Pieces of Us (SatoGou)

Chapter 7

Sorry this is a little shorter than the rest, and also kinda late. Thank you to everyone reading still <3

It's close to eight by the time we get back to the room. Despite the coat, I'm drenched when we get back, so I grab one of the towels and lock myself in the bathroom, spending far too long in the shower to avoid having to face Goh. I know I hurt his feelings in the diner, and I want to take those words back, but I can't now. I don't think he'd believe me if I tried, anyway.

Mercifully, Goh decides to take a shower right after me, so I have another twenty minutes to calm myself down. He's wearing black sweatpants and a t-shirt when he emerges again. He crosses the room and sits down on the floor, stretching out.

"What are you doing?" I ask.

"Sleeping on the floor."

I clench my jaw, watching him start to lie on his side on the carpet. The rain is still unrelenting outside, battering the window. It's absolutely freezing in here, and there's no spare blanket. The thought of inviting Goh to sleep up here with me is beyond mortifying, but I can't exactly just leave him lying there like that, can I?

I sit up and sigh. "You can't sleep on the floor. It's freezing. Come on."

He doesn't reply, and he's facing away from me, so I can't read his expression. A few seconds pass, and then he starts to sit up, grabbing his phone. The skin of my face starts to burn as he turns to face me, frowning. Butterflies fill my stomach, fluttering wildly, making it hard to think, as he gets in beside me. The bed dips down as he does, and I feel his body heat against my chest, lighting me up. I realise, as he pulls the covers up over his shoulder, that his face is burning crimson. He looks... nervous, and uncomfortable. He catches me looking and turns away, hiding his face.

We're silent for a long while. I wonder if he's fallen asleep as I lay in the dark, listening to the patter of rain on the glass, staring up at the ceiling. My thoughts are a mess, and I can't move without a part of me brushing against a part of Goh. It almost makes me laugh when I think about the fact that this time last month, I was so certain we'd never interact again. Now he's laying in bed beside me.

I smile to myself into the dark and roll over onto my side, pressing my face into my pillow like a kid. I have no idea what these feelings mean, or why I've been burning inside for days, but I feel like something is changing. I'm just not sure whether it's a good or bad change yet.

– – – –

When my eyes flutter open, I'm disoriented for a few seconds, thinking I'm in Cerulean again. It's unnaturally quiet, and I close my eyes again because it's still pitch black, so not morning yet. Then I notice the soft breathing sounds behind me, and remember.

Goh has rolled over in his sleep. His breath is warm on my skin. Sometime in the night he must have scooted closer, probably subconsciously seeking warmth, because now his face is almost pressed against my neck. Goosebumps run up the entire length of my body as he breathes again and my breath catches. I inch forward until I'm far enough away, then sit up, rubbing both hands over my face.

The digital clock on the bedside tells me it's 3 in the morning, but we fell asleep pretty early because there was nothing else to do, so now I'm wide awake. I pace over to the window and slowly pull back the curtains, not wanting to wake Goh. Surprisingly, the sky outside is completely clear, the clouds giving way for the stars that dominate it, sparkling bright across the whole expanse of it, as far as I can see.

I steal a glance back to where Goh is sleeping, the moonlight streaming in, lighting him up. His hair is falling slightly over his face, which looks more peaceful than I've seen it in days. I stare, a tight feeling clutching my chest in its grip. My pulse is racing.