from town to room 216 ; sunday afternoon

[necroslacker]

When Sam blinked back into existence, his phone was still at his feet and he was right where he'd been when he'd disappeared. The...time of day seemed different but it was like he'd just stopped where he was.

"Holy -- " His words died and he picked his phone up. The battery was still half full (just like it had been when he'd left) and the last number dialed still showed up at Natalie's. Oh man, he'd left her a voicemail right as he'd been -- taken.

That...yeah. That wasn't even going to be something he thought about because he was going to (hopefully) have to deal with a lecture. He'd listen to the lecture as long as people were still there.

Sam started making his way back towards the dorms, hoping the dorms were still there and that she was still there. He didn't feel any worse for wear which, he suspected, was a good thing.

Still. He needed to get back to the dorms and he needed to make sure the world hadn't ended and he was now about to start living like those people from that one show where there zombies and everyone was sweating.

He couldn't do that even if he got a cool hat. Not a chance.

[For that one girl and set right around this post, of course]

Comments

[necroslacker]

"Anything I can do?" Sam asked her quietly. "Anything you need?"

[whenshewasnice]

"I need to sleep." The library floor, Special Collections or otherwise, had not been kind to her. "I'm staying over. You don't get a say in that because you were dumb."

Ha.

[necroslacker]

Amused, Sam kissed her hair before pulling back and giving her a lopsided smile. "I'm gonna dispute the dumb part but I want you to stay over. I dunno if I'll sleep but I'll definitely be here for you. Promise."

He still didn't think he'd been dumb but he wasn't gonna make her leave.

[whenshewasnice]

Natalie did not require outside validation for her opinions, anyway, so he could keep his own, as incorrect as she thought it was. She untangled her hands from his shirt and wiped the back of her hand across her eyes, still a little red.

"Good," she said.

[necroslacker]

"Good," Sam agreed, reaching to smudge his thumb under her eye. "So, get in bed, sleepyhead."

He was still as lame as ever.

[whenshewasnice]

He really, really was. And that was about all Natalie wanted right now.

She cracked the tiniest little tired smile, turning her head a bit to catch more of his hand against her cheek. Then she moved past him to go and climb on his bed.

[necroslacker]

"Want me to tuck you in nice and tight?" Sam asked, moving over to lock his door first of all before he got out of his shoes and contemplated changing into something more comfortable. "Any requests?"

[whenshewasnice]

Natalie pretended to contemplate that just for a moment, pulling at his blankets. "I think you're supposed to join me."

Her requests were pretty simple at the moment.

[necroslacker]

"Okay. I can do that," Sam assured her before making his way over to the bed and slipping into the empty space beside her. She seemed to be particular about how she slept when he was with her so he was just going to let her get them both comfortable.

[whenshewasnice]

Natalie was pretty particular about sleep in general. She preferred sleeping on her side, so she turned with her back to him, then reached back to pull his arm over her waist.

It was always about comfort and a feeling of safety, but right now she was more open about it than usual.

[necroslacker]

Sam got himself comfortably settled behind her. His arm was tight around her waist and he pressed his face against her neck. He sighed.

"Go to sleep," he murmured. "I'll make sure things are good here. Sleep, Nat."

He gave her a squeeze and kissed the back of her neck.

[whenshewasnice]

Natalie sighed, closing her eyes. "Just don't make it rain again." Her voice was quiet, a little softer now that he couldn't see her face. "When you disappeared, it rained on me because things were just that bad. Don't do it again."

Not that he'd had a choice to begin with. She just... wanted to get that off her chest.

[necroslacker]

"I'm sorry," Sam murmured, pressing a kiss behind her ear. He meant that and he tucked in closer to her to really drive that home. "I won't go anywhere. And if it rains, I'll be your umbrella. I'm here."

It wouldn't rain on his watch. He sighed and kissed her ear again. "I'm not going anywhere."

[whenshewasnice]

"Lame." She meant the umbrella thing, and even that only half-heartedly. It was actually pretty good to hear, after everything. "Fine," she sighed, covering his arm with hers.

Maybe she'd fall asleep. Maybe she'd even do it sooner than she expected.