Sleep Alones:

Written By:

Alexis Herrera

Sunday afternoons are usually Dorian’s favorite part of the week. During custody weeks, he relishes family moments with his daughter, Honey—and now, more often than not, with his boyfriend Elias and Elias’s son, Milo. He treasures the little traditions they’ve built together: making breakfast (Elias helping Honey flip the pancakes), picnics at the park (Milo and Dorian dutifully making sure they pack exactly what’s needed), and ending the day with a cozy family movie night.

Although Dorian cherishes the moments he gets to spend with his family, he also enjoys non-custody weeks—precious stretches of quiet where he can indulge in one-on-one time with Elias.

This quiet, childless Sunday afternoon was much like any other. Elias and Dorian woke early, as they usually did, giving themselves time to tend to the newly sprouted garden Elias had insisted on planting in Dorian’s backyard. Before heading outside, they sat comfortably in their robes at the kitchen table, sipping coffee and nibbling on omelets. After sharing a shower, they walked hand-in-hand to the farmer’s market, where Elias was elated by a tomato sale and bought more than they’d likely use before they spoiled. And finally, back home from their fruitful outing, Dorian happily accepted Elias’s proposal to cuddle up in their bed for a peaceful afternoon nap.

Only today, Dorian found himself struggling to fall asleep. He lay there for a long while, content just listening to the steady rhythm of Elias’s breathing, serenely savoring the warmth—Elias’s head resting on his chest, one arm wrapped snugly around his waist. Eventually, though, his stomach began to grumble, and he found himself feeling quite peckish. He had only managed to eat half of his omelet, after all—Elias having made a tempting shower suggestion he couldn’t possibly refuse.

So, he did what all loving boyfriends do when caught in the affectionate entanglement of their partner’s limbs: he slowly extricated himself from their bed, shifting inch by inch, careful not to wake the slumbering man beside him. He tiptoed away in silent triumph, blissfully unaware that this small act of contortionism, alongside his sudden craving for marmalade on toast, would soon prove detrimental to the rest of his tranquil Sunday afternoon.

He had just taken his first bite of his second piece of toast when Elias shuffled into the kitchen looking disheveled and adorably grumpy. Dorian watched with amused fondness as Elias leaned against the entryway, arms crossed, brows furrowed, and lip jutting into the tiniest of pouts.

“So,” Elias grumbled. “We’re doing ‘Sleep Alones’ now?”

Dorian raised an eyebrow, unable to hide the way his lips twitched as he tried to hold back a smile (Elias, so cute when he’s grumpy). “What on earth is a ‘Sleep Alone’?”

“It’s where YOU,” Elias took a step into the kitchen, freeing one hand to point an accusatory finger in Dorian’s direction. “Abandon your boyfriend mid-nap and make him sleep all by his lonesome!”

Dorian couldn’t help the chuckle that escaped from his lips as he grinned with exasperation at his drowsy paramour. “You were sleeping alone the whole time, Elias. I wasn't sleeping at all, I was just lying there.”

“Right. Right, right, right,” Elias nodded, folding his arms again. “So, you know what you do when that happens?”

“What?” Dorian challenged, his grin growing wider.

“You put yourself to sleep!” Elias paced forward to stand in front of the table where Dorian sat, and flung his arms out in sleepy outrage, gesturing as if it were the most obvious answer in the world.

Still smiling in utter amusement, Dorian nodded. “Ah,” he said with mock understanding. “So you’re saying if you’re asleep, I need to be asleep as well?”

“Yes! That’s how it works!” Dorian could tell Elias was more awake by now, his expressions changing from groggy and grouchy to moody and wry. He gave an arch pout, once again crossing his arms in feigned indignation. “And P.S.,” he continued matter-of-factly, eyes glowing with mischief. “We're in a fight now.”

Dorian outright laughed at this, and it was his turn to fling his arms in outrage. “But Elias, I wasn’t tired!” he giggled.

Elias shrugged, unperturbed. “I don’t make the rules.”

“It sounds like you do!” he laughed.

At that moment, Elias’s eyes landed on Dorian’s half-eaten toast. His mouth gaped as he looked from the Judas snack to his traitor partner. “Are you eating, too??” he boomed. “Without me??” 

Dorian threw his hands up in pretend exasperation. “Yes, that's why I got up!”

There was a beat of silence as Elias let the betrayal hang in the air before stating plainly, “If you wanna leave me, you should just say that.”

Dorian gasped, choking out another laugh before rising from his chair, moving to stand in front of Elias, and placed both hands on his shoulders. “You’re being ridiculous,” he cooed as he slid one hand to cup the side of Elias’s face. “You were napping so peacefully, I didn’t want to wake you.”

“Yeah,” Elias agreed with sass, making no move to retreat from Dorian’s touch. “I was napping WITH you! I was napping, ON you! My head was on your chest!”

“I wiggled my way out,” Dorian shrugged. Elias blanched at him and Dorian grinned as he placed a chaste kiss to his lips before returning to his chair and taking another bite of his toast. “Did you have a good nap, darling?”

Elias pouted as he crumpled into the empty chair beside him. “I did until you decided to ruin my whole life,” he muttered.

Dorian giggled, shaking his head. “That’s very dramatic, my love.”

He was met with silence before Elias let out a huffy sigh, clearly unsatisfied with Dorian’s dismissal of his very serious grievance. “I would ask how you’re doing but frankly, I don’t give a hoot.”

Dorian smiled lovingly at him, his eyes full of fondness as he gazed at this ridiculous, silly man. “Would you like to order food and cuddle on the couch?”

Elias perked at this, his eyes meeting Dorian’s as he considered his offer for a peace treaty. After a moment, his shoulders settled with defiant resignation as he laid out his terms. “I want YOU to order food and I want YOU to cuddle ME on the couch.”

Dorian grinned, his heart full of adoration. “I think I can manage that.”