I wake with a snort when weight knocks into my stomach. “What the…?” Sleep clears from my vision and there she is. Oh geez. The little black cat starts kneading the blanket wrapped around me, pressing her paws straight into my bladder as she goes. 

“Cut it out.” I gently push my knuckles against her forehead, but I’m ignored. 

“Traitor.” Will’s soft voice sounding so suddenly snaps my attention from the tiny creature.

He’s leaning on the bedroom door frame with a mug raised to his smirk. He’s got a hand in the pocket of his sweatpants, and his hair is a little messy and wet. Oh…my. I can smell lavender wafting over from the little waves forming as the strands dry, and it’s completely distracting. Does he not own a damn shirt?

I’m suddenly very aware of myself under his covers, wearing the exact same outfit as him. So all I can really do is watch as Will shuffles over to the dresser and pulls out a pair of blue boxers and gray sweatpants. He tosses them on the bed by my feet before I’ve fully registered that he’s silently laughing at me.

“Go wash,” he murmurs through his grin. “I’m making pancakes.” 

He doesn’t wait for a response, and the cat immediately follows him out when he leaves.

Pancakes do sound good, but…

I close my eyes with a low groan rumbling up my throat. I need a sec before I can get up.

I find him outside on the deck after taking a semi-cold shower. Will hands me a fork before motioning towards a little wooden table. He’s piled three huge golden pancakes on my plate, and there’s a bowl of freshly sliced strawberries next to a container of syrup. My mouth waters instantly as I sit down.

“Butter?” 

I nod and take the dish from his fingers.

“Thanks for making all this,” I mumble awkwardly while he moves across from me.

“Thanks for all the memories yesterday.” He pops a strawberry in his mouth and slides into his chair.

Oh wow. Smooth. I try not to choke on that bluntness, and focus on each stroke of the butter knife instead of him staring at me. I go slowly, coating every inch of the pancakes as a blush creeps across my face. Gosh. “Care to return the favor?” I ask after finally locating my voice. I reach for the syrup while he eyes me with clear amusement. 

“What do you want to know?” His mouth is full, but he still manages to enunciate each word. 

I listen to his fork scraping against the plate as he digs out another bite before I decide on which question to ask. “What happened last night?” I mutter before demolishing the pancake piece in front of me. Yum. 

“A lot. Could you be more specific?” He chuckles while watching me closely.

Am I grossing him out? I swallow as I think of how to phrase my next one. “What happened when you went to bed?” 

He shrugs and chews on another strawberry. “I had a bad dream.” 

“I’ve never seen someone have a dream like that,” I mumble. “Or heard anything like that-”

“It’s fine,” he says hurriedly. 

I look him in the eyes then. He glares back.

“You were screaming,” I state firmly. “What was the dream about?” Not to mention, your eyes were open.

“None of your business.” Will picks up his coffee, but doesn’t drink it.

“You asked what I wanted to know.” 

“Pick a different topic!” He sets the mug down swiftly and plucks another strawberry from the bowl. 

I shake my head down at my plate and dig in out of frustration. It’s empty in just a few minutes. Will is still munching on his precious berries, and it’s then I notice there’s only one pancake in front of him. 

“You spent hours...more like an entire day in my head, and you can’t answer one damn question?” I’m trying my best not to yell because I literally never get worked up and I don’t know how to handle it, but I can feel a burn of annoyance spreading up my back. He’s kind of infuriating. 

Will stops eating, but he doesn’t say anything. His eyes drift to the lake, where the afternoon sunlight shimmer on the surface mirrors his stare.

“You know a lot about me now,” I grunt, reaching for the glass of water I just realized was in front of me, “But I feel like I don’t know you at all.” 

He gestures towards his backyard with his eyes unmoved. “How long have you been coming here?” 

“Just over two weeks.” I admit, taking a long drink to wash that down. 

Will pulls his knees against his chest and runs a hand through his hair. “You probably know all you need to, then,” he mumbles. 

“Geez!” I stand suddenly and move until I’m right in front of him. “You saw what I saw, right? You were in the memories I was in?” I demand with my hands on my hips, because apparently this is me now. 

He nods, his eyes wide and focused on mine. 

I feel so...violated. “Do you understand what you saw?” My voice softens slightly in response to his…everything.

Will gulps, furrows his brow, then nods again.

“So you get that it’s important I know you.” I slouch a bit and reach towards him.

He merely blinks at my hand as it lingers in the air by his left eye, and when I touch his mark, nothing happens. 

“What the hell?” I poke the dark shape repeatedly until Will swats my finger away. 

“I don’t want you in there,” he murmurs through a sigh.

“Well I didn’t want you in mine, but you barged right in anyway!” I throw my arms up in exasperation before I can calm the heck down about this.  

“You sure about that?” His voice is tight, and all I can manage is a gape while I watch his eyebrows arching. He’s too smart for me. I grab my empty glass and plate on my way inside. 

Will follows without a word, which I guess is okay since clearly this conversation isn’t anywhere close to over. He sets the dishes in the sink and takes a quick look at me standing awkwardly in the hall before motioning towards the bathroom. My steps are hesitant as I follow him into the tiny space, but I let myself relax when he simply hands me a tube of toothpaste. 

Good grief. I brush my teeth with my finger while leaning over the kitchen sink. I return the toothpaste to the bathroom when I’m finished, then Will scares the bejesus out of me when I turn around and run straight into him in the hallway.

“Sorry, I thought you’d be able to hear me.” He wiggles his hands above his ears and chuckles to himself.

Did he really just…? “I only have increased sensitivity in my other form.” My voice bites the air between us. 

“Right.” The smile falls from his face. “Your mom mentioned that.” He turns and moves towards the living room without another word. 

I follow him since I figure I should, but I don’t notice he’s still standing until I plop onto the couch. “How are you so...normal about all this?” My mouth moves before I’ve accepted my own question.

“I think being in your head helped me process the information.” He folds his arms loosely across his chest. “It just makes sense, I guess.” 

“It certainly doesn’t make sense to me.” I’m so stunned, I speak again without thinking it through first.

A few tense moments pass while I just stare at Will, who stares right back. I cannot for the life of me read his expression, and I become almost...agitated about it. So when he suddenly takes a deep breath, my entire body twitches.

“There have been countless times throughout my life when I should’ve died, but I didn’t.” He bites his bottom lip and runs his fingers through his hair until he clenches them into a fist. “I never really understood why I was being kept alive, but now I get it.” His hand falls to his side. “I’m alive for you.”