((Set right after this rp))

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Cliff had gotten his beard trimmed down to just stubble and his hair was its usual neat-but-messy do, wet and haphazardly slicked back with a few loose strands. After the usual bathroom rituals he stepped out into the bedroom and threw on pajama bottoms and a t-shirt before he joined her in the kitchen.

A quick look into the box and his smile brightened some; there was still over half left, so he grabbed himself a piece and took a bite, swallowing it before giving her a half smile. There was the smallest hint of something...curious...maybe, in her expression. Not that he was going to say anything; he had these thoughts all the time, but somehow this time was a little different.

"Thanks for saving more than a slice or two for me," he said, then nodded toward the TV. "So what'd you pick out?"


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Abby had just pulled out two slices for herself when Cliff came up and grabbed a piece. She bopped him lightly on the top of his head with the empty plate in her other hand. “Plate dufus. Use a plate.” She rolled her eyes and handed him the offered plate before scooping up her own, with its cargo of dual slices. “And when have I ever eaten your share of the food? Mr. Smarty Pants.” She made a face at him before brushing past him, well aware of the close proximity of their bodies when she squeezed past. Luckily the blush she could feel rising on her face would be hidden for the most part by her dark skin. Why was she feeling this? Was she really feeling anything? Could it be her imagination? It had to be. Cliff was her friend. Her funny, thoughtful, kind friend. Nothing more. There could be nothing beyond friendship.

“I actually found a really old one. I think most people forgot about it.” She settled on the couch and tucked her legs up underneath her before hitting the play button. The Disney logo quickly faded into the start of the film as a light violin started to play. The title ‘Treasure Planet’ appeared and the opening sequence started. “I haven't seen this one in years.”


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Cliff only laughed and took the plate before dropping two slices onto it on top of the slice he was already eating. He followed after her to the sofa, still noting something off about how she was acting. Not the usual, but so subtle of a change that he couldn't really put a finger on it. He wouldn't say it didn't seem like a good change, but he still didn't know what it was about. "My dorm, my rules, but I hate roaches so I'm listening to you. Also, there was that one time you took my corn dog while I was in the bathroom. Remember?"

He flopped down onto the couch just beside her as the title came on the screen, amused as he took another bite of the already half-eaten slice. "Treasure Island, I remember this one. Good movie. Good choice, Abs."

Once his slices were finished he set the plate on the coffee table and focused on the movie, more than a little conscious that he'd accidentally sat a little closer than he normally would have.


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“You better listen to me. I'm older, remember!” She reached out and tweaked his nose before taking a bite of her own pizza. “Hey!” She swallowed quickly before defending her honor, “I didn't know it was yours. Besides I replaced it with pizza so shut it and enjoy the movie.” She kept right on eating, only nodding at his approval of her movie, until she had polished off her two slices. She added her plate to his and settled back to enjoy the Disney classic.

Well she tried too at least. This time she was well aware of the body sitting next to her, almost too close. Every time either of them shifted even slightly some part of them would brush against each other; shoulders, hips, arms. Abby was well aware of every movement Cliff made and couldn't figure out why. When they were dancing they were just as close but it was different right now. She refused to acknowledge the butterflies she had felt back then too. Her heart seemed to stutter with each brush until finally she couldn't take it anymore.

They were a decent way into the film when Abby decided she needed some space, and something to drink since her mouth was bone dry. “Excuse me for a moment.” She said quietly as she tried to extract herself from the sofa but realized one big problem. Since she had been practically sitting on her legs they were asleep so when she tried to get up her legs promptly gave out, sending her back down right into Cliff’s lap. Sprawled over him Abby froze, her eyes locked on his. “Sorry” the apology was said quietly and a bit hesitantly, “apparently my legs are asleep.” Her eyes drifted down to his mouth, and a very disturbing thought crossed her mind… She wondered how well he kissed, even as she drifted a heartbeat closer. When she realized what she had nearly just done Abby snapped out of it and started to scramble from his lap.


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The brunette was more engrossed in the film than he probably should have been; it was a nice mosey back into his childhood, when his mom sat him down in the living room while she cooked in the kitchen, and he got a little more caught up in it than he thought he would. So when Abby excused herself he only glanced up briefly, thinking she needed a drink or bathroom break or something, but before he knew it there she was in his lap, and he froze.

All thoughts slowly escaped him as he met her eye, curious and maybe a little worry mixed inside them. She wasn't being herself and it was most apparent then, particularly in the way she spoke. Not the normal strong and confident tone, but quiet, shy even. He shook his head and easily dismissed it, his own eyes drifting to her lips for all of a second before she tried to get up.

And he stopped her, or tried to, with a simple hug.

"Hey, easy, easy," he said, a chuckle escaping him. It was only then that he noticed his heart racing, and exactly what sort of situation they were in. "You're gonna hurt yourself getting up quickly from this kinda position."


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She froze again when he hugged her close. She was nearly chest to chest with him, her right hand braced against his shirt while her left rested on his bicep. Abby swallowed, trying to get enough saliva in her mouth to say something but her voice still cracked slightly. “I, I just need to stand so my legs wake up. No big deal.”

She shifted slightly, as if she was going to get up, but stopped as her chest brushed against him, a surprising zing of pleasure flashing through her at the contact. Her palm could feel his heart racing, her own practically flying as well. Her eyes slowly raised until she was staring into his eyes, confusion and uncertainty clear in their chocolate depths. “Cliff, I need,” her voice was quiet and a little breathy, “I need to get up. Cliff. Let me up.” She didn't move though. She didn't so much as shift her eyes away from his, almost afraid to. Her feelings were a complete boiling mess inside. Why was she feeling these things?


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It was a precarious position, and when she stopped fussing he loosened his grip slightly (though they were still practically face to face even as he pulled back, however slightly). "I know, just be careful is all I'm saying. Hate for you to go and hurt yourself just getting up from the couch…" came his quiet reply, still accompanied by a gentle smile as though any other expression would scare her off and make her start fussing again.

When she made a move to get up again he felt her brush against him and his brows scrunched together, eyes on hers as he searched for an answer to some unasked question. And he heard her when she asked to be let up, it wasn't like he hadn't, but something told him not to let her go just yet.

"You sure you're okay, Abby?" he asked softly, his body naturally inclined to lean in a little closer.


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Abby couldn't help it, her eyes drifted down to Cliff’s mouth. She absently worried her lower lip between her teeth. The thoughts running through her head warred with the knowledge that the male in front of her was her friend, her compatriot, her brother in arms.

She swallowed and shook her head slightly, “I'm fine… I'm ok, I just…” She paused, unsure if she wanted to tell him the truth or continue with the lie. She didn't like lying to him. After a moment she decided, it wasn't worth lying, she would be honest with him…. Brutally honest.

“That's not true. I…” It was still hard to say it out loud. “I'm wondering what it would be like to kiss you. Really kiss you. But… But we are friends. You are basically like my brother. I shouldn't be wondering things like this. I can't be wondering about things like this.” Her face felt like it was flaming and her eyes flicked up to his before she looked away in shame. The thoughts running in her head were not okay and Abby knew this.


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To say he was surprised would have been an incredible understatement, and when she finally said it he might have paused for a lot longer than he should have. It was just not something he ever thought he'd hear her say to him, and despite his years-long crush he'd never actually prepared for this on the off-chance that it happened.

And it did, which...again...was really surprising for him.

"Oh…" he started, eyes moving past her and to the wall as he ran a hand through his hair rather nervously. "Well...if we're being honest I've wondered that a lot over the years, I just never thought you ever thought about it 'cause I know you think of me only as a friend." Finally he looked to her again, and smiled sheepishly.

"Also, if we're being brutally honest, I've liked you as more than a friend for a while now and it really bothers me when the guys ogle you or ask for your number, but even up to now I've never been able to do anything about it 'cause I didn't wanna tell everyone else and not you, you know? So...I mean...if you want, we can…"

Then he cleared throat and looked away again, hastily adding, "Or not. I mean, whatever's most comfortable for you..."


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Abby’s eyes flew to his, studying his every move, a confused look all over her face. He had a crush on her? He liked her? For years? Since when? From last summer where they hung out? Since they started their movie nights way back when they were school? She knew he couldn't have had a crush on her when they first met in elementary school. How did she not notice it? She was observant damn it!

“I didn't. At least not till tonight.” She absently reached up and fixed the hair he had disheveled. “Why would I? We are friends. We can't be anything more.” Her hand gently cupped his cheek. “I won't risk our friendship on something that could ruin it… No matter how much I wonder if the rumors I hear are true.” Abby had heard the girls giggling over the school jocks, she tended to ignore them but sometimes when Cliff was mentioned they remembered how she knew him, and would ask if he was as good as they said he was… Not only in kissing but in more intimate acts. Abby always shut them down, a cold look or a dismissive ‘don't know’ had the bubble heads back off but now all she could think about were those whispered words. Those speculative glances and hums of appreciation that she hadn't even realized she had seen, when Cliff came to see her or walked past or was playing a game.

Even with all her denial, her refusal that they couldn't do anything, she didn't move. She couldn't move. Her internal war was still waging and the dark side was winning. Her curiosity was triumphing against her better judgment. “We can't… Can we? Would one kiss really hurt? We've kissed before, granted on the cheek but still… The lips wouldn't be much different. Would it?” Her questions were quiet, almost speculative as eyes traced back to his mouth, the hand still on his fell away to rest on his shoulder, unconsciously she leaned in slightly.


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He leaned his cheek into her hand, smiling softly at her admission. Now that wasn't surprising, though he was tempted to ask what exactly prompted her wonderings that night. He hadn't done anything differently, at least not as far as he could tell, so he logged it away as something he could ask about perhaps in the future. For now he listened to her, eyes occasionally drifting down to her lips until she mentioned rumors.

"Rumors?" he asked genuinely curious. It took him a second before dismissing it though; another thing he could just ask about later on, instead he sighed as she questioned whether or not they should kiss and if it'd be any different from a kiss on the cheek. He knew it would be, at least for him, and it'd be that much harder to go back to how things were when they were just friends if they did kiss. As she spoke though she was slowly but surely leaning forward, and he seemed to be doing the same without even thinking about it.

"I think," he whispered now, as his eyes slowly closed and he felt their lips practically touching, "we won't know it 'til we try, so…"


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“You might be right,” they were so close. She could practically feel the heat coming from him. There was less than a hair's breadth between their lips and still she hesitated to close that distance. Abby’s heart felt like it was beating out of her chest as her eyes fluttered closed and took that final leap. The distance disappeared as if it was never there to begin with. They were lip to lip, in territory she had never even contemplated.

With a sigh she relaxed into the kiss, into him. Throwing all caution to the wind Abby had committed to this kiss, this single solitary kiss.


Fiction1119