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kellangirard · 5 years ago

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After the Accident

K: Once I got us back to Rae’s place, I made her wait until I could come around and help her out of the car. Such a look she gave me. The next few days were going to be...interesting. We took our time heading inside. I think she was happy to be out in the fresh air. After I unlocked the door and waited for her to let me know where she wanted to be, the living room or bedroom, I put her bag and keys on a side table. Not surprisingly, she wanted nothing to do with lying down. I watched while she eased herself down onto the couch. It was hard to watch.

I hadn’t been here too often, but at least I knew the lay of the land. Not that it was a huge place. “Are you hungry? I could order some food. Or at least something to drink?” I felt like I needed to do something.

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R: The pain as I tried to move sucked big time. But I wasn’t about to let it show. I didn’t need to be taken care of. I could take care of myself. Once I was finally situated on the couch, I let out a sigh of relief. Maybe if I didn’t move too much, it wouldn’t be so bad. I looked up at Kel and tried to smile, but it came out a wince, “Sure, food sounds great. There are a bunch of takeout menus on the counter in the kitchen. Pick whatever you want.”

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K: I arched a brow at the “whatever you want” but nodded and went to the kitchen. Maybe giving her a few minutes to herself was a good idea. I found the menus and looked them over. I didn’t want anything overly spicy in case her stomach was feeling off. I also wanted something easy for her to eat. I wandered back over. “How about burgers and milkshakes?” I handed her the menu. “Does that sound good at all?”

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R: I took a deep breath as I took the menu and sighed, “I’m sorry if I’m grouchy. I just don’t like feeling helpless. Burgers and shakes sound good, thanks.” My mind was racing, even though my body was still. I was trying to figure out what I was going to do about my bike. I had spent everything I saved on starting up the company. I wasn’t sure until it took off if it did, that I’d be able to get another bike. I had sold my car, and all I had was the bike. Now, I had nothing. Or might have nothing.

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K: I laughed a little, but not long enough, that she would think I was laughing at her. “I’m used to grouchy Rae. It feels….normal. Crazy, huh?” I took a seat across from her after pulling out my phone. “Chocolate shakes?” She smiled or tried to and nodded. I called the restaurant and placed our order. “Cheese fries!” she called out before I finished.” My eyes widened briefly at her enthusiasm. “And an order of cheese fries, please. Thank you.” I put my phone away. “Cheese fries, huh?”

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R: I nodded slightly, wincing a little, “Cheese fries are really good.” I tried to smile, but my face still hurt a little. “They’ve recently become a favorite of mine. Especially if they’re done right.” I almost added and shared, but I wasn’t sure I was completely ready to explain all of that to Kel...not yet. I was still trying to wrap my head around my feelings myself. “And I know you’re used to dealing with grouchy me. And no, it’s not crazy that it feels normal. It is our normal. For the longest time, it was just us. We’re a family and things have changed a lot lately. Nothing really feels normal anymore. Does that make sense?”

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K: “Yeah. It does. Maybe not to anyone else though.” I winked and tried not to worry about watching her shift uncomfortably. “I...um...I’ll go get us some plates. Food should be here soon.” It was good to disappear into the kitchen for a minute or two. I didn’t know how to react to Rae’s mixed emotions. Ours was a long-term friendship, but not necessarily a close one. Our work had kept us more professional or task-oriented than anything else. I wasn’t ready to risk upsetting her by pressing her concerning her feelings. Especially not now.

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R: I knew I probably didn’t seem very grateful for Kel’s help, I was. But I was kind of glad when he disappeared for a few minutes. I took a deep breath and exhaled, trying to take stock of the rest of my body. It seemed like everything hurt, even if all I did was breathe. I wasn’t sure how long I was going to be able to deal with hurting like this. I hated feeling helpless. And right now, that’s all I felt. Helpless.

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K: I brought the plates over. I knew there would be napkins in the bag. I also grabbed a knife. I wasn’t sure how easily she’d be able to eat her burger if it wasn’t cut at least in half. If she’d let me. “Here we go,” I smiled as I set the knife and plates on the coffee table. She was saved from having to make any small talk by the buzzer. “Just in time. I’ll be right back with the food.” I pulled my wallet out and headed over to answer the door.

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R: I called after him, “My wallet is by the door, and please use the cash I have in there! You’ve already done enough. You don’t have to pay for dinner, too!” I sighed when Kel didn’t answer me. I figured he would probably totally ignore me, and I also knew there wasn’t much I could do about it. At least not right now. But eventually, I would be better.

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K: I just laughed when Rae yelled after me. After paying for our food, I brought it back to the living room. “Hope you’re hungry. There’s a lot of food here,” I grinned as I set the bag on the table and started pulling food out. I focused on plating up our burgers and not getting cheese sauce everywhere. “You….don’t eat these messy fries near your computer, do you?” I laughed, reaching for a napkin.

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R: I laughed, but winced, “No, I don’t. Not usually. Usually, I eat them with Mav wherever we are.” I blushed once I realized what I said. I quickly grabbed my drink, winching as the pain hit me. After a few sips, I set my glass down, “Mav is the one who got me hooked on them.” I smiled as I carefully tried to adjust to being a little more comfortable; it didn’t work.

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K: I bit my tongue as I saw her wince again. I’m not sure she was even aware she was doing it. Once she seemed to settle, I gestured to her burger. “How about I cut this in quarters so you can savor it slowly?” The look she gave me was the Rae I remembered. I grinned when she slowly nodded in agreement. “Just this once, though.” “Of course,” I agreed as I quickly divided it up before she could change her mind. Setting the knife aside, I handed her the plate and extra napkins. “Bon appetit!”

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R: I took the napkins and smiled, “Thanks! You know, I wasn’t really hungry when you asked, but this smells great. I can’t wait to dig in!”

We ate in silence for a little while. Though to be honest, it took me longer to eat than normal. But as I finished my fries, I sighed. I missed Mav. But I didn’t want anyone to see me like this. All bruised and in pain. I hated that Kel was getting a front-row seat to it, but I knew he wouldn’t leave. And I honestly didn’t have it in me to argue. I was so lost in thought; I wasn’t paying attention. As I went to eat the last fry, I ended up getting cheese sauce all over my shirt. “Damn it!”

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K: Her appetite was encouraging. I didn’t have much of one. When she yelled, I dumped my untouched food on the coffee table. “Are you hurt? Did you burn yourself?” I took the plate from her hand and reached for napkins. She shook her head and grabbed my hand. “Kel, I’m fine. I swear. Just a mess.” I looked up from my hand to her face. “You’re ok?” She nodded. I slowly nodded and took a breath. It was just her shirt. I thought for a minute. “How about I help you to your room, and you can change clothes? Maybe pjs?”

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R: I sighed and nodded, “Yeah, that actually sounds pretty good. Thanks.” I knew there was no use fighting. Besides, I didn’t want to stay in a cheese-stained shirt. It took some painful movements, but eventually Kel helped me to my feet, and we slowly made our way to my room. He helped me sit on the bed, and I looked at him, “Kel, no offense, but I totally refuse to allow you to help me change. My pride just can not take another hit.” I tried to make the statement light, like a joke, so he didn’t take it the wrong way. But I wasn’t sure it came across like that.

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K: I couldn’t help but laugh. “Point taken. I’ll leave you to it, but if you need me, just call.” She thanked me and then shooed me with her hand. I laughed and pretended to bow on my way out, closing the door behind me. Once I was alone in the hall, I rubbed the back of my neck and sighed softly. Ever since the original phone call, I felt like I had been on edge with worry. I went to clean up our plates. I figured I could wrap my burger and leave it in the fridge for her to eat later if she wanted to.

I was just putting the burger away when I thought I heard a knocking. Worried that it was Rae falling or knocking things over I moved towards the front room. Nope. That was a knock on the door. I looked at Rae’s closed bedroom door and decided not to bother her. Through the peephole, I saw a man looking around. I opened the door partially. “Can I help you?”

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M: I wasn’t sure if Rae would be awake or even if she could answer the door but I really wanted to see her, so here I was knocking. Imagine my surprise when a guy answered the door. “Can I help you?” I recognized that voice. “Kellan? I’m Maverick. Rae’s friend? We spoke on the phone.” The guy looked exhausted. It took him a minute or two to react. “Maverick? Right! Sorry. Please come in.” He took a step back and let me in before closing the door behind us. I looked around but didn’t see Rae. “Is...is she here?”

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K: So this was Rae’s boyfriend. He seemed nice enough and a little worried when he didn’t see Rae. “Yeah. She’s in the bedroom. There was a cheese fries accident. Her shirt lost.” We shared a laugh for a few moments. Something that broke the ice. “Those cheese fries are sneaky if you don’t pay attention,” he grinned. “That’s what I’ve noticed,” I said, quickly covering a yawn. “Sorry. I swear it’s not you. Um...can I get you something to drink? I think she’s got some Cokes and there might be some beer.”

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M: I was about to respond, but then we heard something from the bedroom. It sounded like swearing. “Hey, Kellan, why don’t you go home and get some rest? I can hang out here with Rae for a while. Keep an eye on her.” He looked towards her room and then turned back to me. “Are you sure?” I smiled and politely, but firmly guided him towards the door. “I’ve got it. I promise to take good care of her. You have my number. Text me when you get home safely, and I can text you updates when you wake up later, ok?” He nodded slowly and shook my hand before handing me the pain killers she had been prescribed. “Not sure she’ll take these but here they are.” I took the bottle and thanked him. “Get some sleep,” I said as I waved goodbye. Now to figure out what the noise was. I locked the front door and then headed over to her bedroom. I knocked lightly on her door, “Rae? It’s Mav. Are you ok?”

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R: When Kel closed the door, I had stayed sitting on the bed, looking around my room. I was lost in thought wondering what could have happened. The what ifs were driving me crazy. I sighed and tried to figure out how I was going to change my clothes. After wincing, cussing, and just plain frustration I finally managed to get my arm out of the sleeve, which is where I was when I heard the knock. “Kel, I’m gonna need a few more minutes.” I wasn’t expecting the reply I got, “Rae? It’s Mav. Are you ok?” I looked down at my shirt and sighed, “Come in.”

I looked up when he opened the door, “I was trying to change my shirt, but it seems my shirt had another idea. You know, I never knew how complicated it was changing a shirt until now.” I wasn’t sure if I wanted to laugh or cry at this point. Or just give up all together.

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M: She was there in front of me. I felt like I’d been holding my breath ever since I talked to Kellan on the phone so long ago. “Looks like quite a predicament,” I grinned. “If I try to help you, are you going to hit me?” I only waited a moment before walking over to her. I carefully tilted her chin up. “I was really worried about you.” I leaned in and kissed her softly hoping her lips were one of the places that didn’t hurt.

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R: His kiss was so soft and gentle, as if he was scared he was going to hurt me. The tears started, and I couldn’t stop them. Mav gently wrapped his arms around me, holding me while I cried. I wasn’t even sure why I was crying. I didn’t make a sound as I cried, just sat there with the tears streaming down my face. When I thought I could talk without my voice cracking, I gently pulled away from him. “I’m so sorry. I don’t know what came over me. I’m not even sure why I was crying.” I blushed, I felt so stupid and....vulnerable. I didn’t like it.

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M: I tried not to think that she was rejecting me when she pulled away. I knew she wasn’t. Not really. “I promise not to tell anyone. How about we get you out of this shirt?” I took the bottom of the shirt in my hands and carefully eased it off of her. Then I found a clean spot on it and wiped the tears from her face. “So if you tell me what you want to change into, I can get it for you. Then it’s off with the bra.” I winked and grinned slowly.

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R: I couldn’t help but blush. Here I was, sitting in front of Mav in a pair of jeans and a bra. This is not how I imagined this situation. Of course once that thought hit me, I blushed even more. “Rae?” I looked up, “Oh, um, top drawer are my night shirts and shorts. Grab whatever you get your hands on first.” As he headed to my dresser, I took a few breaths, willing the blush away. I hoped by the time he turned around my face was normal again.

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M: That blush was so unexpected and beautiful. I hated that she was hurt, but I also felt like this was another step forward in our relationship. One I’m not sure we would have gotten too as quickly if she hadn’t had an accident. I shook my head briefly to clear it and got the softest shirt and shorts I could for her. I brought them back over to her and set them on the bed beside her. “Do you want me to unhook your bra and then step out? We could put your shirt on just around your neck first? You tell me what you want, ok? You’re in charge.”

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R: I thought about what he asked and sighed a little, “I don’t know if I’ll be able to get my shirt on without help. So, what if we...well what if I stand with my back to you and you help me?” I tried to say everything without blushing again, but I’m not sure it worked. I just knew I didn’t want to be stuck in my room with no clothes on while he was waiting in the living room.

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M: “How about you stay put? I’ll move around you and unhook your bra from the back.” I waited until she agreed and then walked around to the other side of the bed, kneeling on it and carefully unfastening her bra. I slid one strap down her arm and then the other, waiting to see if she could finish getting the bra off herself. I stayed put so she could have a little bit of privacy. It took her a few minutes but the bra finally dropped to the floor. Then I carefully helped her slip one arm at a time into her night shirt and pull it down.

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R: I let out a sigh once the shirt was on. I was glad that Mav couldn’t see my face while we got the shirt on, I know he would have seen the pain some of the movements caused. Once he was standing in front of me again, I did my best to smile at him, “Can we hold off on the shorts? That took a little more energy than I thought it would.” I laughed a little before turning serious, quietly, “Thank you for helping me and for coming to check on me.”

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M: “You’re welcome. I really needed to see you with my own eyes. And Kellan, when I got here, was drained. Sent him home to get some sleep.” I smiled and held my hand out, letting her place hers in mine unsure if they hurt or not. She lightly squeezed my fingers. “You don’t have to put the shorts on if you don’t want to. Your shirt seems to be long enough.” I glanced at her jeans. “I think you might feel better if you got out of those. I can take care of that for you. You know...put some pillows behind you to lay back against. If you want.”

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R: At this rate, blushing was going to be a permanent thing. I thought about what he said and nodded, “I think you’re right, but instead of laying down, it might be easier if I stand. At least to slide them down and then I can sit when we go to pull them completely off.” Mav nodded and helped me stand. We made sure I was close enough to the bed that if I lost my balance, I’d just fall on it. I was determined not to fall.

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M: I could really get used to that blushing. “Just hang on to me, Rae. I won’t let you fall.” Once she had hold of my shoulders, I kept my eyes locked on hers as I reached for her zipper. I undid the top button and then slowly unzipped her jeans. Her hands gripped me tighter and tighter. “You’re okay. Just focus on me.” I hooked my fingers into the waistband of her jeans and slowly slid them down her hips. Once they were down on her thighs, I stopped. “Let’s sit you back down. Okay?”

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R: I couldn’t stop the shivers that shot through my body as Mav slowly slid my jeans down. My breath caught more than once. It took a few seconds to realize he was talking to me and a few more before I could speak. I nodded and sat down, not trusting my voice. When the jeans were pulled free from me, I smiled “Thank you. I’m not sure how I would have managed that if I hadn't had your help.”

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M: “Feel better now?” I folded her jeans and her shirt. “Hamper or basket in the closet? Or the bathroom?” She nodded and pointed to the bathroom. “Be right back.” I took the clothes to the bathroom and tossed the dirty clothes in the hamper. When I walked back into the bedroom, her eyes were closed. I watched her for a moment until her eyes popped open and found me. “Hey,” I smiled. “Ready to…..Netflix and chill?”

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R: I looked around my room, “Um, how are we going to do that? In case you haven’t noticed, I don’t have a tv anywhere.” I laughed a little, “I’m a horrible hostess. Do you want something to drink? I have beer, tea, and water, I think?” I attempted to move and bumped my ankle on the side of the bed, wincing, “Although this time, you’ll have to get it yourself.”

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M: I shook my head. “I’m fine, but if you want something let me know and I’ll go get it.” She shook her head and smiled a little as if hoping I didn’t see her wince. “As long as you have wifi and a laptop, which I see on your dresser, we got this. Let’s get you more comfortable first. Do you want to skip the shorts? I think your shirt is fine if you’re comfortable.” Whatever she decided was fine by me. I didn’t want her to feel self-conscious on top of being achy.

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R: “Help yourself to the laptop. It should automatically connect to the WiFi when you turn it on. As for the shorts, I think I’ll skip those. I really don’t feel like moving anymore.” I smiled at him. I wasn’t sure why, but something about him being here made me feel better. Safe even.

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M: Was that an actual smile? Things were slowly improving. I opened her laptop and logged into Netflix. Looking around the room, I decided to leave it on the dresser. We didn’t really need to watch the movie closely. It was more of a distraction. Her laptop was also a wider display than most so I decided it should work fine. Once I had Netflix ready to go, I walked back over. “Time to get you more comfortable. Sitting on the edge of your bed isn’t going to work.” I fluffed her pillows and then helped her lay back against them with her legs extended. “How’s that feel?” I asked as I sat beside her carefully.

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R: I looked at him and sighed in relief, “A lot better actually. Thank you. You know, there’s a whole bed here, you don’t have to stick to just the edge.” I laughed a little. “I promise I won’t bite. At least this time anyway.” I smirked a little and patted the spot beside me. I wasn’t sure why I felt safer with him here, but I did. It was a strange feeling to be honest. The only other person that I ever felt that way with was Kel. It took a long time to get to that point though. I looked at Kel more like a brother, or at least as close to one as I could. I wasn’t sure what it was like to have actual siblings, so Kel really was the closest thing I had to one. But the feeling was different with Mav. I wasn’t sure how I felt about that.

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M: “A biter, huh? Not sure if I’m ready for that,” I smirked right back at her. If she was joking and willing to be close physically, she had to be feeling a little better. I slipped my shoes off, tucking them under the end of the bed so she couldn’t trip on them. Then I pulled my phone out to control Netflix remotely and moved onto the bed beside her as gently as I could. “I’m not sure where you’re hurt and where you aren’t.” Once I was lying beside her, my instinct was to put an arm around her but with my luck that would hurt so I stayed as still as I could. “Ready?”

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R: I nodded as I laughed, “I’m ready if you are. What are we watching?” For the first time since my accident, I was actually starting to relax. I’m not sure if it was because I was in my own bed or if it was because of Mav. Or maybe both? Either way, I wasn’t going to fight it. I was going to enjoy it while it lasted.

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M: My hope was that she’d relax enough to get some sleep. “Hackers,” I said with a grin. “It’s a classic. Angelina Jolie and Jonny Lee Miller.” I scrolled to the movie and hit play, sending it to the laptop. “Have you ever seen it?” I reached over and brushed the hair from her eyes. She was so lovely. I didn’t dare tell her and risk making her uncomfortable though.

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R: I shook my head, “No, I don’t think I’ve ever seen it. As you can tell from the lack of tvs, I don’t watch much. Or rather, didn’t. Now that things have changed with work, I have more free time. Maybe I should buy one and catch up on all the movies I’ve missed?”

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M: “It’s about a teenage hacker framed for the theft of millions of dollars from a major corporation. Master hacker Dade Murphy, aka Zero Cool, aka Crash Override, was banned from touching a keyboard for seven years after crashing over 1,500 Wall Street computers at the age of 11. Now anxious to get back in front of a computer, he finds himself in more trouble than ever. It’s funny and the technology is amusing to watch since it was filmed in 1995.” The look on her face was priceless. “It’s a wild ride and a lot of fun. Definitely not realistic. And if you fall asleep during it, I won’t be offended,” I grinned.

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R: I couldn’t help but laugh, “I’m not sure if I’ll fall asleep or not to be honest. I haven’t really rested since the accident. Tonight is the first night that I’ve actually started to even remotely relax.” I wanted to add that I thought it was because he was here, but I wasn’t sure how that would make him feel and I didn’t want to ruin the mood.

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M: I held my hand out, palm up. “If you’re worried about the nightmares, I know about them, remember? So I know you’ve rarely had an easy time sleeping. But I’m here. I won’t let anything bad happen. I promise.” She really needed to get some decent sleep to help recover. I just hoped she didn’t fight against the idea.

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R: I smiled as I took his hand. I wasn’t sure I’d be able to sleep, but something about him being close made it seem possible. I looked up at him, “If I fall asleep and I start freaking out, I’m sorry in advance. I can’t control it. And I’m sorry if I hit you. Or try too.” I blushed as I said the last part.

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M: I lightly brushed my thumb across her hand. “I’m tougher than I look. This face can take a punch or two,” I winked. “How about I slip my arm around your shoulder? You can rest your head on my chest. Maybe hearing my heartbeat will remind you that I’m here as you sleep.” Kind of like swaddling a baby, maybe feeling my arm and chest would make her feel less like flailing as she slept.

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R: I couldn’t help but laugh a little, “I would rather your face not take a punch or two was my point.” I thought about what he said and nodded, “Actually, yeah I think I will try that. If...if you're sure it’s okay?” I didn’t want him to do something he didn’t want to just because he wanted to help me feel better. He smiled and nodded. After a few minutes we were finally situated, his arm around me and my head on his chest. It was strange...nice but strange.

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M: I didn’t actually think she’d agree. I was worried she’d think it might be too confining or make her feel trapped. “I know you probably don’t want to hear this, but Kellan gave me your painkillers. Maybe it would be a good time to take one before you get some sleep. Help your body heal?” I would never force her to take something she didn’t want to. I just wanted her to feel better.

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R: I bit my lip as I thought about what he said. I sighed, “How about we make a deal? If I can’t sleep, I’ll take one. I’d really rather not take one, but if it’ll help me heal and sleep, then I’ll agree to take one if I can’t fall asleep. How does that sound?”

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M: I started the movie and tried not to grin. “Sounds like a deal I can’t refuse, Rae.” She laughed a little and settled against my side. I gently stroked her hair as her breathing became deeper and deeper. It wasn’t long before she was sleeping with her hand resting on my chest. I lightly kissed her temple and closed my eyes as I listened to the familiar banter in the movie. Soon I drifted off myself.

#rp

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