It started small, at first. Her hand would linger a second too long on Sadie’s sleeve when they walked across campus, or she would rest her head on Sadie's shoulder in the library, refusing to move even when her textbook slid out of reach. At first, Sadie didn’t mind—if anything, she found it endearing. But as the days passed, the touches grew more frequent, the closeness almost constant. She clung to her side between classes, sat closer than usual during study sessions, and seemed almost afraid to let her walk off alone. Sadie knew that she has always been a little distant with her family, and lacked the much needed support that any teen or young adult would need growing up, so that probably affected her more then she let on. Sadie, ever observant, finally broke one quiet afternoon.

“Hey,” she murmured, tipping her head to catch her eyes. “You’ve been... extra close lately. What’s going on, everything alright?”

The question hit harder than she meant. She blinked, immediately withdrawing her hand from Sadie's like she'd been caught doing something wrong. Her throat tightened, and she shook her head with a nervous laugh that didn’t quite reach their eyes. “Sorry. I—I didn’t realize I was being that much. I’ll back off.”

Sadie’s brow furrowed. “That’s not what I—” But she was already shoving her books into her bag, cheeks burning, muttering something about class. The door closed behind her, leaving Sadie sitting there in the silence, more confused—and a little more worried—than before.

Over the next few days, the shift was obvious. She stopped reaching for her. Stopped leaning in close, stopped laughing as much, stopped talking to her in the easy way they always had. She drifted like a ghost through her routines, avoiding eye contact, drowning in quiet that cut Sadie to the bone, although still around and talking, it lacked her usual bubbly-ness, the usual closeness between them...

So, one morning, when she blinked awake in her dorm, it took her a second to process what she was feeling—warmth, the weight of an arm wrapped firmly around her waist, the sound of slow, steady breathing against the back of her neck. Sadie.

She was curled up against her, still in the clothes she’d worn yesterday, hair messy from sleep, her face tucked against her shoulder like she belonged there. Her hand flexed slightly against her side, holding her closer as if even in sleep, she refused to let go.

She stirred, her voice soft and raspy. “Mhm. Morning.” She cracked one sleepy eye open and gave a small smile. “You were pulling away. Thought I’d remind you I’m not going anywhere.”

She froze, throat tight, while Sadie just squeezed her a little tighter, her warmth chasing away every creeping doubt they’d been carrying.