rome and clem

part twenty-three

when rome woke up the next morning, he was greeted with a tickle on his cheek and a wave of dark hair on his skin. clem.

her arms curled around his hip bone, wrist bone digging into his abdomen, but in the most comforting way.

he felt warm with her presence around. she made him warm, he realized. his cold aching skin vivaciously brightened into a loving blue. she made him blue.

"mm." she hummed in appreciation, nuzzling her nose into romes chest.

he smiled at the action, absently stroking her hair faintly with his fingertips.

her tears had fallen on his chest last night. his bare skin was stained with her salty drips. but even though it was hard and sad to watch, rome was so incredibly curious to watch her raw.

watch her become real, without all the coverups and smiles that could be taken harshly.

"clem." he murmured, bringing his lips down to the top of head.

"we should probably get up. school starts in an hour." he told her.

she was unresponsive though. just groaned a disobedient sound.

rome smirked lightly, "don't tell me I have to carry you." he teased, trying his best to not remind her of the deceit last night.

he so badly wanted to kiss every single one of her tears. he hated that she cried. but what he hated more was the fact that fucking carter was the one who made her cry.

his fists subconsciously balled up at the thought of him.

"hey." he whispered, nudging her side with his shoulder gently, lifting clem off of him to sit up.

"rome please." she pleaded, eyes opening and gazing into romes. god, she was so beautiful. "I don't want to." she sobered, eyes falling to romes sheets.

he sighed, grabbing her hand in his. "clem..i'll be with you the whole day." except when you're in class.

a moment of silence passed. clem squeezed romes hand with her own, "please. I just wanna stay with you. here." she croaked, sitting up herself. her thumb stroking his knuckles.

it made him tingle. his legs were laid out across the bed, but they were still wobbling from how close clem was. she slept on his bed last night. arms and limbs latching onto each other.

it was magical.

and that's why rome said,

"okay."