Behind Closed Doors

Chapter 17: Andy Dwyer and April Ludgate

Y/N woke once again the next morning to the sun in her face. Her entire body felt sore, but not like she'd been forced to sleep on the couch. The sore that comes after getting thoroughly fucked. She smiled.

One of her hands reached out to the other side of the bed where Chris was. Or where he should be. Y/N cracked open one eye to see that Chris wasn't, in fact, there.

She sat up on her elbows and scanned the room. No evidence of Chris. His side of the bed was cool to the touch. He must not have been there for a while.

Y/N felt like she needed caffeine. She was sure that they had another day of winter fun planned, and it wasn't as if she'd gotten a lot of sleep the night before.

Y/N looked around the room for her scattered clothes for the second time on this trip. As she dressed, she wondered if there was any way there could be a morning encore of last night's performance. Y/N giggled at the thought.

First, she'd have to find Chris. She walked into the kitchen to start up the coffee. No one else seemed to be awake just yet - damn her for being an early riser - so she waited in silence for her coffee to brew.

A sound alerted her that someone else might be awake in the cabin. She walked toward it, and her heart clenched painfully in her chest.

Chris was asleep on the couch. She didn't know when he'd left the bed, but at some point, he'd moved to the couch. She felt overcome.

He knew that she was trying to protect Mary's feelings. And he knew that she hadn't gotten the chance to talk to her yet. She could only guess that Chris had moved to the couch to make things easier for her. She felt a lump in her throat at how considerate that was. She felt a crack in her defenses. Y/N really hadn't intended on letting him in, on trusting him. But despite her best efforts, she was starting to.

Y/N walked back to the machine expecting her coffee to be done. As she poured herself a cup, she heard a door open and close softly.

Mary crept into the kitchen. Y/N poured her a cup as well.

"You're a lifesaver. I am in love with you," Mary confessed as she accepted the cup. She sat down at the kitchen table, cradling the warm coffee in two hands. Mary took a sip and sighed. "Amazing."

Y/N sat in the seat across from Mary. From this angle, she could see the couch that Chris was still asleep on. Part of her was thankful for that.

"I was exhausted yesterday. I feel a little better this morning, but I needed this." Mary sipped her coffee and sighed again. "How'd you sleep?"

Y/N let out a little giggle. "Fine."

"I saw Chris on the couch again, so I'd hope so." Mary giggled as well. "I'm kind of amazed. It's not like him to be so decent. Well, you saw."

Y/N didn't want to think about the lady from the bar. She'd much rather dwell on thoughts from later last night...

Which she should probably discuss with Mary. This might be the only alone time they would have for a while.

"So. Mary," Y/N started.

"Yes. Y/N," Mary teased. "What has you all serious this morning?"

"I wanted to talk to you about something," Y/N started again. "Something important." She took in a deep breath and-

"Will you hush in there? Some of us didn't sleep very well last night," Chris called from his position on the couch.

Well, there went that private conversation.

Chris rose from the couch, stretched, and walked into the kitchen.

"Not all of us can awaken fresh as a daisy after a night of-" Chris stopped when he saw Mary in the kitchen with Y/N "-sleeping on the couch," he pivoted.