Boom! Crash!

The sound of thunder echoed throughout the tower. It was the middle of the night, and everyone peacefully sleeping. Well, nearly everyone. Lexi was tossing and turning, trying to block out the noise from the thunderstorm outside.

It's okay, it's okay, just some thunder. Just some loud noises, right? Loud, scary noises… Lexi thought as she was grabbing on to her ears.

Earlier, Duck returned from downtown with a book, which apparently contained "super scary stories that will haunt you!", as Duck put it. Since no one else had anything better to do, he enlightened them with a few stories, to which everyone enjoyed. Except Lexi, who was terrified by them.

And just my luck that a thunderstorm was tonight. She thought dismally. Why must my power be super-hearing?

Boom!

She jumped at the sound, holding on to her ears even tighter.

When will this storm end? I won't be able to sleep at all at this rate. Those stupid stories making me so damn scared… what was that?!

She listened, only to realize it was just some whirring of Tech's machines in the lab.

And paranoid. The others are lucky not to have been scared by Duck's stories. Especially Ace…

She remembered how Ace sat next to her, almost expressionless throughout the reading while she tightly held onto a pillow next to him.

I hope he doesn't think I'm too much of a wuss, reacting to some scary stories like that. I am a superhero after all… maybe I just need something to comfort me. Yeah, that would help. My music player? No, I lost that. I needed a new one anyways, I guess. Stuffed animal? Wait, what am I saying? I haven't had any stuffed animal for years.

Ace suddenly flashed through her mind.

Maybe I could spend the night with Ace? He didn't seem scared. But what if he does think I'm a wuss?

In reality, she wasn't really worried about that. Deep down, she liked him. She was worried that if he said no, it would impact her chances with him.

Nah, he wouldn't go for tha-

Crash!

Well, he might go for that.

Nervously,she stood up and grabbed her blanket, and wrapped it around her shoulders. She started off towards his room, intently listening to the sounds of the tower. The pitter-patter of rain on windows, the others snoring in their rooms, and her footsteps echoing down the hall.

Is the hallway always this echoey? She thought as he approached his door. Well, here we are. Just knock on the door, explain you're too scared to sleep, and hopefully, lets you spend the night.

She hesitated on knocking the door, but decided there wasn't really another option.

*Knock, knock, knock.*

She heard stirring, then Ace groaning as he got out of bed and walk towards the door.

Maybe this was a mistake, I must've just ruined his slee-

But before she could do anything, the door opened, revealing a very groggy Ace.

"Oh, hey, Lex. *Yawn* What's up?"

"Well, um, I can't sleep very well tonight…"

"Why not?"

"Remember earlier when Duck was telling his stories?"

"Oh, yeah, I loved the one with the haunted mansion. Cliche, but pretty good."
"Yeah, well, the thing is, they kinda scared me..." She said, trailing off.

"What'd you say? Not all of us have super-hearin' you know." He said, smirking a little.

"I said, I'm scared, so I can't sleep. And I was wondering, if I could maybe, spend the night with you?" She said, looking away.

"Wait, really?"
"Okay, I can see that you don't want me to, I guess I'll just be headi-"
She was cut off by a crash of thunder, making her jump while she tucked the blanket over her head.

"Okay, c'mon." He said.

"Wait, really?" She said, peeking out from below her blanket.

"Yeah, I can see that you're scared, and I really don't mind."

"You don't think I'm a wuss?"

"What? No! Everyone gets scared every once in awhile, Lex. Besides, I bet a thunderstorm does not help after that one story with the guy gettin' murdered in one." He said as he stepped into his room.

"Please don't remind me." She said, taking the blanket off her head and following him inside.

She took notice of his room, and how it wasn't as decorated or furnished as hers, with only a few chairs, a bookshelf, a dresser, and a bed.

"Huh, I always thought your room, would be less, I don't know, empty?"

"Well, I'm never really in here, so I never bothered to decorate it."

"Makes sense, I guess."

"Anyway, you can have this side of the bed." He said motioning to it as he started to lay down.

"Oh, okay." She said as she laid down herself.

"*Yawn* I'm goin' back to sleep. Night. Lex." He said as he turned over, facing away from her.

"Goodnight, Ace." She said as she did the same thing.

She closed her eyes, feeling a lot better.

Ace was sleeping when he felt writhing behind him. Curious, he looked over, and saw Lexi stirring in her sleep. She was murmuring, tossing and turning, holding onto her blanket tight.

Must be having a bad dream. He thought.

He looked at her a little longer, before noticing her writhing was moving her over to the edge of the bed.

She's gonna fall in a sec if she keeps squirming like that.

Just as he predicted, she was about to fall off the bed, before he caught her by the arm, jolting her awake.

"Huh, wha? What's happening?" She said as Ace pulled her back up.

"Looked like you had a nightmare. You were squirming and mumbling, until you almost fell off the bed."

"Oh, thanks, I guess." she said, snuggling back into her blanket.

"You gonna be okay? I can't be up all night catching you from there."

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure. You already let me sleep with you, I don't want to be any more trouble with you."

"What? You're not causing me any trouble at all, Lex."
"Are you sure? I can go back to my room if you want…" She said, turning over away from him.

"No!" He said, noticeably louder, which surprised her.

"I mean, no. It looks like you being here with me is making you feel better, right? I wouldn't want you to lose sleep over Duck's stories."

"Well, okay then. I guess I'll stay." She said, smiling.

"Good. Plus, I think I have an idea on how to keep you from falling."

Before she could ask him what it was, Ace wrapped his arm around her, and felt her freeze up.

"Oh, you don't like it? I'll just turn back ov-"

"No! I mean, it's alright, it'll probably help." She said, blushing.

"Well, alright then." He said as he started to put his arm back over her.

"Wait," She said as she turned over, facing him. "There. It's just a bit more comfortable for me."

"It's also more comfortable for me, too" He replied while he put his arm back.

"Ace?"

"Yeah, Lex?"

"Thanks for letting me sleep with you." She said as she kissed his cheek.

She noticed how Ace's face immediately went scarlet, eyes wide.

Uh oh, I hope that I didn't read him wrong. She said, Ace still frozen.

Suddenly, Ace snapped back.

"Oh, um, y-yeah, n-no problem." He said.

Suddenly, Lexi gasped slightly and pressed up against Ace, eyes wide, looking around.

"Uhh, Lex? What's wrong?" He said, surprised by the sudden closure of the space between them.

"I think I heard someone." She said, with fear audible in her voice.

She then listened closely, hearing footsteps from the hall to the kitchen, then cupboards opening. Faintly, she hear a voice.

"Oh come on, why'd Slam eat all the damn cookies?"

She recognized the voice as Duck's, breathing a sigh of relief.

"Nevermind, It was just Duck looking for a snack." She said, relaxing.

She then realized how Ace's face was closer than it was before. She looked down, seeing their bodies pressed up to each other. She quickly moved away from him, blushing.

"Oh, s-sorry. I-I just heard something, a-and I panicked, and I didn't mean," She said, speaking fast, stumbling over her words.

"Woah, woah, It's okay, Lex. It was obvious you were scared, and I don't mind."

I kinda liked it, actually. He thought.

"Huh?" She said, suddenly looking at him.

...Goddammit.

"What?" He said, acting like he didn't just accidentally just say the thought out loud.

"You just said you liked it when I was scared, pressed up to you…" She said, blushing more.

"I did? W-well I just might be tired. Hehe…" He said, attempting to smile.

She just looked at him skeptically.

"You didn't seem tired a minute ago, though."

"Well, um, uh…so what? Did you enjoy it?"

This caught her off guard.

"Ummmm… yes?"

"Wait, really?"

"…Yes..."

Lexi hid under her blanket, cringing, realizing what she had just said.

Pleasedon'tbemadpleasedon'tbemad…. She thought

Ace, on the other hand, didn't know what to say. There was a moment of silence, agonizingly long for the two of them, until Ace decided to break the tension.

"...I liked it too, to be honest."

He almost regretted saying those words when he saw Lexi come out from under the blanket and look at him.

"You did?"

"Yes… yes, I did." He said, scratching the back of his head while looking away.

Another moment of silence.

"...Ace…"

When he turned his head back, Lexi put her hand on his cheek and embraced him for a kiss. His eyes went wide, face flushed red, ears stood on end. After processing what in the actual hell was happening, he happily accepted it. He would have loved staying like that, finally kissing with the bunny he loved since they met. But unfortunately, Lexi pulled away, while also looking away, cheeks scarlet red.

"Wow, Lex, I didn't know you felt that felt that way."

"Wait, do you mean you didn't like that?" She said, looking worried.

"No, no, that's not what I'm saying at all. Truth is, I feel the same way. I love you, Lex."

"Well, I love you too, Ace."

They then leaned in for another kiss.

"*Yawn* Well, I'm tired." Ace said as they broke away.

"Guess I am, too." Lexi said as she laid down.

She snuggled up against Ace, as they were when she heard Duck in the kitchen, only a lot less scared.

"Night, Lex." He said as he kissed her forehead.

"Goodnight, Ace." She said as she closed her eyes, with all thoughts of Duck's horror stories being the last thing on her mind. The first, of course, being with Ace.

So there was a little oneshot I made for the hell of it. Also be expecting a sequel to "The Bet" coming soon. For those of you who do not care, you may as well stop reading. But for those of you who haven't read it, here's a link:

s/12458404/1/The-Bet

That'll probably get you up to speed with the sequel. Plus, I plan on making it M-rated, hehehe...