“You pissed me off, you know,” Her hand stopped moving, just pressed flat against my skin. “Running like that. Leaving me in that car. I should have told them where to find you. Let them cage you up again. But I didn’t, did I. What is it about you?”
Her surprisingly practised hands redressed my stitches as she continued to mutter to herself. I watched for a moment before her eyes drifted towards mine, a smirk appearing on my face.
“You’re awake?” Pulling her hands back, her voice trembling with slight shock.
“Depends, on if you’re going to keep touching me like that,” my smirk widening to a smile. She rolled her eyes as she shifted herself, picking up her jacket from the floor. Her hand dug into her pocket, pulling out a strip of pain meds.
“Take two every four hours,” she said, giving me an assertive tone, dangling them in her hand before placing them next to me on the bed.
She lingered for a moment, eyes scanning my chest, before rising to her feet.
“I should go,” she said, with practised detachment. “I’ve got shit to do.”
The rain was still coming down hard outside. I could hear it battering the windows like fists on glass.
“Oh yeah? Got a meeting with the cops again? Planning to steal another vehicle?” Mocking her tentatively. She gave me a dry look, but I saw the twitch of her mouth threatening a smile.
“You’re really gonna go out in that?” I nodded toward the window, pulling myself up slightly before leaning back into the pillow, like I wasn’t half-struggling to keep my body from throbbing.
“Umm … yeah? I don’t really have a choice if I need to get home, moron.”
“You could always stay here.” I said, voice light. “Tell you what, I’ll even let you snuggle in.” Biting down on my bottom lip, holding back laughter. It wasn’t until the words left me that I really understood what I was asking her. It wasn’t out of loneliness; I was getting used to being here alone, just me and the ghost of Chester.
No, this was something else.
She snorted, “You fucking wish.”
I tilted my head towards her, “C’mon, Misfit. I’m injured,” giving her a playfully wounded look. “Would be cruel to leave me alone in my time of need.”
Her eyebrows raised to me, “Would it really?” She said, crossing her arms with one hip cocked. “Debatable.” She hesitated, gaze flicking toward the window once more. I let out a sigh, leaning back as I watched her inner turmoil unfold. She was just as conflicted at my offer as I was.
“Fine. Enjoy your walk in that then.” My eyes remained on her. The rain didn’t let up. It was late. The streets would be near empty. But even Misfit wasn’t dumb enough to believe nights like this didn’t hide worse things in the dark.
She sighed, rolling her eyes dramatically, “Fine. But if you snore, I’m out.”
I scoffed, “I don’t snore!”
“You talk in your sleep.”
“I only talk to beautiful criminals. You’re in luck.” She flipped me off half-heartedly and kicked her boots off with a grunt.
“Got anything I can wear?” Her eyes scanning the floor.
“What? Why?” Confusion spread across my face as she started picking up items off the floor, inspecting them.
“Um … I’m wet.” Gesturing down herself as her soaked clothes stuck to her body. I couldn’t resist myself; she had set me up perfectly, my smirk widening to a smile.
“Already? Didn’t even have to pull out my best moves yet, that’s impressive, even if I do say so myself.” Her expression flattened, completely unimpressed by my mockery.
“Fuck me, it’s gonna be a long night,” she continued to herself, but loud enough for me to hear.
“Usually, yeah. But not tonight, you’ve caught me when I’m feeling out of sorts.” Gesturing down to my battered body.She remains expressionless as I jabbed once more, “I’m sorry to disappoint.” I release a playful sigh, followed by laughter. Moving more than I intended, I feel a sharp pain in my ribs, which cut me off.
“Ha! That’s what you get for thinking you’re funny.”
“Oh, c’mon, it was funny.”
“So do you have anything for me to wear or not?” she pressed. My eyes dropped to the floor, looking through my messy surroundings. There were plenty of options, but I was enjoying myself too much to stop this back-and-forth motion we had going on.
