For the third night in a row, Akashi found himself sitting in the middle of his backyard, staring up at the starry sky.

He hasn't been sleeping much, just a couple hours and then he'll find himself walking around his house, ending up outside. He didn't know why he came out in the first place, maybe he tried to walk away from everything but he stopped just a few feet outside his front door. He could've gone out for a drive but he wasn't sure that would be a good idea. The night's a little breezy, but it's a comfort.

His red eyes glanced from star to star; he could rattle off the constellations he saw but he'd rather try to keep his brain from thinking so much when he's supposed to be resting. It's a full moon tonight—Akashi enjoyed watching the moon change through the nights but he wasn't sure if the lack of sleep was entirely worth it.

His knees were pulled up to his chest, his arms wrapped lightly around them. His feet were bare and he enjoyed the feeling of the cool grass under him.

Luckily, he lived in a house that was a little far off from the rest of his neighborhood. He liked his space, and his friends and family knew where he lived so that was good enough for him. There were an assortment of flowers throughout his backyard, but he wasn't the one that kept up with them. They added some cheer to the otherwise empty place and since spring was starting, most were already blooming

Thus, he didn't have neighbors to notice his slightly odd behavior.

No one noticed him.

Not even Mayuzumi, who sleeps like the dead beside him every night.

Akashi left the bed these past couple nights for a few hours, managing to get back just after sunrise. Mayuzumi barely stirs when he climbs back into bed with him early in the morning.

It's a little disheartening but at least one of them is getting some sleep.

Akashi closed his eyes for a bit—it was around five or so in the morning, the sun would be coming up soon and he'd have to go back to bed where he wouldn't sleep.

Soft footsteps behind him made his eyes open but he didn't look back.

A hot cup of tea appeared in front of him as Mayuzumi sat down beside him. He only wore pajama bottoms, sported a wild bedhead like always and dragged a blanket behind him. Akashi looked at him before carefully taking the mug. It had pink and red hearts all over it, a joke gift Mayuzumi had given Akashi on their first Valentine's Day together when they were back in high school. Akashi had actually loved it and Mayuzumi found himself blushing hard at Akashi's sweet smile back then.

Akashi wasn't sure if they would last but here they were, years later and still together.

Mayuzumi yawned before wrapping the blanket around them, putting his arm around Akashi's shoulders and bringing him in closer. "Alright, this is the third night in a row you've spent hours out here and you're not sleeping."

Akashi took a sip of the tea. It was chamomile. He remembered seeing Mayuzumi occasionally drink if he had trouble sleeping. It never occurred to Akashi to try the same thing. His mind was always just elsewhere these nights. "I didn't think you'd noticed."

Mayuzumi rolled his eyes. He lightly pinched Akashi's arm, lightly rubbing the spot after. "No, I let you think that. I know you need your space and all when you're in your thoughts but you're not sleeping, I'm not sleeping and we need to rest before one of us walks into oncoming traffic half asleep."

Akashi shifted his red gaze from the tea—sweetened with a teaspoon of honey just as he liked it—to Mayuzumi's gray eyes. The moon lit them up to give his eyes a silvery glow. Akashi thought they were beautiful. "Why haven't you been sleeping?"

"Because you haven't been?" Mayuzumi's tone made Akashi roll his eyes. He nudged him to drink more tea. Akashi got through half before Mayuzumi continued. "Did you think I wouldn't notice you leaving bed and not coming back for hours?"

"Well…"

"Aren't you supposed to be some kind of genius? You really think that little of me?" He cut Akashi off before he could reply, "Drink your tea." Akashi continued to stare at him. Even with the ridiculous bedhead he was sporting, his hair shined with the moonlight like his eyes. He hid a little smile behind his final sips of the tea. Mayuzumi gently took the empty mug out of his hands and set it down on the ground beside them. "So, will you tell me what's been bothering you?"

Over the years the two had developed good communication with each other. He didn't know why he didn't go to Mayuzumi after his first sleepless night but he knew he didn't depend on him to get him out of his mind all the time.

Akashi shrugged. "I haven't been able to sleep lately. I'm not sure, I've just been a little restless. Maybe the stress in my life caught up to me."

Mayuzumi nodded. "It happens. You were always a little shit too, so I'm not surprised."

Akashi bumped his shoulder against Mayuzumi's. "Shut up."

Mayuzumi kissed the top of Akashi's forehead. "Is there more?"

Akashi shrugged again. "Probably. My mind hasn't been letting me sleep so I've just been killing time out here."

"You stay long enough for the sun to rise, right?"

Akashi nodded. The sun would rise soon, the dark of the night already starting to lighten around the horizon.

"Would you like me to leave?"

Akashi didn't hesitate. "No."

Mayuzumi yawned. "Alright, but I say we sleep in all day today to make up for these past couple days of shitty sleep."

"You work today," Akashi pointed out. He was off today and anyway, he worked at his own company, who would tell him when he could and couldn't take a day off? Mayuzumi was a writer with an upcoming deadline and an editor from hell.

"My deadline isn't for another week, I ain't working today."

Akashi chuckled. "Your editor won't be happy you spent the day slacking off."

"But I'm spending the day with you in bed, I'll face my editor's wrath for that any day."

There were times when Mayuzumi was so incredibly sarcastic that Akashi had to take in a few deep breaths to prevent himself from replying in a way that would get the two into an intense argument. They had done it before and once they went two days without talking, but that was back when they were first dating and still getting to know how the other worked. Then there were times like today where Mayuzumi was sweet without really even realizing it. Akashi never told him, but he liked those times the best.

They spent the next several minutes in silence, watching the sun rise.

Clouds that had managed to block out some stars were outlined in shades of orange as the sun started to peak over the horizon. Their silhouettes slowly changed shape as they seemed to get further and further away from the sun. An intense golden light drew all the attention, showing the path the soft clouds took through the sky. Eventually, the sun lit up the morning, gold and warm and steady as it signaled the arrival of a new day.

After a bit, Mayuzumi picked up the tea mug and stood up, taking hold of the blanket and bringing it with him. Akashi followed suit, the two slowly making their way back into their house.

Mayuzumi made a quick detour to their kitchen as Akashi went to their room. He tiredly climbed into their bed, wondering if maybe he'll sleep tonight—today. He wasn't happy neither of them were sleeping but he was happy that Mayuzumi helped him. He never expected Mayuzumi would be the end of all his problems, or would be the answer to whenever he lost himself inside his head at times, but Mayuzumi was his support and he knew Akashi had the strength to get himself out of bad times.

Mayuzumi finally walked into their room, going over to close the curtains before climbing into bed on Akashi's other side.

He wrapped an arm under Akashi to bring the redhead up onto his chest. Akashi made himself comfortable.

"Your arm will fall asleep."

"Don't care." Mayuzumi leaned down a bit to kiss the top of Akashi's head. In return, Akashi kissed the exposed chest under him.

"Good morning."

Mayuzumi snorted. "Goodnight."

Monkey: Hi, so this is my first time writing for this ship (and fandom) I'm honestly surprised this ship doesn't have more fics for it.. so here's my contribution to it. This has also been crossposted to ao3! (I'm gummyrubi there). Any mistakes are mine. Thanks for reading!