smokingmirror | 100 Original Fics: 086: Addict (1/1) (Reply)

Title: Addict
Series: 100 Original Fics
Character: Fox Maharassa
Author: Avarice
Prompt: 086 - Choices
Rating: G
Pairing: Fox/Collin
Spoilers: -
Summary: Collin's become quite used to his situation.
Word Count: 1071
Date First Posted: 18-01-2009
Date Revised: 02-06-2011
Beta: -
Awards: -
Notes: Another older fic that was started and never finished. I opened it in '09 and wrote the ending it had needed so desperately!
Feedback: always welcome, as is constructive criticism.
Also Archived At: LJ

Addiction was a sweet word. Sugar laced with poison, speaking of pleasure and pain and the fine line between them.

It occurred to Collin one night as he lay awake in bed, that he had become hopelessly addicted. His dependence was such that if he didn't get a fix each day, he felt less... with far more grumpiness and irritability to share around. And he spent more time devoted to thinking about it than he really should've.

It happened that Collin was totally reliant on sleeping with Fox. Not in the sex way -- though he couldn't get enough of that either -- he meant sleeping with him in the same bed.

It had been a gradual development. Over the years they had slept in the same bed a handful of times. There was one particular instance when Fox had refused to get out of bed sometime after Dinah had broken his heart, and Collin had climbed in and just held Fox for what seemed like hours. It happened more often after they began to room together for college, but even then, still not too often.

Then one night after Fox had asked him out and he'd agreed, Collin was feeling vulnerable. He asked Fox to share his bed. Fox being Fox, agreed without protest. It was a tight squeeze, two men such as they were trying to lie comfortably in a king single, but they managed somehow.

Waking up in the morning with Fox's warm body curled around his and a careless hand gracing his hip was something wonderful to Collin. The security his best friend provided warmed him more effortlessly than his electric blanket. And was far less likely to cause a fire.

They didn't do it the next night, or the night after that, Collin feeling self-conscious and wanting space, but the night after that...

And that's the way he began to get addicted. Some nights were spent on their foldout sofa where there was more room (but a somewhat uncomfortable bar down the middle underneath the mattress). Most, however, were spent in Collin's bed.

Collin's was the bed of choice, being positioned next to the air conditioning unit. Gradually, Fox's bed up against the other wall had become a place for textbooks or clean washing before it was put away. There were circumstances, however, when Fox slept in his own bed. One happened to be if they'd had a fight.

As it happened, they'd had a bit of a verbal stoush the day before yesterday. It wasn't a big deal, just some harsh words about chores not being done and essays being left to the last minute. Fox'd gone into the bedroom early to read, lying down on his own bed. He'd soon fallen asleep with the textbook over his face, and while Collin was no longer angry, his pride wouldn't let him crawl in next to his boyfriend.

So he'd gone to bed on his own, and it was the worst night's sleep he'd had in months. The day that followed wasn't much better; he was cranky, irritable and a general pain in the ass to be around.

Evening had come once again and Collin lay in his bed, fingers interlaced on top of his belly. They itched with anticipation, and worry. Last night's sleeping arrangements had just sort of happened, but with choice on his side, would Fox still choose to be on his own?

The thought that Fox might stroll in and slip between the sheets of his own bed made Collin slightly nauseated, and break out into a cold sweat.

"Dammit," he muttered, flicking the sheet off his body and kneeling on his bed. He poked at the air conditioning unit, and set it on a balmy 70 degrees.

The bedroom door swung open fully and Fox entered, mouth open wide in a huge yawn.

"Hey," Fox said, scratching his bare stomach absently. "You hot?"

"Yeah," Collin answered, sinking back down onto the mattress. "Finished your essay?"

"Sorta. Just have to do up the footnotes and sources, that sort of thing." The taller man picked up some errant clothes from the floor and dropped them into a basket in front of the wardrobe. Collin watched Fox out of the corner of his eye as he puttered around.

Then he did it. Fox pulled back the covers of his own bed, and Collin shut his eyes in defeat. He was going to be sleeping alone again. It really annoyed him how much that thought turned his stomach, and it occurred to him how unfair it was for Fox to slowly get him used to sleeping next to his unnaturally warm body and then just take it awa--

Covers were pulled back, and the mattress next to Collin sunk down a little. His eyes snapped open as Fox slid long legs down underneath the sheet. Fox was now wearing a favourite worn sleep shirt proclaiming Oregon as the Beaver State.

Fox looked down at Collin's odd expression and stopped. "It's ok, yeah? If you'll be too hot--"

"No!" Collin answered quickly, "I won't be too hot."

"Are you still mad, then?" Fox ventured.

"No, I'm not."

Fox raised one thick, black eyebrow higher than the other. "Really? Because in all honesty, Boss, you've been acting like you've had a stick up your ass all day."

Collin rolled his eyes. "Tactful, Fox." He stopped before he said anything else rude. "I'm sorry if I was a pain today. I... slept badly last night."

Fox seemed to take his statement at face value. "That's ok. But listen, Collin, if you ever feel like you need some space and it's a bit crowded in here," he gestured to the single bed, "I won't be offended if you want to sleep on your own."

Collin pulled Fox down further into bed and wrapped himself up in Fox's embrace. "I don't want to sleep on my own," he said, words getting muffled in Fox's chest. It was a little easier to say if he didn't have to look at him.

"Glad to hear you say that. If I'm being honest," Fox dropped his voice to a conspiratorial whisper, a hand coming up to brush through Collin's hair, "I think I've become a little addicted to sleeping next to you."

The smile that Collin fell asleep with stayed with him long after he woke the next day.

~finis