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“I’m coming home.”

Holding my phone to my ear with my shoulder, I start to pick at the tape on my left fist.

“No, don’t!”

“I can’t stay here. I won’t be able to concentrate if I’m worried about you.”

“I’m sorry.”

“No, that’s… I’m not trying to guilt you. I just want to be with you.”

“Are you on your break?”

I glance around the makeshift locker room. Once upon a time it was a break room.

“Kind of.”

My phone chimes and I look at it, seeing the prompt for a video call.

Uh… Shit.

Making sure my free hand is down by my side, with the open-fingered glove out of view, I accept. Kota’s face appears a moment later, causing my lips to pull into a grin.

“There she is.” My beautiful silver lining.

“Is this okay? I don’t want to get you in trouble.”

I almost laugh. “You won’t.”

Smiling as well, Kota props her phone up on her nightstand before snuggling down into my hoodie she swears is now hers.

While she’s fixing the hood around her ears, I notice one hand reach further around the back of her head. She thinks she’s being sneaky, like I don’t know exactly what she’s doing.

“Hey. Where’s Onyx?”

Kota pulls both hands down to grab her beloved stuffed animal and hugs him to her chest.

“Happy?”

“I’d be happier if you were snuggling me. Don’t get too comfortable, Onyx,” I warn the inanimate object.

“What time do you get off?”

I eye the door. “Shouldn’t be too much longer.”

“That’s not a very long shift.”

A grunt is my only response.

“What do you do again?”

Still pulling tricks. I never told her what I do.

“A combination of things,” is all I say on the matter.

“But what—”

“What happened to sleeping? Your body needs to recover.”