[Summary: Yosuke and Souji fall asleep at a sportsbook.]

Day 17 - Sports

Yosuke fell asleep at the casino's sportsbook. He hadn't intended to—either he or Souji had to stay awake and watch the luggage—but he was so jet-lagged from the flight to America that he'd just closed his eyes for a second that had apparently turned into several minutes. Besides, the leather chair was just so nice and comfortable and it's not like he actually had any interest in watching American sports on any of the massive screens in front of him.

Regardless, he was being rudely awoken by a security guard yelling at him in English, probably for falling asleep here. He supposed the hotel didn't want freeloaders. Anyway, he made a big show of picking up a pen and a betting pamphlet to pretend he was a sportsbook patron who totally belonged here and not a freeloader. The ploy worked, as the security guard just sighed at him, said something else in English, and walked on.

"Well, that was a close one," Yosuke remarked.

Souji didn't answer. At a glance, he was totally asleep. Yosuke scowled. Why did the guard pick on him when Souji was equally guilty?

His scowl softened a moment later, though, because Souji was just so cute when he slept. Who could stay mad at that one uncooperative curl in his hair? At those girlish long eyelashes? At that button nose? At those thin but totally kissable lips? They were parted now because he was breathing through his mouth. Yosuke could see a little bit of tongue, and...

Besides, he knew Souji was just as tired as he was, more so perhaps after all that trouble with his luggage going missing. It was troublesome... but secretly Yosuke was looking forward to seeing Souji forced to borrow his clothes. He'd look fantastic in a v-neck.

While he was daydreaming about that, the security guard came back, and this time he noticed Souji. He stepped right in front of him and spoke loudly to try and wake him. Yosuke only caught a few words, 'Excuse me,' and 'sir'. At least he was trying to be polite about it.

"Souji," Yosuke said gently, setting his hand over his partner's. "Wake up."

It was then he noticed that Souji was wearing earplugs. He must really need sleep, or maybe wanted block out the incessant noise of the casino.

Yosuke touched his shoulder and shook him just enough to make him rouse. Souji opened his eyes and blinked a few times before focusing on the security guard standing there.

The guard began to talk with him. Yosuke got bored halfway because he could only catch a word here and there. Souji knew a decent amount of English because he'd taken a part-time translating job during high school. He'd also refreshed himself with some books on English basics during the long flight. Yosuke hadn't bothered, making the incorrect assumption that the English he'd learned from song lyrics would be enough to go by.

He let his attention wander to the massive TVs. One of them was playing a basketball game. Hmph, it looked like those basketball shorts were longer than the ones back home... how disappointing.

"He says we can't sleep here," Souji said.

Yosuke looked back at him and found the guard was walking away.

Souji continued, "I tried to tell him we're guests waiting for our room to be ready, but even though it's true, rules are rules. I told him we'd leave soon."

"Bummer," Yosuke said. "Well, maybe that killed enough time, and the room is ready now?"

"It's worth a try," Souji agreed. "If we stay here I'll definitely fall asleep again."

They headed to the lobby, passing through the greater casino floor in the process. It was funny, Yosuke thought, how going to a casino had sounded fun, but after watching rows of chain-smoking old people mechanically pressing the 'repeat bet' button in a zombie-like trance, hardly reacting when they won... Well, he decided that he missed pachinko.

Of course, checking if their room was ready meant waiting in the lobby line again. Yosuke found himself leaning against Souji as a wave of exhaustion hit him. He began to fantasize about the bed in the hotel room, imagining it already turned down, just waiting for him to arrive. Souji wasn't doing that much better. He kept yawning and shifting his weight from foot to foot. Whenever he blinked it seemed like he had sleepy tears in his eyes.

Finally they reached the desk, and it turned out their room was ready. Yosuke dragged his suitcase behind him as he followed Souji to the elevators, feeling almost as zombie-like as the gambling old people, his mind focusing on the sleep soon to come. Of course their room was one of the higher floors. The elevator felt like it was taking them all the way to outer space.

Fortunately their room wasn't far from the elevator landing. Souji mentioned something about the ice machine location but Yosuke wasn't really listening anymore. He just wanted SLEEP. Souji swiped the room card into the reader, but it took a few painfully long tries before he finally got it to work.

"Two beds?" Yosuke remarked before collapsing onto the nearest one.

"One for us and then one for me after you steal the covers," Souji said, joining him on the bed. He laid down on his side to face Yosuke.

"I'm not—" Yosuke yawned widely "—the blanket thief."

"You so are," Souji said. "The proof will be if I'm still here when you wake up."

Yosuke frowned, but his eyes closed all on their own. "Turn around," he said, punctuating it with another yawn.

He felt the mattress move as Souji complied. Then, he caught Souji in a hug from behind and held him tight. "You'll still be here," he said.

"I guess you can't steal the covers when we didn't even turn down the bed, anyway," Souji said, yawning too.

"Not... important..."

His words fell on deaf ears. Souji was already asleep.