Between Us

Chapter 58 : When Hearts Hesitate

I placed the steaming mug of tea on the small bedside table, glancing at the mound of blankets that was Engfa. Only her head peeked out from under the heavy layers, her face half-buried in the pillows. The soft glow of the TV flickered in the dim room, some random sitcom playing in the background.

I sat on the edge of the bed, my eyes scanning her pale face. Her gaze was fixed on the screen, but I could tell she wasn't really watching. With a sigh, I reached out and pressed the back of my hand to her forehead. "How are you feeling?" I asked softly.

"Cold," she murmured, her voice muffled and small. She shifted under the thick blanket like it wasn't already big enough to swallow her whole.

I raised an eyebrow. "Cold? You're under a fortress of blankets." My tone was sharp, but only because I was annoyed at how stubborn she could be. "Maybe if you'd actually stood under the damn umbrella earlier instead of acting like you had something to prove, you wouldn't be shivering now."

Engfa's lips curved into the faintest smile, and I brushed a few damp strands of hair off her forehead, smoothing them away from her face. My hand lingered on her cheek, the warmth of her skin reassuring despite her earlier recklessness.

She leaned into my touch, her head tilting slightly, eyes fluttering closed for a moment like she was savoring it. "You sound like you care," she teased, though her voice was barely above a whisper.

I rolled my eyes, letting out a soft scoff. "Of course I care, idiot. You think I'd be sitting here, making tea, and listening to you complain about being cold if I didn't?"

Her lips twitched, but she didn't respond. The quiet stretched between us, the sound of the TV filling the room. My thumb brushed lightly against her cheek, tracing small circles, and for a second, everything else faded—the rain, the arguments, all of it.

"You're exhausting, you know that?" I muttered, more to myself than to her.

Engfa opened her eyes and looked up at me, her expression soft, almost vulnerable. "You could've just left me there."

I sighed, shaking my head. "Don't start with that again."

Her eyes stayed on me, searching for something, but I didn't give her the chance to dig deeper. I gently pulled my hand away and stood up, brushing invisible dust off my pants. "Drink your tea before it gets cold," I said, nodding toward the mug.

I walked over to my wardrobe, pulling open the doors with a sigh. My fingers brushed past the neatly folded sweaters until I found the thickest, coziest one I owned—a faded navy-blue knit that had seen better days but always did the job. Grabbing a couple of extra blankets as well, I turned back toward Engfa.

She was sitting up slightly, her movements sluggish as she reached for the mug of tea. Her hands trembled a little, and I could see the effort it took for her to lift it. She brought the cup to her lips, sipping carefully, her eyes half-lidded like even drinking was exhausting.

"Here," I said, walking over and placing the pile of blankets on the edge of the bed. I held out the sweater. "Put this on."

Engfa glanced at me, then at the sweater in my hands. "I'm fine," she mumbled.

"Clearly," I shot back, rolling my eyes. "Just put it on before you freeze to death. Again."

She sighed but didn't argue further, placing the mug down on the table with a faint clink. Slowly, she pulled her arms out from under the cocoon of blankets, wincing slightly as she moved. I helped her ease into the oversized sweater, tugging it down gently over her shoulders, careful not to touch her still-tender injuries.

Once she was settled, I grabbed the extra blankets and draped them over her, layering them until she was practically buried. "There," I said, stepping back and folding my arms. "Now you look like a human burrito."