i didn't proofread so this is probably ty lol

XVIII.

“I’m going to be thirty in a few years.” Henry sighs, staring blankly at the TV screen as Amber meticulously pick some movie out his Netflix queue.

“Congratulations, you know how to do math.” Amber deadpans, obviously having more important things to worry about (who does she want to drool over tonight, Orlando Bloom or Chris Evans?) than Henry’s complaints about his age.

“I’m serious,” Henry pouts. “My friends back in Canada are getting married one by one, starting families. Our friends here are also getting married one by one.”

“So?”

“I’m almost thirty!” Henry almost whines. “I should be doing all those things, too.”

Amber finally gives up raking through Henry’s Netflix queue and sighs exasperatedly at her best friend. “Yeah, but you’re an idol, idiot. We don’t exactly live a normal life.”

“I used to think I already have my own family by the time I’m thirty,” Henry slumps against the couch, sighing. “Now I’m almost that age and I don’t even have a girlfriend.”

Amber snorts. “No one wants to make that mistake.”

Henry turns to look at her, glaring. “Meanie.”

“You love me.” Amber grins cheekily.

“You’re lucky I do.” Henry pokes her on the side and she shrieks, swatting his hand away when he tries to poke her again. “What about you, no marriage plans?”

Amber scoffs. “I have yet to find someone who can handle my amazingness.”

Henry snorts, scooting closer to her. “You’re single, I’m single. How ‘bout we do it, then? Get married, I mean.”

Amber looks at him with a raised eyebrow before bursting out laughing but quickly stopping when she sees Henry just staring at her with a hopeful expression. “You can’t be serious.”

“I am serious.” Henry says, shifting so he can face Amber fully. “When we’re on our forties and still single, let’s get married.”

“So, I’m just your spare?” Amber doesn’t know if she should be offended or not.

“And I’m yours.” Henry shrugs. “What do you say?”

There’s silence for a few moments as Amber considers the offer. Well, they have known each other for a very long time and even though he’s weird and stupid, he’s always been one of the people that she trusts the most. Besides, living with him is fun.

“We’ve done crazier things.” Amber finally says, her lips curling into a smile.

Henry returns it with a grin. “That’s true.”

Amber sighs, letting her head fall on his shoulder and Henry wraps an arm around her and pulls her closer. “When we’re forty?”

“When we’re forty.”

XVIV.

Their first kiss was when she was 17 and he was 21. She doesn’t remember where it was but she does remember that it was before the night before she’s supposed to go back to L.A. It felt weird. They were close friends to the point that people think that there’s something else. But there wasn’t. At least not at that time.

Henry thought it would be funny to try and kiss because he’s not going to see her for a long time (she suspected that he was drunk that night) and they did. Just a peck on the lips. It wasn’t like those things in the movies were they suddenly feel sparks or some other romantic , no. It was just plain weird. When Henry stepped back, he jokingly told her to put on more chapsticks and Amber had rolled her eyes, telling him that she wouldn’t be missing him at all while she’s gone.

She was 19 and he was 23 the second time it happened. This time, it was longer than a peck. There were definitely tongues involved because she remembers he tastes like Red Bull. She remembers they’re at his place and their friends were out buying some snacks. They were writing a song that time, cramped in the small space of his makeshift recording studio and Henry had jokingly brought it up (they were previously talking about Gen accidentally walking in on Justin and his girlfriend making out), saying it was a relief no one walked in when they kissed.

She didn’t know where she got the courage that time. Hell, she didn’t even know what she was thinking but she kissed him and he kissed back, lifting her so she could sit on the small desk and gripping her hips so hard, she thought it would bruise. They kissed until they were both red in the face, mouths refusing to leave each other until they can’t breathe anymore and when they finally pulled away, the buzzer rang and Henry grinned at her before walking out of the studio and opening the door.

They didn’t talk about that kiss for a while.

Not until he kisses her again on her birthday that year. And unlike last time, the kiss was gentler, much more tender and it has her heart leaping out of her chest and that’s when the confusion starts.

The kisses continue after that and Amber stopped trying to figure out what to make of it because they never talk about it. Sometimes, she thinks they really should but then she’ll have to deal with complicated feelings and she’d rather not.

Now, she’s 24 and he’s 27 and they still kiss until they’re both breathless and dizzy.

“Henry,” Amber whimpers against his lips. He just got back from a month-long schedule overseas and when he showed up in her apartment in the middle of the night, the first thing she did is grab the front of his shirt and kiss him. “What are we?”

Henry breaks the kiss for a moment. “What do you mean?”

“This,” she says brushing their lips together briefly. “Whatever the hell this is.”

“Why are you asking?” He leans forward to kiss her again but she puts a finger on his lips.

“Because I like you, you idiot. Why else?”

Amber had imagined Henry’s rejection a million times in her head after deciding that she’s going to choose to talk about whatever is this thing between them and put a label on it. In all the scenarios that she’d run through her head, it always ends up in rejection so it’ll be less painful when it actually happens.

But Henry is grinning at her.

“You like me?” He’s still grinning.

“I’m not gonna repeat myself.” Amber says, shoving him lightly on the chest.

“Good. Then let me,” Henry starts his grin dissolving into a gentle smile, hand curling on her cheek before leaning forward until there’s barely an inch between their lips. “I like you, too.” Kiss. “I like you.” Kiss. “I love you.”

Amber knows she’s grinning into their kiss and she’s holding on to him like a lifeline but it’s okay because Henry’s grinning, too, and when she says I love you back, he holds her tighter.

She’s 24 and he’s 27 and when they kiss, everything feels right.