Sleepy -> pure Ethan fluff here
Ethan’s best friend likes him more than she’ll admit, and he has a habit of sleeping on her.
Tara caught you the first time it happened.
You were at Ethan and Chad’s dorm, studying for your Econ exam with Tara, when you’d found yourself curled up against Ethan, head in his lap, dozing away from boredom.
“Look how cute.” Tara whispered to Chad, pointing her pen at the two of you. Ethan’s head had fallen back to rest against the wall, his eyes closed as the two of you slept.
The next time was at the Halloween party. This time it was Ethan, exhausted from the alcohol and the noise, that had sat next to you on the couch beside Anika and Mindy. And when his head had moved to lay against your shoulder, his breaths slowing as he found comfort in your presence, you’d had to shush Mindy so she wouldn’t wake him up with her loud gossiping.
Most recently, you’d been found by Chad, curled up together under the covers in Ethan’s bed, his arm slung over your waist as your head burrowed in the space between his neck and shoulder.
No one in your friend group understood why the two of you weren’t together. It made no sense—you were always attached at the hip and, whenever you hung out, you always inevitably seemed to be napping with one another. For Ethan, it was because he was constantly stressed, and with you he could relax, breathing in the scent of your perfume and running tentative hands over your soft skin. For you, it was…
Well, you weren’t entirely sure.
So when you began receiving messages from your friend’s shared group-chat you gave a wary glance to Ethan where he laid curled up in a ball beside you, his head in your lap.
Chad: Alright Y/N, spill the tea. What’s going on w you and E?
Y/N: nothings going on why?
Tara: looks like a whole lot of ‘nothing’
Y/N: stopppp when did you take that??
Y/N: Tara delete that pls
Tara: no I’m making it my lock screen 😏
Chad: I thought I was your lock screen
Mindy: As long as his Ghostface ass stays away from me I don’t care who he naps with. Next subject.
You sighed, turning off your phone and chucking it to the end of the bed before running your nails absentmindedly through Ethan’s curls. Truth was, you did like your friend. You just didn’t know how to tell him.
“Y/N.” Ethan grumbled, lifting his head a fraction as he blinked sleepily. “What’s going…on?”
“Hey, Sleepy.” You smiled down at him, then squeaked when he wrapped his arms around your waist and tugged you under the covers next to him, his head moving to rest on your stomach. “E, what the—”
“Just go to sleep, please.” He grumbled, voice drowsy. “Need your…” he trailed off and your face flushed, but you made yourself comfortable, resting a hand against his head as you relaxed, your eyes slowly closing.
“Come on.” Tara was urging, watching as you did your makeup and ignored her. “Just get together all ready I’m sick of this.”
“He’s my friend, Tare.” You argued, raising a brow at her in the vanity mirror. “It’s not like that.”
“Really?” She asked, flouncing over. “Because I heard that Chad says he likes you.”
“Chad likes me?” You asked, confused, and Tara rolled her eyes.
“No dumbass. Ethan likes you.”
You blinked at her for a moment before shaking your head.
“What kind of friends nap together all the time?” She pushed, approaching to crouch on the floor beside you, crossing her arms and resting them on your legs. “I mean—come on. Come on. The boy can’t keep his hands off you.”
“That’s bull—” your phone rang and you both jumped. You reached out but Tara grabbed it first and you yelped, diving for the brunette as she giggled and ran, answering the call.
“Hey Sleepy.” She cooed, reading off Ethan’s contact name. She shot you a wink as your face burned. “What’s—” she paused. Then she looked at you, a curious expression on her face. “Yeah, yeah. She’s here, hold on.” Tara passed you the phone and you snatched it away, heartbeat quickening as you answered.
“Y/N.” Ethan’s voice met your ear and you tensed. He sounded…sad? Distressed? “Can you come over? Please?”
“Why what happened?” You asked, already standing up. Screw it, you’d take your makeup wipes with you and remove your half-finished look. Tara was watching you, looking a bit worried, as she handed you your purse.
“I don’t know I just…can you just come?”
“Yeah. Yeah, E.” You said, listening to the phone click as you looked to Tara. “What did he say to you?”
“Nothing he—he kind of sounded like…like he was crying or something. All he said was ‘Tara, give me Y/N please.’” She paused. “Is he okay, or—?”
“I don’t know. I’m sorry for leaving. Dunkin in the morning?”
So you left, going to Ethan’s dorm as fast as you could. You knew Chad was out with Mindy and Anika, and assumed that that’s why Ethan had called. But why did he sound so…upset?
You used your spare key that Ethan had made you to enter, knocking first, then pushed inside. When you got to Ethan’s room you saw him sitting with his head in his hands, but he soon looked up at you. His expression was pained and you felt a stab of anxiety run through you.
“What’s wrong?” You asked, setting your stuff down as you moved to him, sitting down beside your friend.
“I um..” he trailed off, looking at you then away. “this is embarrassing. I’m sorry.”
“No, it’s fine.” You said, reaching out to rub his back. “Tell me what happened.” Baby. You’d almost called him baby at the end of that sentence. You were insanely glad that you hadn’t.
“I have night terrors.” He said after a weighted pause, his eyes shifting to yours. “I cant sleep sometimes. When I’m alone I—I just…I just toss and turn. Everything freaks me out I don’t like to be alone.”
Your eyebrows furrowed as you looked at him.
“Night terrors? About what?”
“Well,” his face turned a shade of pink and he looked away. “well I was trying to go to bed and then I saw you and—” he paused, breath hitching, and you felt your chest tighten. “It’s fine. You’re here now, right? You’re fine.” He seemed to be trying to convince himself, his eyes darting across your face like he wasn’t sure this was real, and something in you cracked.
“Is that why you’re always so tired with me?” You asked, frowning. “Because you cant sleep alone?”
“No.” He said, and you stared at him in confusion, but he cut you off before you could speak. “I sleep with you because I feel…safe with you.” He seemed embarrassed again and glanced down at his hands. “I don’t feel comfortable with anyone else. Not like—not like you..” he sighed and blinked up at the ceiling, seeming to fight back a wince. “Im totally weirding you out right now, aren’t I.”
You watched him for a moment, contemplative, before you kicked off your shoes. He could only stare as you moved to the opposite side of his bed and shoved your shorts off, left in a huge t-shirt curtesy of Ethan himself.
“It’s not weird.” You said, slipping under the covers, and smacked the mattress next to you. He still stared, and you rolled your eyes. “Come on, E. Get in the bed.”
A hesitant laugh left him as he did so, climbing in beside you. It was muscle memory, at this point: your head on his chest, his arm around your waist, pulling you into him. You felt his soft breaths on your hair as you settled, adjusting into the familiarity of his body as you rested.
“You know I care about you, right?” Ethan asked into the darkness, his thumb brushing soft strokes against your waist. “Like..more than anyone.”
“Are you saying you have a crush on me, Sleepy?” You teased, and he startled you by instantly saying, “Yeah”.
You sat up a bit, looking at him, and you could’ve sworn his cheeks had gone red. You brushed his hair away from his forehead and ran your fingers across his cheek, your head tilting.
“Then do something about it.” You whispered, feeling his chest rise and fall beneath you, before he lowered his head and pressed his mouth to yours.
Chad: Y/N I know you’re getting these messages. I added you back to the groupchat a week ago.
Chad: my BOY over here says he’s going to his GIRLFRIENDS HOUSE TO WATCH A MOVIE
Chad: WHICH?? GIRLFRIEND???
Y/N: he has a girlfriend?
Chad: it’s not you??? he just left the house like an hour ago
Y/N: why would you think it’s me??
Y/N: idk what movie he was planning on watching because this man is out like a fuckin light
Tara: AHHHHHHHHHHHJOANASKNKSN
Chad: WHAT THE HEEEEEELLLLLL🔥🔥🔥🦅🦅🦅🦅🦅
