he let out a quiet breath through his nose, something between a scoff and a laugh, eyes still fixed on the ceiling. “ trust me, ” he said lazily, “ if i was trying to impress you, i’d be doing a way better job than… t h i s. ” a vague gesture with one hand, encompassing the tiny bed, the storm rattling the windows, and the general misery of the situation. “ height’s kind of a useless flex when there’s nowhere to put it. ” her next comment earned a sideways glance. he studied her for a second, how stiff she was under the covers, shoulders drawn in like she was bracing for impact. he clicked his tongue softly. “ i’m calm because freaking out doesn’t help, ” he said simply. “ one bed, bad weather, stuck till morning. panicking won’t magically give us a second mattress. ” then, quieter–- “ and i’m not gonna b i t e. ” when she slid fully under the covers, announcing her perfect-sleeper credentials like she was filing a royal report, his mouth twitched. “ no snoring, no weird noises, ” he repeated. “ wow. truly flawless. ” he hummed. “ i’ll try not to ruin your reputation. ” he shifted just enough to get comfortable, careful not to brush against her, arms settling back into place. “ i don’t snore, ” he added. “ at least… no one’s survived long enough to complain. ” silence settled in, broken only by the wind howling outside. after a moment, his voice came again–- lower, less sharp. “ and for the record, ” he said, eyes still closed, “ i don’t hate you. hate is far too strong of a word. i just don’t like you is all. ” though, he’s forgotten the real reason behind his dislike, really.