sign {h.s.}

capítol disset*

FOR THE SECOND time in as many days, I wake up in a bed that is most definitely not my own. Only this time, I am immediately familiar with my location. There is no moment of temporary confusion when I look up and see my own reflection staring back at me from the mirror. Everything about last night is present in my head. There is no moment in which I am confused or uncertain about how I ended up in this specific spot. It all makes sense.

The only surprise this morning is waking up with someone else in the bed with me.

Not just in bed with me, but completely and utterly wrapped around me. Vaguely I can remember asking him to stay. I remember that there was no moment of deliberation. Just as soon as the words were out of my mouth, he had immediately turned around. He dropped the pillow and blanket that he was holding and crawled into the bed. He tucked himself nicely on his half. We exchanged goodnights; I don't think we said anything else. This morning, I wake up with him wrapped around me.

The pounding in my head does not correlate with the copious amounts of alcohol consumed last night. Somewhat muted to the consistency of a dull ache, I still take the pills that Harry had laid out for me the night before with a strong sense of gratitude and appreciation. Of course, in order to do so, I have to squirm my way out of his grip; something that I am oddly regretful of having to do. Even regarding the vague confusion that I had felt to wake up that way in the first place. There is a part of me that just wants to remain in the tight cocoon he has formed around me.

Our position is one more intimate than I've been in for quite some time. His arms are firmly woven around me and his skin on mine is hot. Our legs tangle together, and I am struck with the cliché observation that I can't tell where one stops and the other starts.

I find myself accommodating this position. Temporarily pulling from it to swallow the medicine that had been thoughtfully laid out for me, I just as quickly relax back into the comfort of a friendly embrace. Leaving for school had left me lonelier than I had thought and equally desperate for some sort of affectionate human contact. I'd never have anticipated that I would have found such through Harry, but I welcome the development with open arms.

As I shift back into his arms, I am made immediately aware of something that I hadn't noticed before. Harry's morning erection is pressed against me. "Oh my God," I whisper, trying to hold in the subsequent and childish giggle threatening to burst out of me.

The sound of my stifled laughter and soft voice seem to cause Harry to stir. Shifting around on the bed, he moves from the position where he pressed against me. Taking the time to study him, I realize that years come off of his face when it isn't pinched up in that mild distaste that seems to so frequently consume his features. Potentially even able to be called sweet, my jaw slackens in a kind of shock at the unexpected sight.

His head buries itself in my shoulder on its accord. The sound of his voice mumbling incoherent gibberish is muffled by my skin. As if on instinct, his lips pucker to press a small, gentle kiss to my shoulder. Following the absentminded gesture, he nuzzles himself in tightly to the crook of my neck. I can feel his lashes flutter against my delicate skin as he opens his eyes. Sobered upon his awakening, he jerks away, only slightly. Still wrapped around me, he no longer nestles himself comfortably into my side.

Not having the same ample opportunity to make sense of the position that we are in, his bewilderment is written clearly across his face. "Good morning, sunshine," I tease when he finally turns to look at me.

Officially detaching himself from me, he moves to lay flat on his back, his arm curling around his face and resting over his eyes. "Jesus," he mutters, unquestionably recalling the events from the night before. Impossible to say what served as his indication, he seems finally to remember his morning wood. "Oh. Fuck, Cassidy, I'm sorry." Genuine apology lingers in his tone as he flushes bright red with embarrassment.