Color Blind

Chapter Thirty-Eight

AN: Queens of the Stone Age, 'No One Knows'. With a riff like that, how could I resist?

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Nancy didn't realize where she was at first. It was not her bed, she knew that, but the room looked very familiar.

She rolled over to try to wake up a little more and ended up against something warm. What was that? What the hell was that? She scrabbled back and shoved the comforter onto the floor.

The something turned out to be Cole, who was still asleep. He was lying face down under the blankets with his arms wrapped around his pillow. It would have been cute if she wasn't panicking.

What happened last night?

It didn't feel like she had a hangover, and her clothes were still on, so apparently nothing. What was she doing out here...right. Sick. Light bulb out. Everything was fine.

She pulled her comforter back up and nestled against the arm of the couch. She didn't have to work today, thank goodness, but she did have work and class tomorrow. Joy.

"Fucking unicorns."

If her throat hadn't hurt so badly, Nancy might have burst out laughing. As it was, a little squeak escaped and sent waves of pain up and down her throat. If she was going to be treated to such gems every time she woke up in the morning, she would have to start sleeping out here more often.

He didn't say anything else, unfortunately, and she made herself comfortable to try and go back to sleep. She was awake all the way by now, though. Bummer.

After about ten minutes, Cole finally rolled over. He didn't look like he was awake all the way. Lucky. She would have loved to go back to sleep.

"N-Nance?" He blinked a few times. "What...you okay?"

"I feel awful."

"Right."

Was he going back to sleep? She was going to be incredibly jealous if he went back to sleep.

Wait. She had nothing at all to do today. She could just lay here and maybe fall back to sleep on her own.

Cole suddenly sat up and shook his hair out. He needed a haircut soon.

"Nance?"

"Still sick."

"Right. Sorry."

"Unicorns?"

His face paled.

"I had the worst dream about unicorns last night." Oh, this was going to be good. "They took over the world."

Well. Who'd have thought that Cole was afraid of unicorns? She resisted the urge to snicker.

"That's terrible."

The universe didn't like her wanting to laugh, apparently, because she started coughing. Cole looked at her with worried eyes.

"Are you okay?"

"It's just a cold. I probably got it from you."

"Sorry."

She wanted a shower now. Maybe that would make her feel better. If nothing else, it might clear her nose.

"I'm gonna take a shower." she said. "Thanks for letting me stay out here."

"It's your couch."

Well, yeah, but still. He hated closeness almost as much as she did. Not that she could blame him.

"Still." she said. "Thanks."

He dropped back with his eyes closed. He looked like he was going back to sleep. She might join him once she was done with her shower.