[ Kevin slowly waking up is just as good as sleepy Kevin trying to get back to sleep, especially when it gets him a full body hug. ]

Yeah, you should have realized that long ago.

[They're softer more often now, at least in private, settling into themselves and each other. Neil will still fight as hard as he can when it comes to everything else, but he lets himself have this softness with his boys and he imagines Kevin does too. Maybe even Andrew.]

I'd just kick the covers off. Better than being cold, anyway.

[There were times when they had to sleep outside on the coldest of days and Neil could feel the cold seeping into his bones. He could never sleep during those times, he would be shivering too hard, even with his mother wrapped around him. It made him more tired, more careless and his mother wouldn't stand for that. He doesn't think being too warm would be such a bad thing]

You're lucky we're small. [He lets out a soft hum, his fingers tracing along Kevin's shoulders] I smell good? Like what, bed? Sleep?