You seem a little different--Kenjorine

Chapter 12 ⭐

          Marjorine was the first to wake up this time, her eyes blurry as they cracked open. The glow of the outside light was dim and orange, signalling a setting sun. Her eyes felt ancient as they opened, as if her rest hadn't been disturbed for millennia. 

          She wanted to go back to bed once she felt the warmth of Kenny under her, and realized she'd fallen asleep in his arms. She snuggled back in his chest, and smiled at the realization that they'd been asleep for hours and hadn't moved an inch. 

          "Kenny..." she whispered, her voice hoarse and throat dry. This didn't even stir the man under her, and she shuffled up to hover over his face. As she sat there, on all fours, she wondered what to do to wake him up. Maybe shake him? Say his name louder? She didn't know how heavy of a sleeper he was.

          She sifted onto her knees, her bottom on Kenny's stomach. She wondered if just her weight would wake him up. When she let her weight down, Kenny sucked in a breath, but didn't wake up. He made a small noise, almost inaudible, but stayed asleep. 

          Marjorine hummed. She placed her hands on his shoulders and started to shake. "Kenny!" she announced, her voice cracking in her sand-dry throat.

          Kenny grunted and his face twisted downwards. "Go away Karen, I'm trying to sleep," he muttered. Marjorine giggled at his confusion.

          "It's not Karen, Kenny. It's Marj," she corrected, her face unable to keep down her amused smile. "Wake up."

          At this, a small smile cracked across Kenny's face, and his eyes opened slightly, forming a squint. "Is that really you?" He asked, as if she were a dream, in all her beauty and glory. He tilted his head, the skin under his chin pushing forward. Marjorine giggled at the peculiar sight below her.

          "Are you real?" Kenny joked, his tone playful, as his hands wandered up to rest on Marjorine's cheeks. His right hand gently traced her cheekbone, and his left thumb ever so slightly pulled at her eye bag. 

          Marjorine leaned down towards Kenny's face, grinning. "Of course I'm real, sleepyhead," she assured, her clean teeth bared in a gentle smile.

          "Good," Kenny continued, his eyes closing again. "I don't know what I'd do if you weren't."

          "I don't know, die?" Marjorine cracked, flopping backwards, her head falling between Kenny's shins. 

          "Probably," Kenny agreed, shifting to put his arms behind his head. The bed creaked due to his action, almost in protest. "I really need to get a new bed," he noted, thinking out loud. Marjorine cracked a smile and flipped over to Kenny's side, between him and the wall. She put her knees in the air and flipped her head back to look at the footboard.

          "Yeah, you do," she agreed, teasing him as she raised her hand in the air. She let it hang there, limp, as Kenny began to talk again, the mattress shifting as he sat up to get a good view of her face. 

          "You really are beautiful," Kenny said, the words pouring out of his mouth with utter sincerity.

          At this Marjorine became flustered, and she covered her face with her hands and groaned. "Oh my Hamburgers, Kenny. You're going to be the death of me." 

          "Yeah, yeah, whatever you say, Red," he teased, poking at Marjorine's arm through her hoodie. 

          When Marjorine didn't respond to this, Kenny sighed and got up, the mattress slowly rising back to its idol form. Marjorine removed her hands from her face and looked at Kenny. "Where are you going?" she asked, her tone sporting an almost undetectable hint of disappointment.