It was rather normal, at this point, for Ethari to find himself sleepless. Though it had been awhile, since the ache had run hims ragged and drained.
This? This was different. Surreal.
Laying in bed, unable to sleep, but not for the same reasons as before. Instead it was the exact opposite. He was rather in awe, instead of pain, laying next to-- practically wrapped around, actually-- his husband. Something he had slowly resigned himself to never experiencing again, and yet... Runaan was very much alive and very real under his hand and cheek. He could feel his warmth radiating up into him, along every inch where they were pressed together, feel the soft thrum of his heartbeat under his palm.
It was too real to be a dream. Yet he couldn’t bring himself to close his eyes and rest, instead just basking in what he was absolutely positive he had lost. His attentions drifting back and forth from the other elf’s relaxed face to the rise and fall of his chest as he slept. Or at least seemed asleep.
Unconsciously, Ethari nudged himself a little closer, bringing his cheek to rest where his hand was, so he could listen to the steady drum of its beat. This at least lulled his eyes to shut, but he wasn’t tired. Barely interested in resting when he could just... enjoy this. Enjoy his husband again. Relax now that the world seemed to fall back into place, and he wasn’t going to question it further.
Reuniting had been... a blur. Too many emotions, too much pain being brought up to the forefront of his mind after he had done his best to bury it and move on. He felt like he could, honestly, fully relax and drop the tension he had carried for what felt like an eternity, just listening to Runaan breathe and exist. He didn’t want to wake him, but it was hard to leave him alone, let alone give him an inch of space at the moment. The thought of not touching him right now, at that moment, made him tense up with fear again, which just made him squeeze the sleeping man.