Janis gazed down at Cady's sleeping form, a jumble of emotions colliding in her chest. She looked so peaceful, auburn hair spread out across the pillow, chest rising and falling softly. Words were swirling around in Janis's head, words she knew she could never say to an awake Cady but needed to be released so badly. They were right there, on the tip of Janis's tongue, when a voice rang out from the other side of the room.
"Janis Sarkisian, don't you dare."
Janis jumped and lifted her gaze to glare at Damian. "Do what?"
Damian gestured to Cady. "You were gonna spill your guts to her while she's asleep." Janis rolled her eyes but didn't say anything. Damian raised an eyebrow. "It's creepy, Jan. And cliched. You're above that."
Janis sighed. "I know. I just... I don't know what to do."
"Here's an idea," Damian said slowly, sarcasm seeping into his voice. "How about you, I don't know, tell her how you feel when she's awake?"
Janis pretended to think about it. "Hm... I guess..." she chucked a pillow at his head. "No, Damian, there is no way in hell I'm doing that."
Damian dodged the pillow easily. "Why not?"
"Damian. We've been over this. I can't mess up my friendship with her. It's precarious as it is, after everything that happened last year. We've finally found some sort of normal, I don't want to ruin that."
"Well, while that is all very mature or whatever, have you ever considered the idea that maybe everything won't blow up in your face?"
Janis shook her head. "I know better than to believe that."
Damian's expression softened. "I know that a lot of things haven't gone your way in life, but-"
"A lot of things? More like everything," Janis scoffed. "Need I go over the list again?"
"Janis."
"Damian."
"I really think this could be good for you. If you don't tell her how you feel, you'll never know how she feels."
Janis glanced down at Cady again. "She doesn't like me."
"You don't know that! She literally crawled into bed to cuddle with you, I feel like that has to mean something."
Janis tilted her head to one side. "Pretty sure she just didn't want to sleep on the floor."
"You're impossible."
"But you love me."
"More than life itself."
"Goodnight, Damian."
"Goodnight, Janis."
"Don't do it, Caddy."
"It's fine, don't worry."
"You're gonna die."
"I said it's fine, Damian!"
The three friends were standing in Janis's kitchen, Cady wielding a spatula in one hand and a whisk in the other.
"Cads, it's one thing to flip pancakes and stir batter at the same time..."
"Come on, Jan, lemme just try!"
"I wouldn't do it if I were you," Damian cautioned. Cady just grinned at him as her foot slowly made it's way into the air and hooked on the refrigerator door.
"Caddy, no, you're gonna faceplant into the hot pan," Janis hurried around the kitchen island and batted Cady's foot away from the fridge. "I'll get the eggs out for you."
"I could have done it," Cady pouted as Janis reached into the fridge.
"Could you have, though?" Damian raised an eyebrow.
"Yes! I'm a woman of many talents!"
"Oh yeah? Like what?" Janis set the eggs down on the counter and folded her arms.
Cady smirked down at the pancakes. "Well, off the top of my head, I happen to be rather good at faking sleep." She lifted her eyes to meet Janis's, a small smile on her lips.
"Oooh damn," Damian murmured as her meaning sunk in.
Janis swallowed hard, still holding Cady's firm gaze. "I, uh..."
Cady's smile doubled in size. "Yes?"
"She's enjoying this way too much," Damian muttered to Janis.
"Shut up, Damian," She hissed back.
"Why are you whispering?" Cady whispered. "I can still hear you. I'm not as oblivious as you think I am."
"Yeah, um..." Janis finally broke eye contact, suddenly becoming quite interested in the floor.
Cady watched her for a moment, then laughed. Bringing a hand up to Janis's cheek, she took a step closer, forcing Janis to look at her again. "I'm just messing with you," She said lightly. Then she rose up onto the balls of her feet and pressed a kiss to Janis's lips.
"I totally called it," Damian whispered smugly to himself. Janis flipped him off over Cady's shoulder.
After a long moment, the girls broke apart, both grinning like idiots.
"Um, guys?"
Janis threw Damian an exasperated look. "Come on, dude, we're having a moment here."
Damian pointed to the stove. "The pancakes are burning."
"Oh, shit," Cady sprang away from Janis and grabbed the pan off of the heat, turning off the burner as she did so. Once the fire danger had passed, she turned back to Janis. "So, where were we?"
"Useless lesbians," Damian complained, and for once, no one contradicted him.