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Aria watched the light from the movie play over Spencer's hair, over her cheekbones, the shifting black-and-white images reflected in her eyes.
They'd done this a hundred times, a hundred different nights, but tonight was different.Tonight felt...intimate, somehow. Maybe it had always been like that, and it was just Aria who was different.
Everything Emily had poured out to them the day before, during the storm, had shifted something.
It had been the five of them for so long. Five friends...and now four.
But all that time, Emily had been in love with Alison. As hesitant as Emily had been, as cautious with the details, Aria knew that Alison had encouraged it, had kissed her back, had basked in the attention. Had wanted more too, perhaps.
That wasn't the point, though.
The point was, they had been five friends. A group.
But not just a group, as it turned out. Things had been happening, things Aria hadn't noticed. Things that maybe she had noticed, but had dismissed. About her friends. About herself and her own feelings.
Yesterday should have been about Emily. About being there for her, making sure she felt accepted and supported or whatever. Yesterday had been a huge deal for her. But all through the storm, and all the way home afterwards all that Aria could think about was Spencer.
The music changed, indicating a dramatic moment. The movie was almost over, but Aria didn't recognise any of the three characters on the screen. Had no idea who she was supposed to be rooting for or against. Spencer had definitely chosen this movie more with Aria's tastes in mind than her own, but for once that silent sacrifice had been wasted.
"Have you ever thought about it?" The words were out of her mouth before she could catch them.
"It?" Spencer's turned away from the movie as well, cheek resting against the back of the couch so she could look at Aria more directly. Aria's cheeks heated, but she was fairly sure that the dim lighting was hiding the incriminating blush. Spencer must have read something in her face anyway, though, because her mouth opened in a perfect, soundless "oh!" of comprehension, her puzzled frown replaced by curiosity. Interest.
"About...kissing Emily? Or girls in general?"
"No, not Emily."
If Aria had any sense of self preservation left after the last few months, she would have left it at that and waited for Spencer's answer. But she was so tired of keeping secrets.
It wouldn't be the answer that she was looking for, anyway. It would be an opening gambit. A position from which she could get the information she wanted from Spencer without leaving herself vulnerable, and they had never played those games. Not against each other. She edged just a little closer on the couch.
"With someone you know so well."
She hesitated just for a moment, but she was past the tipping point now, anyway. Spencer knew her too well, and she had said too much already to leave any mistake as to her intentions.
"With...with me."
Spencer's silence lasted a moment too long, and Aria leapt away from her as though burnt, momentary bravado replaced by sheer panic at how very much she had to lose here.
"Sorry, sorry, forget about it, I just - "
She broke off as Spencer followed her to the other end of the couch, pressing a gentle hand to her shoulder.
"I'm thinking about it now?" she offered softly.
"No, no, that's okay. You don't have to - "
Spencer's hands cupped her face and slid purposefully into her hair.
"I'm thinking about it now," she repeated, more firmly. "Limited time offer, Aria. Kiss me." It was supposed to sound like a command, but Aria heard a little tremor in the last word that told her that Spencer was freaking out just as badly as she was right now. It steadied her a little.
Kissing Spencer was almost too much. The first kiss was soft and sweet, and Aria let it linger for longer than she probably should have, afraid one kiss was all that she'd get, and needing it to last.
Aria pulled away reluctantly, not wanting to stop, knowing she needed to give Spencer the opportunity to opt out if she wanted to. But Spencer followed her lips with a little moaned protest, and the second kiss followed quickly and hungrily.
When they did stop, it was only so Spencer could put on the second movie, and she returned quickly to the couch and to Aria's kisses with no attempt at pretending to actually watch it.