[Novel] Waking Up in a Dream, Episode 34: The Fifth Night -Longing-

The Fifth Night -Longing-

When I opened my eyes, the lower half of my face was buried in Camus's hair.
I was lying on my back on that soft floor.
Camus's body was resting on top of me, as if covering me.
Heavy...
I tried to squirm, but he didn't budge. His body was larger and heavier than mine. It was only natural, I suppose.
It seemed he had been careful not to put his full weight on me. I wasn't being crushed or in any pain.

Perhaps when we fell asleep facing each other on the couch earlier, and the couch and such disappeared, we ended up in this state. Fortunately, I hadn't hit anything and wasn't in any pain.
Camus's face was buried near my right shoulder as I lay on my back. Judging by his rhythmic breathing, I concluded he was asleep.

He looked so peaceful sleeping that I didn't want to wake him if I could help it. However, it seemed impossible to slide my body out from under him without waking him.
Thinking back on how Camus had been earlier, I wanted to let him sleep as much as he liked. But I had no choice.
Afraid that if I opened my mouth I might end up eating his hair, I used my left hand, which was relatively free, to shake his body.

Camus's long eyelashes lifted, and his red eyes looked around vaguely.
When he met my eyes, he narrowed his red eyes and smiled so happily.
I felt a sharp pang in my chest.
"Wake up, Camus. It's heavy."
Since Camus's head lifted, I asked him to help me sit up as well.
Camus slowly sat up and blinked his eyes. But he still looked somewhat dazed. He might still be half-asleep.

"Camus."
"Terrastine."
When I tried to shake him harder to get him to sit up and clear his head, he grabbed my shoulders instead and pinned me to the floor.
Camus's knees were on either side of me, and my body was pinned down.
I could only stare at Camus in a daze.
After staring at me with a serious expression, Camus opened his mouth.

"I love you."
"Camus..."
I was stared down by those red eyes filled with intense light.
As he placed his hand on my cheek and brought his face closer, I closed my eyes.
A soft sensation was pressed against my lips. After a while, it pulled away, and that sensation moved to my eyelids, forehead, and cheeks.
The hand on my cheek traced the contours of my face, then gently stroked the edge of my ear.

Does he still think we're in a dream?
He's acting differently than the Camus I've known.
Maybe he's acting strange because he lent his body to me.
The Camus I knew had treated me like a younger sister. Surely, because my body was small and I had no memories, he never forced his feelings on me.
But now, he is looking at 'Terrastine' through me.
In fact, Camus called me 'Terrastine.' Even though he had always called me 'Terra' until now.

I felt his hot breath on my neck, and he traced it with his lips.
The hand that had been stroking my ear reached for the collar of my clothes.
He whispered to me.
"Terrastine. I want all of you."
"That is..."
My own voice sounded raspy.
When I opened my eyes, Camus, who had lifted his face from my neck, stared into my eyes with his red ones. The corners of his eyes were red, and perhaps he had loosened his own collar, as his collarbone was visible underneath. I felt dizzy, overwhelmed by his intense allure.

"I will offer all of myself to you."
His voice echoed in my ear. Tears welled up in my eyes. His fingertips slipped inside the collar of my clothes.
"Stop. Camus-Yana."
At my words, his movements stopped. He looked down at me, stunned, with his red eyes. His eyes were filled with surprise.

"Terrastine... have your memories returned?"
"Yes, I am not going anywhere. Camus-Yana. You don't have to do things like this."
At my words, Camus-Yana blinked his eyes.
And perhaps realizing the current situation, he hurriedly pulled himself away from me.
Not wanting to let him escape, I threw myself into his chest.
"Terrastine..."
"Please stay like this for a while. Camus-Yana."
Listening to Camus-Yana's rapid heartbeat, I hugged the body in front of me tightly.