She's Electric | Sam Fender

xxiv - Cassia

I must've fallen asleep as when I wake up sunlight is poking through my curtains and the noise from downstairs has gone. Through blurred vision, I sit up, noticing a warm dent beside me. Sam spent the night. Where he is now, I have no idea.

Too tired to move, I close my eyes again, only to be disturbed by swearing and banging. Ah. There he is.

"I was gonna make tea," He explains, holding a mug of steaming liquid, "You've got peppermint, raspberry, strawberry, peach, ginger, some weird liquorice thing, spiced pear and god knows what else in that cupboard but no normal. Went with peppermint."

I chuckle softly, "Peppermint's great, thank you."

He passes me it and sits on the bed beside me, "I've gotta get the train back up to Newcastle tonight, fancy joining me?"

"Maybe," I say, taking a sip. It tastes like he's used an entire box of tea bags. "Christ, how long did you brew this for?"

He frowns, "I dinnar, like 10 ish minutes? Is it too strong?"

"It's certainly something," I grimace, amused by his attempt while still thinking he's adorable, "You don't have to sit there, you know. Come on, snuggle in. I want more cuddles."

He sighs, pulling back the covers to lie down beside me, "I'm just a walking pillow at this point."

"Favourite pillow," I smile, wrapping my arms around his torso so that my head rests on his chest. "You're really comfy."

He tuts, "Is that all I'm good for?"

"Well, I didn't sleep with you for your tea making skills, that's for sure."

Sam shrugs, "There's a reason why I still live with me mam. It'd be easier if you drank tea like a normal person."

"Stop wriggling around," I groan, "I'm gonna spill this."

I'm not even looking at him, but I know he's wearing a stupid smirk as he purposely shuffles more, doing everything he possibly can to annoy me. It stops being funny when my hand shakes, sending hot liquid all over him.

"Ah fuck!" He yells as scalding tea splashes his face, "Bastard."

The tea was pretty much boiling, so I imagine he has a nasty burn.

"Stay here, I'll get some cold water," I tell him, grabbing my robe and walking through to the kitchen. Along with a bowl of cool water, I bring back a handful of tissues and a packet of paracetamol.

Sam's sat up in bed, scowling, "Fucking infusion shite. Yorkshire tea wouldn't have done this y'kna."

"Shut up and let me see," I say, dipping a tissue in some water and holding it to the scarlet mark on the right side of his cheek, "Looks sore."

He winces, "Aye, hurts like a bitch."

"Poor baby," I mumble, pressing a tiny kiss to his jawline, "Should've sat still then, shouldn't you?"

He frowns, folding his arms across his chest, "You're really mean, you know that?"

"Oh shush, you love me really." I catch the words after they've left my mouth, "I didn't mean like that."

Sam coughs, a smirk once again creeping back across his face, "Cass, chill out. It's fine. What's Cass short for anyway?"

"Cassia," I answer, "It's a plant."

He frowns a little, "And here I was thinking it was Cassiopeia."

"That's so much prettier," I smile, "I like stars."

He leans back, wrapping an arm around my shoulder which gently pulls me to lie next to him, "Tell me about them."

"Well, uh, 90% of our mass is made of stardust because most elements are created in stars," I say, "I've always thought that was cool."

Sam presses his lips to the skin behind my ear, "I remembered a quote about space. You are the sun, and I am the moon. What light you see in me is merely yours, reflected across the night."

God, he's perfect. "That's lovely."

"I mean every word. It's killing me. This. The nights where you're mine, but only for a few hours. Then you leave and it's like I was never yours at all. I can't do it anymore." I never expected Sam to pour his heart out to me, especially not like this. "So I'll love you from a distance, in silence. The same way that you love the stars."

And with that, he grabs his shirt from the floor, pulls on a pair of jeans, and leaves without saying anything more.

"Sam!" I shout after him. "Wait!"