Discoveries | TMR | Three

3:6

Adeline arises far later than the rest of her peers.

Her eyes open to the sight of the glass lampshade on the table on Nick's side of the room, watching as it is caught by the sunlight that creeps in through the closed blinds and seeing kaleidoscope of colours it creates on the wall ahead of her. Despite being ruffled up in her duvet, there is not an ounce of sweat on her. No, her body is entirely dry of that salty liquid, and in fact, it feels delightfully cool from the breeze that delicately sways the blinds back and forth by the window. She can hear the soft chirping of birds in the distance, and the sound of laughter echoing from the kitchen downstairs, making her wonder how long she has slept.

It is unlike her to sleep in for so long. As a matter of fact, it is unlike her to sleep for longer than four hours most nights, and more to the point, it is unlike her to feel so... refreshed after such short hours of sleep.

Yet, here she is, having just woken up from what could easily be the best sleep she has ever had.

Adeline wonders why that is. It is due to her nightmare; had it exhausted her that much? Is it because of what happened after? Her conversation with Nick? She likes to believe that she had remained calculated in her words throughout their chat, yet she had managed to get enough of it off her chest to feel as though a weight had been lifted, so perhaps that weight no longer being a recurring object on her shoulders had made her much more weary. 

Or perhaps - perhaps - it was simply Nick's presence that made her more drowsy than normal. That would explain why she could feel her eyes closing the longer she spoke with him; the longer he held her hand within his, and it would explain why wearing his shirt had brought her so much comfort.

Does Nick bring her comfort?

She knew that a person could bring comfort, of course. She has seen it in Matt and Maggie, in Travis and Daniel. Fuck, even Vince and Lily, but she had never thought she would experience it for herself.

It is... odd, though strangely familiar, at the same time, and of recent months, she would be lying if she were to say that she did not seek out his presence whenever she entered a room. Even now, when she can hear everyone laughing downstairs, it is Nick's laughter that is the loudest to her.

Fuck, what is going on with me, she groans inwardly. Her features contort to the tightest of scrunches, and the balls of her hands draw up to harshly rub her eye-sockets.

Laying on the centre of the bed, she then groans outwardly and flings her arms out, hearing them bounce on the mattress as she stares at the ceiling, deciding whether or not she has the balls to get up and face him. I mean, they shared a bed for Christ sake, isn't that going to make it all a bit awkward?

Knowing Nick, probably not. He seems to relish in these moments that bring her so much unease.

Closing her eyes and exhaling a breath, she pushes last night to the back of her mind as she rolls from the bed. Still wearing Nick's shirt and a pair of cotton track shorts, she does not bother to get changed, and despite the strict instructions given to her by Lily, she does not brush her hair, either. Instead, she merely runs her fingers through it, still finding it weird to feel the hair end at her shoulders rather than her backside, and even weirder than she can even comb her fingers through it at all.

She follows the laughter; follows the giggles, chuckles and chortles down the stairs until she reaches the bottom, and Adeline can tell by the voices alone that Oscar, Herman and Lenny have come to join them.

More people added to the mix, just what she needs.

Adeline feels herself growing anxious the closer she gets to the door. When she walks in, she immediately seeks out Nicks face, and it does not take long to do so, for he is sat on a dining chair at the furthest point of the living room, just before the arch. She feels less anxious when she sees him, though the fact that he assists in her anxiety does nothing but build on that anxiety again, like a never ending loop.