Chapter 16 (1/1)

L. Joe felt strangely unsettled as he became aware of his own body once again. The soft noises he could hear told him that the others were up, telling him that it must have been morning. But he was so tired he just wanted to cover his ears and drift back off to sleep. He still hadn't opened his eyes: he could probably manage it. But that unsettled feeling wouldn't leave him be, forcing him to become more consciously aware of himself. He wondered if it was temperature dependent. But he felt so warm, cocooned in a blanket and with something soft and warm pressed close against him. The room felt chilly, but from what he could tell his feet were still covered by the blanket, so he'd be able to sleep. Still that unsettled feeling persisted. He groaned, kind of hoping that whatever was keeping him awake would disappear if he acknowledged its presence. He really didn't want to have to open his eyes: he'd never be able to get back to sleep then. No such luck. He somehow managed to pry his eyes open, the harsh glare of the room's overhead light leaving his world spinning. Despite his disorientation, L. Joe managed to make out the blurry, but familiar visage of another boy. “Dammit Ricky! Let me sleep! Do you have any idea what time we got to bed?” he groaned, hearing the confusion in Ricky's tone, since his eyes had started watering from the light, and he could no longer see him. “Eh? Why? What were you two up to?” he enquired, a teasing lilt to his voice, at the words. Something about the way Ricky said that, made his eyes snap back open, half-convinced that he was naked, or something equally incriminating. The fear seemed irrational, since L. Joe knew he hadn't done anything improper the previous evening, but it sent his pulse racing all the same. “We weren't doing anything. Blame Niel and CAP.” L. Joe sulked, attempting to squirm out of his place, pressed up against the wall, so that they could take the conversation out of Chunji's room. One of them deserved to get a sufficient amount of sleep, since it was clear both of them weren't going to be so lucky. But L. Joe found himself stuck. Despite his best attempts to claw his way free, his torso was weighed down so heavily he couldn't sit upright. Perplexed, he turned to his side, to work out what that dead weight was, only to find Chunji pressed up against him, dead to the world, snoring slightly. His eyes looked so dark and puffy. He must've fallen asleep after L. Joe did. Poor thing. He didn't really want to disturb him when he looked so tired. Besides, he was tired too: as far as he was concerned, Chunji had the right idea. He wast tempted to tell Ricky to leave them be, so he could go back to sleep, but something about the whole thing felt like it would lose its innocence, and become something intimate if he were to do so. He looked back over to Ricky, still tossing up what his decision should be, but all that L. Joe could see was the ridiculously wide grin, Ricky shot him, making the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. He looked like it was his birthday or something. L. Joe tried to lash out and kick him, to wipe the smug look off his face, but Ricky was quick, backing away from the bed before L. Joe could land a single hit. He wriggled and struggled, scrambling to free himself from Chunji's grip so that he could get the other boy back for waking them up, and put a stop to whatever crazy plan he was constructing that would humiliate him mercilessly. Ricky sent him a gloating look, “You're not going to get free. No one can get out of Chunji's sleep hold!” L. Joe growled low in his throat, intent on getting out, if only to put Ricky in his place. But no matter how much he writhed about, no matter how strong he pushed, or pulled, Chunji's grip was relentless. He never would have thought the other boy was so strong: he wondered if Chunji knew it himself, or if he only got like this when he slept. All his struggling only made Chunji frown, tightening his grip, a feat L. Joe wouldn't have thought was even physically possible by this point, and dragging him closer. L. Joe's head was burrowed into the space between Chunji's neck and the pillow, leaving him a flailing pile of limbs, much to Ricky's amusement. He took a deep breath trying to calm himself down. Clearly this wasn't getting him anywhere, he'd have to try something different. The breath left his lips with a whoosh, making Chunji shiver slightly beneath him, as the air rushed against his skin. He shifted the slightest bit, giving L. Joe an idea. He burrowed his head in closer, leaving a trail of his warm breath over the other boy's neck, that left him trembling. Reaching the other boy's ear, he whispered making sure that his lips brushed against the other boy's earlobe as he spoke “Chunji. Please let me go. I need to get up now.” the other boy groaned and grumbled something, unintelligible, shuffling slightly, his muscles flexing as though he were still tossing up his decision. “Please?” L. Joe questioned, making sure to breathe the word onto the other boy's ear, sending another wave of warm air to the sensitive spot. Chunji grumbled again, but this time his grip loosened, as he turned on his other side, facing away from L. Joe and releasing him. L. Joe took a deep breath, proud smirk directed right at Ricky, who stood, watching mouth agape. “But.... But no one..... he never...” he mumbled, perplexed, only to realise that L. Joe was now free, turning on his heel to race out of the room at top speed, L. Joe leaping out of the bed, to be able to chase after him.