Me & Red

Chapter 15

Beaten, cold, and limp, Rift laid curled on the ground in the rain, having lost the will to move. He had rejected the proposal of Daryn immediately, and in turn had earned him a swift beating, leaving him broken and battered, left to die.
Maybe the reason they didn't kill him then and there was because they really wanted to find Eve. And he was the only one who could take them there. That thought made Rift feel sick to his stomach. His body shuddered, fever likely already setting in under the intense pouring of the rain. He didn't see himself bouncing back from this one. But squinting, he raised his head, looking out in the distance. Was that... A light...?
Making a final attempt to stay alive, Rift used the last of his strength to drag himself towards the light, wincing at the aching in his muscles and bones, but trying to pull himself forward, nevertheless. His vision was starting to blur from the intensity of the fever rocking his body, and he tried as best as he could to move forward until finally; his muscles couldn't take him any farther. His breathing was labored and shaky, and he could barely hold his eyes open. It looked like this was it...
This was the end for him. That's what he was thinking... Until he felt a hand on his shoulder. A small, warm hand.
Above all the aching and trembling, he could feel the hand there. Whose hand was it...? Who was there with him?
There could only be one answer...
Without even looking to see who it was, unable to even if he wanted to, Rift managed to squeak, "...e...ve...."
And then he lost consciousness.

•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•

When Rift opened his eyes again, he no longer felt the cold rain pelting his skin. Instead, he was bathed in a warm, still atmosphere, and the space was lightened and glowing. Blinking and trying to grasp the situation, Rift looked around, and his eyes met a pair of familiar green ones.
"Rift...?" Red called to him gently. "Are you okay...??"
He could hear the worry coating her voice and it made him smile to himself. "....worried....?"
His joke earned him a light smack in the arm.
"Of course I am, dummy! Seriously, what the heck happened to you...? You're beaten and bruised and you were laying out in the middle of the rainstorm!"
Rift turned his head to look out the window and saw that it was still, in fact, pouring outside. And from the looks of Red's still-damp blonde hair, he assumed that he hadn't been unconscious for very long. He tried to sit up straight, but it made him wince from his bad condition and Red gave an alarmed look, but even so, he pushed to sit up, leaning against the wall for support. Upon looking around, he guessed he was in her bedroom. Not in her bed, however. Just on the floor.
"I... did have you by the fire, but... but then I tried to put you on the bed, and.... you were heavy so I was afraid I was hurting you, and... So I left you there... But... You can get on the bed if you want." She tucked a wet strand of hair behind her ear and looked down sheepishly.
Rift gave a soft chuckle. "An interesting way of inviting a man in your bed."
Red's head shot up to glare, red-faced at him, and raised her hand, smacking him on the arm. "Hey, I'm serious...!" She snapped, though he only laughed, but then coughed. At his coiling up in reaction, Red's brows drew together. "Gosh, how long were you out there...?? You're already sick...!"

"No, I'mー"

Rift was given no chance to protest before Red scooted closely into his bubble, making him stiffen, and pressed her hand to his forehead. A temperature...
Rift swallowed. He was getting really curious about the way he felt when she touched him or got too closeー he'd be sure to investigate when he wasn't too sick to do so.
Red looked at him worriedly. "Geez, you need to dry off. Wait one second..."
Before he could answer, the girl stood and turned on her heel, trotting out into a different part of the house. Rift ran a hand through his drenched hair, looking down. "......"
His heart was pounding....
Was it just because he was sick...?
After a moment, Rift raised his head, hearing Red's feet on the wooden floor, and a second later, she came back into the room, a towel in hand. "Okay. Come here."

"What are you...?"

"Come on! I need to dry your hair. Don't worry, I'll mind your ears."

He stuck his tongue out at her, but scooted towards her on the floor, and let her sit behind him to dry his hair off with the towel. She had barely even started before he felt something. It was that funny feeling just like the one he'd felt a few times before. It tickled his chest and made his heart flutter.
But it wasn't just like the times before. This time it intensified. It grew and tightened in his chest, never giving him a moment to catch his breath.
What was this...?
It felt...so...nice...
What did he like about it?
He had no idea. All he could think about was that he didn't want her to stop. He just wished that rather than with the towel... She'd lace her fingers through his hair. Odd, he thought. He'd never thought something like that before...
What he hadn't realized was that, entranced by the feelings igniting in him, he wasn't paying much attention to his current actions in response. Rift was completely relaxed, his eyes closed, and he'd even started feeling a rumbling in his chest. Once he realized it, of course, he silenced it, because how awkward would it be if she'd heard?
Rift didn't have much time to enjoy or speculate on it any further before Red pulled the towel away, and then gently laid her hand in his hair.
He knewー he knew she was just checking to see if it was dry. He knew that, and yet...
She dragged her fingers lightly all through his hair, and he fought the urge to purr.
Purr, huh? Something was definitely suspicious here.
His body almost jolted when she took her hand back.
Noooo.... Put it back....
Rift had actually grabbed onto Red's wrist. She blinked, clearly surprised at his reaction, which really, so was he. "...what...?"
He didn't know how to respond. What was he supposed to tell her?
"Oh no, please don't stop, keep petting me and let me curl in your lap and purr"??
He was embarrassed with himself. Deciding to let it go, he turned her arm loose. He wouldn't be answering her question.
Naturally, Red gave him an odd look, but she didn't say anything else.
Great, Rift thought. Way to be inconspicuous.