Left Behind

IX

"I would always do it again, Mary," she whispered, continuing to stroke her head. The borrower, perhaps confused by the painkiller, found herself asking the question that had been in her head for the past few days.

"Will you leave for Christmas?" she asked hesitantly, and Chloe's eyes widened, looking down at the small body on her chest, but the borrower wasn't looking at her.

"I told you, I'll stay here," she said and Mary bit her lip. "Aren't you going to your family?" she asked hoping for a negative answer.

"Even if I had the chance, I'd stay here with you," she said, and that revelation made the borrower hold her breath. "So will you stay with me?" she asked for yet another confirmation.

"Promise, I'll stay with you, and I'll let you taste hot chocolate with marshmallows, do you like the idea?" the human asked with a smile. Mary raised her head for a moment and looked at the human, looking for some sign that would make her understand that she was lying, or that she was mocking her. But she was sincere.

"I would love that," the blonde replied as she lay down and instinctively hugged the girl's finger, squeezing it lightly. Chloe smiled softly at the scene and had to refrain from acting too exaggeratedly. Mary was lovely.

"Goodnight Mary" Chloe whispered, still holding the borrower close and slowly caressing her head. Mary listened to the regular sound of the heartbeat, continuing to squeeze her finger, and inevitably closed her eyes.

"Night, Chloe" again a few shivers went through the human's spine as the borrower uttered her name in that adorable way. She smiled and waited for her to fall asleep so that she could do so as well.

She lowered the headboard of the chair and covered both of them with a blanket, before falling asleep.

Chloe was the first one to wake up, Mary was still lying on her chest. She yawned and decided not to move because she didn't want to wake the borrower.

She found herself watching her sleep, Mary kept hugging her finger and was in the same position as the night before. Chloe smiled softly and stroked her hair again.

It was a good feeling, she couldn't explain why. Being able to be so close to the borrower and protect her made her feel

When she felt the tightening around her finger, she looked curiously at the borrower. Mary woke up feeling a horrible discomfort in her leg, and squeezed tightly what she was hugging, holding back a cry of pain.

She was still half asleep, but a twinge made her open her eyes wide and let out a little strangled moan. Chloe immediately became concerned and tried to get the borrower's attention by brushing her head.

Mary jumped and looked at the human form below with eyes full of pain. Chloe bit her bottom lip. "Hey. Do you want to eat something? So you can take the painkiller again?" she asked softly and Mary just nodded in response, lowering her head silently so as not to be seen too vulnerable by the human.

Chloe hesitated. "Can I take you to the kitchen?" she asked hesitantly. The borrower stood still thinking about it. She couldn't walk, she knew that, and besides, she didn't have a crutch.

Mary squeezed the finger of the human, and nodded several times, hiding her face. Chloe sat up and waited before getting up. "I won't drop you, it's okay," she whispered and Mary felt strangely reassured by those words.

She nodded again, for no real reason, and the human carried her to the kitchen. Here they shared a muffin, Chloe had made her taste them the day before and the borrower had fallen in love with them.

Mary was a little embarrassed to eat and drink from that position, and constantly avoided the human's gaze. Chloe hesitated to look at her and bit her lip.