Sleepover

After cleaning up and tidying while the kids sleep, Ken and the gang rest on the living room sofa.

"Are you sure you're okay with this?" Lisa asks them while holding little Sammie in her arms.

"Of course. Rebecca will sleep in my bed, Briar on the couch, and the rest of us will make do with sleeping bags and camping blankets."

"I could always let one of the kids sleep with me so someone can use their bed..."

"Don't worry, Mom. We're good."

"Just trying to be helpful! Try to get a good night's sleep because you seem pretty grumpy, sweetie. Goodnight, everyone!"

"Night." Ken bids his mom and his siblings farewell, as someone among them yawns.

"Goodnight, Mrs. Douglas!"

"Does your mom trust you to stay alone with a girl?" Briar asks Ken, grinning.

"Shut up. Don't make things weird. Are you guys sleepy?"

"Nope." Almost everyone shakes their head in response.

"Pillow fight!!" Briar yells, grabbing the nearest pillow and throwing it blindly, hitting Brayton. He follows, tossing a pillow their way, but it hits Ghalen instead.

"If you break anything, I'll end your lives!" Ken yells in response, just before Rebecca accidentally hits him.

"Go, girl! Woo!!" Briar cheers her on.

"S-sorry... hehe..." She says as Ken prepares to hit her with a pillow.

"Stop! Let's stop. I want to go to sleep now." Brayton seeks refuge behind the couch.

"Party pooper." Briar pouts.

"I agree. Let's get our sleeping bags and get some rest." He tells the others before turning to Rebecca.

"Come on, Rebecca, I'll show you to my room."

"Ah, but I want to help."

"There's no need..."

"Please?" It wasn't intentional, but she puts on a puppy face, and he can't refuse her anymore.

"...Alright."

So, they all tidy up again and prepare their sleeping bags. As Ken is about to accompany Rebecca to his room, Briar catches his attention.

"Oh! Rebecca, try your gifts! I don't care if you don't want to try the others, but at least try mine!" Briar pats the spot next to them, gesturing for her to sit down.

"Alright..." She does as they suggest.

"Good~ Now you just have to close your eyes and listen to everything I say while I do your makeup." She closes her eyes hesitantly.

"It's your first time, huh?"

She nods, opening her eyes. "I've never worn makeup, not even by myself."

"It's a shame because you're a diamond in the rough. But don't worry, I'll bring out the best in you!" She closes her eyes again, and they start applying makeup while also explaining what each product is and how to use them. Ken and Ghalen watch, while Will and Brayton are engrossed in their phones.

"Done! Take a good look." Briar exclaims after about ten minutes, admiring her work. Rebecca instinctively turns towards the others, and even those busy with other things turn to look at her.

"It really suits you." Will says, and the others nod.

"Pretty..." Briar looks at Ken while saying this, then glances at the others with a poker face.

"Now go to sleep, kiddos!" Brayton declares, already cozy in his sleeping bag.

"Goodnight, everyone!" Ghalen slightly yells to make sure everyone hears, while yawning.

"Can we use your mom's bathroom and makeup remover?" Briar takes Rebecca by the hand.

"Of course, you know where it is." Ken motions for them to go first, then follows them and waits outside the bathroom door.

After a few minutes, both come out with clean faces. Briar heads back to the living room and falls asleep on the couch, while Ken accompanies Rebecca to her room, making as little noise as possible to avoid waking the kids.

"It's not as spacious as yours, but I hope you'll be comfortable." He says, opening the door and letting her take a look inside.

"I can already tell it's nice." They exchange smiles. Just as he's about to leave, she grabs the hem of his sweatshirt, and he stops instantly.

"Can we talk for a bit? B-but I understand if you're tired and want to sleep..." She says shyly, and he nods.

"I promise I'll be quick." She adds.

What does she want to talk about...? Probably what I said earlier! Ken, you're such an idiot!

"You don't have to. I'm not sleepy anyway." He reassures her.

Both sit down side by side on her bed, the one facing the balcony. Ken looks at her while Rebecca tries to find the right words, her gaze fixed on the dark sky outside, devoid of stars and illuminated only occasionally by thunder and lightning.

"This morning, I went to my parents' house." She starts, and Ken can only stare at her in shock.

"Ever since I moved out of that house, every year on my birthday, I feel sadder and sadder. To think that this day is the worst for them makes me feel like I have a weight on my chest. So, I went to see them. I don't know what I expected to hear or see initially, but when I saw my father with his usual authoritarian expression sitting in his office and my mom in another room slumped over a table with a bottle of wine in her hand, looking like she had been crying for I don't know how long, I understood. Deep down, I hoped it wasn't true, I hoped I was wrong about this being the worst day they ever experienced! I-I..." She starts to sob and hyperventilate now, and Ken holds her shoulders, making her face him as he tries to calm her down.

"It's okay now, alright? Take deep breaths... W-where's your inhaler?" No matter how often these episodes happen, Ken always feels surprised and inadequate.

With trembling hands, she tries to retrieve it from her pocket. Ken does it for her, places it at her mouth, and she immediately starts inhaling deeply.

Inhaler in the right pocket... remember that for the future...

After a few minutes, she calms down, but her sobbing continues. Ken hugs her, trying to comfort her in some way.

I don't know how much this helps, but it's better than nothing...

"B-but I stubbornly wanted to see the situation with my own eyes, but... the staff... they kicked me out at the entrance... before I could even enter..."

"You don't have to tell me anymore, okay? I don't want to hear any more. I can't hear any more of this." He clenches his fist, his arms still wrapped around her trembling figure. His face pressed against her chest, tears soaking his sweatshirt.

Because I can't do anything about it...

"They don't deserve you, they don't deserve your tears, and they don't even deserve your thoughts. You don't have to go there anymore, okay? Can you do that for me?"

"I-I'll try..." She's stopped crying and is listening attentively now.

"I want you to be fine. And you can't do that if you keep looking at your past. Just think about the future and the people who care about you." He lifts his face from her chest and brings his forehead against hers. He takes her hand and turns it so the back is exposed, placing a gentle, warm kiss in contrast to her cold skin. They maintain eye contact throughout.

"Thank you for always being there for me when I need it. I'll be there for you too." She closes her eyes.

"I'm counting on it. You're my rose, after all." She smiles, her cheeks and eyes tinted pink from crying.

"Goodnight, then." He kisses her palm again before getting up.

She also stands up quickly, grabs him by the collar, pulls him down so that their faces are at the same level, and plants a kiss on his cheek. He's caught off guard and the awkwardness of the moment causes him to slightly lose balance, making her lips brush further down, toward the corner of his mouth. He can't help but blush as all of this unfolds. She then removes her lips from his skin and pushes him towards the hallway.

"Payback." She says playfully, closing the door and leaving him standing there, slightly dazed in complete darkness.