A/N: Prompt from Maki and seconded by XxStarryHeavenxX. Thanks gaiz~

Aha XD This is totally not what you people had in mind I'm sorry kinda sorta. Maybe I'll use the prompt again or something similar in the future because I totally used a huge loophole...

11

Rabbits

It's been four hours.

Four. Hours. And still ongoing.

It's been four, long hours of tossing and turning in sheets that just don't feel right against tender skin, with the fan somehow being flicked on and off by a quiet hand reaching above a restless body. Half a night of exasperated sighs that are silent as not to awaken the man passed out beside her. Endless minutes of heat flashes followed by cold spells and a continuing cycle of thermal temperatures rising and falling in a way that only insomnia can do to a person. Ticking seconds by the clock on the wall of staring blankly up at the ceiling, mapping out pictures in the swirls in the paint.

She has tried, she really has.

She's listened and listed every time Thomas inhales and exhales, memorizing the pattern of his slumbering breathing. And that seemed to lull her slightly - until he snored softly and shifted in their bed. It wouldn't have fazed her normally, but after so long of consciousness, it just pissed her off.

It wasn't just that - the young woman has steadied her own breathing and mentally repeated 'in...out...in...out...'. She has tried to go into her own little world and make up a story in her head that would distract and perhaps plunge her into sleep when she least expected it. She's listened to some music on her device and earphones.

So here she is, the back of her neck sweating while her feet are cold, glowering as the lyrics of a song stuck in her head replay over and over, being completely jealous of Thomas, who merely continues to murmur parts of his incoherent dreams to her right.

Finally, she gives up, shuffling to her feet quietly to go watch some TV or something.

Though not quiet enough, apparently, because she feels someone limply grasp hold of her wrist.

"Sorry," she whispers. "Did I wake you?"

Thomas yawns and his eyes water a bit. He's still sprawled flat out on the mattress, trying to blink away the tiredness in his vision. The sheets fall from his bare chest down to his boxers as he moves to try sitting up. "Yeah. Where're you going?"

Rio clenches her fingers in the fabric of her periwinkle nightgown, feeling guilty for disturbing him. "Watch a movie or something. I can't sleep."

He hunches over, masculine form appearing heavy as he looks over at her skeptically. "You're gonna die tomorrow."

"I know that!" she snaps. "I can't help it though!"

Thomas huffs indignantly before reaching out, gripping her shoulders, and pulling her down with him as he lays on his pillow. Rio lets out a soft oof! and pouts as her head nestles in the crook of his neck against her will.

He pokes her cheek gently, movements still slow. "I have an idea."

"Probably won't work-"

"It's something my older brother would do to help me fall asleep when I was really young," Thomas explains softly. "And when...well, he left...I'd do the same for Michael. It's like a family tradition, because I'm pretty sure Chris got it from Tron."

Hearing him talk like that makes Rio shut her mouth. Her lids lower halfway, eyebrows knitting in...even she is not entirely sure. Concern? Pity? Adorableness? Admiration?

"Count rabbits."

And then the moment is gone. "...What?"

He laughs. "I'm serious." He lifts up his hand for both of them to see. "Imagine a whole bunch of rabbits are running around and you have to count all of them. They're cuter than sheep, after all."

Rio rolls her pink eyes, not impressed but amused nonetheless. "I'm not buying it."

He cranes his neck so he can kiss her cheek affectionately, then gets as comfortable as he pleases and holds her closer with one arm. He clenches his hand into a fist. "Zero rabbits." He can hear her snickering reluctantly, so he proceeds to extend his index finger. "One rabbit." Then his middle finger. "Two rabbits." And his ring finger-

"Three rabbits," Rio giggles faintly.

The whole house is so silent, so serene, and the only sounds are her and Thomas as they count rabbits while the moon perches high up in the night sky outside. She isn't quite sure what eventually causes her to slip into unconsciousness - it could have been the counting part, though she highly doubts it. But before falling asleep, she hears Thomas mumble, "Fifty-six rabbits..." His embrace is warm and his voice is anesthetic when he uses it like that. And very soon, he's holding a dead weight who breathes peacefully and mutters something about bunnies against his skin.

Thomas smiles, then frowns.

He's still awake.

~Finish~