Almost is Never Enough | MIKHAIAH

14

Third-Person P.O.V.
Saturday || 8:42am

Max and Z are lying in bed together, the soft light of mid-morning seeping through the curtains. It's unusually quiet, the world outside still waking up slowly. After staying up until 4 a.m., both are drained but content, enjoying the comfort of each other's presence.

Max stirred as the sunlight reached her face, her body still heavy with exhaustion from the night before. She blinked a few times, adjusting to the light, and let out a quiet sigh, knowing they had only gotten a few hours of sleep.

Her gaze shifted to Z beside her, still deeply asleep. Memories from the night flickered in her mind, staying up until 4 a.m., until they finally drifted off together. She could feel the weight of the late night, but it was worth it. Every minute spent with her felt like a moment suspended in time.

As she lay there, watching her breathe, she couldn't help but feel a sense of awe. There was something so peaceful about the way she slept after everything they had shared. Max smiled to herself, careful not to move too much.

Z shifted in her sleep, her body instinctively curling closer to Max's. When her eyes fluttered open, the first thing she felt was the warmth of her presence beside her, followed by a groggy awareness of just how late they had stayed up.

"What time is it?" she mumbled, barely opening her eyes, her voice thick with sleep.

Max glanced at the clock on the nightstand and chuckled softly.

"Almost 9. We only slept for a few hours," she replied, her voice low and calm. "But we didn't sleep until 4. We really pushed it last night."

Z let out a tired laugh, rubbing her eyes as she turned to face her. Her head still felt heavy, but the comfort of being with Max made the exhaustion feel less overwhelming.

"I feel like I've been hit by a truck," she muttered, a small smile creeping onto her face. "But... I don't regret it."

Max smiled back, knowing exactly what she meant. The late night had been filled with moments they wouldn't trade.

"Me neither," she said softly, reaching over to tuck a stray lock of hair behind her ear. "I could stay up until 4 a.m. with you every night."

"It was worth it." Z stretched slightly, letting herself sink deeper into the pillows for a moment, before letting her gaze settle back on Max.

"Do you ever feel like time just... slips away when we're together?" she added, her tone more serious now. "Like last night, it felt like no time passed at all."

Max nodded, understanding exactly what she meant. She had never felt so connected to someone, like the world outside didn't matter when it was just the two of them.

"Yeah, it's like we're in our own little world," she admitted. "And I don't want that to change."

Z smiled softly at her words. She knew that what they had was something special, and the fact that they had stayed up so late doing the thing only confirmed that.

"Neither do I," she whispered, closing her eyes again as the exhaustion crept back. "But maybe next time we sleep before 4 a.m.?"

"Susubukan ko." Max teasingly said.

"Ayy ang bad bad mo! Buhatin mo ako niyan 'di ako makalakad" Z said cutely, trying to make a sad face.

"Deal. But we can stay like this for a little longer," Max said softly, her voice warm and reassuring.

Z's breathing had evened out again, her body relaxing back into the bed. Max smiled softly, noticing the slight rise and fall of her chest as Z slipped back into sleep. The exhaustion had clearly caught up with her, and Max couldn't help but feel a surge of affection. She stayed still, unwilling to disturb the peaceful moment. Instead, she found herself staring at Z, her thoughts wandering. There was something about watching her sleep that made Max feel grounded, like nothing else mattered. The world outside felt distant and quiet, but in here, it was just them.