Her eyes dropped lower by the minute, her head lulling deeper into his chest, rising and falling with every breath he took, her mind vibrating as he spoke.

If she didn't leave now, she wouldn't make it, maybe she's even fall asleep in the taxi but at least she'd get home and be able to sleep in her own bed.

Astrid finally made a move, pulling her head from his chest, receiving a confused look from the boy. It was miraculous that he didn't look as tired as her, though it made sense with his sleeping schedule.

She found it adorable how he would lose his whole daylight just to talk to them for a few extra hours. That he'd change his whole schedule at a moment's notice to be in their presence, he'd even stop intimate moments; which she'd learnt through her own experiences.

"Where are you going?" He asked, muting first.

"Home, I'm tired," she told him softly, starting to walk away before he grabbed her hand.

"Just wait," his eyes flickering between the screen and her, she assumed he was regretting his earlier decision to stop them for his friends once realising they didn't get to do what she had initially come there for, "I'll order you an Uber"

"No, it's fine I can get it" he always offered to pay, no matter the situation. Even though Astrid fought him on it, he often got his way.

"No, really I'll pay, just sit down for a bit" he nodded his head to the bed, gesturing her to sit down there, and she did, fighting the urge to lay down and sleep.

"You can't pay, I need to pay at least every one in five," she told him, crossing her arms.

"You're not paying" he crossed his arms back, no real malice in his voice.

"Neither are you" she replied in the same way.

He stayed silent for a moment, biting his lip as if he was keeping himself from talking, but said it anyway.

"Then stay"

Their deep breaths were the only thing heard. Astrid had never stayed over before, that wasn't their deal. She'd go to his, stay a few hours and go home to a shower and her own bed.

It was a good system, it had worked so far, this could change everything.

This wasn't what they'd usually do, but then again, they hadn't got to do what she usually came round for, being interrupted before they could get very far. Surely that was why he wanted her to stay, assuming he'd wake her up in a few hours and get what he wanted.

But he never did.

It was a few hours later when George slipped into bed, changing into his sleeping clothes like he'd allowed her to do. Giving her a top and sweatpants that were too small from him, even though George himself wasn't the tallest he was still a good few inches over her.

Accidentally he had woke her up, but, unlike what she had thought he'd do, just pulled her closer, squeezed her twice, and went to sleep himself, without trying anything.

His presence felt like everything and nothing all at once, when his front pressed to her back she could think of nothing more than the heat radiating from his body.

Her body moving rhythmically as he breathed, hot air hitting her ear, chills running down her spine as his arm tightened around her waist.

Every minute Astrid spent with him was magically, it felt like life stopped and it was just them. But the all too real reality of life told her it wasn't: there were other people around them that had no idea that they were each others happy place.

And that is how it would have to stay, no matter how much her heart swelled at the idea.

——————

Written: 3rd May 2022

Published: 6th May 2022

I wrote the last few paragraphs of this whilst very drunk a few weeks ago in my notes and completely forgot about it but at least i got to use it.