it was midnight when i felt death sneak into my room
they entered quietly, the gentle shutting of a window
as they clambered, a little inelegantly, over the sill
and came to a stop beside my bed
their hand was cold as they touched my forehead
ice against the warm of my blankets and pillows
but their skin was soft as silk and ever so gentle
fingers brushing away stray hairs from my brow
it was too late at night to open my eyes
the blue light of my alarm clock blared in the background
instead, i reached up sleepily, hand groping around
until i latched upon the black lapel of my visitor
they didn’t put up a fight, so willing, to let me
pull them down onto the bed, fit for two but
only occupied by its one sole resident
they fit the space left like a glove
they did not protest, when i tugged the blankets
over their head, this bleary awakeness sending
me nearly back to sleep, as i let go my visitor’s coat
to let my head find its resting spot under their neck
the coat they wore was thick and black and all in all
‘s’not suitable for sleeping in’ i grumbled, with just the
slightest bit of frustration, but all my visitor did was laugh
‘you never listen’ i sigh ‘always showing up in the same damn thing’
‘its a uniform’ my visitor replied, and i could feel the faint smile
curved upon their lips through the press of their face near the nape
of my neck, ‘its a stupid uniform, hardly looks comfy at all’
‘its not meant to be comfy’ my visitor said ‘its meant to be warm, at least’
‘still stupid’ i decided, ‘theres no need for it to be that uncomfy’
‘and besides, you can just stay warm with me’
‘i could, couldn’t it? are you so eager to have me around?’
‘yeah, yeah, shut up now. just go to sleep.’