Accepting You

Chapter 8 - As Pretty As The Flowers

After dinner, Liz and Lily got back to the airbnb around midnight. Though they slept half the day, they were both exhausted and decided to go straight into their nightly routine.

Liz opted to go second, allowing Lily to wash up first and get warm from the wet and chilly night. Lily didn't argue – the second she stepped into the hot shower, it soothed her body down to the bone.

When Lily is finished, she rolls onto the bed and browses through her phone. She's in the same position, not having moved an inch when Liz returns from her nightly routine too.

"Scoot scoot," Liz says, tapping Lily's leg to move from her side. Lily rolls over to the left side of the bed and Liz takes her spot on the right, finding her spot nice and warm already. She pulls the blanket up to her chest and wiggles into a comfortable position.

"Do you need me to turn off the light?" Lily asks, pointing to her bedside lamp.

"No, it's okay," Liz says, rolling onto her side to face her. "What are you doing?"

"I'm looking through my photos to see what I should post," Lily replies. "The last one I did was when we landed and it was a picture from the red carpet End Game premiere."

"Why don't post the one we took today?" Liz suggests. "The selfie of us. It's cute."

Lily shakes her head. "I can't. Not yet at least. Can't link anything to Bridgerton until it airs so it'll have to wait. You would be okay if I posted you on my Instagram?"

"Why not?" Liz asks. "Just because I don't use it, doesn't mean I don't want to be posted."

"Noted," Lily says and resumes scrolling on her phone. She doesn't take notice but Liz watches her intently, admiring her features. The slight scrunch of her eyebrows at her intense focus, her pursed lips, and a small dimple on left cheek all make up one beautiful face. Liz is nearly caught staring when Lily sets her phone down and looks over but doesn't see as Liz shuts her eyes tightly, feigning sleep. "Did I. . .do anything weird last night?"

Liz opens her eyes and meets Lily's brown ones. She can tell it took her courage to ask. "What do you mean? At the party?"

"No," Lily says, hesitating before continuing, "at night. In bed."

"Nothing in particular," Liz says slowly and with suspicion. It didn't not sound dirty at all. They were both dead asleep after drinking and partying.

"Okay good," is all Lily replies.

"Did you have something in mind?" Liz asks, curious why she brought it up in the first place.

Lily fiddles with her fingers a bit before she finally blurts out, "I'm a hugger when I sleep."

Liz is immediately brought back to this morning where Lily's arm was draped over her stomach under the covers.

"I have a body pillow back home and I sleep with it every night," Lily elaborates. "It's something I've done since I was young. For whatever reason, I cling onto things when I'm asleep. So I didn't know if I did anything to you. . ."

Liz couldn't help but smile at this quirky habit. It's such a harmless thing but she's so concerned about making someone else uncomfortable.

"Honestly, I wouldn't call it a hug," Liz says, trying to make her feel better. It doesn't work as Lily hides her face in her hands, groaning in embarrassment. "Seriously – it isn't a big deal."

"It's weird," Lily groans. "You're just being nice, Liz."

Liz laughs and reaches over, patting Lily's leg. "It's not weird. Friends cuddle!"