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I groggily dragged myself out of a restless sleep, the remnants of a nightmare still clinging to me. As my eyes adjusted to the dim light filtering through the curtains, I was jolted to find Damien sprawled next to me on the bed. My heart raced at the unexpected closeness.
Before I could figure out what was happening, I moved too quickly, trying to sit up. The sudden motion made me lose my balance, and I crashed to the floor with a loud thud.
The noise must have woken Damien. He blinked awake, his eyes narrowing with a mix of concern and amusement. He propped himself on one elbow as he looked down at me.
"Blake!" Damien's voice was alarmed but had a teasing edge. "Did you just decide to redecorate the floor with yourself? Are you okay? Did you fall?"
I looked up at him, my head still spinning and my face burning with embarrassment. "Damien, what are you doing here?" I asked, struggling to keep my irritation in check. "Why-why are you in my bed?"
Damien's expression softened, though his grin didn't waver. "You were screaming like a banshee. I heard you from the other room and figured I should check on you. Next thing I know, I'm snoozing right next to you. Must've been my expert calming skills at work."
"Great, so now I've got a personal bodyguard who also crashes my bed?" I said, rolling my eyes as I tried to get up. "Did you plan on staying the night or just scaring me out of my wits?"
Damien chuckled and leaned closer, concern still in his eyes. "Hey, you looked like you needed some company. And considering your ungraceful exit from the bed, I figured a little distraction might help."
"Yeah, well, mission accomplished," I said, rubbing my sore shoulder. "I'm thoroughly distracted and mortified."
Damien handed me a glass of water, his grin turning into a warm smile. "Look, you don't need to apologize for this. I'm just glad you're okay. There's no monster in this house except for me, and even I'm not that scary. We're safe here."
I took the water and sipped it, trying to steady my shaking hands. "I didn't mean to cause such a commotion. This happens sometimes. I really am sorry."
Damien sat on the edge of the bed, still watching me with that mix of humor and concern. "You don't need to be sorry. Just think of it as me being your unofficial nightmare-buster. And next time, try to avoid launching yourself off the bed. It's a bit of a rough wake-up call for both of us."
"Noted," I said, with a hint of a smile despite my irritation. "I'll aim for a more graceful exit next time. Or at least a less noisy one."
Damien laughed and ran a hand through his disheveled hair. "Well, if you're planning any more impromptu floor inspections, give me a heads-up. I'll make sure to bring a pillow or something."
"I'll keep that in mind," I said, giving him a half-hearted glare. "And thanks for being here, even if you're a bit of a smartass about it."
Damien gave me a playful salute. "Anytime. I'm heading out to work now, but seriously, if you need anything-or if you've got more surprise floor drills planned-just let me know. I'm here for you."
As he headed for the door, I called after him, "And Damien? Try not to make a habit of this. I don't need you to become my personal nighttime entertainer."
He laughed as he left the room. "Got it. I'll save the show for later."
The door clicked shut behind him, and I took a deep breath, letting the soft morning light streaming through the curtains offer a semblance of calm.
One thing is for sure, the universe is playing a fucked up game with me right now and Damien is enjoying every second of it.
