Dragged Out
The front door creaked. Edward was half-carrying, half-dragging Sophia down the steps.
"Don't touch me," Sophia groaned, her body folding like wet laundry.
"Too late, already touching," Edward said cheerfully, waving at Ember as he left. "Thanks for the entertainment! Next time, try not to let your 'roommate' break my friend's spine in twelve different places."
The door shut. Silence.
Ember sat on the couch, still processing the chaos. Bug and Spirit had immediately gone back to their favorite pastime: being utterly useless. Bug was trying to balance on a spoon, while Spirit hummed obnoxiously in the corner like a defective lantern.
Tea Time 🍵
Nyxar stepped out of the kitchen, cup in hand. He placed it in front of Ember with the same deadpan solemnity he did everything.
Ember blinked at it. "…Thanks?" She sipped. To her surprise, it was smooth, earthy—refreshing. "This is actually really good. What is it?"
"Something called… green tea," Nyxar answered.
Bug zipped over like an announcer. "It helps with sleep."
Ember squinted at Nyxar, suspicious. "Why? I've been sleeping just fine."
Camera zooms on Ember's face. The dark circles under her eyes looked like they'd been tattooed there.
The narrator deadpanned: Yeah. Totally been sleeping well.
Sleep Debate 🛏️
Nyxar tilted his head. "I don't know what 'normal' human sleep is like. But Spirit and Bug told me you weren't sleeping like normal humans do."
Ember whipped her head toward the floating duo. "Oh really? Did they also tell you they're the reason I'm not sleeping? Because they never shut up?"
Bug raised his tiny arms defensively. "Hey, don't blame us—"
Spirit cut in with a smirk. "No, actually, do blame us. It's hilarious."
Ember groaned and took another sip of the tea, muttering, "Unbelievable."
She turned back to Nyxar. "So how do you sleep? Like, when do you usually go to bed?"
Nyxar, as if describing the weather: "Whenever my body starts to slow down."
Ember slapped her forehead. "That's not how it works. You need to go to sleep earlier."
Nyxar blinked. "Why?"
"It's healthier," Ember said.
Nyxar tilted his head again. "…It's what?"
"Never mind. Just—forget it." She threw up her hands. "Okay, so when do you actually sleep?"
Nyxar said calmly, "When the moon is directly above."
Ember choked on her tea. "MIDNIGHT?! And you still wake up before me?!" She set the cup down with a clack. "You know what? No. No more of this. You're sleeping with me now."
The Bombshell đź’Ą
Nyxar: "But—"
Ember cut him off with a glare. "No buts. Bed. Now."
Nyxar stared at her silently, scarlet eyes flickering faintly in the lantern light. He didn't nod. He didn't move. But he also didn't disagree.
Bug and Spirit froze midair like they had just witnessed a cosmic event.
Bug whispered, "Wait. Did he just… listen to her?"
Spirit's glow flickered mischievously. "Guess he can't disagree."
Bug scratched his head. "Hold on. I thought humans didn't usually, like, sleep together unless they were close or something. Why'd Ember just tell him to?"
Spirit smirked. "Because that is a human thing when they get close."
Bug blinked. "…So they're close? Whatever that means."
Bedtime Chaos 🌙
Ember dragged Nyxar to the bedroom like an exasperated mom dragging a stubborn child. "You're going to bed, and you're going to bed early. End of story."
Nyxar didn't resist. He simply laid down beside her, expression unreadable.
Within minutes, Ember was out cold. The speed of her knockout was… suspicious.
The narrator squinted metaphorically at the scene. That was… a little too fast. Suspiciously fast. But hey, sleep is sleep.
Nyxar lay awake, staring at the ceiling with his usual blank face, clearly trying to figure out what the hell "normal human sleep" even meant. Ember unconsciously shifted closer, already snoring softly.
Bug and Spirit peeked from the doorway like gossiping neighbors.
Bug whispered, "Okay, but this is weird, right?"
Spirit whispered back, "Oh, definitely."
Bug: "So why are we still watching?"
Spirit: "For science."
The door creaked shut.