All familiar characters belong to Janet. Mistakes are solely mine.
"I don't wanna do this again," I muttered, before burying my head back under my pillow, trying to will away the day.
"Do what?" A deep voice asked.
Although I recognized it as Ranger's, the fact that I thought I was alone had me squealing and levitating at least a foot off my bed.
"What the hell?!" I yelled at him. "When the heck did you get here? I know I would've noticed if you'd been in my room when I went to bed."
"I just got off a patrol. I was going to ask if you wanted to grab breakfast with me, but you're still in bed." He paused. "Why are you still in bed? It's after nine. That's a reasonable time to be awake even for you."
Now that my heart isn't trying to claw its way out of my chest, I ignored his question and yanked the covers over my head. Take that ... stupid new day! I sighed in accomplishment when my surroundings were dark again. I should've known better. I relaxed too soon, because my blanket was pulled off my body and completely off the bed. My eyes were flooded with sunlight again, an annoying reminder that a normal person would already be up and acting productive. My sole goal for today is just to fuse my body to my mattress and pretend that what's outside these four walls don't exist.
"Hey!" I shouted at B&E Batman, turning my face his way to glare at him. "I was using that."
"I know. You were using it to hide."
"So?" I asked, dropping my head back onto my pillow.
"We've discussed this, Steph. If something's wrong, you need to tell me. What don't you want to do?"
How do you explain something you don't really understand yourself? Yesterday wasn't the worst day I've ever had. None of my skips shot at me, I didn't have to talk to my Mom, and no one broke into my apartment except apparently Ranger. But the thought of getting out of bed this morning and taking a shower in preparation for living the same day all over again was too much to contemplate. Sleeping until tomorrow sounded like a much better plan.
"Answer me or I'm crawling into that bed with you," he threatened.
"Go for it, but bring my blanket back with you. If you just got off work, you've been up all night and could use some sleep anyway. You're welcome ... for giving you the opportunity to."
"Babe …"
"What? I don't want to leave my bed and I don't wanna talk. Most men would take advantage of that."
I felt my bed frame creak as Ranger and all his muscles eased down onto the edge of it.
"I'm not most men. Talk," he ordered.
"I'm not purposely being difficult, I just don't know what to say."
"Say whatever thought just caused that line to form in your forehead."
"It's not going to make much sense," I warned him.
"It doesn't have to, but it needs to be said regardless."
I blew out a sigh and thanked God that I didn't detect any morning breath-blowback. "Fine. I feel like Rex today."
"Furry and annoying?" He teased.
"Very funny. And Rex isn't annoying. He's been a surprisingly-pleasant roommate."
"The same can be said about you."
"Says only you."
"My opinion is the only one that matters. Now expand on the Rex comparison."
"You're awful bossy this morning."
He reached out and brushed a few tangled curls away from my eyes so he could scan them for information easier.
"I'm bossy every morning. Usually you just ignore it or tell me that I need to buy you a doughnut because you had to put up with it."
"Well, it's your lucky day then. I'm just going to stay here until tomorrow rolls around, so you don't have to buy me something you'll feel the need to lecture me about eating."
"I'll be honest, hearing that doesn't make me feel like celebrating. That you're turning down a doughnut, and aren't panicking about me being on your bed, is concerning. Get back to the talking thing. I can't help if you won't let me."
"I don't need help, just a day when I don't have to get up and live a life I'm not excited about."
"Now we're getting somewhere," I heard him say before he stood up.
Even with my eyes closed, I can tell that he just unhooked his utility belt and tossed it on my chair. Right after that, his cell landed on my nightstand. The slight rustling I knew was his windbreaker being removed and thrown beside his work belt. What I didn't expect was that he would pause beside my bed and unlace his boots and toe them both off.
"Move over," was his next order.
Maybe he's right to be worried, because not only did I immediately scoot over to allow him to take over a section of my mattress, I didn't freak out over the fact that he'd just made himself comfortable in my bedroom because he clearly isn't planning to leave it for a while. He even did what I'd asked, and covered us both with the blanket he'd snatched off me earlier. I stayed on my side, my face half-squished into my pillow still facing him, while he sat with his back against the wall my bed is against so he could stare answers out of me from a higher vantage point.
"Why are you comparing yourself to a rat?" He asked.
"Rex is a hamster NOT a rat."
"Tomato, tomahto, Babe. Continue."
"Don't bill me for the brain cells you're about to lose trying to make sense of this, but here goes. When Rex is on his wheel, he's constantly moving but it never gets him anywhere. That's how I feel right now. I get up, I'm on the move all day, but my life never changes ... never improves. It just stays mediocre no matter how hard I work or attempt to get ahead. Even the high of putting bad guys back behind bars gets crapped on when I have to deal with Joe at the TPD, and Vinnie at the office before and after my captures, to get the credit and money I deserve for being damn good at my job."
"You want to quit bounty hunting?"
"No … I just want to feel like I'm doing something with my life besides waiting to catch someone who fucked up theirs."
"That we can do something about. Julie has already told me that my company should do more than 'catch bad guys' and protect people from them. She believes I would benefit from everyday exposure to something more positive."
After what felt like weeks, I felt a genuine smile try to break free. "I love that kid. She's been good for you."
"She's trying anyway. So it's decided ... you and she can talk and then decide what philanthropic pursuits Rangeman should be investing in. Consider yourself already hired as a consultant. In this role, you'll be able to meet people who don't operate their businesses out of the gutter or jail cell, and it will give you multiple things to look forward to. Time with a tween who loves and idolizes you. A legitimate reason to get out of bed because you know your participation is making a solid difference in someone's life. And the knowledge that you're doing more than just taking up space in the world. That alone is more than Vinnie and the douchebag detective can say. What else about you is currently feeling Rex-like?"
"Are you making fun of me?" I asked through another glare.
"No. I'm using my version of humor to get you to share what you'd prefer not to. My usual doughnut/snack bribe won't work today."
"It won't, but thank you for sticking around and trying to make everything better … again. You're a really good guy, one I'm not sure I deserve."
He slid his body down so he's now lying beside me. He pulled me close, my cheek pillowed on his chest instead of my pillow as my body curled into the side of his. "You deserve me and a lot more, Babe. You win, you don't have to move right now. I'll catch a couple hours of sleep with you, and then we'll both get up and get busy coming up with ideas that will have you happy to leave this bed … and even more excited to return to it - or mine - every night."