When Life Stops (On Hiatus)

Chapter 5

Settling down on the double sized bed which she'd be sharing with Kota, Willow looked up when a throat was cleared. It was, in fact, Kota standing at the door, a hand at the back of his neck.

"Yes?" She spoke softly, tilting her head as she looked up. Her legs were crossed on the bed, her shoes obviously off and placed carefully on the side of the bed.

"Do you need clothes? To sleep in, of course. Victor thought it could be more comfortable for you, but with how you came unprepared I doubt you have a change for them."

Why did Victor even bother his mind with that? Surely he had more important things than Willow being comfortable or not at that time. Especially with the conditions they were in.

"I'll be fine in these clothes, thank you anyways though." Willow finally spoke softly, placing a smile on her face. Kota, he didn't seem to be hating her or anything which she appreciated.

Unlike a certain someone named North...

Pistachio let out a small bark, looking up at Willow with pleading eyes.

Yes, his eyes were pleading, but for what?

"I used to have a dog too... Max, a golden retriever. He passed last year, old age-" With his green eyes, Kota looked through his glasses and at the duo in front of him. A girl, and her dog staring at each other longingly.

As Pistachio hopped onto her lap, Willow looked up at the male inside the room with a small pout on her cracked lips. Lips cracked due to dehydration, yet she didn't care.

At that point, she didn't even care if she made it to the next day or not. Would a world that had shut up even be worth living in?

"I'm sorry to hear that... I used to have a golden too, though I was so small I don't even remember her."

With two strides, Kota was standing at the end of the bed and he looked like he was thinking of something when Willow pointed at an unoccupied space on the mattress.

"Sit down,"

Fuck, that sounds demanding...

"I mean, if you want to- I don't mind..." She added quickly in a rather panicked voice, face flushing with a gentle spread of pink out of embarrassment.

Opening his mouth widely with a yawn, Pistachio glared as Kota sat down, his body slightly stiff. The position he was in, the way his muscles were tensed, it was kind of like how Willow knew she herself looked when she had something to say but didn't know how to word it.

She didn't point it out though, instead began scratching behind her little dog's ears, who reacted with a small, excited bark.

Finally parting his lips as he turned his torso over a bit, Kota spoke up.

"Do you need clothes to change into for the night? I doubt it would be comfortable to sleep in the same clothes you wore during the day and given how you came unprepared, you most likely don't have a change of them too. If you want, I could lend you some of mine, or another one of the guys could do that."

He actually concerned himself about that? About her comfort? That's sweet...

Willow gulped, looking down at Pistachio who was busy melting into her lap. Letting out a soft huff, she peeked back up and towards where Kota was seated, her eyes following along his thighs and then his abdomen, chest before they stopped when they met his gaze.

"I'm fine-"

That was all that she managed to croak out. Kota didn't press the topic any further, instead he smiled a bit and pushed himself up to his feet.