UNIVERSITY: A College AU

Part 2, Ch 6: Recoil

Its not an exaggeration to say that you cannot sleep right now. Your heart is pounding, and the butterflies in your stomach have spread to your brain. You stare into the dark. Bruno's breathing is deep and regular, and you can see the silhouette of his chest rise and fall.

You reach over for your phone and earbuds, sighing. Flipping through your playlists, you find your rain sounds. You put your earbuds in, and press play. The sound starts, and you try to relax again.

You stay like this for half an hour,  listening to your music. All its done has put background audio to your butterflies. It's been an insane day and a half. The texts, now him being back, and now he's sleeping next to you again.

After half an hour of this, you sit up, and very slowly lift the covers in order to sneak out. You find yourself on the green chair, sinking in as Peaches makes a beeline for your lap.  She curls up like a soft rat donut, happily. You look over to the bed. Your eyes are somewhat adjusted, so you can make his figure out.

Bruno looks so peaceful. He sleeping on his back as per usual, one shoulder dropped down. His arms are folded across his stomach. This bitch sleeps like a corpse, you muse affectionately, as you scratch behind Peaches' ears. His head turns to where you were, and you see a faint glow as his eyes open a bit. You've learned that his eyes just glow in their own, brightest when he wakes up from vivid dreams. The light is pretty bright, but fading now as he squints towards your side of the bed. He waits until his eyes soften to a dim, and slowly turns into his side and reaches a hand out, which flops on the bed. He grunts and pulls himself up, looking around.

You look down before he sees you and resume petting Peaches. You hear him grumble and shuffle out of bed.

"Why were you gone?" He sounds tired,  his words slurred a bit. The only light is coming from his eyes. Peaches is bathed in a soft green as he comes closer to see what you're doing.

"I'm not sure, " you lie. "I think I was overheating a bit." Which is technically true.

"Hm. It is very warm tonight. The Karen downstairs probably fucked with it." He flicks on a lamp and heads to the sink. You watch as he roots through the cabinets. His shirt slinks up just a tiny bit as he reaches into the tall cupboards. You try not to look.

"Plastic or glass," he asks, all but sticking his face into the shelf.

"....plastic?"

"Cool." He pulls put one glass and one plastic cup. You can't quite make out what the plastic one has printed on it. But boy is it colorful.

The water runs as he fills the cups and brings them over. He sips from his glass and holds out yours. You take it.
Its bright blue, printed with some sort of cute dinosaur character. You turn it around. A cute T-Rex holds up a sign for  Arch's Dino Restaurant, FL, USA. You chuckle.

"I visited there last year. They've got little statues everywhere." He's now sitting on his chair, knees to his chest. He looks like a scruffy black lab puppy who you just woke up. He's looking at you, one eye scrunched closed, through the glass. "You're wavy." You can't help but smile.

"You can go to bed, you know."

"No. I'll go when you do." He puts the glass down and gives you sleepy thumbs up. Your heart squeezes. This is too cute.

Oh my god,  you're hopeless. You don't know if that thought is directed towards yourself or him. Probably both. You watch as he picks up a rat, booping noses. He looks so small. You look at Peaches, happily asleep in your lap.

"How could you tell that I slept on that side of the bed?"

"Oh my pillow just smelled like you." He continues to boop noses with the rat, who seems mildly annoyed now. He scratches its ears. He seems to be an a chatty mood. And is at least somewhat unfiltered in this state.

"What do I smell like?"

He puts the rat down, putting his chin in his hand. He closes his eyes.

"I don't know. Good? I'm bad at describing." He keeps his eyes closed. This man is exhausted. Why is he staying awake.

"Why are you still up?"

"I told you I'm waiting!"

"Why, though?"

He opens his eyes and flashes a sleepy grin. "Just cause."

You sigh dramatically and get up, finishing off your water. "Bed time, then." He hops up without a second thought and goes right back into his spot. You crawl in on your side, seriously doubting your own ability to sleep. It's one of those nights- you can feel it. You can feel your heart crying out for wanting more as you lay, facing away from him. Would it really be so scary to tell him how you feel? Your stomach twists at the thought. Yes it would be. Not happening. Your relationship as... friends..  feels different though. There's a hint of something floating, strung up where you cant quite see it. You're too afraid to look at at, knowing full well what it could be.

You feel a warm touch on your arm and shivers run down your spine. You realize it's Bruno's hand.

"Is this ok?" His voice is slurred and sleepy.

"Mhm." You try to play it off casually. Every part of your brain is lighting up inside your head. He scoots closer, and wraps his arm over yours. His hand rests on yours. You are paralyzed.

"This?" He rests his cheek against the back of your head.

"Yeah." It takes every ounce of self control not to squeak. He's not touching you except for his arm and his cheek. But the intimacy and closeness is still there. The weight of his arm is comforting. Comforting enough to balance out the fireworks everywhere else.

You'll tell him tomorrow, you decide. You can't keep this in.