The Right One

Summary: After getting back to the suite in Berlin, Ahmed and MC (Micah) both find themselves unable to sleep. Possible cavity-causing fluff ahead. Set after chapter 9. This was inspired by the prompt “Playing with their hair while their head’s in your lap”.

The quiet click of the door to the balcony wakes Micah from a restless sleep. She’s been tossing and turning since they got back from the club. It had been an interesting night, and not in the best of ways. Despite her sheer exhaustion, she knows she won’t fall asleep anytime soon and gets out of bed. She expects to find Marisa on the balcony when she pads out of her bedroom, but instead sees Ahmed.

He’s leaning against the railing, staring out at the glittering city lights.

“Ahmed?”

He turns, looking surprised to see her. “Micah? What are you doing up?”

She joins him at the railing, her shoulder bumping his. “I heard the door open.”

The night air is a little chilly up this high, and she leans into him, smiling when he turns and wraps an arm around her shoulders. He’s warm, his shirt is unbelievably soft, and she likes the feeling of his arm around her.

“I’m sorry,” he apologizes. “I didn’t mean to wake you.”

“That’s okay. I couldn’t really sleep anyway.”

They stand quietly for a few minutes until she gently nudges him. “What are you doing awake so late?”

Ahmed sighs. “I’m just nervous about tomorrow. Well, today now, I guess.”

Guilt creeps through her. “I’m sorry we ended up out so late. I know how important this game is.”

“It’s not your fault. I think I’d be awake and nervous no matter what time we would’ve gotten back.”

She gets the sense that there’s more on his mind than just the game, though she’s not sure that now is the best time to ask. He really does need sleep. Micah slips her hand into his. “You should try and sleep,” she tells him.

“I know.”

“Come on,” she says, tugging him towards the door. “I have an idea.”

Ahmed gives her a curious look and follows her inside. She keeps her fingers laced with his, taking pleasure in the gentle pressure of his hand squeezing hers. Every one of his simple touches warms her through and makes her stomach flutter.

It’s new territory for her, this instant click and connection with another person. She’s dated before, and liked people a lot before, but the way she already feels about Ahmed isn’t something she’s ever felt. Despite the short time they’ve actually known each other, she feels like she’s known him for years. Being around him and talking to him somehow feels brand new and exciting but comforting and familiar, all at the same time.

Micah heads for his room. He grins at her when she sits on the edge of his bed and pats the spot next to her.

“I’m not sure how you being in my bed is going to help me sleep,” he laughs quietly.

She grins back at him. “Humor me?” She swings her legs up and leans back against the headboard, fluffing up a pillow and placing it on her lap.

Ahmed gives her another curious look, a hint of desire in his eyes, and feels that familiar fluttery feeling. She pushes it down. If this was any other night, she’d love the idea of just lying in bed with him, trading slow kisses back and forth before gradually drifting off together. But tonight, she just wants to help him sleep. Ahmed lies next to her, his head on the pillow, one of his arms resting across her legs. Micah clicks off the bedside lamp, plunging the room into near darkness. She gently slips one of her hands into his hair, playing with the dark strands. It’s thick and impossibly soft, sliding through her fingers like water.

Ahmed makes a contented sound as she continues to run her hands over his hair. A soft smile crosses her face as she continues her slow, rhythmic motions. There’s enough light from the street lamps outside that she can see his eyes gradually drift closed.

“That feels good,” he mumbles sleepily.

She hums quietly in reply, sliding her fingers over the shorter strands at the back of his neck. It tickles her fingertips pleasantly. Ahmed’s arm curls around her legs and she can feel him relax into her more and more.

She thinks he’s asleep until she hears him ask, “Does someone do this for you when you can’t sleep?”

“You’re supposed to be asleep,” she chides him gently.

“Almost am,” he murmurs in reply.

“Good. And yes,” she answers him. “Well, they used to. My mom would do it when I was little and had a nightmare. And I dated a guy a few years ago who’d do it sometimes when I couldn’t sleep.”

“Mm. What happened?”

She scratches her fingers gently over his scalp and he groans quietly.

“We just had different dreams, mostly. I’ve always wanted to travel, see the world, meet new people. He was content to stay in his hometown for the rest of his life.”

Ahmed’s eyes open again. He rolls to his back and looks up at her. “You wanted different things.”

Micah nods, her hands stilling briefly before she slips them back into his hair again. Ahmed sighs heavily, his brow furrowing.

“What is it?” she asks him.

“I think about that a lot. If I’ll meet someone and think we could have something, but they don’t understand the life I’ll lead if I stay on this team.”

“You’ll stay on the team,” Micah says automatically, because she firmly believes he will. She’s pulled up enough videos of him playing now to see not only his drive and his talent, but his genuine love for the game and how much of his heart he pours into it.

“And I’ve always thought that if you’re meant to be with someone, really meant to be with them, they’ll support what makes you happy. Even if they don’t necessarily have that exact same dream for themselves, they’ll want it for you.”

“Even if that dream comes with constant traveling and sometimes overly-enthusiastic fans?” Ahmed asks, and she can tell from the tone in his voice that this is another reason he couldn’t sleep tonight.

“If they’re the right person for you, absolutely,” Micah replies firmly.

“Do you… mean that?”

His eyes meet hers, and she suspects that he’s asking her this as more than just a hypothetical question about a hypothetical person. She stops her motions again, leaning down and pressing her lips to his in a soft, slow kiss. His hand slips up into her hair as it drapes around them, closing them off from the rest of the world.

“I do,” she murmurs. “I mean, if it was me, I wouldn’t love that you’re mobbed by fans everywhere you go. Or that complete strangers try and rip your clothes off. But that’s not you, Ahmed. Every dream has some sort of sacrifice or things that come with it that you can’t control. But the right person will choose to focus on the positives, and you’ll work through those harder times together.”

He’s quiet for a moment, then gently kisses her again. “I’m glad you feel that way. You’re wonderful, you know that, Micah? You really do know just what to say to make me feel better.”

She nuzzles her nose against his. “I try. I like seeing you happy.”

Ahmed smiles against her lips. “I like seeing you happy too.”

“Want to know something else?” she asks him.

“What’s that?”

“You make me happy,” she tells him, and his smile widens.

She doesn’t care how sappy and cheesy she sounds right now. She means every word.

“You make me happy too.”

She sits back up, resuming running her fingers through his hair. “So as much as I’d love to just stay up with you all night, do you think you can sleep now?”

“Mmm,” he sighs, then yawns. “Yes.”

Before long, his eyes have closed and his breathing is slow and even. Micah slowly slips out from under him, intent on letting him sleep, but his eyes open again.

“You can stay, if you want,” he says quietly.

She does want to, especially when she thinks back to how it had felt to wake up next to him on the train ride here. Still, she doesn’t want to be the reason his game doesn’t go well.

“Are you sure?”

He nods in the dark, gently pulling her down next to him. Micah shifts to lay on her side facing him. His arm comes up around her waist and she sighs when he leans in to kiss her.

“Good night, Micah,” he says drowsily.

One of her hands automatically finds its way back into the soft, dark strands of his hair. His eyes drift closed again as he pulls her in closer.

“Good night, Ahmed,” she murmurs.