𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗩𝗼𝗶𝗰𝗲 (𝙵𝚞𝚛𝚛𝚢 𝙱𝚡𝙱)

Track 44 | 𝗪𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗨𝗽

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I awoke to the sound of quiet mumbling, though I hadn't opened my eyes yet. Well, it wasn't necessarily mumbling, more like chatter, just muffled by the obstruction of a wall between me and the source of the sound.

Then, as feeling began to pour into the rest of my body, my sense of scent kicked in, and almost instantly, I was hit with the strong smell of something along the lines of incense and campfire smoke.

Oh, shit, it's Ari.

I opened my eyes and found myself tightly coiled around the Australian Shephard in the same spooning position we had fallen asleep in last night, my muzzle buried deeply within the fur coat of his neck. I felt my body freeze up in fear, fully shaking me out of the unconscious state I was previously in.

He's so warm. And his fur is so soft. He fits so well in my arms.

"Shut up! They're not that bad!" The muffled voice continued, pulling me out of my trance.

I raised my head out of curiosity, parting my face from the safe haven that was Ari's thick coat of fur. As my eyes adjusted to the bright haze of dawning sunlight, peeking through the windows of my room, I saw shadows and silhouettes moving just outside. Once I squinted my eyes and my vision cleared, I could see Eden and Rian, their backs resting against the window away from my bed, hanging out and chattering away on the level platform of the fire escape.

The morning sun was just now peeking over the skyline, climbing the rooftops of buildings and projecting golden beams of light through the windows and on the poster-covered walls of my bedroom. Eden and Rian sat there, quietly taking in the view. It occurred to me that it would be nice to join them.

Carefully, I snuck my arms out from over and under Ari's resting body and retracted them to myself, sitting up in the process, all while keeping a slow, steady pace. I looked down at the sleeping beauty and marveled at how peaceful he looked as he slept.

Yet again, I fell into another trance. Seeing him in this vulnerable, unshielded state was something that took me by surprise. For once, I could witness him through a lens undisturbed by the world around us. Everything about it amazed me. Him in that position, his arms resting by his face, his legs entangled, wearing only his oversized, blood-stained Lesley Gore t-shirt and his thin, scanty briefs. The way his hair fell on the pillow, messy and unorganized. The sound of his breathing, flowing smoothly in and out through his nostrils, making his whiskers ripple. All of it, the whole package, the entire image. He was something else. How could someone so hurt by the world sleep so peacefully?

Rest easy, Arizona.

Cautious not to disturb his well-earned sleep, I crawled over to the second window by my bed and gently raised it, climbing outside. The cold, dewy air hit me like a brick. Summer can't arrive any sooner.

Rian and Eden immediately stopped their talking and turned their heads, watching me as I emerged from the bedroom, planting my feet on the icy metal foundation of the fire escape.

"Oh, look who's up!" said Eden with a smile.

"Morning, sleepyhead," Rian greeted.

It took me a second to find my balance as I rose to my fullest height—this being my first time standing after several hours of pure, blissful, unadulterated sleep. My appearance certainly matched Rian's descriptive nickname, dressed loosely in my pajamas and all (which was just a mere tank top and boxers).

"Morning, guys," I croaked, patting down the terrible case of bedhead I was suffering at the peak of my skull.

"You don't mind us hanging out here, right?" Eden asked, just to make sure.