Chapter 15
I wake up to Chloe's voice in my ear.
Soft. Careful. Whispering like she's trying not to disturb the world.
It takes me a second to place where I am.
Couch. Apartment. Night.
Chloe is on my lap.
That part clicks in last—but it clicks in hard.
She's warm against me, still half-curled like she never moved after falling asleep. My arm is around her without me remembering deciding to do so. Just instinct. Just... there.
And she's on my phone.
"—I am not blushy," she whispers, defensive even at that volume.
Callahan's voice comes through next, amused and far too awake for this time of night.
"Oh, she's absolutely blushy."
My eyes open properly at that.
Of course, it's Callahan.
Of course, he's enjoying this.
Chloe shifts slightly in my lap, still unaware I'm awake.
My arm tightens around her on instinct.
Not enough to trap her.
Just enough to keep her where she is.
"Say what?" I say.
Everything goes dead quiet for half a second.
Chloe freezes instantly.
I feel it through her whole body.
Callahan pauses.
"...Mate?"
I sit up slightly, still holding her, not letting her slip off me. Not because she needs to stay there—she can move if she wants—but because I can feel her panic spike even without seeing her face properly yet.
And I don't like that.
I take the phone from her hand.
"Give me that," I mutter.
Callahan immediately laughs.
"Oh, good, you're alive."
"I was asleep," I say flatly.
"Yeah, I noticed. On her."
Chloe makes a small noise beside me—half protest, half embarrassment.
I glance down at her.
She's bright red already. Eyes down. Like she's trying to disappear into my hoodie.
Callahan keeps going.
"So this is what you do now? Sleep-cuddle civilians?"
"I fell asleep," I say again.
"On her."
I don't bother arguing the point further.
Because he's not wrong.
Just loud about it.
Chloe shifts like she's going to get up.
My arm tightens again automatically.
I don't want her moving yet.
Not because she's not allowed.
Because the moment she leaves my lap, I can already tell she's going to spiral into embarrassment and overthinking and pretending this didn't happen.
And I don't want that.
Not tonight.
"Don't," I say quietly without thinking.
It's not loud.
It's not sharp.
Just enough.
Chloe stills immediately.
Callahan catches it.
"Oh," he says slowly. "You're awake-awake now."
"I'm awake," I reply.
"Clearly."
I rub a hand down my face.
"What do you want?"
"To ruin your night," he says cheerfully. "Mission accomplished."
Chloe is still frozen in my lap.
I can feel her trying to hold herself perfectly still, as if she could undo the situation through discipline alone.
It's not working.
Callahan continues.
"So, Chloe's real then."
My gaze drops briefly to her.
"She's here," I say.
"That's not what I asked."
I don't answer that.
Because it's irrelevant.
Callahan hums like he's thinking.
"She sounds nice," he says.
"She is," I reply automatically.
Chloe goes very still at that.
I feel it.
Callahan notices too.
"Oh," he says immediately, delighted. "That was fast."
I exhale through my nose.
"Do you have a reason for calling?"
"Yeah," he says. "To check if you were dead. Now I'm disappointed."
"Goodnight, Callahan."
"Wait—"
I end the call.
Silence returns.
The apartment feels even quieter now.
Chloe is still on my lap.
Still not moving.
Still red.
I set the phone down and finally look at her properly.
Her eyes flick up to mine for a second before darting away again.
Too fast.
Too nervous.
"You don't have to sit like you're about to be court-martialled," I say.
Her mouth twitches.
"I'm not— I'm just—" She stops. "Your friend is... a lot."
"He is," I agree.
That earns a tiny breath from her—almost a laugh.
Good.
She finally shifts slightly, as if she might get up.
I stop her without grabbing her this time.
Just my hand at her waist.
Gentle pressure.
Not holding her down.
Just keeping her where she is long enough to say what I want to say.
"Stay," I say quietly.
She freezes again.
Looks at me.
"...What?"
"Stay there."
Her breathing catches slightly.
I don't look away.
"I was asleep," I add. "You didn't move me. Don't start now."
Chloe hesitates.
I can see the argument forming in her head.
Polite refusal. Embarrassment. Escape route.
Then it falls apart before she uses it.
Because she's tired.
And she feels safe enough not to run.
Slowly, she settles back into my lap again.
Careful.
Uncertain.
Like she's testing gravity.
My hand stays at her waist the whole time.
Not gripping.
Just there.
Chloe exhales once she's settled.
Quiet.
Unsteady.
But staying.
From the crib, Ava makes a small sound.
Chloe tenses instantly.
Old instinct.
I notice it immediately.
"Relax," I say softly. "She's asleep."
Chloe nods but doesn't jump up this time.
That's new.
She stays where she is.
I shift slightly so she's more comfortable against me without thinking about it too much.
Her shoulders slowly start to drop.
Not all at once.
Just a fraction.
Enough.
The silence settles again.
Not awkward.
Just... full.
Chloe's voice comes out quietly after a moment.
"I didn't mean to fall asleep on you."
"I know."
Another pause.
"...And I didn't mean for your friend to see that."
"I know that too."
That gets a small, embarrassed breath from her.
She risks a glance up at me again.
This time slower.
Less panicked.
"You're not... annoyed?" she asks.
I think about it for a second.
Then shake my head once.
"No."
That seems to confuse her more than anything.
"...Why not?"
I don't answer immediately.
Because the honest answer is complicated.
Instead, I say the simpler one.
"You needed sleep."
Chloe's expression softens slightly at that.
I can feel her body relax another degree in my lap.
Ava shifts again, and this time Chloe only glances over—doesn't move.
Progress.
The movie is still playing quietly in the background, forgotten halfway through a scene.
I don't reach for the remote.
I don't move Chloe.
I lean back into the couch again, keeping her where she is without making it a thing.
Her voice is quieter now.
"...This is weird," she admits.
"Yeah," I agree.
A pause.
Then I add, softer:
"But it's fine."
She doesn't argue this time.
Just breathes out slowly.
And stays.