Too engrossed in the hug, I didn't notice the kitchen door opening until a cough resonated through the room. We both moved back from the hug to see Aaron and Avalon stood and the door- Avalon looking at the ground and Aaron looking straight at us.

The look on his face, however, I could not decipher. His eyes diverted from staring at me to staring at Justin and I stood uncomfortably for what seemed like centuries.

At long last, Aaron opened his mouth to speak.

"What's going on here? You've been in here for quite a while." He said in an unemotional tone. My eyebrows furrowed; he was acting differently.

_________________________

"There you guys are! The movie's set up already; I was getting bored!" Danny complained, his blue blanket clutched tightly in his grip and his brown eyes flitting between his two best friends.

"If the movie choice is what I think it is then you're going be doing more than getting bored." Justin responded just as quickly, dead gaze boring straight into Danny and Aaron could have sworn he saw him gulp in response.

"But it's a classic..." Danny mumbled, turning his pleading gaze to Aaron to defend him as he usually would, but Aaron had other things on his mind.

More specifically, a someone on his mind.

Try as he might to focus, he couldn't get the thought of Lexi out of his mind and- even more so now- when he thought of her smile as she hugged Justin, a happiness radiating off her that was never present when he was with her.

"Go play it then before I change my mind." Justin's voice brought Aaron back to reality and he watched as Danny let out a squeal before racing to the TV. He would laughed or said something to further panic Danny, but not this time. Instead, he turned to look at his grey-eyed friend as they both headed for the couch.

He looked to him truly then, like he assumed Lexi would and he couldn't help but frown. He knew Justin was a looker; he could tell from the way in which girls always ogled him. He had even witnessed him be approached by agencies which he had cuttingly refused. At those times, Aaron had teased Justin; he had found it amusing. Why, now, was it a different case? Why was it more worrisome than amusing? Was it because he knew that it wasn't just other girls casting their gaze on Justin, but Lexi.

His Lexi.

It was enough to make him stiffen and he cast his gaze to the floor.

"You and Lexi seem to have gotten closer." His impulsiveness took over then as he spoke, his voice void of emotion and he watched- from his peripheral- as Justin merely nodded, sitting down and leaning back.

"We have." Was his mere answer, but it did nothing to satiate Aaron's mind, so he spoke again, sitting down on the other side of the couch.

"Since when?" He asked in a mock curious tone, holding off the anger. It wasn't Justin's fault that he was better at taking care of Lexi than Aaron. He held it off as Justin raised a dark eyebrow, sparing him a glance.

"Why are you asking me this?" He countered bluntly yet before Aaron could think of a response, he heard the sound of footsteps, turning just as Avalon and Lexi entered.

He couldn't avert his gaze from her slender form, but she didn't even look his way as she sat right next to Justin, smiling at him in a way that made Aaron's heart clench.

"Got the snacks!" Avalon spoke cheerily, squeezing in next to her yet he couldn't focua on her at all. He could only stare at Lexi.

And the very next hour passed just like that: the movie playing as background noise to his thoughts as he spared her tepid gazes yet she was none the wiser. She kept her gaze on the TV with a focus that made him smile. How could she be so cute with even the smallest things?

That smile soon disappeared as he watched her turn to Justin who was on his phone.

"Bored, are we?" She teased, nudging him with her arm like she often did to Aaron when she teased him. It stung him to watch it rather than experience it.

Justin glanced at her words, sparing her a quick glance before going back to his phone.

"Not fond of the movie." He said in his usual blunt manner, waving his hand lazily at the TV, without looking up.

She laughed at Justin's words, before gesturing to the TV. The way she laughed made shudders run up his spine and he drew in a breath as she spoke.

"You know, Bridget Jones' Diary is actually a remarkable movie. You should give it a chance." She suggested with a shrug before looking back at the movie excitedly in the way she was before. This time, he couldn't find himself to smile.

Justin turned to her fully then, putting his phone away. He raised a dark eyebrow as he spoke

"Alexis, Danny's watched it every year, since he was 10. This is my 9th time watching this movie." He drawled, glaring at the back of Danny's head and Aaron had to agree with him on this part. The way in which he could now recite the movie from heart was unhealthy.

He was brought out of his thoughts when he heard Lexi sigh as she nudged Justin with her elbow which he was surprisingly okay with. Justin was averse to physical touch with others save for those he was very very close with. This just showed how close he and Lexi had gotten and it unnerved Aaron. Of course, he wanted them to be close, but what if it became more than that? What if he was replaced?

"So, you watch it every year too, then?" Lexi teased Justin yet again before poking his chest to annoy him and Aaron couldn't help the red that stained his vision at the simple touch.

He could only watch as Justin smiled slightly, his grey eyes glimmering with mirth. Aaron could tell he was enjoying her company and he didn't know how to feel about it as Justin suddenly grabbed the finger that was poking his chest, his gaze falling on her. He shook his head gently.

"No, I don't watch it." Was all he said, so simple, but why did it cause a stir in Aaron?

She smiled in response, raising an eyebrow.

"So, what do you do when this annual rom-com fest breaks out, huh?" She questioned jokingly, making Aaron's blood pump in his ears. He could have sworn he could hear Avalon speaking to him from beside him, but it was the last thing on his mind. How could he focus elsewhere when he could feel Lexi slipping through his fingers?

Justin shrugged at her words, eyes still on her.

"What I'm doing right now," he responded with another simple sentence but it was enough to make the heat fill him.

She kept her answer just as simple, the focus off the movie completely. One moment she had been so engrossed in it and now her entire focus was on Justin.

"And, what is it, you're doing right now?" She questioned to which he shrugged yet again, the grip of his hand still resting on her finger, testing Aaron's restraint. He had gotten better at controlling his anger, but he still had moments. He feared this would become one of those moments.

"Enduring." Justin said firmly, making Aaron lean forward to interrupt but, before he could, a shrill voice broke out from beside him.

"Aaron, I asked you a question!" Avalon's exasperated voice broke through his heated haze and he could see- from his peripheral- as she waved a red-nail painted hand in front of his face. Yet he couldn't concentrate on her, not when Lexi finally turned to look at him. He could feel her staring at him questioningly, but he could only look at her finger nestled in Justin's hand. He didn't know why but it irked him and he couldn't look away; he couldn't hide his anger either.

So, he stayed put, displaying his emotions as clear as water. Anyone could judge but he didn't care then, the anger building within. He would have thought he'd feel some semblance of relief when she moved her finger, but there was no such thing. No, when she moved her finger away hurriedly, it increased the anger. It was the way she avoided his eyes as she did it, like she was caught in the act; like he wasn't meant to see it.

But he did.

*********

"A little to the left. It's tilted," Aaron spoke, motioning with his hand to the left. He kept his hands up cautiously as he watched her maneuver around the drawer which had just, minutes ago, been knocked over by Danny's sprinkler.

He smiled fondly at the large portrait of Sam that hung on a high area of the wall. He had it commissioned since moving into this house after the fire and he thought of it as a way to commemorate her existence in this very house. He was scared it had been scratched but he felt relieved that it was completely intact, sparing a glance over to where Danny was sat in the corner of the room, the pout still on his face from being scolded by himself and Justin just a few moments ago.

His arms were folded across his chest and every now and then he would whimper in a way that made Aaron smile.

He turned back to where the two girls were straightening the portrait. It was a very large portrait that had been here since they moved in and was placed on with the help of 2 men and a ladder. Presently, Avalon and Lexi were stood on a tall drawer that was, previously, on the other side of the room to help put the portrait up. The drawer was ancient wood, so would not be able to take his or the boy's weight.

Now, however, he regretted his decision as he listened to the wood creaking from under them. He was about to ask Lexi to get off, but Avalon spoke then.

"Is here fine?" She asked, looking towards Aaron to which he shook his head.

"It needs to be a little bit to the left." He said yet again and Lexi let out a groan, continuing her ministrations.

Justin was stood beside him, glancing every now and then to Danny to glare at him to which Danny would seemingly sink into the wooden floor.

After an aching 3 more minutes, the positioning of the portrait was straight and he watched worriedly as Lexi rubbed her arms in discomfort. Had she overexerted herself?

"I didn't mean to do it, Aaron!" Danny whined, nearing him with a pout and Aaron smiled at this, shrugging playfully.

"I don't know, Danny boy. If you convince Justin to forgive you then I might reconsider." He drawled teasingly, holding in his laughter as he watched Danny turn with the same pout towards an icy Justin.

"When pigs fly." He ground out just as quickly, making Aaron laugh. Danny opened his mouth to whine, but the sound of heavy stomping sounded across the room, making him turn.

His eyes widened as he saw Avalon and Lexi tumbling down. He couldn't help it as he instinctively ran forward, his arms reaching out for Lexi. His heart was thundering as she landed in his embrace, her eyes clenched shut.

It was quiet for a moment as his breathing relaxed and he scanned her for any injuries. Then, she opened her eyes slowly, her gaze fixing on his.

He held her tightly, not wanting to let go just yet concern evident in his sea-blue eyes. His hands tightened over her form as his heart relaxed finally and he spoke, the words leaving his mouth before he could control it.

"How do you manage to make my heart stop beating every time, Lexi?" He whispered, so that only she could hear and he watched as she stiffened in his hold. He didn't regret his words, not when they held so much truth; not when he had felt an incalculable amount of fear from seeing her fall from the drawer. One day, this girl was going to drive him insane. She opened her mouth to speak then, but was interrupted by Danny sniggering.

She turned her gaze away but he couldn't look away from her beauty, not when he had her this close after so long. After her hospital stay, things had been strained between them at best.

"No, I'm fine, thanks for asking!" He heard Avalon's voice, but he couldn't concentrate on it when she was in his hold. He could feel her slender warmth against his fingertips and the need to hold her tight was insatiable. She was his: entirely his and he reveled in her sweet scent, so much so that it drowned out Danny's and Justin's voice as they spoke.

It only got worse when she looked back to him, her scent entangling with his. He was transfixed and he felt his heart lurch when she looked back at him with an equally soft gaze. It was a gaze that she had not yet shared with another and he couldn't help it as he moved his hand towards her face and caressed her face with his hand.

"Promise you'll only look at me this way."

____________________________

Avalon paid no heed to this and continued.

"You still love me and you know it!" She screeched.

Aaron dragged a hand through his hair in frustration.

"I don't love you, Avalon. How can I when I love Lexi?" He shouted.

Everything stopped for me there.

Aaron froze in his tracks, having realised what he said.

But, I couldn't concentrate on anything over the beating of my heart.