Gold, love and mint tea (Yuzuru Hanyu )

64 - Promising beginnings

I slowly peel my eyes open, quickly realizing it's still the middle of the night and I should probably still be sleeping. Unfortunately the throbbing headache that was pulsating through my skull had different plans for me tonight. Well that and the sort of thirst you feel after a night of drinking, my throat was inexplicably dry and my tongue almost felt like sand paper against the roof of my mouth. Just as I'm about to get out of bed my brain finally — after a momentary lag — registers that there was an arm around my waist, holding onto me tightly.

Well crap. Really Yuzuru? This is the time you choose to be clingy?!

Actually, who am I kidding? He's was always clingy, constantly insisting on cuddling when we fall asleep and subconsciously shifting towards me even when I insist on personal space. Most of the time I don't mind it and surprisingly enough enjoy the affection but sometimes I just need to be able to toss and turn in the night instead of willing myself to stay completely still to avoid waking him up. Or punching him when I roll over for that matter, so really it was in his own best interest not to stick to me like Winnie to a jar of honey.

I inwardly groan, trying to wiggle out of his grasp as slowly and gently as possible, feeling my face screw up into this awfully tense grimace that people get when they're trying to be really quiet. Not like it actually makes a difference, but we all do it anyway. Just as if to prove my point, as soon as Yuzuru's hand hits the mattress he stirs, opening one reluctant eye and raising his head off the pillow.

"Where are you going?" He asks in a groggy voice, his head having fallen back down on the pillow, he starts blindly patting the bed but I was already out of his reach, on the edge of the bed.

"I'm sorry," I mumble apologetically, squinting my eyes in the dark as I shuffle around, clutching the sheets to my chest as I search for something to wear. "I didn't mean to wake you up..."

"It's fine," he lets out a deep sigh and sits up, still struggling to keep his eyes open. He smirks when he registers the panic in my eyes, knowing that I hate getting out of bed naked no matter how many times we have sex together. I had a feeling he knew it was insecurity more than actual discomfort but if he did, he never said anything about it. Although I did notice his not-so-subtle attempts to reassure me and drive away those thoughts, which helped sometimes. He fishes his white shirt off the floor, offering it to me with a kind yet teasing grin. "You know this is your room..."

"Huh?" I batt my eyelashes at him, brows knitted together in confusion, but I still gladly take the shirt and slip into it without really bothering to button it up.

"You can't exactly escape from your own room..."

"I'm not," I croak out, massaging my temples in a desperate attempt to sooth the headache since sitting up had apparently aggravated it. I shoot Yuzuru a tight lipped smile as I get up, pausing in the doorway to the bathroom. "I'll be right back..."

I slip out of the bathroom twenty minutes later, having brushed my teeth, removed my makeup and most importantly taken an ibuprofen which I had washed down with at least five glasses of water. I tip toe to the bed, assuming that Yuzu went back to sleep even though his breathing was a bit labored but I was used to it. His asthma symptoms tend to come and go a bit randomly but I had started to notice that apart from the times when it was triggered by something specific, it also seemed to resurface in times of stress which was likely due to the hormones.

I carefully slide under the covers, laying down so I was facing away from him, still keeping some distance between the two of us but once again my efforts are in vain because Yuzuru just swings an arm over my waist and drags me back towards him. I suppress a smile, chewing on my bottom lip when he moves my hair out of the way and buries his face in my neck.