(8.5) Habits

Pale moonlight gently crept through the window of Star Butterfly's room as the lizard girl sat on the edge of her bed, slipping her dark gray nightgown over her head. She sighed to herself and took her brush from the nightstand, giving her hair a few casual strokes with it before setting the tool down and glancing to her vanity dresser. Atop the surface, suspended by a cheap wire basket, sat the space heater she'd picked up earlier that day. It was battery-powered, and both she and Marco had thought it a good asset to have in the event of a power outage during frost season, even as rare as they were in California. Looking at the dim red light on the surface of the cylindrical device, she silently tucked herself under her covers and dimmed her lamp until the room was devoid of electrical light.

Between the cotton linens, Star let her head fall to the pillow unceremoniously, blankly staring at the light green of the bedroom wall. She had wanted to try her new heater tonight, but as she lay there she felt almost hollow, her mind searching for a reason as to why she felt so melancholy. Turning from one side to another, she found no reprieve from a simple change in position.

'What's going on with me tonight? Why does this feel... wrong?" she thought. 'I'm warm, tired, already went to the restroom- I should be fine!' Her head moved bit by bit against her pillow, feeling for a comfortable position that was nowhere to be found. Star huffed in frustration.

"Marco, are you awa-"

She let her voice stop dead in the silence of her room. She sat up, her covers falling to her lap as she contemplated just how she had slept for the past 4 months. She found herself expecting the sound of another's breathing, the faint rhythm of a heartbeat against her skin.

And it was so cold on the other side of the bed.

She slipped out of bed, turning off her heater with a finger press as she opened her closet and grabbed a blue blanket from the floor. Slipping through the door and into the hallway, she tiptoed across the way and past the open door to Marco's room, swearing under her breath as she narrowly avoided tripping over his schoolbag. Approaching his bed, she nervously unfolded the blanket and set it out at the foot, carefully pulling the fabric over the mattress and the body residing on it. Marco shifted in his sleep, sending a jolt of panic through Star's head that she shook clear of. Lifting the covers, she tucked one, then two legs in, propping herself up with her arm as she slid fully under. Scooting herself closer, she quickly pressed her body softly against him as he stirred again.

"Star?" he said softly as he opened his eyes to the sight of her snuggled against him. She made a soft hushing sound as he felt her tail wrap itself over his waist. He chuckled and pulled her closer, his chest flush to her back as he kissed her on the back of the head let his eyes close again. Star found sleep quickly, sighing softly as she and her boyfriend let themselves fade into dreams together.

---

Star smiled to herself as she gave herself a quick once-over in the mirror, her wrinkled nightgown swaying around her. She'd slept wonderfully the night before, a bounce in her step as she set herself to work brushing her hair out for the day.

"Hey Star, have you seen your heater anywhere? Mom wants to borrow it for the day for her office at work!" she heard Marco call from across the hall. She glanced over to her trash can, the white cylinder lying at the bottom.

"No I haven't, Marco!" she yelled back, a coy smile on her face as she giggled, her tail wagging behind her.

She already had a heater, after all.