Space Man

Sleepy Head

Xisuma's POV

I was honestly surprised to find myself waking up first the next morning. I had expected Keralis to be gone, slipping away like he had so many times before, but no. He was still there.

Not only was he still there, but he had a death grip on my arm and hand, like he was afraid I might disappear if he let go. I flexed my fingers experimentally, wincing a little. Yep, definitely lost circulation—or at least it felt that way.

I looked at his face, peaceful despite the tear stains from the night before, and sighed quietly. I couldn’t bring myself to wake him. Whatever had driven him to seek me out last night must’ve been bad, and if this was the first real rest he’d gotten, who was I to ruin it?

So I stayed still, letting my arm go numb, and just… watched him for a while. Even if he’d been furious with me for the past week, this moment felt like a small step toward something better. I wasn’t going to mess it up.

Eventually, Keralis’s grip loosened, and I felt the blood flow return to my arm. It was like pins and needles but in the best way possible. I was so relieved I couldn’t help but laugh a little, though I tried to keep it quiet.

Big mistake.

Keralis cracked one eye open, his hair a mess and his face still slightly puffy from sleep. He shot me a look—a sleepy, utterly non-threatening glare that, if anything, was more adorable than intimidating.

I immediately shut up, biting my lip to keep from laughing again.

He yawned, then grumbled something incoherent as he stretched, and I could see him trying to decide if he was actually mad at me or not. Judging by the way he flopped back onto the bed with a sigh, I figured I was in the clear.

"Sorry," I mumbled, though a small smile tugged at my lips.

Xisuma's POV

"Don’t push your luck," Keralis muttered, his voice still heavy with sleep, but the lack of any real venom made it almost endearing. I chuckled quietly and started to move, thinking it was a good time to get up.

Apparently, I was wrong.

The moment I shifted, his grip tightened around my arm like a vice, refusing to let me go. Before I could even process what was happening, he shuffled closer, his arms sliding around my waist. He snuggled into me, his head resting on my shoulder like it was the most natural thing in the world.

And just like that, he was out again. Fast asleep, breathing slow and steady.

I blinked, frozen for a moment. The audacity.

I couldn’t help but laugh softly to myself, careful not to disturb him. Don’t push my luck, huh? And yet, here he was, being completely adorable and practically trapping me in place like this.

I sighed, settling back into the bed. His warmth was… nice, even if it was unexpected. I wasn’t about to disturb him now—not when he looked so peaceful, and definitely not when this felt oddly comforting.

Guess I’m stuck here for a while, I thought, a small smile tugging at my lips. But honestly? I’m not complaining.

With my free arm, I carefully adjusted the blanket over Keralis, making sure he was properly covered and comfortable. It was a small gesture, but one that felt necessary—like I needed to take care of him in this moment. Unfortunately, even that little movement seemed to be too much.

Keralis shifted slightly, letting out a soft, irritated sound, his brows furrowing as he snuggled closer. I froze, feeling like I’d just been caught sneaking around by a particularly grumpy cat. “Sorry,” I whispered, even though he was probably too far asleep to hear it. I settled back down entirely, making a mental note to avoid moving at all costs. He clearly needed the rest, and I wasn’t about to disrupt that again.