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Chapter 32: Match your Pace

I see it coming and move my head just in time before the pillow hits the wall behind me.

"Listen," he murmurs tiredly, covering his head with his blankets, hiding away from me, "your joke...it sucks."

"C'mon!" I clap my hands repeatedly, encouraging him.

He grunts, unable to block out the noise. "You're so annoying. I hate you."

"It's time to live your best life!" I yell.

"I am," he croaks, refusing to move an inch. "It's called sleeping."

I stride over to the bed and tug on his arm. "Please, Lai," I whine. "Indulge me."

With lightning-fast reflexes, he grabs my arm and yanks me forward. Next thing I know, I'm flat on my back on the bed and he's hovering over me with mischievous, playful eyes. "How about I indulge you in other ways?" he suggests in a sultry tone.

"I think I'll veto that one," I reply and shove him off of me so hard that he goes rolling onto the floor. I stand up and dust myself off before looking down at him. "Now that you're out of bed and everything, you might as well come running with us."

I flounce to Grey's room next, hearing Laiken shout into a pillow before he reluctantly trudges after me.

I bang open the demon's door, invading his privacy. "Grey! Grey! Grey! Ferrot! Ferrot! Ferrot!" I sing on the top of my lungs. "Get up, we're—"

I falter in my words when he gets out of bed and immediately starts toward me.

This was too easy. Someone got the memo for this morning.

"You might want to put a shirt on first," I advise. "It's cold out."

It's only when he's right in front of me with mussed hair that I see the inferno of white-hot rage bubbling forth through his ash-colored eyes. Before I can turn and run for my life, I feel myself being lifted up roughly and in a tight grip.

I place my hands on his bare shoulders to steady myself and glance down at him helplessly. He glances up at with me a look that sears right through me. The fact that he's not saying anything tells me that he's seething.

And then he's walking with sure feet.

"Ferry me to glory!" I cheer, elated to be taller for a few seconds even if I am about to be murdered in cold blood.

He walks me straight out of his room and drops me to the ground before shutting the door in my face and locking the door from inside, essentially one-upping me in my own game.

Laiken breaks out into a howl of laughter. "Why didn't I do that?"

"Because you're stupid," I answer for him, earning myself a glare.

"Are we ever going to go?" Jay asks, meandering over to us. He realizes where we're standing, quickly putting two and two together. He glances my way. "Please tell me you didn't, Aqueela."

"I did!" I chirp happily.

"This is the one and only morning where he actually gets to sleep in."

"Well," I hum, unfazed by the revelation, "that explains his mood."

"Let's just go," Jay wisely suggests, attempting to tug me away.

I raise my eyebrows threateningly at him.

He backs down instantaneously, releasing my hand. "Or not. We can not go too...if that suits you better."

Laiken shakes his head at my husband-thing. "It's ridiculous how whipped you are."