Blending Into Gray

Chapter 15

When I awoke the next morning, the first thing I saw was the ceiling.

I noticed amusement.

The second thing I saw, when I turned my head towards my bed, was Roman, watching me with a grin on his face.

"You look uncomfortable," he joked, making me actually stop and look at my current position.

I was laying on my back, limbs sprawled all over the place.

"Well if someone wouldn't have taken my bed, asshole."

He snickered, though a stab of guilt shone through.

"Stop it," I ordered.

"Don't feel guilty. I didn't care, anyways."

He shrugged.

I could sense that he was still broken up about his father, and for good reason.

What right did his father have to just abandon him like that?

But at least he was willing to make jokes, which signaled that even though he would likely never be over it, he was at least willing to try to focus on something else for now.

So I'll take progress in whatever form it manifests as, really.

Sitting up, I stretched, trying to crack my back from laying on the floor.

"Do you need me to go later today?"

Roman's apprehension was clear from his emotions, though his voice showed it too.

"Go where?"

I raised an eyebrow at him, even as I pulled my hair back to multitask.

He shrugged.

"I'm not sure," he answered honestly.

"I just thought that now since I've at least practiced accepting that my father isn't going to take me back, I should get out of your way."

I rolled my eyes.

"Please. You aren't in the way. Besides, my father's the one that took you in, bring it up with him if you have an issue."

He cracked a smile, but still shook his head.

"I shouldn't intrude."

"But you aren't," I insisted.

"There's no reason for you not to stay, at least until you have somewhere else that you can go. Don't put yourself out on the street somewhere all for our convenience, that's ridiculous, and neither of us would let you."

He rolled his eyes, this time, but dropped the subject.

"Fine," he shrugged, extending a hand downwards for me.

I took it, and he pulled me up.

"You know? I never did learn hand to hand combat, maybe you could teach me?"

He raised his eyebrows.

"Today?"

"Only if you want. I don't have anything better to do," I smiled.

A surprised laugh left his mouth, and his other hand covered it.

"I guess you aren't wrong."

I knew he was still adjusting to his current situation, and that it wouldn't be easy, but at least he was agreeing to take his mind off of it for a while.

His excitement burst from him in waves, his eyes shining.

Despite not having a reason to, or maybe because of it, Roman actually really liked fighting.