Kyu kept talking, even in his sleep. It actually took a minute for Ryu to even realize that Kyu was asleep and that he didn't have to think of some sort of response. (The protest that 'it wasn't the edible couch' had been a big hint.)

So Ryu lay awake, listening to Kyu mutter nonsense in his sleep. He had known Kyu talked in his sleep before he had asked if he could stay with him, so he really couldn't blame anyone but himself. Besides, Ryu was sure he could tune out the sound of Kyu's voice if he tried. He just couldn't stop listening.

Kyu kept thrashing around on the bed. It was hard to fall asleep while listening to him being so restless. He was sort of glad he wasn't sleeping up there with Kyu. He had slept too close to Kyu once before, and gotten kicked before he returned to his senses and moved out of range.

That aspect of Kyu obviously hadn't changed, Ryu realized as Kyu chose that moment to kick off his covers. Ryu sat up in surprise as he felt the soft weight of blankets landing on him.

Ryu looked at the tangle of blankets, then up at Kyu, who was curled up on his side. He only had a sheet draped over his legs now.

Slowly gathering up the blankets, Ryu got to his feet and looked at Kyu. He considered just tossing the bundle on top of Kyu and being done with it, but he couldn't quite bring himself to do it. Kyu looked so peaceful the way he was, now that he was no longer thrashing around in his sleep. Besides, he probably kicked them off because he was too hot in the first place, meaning he would just kick them off again, probably right back onto Ryu, if Ryu replaced them.

Ryu simply held onto the bundle of blankets, watching Kyu breathe slowly and evenly. He wasn't really thinking of anything beyond how peaceful Kyu suddenly seemed to be.

Before, Ryu had thought that Kyu never stopped moving, not even in his sleep. He had probably slept through all of Kyu's peaceful moments last time they had shared a room.

Ryu smiled in spite of himself. He hadn't known what to think of Kyu at first, watching him being so lively, and so friendly, in the least likely of situations. Now it was funny to imagine him driving other people spare with his antics. He could just see Kyu in middle school, fidgeting, staring out the window, hiding detective novels in his textbook to read during class. . .

Maybe it was unkind of him to think of Kyu that way, but the only time he saw Kyu being still was when he was concentrating on some sort of convoluted, mysterious puzzle. The sort of brilliance he showed at those moments wasn't anything close to what schools normally tested for. Ryu had no way of knowing how Kyu might have gotten along in school not using his own gift.

Maybe Kyu was dreaming, since he was so still now. Ryu watched his face for some sign of what he might be dreaming about.

Vaguely Ryu wondered if Kyu ever dreamed about swimming, the way some people dreamed about flying. He quickly tried to wave those thoughts away as he realized he was thinking that because he had dreams like that himself.

Ryu had dreamed several times of scuba diving with Kyu after their one trip together. It felt strange afterward, thinking that he had been dreaming about his classmate, but during the dreams Ryu had simply felt peaceful. There was something nice about sharing an underwater environment with Kyu, guiding him by the hand so that he wouldn't miss anything. Ryu had enjoyed underwater dreams before he had even met Kyu, so he had to assume having his classmate join him in those dreams was only a phase and it would pass.

Unfortunately, Ryu had started dreaming that he had somehow forgotten his air tank. Before he could even panic, Kyu would move closer and share his air. Once or twice he didn't even offer to share his mouthpiece, choosing instead to share his breath mouth-to-mouth. Ryu would always wake up gasping, not knowing what to think of his careless dream-self.

Ryu returned his attention to Kyu, hoping now that Kyu didn't have dreams anything like his. Kyu was such a heavy sleeper that they would probably both drown before he woke.

As Ryu watched, he slowly became aware that Kyu had curled up very tightly on the bed. After a moment, Kyu shivered pitifully.

Ryu smiled down at Kyu almost fondly. He leaned over Kyu and straightened the sheet so that it lay over his whole body and hung over the sides of the bed. Then, before Kyu could shiver himself awake, he untangled the bundle that had landed on him earlier and covered Kyu with a blanket.

Ryu leaned over Kyu to tuck the blanket and sheet firmly under the mattress. He was determined that Kyu would have a harder time throwing his covers off a second time when he was done with him.

Kyu was still shivering, but not as badly as before, so Ryu covered him with the quilt too. He did have to lean on the bed to tuck it in, but he tried to avoid leaning on Kyu. The whole exercise would be pointless if he carelessly woke Kyu up.

It was sort of a nice feeling, looking after Kyu like this. Ryu did want to keep an extra close eye on Kyu for a while. He had already come too close to seeing him killed. It might be better to stay near Kyu until he could be sure that he was safe. Or at least as safe as he was going to get while being a detective.

Even though it didn't make Kyu any safer, Ryu kept finding excuses to stay where he was. He kept re-arranging little details, tucking the covers up under Kyu's chin, catching the hand that Kyu had fisted in the pillow and slipping it under the covers with the rest of him, trying to make Kyu's hair smooth down and lie flat. . .

Finally Ryu stood back to watch Kyu again. He still looked so peaceful. Ryu was a little surprised that he hadn't woken up in the middle and demanded to know what Ryu thought he was doing.

As Ryu watched, Kyu's lips parted slightly, and he let out a soft 'un. . .' sound. Ryu's attention immediately fixed on Kyu's mouth. He was oddly reminded of the playful mouth-to-mouth he had dreamed about against his better judgement.

Even knowing that he shouldn't be doing anything while Kyu was asleep, Ryu bent over him again. He didn't mean to re-arrange Kyu's covers this time. Instead, he touched his mouth to Kyu's in a tentative kiss.

Ryu hovered over him, contemplating trying it again, but then Kyu sighed, sending his warm breath ghosting across Ryu's chin. He pulled himself back guiltily, knowing that he had far overstepped Kyu's hospitality. His mere presence must be disturbing Kyu's dreams, at the very least.

"Goodnight," Ryu whispered. He quickly let go of Kyu, crept back onto the futon Kyu had laid out for him, and pulled his comforter up around his ears. He couldn't believe that he had just gone and kissed Kyu goodnight, any more than he could believe that he had wanted to kiss him a second time. He pressed his face into the pillow, trying to relax.

As long as Kyu was sleeping peacefully, he might as well get to sleep too.

Kyu waited as long as he could after he felt Ryu stop leaning on his bed. He could hear the subtle noises of Ryu getting settled on his futon, then there was only the silence as he was still. Kyu knew he must either be sleeping or waiting for sleep.

Once he was sure Ryu was settled, Kyu lifted the hand that Ryu had just tucked under the covers for him, and pressed his fingers to his mouth.

A minute ago he would have said that it was funny that Ryu was taking such good care of him, like a big brother. Maybe not so much like a brother, now. Kyu had never expected Ryu to do something like that. Now he was sort of glad he had let Ryu go on fussing over him without letting him know he was awake.

Maybe he should be irritated at Ryu for doing that while he was supposed to be asleep. Unless Ryu had known he wasn't really asleep. If he knew Kyu wasn't sleeping, maybe that was his way of getting Kyu back for trying to trick him, or just trying to make him reveal himself.

Kyu shifted into a slightly more comfortable position, relaxing after having to hold himself so still for Ryu. It was hard to guess what Ryu was thinking. It was enough that they were friends, even if Ryu seemed to have an odd idea of what exactly that friendship entailed.

It was one of those things that wouldn't change too much, no matter how hard he thought about it, Kyu decided. He stopped touching his lips and stretched out, comfortable and snug now that Ryu had tucked him in so well. Ryu looking after him was not something to lose any sleep over, after all.

"Goodnight," he called softly back to Ryu. He wondered if it would make a difference if Ryu heard him.