Unspoken Love

Sky scrambled back, nearly falling off the bed again in her haste to put distance between them. Her heart pounded against her ribs as she stared at Quill's confused expression in the darkness.

"I need water," Sky blurted, throwing off the covers. Her legs tangled in the sheets, and she stumbled as she stood. The room spun - from the wine or from what had almost happened, she couldn't tell.

"Sky, wait-" Quill's voice followed her as she fled the bedroom.

In the kitchen, Sky braced herself against the counter, gulping in deep breaths. Her hands shook as she filled another glass with water. The cold liquid did nothing to calm the heat burning through her body or erase the memory of Quill's breath against her lips.

What had she been thinking? Touching Quill like that, asking dangerous questions in the dark? The wine had made her reckless, stupid. She'd almost ruined everything.

The floor creaked behind her. Sky's grip tightened on the glass, but she didn't turn around. She couldn't face Quill right now - not when her skin still tingled where they'd touched, not when her heart refused to slow its frantic beating.

"Are you okay?" Quill's voice was soft, uncertain.

No, Sky wasn't okay. Nothing about this was okay. She'd crossed a line tonight, pushed too far, risked too much. Her throat closed up as tears threatened to fall again.

Sky's fingers trembled around the water glass. The kitchen tiles felt ice-cold against her bare feet, grounding her in reality. She took another sip, desperate to wash away the lingering warmth of almost-kisses and tangled limbs.

"Sky." Quill's voice was closer now. "Please look at me."

She couldn't. If she turned around, she'd see Quill in that oversized shirt, hair mussed from their shared bed, concern etched across her beautiful face. The wine still coursed through her system, making everything too intense, too real.

"Nauhaw lang ako." The lie tasted bitter on her tongue. She set the glass down with a sharp clink. "Mauna ka na sa kwarto, sunod ako."

"No." The firmness in Quill's voice made Sky's breath catch. "Something's wrong. You've been acting strange all night."

All night. Since the club. Since watching Maze press against Quill on the dance floor. Since almost kissing her sleeping best friend. Since nearly crossing a line that would destroy everything.

The memory of Quill's breath against her lips made Sky's knees weak. She gripped the counter harder, knuckles turning white. "Okay lang ako. Just drunk."

"Hindi ka okay." Quill's footsteps drew closer. "You're crying."

Sky reached up, touching her cheek. Sure enough, it was wet. When had she started crying again?

Heat crept up her neck as she felt Quill's presence directly behind her. Close enough to touch, to turn around and finish what she'd almost started in bed. The thought sent panic shooting through her chest.

"Don't." The word came out sharper than intended when Quill's hand brushed her shoulder. Sky jerked away, nearly knocking over her water glass. "Please, just... don't."

The kitchen felt too small, too warm. Sky's heart hammered against her ribs as she pressed herself against the counter, desperate to maintain distance between herself and Quill. The wine made her head spin, memories of their almost-kiss in bed flooding her thoughts.

"Sky, please." Quill's voice cracked. "Kausapin mo naman ako oh."

Sky shook her head, tears spilling down her cheeks. The familiar scent of her own shampoo in Quill's hair tortured her - a reminder of how close they were, how domestic this all felt. Her borrowed shirt hanging off Quill's shoulder, their tangled legs in bed, the way Quill's fingers had traced patterns on her skin...

"'Wag muna ngayon, Quill. Please." The words came out choked. Sky's fingers gripped the counter edge harder. "I just- I need space right now."

"Space?" Hurt laced Quill's voice. "Since when do you need space from me?"

Since watching her dance with Maze. Since realizing how perfectly their bodies fit together in bed. Since almost ruining everything with one drunken mistake.

"Please." Sky's voice broke. "Bumalik ka na sa room."

But Quill stayed rooted in place, her presence burning into Sky's back. The silence stretched between them, heavy with unspoken words and dangerous possibilities. Sky's skin tingled with awareness of every breath Quill took, every slight shift of her body.

The wine still in her body, making it impossible to maintain her usual careful distance. All she could think about was turning around, closing the gap between them, finding out if Quill's lips were as soft as they looked-

No. Sky squeezed her eyes shut, fresh tears spilling down her cheeks. She couldn't think like that. Couldn't risk losing her best friend over some drunken impulse.

Sky's shoulders shook as sobs wracked her body. The kitchen counter dug into her palms, but she barely felt it through the haze of wine and overwhelming emotion.

"Sky, you're scaring me." Quill's voice cracked. "Please, just tell me what's wrong."

"Everything!" The word burst from Sky's lips before she could stop it. "Everything's wrong and I can't- I don't know how to fix it."

"Tulungan kita." Quill stepped closer, her warmth radiating against Sky's back. "Whatever it is-"

"No!" Sky spun around, pressing herself against the counter. Tears streamed down her face as she met Quill's concerned gaze. “You can’t help me, Quill! You can't help because it's about you!"

The words hung in the air between them. Sky clapped a hand over her mouth, but it was too late. The wine had loosened her tongue, and now everything she'd kept locked away threatened to spill out.

"What do you mean?" Quill's voice was soft, careful.

Sky's chest heaved with barely contained sobs. "I can't Quill- I don’t know what to do. Seeing you with Maze tonight, watching you dance with her, the way she touched you-" Her voice broke. "And then coming home, sleeping next to you, pretending everything's normal when nothing's normal anymore because I-"

"Because what?" Quill took another step forward.

"Because Aquilla, I think I'm in love with you!" The confession tore from Sky's throat. "Natatakot ako kasi best friend kita, Quill. Hindi ko kayang mawala ka sa buhay ko pero 'di ko na rin kayang magpanggap na wala lang 'to-"

Fresh sobs cut off her words. Sky wrapped her arms around herself, waiting for the disgust, the rejection, the end of everything.

"Hindi ko naman gusto na mangyari ‘to. I've tried so hard to ignore it," she whispered through her tears. "Na maging masaya as best friend mo. Na makuntento. Pero watching you with Maze earlier sa bar- hindi ko pala kaya, Aquilla. And I'm so sorry, I never meant to feel this way, please don't hate me-"

Sky's words hung in the air, her confession echoing in the dark kitchen. Her heart pounded against her ribs as she waited for Quill's response, for the inevitable moment when everything would fall apart.

But Quill just stood there, frozen, her eyes wide and unblinking in the dim light. The silence stretched between them, thick with tension and unspoken words.

"Magsalita ka," Sky whispered, her voice cracking. "Please, just... anything."

Quill took a step forward. Sky pressed herself harder against the counter, trapped between cold marble and the warmth radiating from Quill's body. Her hands trembled as she gripped the edge behind her.

"Sky..." Quill's voice was soft, almost reverent. She reached out, fingers hovering inches from Sky's tear-stained cheek.

The proximity made Sky's head spin - or maybe it was the wine, still coursing through her system. She could smell her shampoo on Quill, could count every shade of emotion flickering through her eyes.

"I shouldn't have said anything." Sky's voice shook. "Kalimutan nalang natin ang mga nangyari. Go back to normal. I'll-"

"Ayoko." Quill's hand finally made contact with Sky's cheek, thumb brushing away tears. The touch sent electricity crackling through Sky's body. "I don't want to forget."

Sky's breath caught in her throat. Quill was so close now, close enough that their bodies nearly touched. Her hand felt warm against Sky's cheek, steadying and maddening all at once.

"Ano'ng gusto mo?" Sky barely recognized her own voice, rough with tears and something else - something dangerous and hopeful.

Quill's eyes dropped to Sky's lips for a fraction of a second. The gesture made Sky's heart stutter in her chest.

"Ikaw. Ikaw ang gusto ko, Skyler." Quill's words came out barely above a whisper. Her thumb traced Sky's cheekbone, sending shivers down her spine. "I've always wanted you."

Sky's heart thundered against her ribs. This couldn't be real. The wine was making her imagine things, making her hear what she desperately wanted to hear.

"Since we were kids," Quill continued, her voice trembling. "Every time you came to me crying about another failed relationship, every time you fell asleep in my arms, every moment we shared - I wanted to tell you ."

Tears spilled fresh down Sky's cheeks. Quill caught them with gentle fingers, her touch burning against Sky's skin.

"I watched you chase after perfect love stories, knowing I could never be that for you. You’ve always been so sure of what you wanted—so sure of him. And I just stayed here, quietly wishing you'd see me. The girl who's been in love with her best friend for so long she can't remember what it feels like not to love you."

Sky's breath caught in her throat. Quill's eyes shimmered with unshed tears, vulnerability written across her face in a way Sky had never seen before.

"Every time you needed me, I was there. Not because I had to be, but because being near you, even just as your friend, was better than not having you in my life at all. I convinced myself that was enough."

Quill's hand slid to cup the back of Sky's neck, fingers tangling in her hair. "But seeing you tonight, touching you, hearing what you said... Hindi ko na rin kaya na magpanggap. I don't want to just be your friend, Sky. I want to be everything to you."

Sky's heart thundered in her chest as Quill's words washed over her. The kitchen counter pressed cold against her back, grounding her in reality even as her head spun from wine and confession. Quill's fingers remained tangled in her hair, sending sparks of electricity down her spine.

"Everything?" The word came out as a whisper, fragile and hopeful.

Quill's eyes bore into hers, dark with an intensity that made Sky's breath catch. Her thumb traced patterns on Sky's neck, each touch burning like a brand.

"Everything." Quill's voice cracked. "Your best friend, your protector, your..." She swallowed hard. "Your happily ever after."

Sky's hands trembled as she reached up, fingers ghosting over Quill's collarbone where her oversized shirt had slipped. The borrowed fabric carried Sky's scent, mixed with something uniquely Quill. Her skin felt fever-hot under Sky's touch.

"But you never said anything." Sky's voice shook. "All those times I cried over other people, all those relationships..."

"How could I?" Quill's grip tightened slightly in Sky's hair. "You were always chasing these perfect romantic moments or the perfect guy. I'm not... I don't know how to be that person."

"But you are." The realization hit Sky like a thunderbolt. "You've always been that person. The way you take care of me, how you know exactly what I need..." Her fingers trailed up to cup Quill's face. "I was just too blind to see it."

Quill leaned into her touch, eyes fluttering shut for a moment. When she opened them again, they shimmered with unshed tears. Their faces were so close now that Sky could feel Quill's shaky breath against her lips.

"Natatakot ako, Quill," Sky admitted, her thumb brushing the corner of Quill's mouth. "What if we ruin everything?"

"What if we don't?" Quill's other hand found Sky's waist, pulling her closer. "What if this is our perfect moment?"

Sky's heart ached at Quill's words. All this time, while she'd been chasing after perfect love stories with other people, her own fairy tale had been right here. The realization of how blind she'd been crashed over her like a wave.

"Gaano na katagal?" Sky's voice cracked. "Gaano katagal mo nang tinatago na gusto mo ako?"

"Remember that summer when you were fifteen? When you got your first manliligaw?" Quill's fingers traced patterns on Sky's waist. "Watching you swoon over him made me so jealous. That's when I knew for sure."

The memory hit Sky like a physical blow. She'd spent hours gushing to Quill about that boy, completely oblivious to her best friend's pain. "Oh god, Quill. All those times I came crying to you about someone else..."

"Shhhh, tahan na." Quill's thumb brushed away fresh tears from Sky's cheek. "Kalimutan mo na 'yun. Ayokong nakikita ka na umiiyak. I chose to be there for you. I wanted to be."

"Pero nasaktan kita." Sky's chest felt tight. "Nang paulit-ulit at 'di ko man lang namalayan."

"We can't change the past." Quill pressed their foreheads together. "And I don't want to rush into anything now. We can take this as slow as you need. I've waited this long - I can wait forever if that's what you need."

"You'd do that?" Sky searched Quill's eyes. "Even after all this time?"

"Sky, knowing how you feel... that's enough for now." Quill's smile was soft, tender. "We don't have to figure everything out tonight. We have time."

The gentleness in Quill's voice made fresh tears spill down Sky's cheeks. How many times had Quill put her feelings aside, just to be there when Sky needed her? How many nights had she held Sky while she cried over someone else?

"I don't deserve you." Sky's fingers curled into Quill's shirt.

"'Wag mong sabihin yan." Quill's voice was firm. "You deserve everything. I just want the chance to be the one to give it to you."

Sky's heart raced as Quill's words sank in. The kitchen counter pressed against her back, but she barely noticed the discomfort. All she could focus on was Quill's warmth, the gentle press of fingers against her skin, the way their bodies fit together like pieces of a puzzle she'd been too blind to see.

"But what about Maze?" The question slipped out before she could stop it. The image of them dancing together still burned in her mind.

"Maze?" Quill's brow furrowed. "What about her?"

"At the club, you two were..." Sky's throat tightened. "You looked good together."

A soft laugh escaped Quill's lips. Her thumb traced Sky's jawline, the touch sending shivers down her spine. "Sky, Maze is just a friend and she's interested in Claire. At alam niya na patay na patay ako sayo..." Quill swallowed hard. "She knew my heart belonged to someone else."

"Oh." The relief that flooded through Sky made her knees weak. She gripped Quill's shirt tighter, anchoring herself.

"Besides," Quill's voice dropped lower, "Halos di na ako magkapag-focus sa pagsayaw. Not when you were watching us like that."

Heat rushed to Sky's cheeks. "You noticed?"

"I always notice you." Quill's fingers tangled deeper in her hair. "Even when I'm trying not to."

The confession hung between them, heavy with years of unspoken feelings. Sky's gaze dropped to Quill's lips, remembering how close she'd come to kissing them earlier in bed. The wine still buzzed through her system, but her head felt clearer now, filled with nothing but Quill.

Silence fell between them in the kitchen, broken only by the soft sound of their breathing. Sky's heart still raced, her fingers twisted in the fabric of Quill's borrowed shirt.

"Are you okay now?" Quill's voice was gentle, her thumb still tracing patterns on Sky's skin. "Balik na tayo sa kwarto?"

Sky nodded, not trusting her voice. Her legs felt shaky as they made their way back to the bedroom, Quill's hand steady at the small of her back.

The moment they settled under the covers, Sky pressed herself against Quill, wrapping her arms around her waist and burying her face in her neck. She squeezed tighter, trying to pour years of unspoken feelings into the embrace. All those nights Quill had held her while she cried over someone else, all the pain she'd unknowingly caused - Sky hugged her harder, as if she could somehow make up for lost time.

A soft chuckle rumbled through Quill's chest. "'Di ako makahinga, Sky."

"Don't care." Sky mumbled into her neck, refusing to loosen her grip. "Let me have this."

Quill's fingers found their way into Sky's hair, gently massaging her scalp. Her lips pressed against Sky's temple in a tender kiss that made Sky's breath catch. The gesture sent her mind spinning back to earlier that night, to the almost-kiss they'd shared in this very bed. Her heart fluttered as she remembered how close Quill's lips had been to hers, how badly she'd wanted to close that gap.

"Ano'ng iniisip mo po?" Quill's voice was soft in the darkness.

Sky's cheeks burned. "Nothing."

"Liar." Quill's fingers continued their gentle path through her hair. "Ang bilis ng tibok ng puso mo."

Sky buried her face deeper into Quill's neck, heart pounding against her ribs. The warmth of Quill's body pressed against hers, the gentle rhythm of fingers in her hair - it all felt different now. Every touch sparked electricity across her skin.

"Come on." Quill's voice held a teasing lilt. "Tell me what you're thinking about."

"Wala nga." Sky tightened her grip around Quill's waist.

"Mhmmm." Quill's fingers stilled in her hair. "Sigurado ka na diyan?"

Before Sky could respond, Quill's hands darted to her sides, fingers dancing across her ribs. Sky squealed, jerking back as laughter burst from her lips.

"Quill!" She squirmed under the assault. "Tumigil ka!"

"Nope! Sabihin mo muna." Quill's fingers found all her weak spots with practiced ease, tickling mercilessly.

Sky thrashed in the sheets, gasping for breath between fits of laughter. "This isn't- fair!"

"Life isn't fair." Quill shifted to pin her down, continuing her attack. "Just tell me what you were thinking about."

Tears leaked from Sky's eyes as she writhed beneath Quill. Her sides ached from laughing, but she couldn't bring herself to admit she'd been thinking about kissing her. Not yet. Not when everything still felt so new and fragile.

"Never!" Sky managed between giggles, trying to catch Quill's hands.

"Ayaw mo talaga ha." Quill's fingers danced higher, finding the sensitive spot under Sky's arms that always made her shriek.

Sky twisted away from Quill's tickling fingers, gasping for breath. "Okay, okay! Sabihin ko na!"

"So?" Quill's hands stilled but stayed at Sky's sides. "What were you thinking about?"

Heat crept up Sky's neck. She couldn't admit the truth - not yet. Instead, she found herself staring up at Quill, mesmerized by how the moonlight caught in her dark hair.

"I was just thinking how lucky I am." The words tumbled out before Sky could stop them. "You're so pretty when you laugh like that."

Quill's eyes widened, a blush spreading across her cheeks. The sight made Sky's heart flutter.

"Says the most beautiful girl I know." Quill's fingers traced patterns on Sky's sides, no longer tickling but gentle, almost reverent.

"Stop." Sky buried her face in her hands, but couldn't hide her smile.

"Why? Totoo naman." Quill pulled Sky's hands away from her face. "Nawawala mata mo kapag ngumingiti ka - alam mo ba ’yun? It's adorable."

"Well, you have the most perfect nose." Sky reached up to boop it gently. "And when you smile, you get this cute little dimple right here." Her finger traced the side of Quill's mouth.

"I love how your hair always smells like strawberries." Quill leaned down, nuzzling Sky's neck.

"And yours is so soft." Sky ran her fingers through Quill's dark strands. "Like silk."

They traded compliments back and forth, each one making Sky's heart swell larger in her chest. She'd never noticed how Quill's eyes caught the light just so, or how her laugh seemed to fill every empty space in the room.

A yawn caught Sky by surprise, making her jaw crack.

"Someone's sleepy." Quill's voice was soft, tender.

"No'm not." Sky fought another yawn. "Want to keep looking at you."

Quill's laugh rumbled through her chest, the sound vibrating against Sky's palms where they rested. "Sleep, silly. I'll still be here in the morning."

Sky's eyelids grew heavier with each gentle stroke of Quill's fingers through her hair. The wine's effects had faded, leaving behind a pleasant warmth that mingled with the comfort of Quill's embrace. Her best friend's - no, not just best friend anymore - familiar scent wrapped around her like a blanket.

"Promise?" Sky snuggled closer, breathing in the mix of her own strawberry shampoo on Quill's borrowed shirt and that uniquely Quill scent underneath.

"Always." Quill pressed another kiss to her temple, and Sky's heart did a little flip. Each touch felt different now, charged with meaning she'd been too blind to see before.

Sky traced lazy patterns on Quill's collarbone, marveling at how natural this felt. How had she never noticed the way Quill's body fit perfectly against hers? The steady rise and fall of Quill's chest matched her own breathing, lulling her toward sleep.

Sky drifted between sleep and wakefulness, aware of every point where her body pressed against Quill's. The steady thrum of Quill's heartbeat under her palm anchored her, a rhythm she'd felt countless times before but never quite like this. Her fingers curled into the soft fabric of the borrowed shirt, holding on as if Quill might disappear.

Quill's hand still moved through her hair in slow, gentle strokes. The touch sent tingles down Sky's spine, making her nestle closer.

Her thoughts grew fuzzy around the edges as exhaustion pulled at her. The wine's warmth had faded, replaced by a different kind of heat wherever their bodies touched. Sky's leg tangled with Quill's under the sheets, seeking more contact even as sleep dragged her under.

The last thing she registered was Quill's lips pressing against her forehead, so soft she might have imagined it, and a whispered "Mahal kita" that followed her into dreams.

»

Sunlight filtered through the curtains, painting golden streaks across Quill's sleeping face. Sky's body curled into her, one leg thrown over Quill's hip, arms wrapped tight around her waist. Their shirts had twisted together during the night, exposing a strip of Quill's stomach where Sky's hand rested.

Her heart fluttered as fragments of last night flooded back. The wine-warm confession in the kitchen. Quill's fingers in her hair. The way her voice cracked when she'd said "everything."

Sky traced the curve of Quill's jaw with her gaze, lingering on details she'd somehow missed after years of friendship. The tiny scar near her hairline from a childhood fall. The slight upturn of her nose. The fan of dark lashes against her cheeks.

Quill's chest rose and fell in steady rhythm beneath her. A strand of dark hair had fallen across her face, and Sky's fingers itched to brush it away. She'd seen Quill asleep countless times before, but this felt different. Electric. Like seeing her for the first time.

Her eyes dropped to Quill's lips, slightly parted in sleep. The almost-kiss from last night burned in her memory - how close they'd been, how badly she'd wanted to close that gap.

Sky's pulse quickened as she leaned forward, hesitating for a heartbeat before pressing the lightest kiss to the corner of Quill's mouth. The touch lasted barely a second, but heat bloomed across her cheeks as she pulled back.

A tiny squeal welled up in her chest, and she buried her face into Quill's shoulder to stifle it.

Quill stirred beneath her, making a soft sound in her throat. Her arms tightened around Sky as her eyes fluttered open, dark and sleep-heavy.

"G'morning," Quill mumbled, voice rough with sleep. Her fingers found their way into Sky's hair, automatic and familiar.

Sky's heart fluttered at the rasp in Quill's voice. How had she never noticed how adorable Quill looked first thing in the morning? Her dark hair tangled against the pillow, eyes soft and unfocused.

"Hi," Sky whispered back, hyper-aware of every point where their bodies touched. Her leg still draped over Quill's hip, their shirts twisted together.

Quill's thumb traced circles on her lower back, the touch sending sparks across Sky's skin. "Nakatitig ka na naman."

Heat rushed to Sky's cheeks. She buried her face in Quill's neck, breathing in the lingering scent of her strawberry shampoo mixed with something uniquely Quill. "Hindi kaya! Gawa gawa ka ng kwento."

"Mhmm." Quill's chest vibrated with a soft laugh. Her fingers continued their gentle path through Sky's hair, each stroke making her melt further into the embrace.

The morning light painted everything in golden hues, making the moment feel suspended in time. Sky traced the collar of Quill's borrowed shirt, marveling at how different everything felt. The same bed they'd shared countless times before now held an electric charge, every touch loaded with new meaning.

"Anong oras na?" Quill's voice rumbled against Sky's palm where it rested on her chest.

"Naurrrrrr." Sky tightened her grip. "Five more minutes."

Sky's stomach let out a loud rumble, breaking the peaceful morning silence. Heat crept up her neck as Quill's lips curved into a smile against her forehead, pressing a soft kiss there. The tender gesture made Sky's heart skip.

Not wanting to be outdone, Sky leaned in and planted a quick kiss on Quill's cheek. The reaction was instant - Quill's entire face flushed crimson, and she dove face-first into the pillow with a muffled squeak.

"Oh my god." Sky burst out laughing, poking Quill's side. "Kinikilig ka ba? The fearless Aquilla Quin, tiklop sa isang kiss?"

"Shut up," came Quill's muffled voice from the pillow.

"Never." Sky tugged at Quill's shirt. "Come on, we need to freshen up. Nang mabawasan ang pula ng mukha mo."

Quill emerged from the pillow, still blushing but trying to maintain dignity. "Fine, but only because you're being insufferable."

Sky grabbed Quill's hand, pulling her toward the bathroom. Her fingers tingled where they intertwined with Quill's.

"What do you want for breakfast?" Quill asked as Sky. "I can cook something."

"Honestly, ‘di ko alam if may laman pa fridge ko." Sky handed Quill the her toothbrush, their fingers brushing. "Maybe something light? I'm still feeling last night's wine."

The sizzle of eggs hitting the pan filled the kitchen as Quill worked her magic at the stove. Sky moved around her, pulling out plates and mugs, stealing glances at how Quill's borrowed shirt rode up when she reached for seasonings.

The coffee maker gurgled to life, its rich aroma mixing with whatever Quill was cooking. Sky's stomach growled again, but food wasn't what made her heart race. It was the domesticity of it all - the way Quill knew exactly where everything was in her kitchen, how she hummed under her breath while cooking.

Sky set the table, arranging everything just so, but her eyes kept drifting back to Quill. The morning light caught in her dark hair, making it shine. Her movements were precise, confident - so different from Sky's chaos in the kitchen.

Unable to resist any longer, Sky wrapped her arms around Quill's waist from behind, pressing her cheek between her shoulder blades. Quill's body tensed for a moment before melting into the embrace, one hand coming up to cover Sky's where they linked across her stomach.

"Is this okay?" Sky's voice came out smaller than intended.

"More than okay." Quill's thumb traced patterns on Sky's knuckles.

Sky squeezed tighter, breathing in Quill's familiar scent. "I just... I've never felt this happy before. It's almost scary how right this feels." Her throat tightened. "What if-"

"Hey." Quill turned in her arms, cupping Sky's face with both hands. "No what-ifs. This is real. We're real."

"But everything's changing so fast and-"

"Walang nagbago, Sky." Quill's thumbs brushed her cheeks. "I'm still me. You're still you. We're just... more honest now. Everything that matters was already there."

Sky leaned into the touch, heart swelling at the tenderness in Quill's voice. "Promise we'll be okay?"

"Pangako." Quill pressed their foreheads together. "You're my best friend first, remember? That's never going to change. We're just adding new chapters to our story."

The eggs started to sizzle louder, demanding attention. Quill pressed a quick kiss to Sky's forehead before turning back to the stove, but Sky stayed close, arms locked around her waist.

"Masusunog na 'tong niluluto ko if you keep distracting me," Quill laughed, but she made no move to break free from Sky's embrace.

Sky watched as Quill slid the eggs onto their plates, the yolks perfectly runny. Her arms remained locked around Quill's waist, unwilling to let go even as Quill tried to maneuver around the kitchen.

"Para kang koala," Quill laughed, reaching for the salt shaker.

"Mhmm." Sky pressed her nose into Quill's shoulder blade. The borrowed shirt still carried traces of her strawberry shampoo, mixed with something uniquely Quill. "A hungry koala."

"Well, this hungry koala needs to let go so we can eat."

Sky reluctantly released her grip, immediately missing Quill's warmth. She settled into her usual spot at the small kitchen table, watching as Quill brought over their plates. Everything felt both familiar and entirely new - like seeing her favorite movie with fresh eyes.

Quill's hair fell forward as she bent to set down their plates, and Sky's fingers itched to brush it back. She'd always loved playing with Quill's hair, but now the urge felt different. More intimate.

"What?" Quill caught her staring again.

Heat crept up Sky's neck. "Nothing. Just... ang ganda mo."

The tips of Quill's ears turned pink as she sat down across from Sky. "Nambola pa talaga. Kain ka na bago pa lumamig ang pagkain mo."

Sky picked up her fork, but couldn't stop stealing glances at Quill between bites. The way her nose scrunched when she sipped her coffee, how her fingers curled around the mug - little details Sky had seen a thousand times before suddenly felt precious, worth memorizing. She is so down bad. Damn.