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and LOL yes, I do plan on the whole alphabet =]
Enjoy!
B is for Battle
A battle of wills, that's what this was.
Juliet braced herself internally and turned the corner into the bedroom.
Sawyer lay there, stretched happily on one side of the bed.
Her side.
So it began.
"James, if we're going to share this room until Horace moves us into a bigger place, or, God willing, separate houses, you have to sleep on the other side."
He smiles up at her, misses the exhaustion in her voice. "But I'm comfy on this side,"
Juliet closes her eyes and counts to four. She hasn't been sleeping very well and when she sleeps on the right side she can see the moon and the stars out the window or watch the rain fall. On the other side, all she's got is James' snores and the beige ceiling.
"Please just move over."
"Or," Sawyer says, waiting until she opens her eyes to continue. "You could just join me on this side,"
His southern accent is slipping out more pronounced in this little game they play every night. She always ends up winning, but lately it takes longer and longer, with more teasing on his part and less space for her when he moves.
But tonight she is tired. They've been in the 70's for a month and two weeks now and it's beginning to wear on her. Sleep eludes her. She drinks bottomless mugs of coffee during the day.
"Fine," she says, breaking from their usual script. She doesn't have it in her to put on the show tonight, to play his game, to fight the battle.
She grabs her usual sweatpants and t-shirt, both his and too small for him, and simply turns and leaves the room, heading for the bathroom.
She's pretty sure he's a little surprised at that moment and can't find the energy to worry about it too much.
The mirror shows a tired, pale version of herself; cheeks devoid of colour and eyes looking sad and exhausted. Defeated.
Juliet pulls off her jumpsuit and socks and yanks on her pyjamas before brushing her teeth and washing her face, scrubbing at a stubborn grease stain; and possibly comparing it to an equally stubborn southerner.
She can hear him shuffling around now, getting out of the bed and changing himself.
She leaves the bathroom and heads to the couch, pulling out the extra pillow and blanket they use when Miles or Jin crashes their tiny place.
She's settled on the couch in the dark when his sudden presence makes her look over to the left.
"C'mon, I'm sorry Jules. You can have your side."
But she doesn't listen to him and rolls over; closes her eyes resolutely. Maybe she can sleep out here better than in the bed. Juliet tells herself this over and over and hopes it can become truth by sheer force of will.
He sighs and stands, heading back into the bedroom.
She considers going back to bed, but finds she's too tired to move, almost asleep and too heavy to pull her body up from the cushions. Eventually the pull of sleep overtakes her and she's snoring softly.
Sawyer lays awake and thinks they're engaged in another battle of wills and decides to lose on purpose.
He gets out of bed and pulls the covers back on her side, and it is her side now, and goes out to the living room where she's asleep.
He bends down and lays a large hand on her small shoulder and shakes gently. She doesn't even move.
He sighs and takes note of the bags under her eyes and the smudge of grease she's missed under her ear.
One arm slides under her knees and the under around her back and he rolls her into him before shifting her.
Upon standing, Juliet shuffles and he thinks for a moment he'll drop her, but she settles with one arm around his neck and the other lightly resting against her stomach.
He makes his way to the bedroom and lays her down gently on her side, pulling the covers up around her before getting in on his side and inching over to her to rest an arm over her waist.
He'll never admit (at least not yet) this is the most comfortable way for him to sleep.
She wakes up just enough to feel a warm arm slide across her and a head rest just next to hers on her pillow. She's sure she'll admit (eventually, as he's wearing her down) that this is the most comfortable way for her to sleep.
and there's B
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