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Aspen and Lily jumped out of the portal like they usually did, watching it close as they regained their stability from the fall
The moment their feet hit the ground, music flooded their ears. A slow, echoing song drifted through the air, muffled slightly like it was bouncing off every wall in the room. Soft chatter layered over it, laughter, voices, the occasional cheer, all blending into a warm, buzzing atmosphere.
“Where are we now?” Aspen groaned, rubbing her forehead, glancing down at her and Lilies clothing. Lily was in a beautiful red dress, a gold and red bow in her hair. Aspen was wearing a suit, a red bow on her neck, her chest felt tight, she wasn’t sure if it was from the suit, the bow, or something else.
She then looked at the girls surroundings, pushed back bleachers, a fruit punch bar and snacks table in the middle of the room, and basketball hoops that were put up, strings of warm, golden lights were draped across the ceiling, hanging in soft curves that made the entire room glow. Paper decorations and glittering banners stretched across the walls, a huge banner in the middle that read “PROM NIGHT“ in what looked to be the biggest possible font, most likely a school gymnasium, even if it wasn’t, whatever it was wasn’t too recognizable at first glance of the scenery
“No clue, but we should probably find a way out before we’re considered a part of the universe we’re not supposed to be in.. again” Lily replied, walking towards a nearby door as Aspen followed, the twos escape path was cut off when a spotlight shined over them. It must be prom in this timeline. Before the two could even reach the door, a bright light landed directly on the two, the music switching to be at a much slower pace as heads turned
“Holy shit that’s bright.” Aspen commented, rubbing her eyes
“Aspen. Come on” Lily tried and failed to hold back laughter at the notice of Aspens flustered expression, smiling at the woman in front of her
Aspen quietly laughed after regaining her composure, her cheeks still a light pink, lightly grabbing Lily’s hands “We can stay for an extra second or two, can’t we?”
“Sure. But we’re actually leaving right after. ‘Kay?”
“‘Kay..” Aspen smiled, both woman stepping closer to the other, the light warm against their bodies, the music swelling slightly, signaling that either they were on pace with it or it was on pace for them
“You look beautiful.” Aspen said quietly after a few minutes
“So do you” Lily blinked, caught off guard slightly before smiling again, her voice softer than before, it was different.
Everything else seemed to fade, the other people, the noises, everything, it was just the two of them.. dancing under a spotlight. The space between them grew smaller, Aspen looking at Lily, who seemed to have already been looking at her, Aspens grip on Lily’s hand tightened slightly, just enough for the shorter woman to notice.
…But. Lily didn’t pull away, she didn’t say anything either, her eyes flickering down for a moment before looking back up at Aspen
“Everyone’s looking at us..” Lily quietly spoke up, her voice losing the urgency she had to get the duo to leave the timeline earlier.
Aspen smiled softly
The moment should’ve been broken when the spotlight had moved to another couple, the two staring at each other for a moment before reality stopped the dreamy memory. But it didn’t
“So what? Let them look all they’d like” Aspens words came out quieter than intended, almost like they weren’t supposed to go past her lips
Neither of them looked away, the music swelled again, the two still swaying to the music, Lily’s fingers shifted in Aspens grasp, Aspens breath caught in her chest as she noticed. Aspen barely leaned in, just barely, and-
“Uh. W-We should probably go.” Lily spoke up
“Uh. Yeah, definitely” Aspen replied
They let go rather quickly, almost too quickly, the air getting colder after they did so, running out the gymnasium after they realized that the light moved, the portal being as the end of the hallway, past plain lockers, walls, and lights that flickered as they walked, running towards and into it at the same time
~
The portal shut behind them as they stood around the hallway of hundreds and thousands of other portals, neither of them moved
Lily looked at the other portals, anywhere to avoid Aspens gaze
“So..” Aspen started, biting her lip with regret immediately after doing so
“Yeah..” Lily turned to her before a long, uncomfortable pause fell between the two
Aspen scratched the back of her head “Uh. That was.. it. the- that. Uhm…” Aspen mentally cursed herself for stuttering
“Yeah.”
“Mhm..” Another pause fell soon after, longer than the first one was, but somehow far less uncomfortable, Lily crossing her arms before quickly uncrossing them and shoving her hands behind her back
Aspen took notice of this, looking away from Lily, then back, then glancing away again, trying to distract her mind by looking at the portals
“Let’s just keep moving.” Lily spoke up to avoid the awkwardness going any further
Aspen lost her train of thought when Lily spoke up “I. Yeah, totally. The mission- Portal. Uh.. y- yeah let’s just go.”
The two began walking in silence, it was strong, cold, way too cold for the liking of either of the woman.
Lily eventually spoke up “You leaned in first”
Aspen froze. “What?”
“You did.” Lily replied “Just saying”
Silence fell over the two again, Aspen biting her lips “Well. You didn’t exactly stop me” She laughed
“I didn’t know you were actually gonna do it!” Lily replied, her yelling echoing through the chamber of portals
“I didn’t know if you wanted me to. You know how I feel about consent Lil’s”
“Well yeah.. but-“ Lily cut herself off, silence falling over the two of them yet again
“Can we.. not act like it was an accident?” Aspen broke the silence, a quiet exhale escaping her lips
“It wasn’t?” Lily questioned, her tone not filled with suspicion, but surprised
Aspen paused “No” She admitted, her tone quiet to hold back the echo “no It wasn’t”
The two girls finally looked at each other “You looked amazing in that dress though. Reds a wonderful color on you” Aspen spoke up when she met Lily’s gaze
“Thanks” Lily smiled before the two looked away from each other “You looked great in that suit”
The two then walked in silence, looking through the portals that they passed by to decide which one to go through next.