"Cassius, are you asleep?"
It was Kristen's voice.
Softer than usual, and laced with a tremor.
Cassius turned off the water, grabbed a towel to wrap around his waist, and walked to the door, but didn't open it immediately.
"Not yet. What's up?"
There was silence outside the door for a few seconds, then her voice came again, even lower, almost a whisper.
"I... I can't really sleep. My brain keeps replaying those images. Can you come over and sit for a bit? Just... talk?"
Cassius could understand.
After going through something like that, being alone in a large, empty room, the darkness would definitely amplify the fear.
He glanced at his dripping hair and his body, clad only in a towel.
"I just got out of the shower. I'm not dressed."
"...It doesn't matter."
Kristen paused. "Just throw something on!"
Cassius quickly dried off, pulled on a T-shirt and sweatpants, and opened the hidden door, his hair still wet and dripping.
Kristen's room was messier than his, fitting her casual style.
She hadn't turned on the main lights, leaving only a dim reading lamp on the bedside table.
She was curled up in the middle of the huge bed, hugging a pillow, her face still pale in the yellow light.
She looked at Cassius's dripping hair and paused.
"You didn't dry your hair!"
"Came out when I heard you knock."
Cassius sat down on a single sofa not far from the bed. "Still scared?"
Kristen nodded, burying her chin in the pillow.
"Every time I close my eyes, I see the gun muzzle, and the way that guy fell!"
She paused and looked at Cassius. "Aren't you scared?"
"Scared!"
Cassius admitted honestly. "But it's over. We're safe!"
His voice was deep. having just relaxed after a shower, his breathing was steady.
Kristen seemed to sense the calm aura radiating from Cassius, and she gradually relaxed as well.
[Kristen Favorability +4, Current Favorability: 79]
"How did you do that back there?"
"You were so fast! Just like in the movies!"
Kristen couldn't help asking.
"Kung Fu!"
Cassius joked.
The corners of Kristen's mouth curved up slightly.
"I'm hungry!"
Kristen suddenly said, her tone carrying a hint of pouty grievance she didn't even notice.
"I didn't eat much for dinner, and my stomach feels painfully empty now."
Cassius also felt his stomach growling.
"Is there anything to eat in the kitchen?"
"I don't know. Maybe chips or cereal?"
Kristen wasn't sure.
Cassius stood up. "I'll go check."
He rummaged through the kitchen and found only an unopened bag of chips and two bottles of mineral water.
Cassius went back to his room.
He remembered packing a few packs of instant noodles he bought in Koreatown when he moved.
Since moving here, the assistant arranged all his meals, so he hadn't had a chance to eat them!
He dug around and, sure enough, they were still there.
Taking them to the kitchen, he lit the stove, boiled water, cooked the noodles, and added two eggs!
Kristen followed him curiously and was surprised to see Cassius busy in the kitchen.
"Cassius, you know how to cook?"
Cassius's mouth twitched.
He didn't have the heart to tell her that where he came from, cooking instant noodles didn't count as cooking!
The noodles were done quickly. Cassius added a splash of sesame oil!
Luckily, he had stocked up on some condiments during his downtime here. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to buy any in the middle of the night.
Instant noodles without sesame oil had no soul!
Two steaming bowls of noodles were brought to the table. Cassius grabbed a pair of chopsticks and gave Kristen a fork.
"Smells so good!"
Kristen closed her eyes and took a deep breath, intoxicated by the aroma of instant noodles.
Seeing Kristen acting like she'd never seen the world before, Cassius didn't have the heart to tell her he had eaten noodles until he wanted to puke back when he was an extra!
Slurp~
Slurp~
Both of them were starving, so image went out the window.
Big mouthfuls of noodles!
Burp~
Before Cassius could finish, Kristen had already drunk the soup clean!
She covered her mouth, looking at Cassius a bit bashfully.
Cassius smiled and continued eating his noodles.
With warm food in their stomachs, their bodies warmed up, and their spirits relaxed considerably.
Leaning back on the sofa, their conversation drifted from instant noodles to trivial daily matters.
Kristen asked him what he studied at USC. Cassius briefly mentioned it without elaborating on dropping out.
Cassius asked her about her early experiences filming indie movies.
As they talked, drowsiness gradually set in.
It was very late.
"I'm going to sleep!"
Cassius stood up, feeling like his eyes could barely stay open.
Kristen yawned and nodded.
Cassius groggily walked down the hall.
His brain had practically shut down from exhaustion, operating purely on muscle memory.
He habitually pushed open the door closest to where they were sitting.
Which was the door to Kristen's master bedroom. He walked in, headed straight for the invitingly comfortable big bed, and threw himself onto it.
He lost consciousness almost instantly.
He was too tired!
So tired he forgot this wasn't his guest room with the single bed, and forgot about the hidden door connecting the two areas.
A while later, Kristen, having finished washing up, returned to the master bedroom.
She jumped when she saw someone lying on her bed, then realized it was Cassius.
She froze.
Why is he here?
And sleeping in my bed?
Several thoughts flashed through her mind:
Did he do it on purpose?
Is he finally making a move?
No, look at him. He looks like he passed out from exhaustion.
Cassius looked defenseless in his sleep, even a bit well-behaved!
A stark contrast to the man who calmly fought back against the thugs.
Most importantly, he clearly had the opportunity, yet did nothing but fall asleep.
This guy really is Gay!
It all makes sense!
Kristen stood by the bed, feeling complicated.
She found that she wasn't repulsed. In fact, she felt inexplicably reassured.
Having the person who just saved her life lying next to her seemed to chase away those terrifying images.
She hesitated, but ultimately didn't wake him up, nor did she go to the guest room.
She gently climbed onto the other side of the bed, trying not to touch him, and pulled part of the duvet over herself.
Strangely, Cassius's presence allowed her to completely relax.
She turned on her side, looking at Cassius's blurry silhouette in the darkness, finding him inexplicably attractive.
[Kristen Favorability +3, Current Favorability: 82]
...
Cassius felt like he had a long, chaotic dream.
The dream was filled with warm touches, rapid breathing, and some blush-inducing fragments.
It felt incredibly real!
He opened his eyes groggily. The first thing he saw was a ceiling with exquisite molding.
Not the simple flat ceiling of his guest room.
The next second, he felt warmth and softness in his arms.
He looked down sharply.
Kristen was curled up in his arms, fast asleep.
Her blonde hair was spread over the pillow, a few strands tickling his chin.
And most importantly, neither of them was wearing clothes.
The duvet only covered them to the waist, revealing her smooth shoulders and back, and his own chest.
Cassius's brain crashed for three seconds.