𝙊𝙝 𝙈𝙮 𝙈𝙮 𝙈𝙮 | 𝘈𝘭𝘩𝘢𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘮

9: Truths

· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·

PAST

"Happy birthday, Kaveh!" your parents and party guests exclaim, crowding around the dining table as your brother blows out the seventeen candles on his cake. Your dad takes the large chocolate cake, cuts it up, and hands each of the guests a slice.

As you eat your cake, you smile at your brother as he talks with Alhaitham, Tighnari, Cyno, and a few other guests. You couldn't wait until after the party to tease Kaveh about being old.

"Hey, Y/N," your brother calls. "We're gonna hang out in the backyard. Wanna come with?"

"Okay!" you beam.

"Bring Nilou and Collei, too," Kaveh says before leaving. You nod as you wolf down the rest of the cake before running off to your brother with Nilou and Collei in tow.

"Wanna play truth or dare for old times sake?" Tighnari asks with a mischievous grin. Kaveh shrugs.

"Sure," your brother agrees. You all sit in the grass forming a circle. "Alright, Collei, truth or dare?"

You zone out during the game. Absent-mindedly, you smile and enjoy the moment with your friends. Times where all seven of you were together seemed rare these days.

"Y/N," Cyno calls, causing you to be pulled out of your thoughts. "Truth or dare?"

"Well, since I almost got ran over last time," you start, glaring at Tighnari. "Truth."

"You're one of the only people that laughs at my jokes. Do you actually think they're funny?" the white-haired boy asks.

"Not really," you say. "I understand what you mean, but they're not that funny. I just laugh because no one else laughs, and I don't want you to feel bad." Cyno smiles at you.

"You don't have to laugh at them if you don't find them funny, you know?"

'I know," you say. "Hey, maybe if you don't try to over explain your joke, more people might laugh," you suggest. Cyno nods his head.

"I'll try it. Your turn."

"Alhaitham, truth or dare?" You ask.

"Dare." You take a moment to think since you didn't expect him to make that choice. A fond memory of you and Alhaitham as kids comes to mind, and you smile, hoping to recreate it with him.

"I dare you to kiss me," you blurt out. Kaveh's and Alhaitham's eyes widened in shock.

"What?" Alhaitham asks, trying to calm the butterflies in his stomach.

"I dare you to kiss me," you repeat while staring at his captivating viridian orbs and his orange pupils as he contemplates his next course of action.

Alhaitham summons the courage and brings his face close to yours. Before he can plant a kiss on your face, you stand up and run. Your gray-haired friend looks at you in confusion before chasing after you. Your laughter fills the air as you run away from Alhaitham. He easily catches up to you and hugs you from behind, making you stop.

"Wait," you say as you turn around. You glance up at him, noting how much taller he is, before looking at the ground. "Remember when I forced you and Kaveh to play princess and knights with me?"

"I do," Alhaitham says with a fond expression. "I can kiss your cheek, like I used to at the end of that game, if you'd like?" he asks. You look up at him again, seeing nothing but care in his eyes.