Work Text:
Morgan watched as Alex yawned, face gaunt with clear exhaustion despite how alert his eyes remained. “When was the last time you slept?” While he figured it had been a couple of days, Morgan figured the S-Tier villain had been busy doing whatever it was that entertained him these days.
“Uh,” Alex’s face scrunched up in thought, eyes distant as he tried to remember, “Three months ago?”
“You’re going to fucking sleep and you’re going to sleep right now.” Morgan’s face twisted from disbelief to resignation as he pulled on Alex’s arm, trying to pull him off the couch.
“No, it's fine. I’ll just,” Alex lifted his hand, ready to snap and make it better. Frustrated panic rushed through Morgan as he thought about how often his friend had just snapped to give himself more energy. It couldn’t be good for him and before he could use his powers, Morgan covered Alex’s hand with his own.
“No, you won’t.” Morgan watched his friend as he lowered his hand, “You’re going to go to sleep in a bed, alright?”
“You know,” Alex smirked at Morgan, a playful spark in his eye, “You can’t make me fall asleep, right?”
“Yes, I can.”
“I really don’t see how.” Alex’s face was no less amused as Morgan smiled a humorous smile.
“I’m gonna manhandle you off of this couch and into your bed and then,” His face turned serious, begging Alex to try something. “I’m going to pin you to it until you fall asleep.”
“Is that supposed to be a joke? Like I’m the greatest villain to ever exist! You really think I’m just going to let you grab me and drag me off somewhere like,” Morgan grabbed the front of Alex’s shirt, and pulled him off the couch with a blank look on his face, “Oh.”
Morgan wrapped his other hand around Alex’s wrist, twisting his grip to the shoulder of the shirt as he moved behind Alex and pushed him to the room. When they arrived, Morgan kept his grip around his wrist and pulled the blanket and sheets back. Turning back to Alex with a deceptively sweet smile, he turned them around so the S-Tier’s back was facing the bed before shoving him in that direction. Surprised, Alex dropped to the bed.
“You better get comfortable because you have about 3 seconds before I’m pinning you.” The smile was still on Morgan’s face and Alex grimaced before shifting on the bed and laying back, wiggling a bit to get comfortable. “You good? Great.” Before Alex could respond, Morgan was lying on top of him.
Morgan’s head was on Alex’s chest, the other man being shorter, and their legs were tangled together. For a second, Alex thought about rolling the other man off of him to avoid having to sleep just yet. The thought was accompanied by a vivid image of Morgan crumpled and broken. Alex tensed as his vision cleared to see Morgan looking up at him, eyes raised in a way that dared him to try something.
“We’re going to nap here, and you’re going to get at least three hours of sleep so help me.” Alex clenched his teeth and nodded.
“If that will make you get off of me, fine.” Morgan didn’t reply, just shifted to get more comfortable.
Alex drifted into consciousness slowly, the ringing of a phone somewhere in the apartment making him frown. The form on top of him shifted before rolling with a thump onto the ground. A groan from the floor brought him to full awareness, fight or flight instincts kicking into gear as he lifted his hand, prepared to do away with whatever the situation was. There was another groan before Morgan’s head popped up next to the bed. He was rubbing his head in pain and quietly grumbling about ringing phones and “Please lord just let me go back to sleep.” The alarm clock on the side table reads 4:37 am, which means that Alex had gotten a shocking 14 and a half hours.
He runs a hand through his hair as he follows Morgan out of the room, seeing the other yawn as he ambles over to the (somehow, although he figures whoever it is that keeps calling) still ringing phone. Alex turns to the kitchen and heads straight for the coffee pot, even if he technically didn’t need it, Morgan might. Background chatter accompanies the sound of the coffee brewing as he catalogs how he feels after all of that sleep. Surprisingly well-rested and almost in a post-sleep haze, he thinks it should get him through another three plus months.
“Sometimes, I am sorely tempted to have to get rid of all telemarketers.” Its while Alex is pouring them both a cup of coffee that Morgan joins him in the kitchen.
“I can do that, but think of all the hero's time that gets wasted because they’re too kind to hang up.” Morgan gives him a thoughtful look before nodding.
“Well, maybe just have them change their hours or have them lose my number.” Morgan takes a sip of his coffee before sighing, “It's too early for them to call. I get that they’re some kind of 24 hour service, but I’d like to not be included, thanks.”
The week continues like normal and Morgan tells Alex all about a bank heist he’s planning, one that would be extremely easy if he would just let Alex use his powers. Still, Alex has started to understand that part of the fun for Morgan is the planning and execution. Morgan always gets this excited lilt to his voice when he talks about all the surveillance and planning he’s done, and Alex can’t help but be fond of his friend when he gets that way.
It’s the following Friday, while they’re eating Korean takeout that Morgan brings up the subject again, “Have you been sleeping?”
“I slept plenty last week.” Alex is barely paying attention, more focused on making his chicken spicier.
“Are you fucking kidding me, right now?” Alex looks up from his container, shocked by his friend’s response. “That’s it. Until you learn how to sleep like a normal person, don’t start.” Morgan raises a hand when Alex goes to protest, causing him to pout a bit. “I’m going to cuddle you to sleep.”
Alex grimaces, the idea of sleeping that much seems like a waste when he can just use his powers to give him energy. He can’t even respond because Morgan has gone back to eating, angry stuffing his noodles in his mouth as he mutters about dumb S-tier villains who need to take better care of their health. When Morgan is finished eating, he sits back in his chair, watching Alex with an almost sneer, waiting for him to finish his own food.
“You okay, buddy?” Alex winces when Morgan glares at him.
“Fine. Go to your room.” Alex laughs a little at how Morgan sounds like his mother when he would get in trouble as a kid. His friend’s glare cuts him off and he obediently stands and quickly heads to his room. He sort of expects what’s going to happen but it still surprises him a little when Morgan comes in wearing his pajamas, teeth brushed, and no longer smelling like that night’s dinner. “Better get changed and comfy before you lose that chance.”
With a snap of his fingers, Alex is clean and changed. Morgan’s face is so serious that Alex gets settled on the bed, followed shortly by Morgan cuddling onto him.
It’s like this on and off for several months, going until Morgan thinks Alex has gotten into a natural sleeping rhythm and starting again when he realizes he hasn’t. Always thinks to himself that it’s much easier to sleep with Morgan there, although he tries not to think too deep as to why, just accepting it as them being close. It’s not until Morgan goes away for a heist he has planned in some rainforest (it’s not that Alex doesn’t care, its that Morgan was upset at him for ruining his last heist and wouldn’t specify where exactly, but he did promise to send a postcard, which only sort of placated Alex if he was being honest.)
Alex tried to keep a similar sleep schedule as when Morgan was with him, if only to make Morgan forgive him a little faster, but he found he would lie awake each night. Alex tried meditation, white noise, guided sleeping, even tried melatonin and sleep aids. Not only did they not work, but they just worked him up more. The more he tried to figure out why nothing would work, the more frustrated he got. There wasn’t anything different really, aside from Morgan not being there.
Oh , Alex thought to himself, that’s it, Morgan isn’t here . For the next few days, Alex busied himself, deciding he didn’t want to think about why that mattered. He had done so well in busying himself that when Morgan came back, he had rearranged the whole apartment (and cleaned it by hand, it was a great distraction because he wasn’t used to doing it that way.) and was excited to show his friend.
“I rearranged the apartment and I got a few new pieces of furniture, and I know you don’t like the skull mug, so I moved it into my room so you don’t have to worry about it when you open the cupboard and,” Alex stopped speaking when Morgan swayed forward. When Alex looked closer he could see just how exhausted Morgan was, deep bruising shadows under his eyes and a pale, waxy pallor to his face. “Come on, Morgan. Let's get you some sleep.”
Alex started to walk to Morgan’s room before changing directions. Sure, it was a little selfish, but it was right around the time he should have been going to sleep anyway, so maybe Morgan would brush it off as the usual pattern. Truthfully, Alex had been going a little crazy without Morgan around and he really missed him and the nightly talks they’d had when they started the routine. He knew the other was too tired for that kind of talk tonight, but at least it was some semblance of comfort.
“Alex?” Morgan’s voice was raspy, overcome with sleepiness.
“I just sleep better when you’re with me.” Plus I missed you, Alex kept that thought to himself as they settled into his bed.
“Me too.” Morgan’s voice was so quiet, barely audible even in the silent room. Sleep took Morgan quickly, reaching for Alex not long after. The manic energy from the last week finally settled as his eyes slipped shut.
Yeah , he thought, I’m really glad you’re back .