I hate you because you never wake me up gently.
...Ryuuji woke her up too.
But this Sunday morning, Taiga woke up on her own.
The light that flowed in through the windows was odd - it was a shade and tone...deeper. Her foggy mind tried, but couldn't connect it with an idea of the time.
Ryuuji woke her more than he didn't, so his name was still the first word out of her lips when the day began – she spoke it this time out of habit. "Ryuuji...?" she asked drowsily, stubbornly burying her cheek in her pillow.
There was a quiet rumble in response.
Taiga's brow furrowed above her closed eyes. Ryuuji responded…but he hadn't woken her up?
She blinked her eyes open. "…Aha." She muttered, sitting up. He was settled on the bed beside her, his cheek on his forearm.
"Tai…ga…" his lips formed, and whatever angry tirade she had planned on snapping was halted.
She examined him closer, rubbed the sleep out of her eyes. He was napping.
Taiga frowned, flushing darkly. He'd fallen asleep watching her. She'd caught him, once, a month ago, in that exact same position, kneeling.
She clucked angrily. If he'd fallen asleep doing something worthwhile, like cleaning her room, it would be fine.
Well, now she'd have to kick him awake….
She frowned, but couldn't find the energy.
......Honestly. If it was something worthwhile, she could let him sleep. But doing such a silly thing was…
...Him doing such a silly thing was...
She bit her nail.
......What could she do? He was in such a troublesome position, putting a blanket on him would be dumb, and there was no way she'd be able to pull him onto the bed.
...Maybe if she....
She swallowed hard, and leaned in to whisper a gentle wake-up call...and then bit her lip. Transforming all the embarrassment she felt into rage, she leapt up, kicked him and snapped a "Wake up you dog!"
"Hnngh! OwwwwwWW!!! TAIGA! What was that!!?"
"Revenge. From now on, wake me up with a little more tenderness," she announced, stalking to her shower.
"What?! I—
She closed the bathroom door on his excuses.
…And between rinsing her hair and her fifteenth 'stupid Ryuuji' tirade, it dawned on her - why he'd never woken her up gently.
The sight of her sleeping, probably…just like the sight of him sleeping, made her...the world began to slide, and she gripped the railing to stop herself from dying of embarrassment.