(Untitled)

[having_lost]

"Matt!"

He sits bolt upright in bed. It's four, five in the morning. But it's important.

Comments

[final_letter]

Matt sleeps better in their house than... anywhere ever, really, but he can still snap awake at a moment's notice. He feels around for Near in the dark, hand finding his knee.

"What, what's wrong?"

[having_lost]

"To tell you my name."

He gives Matt a cautious smile.

[final_letter]

He grins back. "I'm glad. You still want that hot chocolate?"

[having_lost]

"I'll get it." He sits up.

[final_letter]

Matt gets his cigarettes from the bedside table and lights up. "I could make breakfast."

[having_lost]

"I never thought I'd live to be twenty eight."

[final_letter]

"You'll live to be ninety."

[having_lost]

"You'll be young, and have to take care of me."

[final_letter]

"Not that young. I'll still need you and feed you when you're ninety-four." He might hum a little.

[having_lost]

"What?"

Outside of Near's cultural understanding.

[final_letter]

Matt laughs. "Oh, I'm just mangling a Beatles song."

He stubs out his cigarette and gets out of the bed.

[having_lost]

"I think we should get another quilt."

This one is so nice.

[final_letter]

"Yeah?" Pulling on his jeans. "Do you think we'll get winter in here?"

[having_lost]

"Yes. When it happens, we'll keep a fire burning all night. It might mean having to get up once in a while to add wood to it, but we can take turns."

[final_letter]

"I still want to make a footwarmer, to put at the bottom of the bed."

[having_lost]

"That is a nice idea."