He mentally kicked himself the moment the words left his mouth.
Flirting with her was like breathing- natural, unconscious, and lately, very dangerous. He needed to keep it friendly for her sake, but "friendly" didn't seem to exist in his vocabulary when it came to her.
"I'll see you tomorrow, Babydoll," he added softly, hoping the nickname would cover the slip-up. But deep down, he knew he only made it worse. a small wave from his hand as he slipped away from his window as his mother called him.
Annie stepped back into the room, slightly flushed and annoyed at the name. Not because he was calling her it- though that did play a small part. What annoyed her was what the name meant- a claim.
With a shakey breath in, Annie turned back to her painting, the canvas completely covered in paint, no bare spot. Every colour and outline was in place, but it was time for her favourite part - the shading.
She grabbed a slightly lighter brown and started swiftly moving her paint brush across the canvas, turning harsh lines into blended harmony.
She sat there for what felt like hours until it was finished, Annie covered it up as it dried. Changed into comfy pajamas, peaked through her curtains and saw Ethan laying on his bed, watching a movie.
Annie moved her curtains open, her light now a deep blue creating a curvy silhouette. Annie's shorts had frills on the hems, her matching tanktop stuck like a second skin. Ethan let out hiss as he stood from his bed, getting closer to the window.
"Hey stranger," called Ethan as he sat infront of his window just to be a little closer to her.
"You act like I've been gone for years," Annie rolled her eyes before stopping, "well I guess I have been gone for years- anyways, what are you doing awake?"
Ethan glanced at the time, reading 12am. With a shrug of his broad shoulders he replies smoothly, "I could lie and say I couldn't sleep."
Annie rolls her eyes as she sits down on her window seat, "what's the truth then?" Annie asked as she rested her head against the window, keeping eye contact.
Ethan knew he shouldn't tell her the truth, but she was literally asking for it. He started to feel like perhaps his presence was a burden to her, he didn't want to make her uncomfortable. The consistent unintentional flirting couldn't be good for her, 'what if she gets feelings? She's not ready for that after such a close loss.'
Ethan sighs knowing there was no good real reason why he should lie to her when she asked for the truth. "I was waiting for you," he said lowly, not meeting her gaze as he shifted in his seat.
Annie felt a flutter in her chest that had nothing to do with the chilly night air. She tucked a loose strand of black hair behind her ear, her eyes darting to his before shyly flickering away. "Oh," she breathed, a small, flustered smile tugging at her lips. "Well, that's... a lot of pressure for a girl in pajamas. If I'd known you were waiting, I might have tried to look a little less like a mess."
Ethan's gaze lingered on her for a second too long. In the dim, blue-tinted light, the contrast of her dark hair against her pale skin made her look like something out of a painting- fragile, but hauntingly beautiful.
When she mentioned looking like a "mess," a quiet, rough chuckle escaped him. He leaned his forehead against the cool glass of his own window, the green of his eyes darkening.
"Trust me, Doll," he said softly, his voice vibrating with a sincerity that felt a little too heavy for midnight. "The pajamas aren't the problem. You could be wearing a literal potato sack, and I'd probably still be sitting right here, making an idiot of myself."
He quickly cleared his throat, realizing he'd veered a bit too far into "flirting" territory. He shifted back, offering her a small, lopsided smile to lighten the mood."Besides," he added, his tone softening to something more grounded, "after three years... I think I've got a lot of lost time to make up for. Just wanted to make sure that you were okay."
Annie's heart did a jump, a warmth spreading through her body. The thought that Ethan cared about her made her breath hitch, "thank you Ethan, I'm okay," Annie said as she bit her lip and looked away. Then as she turned her gaze back she said, "now that you know I'm okay, go to bed."
"But you just got here?" Ethan pouted, his lower lip jutting forward. Annie rolled her eyes, trying to suppress a smile and failing.
"Just because I act like a vampire and don't sleep doesn't mean you should too," she chuckled, "go to bed, I'll be here," she waved him off, closing her window.
Annie grabbed a book from her bookshelf. The one she had read from that night with Ethan. Annie breathed, was she ready to read the one materialistic thing her mother left behind by herself?
Annie sat down on her bed, glancing out the window she noticed Ethan in his bed. Assuming he was sleeping she opened the book to a random page. Not wanting to read it front to back just yet.
The Unbroken Thread
You began as a rhythm beneath my own,
A secret pulse, a weight of gold and bone.
Before I knew your name or saw your face,
You held the center of my inner space.
The world is wide, and miles may stretch between,
In every shadow, your bright light is seen.
I am the root that holds against the gale,
The steady hand when younger spirits fail.
If time should silver hair and dim the sight,
My love remains a fixed and constant light.
Not just for who you were, or will become,
But for the soul that makes my heart its home.
Annie swiped a few tears from her eyes as she set the book down on her night stand, "thank you, mum."