#leopold strauss hc | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

notepadsandtealeaves · 3 years

Text

The van der Linde boys in: “Better When We’re Together~”

Relationship ABCs || A is for ‘Activity’

MINORS/AGELESS BLOGS DO NOT INTERACT || 18+ ONLY ||

|| ao3 version | series m.list | rdr tag | main blog ||

↠ Requested By: No one, naturally. ↠ Reader Gender: Neutral ↠ Content Type: SFW ((but my blog’s 18+, so if minors want to consume my sfw stuff while still respecting my wishes of them staying out of this space, they can head over to my AO3)) ↠ CWs/TWs: None ↠ Total WC: ~5.7k

♡ Today’s selection: “Better Together” by Jack Johnson

Activity || What is their favorite activity to do with you?

Arthur Morgan || WC: 400~

↠ He loves to draw you while you do something else, anything else.

Tho if you wanted to draw along with him he wouldn’t at all be opposed, in fact he’ll be over the moon!

Art’s one of his greatest passions, tho he doesn’t get to indulge in it as heavily as he’d like in the yeehaw days. In a modern au it’s a bit different as I (like many in the fandom) canon him as being an art teacher.

You’ve definitely taken each other to more than a few exhibits over the course of your relationship, but that’s only tangentially related to the HC so let’s move on.

Anyways, he’s always so jazzed whenever you want to draw with him, and let me just say that skill level doesn’t matter. Hobbyists to professionals, it’s doesn’t really matter where you fall on the scale, he’s just glad that you’ve got this thing in common.

Also—world’s best hypeman. He’s gonna gas you up so much that you’ll legit contemplate phoning up the nearest gallery to offer them the chance to display your piece lol.

(Luckily practicality kicks in before you make that move, leaving you to settle instead for a spot in your home).

↠ That said, it takes him a while to be comfortable enough to show you his work—and if I’m being honest the first time you see it, it’ll probably be an accident.

Like he’ll forget and leave his journal open while he goes to another room or you’ll come up behind him without his noticing and catch a glimpse.

However it goes down there’ll be a fair bit of stammering on his part as he slaps the book close and goes a shade. Let him know that you like what you’ve seen—not a hard feat that, dude’s hella talented—and kindly ask to see more and he’ll cave as he’s not all that great at denying you.

When he sees that you’re not going to mock him and that you really do like his work he’ll have no problem with showing you more.

Ofc this is all prior to your shared drawing sessions. In fact it’ll probably happen fairly on in your relationship.

↠ Anyways, after that initial incident you’ll become his favorite subject.

Well, okay, you always were, but now he doesn’t have to feel weird about it.

And, well, he still kinda does—the sheer amount of doodles he’s made of you is low-key creepy, in his opinion lol—but knowing that you know makes it more bearable somehow.

(Don’t question the logic that may or may not be there, he certainly doesn’t.)

Bill Williamson || WC: 300~

↠ Fact: Bill is a cuddle-monger.

↠ Fact: He loves to be the little spoon.

↠ Fact: There is no point in fighting me on this as you will just die mad and tired.

↠ Honestly there’s not too much to add aside from that, but for the sake of the HC I’ll try lol.

↠ It’s hardly a secret that Bill, like p. much everyone in this goddamn gang, is touch-starved all to be damned.

You’re probably the first person since his mama to touch him on a regular basis, and once he realizes that you don’t mind touching him or being touched in turn it’s so on.

He’ll be constantly pulling you into his lap, tucking you in under his arm, and cuddling you whenever the opportunity presents itself—though this only really happen when there aren’t people around who’ll poke fun at him for it.

The exception to this rule is if he’s drunk. Once he gets a few in him he’s all over you—or rather you’re all over him, but only because he’s constantly pulling you into him lol.

↠ Of all the ways he loves to touch you, spooning is his favorite.

It’s the level of contact the position allows for that really does it for him.

And as previously stated he really does love being the little spoon, but he has no problems with switching things up if you’re the one that needs to be held.

Regardless of which position he’s in he loves to have his hair played with. And humming. You should definitely hum for him. It doesn’t matter if you can’t hold a tune in a bucket, he wants to hear you.

This is also his ideal position for having intimate conversations. He’s more opt to talk about things like having a future with you (a scary, foreign concept for him) when you’re curled around one another.

It’s also his favored position for watching TV—though ofc in this case he’s probably serving as the big spoon unless you’re of a comparative stature or really insistent lol.

Charles Smith || WC: ~200

↠ Literally anything.

↠ No, really. This man is not picky at all.

↠ Charles has long since mastered the art of just being, and there’s no one he’d rather share a moment with—quiet or not—than his lover.

↠ You can be doing something together, or doing your own things separately; just so long as you’re sharing the same space he’s happy.

↠ If he were forced to pick an activity that he particularly enjoys doing either with you or just with you around it’d have to be carving.

The act itself is rather soothing to him, and you yourself are his harbor—combining those two things is just *chef’s kiss*

You have no idea how to carve? Don’t worry, he’ll be happy to teach you.

No interest in the activity? That’s fine too! You do your own thing and he’ll be happy to do his; he just wants to share his space with you…

Dutch van der Linde || WC: 300~

↠ Talking.

↠ Big surprise, right?

↠ But seriously, he really does love to talk with you.

Doesn’t matter if it’s a casual conversation, something deeper, abstract ‘what-if’ style musings, a philosophical type deal, or even a heated debate—he just wants to hear your opinion–

–which, yeah, okay, that might seem kinda out of character for the guy by most folk’s reckoning, but I think that if you’ve actually managed to maintain a long standing, committed relationship with him you’ve earned his respect.

It’s no easy feat, that, but you manage to do it somehow.

I would imagine that Dutch would look for a person with a strong sense of self. He knows that he can (and more often than not, purposefully does) bowl people over. I don’t think that he would want a lover that he can run all over—not for anything long term, anyway.

He’s got a very prominent personality and he needs someone that can not only accept that, but match it. But this is all only tangentially related so let’s move on.

↠ One of his favorite subject matters is books.

This man is a big reader, and he doesn’t just limit himself to highbrow literature and philosophy texts. He likes mysteries, thrillers, period pieces, he’s even been known to read the occasional romance novel (though he hasn’t found too many with a plot solid enough to keep his attention).

In typical Dutch fashion he has no chill when he discusses your latest reads. If he loves it he’ll praise it endlessly, if he hates it he won’t hesitate to rip it to shreds.

He loves to analyze things and really getting into the characters’ heads if it’s a work of fiction, or into that of the author’s if it’s not. Either way he’ll encourage you to do the same.

I can guaran-damn-tee you that your reading comprehension will rise at a surprising rate if you’re even so much as friends with this man if only so you can defend your favorite works lol.

Hosea Matthews || WC: 200~

↠ I see Hosea being much like Charles in that he just enjoys being in your company.

↠ Though if I just had to pick a scenario that would be his favorite I think it would involve warm blankets, good books, a crackling fire, and steaming mugs.

Don’t picture sitting in a little cabin on a late afternoon—the sky an overcast shadow of itself, its clouds weeping.

Certainly don’t think about Hosea prodding the embers in the hearth until its blaze is once again properly stoked and the room bathed in its warmth.

Consider not him joining you on the couch, a book in one hand, and a mug of coffee in the other—and thinking about him putting down the latter so that you can curl up against his chest? That’s a big no, my good dude.

Imagining the awkward way he’d have to turn the pages because he’s not willing to displace you—or! You turning the pages for him… Yeah, don’t even do that to yourself.

Thinking about the way his scent would envelop you just as readily as the blanket you’re snuggled up under or the way his voice would caress the words as he reads to you is also forbidden.

Don’t think about any of these things, don’t hurt yourself in that way, friend-o.

Javier Escuella || WC: ~400

↠ Singing to, or with you—if you’re that way inclined.

↠ Music is such a big part of his life. It’s one of the main things that helped him stay in touch with his roots when he came to the States, and has since become his favored form of self-expression.

↠ If you’ve been following my Not-SFW ABCs then you know that I canon Javi’s love language to be more on the physical side—which doesn’t always mean sexual, ya little nasties lol—and I think this is due in large part to him feeling like he’s not always the greatest with words.

While he’s clearly a fluent English speaker it’s still not his first language, and let’s be real—English is a weird ass language.

There’s so much slang and a bunch of near synonyms and homophones and all other manner of fuckery, and don’t even get me started on the nonsensical conjugations.

Because of this he doesn’t always feel as if words can properly express the minutia of what it is he’s feeling. But touch? That’s a thing he can work with.

Music follows along the same lines for him. By his estimation songs, despite obviously being comprised of words, are far better at capturing thoughts and moods.

Music transcends language. Even when it’s just an instrumental piece it can evoke emotions in its listeners, and he finds that beautiful, as corny as that may sound.

↠ He’s at his most content when he has his guitar in his hands, a song on his lips, and his amor’s ears attending to his melody.

He’ll write you all the songs and won’t hesitate to serenade you, be that with an audience or in the privacy of your own home.

And if you sing with him?

*chef’s kiss*

He really loves it when you sing along, it gives him the warmest of the fuzzies.

And he doesn’t care if you’re any good or not, so there’s also that. You’ll never have to worry about any judgement or mocking from him—he loves you too damn much for that—so feel free to belt your little heart out no matter what you perceive your skill level to be.

John Marston || WC: 400~

↠ I picture John as being hella domestic, so like…

Should I square up or nah?

Even in a modern au I picture him wanting a small farm. He even entertains the idea of having a farm-to-table restaurant until he realizes that he knows nothing about running a restaurant and that’s not even mentioning the fact that he can’t cook for shit…

This is a man who once almost legit burned his house down while trying to boil water I shit you not.

But I digress.

↠ Anyway, he very much enjoys tending to said farm with you.

Animal husbandry, crop cultivation, even the more mundane tasks like mending fences—he legit loves doing all these things by himself, so sharing it with his lover is just a rad ass bonus.

Out of all the various activities, gardening is probably his favorite to team up on.

There’s just something about knowing that your combined efforts will bear fruit (and veggies and sometimes even nuts) in such a tangible way that just does it for him.

From here I could get into the whole ‘being the creator of a thing instead of the destroyer for once’ bit, but that sorta drama is not what we’re here for atm so let’s move on.

↠ The initial process of getting everything planted leaves a lot to be desired as John in the yeehaw days isn’t at all particular about style and such and would much rather just get everything into the ground and move on.

↠ On the opposite end of that, Modern!John was jokingly gifted an old Better Homes and Gardens’ gardening guide by Hosea and got so into the aesthetics and science of planting that it’s just…

Look, just follow the man’s directions, or better yet let him plant the stuff himself—that’s best for all parties involved.

Eventually he’ll trust you enough to let you help with the planting, but that’s gonna take a bit, not gonna lie lol.

↠ In any century he much prefers tending to his garden once it’s up and growing.

Naturally the process is a bit more involved in a modern au, so that’s a thing; thankfully he’ll get more chill about showing you how to trim the plants/check the pH levels and such in time.

Once you’ve found your rhythm, gardening with him will be less of a test of your patience and will power, and more of a treat to look forward to.

Josiah Trelawny || WC: 300~

↠ If we’re talking yeehaw days then it’s gotta be running a job.

He’s really into pulling one over on people, and having his lover’s help just pushes the whole thing over the top.

The pair of you are all smiles and charm and quick hands—it’s as ridiculous as it is profitable lol.

Though I should say not everything is about money when you do this. The man’s got a mischievous streak that’s a mile wide and he loves fucking with people.

Sometimes you’ll have competitions like seeing who can snag the most pocket squares/handkerchiefs from other party guests, or who can swap out the most pocket watches/broaches between the guest before the party’s end, etc.

And don’t think he’s gonna let you win just because he’s sweet on you as Josiah is competitive as all hell.

Luckily for you though shit like this gets his blood up, and as a result you are—ahem—rather intimately acquainted with coat closets and guest bedrooms.

↠ Honestly I can see him pulling this type of shit in a Modern AU as well, but if you’re less inclined to get up to such things in this the year of our lord 2020, he’d be down for doing some shopping.

Doesn’t matter what year it is—Josiah Trelawny is dapper af. And if you’re with him he’s gonna make sure you look damn good too.

If you’ll let him, he’ll spoil you.

(Does Josiah Trelawny is sugar daddy? It’s about as likely as you think.)

Just uhh… just don’t ask where he gets his loot from. ‘Plausible Deniability’ and all that good noise.

Anyways! He loves dressing you up like you’re his own personal doll, and then promptly showing you both off at the next big society shindig.

How he manages to do all this without you feeling like a piece of meat/property is a mystery for the ages, tbh.

↠ Honestly being with him is like having a (very vocal) personal stylist and a partner all wrapped up into one—whether that’s dope, infuriating, or terrifying is up to you to decide…

Kieran Duffy || WC: ~500

↠ Tending to the horses together is just *chef’s kiss*, in his most humble of opinions.

And, okay, I know this seems like low hanging fruit, but I have some solid points here, so please hear me out lol.

Chances are he knows far more about the task/animals, which will see him showing you what’s good. He so rarely has the opportunity to teach anyone anything so having his knowledge valued in such a way is everything to him.

More often than not he’s overlooked if he’s lucky, looked down upon and mocked if he’s not, so if you ever ask him to teach you anything he’ll be thrilled.

↠ I totally canon Modern!Kieran as being a vet who specializes in equine medicine, but even in the yeehaw days he’s super knowledgeable about these matters.

He not only focuses on the grooming of the beasts, but on their health and general upkeep.

Expect plenty of camping trips to collect the herbs and such needed in the yeehaw days.

Yes, this is an obvious ploy to get you all to himself while also working so Dutch can’t bitch at the pair of you. And no, he does not care how transparent his machinations are, Arthur ‘I literally leave for days at a time just to sleep under the stars and draw shit without having to deal with the assholes at camp, but look Dutch! I brought back a grip of cash so you won’t get up my ass about it too much’ Morgan.

↠ Aesthetics are also a v. much important aspect, so he’ll definitely show you different ways to style your horse’s mane.

If you were to, idk, use these same techniques to make him his horse a flower crown it’d totally get rocked is all I’m saying.

↠ Also: horse shows.

Doesn’t matter what century we’re talking about, you’re going to those shits and if you got horses you’re probably gonna enter a few too.

You know those randomly generated shirts that the internet tries to specialize for people based on their data? Well he totally bought the ‘I Am A Proud Horse And Succulent Dad—Deal With It.’ one lmao.

The best part about this is that he doesn’t even grow succulents, he just got sucked into a Pintrest blackhole of succulent boards one night when he couldn’t sleep and now Lowes won’t stop throwing ads at him for cacti and Echeverias.

↠ So in conclusion—You+Him+Horses=Heaven on Earth for Kieran.

↠ If you’re freaked out by horses for whatever reason he’ll do his best to help you overcome that fear, though he won’t push you if it’s too much for you to bear.

But honestly, seeing how gentle he is with the creatures and how loving they are with him in turn—that shit’s enough to push past all but the worst of phobias and traumas…

Leopold Strauss || WC: 300~

↠ Idk why, but for some reason I picture Strauss as being a museum person.

I have no idea why that is, he just gives off that vibe ig.

He seems like the kinda man that enjoys the finer things in life on occasion, but operas and the like are too… Idk, involved? Like he’s a lover of the arts in all their many forms, but he’d rather be able to observe things with minimum distraction.

This is why he loves museums so much; there’s a plethora of things to view, to learn, to simply enjoy and marvel over and he doesn’t have to deal with having it shoved in his face.

It’s easy enough for him to drown out the chatter of the other patrons and tour guides. He gets lost wondering from plaque to plaque reading about long dead species and wars, loves the cloy of the old world that rises up from displays that contain items that are older than what his mind can fully grasp.

↠ Museums are his happy place, and sharing that with his beloved is just *chef’s kiss*

Though he usually avoids going on the guided tours, he’ll be more than happy to play tour guide for you.

He’ll take you to all of his favorite exhibits, pulling you along like an eager child as he points out things of interest.

This is one of the few times you won’t have to wonder what’s going through his head because he’s p. much talking non-stop. Everything from factoids to theories to things that are only tangentially related are being spewed at you nearly faster than his lungs and mouth can keep up with.

It really is precious, seeing him so jazzed over fossils/geodes/van Gogh’s works/whatever else you happen to be viewing that day.

↠ Lend him your attention for the whole of his spiel and he’ll be forever grateful. Show him that you are actively listening by engaging with him and he’ll know that he’s found the one.

Lenny Summers || WC: ~400

↠ Learning something new.

↠ Lenny strikes me as they type of guy that loves learning in general.

He truly believes that you should learn something new every day. What you learn doesn’t have to be this big, sweeping thing ofc, but by his estimation if you’ve learned all there is to know then what’s the point in continuing on?

Life is all about growth, change; to stagnate is a fate akin to death in his eyes.

Experiences and knowledge gained are the things that turn a simple existence into a life worth living—which is just a very florid way of saying “The more you know, the more you grow!” but I digress.

↠ Anyways!

↠ It doesn’t matter if one of you is teaching the other something or if you’re learning it at the same time, nor does it matter what you’re learning—it’s that you’re doing it together.

Though if you were to propose learning a new language together (or teaching him your native one, if English isn’t your first language) he’ll be so down.

He’s always found language to be this fascinating thing, like…

We make these sounds right? And then we all agree that certain sounds have certain, very specific meanings—and achieving that level of consensus amongst our species is already hard enough, mind you—but humans didn’t stop there.

We took those sounds and their meanings and somehow all agreed again that certain symbols made up these things called ‘letters’ and that, when arranged in a specific way, those letters would be the visual representation of said sounds.

And then grammar and syntax became a thing and standards were created and a language was born.

And on top of all that dozens upon dozens of cultures did this in totally different ways—coming up with dialects, pidgins, and Creoles all the while—and that shit’s just so damn wild to him.

But again, I digress.

↠ Any knowledge/skill that he’s learned with you automatically becomes a point of pride for him—not to mention one of conversation.

If anyone comments on said knowledge/skill he’ll be all smiles as he tells them about how he learned it with his boo.

And yes, the sight is as adorable as you think it is.

Orville Swanson || WC: ~600

↠ Our favorite parson is a pretty simple guy. His favorite place is wherever you’re together, so naturally his favorite thing to do is whatever you’re doing together.

It doesn’t matter if you’re out running errands and paying bills or laid out watching the stars or snuggled up and chatting the night away—if you’re there with him it’s heaven on earth.

↠ If forced to give a more substantial answer he’d probably say housework.

Weird, I know, but there’s just something about the domesticity of it that really gets to him.

For a long time he felt like he didn’t have a home, that he didn’t deserve one. And then you came along with your easy smile and open arms and heart full of understanding and forgiveness that wasn’t yours to grant nor his to receive.

You didn’t look past his faults, but rather helped him to rise above them, to be a better man and he’s forever grateful to you for that.

His home will always and forever be the juncture between neck and shoulder—the place he knows he can always rest his head, can always feel the beat of your heart—but he cannot deny that he loves sharing an actual physical home with you as well.

↠ Dude’s a nester, so do expect your house to be full of little knickknacks that you’ve collected over the duration of your relationship.

These range from little figurines to dozens upon dozens of dried flowers (all of which are remnants of the bouquets that he brought you on the daily when you were still in the courting phase).

There’s also a lot of pictures of you together as well as candids of your friend group—yes, you are that couple, but don’t worry it’s cute.

He’s also all about that good hygge shit so you’ve got a lot of throws/pillows/plush area rugs and the like. Anything that makes a space feel more cozily lived in he’s here for.

↠ Even if you don’t enjoy keeping house when you’re doing it with Swanson he manages to make it tolerable if not outright enjoyable.

Dude has whole playlists made just for the occasion, the vibes of which are dictated by the level of cleaning you’ll be doing that day. The harder you have to go in the more energetic the playlist lol.

He doesn’t think that his voice is the best but this will not stop him from serenading you as you work.

Flip that shit on him and he’ll be a puddle in literal seconds. It doesn’t matter how long you’ve been a thing, he cannot take such blatant displays of affection standing up lmao.

↠ The only thing better than cleaning with you is settling down together once you’re done.

He’ll run a nice warm bath in your immaculately cleaned bathroom for the pair of you to wash away the day in.

You definitely have clothes specifically for days such as this, he’s made sure of it lol. They’re made out of some of the softest material ever, like it legit feels like you’re getting hugged by a chinchilla made of clouds and whispers.

Once you’re both all clean and cozy he’ll order your favorite takeout before sacking out with you on the couch under some blankets fresh from the dryer.

Add in plenty of cuddles and a good movie or show (that’ll soon go ignored as you get lost in one another) and you have his ideal night in.

Sean MacGuire || WC: 300~

↠ Having you read to him is hands down his favorite thing to do when you’re chilling out together.

↠ Reading’s never been his strong suit and as a result he’s kinda spurred the idea of doing it for pleasure altogether.

↠ But having you read to him…

He doesn’t know what it is that captivates him so.

Is it your voice?

The cute way your face scrunches up in concentration and-or anticipation when you get to a particularly intense scene?

Maybe the commentary you occasionally supply when a character is being especially dense?

↠ All of that plays a role in it, he’s sure, but it’s more so that you’ve opened up the world for him just that little bit more.

He’s always heard it said that books can transport their readers to different times and places, but it isn’t until you start reading to him that he knows this in truth.

To be able to take a whole trip, to meet new and interesting people, and see places previously unknown to him all without having to leave the comfort of his home? Aces.

↠ As for his favorite genera…

Romance is his all-time favorite lmao.

Now he’ll totally say that he doesn’t like “–all that lovey-dovey, overly dramatic, romantic shite” but homie is lying his ass off.

He’ll bitch and moan if you present a romance novel to him, but all that noise will die down the minute you get to reading, and he’ll totally become invested in the storyline before the first chapter’s end.

Aside from that he does love mystery and suspense in all its various forms.

Time period dramas are also of particular interest if only because he has a passing interest in historical settings. However actual history is kinda dry, so he settles for this alternative instead despite knowing that it’s not entirely accurate.

And lastly he absolutely adores anything that has to do with mythology. Obviously the Celtic variants are his favorite, but he’s also a fan of Greek, Egyptian, African, and any others you could possibly think of—he does not discriminate lol…

Simon Pearson || WC: 800~

↠ It doesn’t matter what century he’s in, homeboy’s a good ass cook.

↠ You know, he knows it, and though everyone in camp gives him shit al la Rupert in ME2 they know it too.

I mean seriously, you can’t expect the man to do too much when all he’s got to work with is salted offal (which I still dk what that is and I’m too scared to look it up) and a poor rabbit that Arthur trampled while coming back in to camp.

Anyways!

When he’s got the supplies needed he could give Gordon Ramsay a run for his money.

↠ I canon Pearson’s love language to be providing.

By his estimation it’s his job as your partner to make sure you have everything you need. He’s kinda old-fashion in that way, but he manages to make it endearing instead of annoying.

Like he’s not here to stifle you or try to force any roles on either of you; it’s just the way his mind works. If he loves you he’s always gonna make sure that anything that falls under his purview to provide is given, most times well before you even know you want or need it—but I digress.

Feeding you is the easiest way for him to scratch this itch. After all, who’s gonna complain about getting five-star dishes at every meal?

↠ At first he’s hesitant to let you in the kitchen—being former military, and later a professional chef as I personally canon him to be in modern times, he’s used to doing things in a very orderly (and frankly anal-retentive) manner.

It doesn’t matter if you’re a trained chef too—he has a system, dammit, and he doesn’t need you coming into his domain and fucking up his flow.

He knows how ridiculous he can be when it comes to these things, but instead of changing his ways he finds it easier for you to just stay away lol.

Eventually you’re granted limited access, but this just amounts to you being allowed to watch him putter around.

After pestering him for long enough he’ll let you do the grunt work (i.e. veggie prep and the like), and once you prove yourself he’ll keep promoting you until you’re essentially his sous chef.

He actually gave you a personalized toque and chef’s jacket on that fateful day. Naturally it matches his own and you both rock that shit proudly.

↠ Once he learns to trust you in the kitchen, cooking meals with you becomes one of his all-time favorite things to do. He’ll spend hours scouring the internet/cooking shows/cookbooks for new things for the pair of you to try out.

This really is a whole thing and a half, guys.

Like he’ll print out the recipe, and then you’ll go over it together to modify it to your liking before heading off to the grocery stores and farmer’s markets, and probably a chef supply store too if there’s specialized equipment needed, though honestly your arsenal can put some commercial kitchens to shame.

Once you’ve finally got everything you need you’ll finally get to the main event.

You usually ended up making several variations of the dish as you work towards finding the one you like best. That this often times leads to you feeding each other, and that that always has the potential to lead to makeout session is just a happy coincidence.

The excess never goes to waste—how can it when you’ve got freeloaders friends like Sean and John that are willing to take it off of your hands.

Tho in the firebug’s defense he is a broke college student and y’all do be throwing down. John on the other hand has no excuse nor does he try to make one; this bitch likes free anything and he’s not going to apologize for that lmao.

↠ Cooking competitions are also a thing.

Dude’s competitive af when it comes to cooking so don’t expect him to go easy on you.

If you manage to beat him he’s too damn proud to be salty.

(It should probably also be said that displays of skill like this kinda have a tendency to get him going, sooo… yeah…)

If he’s the victor he’s p. smug about it, ngl, but not to the level of being obnoxious.

The better chef won, there’s no shame in that, but in an effort to not be a sore winner he’ll be sure to give you your consolation prize…

And given that I’m trying to keep this set of HCs on the pure-ish side I’ll let you heathens speculate on the nature of said consolation prize.

(Lol, jk, it’s sexiitimes.)

So yeah, either way you’re gonna end up in the bedroom once all is said and done. So whenever one of you suggests a friendly bout you already know what time it is lol…

Uncle || WC: ~200

↠ My good dudes, its Uncle. He doesn’t really do much.

↠ Like ever.

↠ But regardless of what he does or does not get up to in a day, a man’s gotta sleep.

And if you just gotta sleep why not do it next to the person you love?

Naps are his jam, and you, he’s come to find, are an even better jam so combining the two is some god-tier ish.

↠ Sometimes he’ll actually stay awake long enough to sing you to sleep, other times he’s gonna conk out instantly, but either way you’re gonna feel safe wrapped up in his arms.

…and also a little crushed because he’s what we in the business like to call a ‘strong cuddler’, meaning he’s got a vice like grip, but the ~L um BA g O~ keeps him from holding on too tight at least.

But still, you’re uhh, you’re gonna have to throw a little muscle behind it if you want to break the hold. Don’t worry though—he’s a heavy sleeper, you’re not gonna wake him lol…

© notepadsandtealeaves, 2021 || Please do not repost, translate, or otherwise alter or distribute my works without my express permission. And for the love of god keep it away from Youtube and TikTok lol…

151 notes · View notes

notepadsandtealeaves · 3 years

Text

The van der Linde boys in: “Whenever I Want You, All I Have to do is Dream~”

Relationship ABCs || Z is for ‘ZZZ’s’

MINORS/AGELESS BLOGS DO NOT INTERACT || 18+ ONLY ||

|| ao3 version | series m.list | rdr tag | main blog ||

↠ Requested By: No one, naturally. ↠ Reader Gender: Neutral ↠ Content Type: SFW ((but my blog’s 18+ if minors want to consume my sfw stuff while still respecting my wishes of them staying out of this space, they can head over to my AO3)) ↠ CWs/TWs: None, really. Tho two of the fills—Sean (to the surprise of literally no one lol) and Lenny’s—do have some suggestive undertones. ↠ Betas? Nah, we don’t do that here. ↠ Total WC: 7.7k~

♡ Today’s selection: “All I Have to do is Dream” by The Everly Brothers

In honor of all the sleep I’m not getting I decided to write about our favorite boahs and what they get up to between the sheets—no, not like that, why we always gotta go there?? Tho, okay, 2 fills do allude to some fade to black stuff but that’s not the point!

…tf am I even saying at this point? Idk man, I’ve been awake too long. So you lot take these while I go take a nap… well past midnight? I guess that’s just sleep then?? Whatever, I’m peacing out lol…

ZZZ’s || What are their sleeping habits (both with and without you)?

Arthur Morgan || WC: ~400

↠ He’s one of those weirdos *cough*like me*cough* who likes to make the room super cold and layer on the blankets.

At any given time he has at least three on his bed—usually a flat sheet, a thin comforter, and a heavier comforter in that order.

↠ He also keeps a fan going for both cooling and white noise purposes.

His preference for cooler temperatures gives him an excuse to cuddle into you, which is his preferred sleeping position.

He’ll burrow under the blankets, wrap his arms around you, and bury his face into your chest.

And yes—it’s as cute (and low-key claustrophobic) as you think it is.

Honestly if you’re big/sturdy enough that he thinks he can do so without crushing you he’ll be laying directly on top of you when he does this; if not he’ll be nestled alongside you with one leg thrown over yours.

↠ When he’s sleeping alone, Arthur’s a side sleeper. He always starts off on his back, but the minute he hits that good REM shit onto his side he goes.

He’s still a burrower/cuddler, though the object of his glombing becomes a pillow. He’ll keep it pressed flush against him with one hand while the other usually ends up under his head.

↠ Ofc all this is assuming this is a Modern AU were talking about. In yeehaw days you’ll still end up sleeping wrapped around each other, but once too much heat starts to build up between you he’s gonna instinctively roll away from you–

–which is good because he’s like a humanoid furnace.

Yes, this has definitely led to him rolling onto the floor on more than one occasion lol.

Obvi in the winter this isn’t a problem at all. You’ll be snuggled up so close to one another that you’ll legitimately look like one solid entity lol…

Now if it’s warm and he’s sleeping alone he’ll spread out as much as whatever he’s sleeping on will allow; this often leads to one half of his limbs going numb from hanging over the sides of cots and narrow beds.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, when it’s cold he’ll curl in on himself and pull the blankets up over his head, smothering himself in his own heat.

(Has actually woken up gasping because of this on several occasions; dude legit almost suffocated himself via blankets and body heat lmao…)

Bill Williamson || WC: ~500

↠ Much like Arthur, this man is a cuddler—see ‘A’ for more on that.

↠ He’s also big on spooning so it’s no surprise that that’s how y’all usually end up sleeping.

This is the only time he’s insistent on being the big spoon as he’s afraid of rolling over and crushing you.

It doesn’t matter if you’re of a comparative stature or not, the fear of potentially hurting you makes him paranoid all to be damned.

If you’re wrapped up in his arms he knows he’s gonna hold on to you and stay relatively still throughout the course of the night.

↠ He sleeps pretty warm, but isn’t overly fond of fans—white noise actually has the opposite effect on him for some reason, perking up his ears and making it hard to drift off—so he doesn’t wear much to bed–

–and by ‘much’ I mean dude sleep buck ass naked lol.

If you want to strip down as well great! If not he gets it, just don’t come whining to him if you wake up drenched in sweat.

Personally I would keep at least a light tank on as dude is hairy af and having that rubbing against your back all night sounds like the least appealing thing ever, but that’s just me.

He’s p. damn soft for you so if you’re really insistent he’ll give in and put some boxers on, but know he won’t be happy about it.

Also that’s all he’s gonna put on; don’t push your luck or he’ll go commando just to spite you lol.

After all you’ve never had a problem with his body before, so why start feeling some type of way now?

↠ Naturally he likes to keep as cool as possible, but if it’s not a modern AU there isn’t much to be done aside from getting naked and throwing the covers back.

Having such a naturally high body temperature sucks, but at least he, and by proxy you, never have to worry about how you’ll stay warm in the winter…

↠ Yeehaw days are p. much the same as modern times when it comes to his state of nighttime undress.

This is much to the displeasure, and distress, of the other gang members who’ve had the great misfortune of having walked in on him laying spread eagle inside his tent lmao.

Talk about a gd eyeful, but that’ll teach John to go barging in on people unannounced lol…

↠ No matter the era, when he’s alone he’s a restless sleeper, constantly tossing and turning and shifting positions.

You’d swear he was in a fight with the way the sheets—hell the whole damn bed—looks when he wakes up alone.

He usually goes to sleep on his side, but with the way he sifts about who can say what the final result will be…

Charles Smith || WC: ~500

↠ Charles sleeps like a dead man.

↠ No seriously—when dude knocks out, that’s it. He doesn’t move out of whatever position he’s in until sunup.

Those first few nights you’re gonna find yourself checking for the steady rise and fall of his chest just to make sure he’s still with you lol.

Hell, you’ll probably be doing this periodically for the whole of your relationship tbh…

↠ He’s also a v. light sleeper, so if you’re the kind that likes to shift about or snores that’s gonna be an issue in the beginning.

He can adapt to it, naturally, but those first few times are gonna be rough.

If you’re a restless sleeper he at least has the option of trapping you in a strong cuddle, but if you’re a snorer there’s not much to be done on his end.

Cue this poor baby staring at the ceiling at three in the a.m., praying for sleep to take him lol.

He won’t say anything about his disrupted sleep those first couple of nights as he doesn’t want to make you feel bad and-or make things awkward, but all it’ll take is one look at him to know he’s exhausted.

He’s also hoping that he can adjust to it soon, tho if he can’t y’all are going to have a talk. He knows that it’s more than likely beyond your control, but sleep is important, so if there’s anything you can potentially do to mitigate things then I implore you to do it for him lol…

↠ If he’s alone he likes to sleep on his stomach with his hands tucked under the pillow.

Is this partly because in the yeehaw days he likes to keep a piece underneath said pillow just in case a mf thinks they can catch him slippin’ in his sleep? Mayhaps.

As for why he does so in modern times, he just finds the positioning to be comfortable. Plus it adds a bit more stability to the pillow.

He doesn’t like to buy firm pillows as they’re usually too hard. He usually skews to the softer side of medium, with his hands making up the difference in firmness.

↠ If he’s sharing the bed with you he’ll either curl up around your back or let you sleep on his chest, whichever is more comfortable for you.

If forced to pick, he definitely prefers to have you lying on top of him. There’s just something about bearing your weight that he finds hella comforting.

In that same vein I definitely think Modern!Charles would own a weighted blanket or two, but I digress.

↠ No matter the ear, he doesn’t really have a preference for temperatures or anything.

If you’re cold pile on the blankets/crank up the heat/whatever it is you need to do to rectify that, and the same goes for warmer temperatures.

He doesn’t see the point in complaining about something that can be easily remedied—he’s practical like that.

Dutch van der Linde || WC: ~500

↠ Honestly this man is a nightmare to try and share a bed with.

↠ To be fair, his intentions are noble, it’s the results that are lacking.

Sure, things start out okay—more than okay, really.

He’s v. accommodating, molding himself into whatever configuration best suits you both, adding pillows and blankets as needed…

…but as the night progresses things take a decidedly downwards turn.

↠ Do you remember when I talked about Uncle being a strong cuddler back in ‘A’? Yeah, well meet the one man who can match him in grip strength lmao.

It doesn’t matter what position you went to sleep in, you’re getting squeezed half to death. Dude will have your soul leaking halfway out of your body with how tight he holds you to him.

If you bring it up to him he’ll honestly try to avoid doing it again, ‘good intentions’ and all that noise, but it still ends up being a thing. If you share a bed with him you’re getting that good WWE treatment, and that’s just facts.

And the worst part is if you manage to break his hold somehow and move to the other end of the bed this asshole will migrate with you and snatch you up again lmfao.

You have become the safety blanket he didn’t know he needed and his subconscious’ll be damned if it lets you go that easily.

↠ If he’s sleeping alone he likes to take up as much space as possible. Arms splayed, legs thrown out wide and head tilted off to the side—homie looks like he’s being served up as a sacrifice to some long forgotten god lol.

↠ As for temperature preference that really depends on the era.

↠ If it’s yeehaw days he used to say that he’d rather be cold than hot, but then Colter happened lol.

Now he cannot for the life of him stand temperature that dip below the fifties—that’s around 10 °C for you non-Fahrenheit users.

He doesn’t care how gross and sweaty he gets, he’d rather burn than have to worry about if his balls will ever descend again lmao.

↠ In modern times, however, he does like to keep the room on the cooler side.

Fans annoy him tho, so you’ll be more opt to find a cool mist humidifier running somewhere nearby.

The device’s purpose is two-fold as it helps to keep his fucked up sinuses clear and properly moisturized while he sleeps.

The one time you convinced him to go a night without it he told you that you would both be miserable because of it and he was right. Dude was snoring and coughing up a storm, but somehow stayed asleep? You on the other hand were just seconds away from taking a pillow and ending it all lmao…

Hosea Matthews || WC: 500~

↠ Look, Hosea is, by his own admission, old and set in his ways.

Luckily for you said ways are for the most part pleasant.

Having been married for a great many years he’s used to sharing a bed with someone. In fact he finds it much easier to get to sleep when there’s someone beside him, but this is a thing that he never actively acknowledged until you came along.

↠ When he’s with you he’s a side sleeper with a penchant for spooning.

Definitely prefers to be the big spoon because our mans is a protector, first and foremost, and that’s something that doesn’t change even when he’s sleeping.

If you’re insistent enough, however, he’ll allow you to curl around him on occasion. This will definitely not be a super common occurrence, and he’ll only allow it if you’re in a place that he knows for certain is safe.

(That caveat is more so mean for the yeehaw days, naturally; in a modern au you know he’s got the best security systems that money can buy.)

Again he’s got his habits and he’s loath to break them at this point, but he’s not so stubborn as to be completely inflexible. He understands that compromise is a thing that any healthy relationship needs to survive, and this doesn’t only apply to the big things.

Still, don’t be surprise if you wake up with him curled around your front. He can’t help what his unconscious form gets up to when left to its own devices. After all, it’s in the core of his bones, that need to protect that which he holds most dear.

↠ If he’s by himself he tends to sleep on his back with one arm tossed over his eyes.

As he’s gotten older he’s found that sleep doesn’t come to him quite as quickly as it used to, despite his desperate need of it, so he doesn’t want to take the risk of an errant beam of light waking him early.

The downside to this is the fact that that arm is essentially dead weight for those first few minutes after waking up, and honestly that’s the best of it because the pins-and-needles, static-y feeling that comes with the return of proper blood flow is a bitch.

↠ He definitely prefers a warm room to a colder one when sleeping.

Dude’s up there in age and the last thing he needs is added stiffness in his joints because of the chill.

If it’s modern times he’s gonna keep the thermostat at a steady 70-74 degrees (21-23 °C) depending on the season. If it’s yeehaw days then he’s piling on the blankets until things are suitably toasty.

↠ It should also be said that he snores, but lightly.

Really it’s more like really heavy, drawn out breaths than a true, rumbly snore.

Still, it can get annoying if your sensitive to such things as his preferred positioning usually leaves your heads fairly close together, but it’s something that you’ll probably get used to over time.

Javier Escuella || WC: 600~

↠ Such a romantic, this one. He loves to hold you while you sleep.

He doesn’t particularly care how this happens so long as he’s got you in his arms.

His personal favorite is for you to drift off while facing one another, but he knows this can be a bit claustrophobic so he’s more than willing to entertain other options.

In fact he recognizes that being held while you sleep can be undesirable in general so he’ll definitely avoid playing you so tight if you so wish.

↠ If you’re not likewise inclined he’ll be willing to find a compromise that you can both live with.

He’s got no problem with just throwing an arm or a leg over you but otherwise staying to his side of the bed or any variations thereof—he just wants to be touching you somehow.

However if you’re one of those people that really needs their s p a c e he’ll give it to you, albeit begrudgingly.

Just don’t be surprised if you wake up with him curled around you regardless of how your initial positioning. Much like Best Dad Hosea, dude can’t help what his subconscious drives him to do in his sleep lol.

↠ When he’s alone he’s a side sleeper that likes to cuddle a pillow.

He really hates sleeping on his back as he just doesn’t find it all that comfortable for whatever reason.

The one exception to this is when he naps. The lack of comfort serves as a natural alarm clock that keeps him from oversleeping lol.

↠ He prefers warmer temperatures to colder ones, so if you like to keep a colder room then expect him to pile on the blankets.

In the yeehaw days this obviously works well for him during the warmer months, but come late fall/winter?

Bruh.

Cuddling isn’t an option or a preference then—it’s a gd mandate lol. Luckily you’ll probably be down for it as you’ll be desperate to keep warm as well.

Definitely the type to shove his cold toes and fingers onto various parts of your body to warm them up (and also to annoy you, but whatever lol).

↠ Regardless of if he’s alone or not he sleeps ~nude~

He’s got no shame when it comes to his body, and honestly if you’re at the point where you’re sharing a bed you’re already well acquainted with it, so by his estimation this shouldn’t be an issue.

If your sensibilities are a bit too delicate for this for whatever reason, he’ll put on a pair of boxers (or whatever the ye olde equivalent is) but that’s the most you’re gonna get lol.

While he loves to dress nice, when it comes time to catch some Z’s he doesn’t like being bogged down.

This is a big part of the reason he likes to keep the room on the warmer side when he sleeps; warmer temperatures means lighter blankets and he’s here for that.

He also loves the intimacy that comes from being in such a vulnerable state with someone else. Because of this he’ll encourage you to ditch the PJs as well. There’s absolutely nothing sexual about this request, btw—his love language is physical and sleeping naked with someone is about as close as you can get with them without doing the do.

It’s the combination of trust, love, and intimacy that goes into the act that really does it for him.

Plus sleeping naked is just super liberating/comfortable, in his opinion. It’s a small rebellion against societal norms and we all know that our mans is still a revolutionary at heart no matter the century, so he lives for shit like this lol…

John Marston || WC: 500~

↠ John’s a stomach sleeper whose positioning doesn’t really vary even when he’s sharing a bed.

Doesn’t matter if he’s got company or not, dude’s flopping down on his belly and taking up as much real estate as possible lol.

Yeah he really likes to starfish when he’s alone. It takes a bit for him to break the habit, tho the issues that we’re gonna get to in a second sees him striving to rectify this behavior sooner rather than later.

When he’s not completely spread out he tends to keep his hands tucked under the pillow, but like in a really weird way.

The left one goes under like normal, but he’ll like loop his right arm so that it’s coming over the top of the thing before going under it. So it basically looks like he’s trying to put the pillow in some sort of headlock-type deal lmao.

↠ The most that’ll change if you’re sharing a bed is his flopping an arm over your middle, and even that’ll be removed as the night progresses.

By his estimation all that cutesy, couple-y, cuddly stuff is just not sustainable for an entire night. Limbs grow numb and bodies uncomfortably hot…

He loves being near you, but dammit, he needs his sleep lmao.

If you want to cuddle save it for your waking hours. At least then you don’t have to worry about anyone’s arms going all tingly or getting drooled on.

↠ Like his big brother he runs hot—this is a large part of why he doesn’t really want to get too close while you’re sleeping.

It’s a comfort thing, for both him and you.

He doesn’t even want to be in his own skin when he’s like this so why would he inflict it on you?

…He may also be a bit self-conscious about the amount he sweats, both when he’s awake and asleep, so that also plays a part.

((Me, projecting my hyperhidrosis onto John’s greasy ass? It’s about as likely as you think lmao.))

It doesn’t matter how cold the room is either, he’s still gonna sweat because his body is a traitor like that >.>

Even if you don’t mind the sweat you’re not gonna change his mind about things. He’s super self-conscious about this and no amount of honeyed words is gonna fix that.

In a modern au he may consider getting Botox if the idea is presented to him, tho he’s definitely gonna do his research as he’s heard horror stories about botched applications in the past. He doesn’t think you can fuck up an armpit in the same way you can someone’s face, but with his brand of luck…

↠ He likes to keep the room at a comfortable temperature in modern au’s—i.e. room temperature—as he finds that if it’s too cold he’ll wake up stiff and if it’s too hot his sheets’ll be soaked through.

In the yeehaw days he doesn’t see a point in having a preference as the temperature’s gonna do what it’s gonna do. He just adjusts the amount of blankets accordingly and keeps it moving.

Josiah Trelawny || WC: 600~

↠ Josiah snores like a gd chainsaw—try to change my mind lmao.

Seriously, it’s always the people that are the most put together that have shit like this going on behind the scenes.

Ever since he was a child he struggled with this affliction. His parents wrote it off to the bad allergies that affected both themselves as well as the rest of their children, and while that was part of the problem the actual underlying condition turned out to be far more serious.

Turns out the lot of them had sleep apnea.

I’m p. sure this wasn’t a thing that they fully understood back in the 1890s, so they probably wouldn’t have been diagnosed properly.

↠ If you’re back in the yeehaw days you p. much just have to learn to live with the noise as there’s not much he can do about it, unfortunately.

In modern times we ofc have treatments for the condition, but they’re all pretty involved. So far he’s been getting by with a CPAP, but he hates the device for several reasons and has been considering more invasive solutions.

Tbh there are nights where he just cannot deal with that blasted thing and tries to go without. That… never ends well for anyone involved.

Luckily for him (and you too, honestly) there are some non-surgical procedures that have some promising results.

↠ No matter the century, please don’t tease him about his snoring.

He’s already hella self-conscious about it, and honestly doing His Best to keep it at a minimum.

Even mentioning it in a non-joking manner is pushing it, tbh.

Trust me, he’s already well aware of what he sounds like, and is doing all he can to remedy it—commentary is not needed or wanted.

↠ But unfortunate medical issue aside, he’s a pretty pleasant bed buddy.

↠ It doesn’t matter if he’s alone or not, he’s a side sleeper.

And no matter the date he finds that sleeping on his side is the best way to somewhat mitigate his infernal tendency to snore. Because of this he’s a spooner by default.

Definitely prefers to be the big spoon, but if its modern times and he’s using his CPAP that’s not really comfortable for either of you.

Luckily he doesn’t have any problems with you holding him if you’re that way inclined. He’ll link his fingers with yours and nestle your joined hands against his heart, and ahhhh~ It’s so sweet!

Look, he gets extra soft when he’s sleepy, okay?

↠ He’s a creature of comfort so he likes the temperatures to be adjusted accordingly. If it’s warm out he likes a cooler (but not cold) room, and vis versa for warmer months.

Unfortunately the yeehaw days didn’t allow for many adjustments to a home’s temperature.

This is in part why he loves to travel so much. When he gets tired of one scene he just picks up and moves on.

↠ Another one that likes to sleep nekked as he has a tendency to overheat otherwise.

Despite this he owns a lot of nice silky pajamas because he likes the way they look—and the way you look at him when he’s in them—not to mention the fact that they feel amazing fluttering against his skin.

But the minute it’s time to hit the sack he’s shedding everything before sliding between the sheets.

He can potentially be persuaded to keep on his undies if you’re really adamant, but he’s definitely gonna tease you about it.

That you still have the audacity to have a sense of decorum after you’ve both seen everything the other has to offer is just so cute to him, he cannot with you sometimes…

Doesn’t much care if you choose to sleep nude or not; in his opinion sleep’s all about comfort so you do you boo-boo.

Kieran Duffy || WC: 400~

↠ Oh is it time for bed? *koala mode activated*

↠ So, so clingy, but also so, so cute so it balances out–

–or at least he hopes it does.

You’re… you’re okay with him getting this close right? God he hopes you are, he doesn’t want you to feel like he’s smothering you or needy or anything like that! He just likes being close to you, even when he’s not fully awake to enjoy your presence…

If you’re okay with the snuggly sleeping conditions then please, for the love of all that is good and holy in this world, reassure this man.

If you’re not down with being played that tight he totally understands. Just break it to him gently and he’ll be all to ready to switch things up. He’s nothing if not eager to please.

↠ If given the choice he’d like to have you lying on his chest.

There’s just something about that position that screams comfort and trust to him. That you allow him to provide you with the former and entrust him with the latter is just *chef’s kiss*

But like I said, he wants this to be good for you too so he’s willing to fold himself into whatever configuration will best work for you both. He’ll give you as much or as little space as you want/need with no complaints on his part; he’s just happy you’re willing to share a bed with him, tbh.

↠ When he’s alone he curls up into the fetal position, usually hugging a pillow tight to his chest. It’s a comfort thing for him, and idk whether to find this precious or sad, honestly…

↠ Temperature-wise he just wants to be as comfy as possible.

If it’s cold out crank up the heat, if it’s hot turn on the AC.

Naturally these aren’t options in the yeehaw days so instead he’ll open windows and shed clothes or toss logs into the fire and pile on layers as needed.

↠ In modern times he’s definitely the type to turn on a fan and-or an air purifier for white noise.

He p. much keeps the latter on at all times (year-round allergies are a bitch), but sometimes he needs something a bit more substantial. The sound gives his brain something other than his racing thoughts to focus on.

If you can’t deal with the added noise he’s fine with putting on headphones if he needs a sleep aid. Even before you came along he would occasionally pop a pair on so that he could fall asleep to various white noise mixes, so it’s not a problem for him at all.

Leopold Strauss || WC: 600~

↠ Ngl, it takes him a while to get used to sharing a bed.

He’s spent the majority of his life alone so it’s not surprising that it takes him a bit to acclimate to having his space invaded by another person.

Okay, so ‘invaded’ is a harsh word, he knows this. It’s not as if you make him uncomfortable or he thinks you to be a nuisance or anything like that, it’s quite the opposite really. When you’re around it’s as if he’s passed into the eye of the storm that is his life.

If you didn’t have such an effect on him then there’s no way you would’ve gotten to the point where you’re bunking together.

But still everything has an adjustment period, especially something as monumental as this.

↠ Those first few times he’s gonna be stiff as fuck—and I don’t mean that in the fun way lol.

Dude’s p. much doing a spot on impression of a mummy, the only thing that’s missing is the crossed arms. He’s also gonna leave room for Jesus and all twelve of his homies lmfao…

Once he gets used to having you there he’ll move in a bit closer, but he’ll still be p. stiff, so take pity on him and close the gap. He’s so worried about making you uncomfortable that he’ll keep carrying on like this otherwise.

With that hill taken he’ll be open to experimenting with sleeping positions until you find one that’s right for the pair of you.

Personally he’s partial to being the little spoon as he gets cold easily and leeching off of your body heat is so much less taxing than trying to generate his own lol.

↠ When he’s by himself he’s a v. restless sleeper.

He’ll start off on his back only to end up hanging halfway off of the mattress or something else equally weird/uncomfortable.

Being as anxious as he so often is he’s prone to nightmares which is why he moves about so much.

He finds that he sleeps much more soundly with you around tho. Honestly your being in his life has done wonders for his health overall, and he’s forever grateful to you for that.

↠ Due to his health issues he’s p. much always cold so he likes to keep his home on the warmer side of this at all times.

For some reason when he’s sleeping he’s found that he gets even colder so expect to have a grip of blankets on your bed at any given time—doesn’t matter the century or the season.

He’ll remove some if you find it too unbearable, but you better be ready to be his new heat source because he cannot stand to be cold.

↠ In modern times he likes to listen to ASMR videos to get him in the mood to sleep.

A lot of times he finds it hard to get his brain to switch off. Not being one for employing the use of medication until all other option has exhausted he started looking for alternative solutions online, and eventually he stumbled across ASMR videos.

Ngl—at first he was like ‘da fuq??’ but he was desperate and had nothing to lose and so he gave it a go. Five minutes later homie was out like a gd light.

He now swears by the things, and has no shame in telling people he likes them. And honestly he doesn’t get the stigma?

At first glance it can seem a bit odd, yes, but there is documented proof of both the response and its effects on the body. It’s a natural and free high, so why not indulge?

His favorites are scalp massages, fabric scratching, and liquid sounds. His least favorite is inaudible whispers as he finds himself straining to hear what the person is saying which is the opposite of relaxing lol…

Lenny Summers || WC: 500~

↠ This adorable baby giggles in his sleep.

↠ A lot.

↠ You have no idea what it is he’s dreaming of that’s so damn funny, and sadly neither does he—he’s one of those people that rarely remembers his dreams—so it’s destined to remain a mystery to you both.

But that’s fine, you suppose, as the most important part is his cute little sleepy laughs.

Has definitely woke himself up before laughing and it was fucking adorable.

Has also woken you up as well—that was less cute, but like who can stay mad at that face? All it takes is for him to bust out the puppy-dog eyes and nuzzling hugs and all is forgiven.

Usually.

Sometimes more… involved measures are necessary to make amends, and he’s all for that ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

↠ When you’re sharing a bed he’s definitely a spooner.

Will never admit to it, but in modern times, before you came along he had a waifu body pillow that he liked to cuddle up with.

No, he did not buy the thing himself. It was a gag gift from Sean (aka the worst bestie/roomie in the world). He’d found his friend hugged up with pillows enough times to figure that a body pillow would make for a nice birthday gift. But Sean being the asshole that he is couldn’t just get him a nice, normal pillow because that would be too much like right lmao…

Anyways!

He prefers to be the little spoon majority of the time, but he isn’t at all opposed to holding you if you’re that way inclined.

When he’s the little spoon he likes to face you. He’s like Arthur in that he’ll burrow down until he can smoosh his face against your chest; he likes to hear your heartbeat, it’s soothing.

When he’s the big spoon he’s doing it for your comfort so lay however you like, he’s down for whatever.

↠ Aside from liking to use a body pillow he was a lot like Sean in that he didn’t have a favored position. Whatever was most comfortable at the time is what he went with when alone.

↠ As far as temperatures go he prefers to be toasty af.

By his estimation you just can’t beat a nice, warm room and a pile of comforters.

Likes to put on white noise vids in modern times; he really likes winter wind/snowstorm sounds or rainy cabin ambiance for this as it adds to the whole ‘tucked away, comfy and safe, from the outside world’ vibe.

But if you like a different sound, or a quiet room altogether he doesn’t mind as the vids are a bonus for him, not a must.

In the yeehaw days he’d still rather be warm than cold. His body just does not handle chilly weather well (Colter was his own personal wintery hell). It’s like his body cannot produce enough heat to sustain him, which leads to muscle aches as his shiver response kicks into overdrive.

So if you’re partying like it’s 1899, fully expect for him to pile on the blankets before curl around you for the whole of the winter—not that that’s a problem at all imo…

Orville Swanson || WC: 400~

↠ Swanson is a rather clingy individual in general.

He knows it, you know it, and you both accept it as a part of your lives lol.

Unsurprisingly this trait carries over into his sleeping habits. Luckily for you he isn’t picky about positions so long as you’re touching one another.

↠ Ideally he’d like to be lying on top of you.

He’s not the biggest man so weight-wise this is usually doable, though various factors can make it uncomfortable for anything long term. He’s well aware of this so he’s more than happy to settle for any alternatives that’ll suit you as well.

Spooning is his second favorite position, though surprisingly enough he wants to be the one doing the holding.

This is his go to when you’ve had a rough day and-or are feeling vulnerable. He knows how comforting it is to be held—hell, you’ve done it for him more times than he can count so how could he not return the favor?

Ngl, it makes him feel strong as fuck when you ask him to hold you. Knowing that you look to him when you’re in need like that is just *chef’s kiss*

Ofc this isn’t to say that he likes to see you hurting in any capacity, but life is never as consistently kind to us as we would like. In such instances he feels so damn honored that you would even think to come to him.

He so often doubts his own strength, but when you rely on him like this it just makes his entire existence go full-on heart eyes…

↠ When alone he mirrors Kieran’s fetal curl perfectly.

*insert ‘They’re the same picture’ meme here* lol.

He would pull the blanket up completely over his head and sleep like that. How he never accidentally suffocated himself is a question for the ages…

↠Temperature-wise he’s all for the cold as he’ll take any excuse to cuddle up closer to you.

This was just as much of a necessity as a want back in the 1890s since heating solutions (aside from fireplaces) weren’t yet a thing.

In modern times, he likes to keep things cozy (I talked about that a lot back in ‘A’) so expect him to pile on the blankets, esp. in the summer when the AC is on. In the winter he likes to keep the heat kinda high so you don’t need quite so many comforters; in fact he prefers to have just one really heavy topper with a couple of thinner sheets underneath it.

↠ He’s a sleep talker, though he mostly sticks to single words. Very polite as well; you hear ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ a lot lol.

Sean MacGuire || WC: 700~

↠ The firebug doesn’t stop talking, even when he’s asleep.

And most of what he’s babbling about doesn’t make a lick of sense. Some of the highlights include:

“Mmmrpfh—ketchup, eat it, sir…” “Fuck-shit, yoooous all!” “Fight me Aragorn, you bitch!” “Tastyyyy breath, tasty…”

((shoutout to all the sleep talkers that I have been forced to live with throughout the years—your mildly annoying quirk has given rise to this foolishness lol))

↠ Aside from that he’s p. basic when it comes to sleeping.

He doesn’t really have a preferred position; he finds the configuration that’s most comfortable at the time and rolls with it.

In the yeehaw days this is a necessity as he rarely had the opportunity to sleep on a decent bed—or really any bed at all. Lbr, the junior members’ digs could be considered bootleg sleeping bags at best. Pallets and threadbare sheets are the norm, making comfort more of a distant concept than anything.

In modern times things aren’t much better because he’s a broke ass college student. He’s p. sure that the mattresses back in the dorms were left over from the 80s, and the one he’s been forced to buy for himself since moving off-campus feels like it’s made completely out of cardboard.

Seriously—he would not be surprised if he cut that bitch open and found leftover toilet paper tubes instead of springs and flattened off-brand cereal boxes where padding should be.

With options like these comfort becomes relative and being picky is a waste of time, ya know?

↠ When he’s with a partner he finds that sleeping on his side is usually the most comfortable option.

More specifically he’s a spooner. This isn’t done out of any lovey-dovey reasons, but rather because he doesn’t want to take a stray elbow or knee during the night lol. If he’s molded around your back (or vice versa, he’s not picky about that) then the risk is greatly mitigated.

The biggest problem with this is that leaves your heads p. close together so you’re gonna get to hear all of his one-sided convos with that good 4K clarity lmao.

↠ He’s p. flexible when it comes to temperatures.

He’s like John in that he doesn’t see the point in fighting against it during the yeehaw days (though unlike the older man he is more opt to complain about it) and in modern times he can adjust the thermostat/amount of blankets he uses.

If you like to keep the room super cold he’s gonna sleep with his socks on. And only his socks.

He once heard it said that the human body vents most of its heat through the top of the head, the hands, and the feet. Sleeping with a hat and gloves on would just be weird, yeah? But socks are totally acceptable.

Naturally he could keep the rest of his clothes on, but why would he deprive you of the majesty that is his body?

Less clothes means its way easier for the two of you to get it in should the want arise, and Sean’s all about taking the easy route whenever possible lol. Ofc he’ll encourage you to join in the fun, but if you’re not down he gets it, that nudist life isn’t for everyone, tho with a body like yours he doesn’t get why you don’t want to show more of it.

Doesn’t matter what you’ve got going on he thinks you’re sex on legs, so maybe it’s actually better if you do stay clothed—if you were on display at all times nothing but you would ever get done lol.

↠ On that note, I can totally see him as being one of those roommates that walks around naked from time to time.

Lenny has seen his dick so many times at this point that he doesn’t even blink.

Some may say that he’s taking the whole ‘be comfortable in your own skin’ thing a bit too far, but this is Sean we’re talking about here—he could always take things further so don’t tempt him lmao.

He will grudgingly put on some bottoms if you’re really insistent, though he doesn’t see what the big deal is.

Like he’s already been balls deep in damn near every hole you’ve got so why get shy now?? But you’re his baby and he always wants you to feel comfortable so if you need him to put Cú Chulainn away then he will.

((this jackass named his junk after an Irish demigod because of course he did lmao))

Simon Pearson || WC: 500~

↠ Another one who takes a bit to adjust to sharing a bed.

↠ The process isn’t nearly as involved as it is with Strauss, but it is annoying lol.

He’s not nervous about having you there at all, in fact he’s overjoyed to finally be sharing a bed with his sweetheart!

However, comma, once he’s knocked out he forgets you’re there and either rolls on top of you or kicks you or nudges you out of the bed lmao.

He’s so used to not having to take another body into account that he just doesn’t. It isn’t until he hears you yell and-or feels the retaliatory pillow strike that he remembers you’re there.

Ngl, this asshole’s gonna be laughing his ass off as he apologizes. What? It’s not his fault that you look so damn cute when you’re full of sleepy, yet indignant rage.

This’ll probably go on for a week or so before he finally stops assaulting you in your sleep lol. If you want to rectify things sooner insist on spooning. If he’s holding you from the start his brain’ll register your existence and you’ll stop falling victim to various rude awakenings.

Trying to be the big spoon yourself isn’t advisable at this juncture as there’s a good chance he’ll roll on top of you again and that’s the opposite of what you want.

↠ Once he’s gotten used to having you there he’ll find that his favorite position to sleep in is actually back to back.

Spooning’s okay for cuddles, but he finds it to be a bit uncomfortable when he’s trying to sleep. When you’re back to back, however, he can breathe freely and move about a bit more without having to worry about waking you.

Plus homie’s an ass man, so having your cheeks smooshed against his is a definite plus. Ofc spooning gives him this advantage as well, but at least this way he doesn’t have to worry about noticeably chubbing out on you when that isn’t the vibe lol.

↠ When he’s alone he usually sleeps on his back with one arm thrown over his eyes and the other across his middle.

↠ He’s also a snorer, tho it’s on the softer side. It only gets loud when he’s either extremely tired, sleeping off his drunk, or coming down with something.

↠ Pearson’s a big dude that puts out a lot of heat so naturally he likes a colder room if at all possible.

He keeps a comforter scrunched down at the bottom of the bed so that it’s within reach should he need it, but he rarely does.

Once you come along the pair of you will have to work together to find a temperature/blanket configuration that you can both live with.

If it’s the yeehaw days idk what to tell either of you as you can’t adjust the temperature much.

He doesn’t mind it if the pair of you have to migrate to completely opposite sides of the bed, or hell even if you have to sleep separately on occasion. Sleep’s such a precious commodity that he won’t begrudge you doing what you gotta do to indulge in it comfortably.

Uncle || WC: ~300

↠ The OG strong cuddler, Uncle’s gonna trap your ass into an embrace that you’ll have an extremely hard time escaping.

He’ll pull you into him—heedless of positioning for the most part, tho if you say something he’ll give you a chance to get comfortable—and then knock out and you’re p. much stuck that way until morning.

Seriously, he is way stronger than he looks, but I covered this back in ‘A’ so let’s move on.

↠ When he’s alone he tends to pass out whenever, wherever, and however he pleases.

What can I say—dude loves his sleep. Doesn’t matter what century he’s in, if he wants to catch some Z’s he’s gonna go for it right then and there.

Like Charles he’s given to sleeping like dead man so even if the positioning isn’t all that comfortable it isn’t much a deterrent or detriment to him.

Well providing it doesn’t trigger the ~L um BA g O~, tho if he’s drunk and-or tired enough he won’t even take that much into consideration.

↠ Temperatures don’t bother him much either, tho his back does tend to flare up in colder conditions.

Despite his lack of hard preferences he’d be lying if he said he didn’t prefer to avail himself to a nice, comfy bed.

Positions still aren’t a thing that he’s fussed over, in fact he’s got more freedom to sprawl in a bed as the whole darned thing’s comfortable.

On that note it should also be said that he’s another one that likes to let his limbs stretch out. This is only when he’s alone of course; when he’s got company he’ll get on his good WWE shit as previously established lol.

313 notes · View notes