https://back-groundnoise.tumblr.com/post/157474645555/1

[Jesse Perry]

I've been writing with prompts lately, and this is from the point of view of one of my main paras.

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Jesse hasn’t slept like this in a while. Curled up on their side with both hands held loosely in front of their face. A comforter that must have been snug when they fell asleep is now bundled at their feet. Winter sunlight spreads from the window to paint their golden hair silver. I watch them, knowing they won’t be asleep for long - if I’m here, they must be getting close to waking.

I perk up when they tense, pulling their legs even closer to their chest and twisting their face into a grimace. They still don’t open their eyes, but I smile anyway.

“You need to get up soon,” I say, covering their hands with my own. They don’t respond, simply frown and pull them away. I laugh and they open their eyes to glare at me before rolling onto their other side. I reform myself in front of them, laying down this time, and rest a hand on their cheek.

“You have a matinee today, you should get up and eat. I can’t drag you up, but we both know you can do it.” They grumble in protest, but sit up anyway. “There you go.”

I sit behind them and wrap my arms around them. They cover their face with their hands, still waking up. I stroke their hair, marveling at how the light shines off of it. They swat my hands away and stretch, yawning.

“I had an eye on the clock, I swear.”

“Of course you did. Let’s go and-”

A dog - their sister’s dog, Nova - bounds onto the bed and into their lap with a whine. They laugh and vault out of bed to let her out. I remain on the bed and stare after them. Jesse laughs in the living room while the dog thunders around in her excitement to go outside.

I sigh.

I leave.