i don't do fake love (but i'll take some from you tonight)

iii.

The one bed in the room made distancing themselves hard, if not outright impossible. The room was consumed by it, leaving no room for someone sleeping on the couch or the floor, or any other alternative they could try to make up on the spot. There was no escaping their fate now.

They've slept in spaces far smaller before. They've shared a park bench, their friend's couch... But before that, they've never gotten so near the risky territory, never have stirred all the feelings. And now they could only ignore all of it, pretend nothing has happened, because to talk meant to acknowledge there was something to be talked about.

"So, uhm, which side of the bed do you want?" asked Anadil. The question was pointless, since the bed had hardly enough space to have separate sides. There wasn't any avoiding contact at that point.

"I don't care," grunted Hester, throwing her phone onto the bed, watching it bounce dangerously close to the edge.

"Cool."

"Cool," echoed Hester, tone sharp.

The room fell into silence. Anadil sighed. "Why do this all if you're just going to be bitchy the entire time? It was your plan all along." Hester wanted to put it all behind. Maybe even apologize. But Anadils words stung, because she knew fully well that nothing was going according to the plan. It was all supposed to be so different. Less confusing.

"Oh, I am bitchy? I'm not the one acting all willing one second and then like I'm bothering you the next."

"Oh, sorry I am not perfectly happy all the time when being on a wedding cruise while we're trying to look like a coupl- '' She stopped herself, realizing how loud they were. "Couple of people that aren't madly in love with each other." So that was what it was about. Of course, it was her fault. That was what she was trying to avoid the entire time. She let her feelings get in the way, and now could only regret it. As always. Because she never learned, because she couldn't just get over her stupid, childish crush, or whatever it was. Because Hester was being completely normal, and she was just so ready to fall all over again.

"Fuck it, there's no point in this," groaned Hester. Without continuing the talk, they both went on with their nightly routines. Not that they were upset anymore, it was just pure stubbornness making them quiet, neither of them wanting to let the other win. Until it was time to go to bed.

They went to their separate sides, the air surprisingly thick between them. There was only one blanket too, thick and fluffy in a way you consider unnecessary in summer.. Yet neither seemed eager to take it and steal it for themselves. It remained between them as a fort, uncrossable and high.

And they remained strong, each holding to her side of the bed, proving a point to themselves. And so they drifted off to sleep. Or, better, tried to. Yet the problem came fast- the climatisation was set to be too cold. Like, really cold. The bone- chilling kind of cold, making you feel like you're freezing. And the controller was nowhere in sight, temperature set for the entire ship at once.

They tried to ignore it at first, trying to warm up, rummaging through the clothes they brought for something warmer. Then, they just gave up, all efforts in vain. For a while they locked eyes, stuck in a permanent checkmate. Then Anadil reached for the blanket, with a heavy sigh. "I suggest you get under it, unless you want to die from pneumonia or something similarly nice."

"I have a point to prove," came the response.

"Oh, fuck your point, we're getting married in a few days and I don't want you sneezing all over my face."

Hester stubbornly turned to her other side. "Go fuck yourself," muttered Anadil, throwing the blanket over Hester, turning away in the exact same fashion.