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He’s happy to have exceptions.

Summary:

Scaramouche cares for two whole idiots who fail to get enough rest.

...They're his idiots, at least.

Notes:

*does a backflip* hey guys, drlessy here with another banger. (you see me explode.)

anyways I think they're neat. these three should have more fics. :3

(See the end of the work for more notes.)

Work Text:

“...Why the hell do you sleep like that?” Scaramouche’s voice startles Aether awake, head popping up from where he’s curled up completely under the covers of his bed.

…When did he get in his Wangshu Inn room?

Aether blinks slowly over at him, watching as Scaramouche’s face scrunches up in irritation. “How does your back not hurt? I thought you were just a pillow or some shit under those blankets.”

Ah. So Scara breaks into his inn’s room and his first concern is why he sleeps in the fetal position. Right.

It wasn’t even his room, it was Xiao’s. He just used it because the Adeptus insisted. 

“You didn’t break in… Did you?” Aether ignores Scaramouche’s judgment, voice sleepy as he just lets his head fall back onto his pillow with a huff. 

He doesn’t see Scara roll his eyes, but he assumes he does. “No, sleeping mess, I didn’t fucking break anything.” The puppet approaches the bed, and Aether lets out a yelp when his ankles are suddenly grabbed and he’s forced out of his curled up position. He sits up and sends a tired glare down to Scara, the man squinting at him in response.

“You’re going to fuck up your back sleeping like that.” He grumbles to the blonde, “Doesn’t matter if you’re immortal or not.” Scara takes the ends of the blanket on the bed and throws it over Aether’s head. Aether huffs again in response, immediately dragging the blanket back down over his head.

If Scara finds amusement in Aether’s worsened bed head, he doesn’t express it.

“I can’t help it.” Aether pouts, bringing up a hand to rub at his eye. “I feel…” He sighs, “Safer. Sleeping like that.”

“...Safer. Mmhm.” Scara says in an unbelieving tone, eyebrow raised.

“It does.” Aether insists, groaning as he lets himself fall back completely onto the bed. “I can’t sleep well when I’m alone, it helps.”

“Hmm…” Scaramouche eyes the room’s window, eyebrows furrowing. “And Xiao doesn’t stay often, does he?”

Aether whines, raising his hands to cover his face. “He means well...” He mumbles, “He’ll stay with me until I fall asleep usually, but tonight he was busy.”

The puppet hums in response, face going contemplative then. “...One moment.” He abruptly stands and leaves the room, leaving Aether to stare after him with a confused expression.

….

……

……..

Aether feels like he should be worried.

Should he just go back to sleep? Erm…

The blonde sits back up, staring at the open door of his room with a pout. He could’ve at least shut it behind him.

Just as he’s debating getting up, shutting the door, and going back to sleep- he perks up at hearing a grumbling voice. A familiar grumbling voice. One that makes his hand do a small excited shake despite his sleepiness- and this in turn makes his face redden lightly in embarrassment despite no one seeing him do this.

Ugh. He's a mess.

He watches as Scaramouche basically drags Xiao into the room by his hand, and- Xiao, god bless him, had a light blush dusting his cheeks that only gets redder when Xiao makes eye contact with Aether.

Aether blinks slowly to him.

“...You’re awake.” Xiao notes, frowning slightly as his hand holding Scara’s tightens. When Aether nods in response, gesturing to Scara as if that explains anything in itself.

This just makes Scara sigh dramatically, letting go of Xiao’s hand and pushing him towards the bed. Xiao hisses in response, but surprisingly doesn’t do something drastic like take Scara’s head off. The Adeptus glares back at the puppet, opening his mouth to say something likely in irritation only to be cut off by Aether wrapping his arms around his neck and pulling him into the bed.

Aether…” Xiao breathes out, face close to Aether’s- their noses touching.

“Sleep?” Aether requests, eyes pleading.

Xiao inhales deeply, before huffing in fond exasperation. “For you, yes.”

Aether brightens, happy to push Xiao a little back so he can start removing Xiao’s armor- mainly the sharp and hard pieces that would more than likely disrupt their sleep. As he does this, he glances over to Scaramouche- who watches them with an amused gaze. “...Join?” Aether asks, causing Scara to tense up.

“....no.” Scara crosses his arms, frowning as he looks unsure of himself. 

Xiao unexpectedly looks towards Scara too, expression turning thoughtful. “..Why not?” He questions, startling Scara more than Aether initially asking.

“I- … I haven’t-” Scara brings up a hand to run it through his hair in almost a nervous way. “I’m… Allowed?

Xiao’s eyes seem to soften in a sad way as Aether hums quietly in response. “Yes, you are. Of course you are.” Aether takes the last of Xiao’s armor off, and scoots a little further back on the bed. He pats at the blankets below him, “We talked about this, did we not? It’s okay to reject affection when you’re not comfortable with it- but if you want it… I’m here, y’know? For both of you.”

Scara looks at the ground, avoiding their gazes with such a conflicted expression on his face.

“I was not…. Certain, about you at first.” Xiao mumbles, Aether’s hand now in his own as he rubs circles into it. “But eventually I saw who you were underneath all of your supposed rage. We were… Similar, like that. You just always expressed your anger differently along with how you cared.” He sighs deeply, laying back on the bed without prompt from Aether for once and staring up at the ceiling. “So, yes. With what Aether said. We talked about this. Several times, I recall. Along with the fact that you dragged me up here just so Aether could safely sleep- even though you could have slept with him on your own…”

Scara’s face reddens.

“It only makes sense that you would be allowed to sleep along with us, as me nor Aether have expressed that you weren’t allowed. Have we?” Xiao questions- though he wasn’t looking for an answer as he already knew.

I care for you both so much that it hurts.” Scaramouche whispers, ignoring Aether’s head tilt as the blonde didn’t hear him.

Xiao did, and he only lets out a huff in response.

“.....” Scara takes his hat off of his head, settling it against the wall then stepping cautiously over to the bed.

Aether doesn’t trap him like he did with Xiao- instead grabbing his hand with his free one and pulling him lightly to sit down. “You’re always so tense, Boe.” Aether sighs, though it’s not out of irritation. He works on getting Scara’s sharp clothing parts off too then, as if to get Scara used to his touch. 

It seems like this was a routine Aether was used to- easing into affection with little things so they’d start to slowly feel safe and settle down. It applied to both of them- two emotionally and physically hurt immortal beings needed extra care- extra love.

Aether was happy to give that to them, because they’re just as patient with him too and willing to give him a chance. He was honored to be given that. He was happy to love them both if no one else will.

They deserved it, they deserved to have something good in their lives and Aether wanted to be that. And… Well, it was good for Aether too because they made him just as happy.

Scara slowly starts to relax, and as he does- he raises his hands up to Aether’s face and cups it. Aether blinks slowly at him and Scara blinks back, then leans forward in order to touch noses with him. “I adore you.” He whispers.

Aether melts, hands coming up to rest on Scara’s. “Saying that won’t get you out of sleeping.” He whispers, smiling and making his eyes crease.

“I’m not saying it to get out of this.” Scara pouts, brushing his fingers underneath Aether’s eyelids. When Aether lets out a soft giggle and kisses Scara’s cheek, he grumbles under his breath.

“I know. I know. I love you too.” As Scara bluescreens- Aether removes Scara’s hands from his face, guiding him to lay down alongside Xiao.

Xiao takes Scara’s hand into his own while Aether gets the blankets settled around them all- and lays a gentle kiss onto it.

“I appreciate you caring.” Xiao whispers to him.

“Of course I fucking care.” Scara huffs out, “You both suck at taking care of yourselves, I might as well care. Damn it.” That earns him a flick on the nose from Aether, and an actual huffed laugh from Xiao.

Shush.” Aether crawls onto the both of them, settling right in the middle with a content sigh. “Can we go to sleep now…? I don’t have commissions tomorrow and wanna sleep in.”

Mhm. You took my advice to take a day off then, good.” Scara kisses the top of Aether’s forehead almost 'aggressively' just as Xiao kisses Aether’s cheek gently.

Aether pouts deeply, “I do take breaks.”

“Not as much as you should.” Scara’s eyes roll, and he lets his head hit the pillow underneath him. “And same goes for Xiao, you’re both so lucky to have me here. Where would you be without me?”

“Aether always took me on breaks before you came along. So, I believe we could have been fine.” Xiao says simply.

“What Xiao said, I know when I need rest!” Aether says with a dramatic gesture of his hand- in which gets grabbed by Scara and dragged back down to the bed.

“You can’t count only getting into bed as you’re on the verge of passing out. I’ve seen you go days without sleep.” Scara shuts his eyes, “And sometimes you never even made it to the bed. And as for Xiao… No matter how many breaks he fucking takes he still passes out from overworking himself and he doesn’t even need as much sleep as you. Fucking hell. Yeah, no. You both would have been hopeless on your own.”

“But we-” Aether’s voice goes muffled as Scara puts his hand onto his mouth.

“Nope. Hopeless.” Scaramouche deadpans.

Aether is tempted to lick Scara’s hand, but he resists. He thinks they would’ve been fine without him. They had been learning how to be stable, as any relationship should be. But- well, Aether also wouldn’t have this any other way. He’s glad Scara is here to lecture them like this.

So instead he kisses the hand on his mouth, and happily watches Scara’s frown soften into something neutral as his cheeks flush.

Xiao remains overall quiet, content to hear both of their voices as he lays. 

They certainly weren’t a normal trio, but good god were they faithful to one another.

Aether falls asleep first, as he was ever so sleepy still and as soon as they all settled down completely- it was easy to pass out. Much easier than if he were alone.

He felt safe with them by his side.

Xiao is next to fall asleep, losing the battle as exhaustion from the last few days caught up with him.

Scara opens his eyes once he hears their breathing even out, head turning towards them both as a soft exhale escapes him. 

It was hard to admit that he was tired. It was even harder to admit that being here- with these two, made him feel even exhausted.

Because he also felt… Secure, laying here.

…..

Scara rests a careful arm over them both, burying his face into Aether’s hair.

Stay with me for as long as you can, got it? He thinks, shutting his eyes tightly. You want me to stay, so I will. And you better too.

He’s just about asleep when he feels Aether lean into him further, giving him a warmth that replaces the cold he normally feels daily. The warmth only deepens when Xiao rolls over in his sleep and lays his arm over his own.

Ah…

No one else was allowed to do this.

He’d kill them if they did.

………………………..

…..He’s happy to have exceptions.

Notes:

p.s. join my discord server! It's very wholesome there. https://discord.com/invite/tUVkQucg6A Feel no pressure to stay of course if you do join <3 It may not be for everyone !

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