Work Text:
“Oh dear prince~ You wouldn’t happen to have– ah– seen Megara around anywhere, would you?”
Zagreus scoffed playfully as the dreamy voice floated over to his room, striding right through the boundary inside. He stood by his mirror, calculating how much he could increase his cthonic vitality without spending too much.
“And to what end do I owe the honour of a visit from you, Hypnos?”
His smile shone through the words, turning to face the dreamer as he wafted towards Zagreus. His curled cloudy hair bounced as he yawned, looking away with a flustered expression.
“Oh nothing at all, she was just meant to– I just want to– uhm– check something with–”
Hypnos’ eyes finally caught onto Zagreus’ reflection and he exclaimed loudly.
“WOW! Zag you look terrible! The old man working you to the bone again?”
Sheepishly, Zagreus shrugged.
“It’s not so bad. I just need to keep at it a bit longer before I can rest.”
Hypnos’ eyes narrowed.
“When was that last?”
“Uhm. Last week?”
He winced as the gasp he recieved showed that was not the right answer. Harrumphing, Hypnos put his hands to his hips and sat upright, determined.
“Surely you’re not telling the God of Sleep that you’ve been neglecting my domain?”
Zagreus threw up his hands, trying to diffuse his… anger? He couldn’t tell what the expression on Hypnos’ face meant - he’d be fine anyway, why did he look so disgruntled by this?
“No, of course not. You know I love your work as much as any man.”
“Then get to bed, right now.”
“Haha– what?”
Incredulously, Zagreus watched helplessly as Hypnos grabbed both of his arms and began weakly pulling him towards the bed. (He wasn’t entirely helpless. He was doing most of the legwork of the dragging)
“You have a perfectly good bed, an amazing bed, a wonderful bed! And yet– no! Our dark prince does not deign to use it!”
Amused, Zagreus bowed his head apologetically.
“You’re perfectly right, I’ve been neglecting it. I’m very sorry, bed.”
Amidst his ranting, Hypnos snorted suddenly, his words breaking into a fit of chuckles. Zagreus counted the quiet win. He loved to hear Hypnos laugh - not the light, airy one that he used almost every time he spoke, but the more disjointed, hiccuping one that came out when he found something truly funny. Even despite his laughter though, that didn’t stop him from leading Zagreus to the bed and pushing him onto it, a sudden burst of strength that startled the prince into falling backwards onto it.
“Alright Hypnos, you win. I’m on it. Now what? I can’t quite nap on command.”
Finally finished with letting him have his way, Zagreus tried to get back up. Then suddenly, Hypnos dropped ontop of him. They fell back on the bed, with Hypnos lying across his chest, his smirking face looking up st Zagreus’s. Hopefully he didn’t notice the blush dusting his face this close.
“Well lucky you! One express ticket to the dreamworld coming right up! Being chummy with Sleep himself has its perks, y’know?”
Hypnos slung his arms around Zagreus’s head, a triumphant smile still on his face. The weight of warmth on his body surprised the prince - he thought all the cthonic gods were ice-cold, but wherever Hypnos touched him felt aflame.
“And as Sleep, I know how to get you to rest fastest. I bet you didn’t know this trick, right~?”
Slender fingers worked their way through his hair as Hypnos began to hum a low tune, rhythmically scratching his head as he sang. It was a song they used to learn as children, one Hypnos would sing to help him sleep. Perhaps it was the exhaustion of all his excursions, but Zagreus could feel his eyes begin to droop already. He tried to fight it, but the touch was soft, and gentle, and he didn’t want him to stop.
“Oh, you wicked little… trickster…”
His words ended with a smile, a peace that rarely found him in rest. Hypnos watched his face with adoration, continuing to pet his head. His ears were starting to burn and he was glad Zagreus fell asleep before the consequences of his boldness caught up to his face. Still, he was a little bold, and dared to peck a small kiss to his cheek.
Hypnos yawned, and curled up against his chest, falling asleep to the thrum of Zagreus’s breaths rising and falling.
“Goodnight, sweet prince.”