Aarmau: Uh... Oops. (Under RE-WRITE)

Chapter 8: Babysitters (Part 5)

Back at his house, he sat on his couch clearing his mind by numbing it with shitty TV. Aphmau had gone to get changed into her pajamas and shower, it felt slightly strange having having her shower here. Like a line in their friendship was being pushed even though there was nothing intimate about a shower.

He heard her footsteps come down the stairs and turned to look at her, they needed to talk about who was sleeping where, since Abby was in the guest room. He was already resigned to sleeping on the couch.

And yet that thought seemed much less appealing when he noticed that her pajamas consisted of one of his old red shirts and black short shorts.

“Is that one of my shirts?” He asked without thinking, feeling his face heat up seeing at just how well-worn it was, like she'd been wearing it every day for the last 6 years.

“Huh?” She looked down confusedly before she jumped a little, looking up at him sheepishly, her face a little pink.

“Oh, I guess it is, I think I stole it in college and never gave it back…” She admitted, and all Aaron could do was laugh. That was… really cute of her, and he felt flattered she'd wanted something of his.

“I don't mind, it suits you.” If anything her blush got deeper and she flopped on the couch beside him, looking away.

“So where do you want to sleep? I can take the couch if you want the bed.” He finally got there after it being on the back of his mind all day. And he felt her wince as if she too had been avoiding the topic.

“I don't want to steal your bed! I can sleep on the couch.”

“You already stole my shirt. Take it, as a thank you for helping me look after Abby.”

She sighed, still wanting to argue but it seemed she was too tired to have much energy to do so. She smiled at him gently, her voice low.

“Thank you Aaron.” Her slow blinking and bleary expression made him smile back.

“You should head up then. You look exhausted.” He leaned forward to touch her shoulder, instead he ended up capturing her cheek, causing her to look up at him in mild surprise.

“Hm?” He stiffened, caught in between wanting to be closer and wanting to pull away, it didn't help that the light of the TV was catching her eyes, making them glitter back at him.

He pulled back, ignoring the butterflies that erupted in his gut and looking at the floor. Aphmau notices he looked… ashamed? Or maybe dissapointed.

“Goodnight Aph.” He says softly,  watching as the girl in question blushes lightly, laughing in a tone he hadn't heard before. Or maybe he had, a long time ago.

“Goodnight Aaron.” For a moment, just a moment Aphmau thought about kissing him on the cheek. But the thought quickly left in favor of thinking about sleep.

Aaron watched her go up the stairs, and he felt… sad. Watching her go up to sleep in his bed. A part of him felt like he should have followed her. But at the same time… that was a little weird to want wasn't it?

Aphmau sprawled out on Aaron's squishy bed. It was one of the most comfortable beds she'd ever been in, including her own. And she felt… safe. Not to say she didn't feel that way normally. But it seemed calming now.

She realized a moment later that it was because she was being embraced on all sides by Aaron's scent. More specifically the pine scented colone he had used since high school. She blushed heavily, he remembered when she used to steal the jacket part of his school uniform just because it smelled like this. Like safety.