Mia tried to slip away in the morning, very early, easing herself out of bed while it was still dark outside. Ellie woke when Mia’s arm disappeared from on top of her. They must have lain all night as they’d been when they went to sleep.

Ellie woke, and sat up, confused. She looked around. Mia was sitting on the edge of the bed, her feet on the floor, holding her work shirt, and looking slightly guilty. Holding her work shirt, Ellie thought. About to get changed and go.

Ellie wasn’t sure why she cared as much as she did.

“Hey,” Ellie said, suddenly mostly awake.

“Hi.”

Ellie rubbed her eyes, and looked at Mia. “You’re going?”

“I have to get to work.”

Ellie looked around. The curtains were closed, and her phone was in her bag, so she could only guess the time. It seemed was half-dark outside, as if the sun wasn’t properly up.

“This early?” Ellie said, surprised, then realized she didn’t actually know when Mia started work. She didn’t know what Mia usually had for breakfast, either, or a lot of other things that suddenly seemed quite important. She didn’t know, Ellie thought, and really, there was no reason she should. They were fuckbuddies, nothing more.

She had to try and remember that.

The room was so dim that Ellie could hardly see Mia. She reached over and switched the bedside lamp on.

“I woke up,” Mia said. “I couldn’t get back to sleep.”

“So you’re sneaking off?”

“Not sneaking.”

Ellie looked at her, unsure. It seemed a lot like Mia was.

“I’m not,” Mia said.

“It’s fine,” Ellie said. “I don’t mind.”

“I’m still not.”

“Really,” Ellie said. “I get it. Work.”

Mia nodded.

They both sat where they were for a moment. Mia fiddled with her shirt. Ellie sat up, still sleepy, and started to pull the covers with her, then changed her mind and left them around her waist.

Mia watched. Mia watched more carefully than Ellie expected.

Ellie grinned.

“So hey,” Ellie said, because this early in the morning, this half-asleep, she might as well just ask and know. “Do you want to again?”

Mia hesitated. “I would, but I really ought to go…”

Ellie couldn’t work that out for a moment. “No,” she said, realizing. “Not now, you dickhead. I mean, we can now if you want, but I meant…”

“Later.”

“Yeah,” Ellie said. “I meant that. Can I see you later?”

“Of course.”

Ellie tried to think, but her head was still cloudy and she couldn’t concentrate. “I’m still mostly asleep,” she said in the end. “Just come back, okay? Arrange to visit Mark. I’ll see you then.”

Mia nodded, and leaned over, and kissed her.

“No wait,” Ellie said. “Shit. I’m still waking up. Does that actually make sense?”

Mia looked at her.

“Like here again?” Ellie said. “Instead of somewhere else?

“Maybe,” Mia said.

Ellie yawned. “Somewhere else would be easier, wouldn’t it?”

“I’ll phone you later?”

Ellie had forgotten they could phone now, since she had Mia’s number. “Oh yeah,” she said, and then wanted to make completely sure. “You actually will?”

“Of course I will.”

“Good.” Ellie yawned. “Um, sorry. Do you want clothes?”

Mia held up her shirt. “This is fine. I’ll go home and change.”

“Anything?” Ellie said, meaning undies. Mia seem to understand and shook her head. She’d probably had a shower and changed right before she came over last night, Ellie thought. Ellie would have.

Thinking was waking Ellie up a bit. Her mouth was dry. She needed water, and coffee, and to pee, but she didn’t need any of them so badly she was going to let Mia go without saying goodbye properly.

Ellie rubbed her face. “I need a drink.”

“I’ll get some.”

“No,” Ellie said. “Don’t. I will.”

“You’re asleep.”

“I’m waking up. You don’t want to run into Mark.”

“He’ll still be asleep.”

“I guess.” Ellie was about to get out of bed, then she remembered she wasn’t wearing anything. She looked around for clothes. They were tangled on the floor.

She sat there for a moment, and decided she couldn’t be bothered.

“Maybe I don’t need one that much,” she said. “I think I need to say goodbye to you more.”

Mia smiled a little. “Okay.”

“I mean, if you’re going right now.”

“I am.”

Ellie looked at the window again. It really had to be very early. The light was so dim around the curtains she couldn’t tell see it any more with the lamp on in the room.

She yawned. She looked at Mia. Mia looked good in Ellie’s old shirt. It suited her, all soft and thin and clinging. Mia looked good in the morning, Ellie thought, with her hair all tangled and her arms and legs bare.

Mia looked really good.

“What’s the time?” Ellie said.

“Early,” Mia said. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you.”

“It’s fine. How early?”

“Stupidly early. Way too early.”

“Early like before you actually need to go?”

Mia looked at her. “I suppose.”

Ellie was suddenly thinking about sex again. She wanted to again before Mia left, and she didn’t quite know why.

She was having too much already, she thought, but too much just made her want more. She liked Mia and was into Mia and if it was really that early there was no particular reason for them not to. Or at least, for Ellie not to ask.

Ask, or just make her own silly kind of half-asleep move.

She yawned again, and decided she would.