The first night that Tyranno Hassleberry had taken up residence in Jaden's dorm room, there had simply been no more room.
Syrus had thought nothing more of it than that.
He'd have felt bad in the morning if Hassleberry had slept on the floor and complained of back problems. Chazz would have nothing to do with Hassleberry, and Jaden kicked in his sleep, Syrus knew all too well from past events of falling asleep at two in the morning with Jaden after a night spent laughing and goofing off.
It was anyone's guess why Syrus had let his former tormentor turned rival for Jaden's friendship sleep in the middle bunk with him.
Chazz was honestly surprised that Syrus hadn't agreed to let Hassleberry sleep on the floor. Jaden didn't know quite what to think, but it did shock him a little as well.
It was only his conscience getting the better of the bluenet.
Syrus tried to keep pressed to the wall that night, as far away from where Hassleberry was allowed to rest at the other side near the edge of the bunk.
Hassleberry didn't quite enjoy having to sleep right at the edge, despite the wooden railing there was still a chance that he would fall off, but the mattress beneath his back would have been better than the floor of a Slifer dorm any day. It didn't take long for Syrus to pass out, and it was no surprise that he and Jaden were the first to succumb to sleep after their exhausting afternoon lugging around the lot of Duel Disks. Hassleberry took the chance to shift closer to the middle of the mattress. Syrus was small, anyway, how much room could he need?
As it turned out, it didn't matter how much space Hassleberry would've left between them. Even if he hadn't moved from his designated spot, Syrus would have ended up the same way. Hassleberry woke after a few hours of sleep to have Syrus clinging to him, even in his state of slumber keeping a tight grip on the considerably warmer and larger body. He didn't speak of this incident in the morning, almost having forgotten about it until the following night.
This time, it was Syrus who awoke, shortly after one in the morning. Hassleberry's body was curled around his own, right arm holding Syrus' stomach to keep the lithe Slifer's frame against that of the muscular brunet. Syrus was alarmed and ready to do something about it. Struggling was having no effect, but Hassleberry's head moved at one point before Syrus realized how futile a struggle would be, chin now resting at and digging into Syrus' shoulder-blade.
A storm came that night, at first just heavy rain pounding on the Slifer Red roof. Syrus couldn't see the lightning with the curtain closed and his back to it, but a booming crack of thunder had the timid youth seeking refuge in Hassleberry's warmth, also throwing the blanket over his head.
The two nights following didn't let up with the storm, it had rained all day on both cases but the thunder and lightning waited, lurking until night when Syrus was already struggling to sleep. When he woke in the middle of the night bound to Hassleberry by the freshman Ra's greater strength, Syrus welcomed the embrace as a refuge once more and again the second night.
Even when the storms finally subsided and the nights became clear, Syrus' waking in the morning with Hassleberry right at his side was strangely comforting. It made him feel safe. Despite all of their stupid daily little fights and arguments, Syrus felt at peace with Hassleberry there.
They never spoke of it during the day. Their routine then, during classes and with Jaden, was greatly different. They fought and rarely kept from going a few minutes without "pipsqueak" and "dino brain" being thrown about. Syrus was always so fervent during his squabbles with the younger duelist, some had to wonder if Hassleberry only bothered Syrus for an amusing reaction.
It was as if their odd sleeping habits didn't exist.
They didn't exist until Jaden brought up some news to Syrus, during yet again one of his heated arguments with Hassleberry. Chazz's new residence in his add-on to the dorm meant an empty bed in Jaden's room. Syrus wouldn't have to bunk with Hassleberry anymore. Of course, both boys acted like they were elated by the news; even now Jaden was oblivious to the complications between them, and they didn't need him suspicious.
Come nightfall, though, Syrus hated to see that Hassleberry had moved his pillow- one that Syrus had lent him of his two- to those already left on Chazz's old bunk.
And what an ordeal this turned out to be; Syrus couldn't even get to sleep until after about two hours of tossing and turning without the reassurance he previously got from Hassleberry's presence. He told himself that it was all for the best, he shouldn't have gotten his hopes up anyway. The only reason Hassleberry had stayed with him for so long was because there was no more room.
Indeed, the bluenet had fallen for the one he once referred to as the bane of his existence. He'd fallen hard, and how he was so deep in this lovesick state was far beyond him.
Syrus denied it to himself at first, but he had a truth to face.
He and Hassleberry were close, closer than he'd ever felt to even Jaden. Hassleberry knew near everything about Syrus from just half a semester's worth of fighting, and Syrus knew his share about Hassleberry as well.
Hassleberry knew just about every one of Syrus' fears- acrophobia, astraphobia, atychiphobia, monophobia, nyctophobia, the list could go on and on.
Syrus knew what really made Hassleberry tick- himself, for one thing. He also had strong beliefs of loyalty and brotherhood and got rather upset when either was compromised. Hassleberry hated appearing afraid of anything, but once or twice he slipped up and Syrus made a determination. Hassleberry was, like him, afraid of being deserted and left behind; this was perhaps the thing that connected them to each other the most.
Even if it was just the top bunk that Hassleberry was moving to, Syrus felt as if he was losing a small part of himself, as if their strange but special bond was being severed. He wouldn't be able to wake up in the morning warm and serene and at peace anymore, and who would protect him from the thunderstorms now?
Syrus climbed out of his bed, the alarm clock reading 3:47 A.M., and dared a move that even thinking about gave him quite the scare. He managed to get up to the top, where Hassleberry was lying on his back with his eyes closed and arms folded behind his head. There was barely any room, but Syrus was small and able to seat himself cross-legged between Hassleberry's ribs and the edge of the bed.
It was now or never. Syrus had barely been able to muster up the courage, or perhaps stupidity, as he saw it, to even get this far. He sat up on his knees and leaned over Hassleberry, using his right arm to keep himself from falling onto the brunet.
Everything had happened so fast, but to Syrus it seemed like every second lasted an hour. He had gotten his face close to Hassleberry's, able to feel the soft and warm breath from the body under him, and for a moment feeling the breath against his lips had him freezing up. A chill ran down his spine and he inhaled deeply, shaking as he finally captured the lips of the Southerner in his own. It was only supposed to be a quick peck, but there was a swell that he felt in his chest that moved up to his head to throw him into quite the dizzy spell, the euphoria of the kiss overwhelming him and leaving him wanting just a little more.
It was then that he felt Hassleberry's breath again- it had hitched and he hadn't noticed until it was let out in a heavy exhale- and lips moved against Syrus' to finish the job of scaring the wit right out of him. Syrus would have jumped a mile back and no doubt would have fallen right off of the bed but for the grip suddenly on his wrists.
Hassleberry only shot him a satisfactory smirk before pulling the bluenet in for a kiss that this time had them meeting halfway. Just seconds ago, Syrus' heart was merely fluttering compared to how it soared this time. He pushed himself harder into this embrace, trying to confirm to himself that this was all real, and let out a whimper of surprise and pleasure as Hassleberry bit down on and nipped gently at his bottom lip.
Gradually, Syrus stopped fighting back, and Hassleberry let go of his wrists. By now the Slifer was melting into the kiss and didn't want to struggle anymore. Besides, he was much too exhausted to do so anyway. His racing heart was calming down, and to steady himself he let one hand bury itself into the folds of the mattress and blankets, the other finding a place on Hassleberry's chest and balling into a tight fist.
When they finally broke for air, Syrus was panting and butterflies that were once in his stomach were swimming in his throat, whereas Hassleberry was snickering at the deep crimson that overtook Syrus' usually ghostly pale complexion,
"Well, Private…" he took Syrus' chin into his fingers and brought his face, so much softer and smaller than his own, close enough to rub noses with Syrus and give him one more kiss, this one only quick and light, as it seemed he was much more able to control himself than Syrus had been, "That sure is one way to do it."
"D-do what?" Syrus stammered, right now too wonderstruck to really get a grip on things. He blinked, giving a dumb smile out of embarrassment and the exhaustion that made him giddy.
"To tell me that you miss me already. I knew you would." The Ra said matter-of-factly, answering with less of a smirk and more of a tender smile toward the end of his words. Syrus, whose blush had just died down, once more became flustered and heated.
This time he was properly able to voice his response, an objection that Hassleberry saw right through, "I didn't miss you! I-I'm glad you're out of my bed, actually- it'll smell a lot better and you won't be taking up all the room!"
Hassleberry kissed him again, earning a gasp from Syrus as he was easily pulled into the lap of the considerably larger male seconds after, legs spread and straddling Hassleberry's. "I'm sure… Just remember that you cuddled with me first, Soldier." Hassleberry whispered softly into Syrus' ear, blowing into it gently to get a violent shudder and a moan, barely audible, out of him, as well as an involuntary thrust of his hips downward.
With just a few more kisses and love bites and squeezes in the right places, Syrus was like putty in his hands, or rather in his lap.
The little Slifer's entire face was dark red, buried into Hassleberry's shoulder as an attempt for Syrus to steady himself as he rocked back and forth, grinding against Hassleberry. He was desperately trying to keep quiet, but every touch seemed to spur him on more and finally a loud moan escaped.
Hassleberry turned the tables then, getting Syrus underneath him quickly. He grinned at the panting bluenet, kissed him once more, and moved again, settling and becoming comfy before Syrus could really register what was happening. His body curled around Syrus' and an arm brought the blanket over the two boys before constricting the older youth.
Before Syrus had a chance to demand why Hassleberry had stopped with his ministrations, the Ra began whispering to him again,
"Can't have you gettin' too loud now." Just to further frustrate Syrus, Hassleberry delivered a few nibbles to his earlobe. Syrus could practically hear the smirk on his face by the tone of his voice.
He squirmed against Hassleberry, hot and bothered and not at all amused. "I hate you…" he muttered crossly. "Tomorrow. After class. You and me, your dorm…" it wasn't a question, he very well meant the words as an order and it was clear that Hassleberry would be in trouble if he didn't follow it.
He was more than happy to comply with Syrus' decision, though,
"You're on, Private."