rareslash | Fic: The Perfect Bed

Title: The Perfect Bed
Author: Titti
Pairing: Don/Charlie
Rating: PG-13
Email: titti_adriano@hotmail.com
Webpage: http://www.tittisrealm.com/fantasy/
Disclaimer: Numb3rs and its characters are copyrighted by and trademarked to CBS.
Summary: Don can't sleep.
Warning: Incest
Spoilers: vague references to 102 - Uncertainty Principle

Don was too tired to drive home, or maybe he was too drained to be alone. Instead, he walked to his old room. He threw his jacket on the chair, toed his shoes off, and found a pair of old sweat pants and a T-shirt in the pile of clothes he had brought over after too many complaints about taking his father and Charlie's stuff.

He wasted no time in getting into bed. He turned off the lamp, and lay down, but for some reason, try as he may, he couldn't fall asleep. He tossed and turned, shifting the pillow, but never finding the right position. The full sized bed felt small compared to his bed at home; that had to be the reason why he couldn't sleep.

When he heard the knock, he was almost relieved. At least now he would have a real reason to stay awake. "Come in."

Charlie peeked his head inside. "You're awake."

"Obviously," Don answered with a smile.

Charlie smiled back, and he walked inside, closing the door behind him. He sat on the bed, looking at his brother. The light from the street and the moon shone in the room, showing the frown lines on Don's face. "I don't know how you can sleep with so much light."

"I can sleep through anything. Hey, I can sleep at my desk." Don's fingers slid over Charlie's arm for a moment, and then he raise the covers. "C'mon, lie down."

Charlie slid into bed, and Don stayed on his side, his arm resting on Charlie's chest. "Are you sure you're okay? I know this case was hard on you."

"It wasn't the case." Charlie reached up, and traced Don's cheekbone. "Do you know that with your job, the probabilities that you'd get hurt or worse are..."

Don's turned his head, and kissed Charlie's fingers. "Numbers aren't everything."

Charlie shook his head. "Numbers don't lie, Don."

"Numbers don't tell you the entire story, no matter how complicated the equation is. They don't tell you about the great back up I have, they don't take into account my abilities, and they don't include the help I get from my genius brother." Don kissed Charlie's forehead. "I'll be all right."

Charlie shifted until he managed to get his arm around his brother, his hand resting on Don's back. "You can factor those in. Still the percentage is higher with your job..."

"Not much higher than a teacher in East L.A.," Don joked, but stopped when he saw the haunted look on Charlie's face. He knew it was his fault. He kept asking for Charlie's help, and exposing him to death and pain in the process. "I'll make you a deal. I promise not to die, if you promise to stop with that P versus P problem."

Charlie chuckled. "N P, and I already told you that I wouldn't look for a non-existent solution anymore." He propped himself up on one elbow. "You have to keep that promise, because I can't lose you, too."

Don rested his forehead against Charlie, his hand still on Charlie's chest, feeling the heartbeat under it, listening to Charlie's breathing. How many times had they been like this? How many time had he swore that it would be the last time? Too many times, but he couldn't stop now, not when his brother was feeling so vulnerable. He shifted until he felt Charlie's lips under his, kissing them tenderly. "You won't lose me." Their lips continued to touch even as he spoke. "I'll never leave you; I promise."

Charlie's hand brushed against Don's hip, while his leg made his way between Don's. "Okay."

"Okay? Even if the numbers say otherwise?" Don teased.

Charlie's eyes locked with Don's for a moment, and then he smiled. "I trust you."

Don took a deep breath as he was hit with the responsibility. Charlie - his baby brother, his genius brother, the one he had hated, the one he'd grown to love - would renegade everything he believed in because he trusted Don.

Rolling on his back, Don pulled Charlie with him. Suddenly the bed was too big, and he was afraid that one day his brother might not want to be here. Don held Charlie tighter, until their bodies were moulded against each other.

"I'm not leaving, either," Charlie murmured as he rested his head on Don's chest.

Don smiled. Of course, Charlie would figure out what he was thinking, Charlie was the family genius after all, but it didn't matter, because with those simple words, his fatigue and his tension melted away. He kissed the top of Charlie's head. "Night, buddy."

"Good night, Don."

Finally, the bed felt just right, and Don was able to fall asleep.