CHAPTER 107 — A LITTLE MORE

The dorm room window was wide open.

It was still warm inside.

Sitting on the edge of the bed, Clara tugged at her cardigan's collar.

Percy leaned against the wall opposite her. For several minutes, he'd looked as though he were talking to the bag on the floor instead of her.

Clara raised an eyebrow.

“Perc?”

“Yes?”

“The bag isn't going to answer you.”

“You never know.”

“Why?”

“I was dead for a while, Clara. My words definitely haven't recovered.”

The corners of Clara's lips curled.

“Maybe they haven't.”

Percy finally lifted his head.

Clara looked at him for a moment.

“We'll help them recover together.”

The smile on Percy's face slowly grew.

That was it.

She did it every time.

No matter how bad his joke was, Clara would reach into it, take hold of him, and bring him somewhere else.

Percy looked at the bag again.

“Did you hear that?”

Clara narrowed her eyes.

“Hear what?”

“She gave a better answer than you.”

Clara grabbed the pillow from the bed and threw it at him.

Percy ducked.

The pillow hit the wall behind him and fell to the floor.

They both looked at the wall.

Clara's smile vanished instantly.

“Wait a minute.”

Percy didn't move.

Clara slowly stood.

“The wall's still broken.”

“No, it isn't.”

“Percy.”

“Your eyes are playing tricks on you.”

Clara approached the crack in the wall.

“There's a huge crack right here.”

“No, there isn't.”

“Yes, there is.”

“No, there isn't.”

“Yes, there is.”

“No, there isn't.”

“Yes, there is.”

“Yes, there is.”

“No, there isn't.”

Silence fell.

Percy lifted his head and looked at her.

“Told you.”

Clara said nothing for several seconds.

Then slowly turned to him.

“You jerk.”

Percy took a step toward the door.

Clara got there first and caught his arm.

“Hold on.”

“Clara, we can talk this out.”

“We just did.”

“I don't feel very talked out.”

Clara pushed him toward the bed.

Percy lost his balance and sat down.

Clara stood directly in front of him, arms folded.

Percy looked up at her innocently.

“Is violence normal this early in a relationship?”

“Most things about a relationship with you aren't normal.”

This time, they both fell silent.

Clara's hands slowly lowered.

Percy tilted his head.

“I died.”

Clara pressed her lips together.

“I got kidnapped.”

“And your jailer was a King Monster.”

“Yes.”

They looked at each other.

Clara laughed first.

Percy couldn't hold it in any longer. He bent his head and laughed.

Clara sat beside him on the bed.

“I guess normal's off-limits for us.”

Percy lifted his head and looked at her.

“It was off-limits for who we were then.”

Clara's smile grew a little smaller.

“And who we are now?”

Percy answered without thinking.

“Who I am now has you.”

Clara went quiet.

So did Percy.

The room suddenly seemed a little warmer.

Percy cleared his throat.

“That sounded less embarrassing in my head.”

Without taking her eyes off him, Clara unzipped her cardigan.

Percy's gaze moved involuntarily, and he quickly turned away.

Clara stopped.

“What are you doing?”

“Examining the wall.”

“You just said the wall wasn't broken.”

“I changed my mind. It's fascinating from an engineering perspective.”

Clara lowered her head.

“Percy.”

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“Yes?”

“Don't be embarrassed.”

Percy didn't move for a few seconds.

Then slowly turned back.

Clara was still sitting on the edge of the bed. Her arm had gotten caught behind her as she tried to remove the cardigan.

Percy walked over.

When he stopped in front of her, they wore the same uncertain expression.

Percy brought his hands to the cardigan's shoulders.

Waited a second.

Clara nodded silently.

Percy carefully eased the cardigan off her shoulders and arms. Then laid it on the edge of the bed.

Clara sat before him in her white shirt, and Percy's hands still hovered near her shoulders.

Neither knew what they were supposed to do.

Percy leaned down a little.

Placed a brief kiss on Clara's shoulder, over her shirt.

Clara's face flushed at once.

When Percy drew back, his own ears were scarlet too.

Clara looked at him.

“Did you plan that?”

“No.”

“I can tell.”

“In a good way?”

“Percy.”

“Okay.”

Clara bit her lip to keep from laughing.

Percy sat beside her.

The bed's old springs creaked softly under their combined weight.

For a while, neither said anything.

Students' voices drifted in from outside. A door closed at the far end of the corridor. A light breeze through the open window stirred the blank sheet of paper on the desk.

Percy looked at his hands.

“Apart from my big brother Galahad, I don't have any good memories here.”

Clara's smile disappeared.

Percy's gaze wandered around the room.

Over the broken wall.

The old bed.

The corner where he'd once sat alone.

“I remember why I came here,” he said. “And how I came here.”

Clara laid her hand over his.

Percy turned his fingers and took her hand.

“That's why I want to get rid of the reason I came here.”

Clara moved a little closer.

“How?”

Percy shrugged.

“By putting something else in its place.”

Clara looked around the room.

“Two hours staring at the wall and arguing wasn't enough?”

“I had something nicer than a wall in mind.”

“What?”

Percy looked at her.

Clara's face began to redden again.

Percy moved back on the bed. He lifted the blanket and made room for Clara.

Clara looked at the blanket, then at Percy.

“Percy Grant.”

“Yes, Clara Grant?”

Clara's eyes widened.

Percy froze.

“Slip of the tongue.”

“I didn't say anything.”

“Your face did.”

“What did my face say?”

“That I'm going to die.”

Clara turned her head to hide her smile.

Percy held out his hand.

This time, he didn't joke.

After a few seconds, Clara placed her hand in his.

Percy drew her toward him.

They lay down and pulled the blanket over themselves. Both were in their everyday clothes; only a tiny gap remained between them, left by not knowing how close to get.

Clara rested her head against Percy's chest.

Percy wrapped his arm around her.

They both held their breath at the same time.

Clara slowly lifted her head.

“This is what we were running from, wasn't it, Perc?”

Percy didn't answer for a while.

Then ran his fingers through her hair.

“I don't think it was this.”

“What, then?”

“What might come after this.”

Clara watched him quietly.

Percy took a deep breath.

“Years ago, I asked your mother for permission to like you.”

“I know.”

“Four days ago, I asked for permission to be your boyfriend.”

“I know that too.”

“This...”

Percy paused.

“Turns out this is a much higher-level version of those.”

Clara couldn't help laughing.

“Beautifully explained.”

“I was dead for a while. My words—”

“Okay, you don't get to use that twice.”

Percy smiled too.

Then his expression grew serious again.

“I don't think we need to figure out all these feelings right away.”

Clara's smile slowly faded.

Percy continued.

“We love each other. We want to be together. That can be enough.”

“For now?”

“For now.”

Clara's gaze briefly dropped to his lips.

“And then?”

Percy shrugged.

“We'll grow up a little more.”

“A little more?”

“A little more.”

“What if you say 'a little more' again after that?”

“Then you can pull my ear.”

Clara raised her hand and took Percy's ear.

Percy's eyes widened.

“You didn't have to start already.”

Clara pulled him toward her.

Gave him a brief kiss on the lips.

When she drew back, both their faces were red.

“I think you're right,” Clara said.

She settled back into the crook of Percy's arm.

“That's it?”

“What were you expecting?”

“An argument.”

“I can tell you you're wrong if you want.”

“No, this is nice.”

“Are you sure?”

“Shut up, Clara.”

Clara giggled.

Percy pulled the blanket a little higher.

Gently stroking Clara's back, he closed his eyes.

The room wasn't the same room anymore.

The wall was still broken.

The bed was still old.

The past was still there.

But Clara was there too.

And that day, for two hours, the world asked nothing of Percy Grant.

He didn't fight.

Didn't die.

Didn't save anyone.

He only held the girl he loved and slept.

Percy opened his eyes at the third knock on the door.

“Percy.”

Galahad's voice came from the other side.

Percy tried to move.

Clara's head rested on his arm.

“Percy, are you in there?”

Percy looked at the door.

“No.”

Silence on the other side.

“I see.”

Footsteps began to recede.

Percy breathed a sigh of relief.

Then the footsteps came back.

Another knock.

“I realized you were lying.”

Clara opened her eyes.

First looked at Percy.

Then realized where she was.

Then noticed Percy's arm.

Then the blanket covering them.

Her face went scarlet at once.

Percy whispered.

“Good morning.”

“We've slept for two hours.”

“How do you know?”

“The sunlight at the window has changed.”

Percy looked at the window.

“I'd have checked the clock.”

Clara pulled his ear.

Percy winced.

“Okay, I deserved that.”

Another knock at the door.

This time, Galahad spoke louder.

“I'm opening the door.”

“One minute, bro!”

Percy and Clara sat up at the same time.

While Clara looked for her cardigan at the edge of the bed, Percy got tangled in the blanket around his own leg and nearly fell to the floor.

Clara caught his arm.

“The Chosen One.”

“The bed cheated.”

Clara picked up her cardigan but didn't put it on. She folded it over her arm.

They sat side by side on the edge of the bed.

Percy tried to fix his hair.

Clara looked at him.

“You made it worse.”

“I'm trying to look natural.”

“This is your natural state?”

“Unfortunately.”

Clara stood.

Percy was about to get up when she turned back to him.

“Did you get rid of the reason you came here?”

Percy stopped.

Looked around the room once more.

Then at Clara.

“Yes.”

He held out his hand.

Clara took it.

Percy gently drew her close.

“What about you?”

Clara leaned in and took Percy's ear again.

This time, she didn't pull it.

She brought her lips close to his ear.

“Yes.”

When her breath brushed his ear, Percy went still.

Clara let go and walked toward the door.

Percy watched her for a few seconds.

“That wasn't fair.”

Clara opened the door.

“Life's hard.”

Galahad stood outside.

First he looked at Clara.

Then at Percy behind her.

Then at the rumpled bed.

Percy quickly stepped in front of it.

Galahad raised an eyebrow.

Percy spread his arms.

“We slept.”

“I can see that.”

“Normally.”

“It was more normal before you said that.”

Clara covered her face.

Percy coughed.

Before entering, Galahad looked at the wall.

He placed a hand over the crack.

“It's gotten bigger.”

“No.”

Galahad turned to Percy.

“Percy.”

“Your eyes are playing tricks on you.”

Clara giggled.

Galahad looked at them both.

“Everyone's been waiting downstairs for two hours.”

Percy's face fell.

“Everyone?”

“Everyone.”

“Why?”

“You were going to the market.”

Percy closed his eyes.

“I forgot.”

“Arthur's spent the last half hour questioning why he's alive.”

Clara tied her cardigan around her waist.

“Let's go.”

Percy headed for the door.

Galahad stepped aside.

As Percy passed him, Galahad spoke.

“Percy.”

Percy stopped.

“Yes, bro?”

Galahad looked at the bed.

Then at Clara.

Then back at Percy.

“I knocked.”

Percy watched him for a few seconds.

“I noticed.”

“I'm improving.”

Percy smiled.

“I'm proud of you.”

Galahad nodded toward the corridor.

“Get out of my room.”

Percy stopped in the doorway.

“This is my room.”

Galahad looked at the broken wall.

“With that wall, it'll be both our rooms soon.”

Clara couldn't hold back her laughter.

Percy caught her hand and stepped into the corridor.

“Let's go. The man's eyes are playing tricks on him.”

Everyone was there when they reached the dorm's ground floor.

Arthur sprawled in the chair opposite the stairs.

William was looking at the watch in his hand.

Marcus stood at the window, looking outside.

Charlotte sat across from Arthur, apparently making a great effort not to listen to him.

Arthur straightened the moment he saw Percy.

“We've been here for two hours.”

William checked his watch.

“Two hours and four minutes.”

Arthur pointed at him.

“See! The man's started timing it.”

William answered calmly.

“I had nothing else to do.”

Marcus turned to them.

“We could have left.”

Arthur spread his arms.

“That's what I'm saying! Why are we here?”

Charlotte spoke without lifting her head.

“Because you didn't leave.”

Arthur turned to her.

“Neither did you.”

“I'm not complaining.”

“Your face is.”

Charlotte lifted her head and looked at him.

Arthur immediately turned to Percy.

“What did you do for two hours?”

Percy and Clara looked at each other.

“Examined the wall,” Percy said.

Arthur's face went blank.

“What?”

Clara nodded with a perfectly serious expression.

“It's fascinating from an engineering perspective.”

William narrowed his eyes.

“For two hours?”

Percy squeezed Clara's hand a little tighter.

“We fell asleep at some point.”

Arthur studied them for a few seconds.

Then his gaze dropped to their joined hands.

His expression changed.

“Okay.”

Percy raised an eyebrow.

“What do you mean, okay?”

“I'm not asking anything.”

“You made a smart decision for once.”

Arthur stood.

“I changed my mind. I'm asking everything.”

Clara pulled Percy toward the door.

“Weren't we going to the market?”

Marcus opened the door.

“Finally.”

William checked his watch again.

“At this rate, we might make it before the shops close.”

Arthur came up beside Percy.

“Seriously, what did you do?”

Percy looked at him.

“Slept.”

Arthur narrowed his eyes.

“Side by side?”

Percy kept walking.

Arthur walked with him.

“In the same bed?”

Percy didn't answer.

Arthur's mouth slowly fell open.

“You bastard.”

Percy stopped and turned to him.

“We slept, Arthur.”

“I didn't say anything.”

“Your face did.”

Clara burst out laughing.

As she passed, Charlotte smacked the back of Arthur's neck.

“Keep walking, Stone Man.”

Arthur held his neck.

“What did I do?”

“Nothing yet.”

“That's worse!”

They all stepped out of the dorm.

The sun was nearing the horizon. As the sky turned orange, the noise of the busy market reached them from the distance.

Percy stopped for a moment and looked back at the building.

He saw that window.

He couldn't see the broken wall.

Or the old bed.

Only the window left open, and a curtain stirring softly in the breeze.

Clara squeezed his hand.

Percy turned to her.

“Are you ready?”

Clara smiled.

“Are you?”

Percy looked at his team.

At Marcus walking ahead.

At William's endless calculations.

At Arthur, still trying to understand why Charlotte had hit him.

At Galahad a little farther back, watching them from the dorm entrance.

Then he looked at Clara again.

“A little more.”

Clara tilted her head.

Percy smiled.

“I'm a little more ready.”

Clara bumped her shoulder against his.

“Enough for now.”

They kept walking side by side.

The bad memories were still in the room behind them.

But they weren't alone anymore.

Two hours of peaceful sleep, a brief kiss, and one tiny decision made together had joined them.

The past hadn't been erased.

For the first time, something better simply stood beside it.