A/N: Okay, so, a part of me is very sorry for this one because they do more talking than actually sleeping, but I'm also not because I love when these adorable clueless best friends talk to each other. BUT at least they are in bed together most of the time ;)
Day Four: (Just) Sleeping Together
Title: Sleepover
Maddie laughed out loud at a scene from Police Academy. That was the movie she was watching with Chimney.
She noticed that it was unusually quiet because he wasn't laughing with her. She looked over, and to her surprise, Chimney was asleep.
Maddie had noticed how tired he looked when he first walked into her apartment.
She tried to figure out what to do. She definitely wasn't going to let him drive home, especially since he was so tired. She would feel terrible if something happened to him.
Sleeping on the couch wasn't ideal either. It wasn't comfortable at all; Maddie knew because she had slept on it a few times.
And she did have another bedroom, but that was Buck's. She wasn't even sure if he was coming home or if he was going to stay at Eddie's all night. But she still couldn't put Chimney in there in case he showed up.
So, the only place left for Chimney to sleep was her bed.
Maddie definitely didn't have a problem with this, but she was a little nervous. They had never actually slept together or even stayed the night with each other.
But then again, they had hugged and if they were both okay with that, then sleeping in the same bed a couple feet apart wasn't something to make a big deal out of, right?
Although, Maddie often questioned the state of their relationship, it wasn't like Maddie had anything more on her mind. She just wanted to make sure Chimney was safe.
Maddie turned off the dvd player and tv before she looked over at Chimney. A smile began to form on her face as she watched him. His head rested against the back of the couch, but he was going to eventually fall over because of the way he was sitting.
She slid over and tapped his shoulder three times.
"Chimney," she said softly.
He stirred a little, but he didn't open his eyes.
Maddie tapped his shoulder a little harder.
"Chimney," she said a little louder.
He opened his eyes this time, and he immediately yawned.
"I'm sorry I went to sleep," he apologized. "I had a long day at work."
Maddie gave him a smile. "Don't be sorry. I understand. We can finish the movie another time."
He grinned. "I'd love that."
He stretched before he stood up. "Well, I should probably get going."
"I really don't think it's safe for you to drive," Maddie said.
"I'll be fine," Chimney said before he yawned.
"Chim, you're too tired."
He shrugged. "I've been more tired than this before, and I managed to get home."
Maddie's eyes widened. Her brain immediately gave her images of losing Chimney, and she desperately tried to shake them off.
"Chim, oh my god."
"But I'll be fine. Don't worry about me."
"I won't be worrying about you because I'm not letting you leave," she said.
Chimney tilted his head in confusion. "Maddie?"
"You're too tired, so I'm not about to let you get in your car and drive."
Chimney opened his mouth to protest, but he yawned again.
"See?" Maddie asked. "I can't let you leave. If something happened to you, then…" she trailed off. She knew she would end up revealing too much about the way she felt about him. "I just don't want you to leave. Can you please stay? I'd feel a lot better if you did."
Chimney sighed and a small smile began to form on his face. "I'll stay."
Maddie let out a breath of relief. "Thank you."
His smile grew wider. "You're welcome… so this will be our first official sleepover, but the only difference is, I didn't get to bring my pajamas… and I won't be able to stay up all night and gossip and talk about crushes."
Maddie laughed and shook her head. "Not everyone does that at sleepovers. Some people actually sleep."
"Is that what you did?"
She nodded. "Yeah, I mean, I've never been into gossiping or telling people things about myself that I considered personal… because if I said something to eight other girls, then all eight-hundred people in the school would know. And I didn't really see the point in staying up all night just to talk about things that probably weren't even true to begin with.
Chimney gave her a small smile and nodded in understanding. "Well, when I went to sleepovers, I wasn't exactly included in all their conversations because I always seemed to miss the gossip, so I never knew any of it. And don't get me wrong, I did have crushes, but I always acted like I didn't have any. That was always better than saying the name of the girl I liked, because then she would find out sooner or later… and I already knew that school would be hell… everyone would pick on me because none of those girls ever liked me. Most of them didn't even know I existed."
"Chimney, you can't be serious."
He shrugged. "I always liked girls that were way out of my league, so I guess it's my own fault…"
"I'm really sorry, Chim. Everyone is always so mean in high school."
Chimney smiled. "Not everyone. You definitely weren't."
Maddie smiled a little. "Why do you think that?"
"I know you well enough to know that you were never mean to anyone. I honestly picture you as someone who would walk up and sit beside the new kid who was sitting all alone.
Maddie couldn't help but smile at that. He was definitely right. He knew her so well.
"You're right about that. That's actually how I met one of my best friends. She was sitting alone at the end of the table and I was the only one who went and said hi to her. But I always made sure the new kids felt welcome. I hated to see how everyone treated them."
Chimney grinned. "See? You're sweet. You've always been sweet."
Maddie smiled and lowered her head. She could feel her cheeks getting slightly hot.
"So…" Chimney began. "Is it okay if I just sleep on the couch?"
"About that… I'm not letting you sleep here, and it's not because I don't want my couch to get runed. It's because it's so uncomfortable to sleep on. I know. I've slept there."
Chimney frowned. "Maddie, why did you sleep on the couch?"
Maddie bit the inside of her cheek before she responded. "It was just on those nights where I felt safer down here."
Chimney nodded slowly. "So, am I going to be roommates with Buck again?"
"Actually, no.I don't even know if he's coming home, but I'm not putting you in there with him anyway. Besides, he only has one of those air mattresses and the two of you sleeping on that thing wouldn't be comfortable at all."
He looked around and chuckled nervously. "So, uh, where do you want me to sleep?"
Maddie cleared her throat before she began to speak. "There's always my bed…"
Chimney's eyes widened. "Maddie, are- are you serious?"
She nodded and gave him a smile.
"I don't know," he said softly.
"We're both adults. I think we can both handle this."
Chimney nodded. "I don't want you to be uncomfortable. I can just sleep on the couch."
"I can't because that thing will give you back pain, and I can't let you sleep there knowing how awful you'll feel at work tomorrow."
Maddie stood up and grabbed his hand. "I'll be fine, and I know that everything will be okay."
Chimney glanced at their hands before he looked at Maddie.
He sighed. "As long as you're one-hundred percent okay with this, then I am too."
"I am. I trust you, Chim."
"I'm really glad that you do," he said.
Maddie smiled at him and he grinned back.
She let go of his hand. "I think I'm getting sleepy too. Let's go upstairs."
She walked toward the steps and she heard Chimney walk behind her. They both walked upstairs and before they got to her bedroom, she turned around. She didn't expect Chimney to be so close, and her back hit the wall as she stumbled backward.
She laughed nervously. "I, umm, I actually need to change into something more comfortable…"
Chimney immediately backed up. "Okay. Just take your time. Do whatever you need to do."
Maddie walked into her room and grabbed some shorts and her favorite old, blue shirt and headed to the bathroom. She quickly changed out of her clothes and put her old ones in the hamper and brushed her teeth.
Maddie left the bathroom about three minutes later and Chimney was waiting for her in the hallway.
"There's an extra toothbrush under the sink in there if you want to use it," she told him.
He nodded and Maddie decided to just go ahead and go to her bedroom. She turned on her little night light in the corner of the room.
Once Maddie was in there, she pulled down the covers and made sure Chimney had a pillow on his side. She laid down and covered up.
Maddie heard the bathroom door open a few minutes later, and she heard Chimney walk to her room.
He stopped at the doorway and spoke.
"Are you sure you're okay with this?"
"I am," Maddie answered.
Chimney slowly made his way to Maddie's bed and laid down. He also laid on his back and pulled up his side of the covers.
"Is that light over there going to bother you?" She asked. "I usually keep it on because I don't really like to sleep in the dark."
"Keep it on. I'll be fine," he told her.
"Maddie," He said, his voice barely above a whisper.
"Yeah, Chim?"
"What if you wake up and my arm is wrapped around you? Would that be a problem for you?"
Maddie was about to answer, but Chimney spoke again.
"I'd never do it on purpose, but I've been known to cuddle with people in my sleep. It just happens… and I just wanted to warn you and apologize in advance, so I'm sorry."
Maddie looked over at Chimney and he was staring at the ceiling. He was obviously embarrassed.
She thought that his cuddling problem was actually really adorable.
"It's okay. You don't have to be sorry."
"But won't that be… weird for you?" He asked.
"No," Maddie answered right away.
It was basically like hugging, except they were going to be lying down and it would last a lot longer than a hug… but they would also be asleep for most of it.
"Will it be weird for you?" She asked a few moments later.
"It'll be more embarrassing than anything, especially if that's not what you want."
"Chim, I never got a chance to tell you what I want."
He looked over at her for the first time.
"What if we just… cuddle now so that way it won't be weird for you when we wake up? I can't lay here knowing you'll feel bad for something, especially when I… want it," Maddie said softly.
"Maddie… are you sure about this?" He asked once again.
She had to admit that she loved the way he was always checking on her and making sure she was okay with whatever they were going to do before they actually did it.
"Yes," she answered.
She rolled on her side, so she wasn't facing Chimney. She felt the bed shift right after.
Maddie's heart began to race when she felt Chimney's body against hers. He slowly moved his arm around her and she relaxed into him.
"Are you okay?" He asked.
"Yeah, are you?"
"Yeah," he answered.
Maddie hadn't actually cuddled with anyone like that in a very long time, but she realized that she loved it… being wrapped up in Chimney's arms made her feel calm and safe. She already knew that she was going to get a lot of sleep that night.
They laid in silence after that, and Maddie was sure that Chimney had fallen asleep until he spoke.
"I just wanted to thank you," he whispered.
"For what?" Maddie wondered.
"For worrying about me. I've never had anyone like you before."
Maddie wasn't really sure what that meant; she knew that a lot of his coworkers were his friends. Some of them were even his best friends, and Maddie knew they all cared about him. But she was sure that he was putting her in a different category than everyone else.
"I could say the same thing about you. I've never had anyone like you before either."
"Maddie, can I say something?" He asked after a long moment of silence.
"You can say anything, Chim."
"This is my officially my favorite sleepover I've ever been to."
Maddie smiled. "And we didn't even make it to the gossip or the crushes."
"Oh no. That's too bad," Chimney groaned dramatically.
"We can get to all of that stuff next time."
"Next time?" Chimney asked surprised.
"Of course. We didn't even get to have a proper sleepover. You're wearing jeans to bed, Chim."
Chimney laughed. "I'll bring my Spider-Man pajama onesie next time... and before you ask, yes. I do actually have it. I found it on sale, and it was a really good deal."
Maddie laughed. "I guess I'll have to go and buy some good pajamas then because I don't exactly have a matching set."
"So, are we gonna have a sleepover and pajama party?" Chimney said.
"I guess we are."
"I can't believe I'm excited about a sleepover. I feel like a kid again."
"I'm excited too, but for a different reason," Maddie admitted.
"And what is that?"
Maddie softly bit the inside of her cheek before she decided to confess.
"I'm just looking forward to the part where I get to cuddle with you at the end of the night."
Chimney coughed a little and Maddie wanted to turn around and face him; she ultimately decided against it. Their faces would be way too close, and she didn't know how she would feel about that.
"So, a sleepover, pajama, and cuddle party? That sounds great to me," he joked when he finally regained his composure.
"It's a date, then," Maddie said.
She didn't exactly mean to say that, but she was just going to roll with it.
A date…" Chimney said.
"Is that a problem for you?" She asked.
"No, not at all. That sounds perfect. At least the crush conversation that happens at sleepovers is taken care of," Chimney joked. "It actually turned out good for me for once… even though the girl is clearly out of my league."
Maddie was completely surprised by the fact that Chimney thought that she was out of his league. She couldn't believe it.
"And here I thought the guy was the one that was out of my league," Maddie answered.
"Someone is clearly wrong here," Chimney suggested.
"That someone would be you," Maddie said.
"Wrong."
"Chim, how could you think that I'm out of your league?"
"Because…" he began. "You're amazing, and I'm just… me."
"I don't even know what that means, but you're so amazing, Chim. Please never forget that."
"Maddie…" Chimney whispered.
Maddie could have sworn that his grip tightened around her, and her heart began to race.
She really needed to sleep before Chimney would notice just how much he was affecting her.
"You know, this is supposed to be a sleepover… we should really do the sleeping part," she said before she laughed.
"Yeah," Chimney agreed, and she knew that he was smiling. "Maddie?"
"Yeah?"
"Can I hold your hand?"
"Of course you can," she answered.
Chimney grabbed her hand and their fingers interlocked.
"I never told you, but this is my favorite sleepover I've ever had too," Maddie said.
Chimney laughed. "I'm honored."
"Goodnight, Chimney."
"Goodnight, Maddie."
She snuggled into him just a bit more, and soon, Maddie realized that she loved cuddling with Chimney a lot more than she should have.