Hugs

She grabbed a pillow, trotted to the closet, rolled up inside and wished me good night—closing the door gently.

But immediately after:

“*Auchey*”

“There’s still stitches from William’s punch, aren’t there?”

“Uweh…” The wood trapped her voice.

I opened the doors, carried and tucked her into the bed, and patted her head before saying: “We just have to wake up early, so that way they don’t find you. So sleep tight.”

“But the floor is cold… You’ll catch a cold… and then pneumonia… and then… You’ll die and leave me alone…” She said, gripping her pillow.

“Why does everything need to end in death with you? I’m the brother of the next step in physical evolution! My sister forced me to ride on a wolf’s back during rain while being followed by a spider bigger than the one you saw earlier, and nothing happened. I’ll be alright. Fear not, alone you’ll never be again, not as long as I’m alive at least.”

“Are you sure…?” She asked, lightening the grip of the pillow.

“100% Sure”

“Can you promise it?”

“Yes.”

“Pinkie promise?” She held out her pinkie.

“Pinkie promise.” Our pinkies entwined—Entangling our destinies.

“Shall you break it a thousand needles go down through your throat, and a thousand lives of eternal betrayal await you at the end of yours.” She shook our bind as a glitter ring formed around our pinkies.

“Uhm… Sofia… Is that how you seal promises in Euros?”

“Mh? No. It’s a spell I made.” She said proud.

“Ah… Good to know…”

“Mhmhm.” She covered her mouth with her hand. “Fear not, you won't break it right?”

“Right…”

“Hehehe, Don’t worry, I don’t have enough mana to enforce a contract of this magnitude. I would be able if I stuck only to the needles part, so take it as a sign of trust.”

“We can make the contract with only needles if you wish.”

“No… Even if you happen to break the promise. I’m happy you tried. So I’d never be able to wish for a thousand needles to go down your throat… Just as I don’t want you to catch a cold…”

“Then… Why don’t we share the bed?”

“Huh?”

“Haha, It’s a joke, I just wanted to see your red face before going to sleep.”

“We… wishi whishi whasha…” She mumbled, breaking eye contact.

“I’m sorry, What’s that again?”

“Are you gonna make me say it again?!”

“I’m sorry I couldn’t hear it the first time.”

”I said… Whishi whishi washa…”

“Speak louder… I can’t hear you.”

“I said we could share the bed!”

“Huh?”

“Not in that sense! Don’t get the wrong idea… Granny said I should never sleep with someone other than my future husband… And I can’t have kids with someone I just met! But… I don’t want you to catch a cold… The bed is extremely big for one person! And If we put a pillow wall in between it’s not really sleeping together. Right?”

“Ahaha… Yeah… Are you sure?”

“Yes… As long as you don’t try anything…”

“Don’t worry. I won’t.”

—————————————

“Hey Rey… Are you awake?”

“Yeah…”

“Are you really not gonna try anything?”

“I told you I won’t”

“Then… Can I try something myself?” Her voice quivered.

“Uhm… sure?”

She set one of the pillows aside and hugged me from behind. I could feel her heartbeat racing, I could feel her breathing breaking.

“You smell nice…” She got even closer. “Hey Rey…”

“Yes?”

“Does this mean you’re my future husband?”

“Don’t be silly, it doesn’t apply to hugs.”

“It… doesn’t? But she said I shouldn't sleep with anyone…”

“Pffff, Hahahaha wait, how do you think babies are made?” I said sitting up

“Uhm… Sleeping together?” She followed.

“Yeah but more specifically?”

“Uhm… there's more to it?”

“When you told me to not try anything did you mean hugs and stuff?”

“Yeah?”

“How old are you?”

“Twenty-four.”

“There’s no way you don't know this at your age! Didn't your classmates joke about the matter?”

“I was home schooled by my grandmother until university, and even then I’ve always been a bit of a hermit so…”

“Just sleep then, there's nothing wrong with just sleeping together.” I pulled the sheets over and returned to resting position.

“Then how are babies made?” She asked confused, still sitting.

“I’ll teach you someday, but not tonight.”

“Ok…” She lay back down. Far from me, in the edge of the bed. “Do you think I can be a good mother?”

“I’m sure you can try.”

“I sometimes get nightmares, where I’m all alone in a dark void with nothing but my thoughts…”

“It’s only a nightmare because your thoughts are scary, but if you change them I'm sure you can turn the void into a wonderful world.”

“It’s easy to say but… What if I drag our children to this nightmarish place?”

I turned around—finding her curled up… “Then I’ll make sure to drag you all out of it. I’ll show you a wonderful new world with rainbows and puppies, where you can play all day, because at the end of the day… I also want to reach that place.”

“If such a place exists then why were we born in this one?”

“To better appreciate it upon arrival of course!”

“Hey Rey…”

“Yes?”

“Am I a hypocrite?”

“How so?”

“You honored your part of the deal, you didn’t try anything… And still I ended up giving in… I’m an indecent woman…”

“You have to be kidding me… I haven’t met anyone as decent as you. If you are indecent then… that makes the rest of us pigs—no!—leeches!”

“If you say so then…” She turned around and… “I’ll enjoy this hug without restraint.”