Colby was never one to sleep much. He would rather do anything else than sleep. Instead he would be on his phone, scrolling through the endless tweets that kept refreshing on his Twitter or watching fan edits of himself on Instagram. He would watch movie after movie and episode after episode until he's seen everything on Netflix. Or he would watch random videos on YouTube. Sometimes he would rewatch his own just to see how much he had changed since then. Or sometimes he would just lay in his bed, lights off, and listen to the music that escaped his phone's speaker, willing himself to sleep. But it very rarely ever came. So when someone knocked on his door at 3 in the morning, he got up and answered, glad for the distraction.
He slipped on a random black shirt that was on the floor. He had taken it off because it got hot in his room. He didn't put on any pants, his black boxers will have to do. He hoped it was just the guy next door who sometimes gets so drunk that Colby has to led him to the right apartment door. He turned on the lights on his way to the door so he wouldn't trip.
He opened the door, expecting his drunk neighbor to be leaning against the doorframe, and he prepared himself to catch the man if he started falling. But when Colby swung the door open he saw Sam. The blonde was in his own pajamas, sweatpants and tshirt, his hands clasped together in front of him. Colby was confused as to why Sam was at his door. Though the blonde lived right across the hall, Sam visited Colby often but never in the middle of the night like this. It had been a long day for them and he would have thought that Sam would already be asleep.
"Sam? What are you doing here?" Colby asked rather quietly, since most of the people in their apartment were sleeping. Sam looked behind Colby and into his messy apartment. He stepped aside so Sam could enter and he shut the door. He clicked the lock into place before turning to face Sam.
"I knew you'd be awake," Sam said once the door was closed and straying ears couldn't hear. Colby brought his eyebrows together and bit his lip. They stood there, in the dim light of the kitchen, staring at one another. And then Colby led Sam to his bedroom. They sat down on the edge and Colby was unsure of what to say.
"Huh?" The brunette asked.
"You're always awake and I just-just wanted..." Sam was struggling to talk. His breathing had become heavy and Colby grabbed both of Sam hands to try to calm him. Colby knew Sam got nervous easily. Gently, Colby rubbed circles into Sams skin. Colby tried to make eye contact with the boy but Sam was avoiding it.
"What is it Sammy? Just tell me," Colby whispered, using Sams nickname to make the boy seem more comfortable.
"I'm having trouble sleeping. I can't seem to fall asleep," Sam said honesty, sighing a little. Sam squeezed his eyes shut afraid Colby would laugh at him.
Colby frowned and moved closer to Sam. Usually Sam was the first to fall asleep, sleeping came natural to him. Colby now noticed the dark circles under Sams eyes. And he wondered how long it had been since the boy got a full nights sleep.
"For how long?" Colby asked. He brought his hand up to cup Sams face. His finger rubbed underneath Sams dark eyes and Colby frowned. Sam closed his eyes and leaned into the touch, almost like the contact made him relax.
"A couple weeks," Sam replied.
That meant Sam hasn't been fully sleeping for a long time. No wonder he's been slower and tired all the time. Colby just thought that all the videos and editing they do were finally wearing on the blonde. Staring too long at a computer screen trying to edit an hour long video is draining, mentally and physically.
"Oh Sammy, I'm sorry," Colby said. Without thinking, Sam crawled into his best friends lap and placed his head on his shoulder. Colby wrapped his arms around Sam and closed his eyes. It wasn't unusual for them to be close, they've been friends for years and the contact doesn't seem to bother them anymore. In fact, it was weird when they weren't touching or comforting each other.
"I just thought that maybe you could help or something," Sam mumbled, his breath hitting the open skin above Colby's shirt.
"Well, when was the last time you got a full nights sleep?" Colby asked, bringing a hand up to smooth the blondes locks.
It took a few minutes before Sam replied, "Five days ago."
"But it wasn't a full nights sleep per say. I was only asleep for like three hours. Then I woke up and couldn't fall back asleep. I just kept tossing and turning," Sam continued.
Sam wasn't like Colby. He needed his sleep to function whereas Colby could go multiple weeks without sleep and be fine. The taller boy rubbed circles into his back and Sam started shaking. It was light at first and Colby thought maybe Sam was cold. Colby looked down and noticed the older boy crying.
"Hey, calm down. It's ok," Colby said softly. A few minutes later, Sam stopped crying and they were sat in silence. Colby didn't know why the blonde was crying in the first place. There was nothing to be ashamed or embarrassed about. Sam, suddenly, crawled off of Colby and stood up, he hands clasped in front of him. His eyes widened in fear.
"Oh- I'm sorry Colbs. I didn't mean to do t-that," Sam mumbled, stuttering over his words as he tried to regain his breathing. He shook his head and reached out for Sam again. He was hesitant but sat on the bed rather closely to Colby.
"No it's ok," Colby whispered, leaning into the blonde.
Sam looked at him with tired eyes and Colby noticed they weren't as bright as they used to be. Gently, he placed a hand on Sams arm and he motioned for them to lay down. Colby removed his shirt so he was left in just his boxers. He blushed slightly when he caught Sams eyes roaming his chest.
"Lets try to sleep, yeah?" Colby whispered. Sam crawled on the bed next to Colby, positioning his body close to his best friends.
They laid down with Colby on his back and Sams head resting on Colby's chest. One of Sams arms was thrown over Colby haphazardly. Colby played with Sams blonde hair until he was sure the older boy had fallen asleep. Colby moved around in the bed so he was spooning Sam. He nuzzled his face into Sams back and enjoyed the smell of his best friend. But his eyes remained open as the breathing of his friend deepened. He thought about how he hadn't noticed a change in Sam's behavior earlier. His fingers subconsciously intertwined with the blondes and he squeezed it gently. The movement must of woken Sam up.
"Colby?" Sam grumbled suddenly.
"Shh close your eyes. Go to sleep," Colby whispered in his ears. Sam shivered at the feeling of Colbys breathe hitting the back of his neck.
"I can't," he mumbled. Colby nodded but didn't say anything. He didn't know what to tell the boy. Sam played with Colby's fingers that were laced with his, a small smile on his face.
"How do you do it?" Sam asked moments later. Colby furrowed his eyebrows, confused. Sam turned around so now the blonde and brunette were facing each other. Colby noticed their proximity to each other and a new blush formed on his face.
"Do what?"
"How do you fall asleep?" Sam asked. Oh, Colby understood now.
"Honestly, I don't sleep much Sam. I'm a night owl, very rarely sleep," Colby replied. His breath hit Sams face. There wasn't really much said after that. Colby knew that wasn't the answer Sam was looking for.
"You're an insomniac," Sam mumbled. Colby furled his eyebrows together, he hadn't thought himself to be one.
"Yeah, I guess so," Colby whispered back.
"I know," Sam said, sighing. He reached out from under the sheets and ran his fingers up and down Colby's cheek. Colby was confused now.
"How do you know? I've never told anyone," Colby asked, relaxing into the feeling of Sams finger.
"I'm your best friend Colby, I notice. I see the way your eyes are heavy and dark. I see you yawning every five minutes. You don't have to say anything for me to know, I can just see it. I'm your best friend," Sam explains, moving his hands to tangle in Colby's hair.
"So tell me Colby, what helps you fall asleep?" Sam tried again because honesty he was still really tired.
"Usually, it helps me if I think of someone I love or like. I think about the good things about them or the things that they do that makes me like them. I think about how they laugh at my jokes, even though half the time they aren't even funny, and how their eyes crinkle from smiling so hard. And usually, that helps me fall asleep," Colby said, thoughts traveling to Sams laugh.
Sam moved closer to Colby and placed his face between Colby's shoulder and neck. He could feel Sams lips hovering over his skin, gently burning a hole through the flesh.
"Who do you usually think about?" Sam asked. It was a risky question but Sam was curious. Colby didn't have a girlfriend and he wasn't seeing anyone right now. His voice was deep with sleep that hasn't come to him yet, tired eyes half closed. His lips touched Colby's skin and Colby thought he was going to scream.
"Mm it depends but mostly you," Colby whispered, giving away his secret. Of course, he thought about Sam before he went to sleep. There was no else he would rather think about. He could hear Sam gasp and he pulled his head away to look at Colby.
"Me?" He asked. Colby nodded and smiled small. He brushed some of his hair out of his face and Sam blushed. A deep crimson speeding across his cheeks and he ducked his head to hide it from Colby.
"I wanna try something, yeah?" Colby mumbles. Sam nods. The younger boy decided not to continue talking about the crush on his best friend. Colby moves around so they are back in their original position with Sams head on Colby's chest.
"I want you to listen to my heartbeat. Maybe it will help," Colby said quietly. Sam moved his head around so his ear was above Colby's heart. It was pulsing loud in his ear, moving blood all around his body.
Sam closed his eyes and listened to Colby's heartbeat. It was calming in a way. And it was slow because his breathing had gotten heavier. His fingers tapped on his chest, thumpthump, thumpthump.
He thought of Colby and his ocean blue eyes that always looked at him with love. He thought of his milky pale skin that Sam just wanted to cover in kisses. He thought of Colby and his blinding smile. He thought of Colby and his contagious laugh. He thought of Colby.
And slowly, not even realizing it, he brought Colby into his dream. The brunette smiled as he heard Sams soft snores. His method had worked.
And maybe it was because Sam was sleeping next to him, curled into his side, that Colby fell asleep for the first time in a long time. He slept good too, he didn't wake up once, not until the sun was shinning brightly through his windows. And Colby thought that maybe Sam was his solution, when the blonde slept with him Colby could sleep peacefully.
In the morning, well more like late afternoon, Sam woke up in Colby's arms. He yawned and mumbled out a 'good morning' to which Colby corrected him. He chuckled lightly and buried his face back into Colby's side.
It was nice and warm under the sheets and neither of them wanted to leave. Their legs had tangled themselves in the night and Sam had his face in the curve of Colby's neck. He placed a soft kiss there and Colby hummed.
"Did you sleep well?" Colby asked, hand running up Sams clothed back.
"Yes, yes I did," Sam breathed, placing his lips flat against Colby's collarbone. And Colby could feel the smaller boy smiling against his skin.
Colby noticed that Sams eyes shined once again and that made him happy. Sam took Colbys hand and kissed the back of it.
"Wanna know how I did it?" Sam asked Colby, who smiled and nodded. He ran his fingers through Sams messy hair and gazed at the boy with love.
"I took your advice," Sam paused for dramatic effect. He could see Colbys face fall in confusion but he quickly recovered. "I thought about you."
And Colby smiled wider than the Pacific Ocean and brought the boy closer.