#britwrites

(It wasn't. If anything, he looked rather like a moody kitten. A bright orange, glowing kitten, at that. Aqua couldn't help snorting at the mental image that gave him, and he narrowly avoided an empty bag of crisps being flung his way with his younger, flustered brother's magic.)

"Honestly, What Are You Even Freaking Out About?"

"'m not freakin' out, 'm jus'-"

"But You Are, Though! Stars, It Isn't Like She's Indecent, Or Naked-"

"oh? my god?? shut th' fuck up??" Amber hissed the words as embarrassment continued to flood his mind (and his poor skull), and he went ahead and chucked an empty pop can at his annoying, now softly cackling older brother for good measure. "y're gonna wake 'er up-"

His voice caught in his throat at the feel of you stirring from where you rested against his shoulder and he froze, the vertebrae of his lumbar spine clicking audibly as he straightened. He held his unnecessary breaths and waited, counting down the seconds in his head for when you awoke, when you jolted back in- in what? Disgust? Stars, that would be the worst...

...No, no, the worst was having to sit here and endure Aqua's endless teasing, but... well, he didn't want to wake you up! Not yet, anyway.

"Amber... You Know That You Really Ought To Mention It To Her."

Curse his big brother for being so smart... that, or maybe he really was just that obvious. The thought roiled in his nonexistent gut and he wheezed out a quiet breath, hoping against hopes that you hadn't caught on, that you weren't just... just sticking around and hanging out with him out of pity. As his thoughts continued anxiously down that uncomfortable path, he didn't notice his brother scooching closer until a hand reached over to land on the shoulder you weren't currently using as a pillow.

When he met Aqua's eye lights again, he was surprised to see that their teasing edge was gone, replaced with the brotherly concern he knew, deep down, that Aqua felt. "Look... She's Still Here, Isn't She? She Likes You, You Numbskull-"

"eugh, bro, don't pun at me now-" His whine was cut off as his brother continued, pushing on in a faintly louder, more stern tone.

"-And You're Being An Absolute Fool If You Think That She's Just Sticking Around To Humor You." It was only faintly annoying, from the knowingness in his smile, how Amber knew that his brother knew he'd hit the mark with that call-out, gentle as it was. The hand on his shoulder gave a small, comforting squeeze, and then Aqua stood from the couch and left toward the kitchen.

Leaving Amber alone, with his thoughts... with his feelings... with you, laying against his side with your head on his shoulder as you'd been for a good twenty minutes so far. The movie was good, had him drawn in! He loved mysteries. They were puzzles, but less physical, and this one was about a hacker and a heist and... and, well, he really couldn't remember the last twenty minutes or so, because as soon as he'd felt your weight (warm and comfortable) on his shoulder, it was like his mind had blown a fuse. Every single ounce of dust and every iota of his magic was attuned to you, laying there like he was the most comfortable pillow in the entire world.

... And he knew that wasn't true, because he was a skeleton, for the Angel's sake! All bone! Sure, his hoodie was pretty soft... but, still!

He couldn't help being embarrassed, especially when Aqua started in on the teasing, because... yeah, his older brother was aware of the stupid little crush he had on you. Everyone was, apparently, which he didn't understand, because he hadn't even realized it until very recently! How was everyone else able to see it? He couldn't help but worry, once again, that maybe you noticed... and anxious thoughts of you pitying him began to follow. He tended to do that, to get anxious, nervous, to worry about things like that. You were one of the few who didn't seem to mind it when he did, stayed patient with him, despite how difficult he made it for you to get to know him at first. His older brother was so charismatic, and charming, and sociable, and he... well, he just wasn't. He was shy, and got anxious, and didn't always know what to say, and... and stars, he wished he understood why you were still even willing to hang out with him.

Despite his insistence to keep himself from looking at you the entire time you've been asleep, Amber's skull tipped just enough to peek at you from the corner of his socket, face flushing more warmly. You were... soft, even more so in your sleep, with your expression relaxed and lips barely parted so prettily. Your chest rose and fell slowly with your deep, even breaths, and he found himself synching up his very unnecessary breaths to match.

He had to wonder... did you worry about what he thought, too? When you were around him, did you ever wonder what he thought of you- what he felt? Did you take notice of his every micro-expression, or have things that he did or said that you thought fondly of?

...Did you love? care about him as much as he did you?

His soul gave a strong pulse and he tore his gaze away from your sleeping expression, breath stuttering out of him in a sigh. Whether you did or not, he was so happy- so lucky to have you in his life, and he... he'd never, in a million years, want to ruin that.

But here, alone, he couldn't help the creeping urge to wrap an arm around you, pull you closer, surely you'd be more comfortable if you were laying down, he could do that...

It was a few agonizing moments later that he moved, his arm sliding up behind your back to oh-so-carefully wrap around your shoulders. His chest was still, lacking his normal yet unneeded breaths; then all the air rushed from the lungs he didn't have once you had settled yourself further against him, cheek pressed to his shoulder. It smooshed it a little upward towards your eye, and Amber smiled in spite of his nerves at just how cute you looked.

Maybe... maybe he didn't know what the future held. Maybe he was unsure about the depth of his own feelings yet. That didn't matter right there and then, though.

There, in the safety of home and his best friend soulmate settled comfortably against his side, Amber allowed himself to relax, slowly easing back into the couch cushions with a soft sigh. The movie played on, unwatched, as he began to doze off, the side of his skull resting against the top of your head.