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Part Seventeen

   "...awake?"
   "He will be if you don't shut up."

   Sam registered the voices as his humans, but didn't feel the need to open his eyes immediately. He had just woken up from a comfortable slumber and Unlike before, he couldn't sense any threat within, and the feeling of a familiar warmth surrounding his body urged Sam to cuddle up even closer and return to unconsciousness.

   "That's the cutest thing I've ever seen in my life."
   "Eli, shut up."
  
   Apparently, there was no need for an attempt to go back to sleep with Elijah in the room. Though the voices were soft and rang out with a pleasant aura in the air, the volume traveling through Sam's ears made it impossible to fall back asleep, especially considering the fact that he could feel the vibration of all the voices combined. Not to mention how Sam hadn't heard Leo's yet, and he craved to know where his best friend had gone as the sun rose into midday.

   "Look who decided to get up!" Elijah rambled the moment Sam's eyes pried open and he began to focus on the scenery before him.

   It was true that he was surrounded by warmth, but rather than Leo's hand or shirt, Sam was covered and tucked in tight by a soft cloth that somewhat resembled a cut off piece of blanket. He was atop the same living room table that the group played cards on only a day before, and a bright light beamed through the large windows in such a way that the dust particles in the air danced around like they were putting on a show.
   The smell of cologne and pasta rang out through the air, swirling into Sam's nostrils until he began to purr from the delicious scent, and he finally took notice to the two shifting figures on his left.
   Elijah and Skip watched him from above, sitting on their knees before the table and keeping a curious eye on how he would react to waking up in a position he was unused to. Lucky for them, Sam's moment with Skip only hours before allowed him a better chance to adjust, and it seemed Skip was just as aware judging by the slight grin in his eyes.

   When Sam came to his senses and was reminded of everything last night entailed, he met eyes with Skip, silently pleading to keep it between them.
   'Nothing will happen today," he thought. 'Give me more time.'
   Thankfully for Sam, Skip seemed to know exactly what he was thinking, and gave off a small nod of his head.

   "Good morning!" Elijah interrupted. "Even though it's actually afternoon."

   "Sorry," Sam attempted to uncover himself from the blanket, but it proved fruitless when the most he could do was squirm around in the tight fabric.

   "It's okay- do you need help?"

   "Please," Sam said, and for once did not have any quarrels with the oncoming hand that stretched out to help him.
   Elijah's fingers brushed his skin only once or twice, but otherwise kept to themselves while they uncovered the tight swaddle. Sam, who felt like a child, decided to speak up once he was free.

   "Why did you wrap me up like that?"
 
   "Ask Skip, he's the one that did it!"

   "Snitch," Skip muttered under his breath, and refused to make eye contact with Sam. "You fell asleep on me last night and I wanted to make sure you were warm after I got up."

   "So you...tucked me in? Like a baby?"

   "Elijah thought it would be cuter like that."

   "Dude," Sam glared at the both of them, taking his time with each human and letting them know of his disapproval. Though, no matter how hard his cold stare pierced through, it was clear that Elijah didn't regret anything.

   "Is he awake?" Another voice rang through, and Leo appeared in the archway from the kitchen with three forks and a piece of tin foil in both hands. Once Sam and Leo made eye contact with one another, Leo's calm smile fell back into routine, and he took quiet footsteps towards the table. "Hi, Sam."