Basically Strangers

[7] Stranger Who Sleep Talks

3rd POV

You entered the apartment, stretching as Arkin walked behind you. He had seemed quieter than usual on the drive back to the apartment. It was normal for him to ask things like ‘how was your day?’, ‘Anything cool happen?’, ‘That teacher didn’t mess with you, did he?’, or ‘nobody bully’s you… right?’. But today, there were no questions. No talking about his own day, no adorably fake elaborate stories about him beating up a yeti at Mt. Everest while you were in school and still getting back in time to pick you up.

You set your bag on the floor, running a hand through your hair only to get it stuck on a snarl and accidentally yank your own hair. Arkin turned around at your distressed yelp and rushed to help you untangle your hand from your hair,

Now free from the confines of your own hair’s entanglement, you glanced at Arkin who was rubbing his temples like he had a bad headache. you sat beside the older ginger on the couch and slid off their shoes to sit cross legged facing Arkin.

“What’s wrong?” they asked. Arkin glanced at them with half open eyes, then closed them.

“Nothing,” he lied. Y/N said, resting their head on Arkin’s shoulder.

“Arkin, please tell me. What’s wrong?” Arkin sighed, stretching to wrap an arm over Y/N’s shoulders. Y/N rested closer to him. The original feelings that had about space and boundaries with Arkin was long gone.

“I’m just… having headaches. It’s no big deal-”

“Don’t lie to me, Arkin.” Arkin let out a dry laugh.

“I think we’ve been living together for too long. You know me too well-”

“Don’t change the subject.” The room grew quiet. Uncomfortably quiet. Arkin didn’t know what to say. He didn’t want to try to explain everything to you and have you run away from him. You were what kept him sane. He didn’t want to ruin your innocence and- “I know you, Arkin. I know all of it. You can’t lie to me about this.” Well, shit. There goes that plan. You weren’t as innocent as Arkin thought.

You stood up, walking to the kitchen. Arkin looked after you, a solemn look on his face. How much did you know? Enough to get you in danger? Arkin couldn’t focus. Thoughts were rushing through his head and he was feeling worse and worse by the second. The couch dipped beside him as you sat back down, handing him a cup of water.

“Calm down, Arkin,” you said, rubbing small circles into his shoulder.

“What… what do you know?” Arkin said, not completely trusting his voice.

“Oh, Arkin…” Your voice was calm and soothing, helping Arkin to calm down and breathe. “You talk in your sleep, you know.” Arkin turned his head to look at you, a sympathetic look on your face. You reached over and caressed Arkin’s cheek, and he leaned into your touch.

“What… what did I say…?” You sighed, pulling your hand away from Arkin’s soft cheek and remembered exactly what happened that night he didn’t mean to admit everything at once…

Y/N’s Flashback POV

It was a normal evening. I had just finished all my homework, and we started playing video games after dinner. Arkin had had a long day, so he was feeling very tired and was on the brink of sleep ever since he had picked me up from school.

I had just started thinking of his apartment as my own home. I hadn’t seen Dad or Starla in days, and I wasn’t complaining about that. I glanced at Arkin, because his avatar on the screen stopped moving. His head was tilted back, and he looked to be sleeping soundly. So, of course, I killed his avatar a few times to get some free points.

After I had leveled up a few times, I glanced at Arkin again and heard him murmuring things to himself in his sleep.

“Not today…” he had whimpered. “I don’t wanna fight again... not again… not today… not now…” He began murmuring things about a ring, and files, and Hollywood. Instead of waking him up to take him to bed, or just plain listening to hat he was saying, I stood and walked to his office. Everything would be in there. I knew it. You wanna know how I knew it? Because I knew Arkin,  and Arkin would do exactly that.

I reached towards the handle and stopped moving. My fingertips grazed the cold metal surface of the door knob, but I froze. A wave of guilt washed over me, and I couldn’t move. Arkin wouldn’t want this. He wouldn’t want me going through things for the answers to questions I’m not supposed to have.

Walking back to the living room, I saw Arkin jolt awake. He looked at me with tired eyes  frantically searching the room. His eyes landed on me, still half asleep.

“Y-Y/N?” he asked, squinting. I walked towards him with a smile.

“C’mon, Arkin. Let’s go to bed,” I said. He stood up, stretching in the air and yawning before walking over to me and wrapping an arm over my shoulders, half leaning on me for support to our room. I didn’t go back to the office, though. I just slept peacefully with Arkin.

3rd POV

Arkin stared at you, eyes wide. You knew something, but not everything. He wrapped an arm around your shoulders as your head rested on his own shoulders.

“I’m sorry, Arkin,” you said, hugging him back.

“It’s okay…” Arkin said, burying his head in their shoulder. “It’s okay… Just… Just don’t hate me.” You kissed Arkin’s neck softly, trying to soothe him. He felt a bolt of lightning strike through his body from that spot.

“I don’t hate you, Arkin,” you muttered. “I can’t hate you.”

“You don’t know what I’ve done, Y/N. You… You don’t know me. At all.” You set your hands on Arkin’s cheeks, turning his head to look at you, his eyes searching everywhere and anywhere to find something to look at besides your eyes boring into his face.

“Then tell me, Arkin. I won’t hate you. I promise.” Arkin took a deep breath, and began telling the story of his past.

*****
Sorry I haven't updated in so long. I'll do better now. Don't forget to vote and comment! Happy holidays!