can you hear me?"
He was so close now that his breath ruffled the tips of Colin's hair, but Colin just sighed very softly. Colin was wearing a pale pink cotton shirt and a dark grey sweater, fine wool that looked expensive. Had his guardian paid for that? The angle of his head meant that the collar of the shirt pressed into the soft skin of his jaw, digging in. His breathing was steady and slow. Tory could feel it on his face. It smelled sweet, of carrot cake, he thought, as he leaned lower.
This was freaky, he told himself. He shouldn't be doing this. Colin might wake up and then what? I wasn't going to write any notes on you, honestly. He blinked. His nose was about two inches from Colin's nose and something had occurred to him. Or rather, an idea was crashing down into his brain, just like the time he'd knocked over a man-height stack of empty cardboard boxes in Paul's flat and they'd landed on his head. Badum. Badum. Badum.
Things became clear, like why Mandy smiled so weirdly at him and Colin, why Paul kept giving him those knowing looks and why his mom shot Tory those curious, half amused glances whenever Colin came round, like she was waiting for the punchline to a joke.
He pressed his lips to Colin's and tried not to breathe too loud. Or at all. Colin was going to kill him if he woke up now. He was. His lips were so soft. Tory raised one hand and touched Colin's hair, so lightly that Colin would never feel it, he was sure. The strands of it were was cool and heavy. He pressed a little harder with his mouth, opening his lips, letting them slide a tiny amount against Colin's. Colin was different when he was asleep: pliant and warm and unsuspicious.
Tory realised he was trembling all over, holding himself as still as he could. Colin really wasn't waking up. His breath fluttered against Tory's lips and he sighed again, and Tory sat back with a thump, sucking in air. His face was burning up and he'd just kissed Colin.
He put a hand over his mouth and looked over at his stash of notebooks. He should record this. He should. It was important.
Time: 7.12 pm
Location: My room. My bed.
Notes: Colin fell unconscious. He didn't wake when I kissed him…
No, he couldn't write that. It'd make it too real. Anyway, Colin might see it.
Tory sat and looked at him, at the curve of his mouth and the way his lower lip was a bit bigger than his upper lip. His mouth had been dry and warm and he'd tasted sweet, like cake. And he still wasn't waking up.
Tory sat and watched and told himself he wasn't going to do it again.
Author/Artist: louiselux
Rating: mild m/m kissing
Warnings: vague spoilers for vols 1+2
A/N: thanks to emungere once again. So sorry this is late - it was due yesterday.
Summary: Tory doesn't record everything about Colin in his notebook
Somnophilia
Colin Stephens had fallen asleep. It was nothing new. Tory had seen him like this once before, except that time Colin had been propped up against a bookshelf in the corner of the school library, legs sprawled out like a left-behind rag doll.
This time he was in Tory's bed. He'd slumped at dinner, giving Tory a desperate, woozy glance. So Tory had made some excuse to Mom and had gotten the two of them away and safely into Tory's room, hurrying away from her curious gaze. Colin hadn't even said thanks. Instead he'd wobbled over to Tory's bunk and had laid down on it, curling onto his side like a small animal.
"Don't worry," he'd slurred, his voice low. "Jus' need t'rest."
"Colin," Tory said now, not too loud. Colin didn't even flicker an eyelid. "Are you okay?"
No response, and Tory maybe hadn't even expected one. Through the closed door he could hear his mom clattering dishes into the dishwasher and talking to herself. Maybe he should call her, get an ambulance? Except Colin had said not to worry.
He knelt at the side of his bunk and clenched his fists on his knees. This was just typical. He took a deep breath and scrubbed at the back of his neck with one hand. It was also the perfect opportunity for observation.
Colin's hair fell over one side of his face. His mouth was soft and a little open, like he was just about to say something. He had long eyelashes for a guy. They were thick and shiny, the same colour as his hair. Tory leaned closer. Did he dare get his notebook out now? Colin might punch him again if he woke up and saw, and maybe with good reason.
"Hey," he said. "Can you hear me?"
He was so close now that his breath ruffled the tips of Colin's hair, but Colin just sighed very softly. Colin was wearing a pale pink cotton shirt and a dark grey sweater, fine wool that looked expensive. Had his guardian paid for that? The angle of his head meant that the collar of the shirt pressed into the soft skin of his jaw, digging in. His breathing was steady and slow. Tory could feel it on his face. It smelled sweet, of carrot cake, he thought, as he leaned lower.
This was freaky, he told himself. He shouldn't be doing this. Colin might wake up and then what? I wasn't going to write any notes on you, honestly. He blinked. His nose was about two inches from Colin's nose and something had occurred to him. Or rather, an idea was crashing down into his brain, just like the time he'd knocked over a man-height stack of empty cardboard boxes in Paul's flat and they'd landed on his head. Badum. Badum. Badum.
Things became clear, like why Mandy smiled so weirdly at him and Colin, why Paul kept giving him those knowing looks and why his mom shot Tory those curious, half amused glances whenever Colin came round, like she was waiting for the punchline to a joke.
He pressed his lips to Colin's and tried not to breathe too loud. Or at all. Colin was going to kill him if he woke up now. He was. His lips were so soft. Tory raised one hand and touched Colin's hair, so lightly that Colin would never feel it, he was sure. The strands of it were was cool and heavy. He pressed a little harder with his mouth, opening his lips, letting them slide a tiny amount against Colin's. Colin was different when he was asleep: pliant and warm and unsuspicious.
Tory realised he was trembling all over, holding himself as still as he could. Colin really wasn't waking up. His breath fluttered against Tory's lips and he sighed again, and Tory sat back with a thump, sucking in air. His face was burning up and he'd just kissed Colin.
He put a hand over his mouth and looked over at his stash of notebooks. He should record this. He should. It was important.
Time: 7.12 pm
Location: My room. My bed.
Notes: Colin fell unconscious. He didn't wake when I kissed him…
No, he couldn't write that. It'd make it too real. Anyway, Colin might see it.
Tory sat and looked at him, at the curve of his mouth and the way his lower lip was a bit bigger than his upper lip. His mouth had been dry and warm and he'd tasted sweet, like cake. And he still wasn't waking up.
Tory sat and watched and told himself he wasn't going to do it again.