chara's night routine

Chara has something of a night routine.

It's fairly arduous and he's always punctual about it so you can hardly follow along even if you try, but if you go to bed before him you can at least watch him as he goes about it.

First, one last full glass of water for him to drink throughout the routine, not scheduling one sip or another but still fairly regular. Often it was just a plain glass of water, but sometimes he liked to float an inch or two of crushed ice on the top. He told you that ice cold water absorbed faster, burned calories, and he liked eating ice.

With his glass of water dripping condensation on the counter he brushed his teeth. He was very thorough about brushing his teeth, surely you didn't know anyone else as committed to a good flossing as him. He'd spit blood into the sink and smile over his shoulder at your concerned expression. He used to not take such good care, but now he was hypervigilant about keeping his smile just the way it was. After scraping his tongue and gargling mouthwash he had to put off drinking more water for at least 30 minutes. Passing the time, he washed his face and combed his hair. Looking his best, he'd get close to the mirror and stare intensely at the reflection, as if daring it to flinch from him. If he caught you peeking he'd turn his gaze on you, with the same penetrating smile.

Finished cleaning, he went through his nightly calisthenics routine. In the summer he did them in nothing but his briefs, but it was getting cold out so he wore a set of black thermals, either through the night or taking them off once he warmed up in bed. Stretching right in the middle of the room he all but invited you to watch him, still able to see the contours of his glutes under those thermal leggings. One last big stretch, reaching toward the ceiling...And he took the usual feinting glance over his shoulder to see if you were asleep or awake.

Bringing his water to the nightstand beside your bed, he excused himself for peeling back the covers, letting some of the ambient cold rush in, but Chara was quick to follow, and he was still warmed up from his stretches, wrapping you up in his arms to share the warmth once he'd slid into bed. He held on tight, clenching up, before relaxing completely. Something of a technique he used to help him fall asleep faster. The average human fell asleep in seven minutes, but it often took him longer. He didn't have much else to do in that time but watch and wait for you to fall asleep, trying to sync his breath to yours with your back to his chest. As close as your hearts could be, when he settled into the same quiet rhythm, he closed his eyes.