He frowns, looking around the circle to catch their reactions as well. Bren and Lenny look confused, Eli and Lola suspicious, and Nero is unsirprisingly apathetic. That was weird. That was super weird.

"Woah, is she usually that mysterious?" Bren asks. Lola nods her head in agreement, looking at Marley expectantly.

"No," he replies, chills wracking down his spine. She's never acted so suspicious in Marley's life.

"She's hiding something," Nero states, eyes zeroed in on Marley like he's a part of this big secret. Who's to say this is even significant? It could have been a key to the castle for all he knew. Even though castle keys are silver.

"Definitely," Lenny agrees. Eli crosses her arms and reclines against a bookshelf.

The rest of the meeting is pretty much just that. They all agree Charlene had been acting weird, schedule another midnight venture in two days, and head back to their rooms. Marley doesn't understand why they can't just keep meeting in the library like this. What's the point of losing sleep when there's another option?

Marley finds himself falling into step with Nero, and although the guy doesn't talk to him, he can practically feel Nero's thoughts running a mile a minute. Dang. So this is really happening, huh?

When they get back it's about 8:30. Marley is expecting the night to go normally. At least, as normal as it gets at 1-A. He feeds sushi and changes into three layers of pajamas and is about ready to curl up and pray for warmth when Nero comes back in the room, hair damp from the shower.

He sets his dirty clothes in a hamper and wastes no time walking directly to Marley. He stands in front of him and practically orders;

"Hold out your wrist."

Marley's so caught off guard by Nero being on his side of the room (what a hypocrite) and actually talking to him that he does so without question. Nero immediately begins to feel around his wrist.

It's only about fifteen seconds later when Marley realizes what's happening. He immediately snatches his arm back, confused and curious and a bit irritated. What the hell is this guy doing?

"What are you doing?"

"You don't have a pulse."

Oh shit. Marley's been caught. He can't even hide the way his eyes widen and he scoots back on his bed to make sure Nero can't touch him again, the warmth that comes with it be damned. Sort of.

Actually, scratch that, Nero can touch him all he wants if he's going to make Marley warm again. Still, he stays in place.

"Yeah? So what?" He responds immediately.

"So what's wrong with your heart?"

Jeez, this guy is smart. Marley glares at him. Nero glares back. "Why do you care?"

"I don't."

They stare at each other for a moment longer, until Nero rolls his eyes and turns around, stalking over to his bed as the lights crackle off. Suddenly it's dark and Nero's getting in bed. Marley's still fucking cold and now also confused thanks to the man across the room.

What a pain.

He just sighs and scoots back even more, pulling the covers up to his chin and attempting to get the same setup that he'd had the night before. He succeeds pretty well, and cocoons himself up in the hopes that he'll stop shivering. He needs to do something about this before he goes clinically insane. Is it to much to ask for some blood? Jesus.

Nero probably won't talk to him for another three days. That's usually how it works, then he'll make a sarcastic comment and not talk to Marley for another three days.

Marley's teeth are chattering, and he tries to close his mouth but it does pretty much nothing since it just ends up opening again without his permission. Tremors are wracking through his body and he just can't seem to get comfortable on his ice cube of a bed. Before he knows it he's been tossing and turning for at least five minutes. He's about ready to give up and just settle for being freezing cold the rest of the night. Maybe he can just adapt-

"Will you shut the fuck up?"

Oh. Maybe not three days.

Marley frowns at Nero's voice. He didn't think he was being that loud. It's not even his fault! He hates this just as much as Nero does!

"I didn't say anything," Marley defends.

"Are you really that cold? What, did Rellik rip your heart out?"

Oh shit. Nail on the head. Marley should probably lie and say that Nero's crazy and he's fine and his heart is totally in the proper place right now, but he can't find his words. He didn't want to make a big deal out of it but maybe Nero has the right to know, because evidently it matters that much.

"Holy shit. He did, didn't he?" Nero asks, obviously taking Marley's silence as affirmation. Crap.

"I don't see why it matters." Marley grumbles, burying his face in his pillow. Nero's the one on his case, it's not like Marley's yelling at him at 9:00 for being cold. Maybe they both need sleep.

"It matters because you kept me up all fucking night yesterday and if you do that shit again I'll make you wish you could die."

"I can't help it!" Marley cries, rolling onto his back. He's right next to the wall now. "I don't know what you want me to do because I've tried everything to get warm and nothing has worked! Except-"

Marley cuts himself off before he can say that. He's not about to make this situation awkward. No thanks. He's already said enough weird stuff to Nero during his time here (see: you actually have a very nice ass) and he doesn't need to add to that list.

"Except?" Nero inquires, the bitterness in his earlier tone replaced with curiosity. Marley does not need this right now. He's not... he doesn't want...

"Except for when you touched me. I felt warm then."

Marley's not even expecting a response, which is why he nearly jumps out of his skin when he hears the bed on the other side creak like someone's getting on it. Or off.

Marley looks over to see Nero's glowing form grabbing a blanket and straightening out his clothes. Then his body starts to get bigger, and bigger, and—holy shit, he's coming towards Marley! Oh god, oh shit, code red! Red red red! He's gonna get electrocuted!

Marley watches as Nero kicks his sheets out of the way. They fall to Marley's feet, who's in total shock as the bed dips with Nero sliding into bed beside him. His warmth immediately spreads throughout the bed, and Marley can't keep himself from leaning just a little bit towards it. Towards him.

A second later, Nero's hand is grabbing Marley's wrist, much like it did before but this time it's just a bit gentler. If Marley had a heart it would probably be jumping out of his chest right now. There's a guy in his bed.

An attractive guy in his bed.

Is this a dream? Is Marley on drugs? Is Nero Accardi, the guy who has treated him like absolute shit from the beginning, actually in Marley's bed right now with his hand around his wrist? Sending current like shocks throughout him that warm him to the very core? This has to be a dream.

The heat, though, oh god, the heat is addicting. Marley looks down at the dull glowing forearm in front of him and reaches over to grasp it. Instantly, he becomes even freaking warmer. Holy shit, this is the best feeling he's ever had in his entire life. This is like having a heart except the warmth is in overdrive. It's like a furnace within him.

All thanks to Nero, who's laying on his back with his eyes closed, not noticing Marley's inner meltdown. Nero. Of all people.

Marley has no trouble falling asleep that night.