Shooting Star and Swallow's Song

Hoping Luck is Real

"Six..." Alex muttered, feeling herself wake up.

Her eyes were still closed tight, but she started to become more coherent and take in her surroundings from what she could feel. There was a comforting warmth against her, under the covers where half of her body was draped. She felt safe and relaxed, if only she could just go back to sleep. A thought nagged at her though. Just as she let herself wonder what she was snuggled against, it hit her.

Alex's eyes shot open, realizing she was wrapped around another person who was laying on their back, one arm and one leg locked around them. Her face was snuggled into their neck, Alex's own warm breath bouncing back at herself against their skin. The next second she remembered last night; holding Steph's hand before she faded away and reality hit.

Oh my God. I'm all over Steph. Is she still asleep? Please god, be asleep, be asleep. I'm sure even touchy people draw the line at spooning in bed, or whatever it is I'm doing to her.

Despite freaking out, a part of her felt reluctant to move herself away. She felt safe and comfortable, but her anxiety was building. She started slipping off the other girl. Pulling a few inches away, she was able to now see Steph's face. Her eyes were closed.

Thank god.

Then they opened as if she had been awake the whole time.

Shit!

Alex froze, staring at her, probing for what the other girl was feeling. She tried to identify if she was upset, annoyed, weirded out, but nothing like that was on her face. Steph just had a compassionate stare that completely disarmed her. Alex forgot to keep removing her body from the other.

Then Steph spoke.

"Morning," she murmured as a slow smile appeared.

Say something...

"Morning," Alex breathed, still a little wide eyed. Then there was silence again as they still stared at each other.

Okay...Say something else?

But Steph spoke up.

"Did you sleep okay?"

Alex unfroze her mind enough to consider the question.

"Actually...I think I did."

Steph's smile brightened more hearing this.

"Good..." she said, still speaking quietly.

It seemed they weren't going to talk about it, but that smile was just too much. Alex stretched and rolled away from Steph. She instantly felt both relief and regret moving from her.

Sitting up on her elbows, Alex turned back to Steph just in time to see her get out of bed. Her eyes followed down the taller girl's form that was crouched and turned away. When Steph stood, Alex found herself staring at her underwear clad behind. When Steph turned her body more toward the bed as she gathered up her pants, Alex panicked and rolled the other way, falling out of bed.

Hearing the thump, Steph asked, "Alex? You okay over there?" while holding her pants.

"Uh, yeah. All good. Just, finding my sea legs," Alex said as she picked herself up. Alex shakily rose, grabbing the bed to help her stand. She looked down, too embarrassed to meet the other's gaze until she saw her own uncovered underwear. Her head popped up and saw Steph looking back at her.

She immediately dropped down and silently mouthed, "Fuck," letting her distress freely show on her face, hidden behind the bed. After a quick scramble for her pants, she started slipping them on.