Ch1. WORRIED
"Ed?" A soft voice whispered across the darkness.
"Hm…" Ed shifted slightly beneath the covers.
"Ed? Are you asleep?"
"What kind of question is that, Oswald?" Ed squinted in the darkness then closed his eyes again.
"A legitimate one." Oswald protested.
"No." Ed replied bluntly. "I'm not asleep."
"No, me either… I can't sleep." Oswald shuffled closer to him. Ed frowned. Oswald waited expectantly for Ed to ask why he couldn't sleep. "You aren't going to ask me why I can't sleep?"
"No."
"I'm worried." Oswald placed his head on Ed's shoulder, ignoring Ed's lack of concern. Ed sighed in conclusion that Oswald was not going to let him go back to sleep.
"Worried about what?"
"It's just…" Oswald pulled himself up and rested on his elbow beside Ed, who opened his eyes again and looked at him. "I'm worried someone might take you away from me."
"What?" They stared at each other for a short moment before Oswald spoke again.
"I can't stand the thought of losing you." He grinned nervously as Ed looked up at him.
"Well… That won't happen." Ed reassured him.
"It won't?"
"No. Know why?" Ed placed a warm hand on his cheek and Oswald dropped back down beside him. "Because if anyone tried to hurt me, or take me away from you, I'd murder them. You'd murder them. Or you know…" Ed's eyes drifted away from Oswald's as he began thinking. "…We'd murder them together." Oswald smiled and laughed gently as Ed's eyes widened a little.
"Yes," Oswald mused, "I suppose that's true." Ed's hand reached under the cover's in search of Oswald's as he rolled onto his side to face him.
"Ed, I…" Oswald stumbled over his words as he became lost in Ed's deep brown eyes for a moment.
"I know," Ed responded. He took Oswald's hand in his and squeezed gently, before leaning forward and placing a soft kiss on the end of his nose. Oswald smiled. "I love you, too."