Amber just changed into a pair of pajamas Krystal tossed her rather than taking a shower before bed since she'd had one only a few hours ago after recording her final stage. The silk blend was like a dream against her skin and she figured she was tired enough to fall asleep immediately. 

She took a running start, then jumped on the bed, grabbing a pillow and tucking it beneath her face. 

"These pajamas are awwwesome," she moaned, wriggling around so she could feel it slide against her skin. "Let me take these with me when I go?" 

Krystal sat at the vanity, rubbing moisturizer and brightening creams into her face, then a bit into her hands and calves. "No," she said simply, picking up a brush to get a few tangles out of her hair before sleep so they wouldn't worsen through the night. 

"Aww, Krys. Please?" Amber pleaded, turning her face toward her friend and pouting. She rolled onto her back and threw a tantrum like a baby.

"Oh my god, please stop," Krystal huffed, getting off of her stool and flicking off the overhead light, so only the lamp resting on the night stand near her bed illuminated the room. "I just bought those. You're not getting them." 

She peeled back the covers, forcing Amber to move toward the opposite side of the bed, and tucked herself in. Amber hurriedly scuttled under the covers as well, dragging her pillow with her. 

They lay in silence for a few moments, Amber with the cover pulled all the way over her head, Krystal shifting around, trying to get comfortable. For some reason she simply couldn't relax, her body seemed to be humming and her heart was beating a little faster than usual. She wondered if she was getting sick. 

After a half hour of that, she heard the front door and close. Jessica must've gotten home. Krystal listened as her older sister removed her heels and padded down the hall, past her room, to her own bedroom. She squinted, trying to remember the last time she'd stayed out 'til nearly three in the morning for something other than work or a party associated with work. 

"What was that?" asked Amber's muffled voice from about a foot away.

"Jessica," Krystal answered simply. 

"Oh." 

They returned to silence, Amber rolling onto her side. Her knee bumped against Krystal's and she hastily pulled it away apologizing. "Oops." 

Krystal rubbed a hand against her chest, wondering what was wrong with her. She and Amber had shared a bed before and it wasn't this weird. Why couldn't she relax?

"Amber?"

...

"Amber?" she called again, a little more loudly. She still didn't get a response, so she turned over and gripped Amber's shoulder, shaking her lightly. 

"Are you asleep?" 

A grumbled response reached her.

"I can't fall asleep." 

"So you won't let me either?" Amber complained, rolling to face her. "You better believe I'm gonna remember this the next time we're on the road for a few hours, Jung Soo Jung." 

Krystal ignored the threat and focused on as much of Amber's face as she could see in the darkness. "Have you been dating anybody recently?" 

Amber blinked in surprise. "What? No. Why? Are you?" 

"No," Krystal replied. "It's just...Sulli seems so happy now and...you...well you look really happy when you're with...with E-...with your friends." 

"Of course I'm happy when I'm with my friends," Amber said, sounding amused. "It's relaxing." She folded one arm under her head. "I mean, aren't you happy with your friends?" 

"Yeah, but...not like happy how you're happy." 

"That's cause you've got a stick up your ." Amber laughed when Krystal made a sound of disgust and smacked her on the arm. "Anyway, why'd you bring up dating? Are you thinking about starting?" 

Krystal thought about it for a bit, then shook her head. "No. There's no one I'm interested in. Plus, I'm always in and out of the country. I should probably wait until my schedule slows down." She nibbled on her bottom lip. "Is there anyone you'd want to date if you had the time?" she asked, thinking about all the people Amber was close to, trying to guess which one Amber might have a crush on.

Amber gave the question some consideration before responding. "I have been feeling a little lonely, but for now I think I'm satisfied with just having friends around me. A lover would be totally different, someone to hold me at night, someone I wouldn't be afraid to...break down in front of..." 

Krystal put her hand on her shoulder. She knew that Amber had had it harder than a lot of people she knew. Amber was sensitive, but always tried her best not to let it show, no matter how people treated her. 

"But I'm also scared that I'll be...hurt..you know? What if I give them everything, open up my heart to them completely and..." 

Krystal the back of her hand over Amber's smooth cheek, then brushed some of her hair back off her forehead. Dark lashes over soft eyes glowed back at her in the darkness. Amber pulled her hand to and chewed absently on the tip of her thumb. 

"What if someone tells me they like me and they're just...making fun of me? Or if I confess to someone and they laugh in my face." 

"Oh, Amber." She pulled Amber's thumb away from so she wouldn't damage the skin and continued to amber's hair. "They wouldn't do that." 

Amber puffed out a breath that was almost a sob. "Look at me," she said. "I know what I look like." 

"You're beautiful." 

"I thought you said you'd never lie to me." 

"I'm not," Krystal said, a bit offended.

"I know I'm not 'ogre-in-a-cave' hideous, but who wants someone that's caught somewhere between a fifteen year old boy and a too-muscular woman?" 

"You're not too muscular." 

"So you admit I have the body of a teenage boy?" 

"A teenage boy would be lucky to have your body," Krystal said with a leer and a wink, wanting to bring the mood up.

"Ew, oh my god. As a woman in your twenties, you shouldn't be making jokes like that." 

Krystal jutted out her chin. "As a woman in your twenties, you should stop being such a sourpuss. You're hot." 

"I know that at most, I'm just okay. I've accepted it." 

"Aw come on." Krystal squeezed Amber's biceps through her shirt, then ran her hand down her arm. "You're more than just okay." She touched the side of Amber's face and rested her thumb against her lips. "You. Are. Hot." 

Amber blushed, finally accepting the compliment. Krystal didn't make a habit of being dishonest, so she knew sh could believe her. 

"So I should stop ranking myself as a six and bump it up to a ten?" she asked.

Krystal passed her thumb over Amber's full lower lip, utterly distracted by the plump heat of it. She wondered why Amber didn't push her hand away, then remembered that Amber didn't have a concept of personal space. She scooted a little closer and Amber didn't move away. She could now feel the warmth radiating from Amber's body. They were practically face to face. 

"You're definitely a ten." 

"Then what does that make you?" Amber smiled. "A fifteen out of ten?" 

Krystal's heart stuck in her chest and she couldn't help but beam. "You think so?" 

"You've got like, the perfect figure. And you're so graceful," Amber said sincerely. "You're gorgeous."

Krystal's body flushed with heat and her hand trembled against Amber's face. Wow, she thought. I really do have a thing for her, don't I?...

She hadn't really accepted it or thought about it before. She just allowed herself to believe it was her usual affection for Amber. The girl always looked out for her and treated her with so much kindness and care. But over the past few months, or two years, even, she'd been getting these odd tingles on her skin when Amber was near or threw an arm over her shoulders. Her heart practically sang when Amber was gentle with her or or annoyed her. 

"Why do you keep touching my lips?" Amber asked, sounding amused. 

"They're soft," she said, tracing her fingers over them. "Your lips and your eyelashes are your best features." 

"Tell that to my guns," Amber said, flexing.

"Yeah, your arms are nice too," Krystal conceded, finally pulling her hand away and folding them under her cheek. 

"No, my arms are amazing." 

"They're okay as far as arms go." 

"Back to being mean to me, Krys?" 

Krystal smirked and shook her head. "Go to sleep, Amber, or your dark circles are going to completely take over your face." 

"Hey! You're the one who-" 

She was cut off by an evil laugh ans Krystal turned over. "Go to sleep."