Dolph Ziggler blinks up into the darkness. Exhales slowly. Glances to his right, where Zack Ryder is fast asleep, his lips parted as he breathes in and out peacefully. Dolph shakes his head with a small smile and moves carefully, slowly, pulling the sheet away and slipping out of bed. Each step quiet on the tile floors, he makes his way slowly to the living room and stands there, too antsy and his brain moving too quickly to encourage sleep, so he settles down on the couch with a glass of water and flicks the tree on, watching the lights chase each other on this weird timer Zack had set up because he finds it funny to watch sometimes.

It's not been an easy year, for him, for Zack especially, for most of the people he knows, one way or another. He rubs his thumb against the cool plastic of his glass and lets his head drop back against the wall with a faint thud, watching the lights reflect off of ceiling. "Here's to a better 2021," he mumbles, raising his glass in a mock salute before taking a lengthy sip.

He's just starting to feel sleepy, his wayward thoughts finally running themselves dry, when he hears a faint shuffling noise from their bedroom and closes his eyes, a small smirk crossing his lips when Zack appears, dragging the comforter from their bed as he makes his way over to the couch, a cranky kind of pout on his face. "Bro, what're you doing?" he grouses, looking oddly young despite the beard and the ridiculous amount of muscles he's been sporting for the last couple of years now. "It's late and I'm cold."

Dolph waits patiently until Zack drops the comforter unceremoniously over him, immediately snuggling under it and burying his face into his shoulder, to speak. "It's Florida, kid," he says into Zack's hair. "I didn't expect you to freeze in the few minutes I've been gone." Despite his exasperated words, he wraps his arms around Zack and holds him close, kissing the top of his head.

"Hmph," Zack mumbles, still half-asleep and adorable as he blinks, the motion tickling Dolph's arm just a little. "I sleep better when you're next to me."

It's vulnerable and honest and hits somewhere deep in Dolph's chest as he hugs this ridiculous man close. "Sorry, I thought I'd disturb you more if I kept feeling as restless as I was."

"Everything ok?"

"Yeah, everything's fine. Just overthinking, you know. It happens."

Zack hums. "Yeah." He drapes himself closer to Dolph and snuggles him tighter. "It's definitely the year for it."

"Yeah," Dolph echoes, reaching out to curl his fingers under Zack's jaw, urging him to look up so their eyes can meet. He smiles down at him and traces his face for a few moments before leaning in to kiss him, warm and soft and sweet, and Zack groans faintly. "You did a great job on the tree, by the way. I think I forgot to say it earlier."

They turn to look at the bright lights, and gaudy purple and pink ornaments scattered among the other, smaller ornaments- Star Wars and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and even a couple of Archer ornaments that Zack had gifted Dolph with over the years. "Thanks," he says with a small, pleased smile. "I think it looks pretty badass."

"It does," Dolph murmurs, blinking slowly as sleep slowly creeps up on him. Shaking his head to force himself to wake up, he gently pushes Zack into a sitting position before standing. "Come on, we're too damn old to sleep on the couch." Gripping his hand, he tugs him upright and just stands before him, examining him for a few moments, observing how the lights flash against his face, down his body, putting every carefully earned muscle in sharp relief. "You're beautiful, you know that, right?"

Zack laughs sheepishly and brushes a hand through his hair. "Bro-"

Dolph leans in to kiss him, lingering longer and deeper than earlier, and Zack gasps, gripping at his hips. Pulling away after a few moments is difficult, but Dolph manages, stooping quickly to turn the tree off before grabbing the comforter and wrapping it around Zack, tugging him closer. "You are. Always have been, always will be."

Zack's eyes are shining even in the sharp darkness that's taken over without the tree to illuminate the way, and Dolph smiles at him. "You-..." Zack shakes his head, breathing out slowly. "You're the best thing that's ever happened to me." He frees a hand from the comforter cocoon and traces Dolph's face wonderingly, staring into his eyes. "I don't want to imagine where I'd be without you right now."

Dolph shifts, pressing a kiss to Zack's palm, and watches him shiver. "Thankfully, you'll never have to," he says with all certainty, tightening his hold on the comforter and leading Zack back to bed with a small smirk.