AN: Not expecting any response since I'm one of like, two people in the universe to like this pairing ahah
The two men half-walked-half-stumbled their way into the room, the taller of the two leading the more stumbling smaller to the bed and gently nudging him over to lay down. The job done, he stretched and stood back to look down at his friend, who stared up at him from the pillows intently, as if waiting for something in particular. They stayed like that for a few moments, almost frozen.
"…Well then," he patted the sides of his legs in finality, "g'night Naboo." Turning to leave the room, he heard a slight movement from the bed.
"Where're you going?"
Naboo's voice was heavily tinged with exhaustion, yet still somehow authoritative. Howard turned half back and found the shaman holding his head above the pillows, his gaze sharper than before. He paused, glancing away and then back again.
"Well…I figure we're all tired now, aren't we? Well, I mean, Vince is still going pretty strong out there, but he's always-"
"Yeah? Then come to bed."
Another silent moment found Howard with his mouth still open from his cut-off sentence, and as he slowly realized what exactly he just heard, he sputtered like an old car and struggled to formulate a response.
"I- Well, you- I, ah…" and finally, his thoughts and voice began to catch up with each other. "I thought we'd already discussed…not being very…'open' about…'us'?"
"…Yeah, and Bollo's already sound asleep in the other room, and Vince is still out partying, and maybe right now's a rare opportunity to forget that, yeah?" Even half-asleep — or maybe especially then — his annoyance was loud and clear.
"I…Yeah. Yes. Yes, this is true."
Naboo's head dropped back to the pillows with a soft 'plop,' and he closed his eyes for a moment.
"Then lock the damn door and get over here before I change my mind, y'berk."
Howard found it was best to shut his mouth and follow instructions at this point, and when this was done, he turned and found Naboo, still laying down, wiggling out of his robe and trying to kick off his shoes.
"Oh-! Um…" He looked away in the interest of some semblance of privacy.
"Oh stop, you're not gonna sleep in your clothes just because I'm here, are you?" The shoes were kicked off the bed and were heard hitting the floor, making a haphazard pile with his robe and shirt.
"Just…you know-"
"I don't think you understand at all how dating works."
"I do too!" Forgetting his shyness, he whipped his head around to look indignantly, only to immediately clam up again at the sight of the shirtless man who now looked ready to get up and force him out of the room.
Instead, he seemed to re-grasp his patience and only slightly softened his look.
"Howard," he sounded calm again, almost disappointed, "You don't have to stay."
This seemed to spur something and lock it into place within himself. A moment passed, and in a sort of trance, he slipped off his shoes and began to unbutton his overshirt. All was quiet as he folded his shirt and pants, save for the low murmurs of the party still very much alive somewhere outside their building.
Surprising even himself, Howard slipped under the blankets to lay next to his companion.
Naboo leaned over to turn off the light, and turned over to move closer.
"Goodnight Howard."
"Goodnight Naboo."
.
.
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AN: Was tempted to add in Vince banging on the window like, "yooooooo" at the end there.
