Shooting Star and Swallow's Song

Stay

Once they were both cried out in the moment, Alex lay mostly unmoving over her lap. Steph could hear some sniffling still, partially muffled from Alex's face being buried in her thigh. Her glasses had fallen off, so Steph put them on the coffee table. That was the last movements Steph made for a while as the sounds of breathing in her lap slowed and deepened. For a short time, she seemed peaceful, but it did not last.

Her sleep was not restful, but Alex stayed relatively unconscious for a few short hours until a nightmare combined with movement from Steph woke her. Alex whimpered and then lifted her legs onto the couch to be less twisted as she lay over the other. This partially knocked down the blanket, but Steph was able to put it back over her.

Before she did, Alex had balled up into herself the best she could manage in her position, while still keeping her head on the other. When Steph had finished placing the blanket over Alex, she put her arm over the girl on top of the covering. The curled up girl kept sniffling again and stayed awake. She didn't seem to react to Steph's comforting.

So, after some hesitation, Steph slipped her arm under the blanket to hold her again more directly. When Alex made a small whimpering sound, Steph's hand began to automatically run up and down the other's back, trying to soothe her. As soon as she did this, Alex inhaled deeply and let it out. Her breathing afterwards became calmer with sniffles only now appearing periodically.

Steph's other hand lifted up a moment above Alex's head, almost touching her hair, but she quickly pulled it back before making contact. Alex couldn't see movement, but stirred when the hand instead patted the couch anxiously.

Feeling her start shifting around, Steph stilled her hand, which ended Alex's movements. The sitting girl just gazed ahead for a while, thoughts racing. Somewhere in the middle of one of those thoughts, Alex turned her head in Steph's lap so it faced away. As she did, Alex brought out a hand out from her own chest to slip between Steph's legs and grip her mid thigh, though was not aware of where her hand was exactly.

Alex felt Steph's body stiffen.

After a couple seconds of delay, Alex mumbled, "Wha?" oblivious, wondering what was wrong.

Steph let out a breath she did not know she held to say, "Uh...n-nothing. Hey, um, are you up for more water now?"

Alex still felt hazy, but she was becoming coherent enough to know she should probably keep doing as Steph asked.

"I guess...I do feel a little less...wobbly now. A little...maybe."

Looking across the room, Alex started to focus more on her surroundings until her thoughts returned to herself and a realization came to her.

Wait...my head's on her lap and my hand's between her- Oh fuck!

Alex swiftly pulled her hand back into herself and shot up to a sitting position before scooting back to her corner of the couch. Steph pulled her hand back as well and they stared at each other apprehensively for one moment that felt like an eternity.

"Uh...I...um..." Alex sputtered, wide eyed.

She didn't notice Steph was almost as anxious as her.

"...really have to pee..." she finished, which was not a lie and the best excuse to cover for her behavior she thought.

Alex sprung off the couch and, in her haste, tripped on the corner of the coffee table, cursing as she almost fell flat on her face. Luckily she caught herself, palms slamming onto the floor.

"Oh shit," Steph breathed. "Are you okay?" she said louder as Alex started to get up.

"Fine. Just fine," Alex said quickly, chagrined. "I left my glasses somewhere, but uh, whatever...be right back," she added before walking over to the bathroom.