“About what?” He sounds tense. I glance over my shoulder and take in his grim expression. Chills wash down my neck. He grips the book he has in his other hand tightly.
“I don’t remember,” I lie. A warm trickle of liquid slips over my lips. Mori’s eyes trace the movement before I can react.
His eyes fill with torment as he walks past me, hooking an arm around my waist as he does, and guides me back to the bathroom with him.
Blood stains the back of my hand after I wipe my nose a few times.Damn it.The side effects are hitting already? I thought I’d get a few days or weeks before symptoms reared up. My stomach twists at the thought that my body could take a swift deep dive into ruin, or even death.
I remain quiet as Mori has me sit down on the bathroom bench while he grabs a towel. I glance down at the book he set down, grinning, because of course he would have it with him.
“Tip your head back,” he orders, wiping my chin and lips off before holding it over my nose.
I let out a long breath and do as he says.
“Do the symptoms usually show up this quickly?” I ask, voice nasally from him plugging my nostrils.
A smug grin forms on his face. “What, now you want my input? I told you not to go through with this,” he scolds. I narrow my eyes at him and he chuckles, his expression softening. “Yeah, it’s normal. It’s a good sign too, because if your nose didn’t bleed you would’ve dropped dead like many of the others did and you would’ve been in a lot of pain.”
My eyes widen. Nolan left that part out.
“So, I’m okay?”
“Define ‘okay’ because you look like you’ve been through the wringer.” His voice is gentle as he looks at me with a million thoughts racing behind his gaze.
“I told you, I had a bad dream.” No, I will absolutely not give him details about the ominous man with blood on his face, or Mori himself being knuckles deep inside me.
He only grunts as his response and then we share an uncomfortable few minutes in silence before he pulls the towel back to see if the bleeding has stopped. When he seems satisfied, he steps back and waits for me to confirm.
I let my head tilt back to its normal position and take a few deep breaths. No more blood comes out.
“Crisis averted,” I joke, standing and about to head back to our dorm. “I didn’t need your help for a bloody nose, by the way,” I add.
He considers me briefly before shrugging. “All right, suit yourself then. Don’t come crying to me when you start vomiting updark blood.” Mori grabs his book off the bench and strolls out of the bathroom without another word. Instead of turning to the right where our barracks are, he hooks a left toward the gym.
My jaw tenses.Vomiting?
Maybe I’m being too stiff around him. I shouldn’t let my lucid dream make things uncomfortable between us… I mean, he has been making a real effort today.
“Fuck,” I mutter under my breath and rub my eyes with annoyance. I’d better try to make amends since it looks like neither of us are going back to bed any time soon.
With my dignity put aside, I head to the gym. I find Mori lounging on one of the fitness bikes, reading as if he doesn’t have a care in the world. His legs pump the pedals at a moderate, even pace.
I stand at the door, uncertain of how to approach him after being rude.
Without looking back at me, he calls out, “Come on. Take a seat.”
My body stiffens. I didn’t think he heard me come in. I swallow my pride and walk over to the fitness bike beside him, sitting down and placing my feet on the pedals. I’m not in the mood to work out so I just use them as a footrest.
Mori continues cycling and reading his book. His sage eyes move quickly over the pages, taking in the words as if he’s read them a hundred times already. He senses my gaze and glances at me, expressionless.
“Look… I’m sorry I got short with you. I really would like for us to get along if it’s possible.” I manage to get the words out without choking on them. The embarrassment burns in my cheeks, though.
“You want to get along withme?” he scoffs. “Rather unlikely, don’t you think?” He doesn’t let his eyes move from his book.
Okay, back to being a cold asshole I see.I curl my fingernails into my pants. Deep breath.
“It doesn’t seem unlikely, given that we used to be close,” I say matter-of-factly to see if he’ll call my bluff. All of the hints are there, though. Him braiding my hair, the way his body was so detailed in my dream… I’m certain that we were once more than what we are now.
Mori lifts his eyes from the pages and stares emptily at me. “What’s my name then? If we’re so close, you should know it.” His tone is taunting.
