Classes wouldn't resume until Monday morning. It gave Sam three whole days to himself. This was ample time to clean the kitchen, bring lunch to Dean at work, and (of course) study. He started on a paper for his ethics class, managed a short nap and even did some laundry all by the time he reached Saturday evening.
Sam was getting ready, settling himself into the corner of the couch with his laptop on his knees and a textbook open beside him. The wifi was turned off to help him resist the distractions of the internet and he was ready to get in some quality time between him and his notes- right up until Dean came home.
The Impala's headlights spilling through the window for a moment before the garage opened. Sam marked where he was reading and waited for his brother. The rumble of the car's engines died shortly followed the door between the house and garage opening. Except there wasn't the regular greetings yelled down the hall. Dean was already talking to someone and it took Sam a moment to recognize the second voice as belonging to Castiel.
The two men came into the living room and Sam was given a set of smiles, one a little reserved, one more reckless.
"Hi kids." Sam smiled. "What are you two up to tonight?" He asked as if he didn't know, somehow very proud of himself to see the accountant standing so close to his brother.
"I needed to change, then we're gunna go get some dinner and maybe see a movie." Dean hesitated with one foot on the bottom stair. "You wanna come too, Sam?" He added as an afterthought.
Sam glanced at Dean, then at Castiel and they shared well measured look before Sam turned back to his brother. "I'm studying." He excused himself. "But you guys have fun."
Dean looked oddly happy about this news and nodded before jogging up to his room. The moment the door upstairs closed Castiel started shifting on the balls of his feet.
"Did you ask him?" Sam did his best not to smile.
"I did, and he said yes." Cas explained as if anything actually needed explaining.
"You don't waste any time, do you?"
"I'm leaving town tomorrow for a week and it didn't seem like something that I should wait to get back to do." He came to sort of hesitate on the far end of the couch, looking like he might join Sam, but at the same time like he didn't know if he wanted to. "Thank you for the advice."
"I don't want you to get your hopes up too much, Cas." Sam was struck with sudden guilt about what he had set into motion. Maybe Dean deserved a taste of his own good intentions, but Castiel really did seem like a nice guy and this might not be the nicest thing that Sam had ever done to someone.
"I know we're just friends." He tugged on his shirt sleeves, getting the most endearingly awkward smile. "But your brother makes me happy."
And Sam didn't know what to say to that, but he was spared having to respond because Dean came barreling back down stairs, clean jeans and not a spot of grease on his tshirt or jacket.
"Don't stay up too late studying, Sam." He advised as he searched himself for his keys. Finally finding them and holding them up with a soft jingle. "You'll rot your brain with all that junk."
Sam rolled his eyes. "Enjoy your movie."
"I'm serious." Dean leaned over to push at his head, messing up Sam's hair. "It's ok to take a break every now and then."
"Thanks for the advice. I will take it under firm consideration." He said to his highschool drop out of a brother.
"Call up a friend or something. Watch a movie. Steal some of my beer. Slack off for a few minutes. I just don't want to see you still sitting there with your face in that book when I get back."
It was possible that the lack of any real parental influence in their lives while they were growing up had forced Dean to overcompensate- making him an odd combination of overprotective mother, slacker brother, and supportive father all rolled into one difficult to deal with man. Sam was grateful even if it was frustrating.
"Yes, sir." Sam nodded, agreeing if only to get his brother out of the house.
"Damn right, yessir." He huffed and walked off to the garage mumbling to himself.
Castiel kind of shrugged at Sam and waved a self-conscious goodbye before hurrying after his friend.
Sam managed to wait almost ten minute before going and getting his phone off the charger in the kitchen where he had left it (also to help avoid distractions) and started texting Nick.
-my brother is taking yours on a date
-right now
-this is really a thing
Nick didn't mess around about it, he called Sam and his voice was overly loud with disbelief and amusement. "Shut up- no he isn't."
"Dean doesn't know it's a date. And your brother is all excited about it, and what did I do?"
Nick just laughed.
"I'm serious. He's gunna do something brave like… like kiss Dean and Dean's going to punch him."
The humor went right out of Nick. "He better not."
"Well, no…" Sam thought about his big brother, about his almost nonexistent homophobia that came and went at will, his lack of personal boundaries. "No. He wouldn't. He likes Cas too much. But Dean- he's not going to take it well when he realizes it's a date. He gets real weird about those kinds of things."
"About guys kissing him? That's an oddly specific thing to get weird about."
"It runs in the family." Sam assured, rubbing at his face. "Cas is a… he's a nice guy. I shouldn't have encouraged him."
"Aw, Sam. Are you having an attack of conscience?"
"Yes." Guilt overrode the need to study.
"I don't have any appointments tonight… want me to come over and hold your hand or something."
The short answer was 'no'.
But Sam found himself saying yes for some reason.
Half an hour later and Nick was sitting beside him on the couch, a pizza between them. And along the lines of this man making a strong showing for wining some kind of boyfriend award, Nick had also brought a book to read, because he didn't want to make too much noise in case Sam was going to be studying.
Not that he was reading his book right now, right now he was teasing Sam about the very vegetarian pizza that they were sharing.
Sam wasn't really complaining, because the food was amazing, but still…"I do eat meat you know."
"I hope so." Nick winked over his slice.
Sam rolled his eyes as hard as he could and otherwise chose not to justify whatever that was with any kind of response.
"Come on now- that one was easy. You set yourself up." His eyes crinkled on the corners as he smiled into his slice of pizza.
"I don't know why I let you in."
"I don't either." He confided between bites.
As long as neither of them knew why they were here like this. It wasn't part of the game they were playing, or at least Sam didn't think so. Perhaps he actually did just want someone to 'hold his hand', someone to sit with him while he attempted to wait out this anxiety of what he had done.
"I'm sure they'll be fine, you know." Nick said after a thoughtful pause. "Cas' never been all that good at judging what's socially appropriate, but he can hold his own."
"That's what I'm worried about."
"Do you want me to give him a call, warn him to keep his mouth to himself?"
It was a tempting offer. Nick could simply tell Cas off, let him know that Dean wasn't going to take any advances well. "Maybe we should just let it happen."
"Even if you didn't give Cas a little push, he would have gone that way eventually." Nick said almost gently. "Don't beat yourself up about it. Apparently you Winchesters are just irresistible to my family."
"I wouldn't know what to do with any of your brothers. You're more than enough for me as it is."
"Aw, Sam." Nick made his name two syllables. "How sweet."
"It wasn't meant to be." Sam promised, wiping his hands on his jeans and pulling his laptop over. It was the most dismissive gesture he could manage to give in an effort to escape their conversation.
Nick made a noise of resignation and pulled out his book, understanding too well that they were done with their little back and forth. But he never argued. He did turn himself sideways on the couch, tucking his feet under Sam's leg- and there was no telling when he had managed to take his shoes off, or why his toes were so cold despite his socks, but there they were.
"Why are you so cold?" Sam found himself leaning away as much as he could manage without his laptop sliding off his knees.
"Why are you so warm?"
"High metabolism?" He suggested.
"I've always run a bit cold myself." Nick dug his toes in a little deeper between the couch and the meaty part of Sam's thigh. "Maybe we can balance each other out?"
Sam sighed, because he could already tell that this wasn't a situation that he was going to come out on top of. He settled himself in, despite the cold lumpiness now beneath his leg. To be fair, Nick wasn't any more annoying or touchy than Dean, so he should be easy enough to ignore.
And that's how they stayed until those familiar headlights passed over the window.
Sam glanced at the little clock in the corner of his laptop, rubbing at his eyes. It was almost eleven. When did it get so late?
"I guess Cas talked him into seeing a movie."
"Hmn?" Nick glanced up and Sam was startled to see that the man was not only over halfway done with his book, but had on reading glasses- because apparently Sam was really that involved with his notes and books that he never even noticed the man putting them on.
"Maybe everything went ok after all." He made himself look away, turning to peer down the hall, waiting to see Dean come in.
But Dean wasn't coming in. The engine died, but no one was opening any doors.
The waiting became a bit too much and Sam started getting antsy.
"What's he doing out there?" Nick asked, wiggling his toes.
"How should I know?" Sam closed his laptop and pushed it over to the coffee table.
Something was wrong.
"As fun as this promises to be, I have a feeling I'll only make it worse." Nick extracted himself from under Sam's leg and stood to his comfortably tall height. "You'll let me know if anyone copped a feel of anything good, right?"
Horrible mental image there. "If anything happened I'm sure that Dean won't be telling me." Dean had never been big on sharing, and it was something that Sam had never been more grateful for.
Nick fumbled his shoes on. "Well, you tell me if anything seems suspicious. I need to know if I've got to get Cas a cherry pie."
"Why would you…"
"It's got to happen one day." Nick's grin was nothing if not optimistic.
"I don't want to know." Sam put his hands up, palms out in surrender. A cherry pie? "Finals start on Monday, so we'll have to put this," he nodded between them, "on hold for the next two weeks."
"On hold?" Nick stiffened. "We have our first kiss two days ago and suddenly we're going on hold? What does that even mean?"
"It means I can't come out and play until my tests are done."
"How's that going to look?"
"Finals." Sam insisted, because Nick didn't understand the gravity of it. "They are currently more important to me than oxygen and you'll just have to keep your hands to yourself for a while."
"You can still come over and study if you need to." Nick offered after some thought. "Just to keep up pretences."
"Can I say I'm coming over? No one's going to be double checking." It would save Sam having to sacrifice time in transit from place to place if he could just stay at school between tests.
"I'll vouch for you, if that's what you want." Though he didn't sound particularly happy about it.
"Aww, are you going to miss me?" Sam teased.
"I will miss you like the stars miss the sun in the morning skies." He vowed solemnly.
Sam glanced down the hall. Still nothing and it was very possible that Dean would never come back inside. "Don't do that." He said to Nick, never taking his eyes from the door handle that didn't move.
"You never let me have any fun." Nick whined softly, brushing past Sam as he scooted between the younger man and the coffee table in his path to the door. He let out a deep sigh when he reached his very bland destination. "So… see you in two weeks?"
Sam got off the couch, because at some point someone instilled in him a need to see guests to the door and he couldn't let himself just sit there on the couch while he said 'goodbye'.
"I'll give you a call once tests are over and I've slept for a day or two." Sam promised.
Nick nodded and then followed an odd moment where they just sort of stood there within arm's reach of each other with nothing more to say.
Seemingly out of generosity, the universe saw fit to give them a distraction to their sudden unease.
Dean came in finally. From their vantage point, Sam could see directly down the hall and he watched his big brother compose himself. Rubbing at his jaw, scratching the back of his neck, straightening his shoulders. It was an elaborate but subtle dance and more than likely the nuances were lost on Nick who didn't know how to read the man like Sam did.
With one final touch of fingers to his mouth, all the while staring somewhere down around his own feet, Dean seemed to have found some kind of balance in himself. "Hey, Sammy. You still up?" He didn't talk too loud, and if Sam hadn't been looking directly at him he never would have suspected anything was off from his even, almost cheerful tone.
"Right here." Sam announced and watched as Dean jumped back a few inches, looking over at the two men with a wild expression.
"Oh, hey." He found a confidant smile within second, and it looked almost completely believable. "I thought that was your bike out front."
"Yeah." Nick's smile was easy, almost innocent. "I was just leaving." His pale eyes darted to Sam and there was something bad in that glance. "What movie did you and Cas end up seeing?"
Dean sort of shrugged. "I don't remember what it was called. There was a haunted mirror and a chick and her brother were trying to destroy it because it killed their mom."
"You took Cas to a horror movie?" Nick sounded appalled at the suggestion. "He's terrified of scary anythings. Did you have to hold his hand the whole time?"
"Once or twice." Dean admitted softly, shaking his head. "You didn't let him study all night, did you?"
"Hell no." Nick's smile went wide and Sam felt uncomfortable standing between them. "I like kissing him too much to let him study. Which is incidentally why he's kicking me out."
Sam wanted to say 'no' or 'shut up' but it was a good enough lie so he let it be.
Dean managed to look vaguely nauseous and approving at the same time, which was impressive. "Alright. New rules, whatever it is you two girls decide to do to each other, I don't hear about it and it doesn't happen on my couch- or any other place where I nap or eat. And I don't want to see it."
"Fair enough." Nick agreed, ignoring the small noises of protest coming from Sam because apparently he wasn't part of the bargaining process and his input was unnecessary. "But then the same goes for you and Cas."
All of Dean tensed, his whole body going stiff for a second. "You want to run that by me again."
"I get it. Sam's your brother and some guy making him hot and bothered isn't something you want to see. But I feel the same about my kid brother."
Nick's assessment earlier had been fairly accurate. He did only make it worse.
Sam wanted to push the man out the door and tell Dean that none of that was ever said, because he could see the anger and denial and everything else unnamable and volatile wash over his brother and Sam knew that there was very little time to salvage this.
"If you're still hungry, there's pizza on the coffee table." Sam smiled at Dean, giving the best peace offering he could come up with on such short notice as he actively started to push Nick towards the door. He leaned into the blonde and bore his teeth. "Go home." A clean and concise threat hidden under that whisper. "I'll call you in two weeks- if you're lucky."
Unimpressed jerk that he was, Nick only grinned, looking oh so pleased with himself and the trouble that he had cause with only a few misplaced words. He leaned in and before Sam could stop him the man kissed his cheek.
"Good night, Sam. Study hard." Warm undertones to his voice that prickled along Sam's skin in an unwelcome way.
"Good night." He tried to keep up that forceful tone but it had lost most of its bite.
As partings went it was a little lacking.
Once the door closed Dean found his voice. "I don't like him."
"He's…" Sam searched for some kind of defense for Nick and found himself coming up short. "I've really got to get back to my books."
"Dump him, Sam." Dean suggested, going to investigate the pizza and he scowled at it and its lack of meat. "You can do better."
"I like him." That was all Sam had to offer his brother in way of an argument. It wasn't great- but it was true.
And that kind of surprised him.
.:.
Three days later saw Sam on the near end of a nervous breakdown. He had barricaded himself into one of the study rooms in the lower levels of the school library, back where they keep all the old reel to reels, millimeter films, and other things that hadn't been used in the last twenty years or so but no one had bothered to toss out.
As per etiquette, if you managed to find a closet not stacked high with canisters then you claimed it as your own and threatened any invaders to your territory with bodily harm. Sam had locked himself in about an hour after his first test of the day ended, in an effort to have the quiet that he needed to rewrite the last chunk of an essay he had due that night.
For possibly the fifth time since he had claimed the room he heard the door handle rattle behind him.
"Taken." He said without turning around- but he didn't need to say anything. There was a window in the door, specifically so people could look in and know it was in use and not knock on the doors and disrupt people who were trying to study.
Wouldn't it be amazing if people bothered to actually look before knocking?
He rubbed at his face, then his neck, wishing that the tables were a bit taller so he wasn't hunched down around his laptop, but beggars can't be choosers and he was just lucky to have found a room.
The door rattled again, annoying, tapping little knocks like they were doing it on purpose.
Sam turned, half climbing up out of chair, and was horrified to see Nick's sleepy blue eyes peering at him through the little window.
"Oh, for the love of god."
Nick saw that Sam saw him and the man gave a big smile and a waggle of fingers.
Though Sam could have opened the door, all he did was stare. Too confused at the apparition to do anything.
Nick lightly kissed the glass between them.
Slowly, Sam turned back to his laptop, because no. Just plain and simple. No.
"Sam-" Nick's voice was muffled through the door, barely more than a whisper. "Sam. I missed your face. Let me in."
For what it was worth, Sam was able to stubbornly ignore Nick up until the man started singing to him. If he made too much noise he would disturb the other students studying and get himself kicked out. The librarians might send Sam with Nick.
It wasn't worth the risk and he got up and popped the simple lock on the handle.
"Shut up and get in here before you get us both in trouble."
Nick just smiled that smile of his and sauntered in like he had every right to be here- which he didn't.
Sam closed the door and leaned against it, taking a slow breath. He wanted to make some accusation, or at least demand to know what Nick needed, but all those thoughts left, replaced with the singular notion that Nick smelled amazing.
He smelled like roast beef and spicy mustard and- and Nick produced a crumpled paper bag from his coat and held it aloft.
"Is that…?"
"I had to call Cas and get your brother's number, then had to call your brother, get him to actually answer the phone at work, and tell me what you wanted for lunch." He handed the bag to Sam like a sacred offering. "Apparently this is your favorite, non plant thing to eat. I couldn't live with myself if I brought you a salad."
"I… you have to go all the way to Pacifica to get these." He took the sandwich that had to have been made at a little diner he knew so well near the ocean, the little red logo on the bag told him as much. He and Dean had found the place two summers ago during a fortuitous beach trip. The damn sandwiches had to have been made with something more profound, and possibly sinister, than simply bread and meat and cheese, because even after all this time, Sam still inexplicably craved them every few weeks. Just the smell alone was making it hard to think.
"I drove fast. It should still be warm." Nick sat himself down on the edge of the desk, crossing his ankles and arms, looking positively smug with all that he had done.
"We aren't allowed to have food in here." Sam was positively drooling, but rules were rules.
"I won't tell if you won't." He promised.
And that was enough incentive for him. Sam sat back down and got halfway through the sandwich, and deep fried zucchini (Dean knew him well, or Nick was just that good at guessing), before his got his train of thought back on its tracks.
"How did you even find me down here?"
"I asked around if anyone had seen a depressed looking giant with a boy-band-haircut and shoulders like a musk ox." Nick stole a zucchini slice and looked pensive as he chewed. "Almost everyone's so busy with their faces in their books that they missed seeing you- except one perky little redhead. She said you held the doors open for her in the stairwell. She was going up, you were going down. She wanted to know if you were seeing anyone, and maybe could I give her your number. I told her thank you, and yes, and no- in that order."
"You know- I'm sure you were speaking clearly, but I have no idea what you just said to me."
Nick chuckled. "You brother said you've been a bit of a mess since finals started."
This was not particularly new news to Sam. Dean had been quite verbal in expressing his concern over Sam's mental health over the last few days. He was honestly starting to worry about himself as well.
"I'm going to run away from home and becoming a highwayman." He took another bite, chewing a bit before speaking again. "Highwaymen don't have to take finals or write papers."
"I think you'll find a shortage of stagecoaches to rob in this part of the country. It's not going to be a profitable occupation." Nick watched Sam chewing. "Is it really that good?"
"I'm considering marrying this sandwich. I will be Mrs Sandwich. You're not invited to our wedding."
Nick very gently touched the bend of Sam's elbow, tugging at his arms and moving the sandwich away from its comfortable eating distance. "Your brother is worried about you, and I think I might be too."
"I'm ok. I've got food." Had he remembered breakfast this morning? Maybe not. Oh, but it was a good sandwich.
"Can I have a bite?"
Sam looked at his food, then at the man who wanted to take it from him… but Nick had also brought the food in the first place, so it complicated things. Reluctantly, he held out the sandwich and watched warily as Nick took a generous bite.
Nick's eyes rolled back, closed, as he slowly chewed. "God, I should have gotten two."
Sam reclaimed his food, keeping it close and safe, wanting to savor the last few bites. "How do you drive all that way and not get yourself something to eat?"
"The goal of today was to bring you food." He shrugged, lazy expression, though he was now watching Sam's last bit of food vanishing away with little, hungry bites. "I'm a one thing at a time kind of guy."
Digging in the bottom of the bag, Sam found some napkins and he wiped at his hands and mouth. "I would tell you to stop buying me food- but anytime at all that you get the idea to bring me one of those sandwiches- just do it. I won't complain."
Nick's smile was the only answer he gave.
It was good enough for Sam.
He felt almost bad when it was time to chase the man off- but those paragraphs weren't going to write themselves. His hands felt too big and awkward on Nick's shoulders as he literally had to get behind him and push to get him moving towards the door.
"But I miss you."
"It's only been three days- and I told you that I would be busy until the end of next week. You're going to just have to pine for me." Even after the heavenly lunch, Sam just didn't have the energy to joke around like this.
"Can I at least get a kiss goodbye?" Nick arched against Sam's pushes, looking over his shoulder and fighting the leaving momentum.
"No." Sam said firmly.
"Not even for luck?"
"Not even for a sandwich."
"But I love you."
"No you don't."
"No. I don't. But-"
"Goodbye, Nick." Sam gave one last, firm, shove. "I'll call you when finals are done. We can go see a movie or something."
"I'm going up to the Bay next weekend. Come with me?"
"Why?" Sam felt what at this point was a fairly well earned suspicion.
"I've got some things to do and thought the company would be nice."
"Things?" Sam was still pushing but there was less force now.
"Getting two of the pegs on my violin fixed, concert, touch up on one of my tattoos."
"Oh." The majority of Sam's mental processes were wholly devoted to that essay sitting on his laptop. Sure he could go with Nick. Tests would be done. It might be nice to get out of Stanford for a bit.
"I think I'd like that." It was probably ok to let himself get a little excited at the prospect of a light at the end of the test tunnel.
"You're upsettingly adorable when you smile." Nick patted Sam's cheek. "I think I might keep you." He kept his hand against Sam's skin, long fingers and standing far too close. "Do well on your tests. Make us proud."
Sam laughed, turning away, not sure what to say to that anymore than he was sure why he felt oddly embarrassed about the whole thing.
.:.
Ringing.
There was an obnoxiously loud ringing that just wouldn't stop. Sam rolled over in bed, fumbling for his stupidly bright phone, shielding his eyes while he tried to find the 'accept' button.
"Yeah?" The fact that he had not actually been gargling with glass before bed was not at all evident in his voice and he had to cough a few times and try again.
"Hey, Sam."
That voice… he should know that voice. There was something familiar to it.
"Sorry for calling so late. I-"
"Nick?" Sam pressed his forearm to his eyes, trying to push back the sudden headache he felt coming on. "God. What time is it?"
"Almost four."
"Why?" Sam half sobbed. It was a Wednesday and he had suffered through the first week of finals, the second week starting with a particularly painful Law examine yesterday afternoon and he had another one that promised to be just as bad, if not worse, in about four hours.
"Can I come over?"
"I'm sleeping, Nick." Sam wasn't going to cry. Really he wasn't. It just felt like it. "I am literally sleeping right now. And you can take a flying leap off the nearest go fuck yourself bridge and leave me alone because I've got to get up in three hours and take another test."
"The power's out in my apartment building." The man said quickly, pleading, before Sam could hang up on him. "I can see my breath. Please, Sam. I just need a couch somewhere that's not freezing cold."
Sam's brain took a moment to catch up as he rolled to glare at his alarm clock. "Text me when you get here. If you ring the doorbell and wake Dean I will have to make him wait in line to murder you and he doesn't like having to wait."
Nick made some noise like a thank you, but Sam was already hanging up, rolling over on his phone and promptly falling back asleep. All too soon, his phone started vibrating under his cheek- which was a horrible way to wake up. He didn't even bother reading the text, just pulled himself to his feet and stumbled as quietly as he could down stairs.
The lock, as well as the door handle fought him, and he may have fallen back asleep briefly because when he opened his eyes (not even remembering having closed them) he was cold, standing in a frosty draft with his forehead pressed to the door. Nick was beside him, hand on his shoulder, saying something soft and forgettable.
"You're wet." Sam pointed out as Nick took the door, closing and locking it.
"It's raining." Nick shadowy silhouette started to struggle out of its jacket. "And there's sleet and I can't feel my hands or toes at this point."
"I'll borrow you some dry clothes." Sam started pawing his way back upstairs in the dark, familiar enough with the layout of the house that he knew where to go even with his eyes drifting back closed.
Nick followed somewhere behind him, or at least Sam was fairly certain that that's what the quiet and clumsy sounds meant.
They made it to his room and with likely good intentions, Nick found the light switch and bathed them both in painfully sharp light. Sam hissed and whimpered, covering his eyes and hating himself for answering his phone when Nick called. He could be sleeping right now. He could.
"Sorry." The man apologized, dousing the lights. "Sorry."
As quiet as he could, so as not to somehow wake his brother who was sleeping just down the hall, Sam dug through his dresser and found some flannel pants and a sweat shirt. He pushed them into Nick's hands and before the man could say anything else, Sam also found the towel he had used that evening after his shower and he handed that over as well.
"Thanks." Nick took him all with such sincere gratitude. "Where's an extra blanket?" He was already edging back towards the room's only door, obviously wanting to get out of the way.
A few minutes ago such a question would have been boggling, but Sam had been upright and having to make coordinated choices for too long, his brain starting to catch up with his body. "Blankets? Dean… he took the extra ones last night." It seemed like each night was getting colder and colder as they entered the full and promising embrace of winter.
"That's ok." Nick said gently. "I'll just-"
"Dry clothes first." Sam instructed as the foremost order of business even as he was crawling back into bed. "You get the left side. Any efforts to keep me from sleeping- and I swear to god I will smother you with a pillow." There was no way to tell how the man was taking his instructions because Sam's was already settling so perfectly into his beautiful, welcoming bed.
He stirred on the edges of sleep, coming back to himself as the far side of the mattress dipped.
"Thanks." Nick repeated for possibly the millionth time, ignoring the fact that Sam wanted no gratitude. Only sleep.
"G'night." Sam mumbled into his pillow, shying away slightly as the mass of cold that was Nick came to rest beside him.
"Sam?"
He would kill Nick. He really would. And no one would consider it anything other than justifiable homicide at this point.
"Do I get a goodnight kiss?"
"I hate you." Sam growled sleepily. "You suck and I hate you."
"Is that a no?"
Nick's cheeks were just as cold as promised and Sam did his best to keep the contact as brief as possible while he clumsily grabbed the other man and pulled him over enough to find his mouth and kiss him. Just a rough, dry press of lips, short and to the point- before angrily rolling over.
"Now good fucking night."
Nick didn't say goodnight back.
But Sam was already asleep, so he didn't really notice.