pillow talk

It was early morning, after one of their usual late nights together playing video games.

Almost every weekend, Rin would visit Len's, or Len would visit Rin's, to sleep over and hang out between the work week. They'd been friends since junior high school, inseparable ever since. It was just about routine to spend their free time together.

Len was usually the first to wake up out of the pair.

This time, their beds were set up in the living room, in front of the TV; two futons spread out amongst a mess of empty snack wrappers and remote controls. After coming back from the bathroom, he crouched and stared at Rin, the sound of soft snoring coming from the inconspicuous lump under the duvet.

Carefully, not to disturb her, he tugged the duvet down to expose her cheek.

It'd been almost seven or eight years since they became friends. And five of those since he had discovered his feelings for her. God forbid he ever admits it to her face. He wouldn't be able to live with himself destroying their friendship.

But even so, times like these, seeing her sleeping face—so peaceful and beautiful—made him want to pull her into his arms and plant a gentle kiss on her forehead.

Of course he wouldn't . He loved her. He never wanted to hurt her.

Len sighed, watching the rise and fall of the duvet as she breathed. Eventually, he placed a hand above her pillow and leaned forward so that his lips were inches above her ear.

Careful not to wake her, he whispered, "Who is it that you love, Rin?"

As soon as those words left his lips, she stirred from underneath him. He shot back like lightning, putting distance between them, his heart leaping to his throat.

Rin let out an exhale, throwing an arm above her head and rolling onto her back. Her eyes didn't open once, but to his surprise and utter horror, she mumbled, "It's you, dummy."

He froze, waiting for her eyelids to flutter open and a shit-eating grin to cross her face, or something of the sort. But nothing happened. She resumed her usual deep-breathing, as if fast asleep, as if she hadn't spoken at all.

Len sunk back into his futon, heart pounding in his chest. What… was that?

Had she just talked in her sleep? Or… no, no. It couldn't be. There would be no way.

Well, only way to find out was to try waking her up.

So he did. He reached over and gripped her shoulder unceremoniously, shaking her awake.

Rin started, eyes popping open as she sucked in a breath. Her gaze darted to him, before she relaxed with a groan, reaching up to rub at her face.

"Ugh… what time is it?" she asked, rolling over to find her phone almost the mess of duvet and snack wrappers.

"It's uh, 7:30," Len said rather pathetically as she glanced at the time on her phone. Relief washed over him—while a small amount of disappointment sunk in his chest.

"7:30?" she echoed, looking back to grimace at him. "Why…" She stifled a yawn. "Why'd you wake me up so early?"

He swallowed, trying to think of a convincing excuse. "Um, I… you said something weird in your sleep. That's all. I didn't know if you were awake or not."

Rin settled back down into the futon, already looking like she could fall back asleep at any moment. "What'd I say?"

Oh, shoot.

"Uh…" he said. "Something about, uh… me. And pizza. Something like that."

She yawned again. "Something about you… and pizza," she echoed with a glare. "Was it really worth waking me up over?"

"Yes," he squeaked.

With the roll of her eyes, she turned away from him and pulled the duvet up to her chin. "Go back to sleep, Len," were her last words, before the familiar sound of her deep breathing started up again.

He sat there a few moments longer, staring at her back and wishing there was something more. Then he climbed back under his blanket and drifted back off to sleep, imagining the feeling of her wrapped in his arms.

If only.