"I... think... that initially making him accept guiding was - very understandable, because everything about this situation is very hard, but.  Probably not actually necessary.  In retrospect from having met him again.  And pretty miserable for him."

"Well, I guess I can apologize for that next time I see him."

"It was mostly about the internal relationship, though."

"You can't even really... interact, is he just salty about you having had thoughts about him?"

"I think about him and about - myself in general?  I - I'm worried he might come back if I think too much about this, it's what made him appear last time, but - I thought it was okay and maybe even good to torture someone, and that doesn't magically become a good look when the person is me.  You know?"

"...kind of a weird way to think about it but if you say so."

"What do you think a normal way of thinking about it would be?"

"It sort of depends on why you were doing it? Like, I cause myself unpleasantness so as to be able to accomplish things all the time, like dungeons."

"I.  Don't think I was thinking about it in a way that was very much about the practical results."  He again imagines the idea of Haru holding him down and messily forcing him to drink water, and - wow, he needs to stop thinking about this immediately.  He needs to think of something else right now.  "Do - hi.  Um.  Is your book still good?"

"They've reached El Dorado, which seems nice so far though given the conceit of the story I don't know if it will turn out to be a secret dystopia."

"Wow."  Snuggle.  It would be nice if he could think of something contentful to say here but apparently that's not on the table.

He doesn't have to. If he's done talking Haru can return to the adventures of Candide.

Yeah.

Sitting with his own thoughts doesn't seem like the greatest idea right now, but also holding his phone sounds hard.  Conveniently, the reason most things sound hard also makes it very easy to fall asleep, after not too long.

Well, is he going to wake up if he is relocated to bed?

He stirs a little and makes some small noises, but his sleep wasn't entirely free of those even on the couch.

Haru situates them in bed, hangs out there with his book for a bit, and then sneaks out to brush his teeth and whatnot. Julien can skip it the once if he can sleep through that.

He whimpers but doesn't open his eyes.

Poor guy.

Haru climbs back into bed once he's ready to sleep, and curls up with Julien, and does that.

Julien once again sleeps longer than Haru.

Then he will wake up to Haru and his book reclining and snuggled up.

???

"Did you carry me up the stairs??"

"- last night? Yes."

"Aaaaa.  - Good morning."

"Should I have woken you? You were pretty out."

"I don't want to die on the stairs.  Or get a head injury on the stairs.  That doesn't kill me but, affects the rest of my life, or something.  Or break my arm on the stairs although, I guess I would be fine about that.  Someday.  ...But maybe you think those wouldn't have happened?"