We moved inside after a little bit, there were bugs and my mum was not a fan. So we were sat in our living room, August quiet, but he hadn't made any move to leave.

After food we chatted together a little bit but right now, my mum and dad were talking, discussing tomorrow's plans because apparently, they were going on a date.

Which meant I really needed to sleep somewhere else tomorrow.

They were sat on the smaller couch and I was on the bigger corner one, August pretty settled down the other end and I was just on my phone making arrangements with Luella.

"What are you doing tomorrow Em?" My mum asks and I look up.

"Think Luella and I are gonna go to the beach, sunset to sunrise." I smile.

My mum's eyebrows lift. "Just you two?" She asks, looking at August.

"Yeah, just us."

Luella said she was stressed and just wanted it to be just us, said we should pull an all nightery, stargaze, that sorta thing.

I obviously agreed.

"Trev isn't going?" August asks, his voice tired.

I just shake my head and look back down at my phone.

Rayne wanted me to come round, he wanted to watch a movie. I think he honestly just needed a hug.

And I know I should go, I know I should put him first over August, he's always been my number one. But I didn't wanna leave this little bubble yet.

But I was going to probably walk there when August says he's going home too.

"Where are you two going?" I ask them, looking back up.

"Just dinner." My mum laughs. "You dad used to be against dinner dates but I've brought him round to it."

"Nove I was against dinner dates because when we started dating it was after you'd been on that date with Jayden. I was trying to set myself aside." My dad says, pulling a face down at her and my mum just smiles.

"You remember that?"

"Yes." He pouts.

"Wait mum you went out with Jayden? As in Ivy and Jackson's friend?"

My mum nods, smiling a little. "Only a little bit."

I just pull a face, snuggling into the sofa and stretching my legs out.

"Two meters apart." My dad says, nodding to my legs and I just gape at him, pulling my legs back to myself and away from August and my mum laughs at him, lifting a hand to his face and when he looks down at her I don't miss the little stern shake of head she sends his way.

My dad scrunches his nose up at her.

I just lift my eyes to August, and he looks slightly amused at the interaction, and he leans his back against the arm rest and stretches his legs towards me, throwing my dad an amused look and my dad just presses his hand to his temple.

I let my legs slide back out, getting comfy and I smile a little into my phone when our legs are besides each other, almost touching.

My mum looks amused and just frown at her and look back down at my phone, relaxing into the cushions more.

I roll my eyes down at the phone and lock it, letting it fall to my chest.

"August you may stay the night on the couch if you want to." My mum says softly. "Whatever you need."

August starts to sit up and I check the time when he announces he should probably get back.

It was eleven, usually my parents are in bed by this time anyway.

My dad nods. "You want a lift?"

"No." August breaths a laugh. "It's five seconds away and I have the car anyway."

"Yeah you've also consumed three beers, so you aren't driving." Dad says and Leo just rolls his eyes.

"Driven much drunker before."

"That is not a selling point." My dad shakes his head and my mum just looks at August slightly concerned.

I start getting up too and my parents look at me.

"Where do you think you're going?" My dad laughs and I rub my eyes in exhaustion, today has been a lot.

"Sneaking home with August of course." I mumble getting slightly frustrated with the dynamic. Dad's always been protective but not this protective.

August looks at me too then, his face confused, and I roll my eyes.

"I am gonna go see Rayne." I tell them.

My parents look at each other.

"We thought you two weren't..."

I frown. "I am just sleeping over."

My dad looks at my mum, clear distress on his features and my mum laughs again.

"Calm yourself." She whispers to him and looks at me. "Okay Em, I'll come up with you as you get a bag together."

"I've already-" I start and she stands, nodding for me to follow her.

Right. Oh goodness.

August stands, picking up his glasses and heading to the kitchen and I just follow mum out of the room and up the stairs.

"Rayne's in an awfully good position right now." She says softly and I look at the back of her head confused as she leads me into my bedroom.

"Mum what?"

"If I were a teenage lad." She says and I just raise an eyebrow, trying to focus on whatever she was trying to say but also listening out for the front door because I don't know if Leo is going to wait or not.

"I would totally be loving life, had the best friend that cares more than she is obliged to, then decided to date her, then convinced her that that wasn't working, and so now back to being friends, absolutely fine, but obviously she still stays so I have someone to mess around with when I like. No strings, no commitments."

My eyes are wide as I listen to her interpretation of the situation.

"Mum I am going to go watch a movie, Christ."

She nods, but it was as if she totally didn't believe me. "Your father thinks there is something going on with you and August."

This is a lot.

"Mum August thinks of me as the five-year-old that had a meltdown because he told me to go away. Dad knows this, he's just being protective."

She nods in acknowledgment but as I grab my bag she reaches for my hand, getting my attention.

"You need to be careful."

I pull a face. "With what?"

"Everything." She laughs, walking to the bed and sitting down. She looks tired and I just lean against my desk, waiting for her to elaborate.

"August doesn't look at you like he sees a kid sweetheart."

Keep calm Em.

"And so I need to be careful of August?"

She shakes her head and then she pauses. "I would be a hypocrite to say that, I mean be careful of the fact you are getting yourself into a little pickle Emersyn Rose."

"A pickle? Mum-"

"You don't look at him like he's your boyfriend's older brother baby."

I frown. "I-"

"I know he's your ex boyfriend." My mum smiles, slightly amused. "But you're still sleeping in his bed. I am just saying that stress is not good for you, and this situation I am watching... it's not good for you."

I dunno what to say.

Feel like I've been called the fuck out to be honest.

Rayne and I weren't even together in the first freaking place, but no one can know that until he's fine with himself. Telling someone it was fake would literally make us look mental, or they would guess straight away to the reason and Rayne isn't ready for that yet.

"Getting involved with brothers probably isn't the best thing- and damn it Em." She says, looking at me amused. "They are Ivy and Jackson's boys. How we gonna do Christmas after you've made both boys fall in love with you and then gone and fucked off travelling?"

My lips part at her full-on amusement.

And she swore. Woah.

"It's not like that." I say. "Trust me."

"I do trust you." She laughs. "You just have a warm heart baby and I worry about it."

I nod, hoping she said what she had to and I look towards the door. "Can I go now?" I say softly, not trying to be rude.

"Mhm." She hums and she stands, but then she presses her lips together unsure.

"What is it mum?"

"I take back what I said, about being a hypocrite. I have to say it anyway."

"Huh?"

"You do need to be careful getting close to August baby."

I frown. Feeling weirdly ass protective. I stay silent.

"He's not the most stable influence. And I know that I put your dad through hell when he loved me and I wasn't okay enough to love him back."

I swallow, it's literally an hour from midnight, I just wanted to curl into Rayne's bed and watch some trashy movie.

This isn't what I want.

"Mother, August and I are friends." I say sternly. "That is all."

She raises both her eyebrows at me. Unconvinced.

"Okay? So maybe I think he's sorta yanoe beautiful and I also sorta feel alive when I am with him and okay I guess I-"

Shut up Em.

Mum looks amused.

"This is beyond the point." I mutter. "Can I please, please go now? We are friends, if that."

"Emersyn." My mum laughs and I just run a hand through my hair, embarrassed.

"Okay goodnight." She says and I sigh in relief, throwing August's jumper over me and I chuck my bag on my shoulder.

Then I am jogging down the stairs and pausing shocked to see that he waited.

"I am sorry." I mumble. "Let's go."

"You wanna say goodnight to-"

I shake my head. "Go and go now otherwise I will be drowned in their concerns and then I will literally die."

He blinks down at me.

"Right okay."

I nod, pulling the front door open and calling out a goodbye. So does August and I then shut it and lock it just in case they forget to do it from the inside.

"Let's go." I smile.

August nods, still quiet as we walk side by side down the dark lane.

I pull out my phone, letting Rayne know I am finally on my way and then I sigh, relaxing as I breathe in the night air.

"Lue and I are probably going to go swimming a couple of times tomorrow." I tell him.

He's silent.

Well okay.

"Like in the sea." I laugh and then I grow a little concerned, curious. "Will your coach really not let you train?"

"Emersyn I have heard enough of your voice tonight." August snaps and I honestly was surprised.

I didn't catch on to his mood change, so I wasn't expecting it.

I grow a little silent and then I shrug.

"You still have cake when you get in. If you want it."

"I don't."

I nod, yeah okay.

"Does Lue stay at yours all the time?" I ask and he stops walking and I press my lips together, hesitant to look back around at him. The lane was dark, hardly lit but I could tell he was pissed off by the shape of his body, it's tenseness.

"I wouldn't know Emersyn." He grits and I wonder why he's answering if my questions are annoying him.

"Why you mad?" I say softly, carrying on walking but I know he's catching up. It's not hard when he is a freaking head taller than me.

"Because I don't want to see people yet."

I nod slowly. "I think you need to work on not taking your anxiety out on friends, like you could have told me you're stressing and I would say we could go for a walk or something- we don't need to go directly-"

I am cut off by his fist clutching the baggy material of his hoodie I was wearing and I gasp in surprise when I am brought back to him.

"Why?" August asks, his head close behind mine. "Why would you do that Emersyn?"

"Because that is what you do." I whisper. "If your friend isn't okay you do what you can to help."

Okay good job brain.

Fuck he is really close.

It's pitch black and all my senses are drawn into him. The way he was breathing slightly heavily, stress evident. So close to my ear. The way his hand is holding me tightly, forcing my attention.

I lean back into him. I don't mean to. I swear.

"It's not your job to fix people."

"I know." I whisper, because my voice was not strong enough right now. "August please let me go."

His hand drops me immediately and I turn around, we were close.

Dangerously close.

And in the dark ally I lift my hands to his face. "August If you needed someone I would be there. Not because I am trying to fix you, but because I don't want you to be hurting. I don't want you to hurt yourself. I don't think you deserve this shit."

He stares down at me, our faces close, his confused.

"Rayne is waiting for you."

"Rayne is waiting for a hug and a movie night." I deadpan. "It's not as important as this."

His hands bat mine away from his face and I didn't really realise I was still holding his cheeks, cupping his face gently.

"Space Emersyn." He mutters, pushing me away from him.

He starts walking again, heading away from me and I press my lips together and walk after.

"You literally were the one to pull me to you."

"Watch your tone." He snaps and I just huff, shaking my head in the dark.

"Are you going home?" I ask him and he stays silent.

"August?" I call.

"Fuck off Emersyn."

I pull a face. "Don't swear at me."

"Stop asking me stupid fucking questions then."

"Asking you If you are coming with me to your house isn't a stupid question."

"Yes it is."

I sigh. He's so moody.

"You are so grumpy."

"It's called irritableness, don't be stupid."

Stupid really?

"I already know I am stupid Leo, I am willing to freaking follow you if you walk past your house. That's not something a smart person would do."

He pauses and looks back at me. "And that's stupid because?"

"Because you're mean." I say, and I smile a little when he stays facing me. "Could just watch a film with me and Rayne at home? Then you won't be alone and films are distracting right? I will even let you pick what we watch?"

"I could think of nothing worse."

I pout.

He turns back around and carries on walking.

"You're messing my brother around Emersyn."

I full on scrunch my face up at that.

I stay silent. I am so not the one in the wrong with Rayne and I. I don't even know if I have forgiven all the shit yet.

"Like yous broke up didn't you? Why mess him around more?"

"More?" I whisper.

"Just think you should leave him alone."

I sigh. "Thank you for the advice Leo but it is your brother that asked me to come. So stop judging my character and let's talk about what you're going to do if you don't want to go home."

"You're annoying."

I lift my hand to my face and pause. I understand he was in a mood, that he was trying to push me away and I really needed to grow thicker skin. But well sensitive is like my middle name sometimes.

"You're being horrible August."

He laughs a little, turning around and looking at me.

"You sound like a kid."

I shrug. "No Leo you sound like a kid, calling me annoying, stupid, telling me to leave your brother alone, swearing at me. You're twenty two and I have tried really hard today to protect you from your own head. So protect me back."

He frowns and I walk towards him a little, trying to see his eyes in the moonlight.

"Protect you back?" August questions.

I nod.

"From your head. I mean I like this part of you too, it's amusing, I like it when you're all angry-" Oh goodness I didn't mean to say that. Continue. "But I am sensitive, if you call me a shit person enough, I will believe it."

He stares down at me and I realise I have walked so close that I have to crane my neck to remain focused on his eyes.

"I told you I'd try and push you away Emersyn."

"Well it's not gonna work." I smile a little. "You're just gonna hurt me, and then you'll be even more pissed off because I won't be fun Em, I'll be sad Em."

"You're never fun."

I laugh, smiling up at him and I happily watch as he refrains his own lips from tugging upwards.

"I have serious regrets about letting you this close."

"Why?" I ask. Can we talk about the pitch dark again? About how it's whispering weird wants into my ears? Like how it would be fun to taste the breath that I can feel against my forehead. How it might be fun to slide my fingertips under his t-shirt, how they're cold and his skin is always hot.

"Because you're annoy-"

I lift my hand up to cover his lips with my hand.

"You're not allowed to call me annoying anymore." I state, narrowing my eyes up at him.

His hand comes to my wrist and he pulls my hand away.

"Not allowed?"

"No you are not allowed."

"And what are you going to do about it Emersyn Rose?"

August's amusement is slightly shocking, but I see it, creeping up around the edges. Looking down at me, gaging my reaction to his tone.

"I will tell my dad."

A deep chuckle leaves August's throat and I stare up at him, slightly freaking mesmerized by that noise.

"Sadly, I am not afraid of your father."

"Said no guy ever." I mumble, stepping towards him again, just slightly more and August's arms slide down, his hands encircling my waist and I just stared up at him.

It was dark, the moon as the only source of light and It felt like as soon as we walk out into the light, like the streetlamp with a few hundred yards down the road spoke of reality, we would be thrown back into just that- reality. But the tree's whispered encouragements and I don't protest when we sorta tiptoe towards the wall, my back being pressed against it as he stared down at me too.

"So that's your route of intimidation huh?" August whispers. "Calling daddy?"

My hands are placed between us, for distance, for my brain's coherency.

I can smell him.

"I don't have much else." I whisper back, my lips tugging up. "Can't really call me intimidating."

One of his hands lifts from my waist and he nudged my elbow up and as if I knew exactly what he was asking I slid my hands up his chest and encircled his neck.

"You can be intimidating with this." August whispers, his forehead dangerously close to mine, and then his lips hover from close to my cheek to my ear.

"You can intimidate by the simplicity of a near touch."

I swallow, colour me intimidated.

His breath is felt over my ear and goodness I never really understood any sort of reason why in films or in books there was such a thing as lips to an ear, around the lobe, the jaw.

Now all I could feel was a want.

No confusion.

His lips lowered, still not touching and I lifted my chin as his breath, hot, made it's way down my jaw and across my neck.

I have goosebumps, literally everywhere. It was scary this, the fact I knew he should not be this close, the fact I knew he didn't even want to be this close. But damn it, this feels so freaking new, foreign. This need.

My head tilts back, pressing against the brick wall behind us and his lips accidently bump the nape of my neck and I want him to fucking do whatever he wants right now, I wouldn't care one bit.

Goodness me.

"Can you intimidate with touch too?" I say so quietly, knowing exactly what I said, knowing exactly what my statement wanted. I wanted those near touches to fucking leave and I wanted to feel a man's lips against my neck.

Not any guy's lips. August's.