I'm not too sure when and for how long I was asleep, but once I felt like my eyes were getting a bit sore, I gently opened them. It was in that moment, all my memories from before came flooding back all at once.
"Hehe, good morning." I feel my head being patted, but I could feel my heart already begin to pump.
"Charlotte!"
Springing up from the bed, my eyes meet with Charlotte's before I quickly look over her body. It was then that I noticed all the blood from the bandages, especially on her chest... Also there seems to be a blanket that was put over my shoulders which had nearly fallen to the ground when I lifted my head up.
"Hehe, I'm okay. The pain's subsiding."
"S- so, you're not going to die?"
"Pfft, of course not."
Honestly, my dream was all over the place. At first it was the same events of what happened before, seeing Charlotte bleeding profusely. But then it would cut to where Charlotte and I are relaxing in the bath together. It was quite jarring, but I felt like I didn't want to wake up. So to see Charlotte smiling right now does make me feel a bit better. Also her skin seems to be looking more healthy.
"Then what about Lisa?"
"Your friend took us for a scare, but she's in stable condition now." Just then, a nurse comes near us, seeming to have overheard our conversation.
"So Lisa's alive?" I respond to the man, my heart almost wanting to leap out of my chest in anticipation.
"Yes, although she's still sleeping. Hopefully we can get you guys out by the morning."
Huh? Morning? I thought I slept through the entire night, but was I only out for a couple hours?
"How are you feeling, Ilaria? Need any more painkillers?"
"I'm okay."
"Good. The other nurses will take care of your bandages before you leave here. Just continue to rest up for now."
"Okay. Thank you very much."
With that, the nurse leaves, leaving Charlotte and I alone together once more. He said that Charlotte's okay to leave by the morning, but it that really the case?
"Hehe, you're cute when you worry like that."
"H-huh?" Wait, she's calling me cute now? "I- I don't think it's okay to say that when you look like this... Of course I'd worry."
"Hehe. Thank you, Shiro."
Once again, she pats me on the head as the familiar warmth spreads throughout my chest. To think that Charlotte could've died back there... I wouldn't be able to feel like this is she did. What would I even do if we weren't like this? Would I be back in that white room? Even after all that has happened? I think I'd rather die than to go back to that life. Thinking that, I end up gritting my teeth.
"...Just don't scare me like that again." I mutter those words as I rest my head against her shoulder.
"Nn... I'm sorry." Again, she brushes my hair between her fingers as she pats me. I just hope I'm not hurting her like this... "I'll be more careful from now on."
"And no more going alone."
"Hehe, okay."
"Promise?"
"Mhmm... I promise."
I feel a smile resurfacing on my face upon hearing Charlotte's words as I rest a bit more of my weight against her.
"Hehe, come. Hop in."
"Huh?" Puzzled, I lift my head back up, but that only seemed to make Charlotte shuffle over to the edge of the bed before patting her hand down on the empty space.
"Come on. There's enough room. Plus it's a bit cold in here."
She does make a good point. Now that I'm aware of it, my skin does feel a bit cold, but no matter how you look at it, if I were to hop in, our bodies would be pretty much pressed up against one another in order for the bed to fit the both of us. That said... My body ends up moving anyways as I slowly climb into the hospital bed with her.
I lay down on my side while Charlotte continues to lay on her back as I once again find myself resting my head on her shoulder, using her arm as some sort of pillow. Is Charlotte really okay? It's not too suffocating? But before I could ask that, Charlotte pulls the blanket over us, as if making sure that I couldn't leave now.
"Warm?"
"Nn..." I end up simply nodding my head as all my focus is now on Charlotte and her warmth. "I'm not heavy?
"No, not at all." Hearing that, I end up putting the rest of my weight that I've been holding back onto her, letting myself be completely sucked in with Charlotte.
"Let me know if I'm hurting you though."
"Hehe, okay."
Ah~ I could honestly go back to sleep like this. Maybe it's not a bad idea actually. It's not even morning yet. However... Being this close to Charlotte, even using her arm as a pillow... I feel too happy right now to even try to sleep.
Gently, I wrap an arm over Charlotte, trying to be careful not to hurt her considering the massive wound on her chest. And as if at the same time, I feel the back of my head being held by Charlotte as we both end up gently hugging one another. I can feel my heart beating so loudly right now, can Charlotte hear it perhaps?
But right when I tilt my head up to check, I notice Charlotte's eyes have now closed. Almost at the same time, I feel my eyes also growing heavy once more as I end up doing the same, closing my eyes as I cling onto Charlotte's body, taking in more and more of her warmth. I don't want to sleep just yet, but I do want to enjoy this... At least until morning.