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There is only one bed at their house and the first thing Norman tries to do when they return after a two week grueling hike through demon infested forests in the dead of winter is offer it to her.
Naturally, she wants to slug him.
Ray saves her the trouble and scoffs, bodily hauling him away from any cushions not their own bed. She could barely stay awake or stay standing, following the two of them in a zombie-like fashion. Every once in a while Norman would say ‘wrong door’ and she’d make an animal noise in response. Ray had given up speaking after they’d assured everyone yes, they were fine, I want to sleep, bye.
“Emma.” Norman plants his feet in the hallway, nearly sending Ray to the floor. “Emma, food.”
She makes a face.
He tries to smile, but it’s weak and he’s tired. Ray gives their bedroom a longing look before gazing at her appraisingly. The two of them had been hellish ever since she’d fallen in the icy river and hadn’t taken their jackets back despite their chattering teeth. Anna had nearly hauled her away when the truth behind her unnaturally pale appearance came to light. She can still feel the cold clinging to her chest.
“Tired.” She rubs her eyes and it hurts. “Let’s sleep instead?”
“No.” Ray detaches himself from Norman, but not really because he’s dragging him by the sleeve. With his crutch removed, the white haired boy dangles in his grasp, leaning on his arm with the last vestiges of consciousness. “Food.”
The energy to fight isn’t in her. She sighs, willing her legs to take her further down the hall. The community kitchen made their shared one look like a closet. She bumped into the counter on her way in, barely hearing Ray grumble at her to be careful. Norman, for all the world, had managed the art of sleeping with his eyes open. They were a mess.
“Pancakes?” She’s already reaching for the cupboard.
“Something light.” Ray is reaching over her, his height reaching further then her hand. Any other time she’d have elbowed him in the stomach, but they hadn’t eaten in a day and she didn’t want him to puke on her. He didn’t deserve that after hauling her out of the river.
She shivered, “A snack?”
“Bread.” Norman yawns, coming over and wrapping his arms around her. It offers a pleasing burst of warmth that had her sinking into his chest. “And . . . is that jam?”
“It is.” Ray sounded smug. She couldn’t see him over her mountain of jacket collars in her face and Norman’s arms. She could picture that smirk, albeit exhausted. “Two?”
Norman grimaces, “One please. Don’t make extra. We’re going to bed right away.”
There’s a pleased noise from the other boy, “Good.”
“What time is it?” She asks, voice kind of muffled. It was dark out, she was sure, but not entirely sure anymore.
Norman kisses the top of her head, “Morning.”
She makes a face. Ray groans and she sympathizes with the noise. He grumbles something that Norman hears and he laughs, maybe, she isn’t sure because their jackets are warm. Their home is warm. Norman is warm. She likes Ray’s voice, low and smooth and kissing her cheek.
“Emma is falling asleep.”
“Let her.”
“I’m here.” She groggily rubs her face. Ray laboriously goes through making three separate sandwiches, somehow managing to make the snack look as strenuous as lifting a demon carcass. Norman takes pity on the other boy and reaches over her head to help make the last one.
Ray sighs, “Finally.”
“Home.” Norman agrees with relief, leaning over to press his face to Ray’s shoulder. Ray makes a noise, the kind of noise like a cats purr but softer and vulnerable. She melts, almost face vaulting into her sandwich at her boys being cute.
They scarf down their food. Her stomach turns warningly and she makes pitiful noises into Ray’s back as they walk back down the hallway. He quietly leads the way, his hand in her and hers in Normans. Their bedroom felt like finding the bunker for the first time. A holy grail of comfort and promised relief.
Ray drags them down onto the bed without much organization. She lets herself fall onto the pillows, Norman’s groan of relief as he finds the blankets music to her ears. There’s no sunlight through the window, but she can hear someone singing a few doors down and it had to be Anna, because the softness was lulling her into the calm, the crushing relief they were safe. She could almost pass out then and there, but Ray was kicking her legs back.
“Under the blankets.” He coaxes, eyes soft as he brushed her hair back. “You’re not sleeping like that, Em.”
She obliges, the sappy nickname snapping any lazy resolve she had. Norman has already gleefully assumed his favorite role as the tallest when they sleep, wrapping his arms around Ray’s waist and nuzzling his hair. After she was situated, the dark haired menace roped her in, caging her underneath them securely. It was blissful, gentle, and she doesn’t think any other heaven exists on this planet then right there.
She hugs them, feeling Ray’s breathe on her neck and Norman’s hand caressing her hip. It’s delightfully warm before she falls asleep.