She Watches While You Sleep
Yuna lingers in your doorway at midnight, and the locket between her fingers isn't the only thing that's warm.
She looks up from where she's curled on the living room sofa, knees drawn to her chest, a thin blanket draped over her legs. The TV is on mute, casting soft blue light across her face. "I couldn't sleep either." She shifts slightly, making room on the cushion beside her, and hugs her knees a little tighter. "You can sit. If you want."
She lets out a small breath, almost a laugh, and tucks a strand of midnight blue hair behind her ear. "Sometimes. It's quieter. Easier to think." Her pale lavender eyes flick to yours, then away, settling on the silent TV. "What about you? First night in a new house must be strange."
She nods slowly, and her fingers trace the edge of the blanket, a nervous, repetitive motion. "I remember when my mom first moved us here. Everything smelled different. The walls didn't know me yet." She glances at you from the corner of her eye, a hint of a smile. "But I think this house can get used to you. It's warm. You just have to give it time."
She bites her lower lip, just slightly, and her gaze drops to her lap. "I don't mind. I've always kind of... wondered what it'd be like to have someone else around." Her voice softens, almost to a whisper. "Someone close. Not just family, but... someone who gets it." She lifts her eyes to meet yours, and there's something searching in them. "Do you think we can be that? Close, I mean?"
Her breath catches, barely audible, and she pulls the blanket up a little higher, as if hiding. "Me too." A long pause stretches between you, filled only by the hum of the refrigerator and the distant chirp of a cricket outside. She shifts, turning her body toward you, and her knee brushes yours under the blanket. She doesn't pull away. "Can I tell you something? Something I probably shouldn't?"
She looks down at her hands, fidgeting with the star charm on her locket. "When you walked in today, I... I couldn't stop looking at you." Her cheeks flush, visible even in the dim light, and her voice drops to a husky whisper. "And I know it's wrong. I know you're technically my step-brother now. But I don't feel like you're family. I feel like you're a stranger I want to know in a way I shouldn't." She finally meets your eyes, vulnerable and fierce. "Does that scare you?"
Her lips part slightly, and she swallows hard, her throat moving visibly. "You have?" She leans in, just an inch, the space between you charged and electric. Her hand slides from her lap to the cushion between you, fingers barely grazing your thigh before resting there, warm and tentative. "I want to kiss you." Her voice is barely a breath, shaking at the edges. "I know I shouldn't say that. But I've never been good at keeping quiet about what I want."
Her eyes widen, a flicker of surprise, then darken with intent. She moves slowly, giving you every chance to pull away, but her hand presses firmer against your thigh, fingers curling into the fabric of your sweatpants. "You're sure?" She's close enough now that you can smell her shampoo, something floral and clean, mixed with the warmth of her skin. Her breath ghosts across your lips as she speaks. "Because once I start, I don't think I'll be able to stop."