—
7:12 A.M.
The heater clicked off.
Richard woke up first.
He didn't move.
Because something felt… wrong.
Warm.
Very warm.
He became aware of pressure.
Weight.
Breathing.
Then—
Awareness hit all at once.
Siara was fully wrapped around him.
One leg over his. Her arm across his chest. Her face buried under his chin. His arm very clearly around her waist.
Not "oops we touched shoulders."
Not "accidental brush."
This was full-on tangled.
He stared at the ceiling.
Completely still.
If I don't move, this didn't happen.
Her fingers twitched against his shirt.
She stirred.
He froze harder.
Her eyes slowly opened.
Sleepy. Unfocused.
Then she blinked.
Then she realized.
Her brain caught up.
She went completely still.
Two seconds.
Three.
Then she looked down.
Saw her leg.
Saw his arm.
Her face went red instantly.
Not subtle red.
Full neck-to-ears red.
"…Richard."
His voice was too calm.
"Yes."
"Why are we—"
"I did not initiate this."
"I didn't either!"
They both went quiet.
Because technically—
Neither had.
She tried to move.
But her leg was slightly trapped between his.
Which made it worse.
She attempted to lift it.
It got more tangled.
She froze again.
"Don't move," she whispered urgently.
"I am not."
"This is your fault."
"How."
"You're large."
"That is not a crime."
She finally managed to untangle her leg.
Sat up too fast.
Nearly fell off the bed.
He shot upright at the same time.
Now they were sitting stiffly side by side.
A solid three feet of space between them.
Both staring straight ahead.
Both red.
Neither breathing normally.
"That was an accident," she said quickly.
"Yes."
"Obviously."
"Yes."
"We would not voluntarily—"
"No."
"Right."
"Correct."
Silence.
Thick. Humiliating. Teenage.
She risked a glance at him.
He was staring at the wall like it had personally offended him.
"You were holding me," she muttered.
"You were on top of me."
"I was not on top of you."
"You were partially elevated."
She made a strangled noise.
Before she could respond—
The door burst open.
No knock.
No warning.
Zane's voice came in loud—
"DID YOU HOLD HANDS—"
He stopped.
Mid-step.
Because what he saw was:
Richard. Siara. On the same bed. Hair messy. Blanket tangled. Both visibly flustered.
Silence.
Zane's mouth slowly opened.
"…Oh."
Siara's face went nuclear red.
"We were NOT—"
"It was sleeping," Richard said flatly.
"Sleeping!" she echoed desperately.
Zane blinked once.
Then twice.
Then very slowly—
A grin spread across his face.
"Oh my god."
"No," Richard said immediately.
"Oh my GOD."
"It was accidental."
"ACCIDENTAL CUDDLING???"
"We were cold," Siara snapped.
"The heater works," Zane replied.
Silence.
Zane stepped further into the room.
Arms crossed.
"Okay. I just have one question."
"No," Richard said.
"Did you hold hands?"
"GET OUT," Siara yelled.
Zane gasped dramatically.
"You DID."
"We DID NOT."
Richard stood up immediately.
"You are exaggerating."
"I WALK IN AND YOU'RE IN A ROM-COM POSITION."
"It was not romantic," Richard replied stiffly.
"You were red."
"That is irrelevant."
"You were holding her."
"I was preventing her from falling."
"From where??"
"The edge."
"I WAS NOT ON THE EDGE," Siara yelled.
Zane clutched his chest.
"This is the best morning of my life."
Richard walked toward the door.
"Leave."
Zane backed up slowly, hands raised.
"I just came to ask if you two held hands but this— this is historic."
"It was sleeping," Siara repeated weakly.
"Sure."
"Zane."
"Fine, fine."
He stepped into the hallway.
Then leaned back in one more time.
"By the way, you were smiling."
Both of them froze.
Zane pointed at Richard.
"You. Smiling."
"I do not smile."
"You did."
"I did not."
"You did."
Silence.
Zane slowly grinned again.
"This is going to be a great day."
Richard shut the door in his face.
Hard.
Silence filled the room again.
Siara covered her face with her hands.
"I'm never leaving this room."
"Yes you are."
"He's going to tell everyone."
"Yes."
She groaned into her palms.
Richard ran a hand through his hair.
Still slightly red.
"We were not smiling."
She peeked at him.
"You were."
He paused.
"…That is unverified."
She stared at him.
Then, despite everything—
She started laughing.
Soft at first.
Then harder.
He tried not to.
Failed.
Just slightly.
The awkwardness didn't disappear.
But it shifted.
From panic…
To something warmer.
Outside in the hallway—
Zane could be heard yelling:
"THEY HELD HANDS."
And somewhere further down—
A dinosaur-shaped figure stopped walking.
Two steady heartbeats.
Elevated.
But stable.
Zero nodded once inside the inflatable head.
Progress.
—