Miles was awoken by the shift of the mattress beneath him and a pair of warm arms wrapping around his waist.

"Wright," he murmured, too tired to snap as two legs slipped between his own and tangled together. "Just what do you think you're doing?"

"Doesn't matter," Phoenix mumbled, words vibrating against Miles' shoulder blade. A cool peck was pressed against the nape of his neck.

Miles sighed, feeling his lover's stubble scratch against his skin. "You ought to be dead to the world at this time of night; you typically sleep like a stone unless something is wrong." He twisted in the circle of Phoenix's arms, squinting over his shoulder. "So, do tell: what's bothering you?"

"Nothin' important," Phoenix said, trying to nestle more into the crook of Miles' shoulder so he wouldn't have to meet that gaze. "Just… I'm thinking too loud. Go back to sleep, I'll make this up to you in the morning."

Miles immediately understood. "Wright," he started, squirming in order to roll over completely without crushing the arm wedged under him. "Phoenix," he tried again, when he received no reply. "You still think I'm going to leave again, don't you."

It wasnt a question; it was a statement. Phoenix sighed, the long exhale warm against Miles' chest. "You got me," he confessed, a hint of an embarrassed laugh tinging his words. "I know it's pretty stupid, but.. I still have nightmares about it sometimes."

He squeezed Miles' waist. "Nightmares that I'll wake up and find another note in the place where you sleep at night. Or, even worse, nothing at all… Stupid, right?"

Miles' chest tightened as Phoenix chuckled ruefully. "Wright, that's one of the least stupid things I've heard from you in years," he said. "Requesting to cross examine the parrot was much, much stupider than this."

"You're never gonna let that one go, are you?" Phoenix said, voice thick with affection and drowsiness.

"Absolutely not," Miles said, sounding just as fond. "Now, back to the task at hand. Phoenix, you've made me happier in the past year than I've been in the last twenty combined. Why would I ever want to abandon that?"

Phoenix shrugged slowly. "I said it was stupid."

Miles sighed. "You ridiculous man," he said, lips quirking up into a smile. He shpok his head amd leaned forward, blindly kissing what he hoped was Phoenix's forehead. "Even if I was crazy enough to leave, I wouldn't be able to, considering the vice grip you have on me. Look at you, fool, you're completely tangled up in me."

Phoenix snickered. "Yeah, you'd have one hell of a time trying to get out of this," he remarked, brushing his lips across the hollow of his logical lover's neck. He shifted his leg and pressed his cold toes into the warm back of Miles' knee. "If you could even escape my arms, I have your legs captured anyways."

"Get your cold feet off of me, Wright, you warmth-leeching parasite," Miles scolded, wincing and drawing his leg away. Then, much more gently, he added, "You'd better let go when I have to wake up for work in a few hours."

"Yes, Daddy." Phoenix grunted as a swift smack was delivered to the back of his head.

"Don't even start," Miles chided. "Go to sleep."

"Fine, fine." Phoenix rolled his eyes in the dark but relented. He bent his head and rested his forehead against Miles' pectoral, pressing as close as humanly possible as he closed his eyes.

Miles stroked his hand through Phoenix's soft hair, further lulling him into sleep. Minutes later, when he was certain that Phoenix was finally slumbering once again, Miles bent his head and kissed the crown of his head before settling in to fall asleep again as well.

"I'll never leave your side again, Wright. I'd be the stupid one to do that."