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Chatterbox’s earliest Christmas memory he could recall from his pathetic childhood came from the shoe-box sized battered shack in the middle of nowhere. Before he was a ‘Chatterbox’, before he was forced to murder and eat people, before his biological parents both abandoned him to be raised by a sadistic homicidal serial killer clown. He couldn’t pinpoint his exact age, he wasn’t even sure how old he was now, but he knew it was the Christmas a year or two before he watched his frantic mother pack all her things up, but none of his, as she got in her car and drove off, leaving him there to continue to endure his fathers abuse, and before his own drunken father let him drift away with the sea of red balloons after coloring his frail body in bruises. It wasn’t a happy memory… His home wasn’t decorated with all the bells and whistles of the holiday season, no twinkling white lights, no glittery ornaments, no red ribbon tied in a bow on a wrapped present. No, he never got to decorate a Christmas tree and place the star on top, he was never told the story of Santa Claus and would bake and leave out cookies for the chubby bearded man , and he never got to hear a single Christmas carol echo from the old banged up stereo that rested on his dads side table. The only reason he knew it was Christmas time was because in the memory he can see the opened eggnog carton on the kitchen counter next to an open bottle of vodka, while his parents go from screaming drunken insults and sharing slaps and punches, to laughing hysterically while doing something with their lips he always felt too uncomfortable to watch so his eyes landed on the plant that hung above them. The sage green leaves dangled below the banister, with what looked like to Chatterbox was mini cherries blooming from it. He never knew what the plant's name was, but just that it always meant trouble for him when he saw it.
When he lived with Bobo he remembers seeing the same plant hanging from people’s front doorsteps, as they waited in the shadows, stalking their prey for the perfect moment to strike. The perfect moment came the instant he saw their victims eyes closed and their defenses go down, Chatterbox never understanding why they easily made themselves so vulnerable. The plant to him always symbolized weakness, violence, and death, because that was all Chatterbox knew back then, that was until he learned from Kirk what the true meaning behind the plant was.
Kirk had been helping him develop a plan to get him out of his court ordered date with Ember after he had found out from Sooty that Ember had a crush on him. The thought alone of the annoying fire head freak having feelings for him made his body shiver in disgust, and what he wanted more than anything was to get her off his yuckin back. After going back and forth with ideas that almost all landed on killing Ember, but because of the clown code they couldn’t do, they could only come up with one idea that didn’t involve violence, but was insane enough to work. Kirk had suggested for Chatty to ask Hiccups to fake date him and be his plus one to the Clown Christmas banquet that Party Hardy was throwing for everyone. He had no idea how he was going to convince her to help him, but he hoped she would since she was always down to do some crazy bullyuck with him no questions asked. Chatterbox still didn’t quite understand what his feelings for Ray were just yet, but ever since their clown date his entire view of her changed, not just mentally but physically as well. Now, everytime he looks at her there is a glow that traces around her body, reminding him of the fireflies he would watch dance into different shapes and figures like the constellations in the sky. Now, his heart beats five times faster when he is near her, and his stomach flutters every time their hands accidently graze together when they talk. Now, instead of wanting to kill her for getting him stabbed, he wanted to kill FOR her. He wanted to be someone she could always turn to when she needed to get away from the crazy bullyuck, someone she could trust with her life, her secrets… He didn’t care if it was just as friends, he just wanted to stand by her side to protect and defend her from anything that dared to oppose her, because the only thing he desired was to give her everything she ever wanted.“What makes you so yuckin special.” He had once said to her when she invited him to bid on her at the date auction, not understanding why she had wanted him there so badly, but now understanding how truly special first name Ray last name Mond was. His mind was wandering from his conversation with Kirk on how they planned to make it look convincing to Ember, until he heard the most bizarre statement leave his best friend's mouth, snapping him out of the spiral he was about to go down thinking about the way her eyes brewed like a snow storm.
“Oh Chatty! And then you could meet Hiccups under the mistletoe, and then you guys would have to kiss in front of everybody! That would definitely convince Ember you guys were together!”
“I’m sorry, What the yuck are you talking about? What is a mistlepoe?”
“It’s a plant that you hang in the house and when two people are under it at the same time they have to kiss, it’s the rule.”
“That’s what the yuck those things are for? Kissing?” Chatterbox recalls the multiple times he was forced to witness Kirk and his wife Sheila kiss in front of him, and it was the most unsettling and disturbing thing he ever witnessed in his life.. What he saw those two do was unnatural, and he couldn’t find himself doing anything like that with Ray.
“They sure are! And then you can plant a big fat wet one on her!”
Chatterbox had shaken his head vigorously at Kirk’s words, and would have ignored his advice completely if he hadn’t also spoken with Sooty. He wanted her input on if it was a good idea to ask Hiccups to be his plus one to the Christmas banquet, when he let Kirk’s mistletoe idea slip out.
“That’s perfect Chatty! If Ember sees you and Hiccups kiss then she will definitely have to move the yuck on!”
“Yeah but Sooty kissing is disgusting!”
“What are you talking about Chatty? Kissing is not disgusting! It’s one of the most magical and intimate feelings you could feel with someone you like romantically.”
“Really? Cause when I’ve seen Kirk and Sheila kiss I have nightmares for weeks!”
“Well there’s your problem Chatty you are basing it off Kirk and Sheila.. Kissing doesn’t have to be… What’s the word I’m looking for.. Messy? A first kiss is usually more gentle and soft. Wait.. You were married! Did you never kiss your wife!?”
“No..? The only thing Giggles and I ever did together was kidnap and torture people.”
“I see… Well that’s fine, not every couple is physically intimate.”
“What does intimpate mean?”
“Intimate? It’s when you make yourself vulnerable to someone by either being physical, with a kiss or with se-… Actually I’ll stop at kissing. “ Sooty being aware Chatterbox can only handle this kind of talk in small batches, and she didn’t really feel like explaining sex to him just yet. “Then there’s being emotionally intimate with someone, and that’s when you open up to someone about your past, your traumas, your mistakes, your pain, your secrets, and you tell them because you trust them to accept those parts of you.”
“Oh..” is all Chatterbox can say as flashbacks from his and Ray’s conversations in the mine shaft and the canals behind her house replay in his head. The first two times he has ever opened up to someone in 5 years… His whole life actually… And she accepted and embraced every part of him, when she could have seen him as the monster he felt like he was.. He didn’t know then but he had hoped his past wouldn’t make her view on him changed. She didn't even bat an eye when he spoke about killing his wife, instead she hugged him and showed him empathy, leading him to be more open and honest with her in the mine shaft when he wanted her to realize how incredible she really was. He wanted to show her how brightly she shined, because if Ray was his beacon of light, illuminating the lighthouse to guide him home, then Chatterbox would be her stable and sturdy foundation that endured the thrashes of the waves that crashed against him, keeping her source of light safe and unmovable, so no one could attempt to ever snuff out her flame again. He wanted to show her how wrong he had been when he dared to question why she was so yucking special. She was special because she saw the world unlike anyone else. A world not always black and white, where even the most wicked of people deserve to be understood. Her view of the world was shaded in gray, with the ones she loved screaming in color.
“Did someone specifically come to mind when I said that Chatty?” Sooty’s eyebrows raised to the man she saw as a brother, giving him a teasing look as he became lost in his thoughts.
“Uh-ahem- I- I don’t know wh-what you are talking about S- Sooty.” His voice shook more than he wanted to as his hand was tugging the ear of his mask.
“Right. Right. Wink. Wink.”
Chatterbox knew Sooty was highly aware of who was running through his mind, in circles like she always did around him in person… Had he really been emotionally intimate with Hiccups…? Had he really been vulnerable with her…? Vulnerable enough she could have crushed his soul into dust between her hands, letting his ashes fly away in the wind, but instead her hands were gentle and careful as she caught him from falling down into the pits of hell. If he could trust her with his life, could he trust her with more parts of himself physically…? Did he want to kiss her..? Then every moment he caught himself staring at her lips replays in his head, and he immediately felt stupid for even asking the question… Of course he wanted to, but his own insecurities got the better of him. He planned to ask Ray to be his fake girlfriend and go with him to the Christmas banquet, but he wasn’t going to use mistletoe to trick her into kissing him like Kirk had previously suggested… No he couldn’t…He tricked his first wife into their relationship, and he would be yucked if he tricked his next wi… He shakes his head vigorously at what his mind was about to say, hoping the thought would be casted out of his mind forever, because there was no way in yucking hell she even had feelings for him. That was a fever dream. A yuckin fantasy, that could never and would never happen for someone like him. He planned to still ask her to fake date, but he couldn’t find the courage to suggest the mistletoe idea…
Chatterbox now stands outside on his balcony in the privacy of his room working up the grit to press the dial button. He was about to call Ray and ask for her help, but his nerves mixed with the ice cold air of December didn’t help keep his phone from trembling in his hands. It still shivered viciously as he held it up to his ear, waiting to hear her excited and sweet tone greet him on the other line.
“Heyyy Chatty!”
Her soothing voice floated out of the phone, her cheerful hello greeting him with so much enthusiasm he never understood why she always sounded so happy to hear from him, but was thankful she didn’t find his phone calls annoying.
“Hey Hiccups! Wh-whatcha up to?”
“I’m fucking freezing right now because Ray Romonav thought it would be a fun idea to show me the sewer spot, but it’s fucking below freezing outside and my pants are soaking wet!”
“Oh.. you should really warm up quickly, you know… don’t want ya to get sick or anything.. I just got over something myself to be honest.”
“You were sick?”
“Yup. My throat was sore and scratchy, it still hurts a little bit.”
“AND YOU DIDN’T TELL ME!?”
“Huh-what?”
“I could have brought you chicken noodle soup or something Chatty!!!!”
“W-well I’m sorry Ray! I didn’t know you would want to know that!”
“Yeah.. well .. now you do!”
“Next time I’m sick I will make sure to tell you!”
“Good! You better!”
“I.. I uh do have a question I wanted to ask you…”
“Yeah? And what’s that?”
“Well ummm I found out something very disturbing yesterday from Sooty and I wanted to know if you wanted to help me out with the solution..”
“What did you find out?”
“Sooty told me that Ember told her that she had feelings for me, and I don’t yuck with Ember like that, that’s yucking gross!”
“EMBER HAS WHAT FOR YOU!?”
Ray’s voice screeched louder through the phone at his words. He could tell by the switch in her tone and the elevation in her voice that she was somehow mad at what he had said?
“I DON’T YUCKING KNOW!!! SHE CALLED It A CRUSH OR SOMETHING!”
“I’M GOING TO FUCKING KILL EMBER!”
“WHAT? WHY?”
“CAUSE! SHE HAS A CRUSH ON YOU AND I DON’T LIKE IT!”
“I mean fair enough I don’t yucking like it either!”
“YEAH!! SEE!”
“Well.. I have another idea in mind if you are interested?”
“Ooooo tell me! Tell me! Tell me!”
“Well.. uh.. What if.. We uh… We..” Ahem “What if me and you pretended to date? Then Ember would have to move on, you know, if she thinks me and you are together…”
“You wanna fake date?”
“Uh.. Yeah! Nothing else has yucking worked and I can’t kill her cause that would be breaking clown code.”
“I see.”
Chatterbox could feel his whole body begin to sweat in his suit with fear and anxiety. Suddenly, it felt like his clothes were an oven baking him alive, as he tried to justify his plan so she wouldn’t think he is a creep. He felt like he had gone too far and was scaring her away. The last thing he wanted was for her to feel like she had to do something she was uncomfortable with.
“You know what, just forget what I said.”
All Chatterbox wanted to do was go back in time and never come up with this ridiculous plan in the first place. Then he wouldn’t feel like his skin was on fire while his stomach wanted the puke all his inside guts out. I can fix this. I can fix this. I can fix this. His worried mind kept chanting in his head.
“Oooo!” Ray’s voice suddenly gasped through the phone, “And we can go to Party’s Christmas Banquet together to make it more believable!!!”
Chatterbox for the first time was speechless, actually it wasn’t the first time anymore, not with Ray. She had a habit of constantly leaving him tongue tied and flustered, and it drove him yucking crazy, but he loved every second of it. He could feel his mouth become dry from her unexpected enthusiasm, but she had suggested the brilliant idea of being each other’s date to the banquet. He yucking loved how down she always was to clown, and how she bounced her ideas off his. She really was a natural clown. He swallowed the lump in his throat, as he tried to not fumble over his words.
“Y-you took the words right out of my mouth.”
“This is so perfect! And if it doesn’t work I’ll just kill Ember myself! I haven’t signed the code yet! Hahaha!”
Ray’s diabolical laugh was the sweetest tune in Chatterbox’s ears, as he admired how wildly chaotic she was. It still bewildered him how yucking similar they were, and how their minds worked in unison at times. They continued to discuss their genius plans over the phone, as Chatterbox’s smile never faded from under his mask. For the first time in his life, even if it was technically ‘fake’, Chatterbox had his first girlfriend.
Before the day of the party, Ray had met with Bon Bon to pretend to be on his side to get information out of him, so she could relay that information to Chatty. After she had informed her new ‘fake’ boyfriend of the plans of the guy he once looked at as a brother, the new couple of the city decided to go to the clothing store to pick out matching outfits for the banquet. Ray had helped Chatterbox pick out his dress attire, a white silk button up shirt, covered by a maroon suit jacket with black trim around the collar and pockets, detailed with gold buttons, matching fitted pants, and the whole outfit accessorized with black loafers, a black leather belt, and a black satin bow tie. Ray had refused to show Chatterbox the dress she had chosen for the event, wanting to keep it a surprise, but the anticipation was secretly killing him on the inside.
Party’s Christmas Banquet was being held at no other place but the Funhouse, with every inch of the building touched with some ounce of Christmas spirit. It was a winter wonderland Chatterbox has never witnessed inside these walls. Multiple Christmas trees scattered the house, with red and gold glitter ornaments decorating their branches. White twinkling lights hung from the ceiling and wrapped around the railing of the staircase, with green garland tangled along with it. The kitchen smelled of cookies and gingerbread men, and gumdrops rested on top of the gingerbread houses. Presents that each clown brought stacked as high as the ceiling under more than one of the 5 trees in the house. The Funhouse was decked out with enough Christmas cheer that it made up for the lack of merry Christmases he had. Now, Chatterbox was standing at the top of the steps outside his bedroom as he waited for Ray to finish getting ready. They thought the best way to announce that they were now ‘dating’ to all the clowns was to make an entrance together. Chatterbox couldn’t stop pacing the floorboards, as he anxiously waited for what this night had in store for them. He was secretly eager to see what she had picked out at the clothing store, which she insisted he couldn’t see until the night of. He could hear her movement behind his door as she was getting ready, the sound of her pitter patter mesmerized him, as he got lost in the thought of her spinning in circles around him. It was her voice that pulled him out of his daydream.
“Chatty?”
His feet stopped for a moment, before inching closer to the door. He leaned against the frame with his ear closer the only thing separating them so she could hear him better.
“Yeah Ray?”
“I-I’m ready..”
With one swift motion his bedroom door opened, and in front of him, there she stood, looking more breathtaking than ever. She wore a long satin maroon dress with a sequined floral pattern that framed her v-shaped neckline, to her corset back, and trailed down the slip of the dress that explored her upper thigh. She was in a pair of black stilettos with a gold bracelet and earrings as accents. Half her hair fell down in soft chocolate waves along her back, the other half was twisted in braids with tiny snowflake clips peaking through, and small loose curls framing her face. He had never seen a more beautiful angel in his life, he never thought angel’s existed until now, until her… Until she kept illuminating this light from her that reminded him of the North star he looked to as a kid to find his way back to the Funhouse. Her almond shaped eyes looked up at him like two silver bells that he could hear ring a ling in his ears to a joyful melody. Chatterbox was thankful he was always wearing his mask because he could feel his cheeks burning bright red underneath the plastic material. The only thing she could see was his chestnut eyes widening as his once anxious ridden body had become still as he took in her magnificent presence. Her smile grew bigger and her eyelashes began to flutter, as she spun around in circles in front of him. The train of her dress came off the floor for a brief moment as it turned with her. Ray had looked down at her feet as she spun, to be careful to not rip the silk fabric, contagious giggles escaping her crimson red lips. He was absolutely stunned by her whole existence, drowning in her blinding light that threatened to hold him under, until he could hear her euphoric voice snapping him back into reality.
“Sooo what do you think? Is this dress ‘clown queen’ material?”
“I’m sorry, huh?”
Did he hear her correctly? Had she referred to herself as the clown queen? The butterflies in Chatterbox's stomach begin to stir, as his mind starts creating images of Hiccups in a crown sitting next to him on a throne… Their hands intertwined as they smiled fondly at one another, her eyes gleaming up at him still even though his clown mask rested on the other arm of his throne… She has never seen him without his mask yet, but in his fantasy she still looked at him with the same look of admiration she always did, that he always found himself craving from her.
“What? You are the ‘clown king’ right? I gotta fit the part perfectly then!”
The way she crossed her arms and furrowed her eyebrows at him made his knees feel weak, almost like his subconscious already wanted to bow down to her like the Queen she really was. He didn’t make her a queen , she already was one, with or without him. If anything her aura made him feel like a king, standing next to her gave him more confidence in himself, gave him a purpose, and gave him a sense of peace. Her glow warmed the parts of his soul that have never been touched before, but because of her, have finally seen the light of day.
“Trust me Ray when I say… You always look yucking perfect..”
He noticed her cheeks blush a even deeper scarlet red at his words that had just slipped out of his mouth. He couldn’t stop himself from getting lost in how beautiful she looked tonight. Her eyes had widened like a doe caught in his morning truck head lights as they cross the country roads of Grapeseed. When she spoke, her flustered tone and her slight stutters intrigued him more, wondering if he was equally as capable of making her as nervous as she made him…
“Th-that was…wow..”
He noticed her teeth start to sink onto her blood painted lips, causing her lipstick to smudge and leave a small stain. Instinctively, he reached his snow white gloves up to her lips, not caring if her makeup stained his glove or not, he just didn’t want her to hurt herself. Ray’s breath hitched as his thumb grazed her bottom lip, causing her to release her hold of it. It wasn’t a perfect kiss mark, but the lipstick stain that was left on the tip of his thumb still had every indentation left on the lip print. He watched as her eyes began to storm in her thoughts as she tried to regain her composure
“Yo-you’re really good at this fake dating stuff..”
He wished he could say he had done that because he was just playing his part in their evil genius plan, but that wasn’t the case at all. He had been equally as shocked by his actions, but he couldn’t confess that to her, so instead he clears his throat, as they both use those few seconds to process what just happened.
“Anyways… ready to go downstairs and put on a show for everyone?”
He offered his arm to her, her smile returning as she linked her arm with his. Their eyes never left each other, both of them using the other as an anchor in their nerves. With careful strides the ‘pretend’ couple took their time descending the staircase together. They knew at the bottom of the stairwell thirty clowns were causing mayhem, but at that moment it felt like it was only the two of them. Chatterbox’s muscles tensed up when he could feel Ray’s hand squeezing his bicep, trying to keep from unraveling in her grip, when he knew she was just using him as support to not fall down the steps. In reality though Ray was taking the opportunity she was given to feel how huge his muscles were under the multiple layers that always hid them away from the public eye. The chatter of the other clowns faded into background noise along with the Christmas music that echoed throughout the house. It wasn’t until they made it to the very bottom step did they both get taken out of their perfect bubble, when Bozo’s voice piped up.
“What the fuck is going on here?”
Ray and Chatterbox finally pull away from the other to notice everyone’s eyes were on them. Just like they had wanted. Through the masks and painted faces you could tell everyone was shocked to see the couple together. Most of them were aware they both had feelings for the other, but everyone still thought they were both denying it. Nobody had expected them to show up together looking intoxicated on one another. Chatterbox decides to speak up first, and loud enough for everyone to hear him clearly.
“Well Bozo, if you must know, Hiccups is my date this evening, since she’s my girlfriend now.”
“Girlfriend!? Since when?”
Chatterbox could usually lie on the spot easily with no hesitation or issue, but his nerves were getting the best of him as he tried to think of the best answer. Luckily Ray could pick up on his anxiety with one look as she chimed in to help him.
“About a week now right Chatty?”
Her silver eyes sparkled over at him with reassurance and encouragement to go along with the story.
“Th-that-that’s right!”
Bozo’s face wasn’t the only one that looked at the couple with a puzzled expression. Only a handful of the clowns here knew of the plan to begin with, Kirk, Sooty, and Twinkles, but the rest were so confused by the scene they saw before them.
“And we’re just now finding out about it?”
“Yeah! We thought, what better way to tell everyone than all at once!”
“Surprise! Merry Christmas!”
“W-wait you.. you guys are dating?” Ember’s thick accent stutters out the question.
Chatterbox can feel Ray’s body press against him as she leans closer, her head resting in his shoulder. He could smell the scent of cinnamon seeping through his mask into his nose, sending goosebumps all over his body as he did everything he could to stop himself from trembling to her intoxicating pheromones.
“We sure are!”
“I-I don’t believe you!”
“What the fuck you mean you don’t believe us?”
Chatterbox was thankful Ray was there to be the one to argue with Ember, especially because at that moment he was still taking in the smell that lingered inside his mask after she had left the crook of his neck to deal with Ember’s whining. He wondered what shampoo or perfume she used to create such a powerful potent.
“Prove it!”
“Isn’t that what we are doing now?”
“No. If you guys are dating, then you should kiss!”
“What!?”
“You guys are standing under mistletoe, just saying.” Kirk’s southern draw speaks up.
Chatterbox is finally taken out of his thoughts about burying his face into her hair because he craved to inhale as much as he could, to look up and see the plant that has haunted him his whole life. His eyes widened in fear as he recalled Kirk making the comment of hanging the mistletoe anyways, after Chatterbox had told him no to the idea. Immediately he shoots daggers at his best friend, knowing he was the culprit behind it all. When Chatterbox had the chance he was going to make Kirk pay for this. He turns to look at Ray who is still looking up at the plant. When her eyes met his, he worried he would see a look of disdain, but he didn't. In fact, her eyes were filled with a curiosity and rush of excitement. She caught him even more by surprise when she yell out,
“Fine! Then we will kiss!”
Chatterbox was completely caught off guard by Ray’s enthusiastic response to everyone’s demand to prove they were actually together.
“Great! You two get to smooching then! We are all waiting!”
“Wha..huh?”
Ray turned back to look at him, her eyes had an apologetic look in them, forgetting he was new to that kind of affection and could have been uncomfortable doing something like that with her especially when they were only fake dating…especially in front of everyone… she wasn’t even thinking, she saw mistletoe and saw her chance of fulfilling her desires and justifying it by helping a friend out, when in reality she was dying to kiss him every time his dreamy fudge eyes looked at her.
“I’m sorry.. I should have asked you first..”
“No you’re fine. I just had nothing to yucking do with that. You have to believe me..”
“Of course I do.”
Ray’s hand went to cup his face. Chatterbox could feel the heat of her hand through the thin layer of his mask as she made him look her in the eyes.
“I’m more worried about you. Are you okay with this? I don’t want to do anything you are uncomfortable with.”
Her worry for his comfort made all the fear and anxiety he was feeling disappear. Just like when they made their way down the stairs, in this moment, it was just them two.
“I-I’m okay with it if you are.”
He didn’t know what to expect next, he had never done this before, so he waited patiently to follow Hiccups lead. She nodded her head at him to agree that she was okay with it as her other hand made its way to cup the other side of his face. This time it’s her who makes his breath hitch, as he melts into her touch. He can feel her hands slowly glide down his face to his neck where her finger rests at the base of his mask.
“You trust me?”
“Always.”
Ray lets out a small smile as her fingers begin to curl under the fabric of his mask. Chatterbox holds his breath the entire time as he feels the cold air hit his bare skin as she lifts the mask just high enough to reveal the scar that rested on the top of his lip. He noticed how Ray hadn’t taken off his entire mask, even though he hadn’t said she couldn’t, it meant a lot to him that she was still trying to respect his privacy as much as she could in the situation they had found themselves in. The heat radiating from Ray’s hands now feels even stronger against his bare cheeks. He wasn’t sure if it was just his natural instincts kicking in, or the countless times he watched his victims from afar be in this very same position, but he found himself closing his eyes right before Ray’s lips met his.
When they kissed it was like the world had stopped spinning. Chatterbox felt what he could only describe as an electric shock spark when they connected. He had remained stiff at first, but Ray’s soft lips helped guide his way through his nerves, and before he knew it, it was his hand that cradled the back of Ray’s neck as he tried to deepen the kiss more. Nothing mattered more to Chatterbox in that moment than savoring every second he had to devour the way Ray tasted. He wasn’t sure how but when his tongue grazed her lips she tasted like cookie dough. His mask kept falling down from his nose and getting in the way too many times, that with a frustrated gruff he discarded his whole mask, letting it fall to the floor as his other hand cups her face. Her hands now rests on his chest as she can feel his heart racing and pounding under her finger tips. They were in their own little world again, forgetting that other people were literally watching the two exchange their first kiss, and they weren’t even really dating yet. When they did come up to catch their breath the sounds of whistles, cheers, and Ember’s cries snapped them back to reality. They rested their foreheads against each other letting out small laughs as they both came down from their high, knowing they had convinced everyone that they were really dating. Because that’s all this was for right? To trick everyone? Definitely not to test the waters without worrying about ruining their friendship. No, surely they both were just that good at fooling everyone…right?