finally writing hcs like i’ve been meaning too for months but have been too lazy to
sleepy merrick headcanons
he rarely sleeps because he’s tired, he sleeps because he knows he has to.
his brain is never quiet, always planning. always thinking. it doesn’t quiet when he’s trying to sleep either.
he stays awake long after lights out, staring at the wall, patiently waiting for sleep to come.
he wakes up really early too (because he’s in the military) usually around 4:30-5:00am.
he sleeps curled in on himself in the fetal position, on his side, like he’s trying to protect his vital organs.
he’s a light sleeper, stirring at the quietest sounds as if he expects someone to murder him in his sleep.
he doesn’t have nightmares frequently, presumably because he’s never asleep long enough or deep enough to start dreaming.
when he does, though, they don’t scare him enough to wake him. he just trembles in his sleep until he wakes, staring at the wall wide-eyed with fear until morning.
sometimes he does feel sleepy before he falls asleep and you can tell.
he still sleeps in the fetal position but it’s, like, looser, if that makes sense??? like it doesn’t look like he’s trying to protect himself from something.
the only time he truly feels sleepy is when he feels safe, so he tends to sleep a little deeper, not worrying so much about the noises that would usually wake him.
that doesn’t mean you can go stomping around him, though, he’s still not that deep of a sleeper.
he likes to read before bed, maybe with a warm cup of herbal tea. it helps him wind down.
it also reminds him of simpler times, learning to read by reading his storybooks to himself (with his mama or papa present) at bedtime.
that’s all i could really think of, i’m sure i have more i’m forgetting, so this post might be edited or i’ll write a (likely much shorter) part 2, but i’m still not sure.
hopefully i’ll have the motivation to write more hcs soon, but in the meantime, take care!! <3