Hilary yawned and stretched luxuriously. It was so warm! She really didn't want to get out of bed, but… She nervously poked one foot out of the covers, still with her eyes closed, then drew it back with a muffled shriek, diving under the covers again. Nope! She was staying right here!
"Come on, Hilary! Out you get!" Hilary shot out from under the covers as if she'd just received an electric shock.
"R-Ray!" she spluttered, trying to look angry. "What the heck are you doing in here?" Ray grinned, his amber eyes dancing with mischief.
"Well you looked so comfy, I'd thought I'd come and see what I could do about it! After all, 14 hours sleep is enough for anyone!" Hilary, pretending to be offended, took a shot at him with the pillow. She laughed, swinging the pillow, daring him to come near. He did, and they had a few moments of chaos, with Ray dodging every swipe she aimed. Shaking with laughter, Hilary held up her hands.
"OK, OK, I surrender!"
"Good!" Ray said teasingly. His expression changed suddenly as a thought hit him.
"What's up, Ray?"
"I was just wondering… your…redness…" Ray stated, uncomfortably. "When it isn't happening…. Can you sense it at all? Like, know if it's still there or not?"
"Ye-es," said Hilary uncertainly. "I think so… it's only been one day, so… probably…"
"Go on. Try it now!" Ray urged.
More bemused than anything else, Hilary complied, delicately feeling round the space where it normally occupied. "It-it's not there!" she whispered, hardly able to believe it.
"You sure?" Ray asked excitedly.
"Yeah!" Hilary replied, joy rising inside her. Free! Free at last of that stinking menace that had haunted her for most of her life! "But…how?" she said softly, bemused. Ray took her hand. Hilary looked up in surprise. Ray's face was deadly serious.
"I've got an idea," he said quietly. "Shall we test it? Just to make sure?"
"Ray…" Hilary was breathless. If he meant what she thought he meant… "If you want to…" she said shyly, blushing pink.
"You'd better believe I do!" Ray exclaimed, a huge, Tyson-like grin lighting up his face.
Serious again, Ray sat down on Hilary's bed, taking hold of her hand. "Do you?" he asked cautiously. "Really?"
"Yes..." Hilary's reply was almost inaudible as the two of them brought their faces closer together, till they could have counted each other's eyelashes. Ray ran his hands softly over Hilary's face, while she began to carefully unwind the long strip of cloth keeping his hair in place. When that was done, she gently shook out his hair, running her fingers through the silky black strands, Ray's breath hot on her face.
"I love you, Hilary."
"I love you too, Ray."
Well? What did you all think? Please review and tell me!