Supine 'til Aurora • Dan Howell

• Chapter 23 •

This was all I had been longing for without realising. To be this close to him, tangled together; finally, and it seemed to fill an emptiness. It was terrifying and fulfilling all at the same time. As he leaned over me, our faces inches apart, I realised, truly, how much I loved him; and that I really felt as if I was falling in love with him, and somehow, that felt right.

The only thing that mattered, was that we were finally entwined; at last, inseparably. Dan began to plaster kisses down my neck, before he stopped for a split second.

"Are you sure?" He looked down at me, asking one last time, his eyes gentle and wide.

"Yeah." I smiled, "I'm sure."

○○○

Opening my eyes, the next morning, I glanced across the pillow infront of me, and then to the room beyond that. Warm light dripped in through cracks in the blinds, though the rest of the room remained in darkness, lines of light pasted onto the floor.

For a moment, I frowned, sure of the fact that this wasn't my apartment, nor did I have grey and black checkered pillows and a matching duvet.

Recollection soon washed over me as I woke up a little more, becoming suddenly aware of the firm arm wrapped protectively around my waist from behind.

I grinned, Dan shifting slightly, clearly waking up, though his arm stayed secure around me.

The events that had occurred still hadn't fully registered in my mind, and it all seemed surreal; to be in this room, with him, laying under bedcovers that were probably more famous than I'd ever be.

Even though I'd never physically been in this room, it seemed so familiar and comfortable; of course, I hadn't had the chance to properly study the layout of the room last night, but now that I was, I realised how strange it felt to actually be within its four walls, rather than seeing it as a 2D image.

Dan shifted again, allowing me to roll over to face him.

He grinned as I did so, a sleepy smile spreading across his face.

"Hey." He breathed, his eyes scanning across my face, his hair a tangled mess of curls.

"Hi."

"What time is it?-" He asked, quietly, as he adjusted his position, propping himself up on his elbow and glancing behind me at the bedside table where the digital alarm clock stood. "-10:44." He laid back down, "much earlier than I'd usually be awake."

I grinned, looking at his messy curls, I'd never seen it at this volume, but it looked great.

I yawned, glancing at the alarm clock. 10:44.

"10:44-" I paused, the time shown on the clock twisting my stomach, though my mind stayed blank for a few moments more, "wait." I sat bolt upright, holding the duvet to my chest.

"What's wrong?" Dan frowned, sitting up alongside me, his hair sticking up at the back.

I paused, double checking times and dates in my head.

Yes. Today.

"My furniture was supposed to arrive at 7 today."