It was a stormy night, with thunder that wouldn’t stop. The loud noises sent waves through your body, making you jump out of bed. The bed was too big for one person; you missed Ghost’s warm body that usually took up half the space. Tonight, however, that wasn’t happening because of a silly fight. You were both drunk, unaware of what you said and did. It was cold, and the heavy blanket couldn’t warm your shivering body. You wanted to go to the living room and find Ghost, who was probably curled up on the couch. The sound of the TV echoed through the house. Arriving in the bedroom, you closed your eyes slowly, wanting to give in to sleep, but you couldn’t. Slow, heavy footsteps were heard; the door creaked, making your skin crawl even more. The side of the mattress dipped, large, hairy arms wrapped around your body, and a large leg positioned itself between your legs. Ghost’s body warmed yours, his chin resting on your head. Soon, cool drops fell on your neck, making you open your eyes quickly. The contact of the cold tears with your warm skin made you shiver.

You looked at him; his eyes were closed, but tears streamed down his cheek. His lips trembled as he tried to stop the shaking by biting his lower lip. He knew you were looking at him, but he didn’t dare look into your eyes, not when he felt like a defenseless kitten. Without looking at you, he managed to form a few words.

Ghost: “I can’t sleep…”—he paused dramatically, then continued—“without you.”