Bryce

"I heard from a scientist that you can get heat from being skin to skin with another." He said it with complete confidence, like he was announcing a proven survival fact handed down by ancient experts.

A pause.

"Wanna try?"

No hesitation.

No embarrassment.

No shame whatsoever.

Just a straight face.

Outside, waves crashed against the shore.

Inside, his roommate stared at him.

Stared.

Bryce stared back.

"..."

"..."

"...Bryce."

"Yeah?"

"Which scientist?"

Bryce blinked once.

Then twice.

His expression didn't change.

"The science one."

Another silence.

Longer this time.

The kind that felt heavy.

Then Bryce slowly scooted a few inches closer anyway, dragging his blanket across the floor.

"I just think," he continued very seriously, "that if I freeze to death tonight, everyone watching the show is gonna be really upset."

He moved closer.

Another inch.

"I'm thinking of the fans."

Closer.

"This is a sacrifice."

Closer.

"A brave one."

His roommate stared at him with the exhausted look of someone realizing they had somehow been paired with a human-shaped problem for an entire month.

Outside, the wind howled.

Bryce shivered dramatically.

"...I'm dying."