WANTED // Sapnap X Reader

12

Perkins and Anne were just finishing closing up when you brought the plates back downstairs. The wooden tables were wiped clean, all the chairs were pushed back in, the oil lamps that dangled above the bar were put out for the night. You took it upon yourself to wash off the plates, putting them with all the other clean ones Perkins had already dried off. It was here that Anne cornered you, leaning against the door frame, her arms crossed in front of her chest.

"Ankle report?"

You glanced up from your washing. "I didn't take too good of a look at it just yet. Seems like he had the ice on 'til it melted though."

Anne uncrossed her arm, holding out a small mason jar. "Tell 'im to put this on it when you go back up. Should stop any infection and hopefully speed up the healing process some."

You finished drying off the dish you were holding, setting it down with the others and reaching out to take the jar. "Will do."

Anne nodded, appeased. "G'night then." She said, turning back around to head upstairs to her own rooms. You heard the flick of a lighter as she walked away, and then the cherry of a cigarette glowing faintly in the corner of your vision as the wooden steps creaked.

You stepped out of the kitchen, putting out the last remaining oil lamps. There was just enough sunlight left on the horizon for you to make your way up the stairs without tripping over yourself, coming up to the attic and slipping inside softly again, shutting the door behind you.

Sapnap - Nick, now - glanced up when you walked in, zeroing in on the jar in your hand. "What's that?"

You tossed it over to him. "Anne said to put some of this on your ankle. Should help."

Nick caught the jar easily, sliding his feet of the edge of the bed so that he could carefully undo the bandages, cracking open the jar. Almost instantly, the smell of herbs filled the small room, mixing with the woody smell that the attic always seemed to hold. Nick spread some of the solution over the wound, wincing as his fingers scraped along the skin.

"Do you want me to do it?" You asked, hovering nearby.

"Nah, it's alright. M'done anyway." He said, closing the jar back up and setting it aside, going to refasten the bandages around the his ankle and the splint. "Appreciate the offer though."

You sat down on the edge of your bed, flopping back onto the floral bedcovers. For a moment, the only sound came from the open window - the gentle noise of the town settling down for the night and all the wild things crawling out of their hiding holes to start their prowls. You let your eyes flutter shut for a moment, just savoring the end to a long day.

"You don't have to stay up on account of me."

You opened one eye to look at Nick from across the room. He was sprawled out on his own bed, hands pillowed behind his head as he looked up at the ceiling - no doubt somewhere his eyes had been most of the day, if they weren't out the window of closed while he napped. He must have been bursting at the seams with energy at this point.

"I feel bad." You said. "You've had nothing to do and no one to talk to for most of the day, and as soon as I get up here-" You cut yourself off with a yawn. "The first thing I do is go to bed."

"You're bone tired." Nick said, glancing over at you. "You'll need your rest for tomorrow-"

"I don't want to be rude." You said.

"Compromise then." Nick said, an exasperated grin coming to his face. "You get in bed and turn the lights off and then you can keep me company for a while."

You hummed, stripping off your apron and putting out the singular oil lamp that was still on in your room, sliding under the covers. As soon as your body hit the sheets you felt the pull of sleep behind your eyes, but you forced them to stay open, turning on your side so that you could face Nick. "What was your favorite song I played today? I can play it again tomorrow too."

You could only really see the outline of Nick on the other bed, but he shifted a bit, rolling to face you as well. "There was one you played after lunch that I really liked."

"Which one?"

"I don't know the name of it." Nick said. "I've never heard it before-"

"Hum it to me then." You said, trying to keep your eyes open. You failed after a moment, letting them droop closed. It was dark - as long as you kept talking Nick would have no way of knowing that you were half asleep.

"I'm not really a singer." Nick said. "I don't know-"

"Please?" You asked. "I won't know which one you liked if you can't tell me."

You heard Nick let out a heavy sigh - sounding a lot more apprehensive about humming a tune than you had heard anyone before. Still, he began to hum, low and sort of scratchy. He kept his voice quiet enough that you had to really listen to pick it up, laying still in bed. You recognized the tune to one of the upbeat ones you had played with him in mind - you were glad that he liked it.

You could have stopped him there, but you let him go on, carrying the rune some more. He had a nice tone to his humming - raspy without being breathy, deep without coming on too strong. The pull of sleep behind your eyes increased tenfold as you let Nick's humming lead your consciousness into the recesses of your mind, giving into the ache in your bones from the day's work.

The last thing you heard before you fully drifted off was Nick's voice, whispering a soft goodnight.