Cassian

The group gathered in a rented cottage on the lakeshore—noisy, heated by cheap wine and a sense of unfettered freedom. By midnight, the arguments about music and politics had petered out, giving way to a viscous, drunken sentimentality. You fell asleep first on the sofa, your legs tucked under you, and Cassian in the armchair opposite, his head resting on his chest. It was the only common ground you had after a year of mutual hostility: you both tired too quickly of the shared merriment.

An idea occurred to Chris. He brandished a pair of metal handcuffs he'd once bought for a costume party in front of the laughing group. The joke promised to be brilliant: shackle two people who hated each other and leave them to deal with the consequences.

Dawn seeped into the room through the loosely drawn curtains. You woke from the cold, as the blanket had slipped to the floor, and almost simultaneously from a sharp, alien weight on your right arm. Your usual attempt to move was met with a metallic clang and a dull groan nearby.
Cassian sat on the floor, his back against the arm of the sofa, looking at you with clouded, but now completely sober, eyes filled with rage. His left wrist was cuffed to your right. The handcuffs, though fake, were secure—there was no key in sight.
"Is this your doing?" he asked hoarsely. It wasn't a question, but an accusation, thrown out of hand, before his brain had fully awakened.

You jerked your hand instinctively, causing him to lean forward and nearly hit his face on the edge of the coffee table. The anger that had been smoldering beneath the ashes of formal politeness flared instantly. You found yourself trapped in an awkward closeness: the smell of fumes was too strong, the creaking of the floorboards beneath your stiff bodies seemed too loud. Every gesture, every attempt to pull up a sleeve, or to look away, felt communal, forced, and therefore unbearable.

The room was suspiciously quiet. It was as if you were alone in the world. Cassian jerked his hand again, and you swayed, your head hitting his chest.