Wherein a word or phrase can be the start of something fun and wonderful.
Some are simply stand-alone ficlets or drabbles. Some link up with published stories. Some end up previews for things yet to come.
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Something in the predawn of your bedroom tells you not to roll over and go back to sleep, but to prop yourself up on your elbows and reach for your phone. It wasn't that you'd heard a notification. It's on silent. Was it something from your dream bleeding through into reality? What was it you had been dreaming, anyway? It's hazy, at best, and slipping further away as you try to grasp at it.
One glance at your phone makes you curse, something sharp in the quiet of the early morning. It's barely 5 and there's a message to you from work, received not a minute before. They can't find keys to get into the building. Can you please come let everyone in?
There's a groan in response from the lanky man beside you, but other than that he doesn't seem to register or care about your distress - or even that you're awake, honestly. The pair of you had stayed up celebrating the fact that you'd be taking a few days off to spend with him.
Staycation! Woooo!
Except you're still awake - not quite at stupid o'clock, but close - and dealing with work things. Exhaling as you bring yourself upright, you type a response back, confirming you saw the message and assuring them that you'd be on the way. Staycation or no, you don't think you could assuage the guilt over leaving them standing around waiting for the next keyholder to arrive.
You hastily pull on a pair of sweatpants and a light hoodie. It's cold out but you'll be in transit. It'll be warm enough... Bedhead Fabulousa and sleep creases displayed on all exposed areas of skin, you begin the journey towards your job.
Damn being a responsible adult. Damn being the one they tried to contact. Damn early mornings in general.
Halfway there your phone pings again.
Never mind! Keys found! All is well.
All is well. You're up, and already halfway there. But hey. Keys found and they're no longer needing you to appear... that's good. Grumbling blearily, you begin the process of making your way back home. This was a good thing. This is a good thing. Nobody save for strangers need see your current state - strangers, save for the man you left sleeping in the warmth of the covers... the man still curiously log-like when you reenter the bedroom.
Peeling out of your additional layers and shucking your shoes by the bedside, you crawl back into the space you'd vacated, almost certain that all the warmth previously enjoyed will have leeched away.
You're about right. Plus there's the added bonus that your hoodie hadn't quite kept your hands as warm as you'd like them to be. Smiling to yourself you roll towards the lightly-snoring occupant of the bed, knowing just how to warm your digits once more.
