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Amberle wakes up to Eretria climbing into her bed, tugging the covers back so she can tuck herself against Amberle’s side. It’s the elbow to the stomach that really jolts her into the waking world, the sudden burst of pain as Eretria tries to get comfortable escaping her mouth in a groan that feels too loud in the quiet room.
“Eretria?” Amberle asks, her name morphing into a yawn halfway through, “Why are you in my bed?”
“M’not, it’s a dream,” Eretria says, voice muffled by Amberle’s shoulder, “Just go back to sleep.”
“If this was a dream I wouldn’t need to go back to sleep,” Amberle argues, rolling more comfortably onto her back and tugging Eretria further onto her chest. The other girl goes with the movement, pressing her face against the side of Amberle’s neck. “And that wouldn’t have hurt so much.”
“Sorry,” Eretria says, but she doesn’t sound especially sorry to Amberle.
“You still haven’t answered my question,” Amberle speaks up after a few minutes. In the wait she’d almost fallen asleep again, lulled by the warm weight of Eretria and the steady sound of the rain against the roof.
Eretria says something that sounds like gibberish to Amberle, and she can feel the movement of Eretria’s jaw against her collarbone when she talks.
“Repeat that,” Amberle says, “But slowly and in English.”
“I said, I don’t like the thunder,” Eretria repeats, hiding her face further against Amberle’s neck and Amberle can feel her body tense at the confession.
“Oh,” Amberle says softly, “I don’t mind if you spend the night here, Eretria.”
“Thanks,” Eretria says, still not retreating from her hiding place.
Its ten minutes before the next boom of thunder, preluded by their dorm room being lit up by a flash of lightning. Eretria tenses up, one hand grabbing a fistful of Amberle’s sweatshirt as her chin digs into Amberle’s chest.
Amberle runs a hand down Eretria’s back, letting it rest against her hip in a firm grip, holding her flush against Amberle in a reminder that the other girl was here. She shushes Eretria, resting her cheek against the top of her head, “You’re alright, you’re alright, baby."
Amberle keeps talking to Eretria softly, waiting for the next round of thunder and lightening. She keeps it up until she hears Eretria’s breathing begin to even out, despite the storm still raging outside, and eventually the other girl falls back asleep.
//
When Amberle wakes up the next morning Eretria is still asleep in her bed, sprawled across Amberle in what she can see now is one of her soccer jumpers, far too long on Eretria’s shorter frame. The other girl is out cold and Amberle manages to carefully roll Eretria off her, leaving her curled up on the warm patch of the bed. She goes to the bathroom and stops in the common room to make a cup of coffee before setting herself up on Eretria’s bed with her laptop to work on her history paper.
Eretria wakes up just after ten, groaning and trying to retreat further under the covers. It takes her a few moments to realise that she’s not in her own bed and then another to realise that she’s in Amberle’s bed.
“Good morning, sunshine,” Amberle says, setting her laptop aside. Eretria rolls onto her back, her head lolling back against the mattress so she can look at Amberle. “How are you feeling?”
“Fine,” Eretria says, “Look, about last night—“
“This morning,” Amberle corrects, “We don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to. I can pretend nothing happened.”
“No,” Eretria says, “I was going to say thank you, for what you did. I haven’t slept during a thunderstorm since I was like, four.”
“It’s not a problem,” Amberle says, softening at Eretria’s words, “I’m glad you trusted me enough to let me help you. I know we don’t always get along, but I do care about you, Eretria.”
“Yeah?” Eretria says, voice soft and kind of shaky.
“Yeah,” Amberle echoes.
“The feeling’s mutual.”
Eretria drags herself out of bed and gathers up everything she needs for a shower, she’s halfway out the door when Amberle yells, “Nice jumper by the way.” after her. The last thing Amberle sees is her last name printed across the back of the jumper and Eretria’s middle finger before the door slams shut behind her.