Sleep with the Lights On ✔️

28. Awake

Cassie and her mother half dragged Peros back to bed and tucked him in to the clean sheets. He sighed and settled into the sheets, still weak but no longer shaking.

Cassie fussed with the covers tucking him in, making sure he'd be warm enough.

"Say goodnight and let him rest." Her mother said from the door, before disappearing into the living room.

Cassie held Peros' hand. "You're going to be okay, right?" She asked. He gave a quiet hum, but clearly close to unconsciousness. Cassie leant in and kiss him on his temple, a faint pulse of warmth spread through her, the way it had when they were in the underworld.

"I'm sorry." She whispered.

"So what exactly happened, why is this your fault?" Cassie's mother sat on the armchair in the living room with a questioning look. "I don't care if you don't think I'll believe you. Cassie, you were missing for a week and a half and when I come back you've got a sick boy in your bed and you're crying... it's very unlike you... Your sister, maybe. But you?"

Cassie heaved a sigh and sunk into the couch beside her mom. She told her everything, every little detail that she could remember. At the end her mother laughed.

"You said an incantation from a dream and then went on a little adventure." She said in disbelief.

"It didn't feel like an adventure." Cassie mumbled. "It was... disturbing."

"But this... Peros, he's been with you since the start?" Her mother asked. Cassie nodded.

"He's helped me as best as he could for the whole time." Cassie said.

"So you were gone for months down there." Her mother repeated. Searching Cassie's face for some hint that she was joking or lying and found none.

"Maybe a month, maybe a bit more. It was very hard to keep track of time passing." Cassie replied.

"I can stay tonight if you want, I think your friend is going to be okay." Her mother said.

Cassie smiled at her mother, still in shock to be back home. Cassie insisted that he mother would sleep on the couch, Cassie would curl up on the chair. After some arguing her mother agreed.

Cassie huddled in the chair, fully accepting that she would not sleep. Memories of insomnia were creeping back into her brain, and while she tried to reassure herself the source of the nightmares was dealt with, worry for Peros kept her awake just the same.

Cassie woke on the sofa with two sets of eyes staring down at her, one the warm brown of her mother, and the other a dark grey that she didn't recognize. "What?" She croaked.

"Cassie, Peros is awake." Her mother said.

Cassie blinked again and the shape of the other face came into view, it was Peros. Sickly pale as usual, his floating hair now looked more ordinary. And his eyes, once silvery and blank were dark and human.

"Peros?" Cassie moved to sit up. "You look different."

"Yeah" Peros said, his voice was hoarse.

Cassie's mother backed away. "I've got to go, please both of you come for dinner tonight if you're up for it." Her mother called from the door.

"Bye Mom!" Cassie called to her mom.

"I talked to her for a bit before you woke up." Peros said, he knelt on the floor beside the couch and stared up into Cassie's face. "She didn't really believe your story, but I think she's coming around."

Cassie nodded. They maintained eye contact for a moment and both burst out laughing. "I can't believe I'm back, after all this time." Cassie giggled. "I was so worried about you."

"I can't believe I'm on the upper world..." Peros whispered, He stared down at his hands. "After everything..."

"I didn't even ask if you wanted to be here." Cassie groaned, covering her face with embarrassment.

"I'm just happy we didn't have to say goodbye." Peros said, his cheeks grew pink.

"Is that a blush?" Cassie gasped, she darted forward to grasp both of Peros' hands. "You're really human now, aren't you!"

"Well, I was half human before..." Peros struggled to make eye contact with Cassie. She laughed her heart danced in her chest, things had all worked out.

Cassie lunged forward and connected her lips to Peros', knocking him off balance and back onto the floor. "Uhh..." Peros said "Is this another celebratory kiss, we're just friends right?"

Cassie knelt over him as he lay on the floor. She laughed again, grabbing handfuls of his shirt and kissed him again. "No, we are not." She felt like she hadn't laughed in months, the feeling in her stomach made her head light, delighting in the laugh as it shook her body.

He wrapped his arms around her waist, warmth growing between them but different than before. Peros could feel his heart beating hard in his chest for the first time in his life. For once he wasn't clouded by a vague sense of apathy. He embraced Cassie tightly and returned her kiss.

Cassie twisted her fingers into Peros' dark hair, all her relief and happiness radiating through her. She was finally able to put a name to all the feeling she's unwittingly attached to the boy who'd been there for her through it all.