When The Rain Stops (BXB)

Chapter 27

It's only when I actually smell my breath that I realize something must've crawled in my mouth and died while I was sleeping. Because that's the only fucking explanation for why my breath smells like raw sewage got it on with steaming hot garbage.

"Don't breathe on me," Rory says, pushing my head away with one finger. "God, how the fuck does someone who brushes for, like, 10 years smell like hot death in 7 hours?" But he still grins and puts his phone to the side. "Hi. You sleep okay?" he asks, sliding back under the covers.

I sit up. "How long've you been awake?" I ask, yawning.

Rory puts his hand over my mouth. "Ohmigod dude."

I put my hand over his fucking face. "How long've you been awake?" I ask again.

He shrugs. "Couple hours?"

"Why're you still here?" He's about to ask why I'm asking him to leave, but then I add, "Wouldn't you've gone on your run by now?" I lean forward. "Why're you waiting for me?"

Rory can't look at me. He traces the bumpy threading on the edge of the pillow cases. "I...wanted to make it up to you," he whispers. And then turned red. "You...you're not a one-night stand, Jack."

And if that isn't the mushiest fucking thing on the face of the planet said by him accidentally, I don't know what to think anymore. I still go, "Aw."

He smirks and slides back under the sheets. "Sleep okay?"

"Could ask you the same thing." I lean back on the pillows. The headboard creaks.

Rory sighs, smirking. "I slept good." He slides up against the headboard and kind of leans into me and it. "Slept better knowing you were still there. You kicked me a few times last night, too." And I must've kicked him toes-first because he got some good toenail bruising on his legs to prove it.

I look around the room for a moment. "You didn't push me out, so that's a good sign."

He rolls his eyes. "It was...like...a reminder. You said you'd stay, and you did."

"...would you've done the same for me?"

Rory sits up and looks hard at me. "I...would." But he doesn't seem convinced by the answer.

I scoot back and lean against the headboard, sighing. "...I don't wanna go back."

"Home?"

"Literally anywhere outside here." I'm warm, not super hungry yet, I don't need to pee, and the bed's pretty comfortable.

Smirking, he scoots closer to me and, just, tilts his head against mine. "I'm down. Lets stay."

I snort. "I don't got enough saved up for anything. Even the noodles're too fancy for me."

Rory rubs my arm, but then tries to hold my hand.

It's...too weird for me right now.

He rubs my arm. "Okay. Then you work at the movies – "

"Oh, yeah. Because that pays enough for the Cottage."

" – and I can work for Cheese Louise."

"Why do you get to do that?"

Rory puts his hands up. "My fantasy. I get Cheese Louise."

I run my hand through my hair. It's greasy, and it makes my stomach turn a little. But after wiping it on the top sheet, I whisper, "I really don't wanna go back."

"I said," Rory says, sliding out of bed, "we can, just, stay here."

I shake my head. "Y...you're not serious, right?"