Thwaites & Thompson

Arriving at the Thwaites' Residence

Thwaites

I noiselessly step into the room and shut the door behind me.
It was pitch black but I could see my sister's silhouette above her bed and Tess's above mine.

I walk towards Nala's bed and hope to god she was going to let me sleep by her side.

"Nala?" I kneel down and whisper close to her ear.

"Hm..." She reflexively jerked her hand and almost got my nose.

"Can I stay in your bed?" I try hard not to be heard by Tess and keep my whispers at the minimal.

"No! Go away..." She pushes my face away and I instantly push her hand off and walk away from her bed.

What was I even thinking?

I sigh before I stretch down on the very left side of my bed and drape my arm over my eyes in exhaust.

It was only a moment before I felt Tess shift.
When I glance at her, I notice that she has rolled on her side facing away from me.

I place my arm over my eyes again and take a deep breath wanting sleep to finally take me.

But every time I was close to fading away, I felt Tess shift.
Once, twice, countless times that I almost flared.

"Tess-why aren't you asleep yet?" I whisper without moving away my arm from over my eyes. I was sure she's awake.

"I'm sorry..." She sighs.
"I'm trying." She whispered softly.

My chest tightened and I drowned in thinking.
I also recall all that she had said to me about her struggle sleeping. There wasn't much...

"When you said you couldn't sleep unless you're in your own bed and in your house-" I speak.
"Does it have anything to do with not feeling safe?" I frowned at my question but hoped she'd understand what I meant.

"Yes..." She replies after what felt like forever.

I lift my arm and frown at the ceiling.

"You don't feel safe here?" I ask.

"It's hard to explain..." She exhales shakily.

"If you were in a room on your own with the door locked, would you be able to sleep?" I ask.

"Maybe..." She utters.

Was I bothering her?
Nala?
Or maybe it was the both of us.

She shifts and then she rolls to her other side, facing me. However, we still layed a good distance away from each other.

"Can I use the couch?" She asks and I shut my eyes, stressing on my jaw.

"No."
"You're going to sleep."
"Consider me your guardian angel..." I roll my eyes in the dark and she chuckles.

"You're rolling your eyes." I feel her grin and I grin too. How did she know?

"Feel safe Tess."
"And please sleep..."
"You're making me restless." I sigh.

"Then maybe I could just use the-"

"No!" I cut her off and she sighs in defeat.

Thompson

I'm falling asleep...
It's happening...

I thought it was, but then my eyes fluttered open and I finally came to register what was the source of the pleasant warmth...

Soft dawn light basked the room, my vision assembled and my heart sunk at our sleeping position.