Carter's blinks grew slower, his small frame shifting slightly as he yawned, rubbing his eyes with tired fingers.
Kian noticed.
"Want me to tuck you in?"
Carter hesitated—just briefly—before nodding.
Then—voice soft, quieter, carrying something unspoken.
"Can we sleep in the living room?"
Kian blinked once, then exhaled lightly, nodding.
Without hesitation, he moved—adjusted the sofa bed, made sure everything was comfortable, effortless in the way he took care of the moment.
Carter settled in, shifting slightly beneath the blankets, small, quiet, watching Kian as if expecting him to just understand.
And Kian?
He did.
Without overthinking, without hesitation—he lay beside him.
Carter didn't say anything.
Didn't ask for anything.
Just—before sleep fully took over, his small frame curled slightly against Kian's side, hugging him without realizing it, without meaning to—like it was natural. Like it was familiar.
Kian stilled.
Just for a moment.
Just long enough for the weight of it to press into his chest.
Then—before he could even process it, before he could acknowledge the warmth settling between them—he fell asleep, too.