let me down slowly - wilbur soot

chapter 55- couch

oh shit! this is a much more intimate position than i remember!

that was my first thought when i wake up in the morning.

somehow, aubrey and i migrate to the end of the couch, laying down completely. her body is entirely laying on mine, with her head on my chest, and a blanket covering both of us.

the entire world freezes as blood rushes quickly through my body, making the temperature in the room go well over a thousand degrees. i'm pretty sure every inch of my body is blushing, which i didn't know was possible until now.

i squint my eyes at the clock on the wall, which reads 9:02 am. we fell asleep pretty late last night, so there's no telling when aubrey will wake up. and i don't have the heart to shake her awake.

she deserves to rest right now.

so rather than be productive, i lay there. on aubrey's couch, in the position i like a little too much, with her head on my chest that rises and falls slowly so it doesn't wake her, as she sleeps and, for the first time in a while, looks at peace with herself.

and i do a lot of thinking.

i've already admitted to myself that i'm in love with her. but when would i ever be able to tell her? i can't do it now, of course. not after she's practically poured her heart out to me and finally opened up. the wound quackity left her is probably still pretty fresh, and admitting my feelings to her now would feel like i'm taking advantage of her vulnerable state. and-

i feel squirming on my chest. i tilt my chin down and see a pair of brown eyes flutter open.

my heart starts beating rapidly. what's aubrey's reaction going to be to this?

she pushes herself up and sits straight up, looks at me for a moment, then smiles.

"good morning," aubrey says cheerfully as she stands up and walks to the kitchen.

i'm dumbfounded.

no "i didn't mean to lay on you."

no "this is awkward."

no "sorry."

not "oh my god wilbur i can't believe i slept on your chest considering we're only friends and i would never have romantic feelings for you so i hope you're not getting any ideas."

just "good morning."

how is she so calm about this?

"good morning," i reply after a minute of silence. aubrey laughs, probably because i took so long to respond.

"how'd you sleep?"

i've never slept better.

"alright, how about you?"

"great."

my cheeks turn red again. that's twice in one day now, and it's only 9:15 in the morning.

"you hungry?" aubrey calls from the kitchen.

"yeah, a bit. do you wanna get something?" i ask.

"not unless you hate bacon and eggs?"

i get up from the couch and find aubrey in the kitchen cracking a few eggs on the stove.

"you're cooking?"

"yes sir."

i watch aubrey move to the fridge and get some packaged bacon from the freezer. i unconsciously scan her body, and raise an eyebrow.

"that's not what you fell asleep in," i state randomly, referring to her oversized band t-shirt, black shorts, and white socks. she looks at me with innocent eyes.

"well, i woke up around 2 on the couch. you were asleep. but the clothes i was in were getting uncomfortable, so i put on pajamas. then i got a blanket and went back to sleep," she responds nonchalantly.

while aubrey keeps her calm demeanor and cooks breakfast like nothing is out of the ordinary, my mind starts racing.

she knowingly slept on the couch with me instead of in her own bed. she knowingly and willingly fell asleep on me.

does that not freak her out? not even a little?

unwanted thoughts cross my mind after that. like, what if she's into me the way i'm into her? what if that's why she did it?

the thoughts leave my head a second after they enter. i had JUST told myself i wouldn't think like that.

"wil?" aubrey's voice pulls me back into reality.

"hm?" i ask, rubbing my eyes.

"i asked if you could please grab two glasses? they're in the cupboard next to the fridge. i'd get them but the eggs are almost ready and i don't want them to burn."

"oh yeah. of course." i walk to the area she described and grab two small glass cups.

"you've been doing that a lot recently," she says suddenly.

"doing what?"

"zoning out. like when i talk, there's this glazed-over look on your face. and i don't think you hear anything i'm saying. is something on your mind?"

i laugh awkwardly and shake my head.

"no. nothing in particular."

that's a lie.

"you're sure?"

"yup. nothing important."

that's an even bigger lie.

aubrey smiles her sweet, contagious smile.

"alright, i won't push it."

the two of us sit next to each other and eat on the couch, talking about various subjects. i figure out she's planning on streaming this afternoon, and i make a mental note to watch.

i insist on washing dishes, and aubrey unwillingly obliges. so i clean up after the two of us, then leave her apartment not too long after.

and on the entire car ride back to my apartment, all i can think about is how perfect it felt to wake up with her on my chest, and how badly i hope it will happen again one day.

(A/N this one was sorta filler for what's about to happen in the next few chapters that i'm so excited to release omgggg, i want to just publish everything right now BUT I CAN'T </3 the slowburn must be a slowburn! even though it's already painfully slow :') but anywayyyy thank you for reading! please vote, comment, share, and add this to your reading lists!! it would be greatly appreciated :D thank you for all the support and i hope you have a fantastic day! i love you to the moon and back!)