Chapter Text
Sunny stared into the face of the half-awake girl. As she blinked, one strand of pink hair, followed by another - then another - fell to her nose.
"Ughhh..." Aubrey fidgeted, about to swat those hairs off. Her nose wrinkled at the ticklish feeling.
Without thinking, Sunny reached out and slid the hairs back, where they wouldn't fall again. Her hand brushed along the side of Aubrey's forehead, then her somewhat coarse cheek.
"Sunny..." the girl's warm brown eyes had dried tracks of....something under them. The way her brows furrowed and her breathing went unsteady confirmed Sunny's suspicions.
Ignoring how she could've easily been flustered by her own gesture just now, Sunny just continued to stare at Aubrey. "You were awake."
"For a long time before I woke up" went unsaid. Neither of them needed to even raise a head to check the ticking clock hung up on the wall above to know that it was super late.
...or super early, depending on how one thought about it.
Aubrey's gaze shifted to some random spot on the bedsheets under both of them. Very quickly, her look shifted to the hand placed lightly on her cheek. "Y-Yeah, so what Sunny?"
Her mouth pursed up tightly as she gave the blanket near her a quick squeeze then let go as swiftly.
Oh.
Quickly taking her hand off of Aubrey's face,(what was she thinking, WHAT WAS SHE THINKING—) Sunny decided to look somewhere else than right into Aubrey's eyes. Eyes that were almost like some work of art, something she'd even like to sketch, something she'd want to remember for a long time. Cheeks heating up, she fingered at a crumpled spot on the hem of the blanket still covering her.
"I—"
Then came the loudest yawn ever, from Aubrey herself, making Sunny wince and furrow her brow slightly.
Loudly, she shifted under the blankets to lie a little on her back. But actually, she realized a jiffy later, lying on her side would help muffle the noise. The pillow was comfy too....
One of her arms stretching out while her other hand covered her gaping mouth that was about to swiftly close, Aubrey laughed - albeit a little more quietly than usual, "You reeeally liked staring at my eyes, didn't you?" A flicker of something was in her look when she faced Sunny.
"I....hmmph. They're....cute." Sunny stated this resignedly, noting how Aubrey's eyes sparkled and the corners of her lips twisted up the slightest laziest bit. Something in her chest jumped at that sight. "Really..."
A smirk now. "Really."
Should Sunny ask her? Aubrey had always told her about things when she couldn't keep it in anymore, that she knew.
Aubrey definitely saw the look on Sunny's face, and the look in her eyes darkened as she visibly gulped. "....come on Sunny. Don't look at me like that." Her shoulders trembled a bit - it was cold - so she adjusted the blankets a little more over herself again.
The clock continued to tick, long periods of silence between each time it did. Sunny heard her own heartbeat sync up to it, until it didn't. She heaved a sigh, staring right into Aubrey's eyes again. Something told her it wouldn't be too unnerving this time.
Well, she did know. They had talked before, outside.
Meanwhile now they were inside, and during a sleepover of all events.....
.....was it really that different?
Adjusting her head on her hand that was squished against the pillow, Aubrey sighed, "D'you think your mom will allow me to..." the pause ensued when Aubrey gulped a little too loudly then coughed a little, "...stay over some more?"
Her eyes were shifty again.
"....Aubrey. You had a nightmare....?"
The state in which Sunny had found the girl next to her when she'd woken up was quite similar to how Sunny herself would wake from a particularly bad dream. Or, of course, a nightmare.
Of which she recently had a little more of too. Tonight was one of the exceptions.
With a sharp breath in, Sunny awaited Aubrey's answer. The latter's hand inched - or even centimetered, with how little it moved - towards Sunny the slightest bit.
"I-I just....I told you, didn't I?" She scowled, blinking her eyes rapidly. There was crumpled skin under them, not quite eyebags. Yet she still seemed to want to stay awake. "Was just thinking - maybe I could stay some more days."
It was like she was talking to herself. Almost in a reassuring way.
Sunny watched her stretch again, wondering how she didn't shiver at the first touch of cold air. They should start up the heater sometime soon...though October hadn't even arrived yet.
Maybe she'll just have to deal with it.
"....you can," Sunny muttered, brow furrowed again. "You should know that." Aubrey seemed startled, gaping at the shorter girl.
"Y-You know what," Aubrey remarked, her left hand playing with her long hair draped over her side. The more unruly strands were over her head fortunately, where Sunny had adjusted them earlier. "It's fine. I'll just come some other time. She'll kinda freak out. Wouldn't want some wild ass creature on your doorstep."
She flicked some hairs off her shoulder with a trembling hand. Was it really that cold?
This time, Aubrey stared directly at Sunny. "I know what you're thinking. Just—! Come on, it's not like someone put a pipe bomb in my house!"
Sunny cringed, "You're acting like it."
"No! Seriously. What makes you think that?" Aubrey smirked at her again. "Plus I'd be dead if that really happened."
"Not the pipe bomb. Idiot."
"Gosh, there goes our innocent little Sunny," huffed Aubrey with a roll of her eyes.
Everything was quiet again, after Aubrey's prior dry chuckles. The emptiness in her expression was back again as her eyes were on some random part of the room behind Sunny again.
Staring at Aubrey's hand on the bed between them, Sunny reached out her own, placing it on top of hers. She swore she could have felt her heart skip a few beats.
"Su....Sunny...?" Aubrey spoke out in her confusion.
"Hm?"
"I..."
"Don't..." Sunny started. Talking would distract them. She didn't know what was going on, but....
Aubrey's hand shifted from under Sunny's hand, then up her arm. Sunny's eyes opened wider.
"You're that cold huh?" came the muffled tease.
....no, this was not why— but Aubrey's hand was so cool and still sending warmth all throughout her.
Aubrey wouldn't tell her. In the past, it had taken about months for Sunny to piece it all together. Of course, she was a dumb kid back then. But the vagueness also tripped her up greatly.
All she knew about was the drinking. Aubrey's father. Not much was said about him, and Sunny couldn't help but feel a bit concerned.
It was all routine. Maybe Aubrey would eventually....
"....reminds me of those huge cuddle piles we'd have. You know, the four of us. Those huge stupid plushies."
Sunny's breathing steadied as she felt Aubrey's arm circle to her back and something warm drape onto her shoulder. Looking up, she couldn't see the other girl's face— oh, that was what was burrowing into her shoulder.
She'd expect to turn bright red at this but.....huh.
Her arm nearly turning to mush, Sunny circled it around Aubrey too, drawing her a little closer. The whole issue could wait until the morning, which she definitely would remember but then....
....would she still be able to bring it up?
Her grip squeezed at Aubrey's shirt, listening to the other girl's breaths. She almost sounded asleep.
"...hope we don't have to wake up too early...." Aubrey muttered, and NOW Sunny was bright red. It tickled too much.
She tilted her head to the side, feeling Aubrey's face against hers, humming in agreement.
Carefully, Sunny turned her head. Aubrey's eyes were still open, but just barely.
Now they closed, and even breathing filled the air.
Sunny continued to bore a hole into Aubrey's shoulder with her eyes, then cuddled her tighter as her hand lightly grazed her back. What was she even doing?
Sometimes Mari would rub circles into her back like that after a particularly horrific nightmare. That would help her sleep but....Mari wasn't here right now.
A sharp movement of Aubrey's shoulder made Sunny's heart jump, making her look at the sleeping girl's face. Still calm, but a bit screwed up.
With a heavy sigh, Sunny wrapped both her arms around Aubrey slowly, unintentionally stroking the hair that was hanging down her back. Aubrey's face was so warm....Sunny just wished it wasn't that close.
Maybe it would be a long time before she fell asleep.