ShidaM: "Give them a couple of babies and married life."

Author's note: ShidaM, I know what you meant - a one-shot with a plot of them being married and having kids. As I was about to write your suggestion, I decided to put my own twist to your plot. 

Her bangs were pushed up by a black plastic headband. Yawning as she applied some face cleanser. Henry watching her every move, standing in front of the sink brushing his teeth, looking at the mirror.

“It isn’t that unusual whatever I am doing.” She continued on applying face cleanser, now on her forehead. “It is the first time I am seeing you doing that.” Amber understood whatever he was saying even if he had a toothbrush in his mouth. “It is rude to stare.” They were talking facing the mirror.

She had a big enough mirror and a counter with a sink on the other half while on the other side, a plastic cap for the toothpaste and toothbrush (sometimes toothbrushes) and now, the tube of her facial cleanser occupy a space.

Henry rinsed out his toothbrush. Amber had a watchful eye on the toothpaste’s cap.  He didn’t forgot to put the cover back. He then put his toothbrush and the tube back to the plastic cap. She continued on talking. ” I need to care of my face. We need to take care of our faces.” The tube of face cleanser was now found near him.  It was pushed towards him by Amber, made it slide above the counter. “I don’t need that.” “Really? I highly doubt that.” Still using the mirror to talk to each other. She touched his face.

He wiped off the cleanser of his cheek and went out of the bathroom. She heard sound of a zipper. “I have my own.”

There were two people again sharing the bathroom. It was good for three people anyway so there were enough space to move. She looked at the reflection of whatever Henry was holding. “We are using the same brand.” Henry made sure his hands were clean and squeezed out small amount on his palm, then pressing his palm together. “But the color of the tube is different so I won’t use yours.” He washed his hands after applying the cleanser and walked towards the toilet bowl as he wiped his hands on his pajama bottoms.

“As if we don’t already share other things.” Talking to him with her eyes closed since he was about to pee. She was wearing one of his long sleeves. “So this is where I left that.” He finally noticed.  “That’s why it looked familiar. Piece of advice, it looked better off you.” She threw at him what it felt like the tube of whatever it was. Still peeing, he moved so it wouldn’t hit him. “Hey, I am not picking that up.” “I won’t too. It will stay there for a long time then.” He picked it up since he knew she really wouldn’t.

He flushed the toilet. His footstep walking to the faucet, then sound of running water could be heard. She opened her eyes as he grabbed the hand soap. They exchanged places so Amber could rinse off the facial cleanser. “At least you wash your hands.” “Of course, I just touch my . I just peed.” “Sometimes, you do n–” Henry pinched her cheeks. “Don’t touch me.” “I just watched my hands.” “Still. You touched your .” She washed her face again with water. 

“Is this what it feels like living with you?” “You think about that –” “As if you never did. Not even once?” “You didn’t let me finish. Too. The idea comes and goes.”

Amber went out of the bathroom, followed by Henry. They were at the bedroom. “Why are you here?” “I just followed you.” “You are going to sleep on the sofa.” Henry reached for the pillow and blanket from Amber’s bed. “Not that. That’s my favorite pillow. Take the other one.”

The lights were already turned off. Both should already be sleeping by now, blanket reached up to their necks. He heard someone walking around. It was Amber. She was humming a familiar song. He didn’t bother to move though thinking of why she was out of bed. Amber stood near the sofa. “I know you are still up. Get up.” He moved. “I don’t want you waking up saying your back hurts and didn’t get a good night sleep.”

He saw her stuff toys already lined up in the middle of her bed. She already went to her side, lying down, and her dogs was beside her as he fixed his side of bed, fluffing his pillow. She thought letting him sleep on the couch was the reason why she couldn’t sleep. It wasn’t. “I have been thinking about you said.” They were looking at the ceiling. “Which one?” “About us living together, and how it would feel like.”

“You would be waking up to breakfast in bed.” She laughed since he was right. “That would lead me to ask Vic to teach how to cook so it would my turn to cook for you.” “I could teach you.” “Then you won’t be that surprised.” “Me getting mad at you since you are such a messy person. Leaving your clothes everywhere. And you don’t take a bath that often.” “Me finding some of the things that were for your eyes only.” “Like?” “Teasing you when I found your sketch notebook full of your drawings of a man that coincidentally looked like me hidden under the bed and that you have a dress and skirts hidden somewhere inside your closet.” She looked at him. He was smiling at her. He found out about those. Time to change their hiding places then. Better hiding places.

“Imagine the number of pranks we will pull off against each other.” Amber laughed, waking her dogs up. “Imagine the times you will bug me to take a bath and me telling that you that I will take a bath if you would join me.” She punched his arm and kicked him.  He found one of her dogs walking towards his chest, wanted to sleep there since she wouldn’t keep still. “Even he loves me more than you.” 

“Imagine you searching everywhere for your video camera that you love so much.” “Jealous of my video camera. An inanimate thing. How childish of you.” “Give me my dog back then.” She reached for it and placed it beside her other dog. “Though that video camera was useful to record your reaction whenever I tease you or pull a prank or when I bug and annoy the hell out of you. Remember the apron incident.” “How could I forget? You were only wearing an apron, a bra and boxer shorts.”

“Oh.  Accidentally opening a drawer where you keep your underwear. Be shocked of colorful they are or how they are all in one color and finally finding out what your bra size is.” She threw at him a stuff toy. “What? I am a man. I look at s. And the situation I said is a possible scenario.” “You are taking this too seriously, Henry.”

“Because you and me living together might happen one day. I really hope it will.” The way he said it, he was really serious.

He knew she wasn’t ready hearing the exact words about what they were talking about. It wasn’t the time to be more what they are now – friends. Best friends, then be in a romantic relationship, and eventually getting married and have a family.  Again, this could happen.

It was still early to actually think about that. They were still in their early twenties. Busy with their careers. They should talk this about four to five years from now if they were still up to it and if they were still single. There were the kind of close friends that “I cannot be not friends with this person.” They were that close. They were open to the possibility of them being a couple or still be friends, remain as close as they are even if they have already their significant other.

The conversation led to what name they would give to their children. They were talking about this little boy who called her “Unnie” and wanted take a picture with her since she was so pretty. That topic led to baby names.

“Like the simple machine we learned in elementary science.” “What is wrong with Axle?” “You are going to name our son…don’t laugh.” Henry was about to tease Amber after hearing her say “our son”. “I mean, your son after wheel and axle.” “It starts with A and it has X in it. It sounds cool. Then what name would you give our son?” She was waiting for him to say “your son” but he didn’t. “A name that starts with J. He may or may not have a second name.” Hance Jasper or name him after his father, you know just add a Jr. in the end.” “Wow, you will just add Jr.” “What is so bad about adding Jr.? I am naming him after his father. Then fine. I am going to stick with Hance Jasper. Easy to write and spell.”

“What about names for a girl?” “Again starts with a J with or without another name whatever it is. Jane. Like Erin Jane. Ashley. Let me think of other name. Heaven. Helena. Haylee. With two E’s. Your turn.” “Heaven? Heaven. It puts too much pressure on the kid if you name her Heaven.” “It forces her to be good.”  “For sure. What about Helena? Hell.” “Then she is a troublemaker, a bad girl.” “On the top of my mind. Aria. Hyacinth. January. Jade.” “January?” “Yeah. January.”

“Not so common names baby names. Well, it is your kids.” “Correction, our kids.” “Go to sleep, Henry.” “You are the one who said “our son” first.”  “What? I can’t understand you. I am too sleepy.” She even yawned to be more convincing though it wasn’t a fake one. She really was sleepy. Finally. And faced the opposite direction. She knew Henry was still smiling. “Press that record button, I will break that into two. Put that down and go to sleep.”

-x-