This always happened. Every night. Or at least it felt like it. The younger twin's thoughts kept him up on most nights, even when his older, conjoined brother had fallen asleep. Terri stared up at the ceiling, his upper arm resting on their chest, his lower arm idle under the blankets. The two usually slept on their back. It was the most comfortable position for both of them. Lying on their right side left Terry's head hanging without support; lying on their left side had Terri crushing his brother's neck. Once they tried lying on their stomach, but Terry's horns rendered it nearly impossible to comfortably lie his head to the side. So the two always slept on their back.

Terri tilted his head upward to look at his brother. The sight of Terry sleeping peacefully made him smile a bit. Terry snored, not that Terri minded. His older brother's bucked teeth were worse than his own, always protruding. He knew why though. Some nights he could catch Terry sucking on his thumb. It really was quite a sight. But he'd never embarrass him by telling anyone. …Okay, maybe if he was mad, but never besides that. Terri loved his brother too much to purposely embarrass him.

But see, that was just the thing. Terri loved his siamese twin brother. Not brotherly love, but in love. There's not even a name for that, is there? The smile on Terri's face faded. I bet he'd get separation surgery, he thought. Embarrassment warmed his cheeks and he dropped his gaze to their chest. Their green nightshirt hugged their body loosely, with one large opening for their heads. Terri tapped his thumb on their chest a few times before starting to lazily trace abstract shapes on their chest. It relaxed him, and could be done anywhere. On a table, an armrest, the chest of a loved one…

Terry sighed in his sleep, but Terri paid no mind. At least, not until a sleepy voice above him groggily asked, "What're you doing?"

Terri froze, not looking up. "Practicing dance steps."

"Could you do it someplace other than us? It tickles."

"Sorry." Terri's hand relaxed on their chest, all fingers outstretched now rather than one.

"S'okay," Terry sighed. It seemed as though he'd gone back to sleep, but then he asked, "Why're you practicing dance steps in the middle of the night?" When Terri didn't respond, Terry opened his eye partially. Abruptly, he felt his eye start to water. If one twin cried, the other cried too. It was how their body worked.

Terry opened his eye more and propped their body up with his arms. "What's wrong? Don't try to lie to me."

Terri was pulled upward. He wiped his eye, dropping a tear on their chest, which Terry could very much feel. "You'll hate me."

"Tell me."

Terri looked up at him, eye glistening with yet-to-shed tears. His mouth was open, it was obvious he was trying to speak, but couldn't force the words out of his mouth. Suddenly he clutched Terry's side of their body with both arms, pressing his face into his brother's neck. Sobs began to rack their body as Terri cried, hundreds of nights' worth of sadness pouring out of him.

Terry wiped tears from his own eyes, lip quivering. When one cried, the other followed. But he didn't even know what his brother was crying about! "Terri, shh! You'll wake the whole house!" he whispered. The last thing he wanted was a group crying session with Art. He wrapped his upper arm around Terri in an attempt of comfort. "Tell me what's wrong, Terri. Terri!"

Terri took a few shaky breaths and swallowed before tearfully whispering, "I'm in love with you, Terry." Once he'd spoken those dreaded words, he let go of Terry and grabbed his pillow, crying into it in an attempt to stay quiet. He couldn't control his sobbing at this point.

Terry stared at him, tears running down his face as well but he made no attempt to wipe them away.

"Please don't hate me," Terri whimpered into the pillow.

After what seemed like forever, Terry wiped his own tears away and spoke. "I don't hate you."

Terri hiccuped and looked up at Terry, swallowing his sobbing. "Y-you don't?" Terry shook his head. "T-then what are you?"

Terry glanced down for a moment, almost appearing nervous, then back at Terry. "In love with you."

Terri's eye widened more than it ever had. "W-what?"

"I'm in love with you, too." Terry looked away with a slight pout, red tinting his cheeks. "How many times do I need to say it?"
Terri's heart swelled so much that he started crying again, this time out of happiness. Before Terry could say anything, Terri clung to his brother. The movement was so fast that it sent the both of them falling off their bed and onto the floor.

Terry groaned in pain, as it was his side of their body that had been crushed. He looked at his younger brother in annoyance. "Did you really have to do th-"

Terri quickly pressed his lips to his brother's, effectively shutting him up. It wasn't deeply passionate, but light and soft, with the sweet innocence of a first kiss. It a first kiss for both of them, actually. Neither had kissed another monster.

Terry was surprised at first, but quickly returned his brother's gesture. After a few moments they parted.

For the first time with this meaning, Terri whispered, "I love you."

His twin smiled. "I love you, too."

Terri nestled into his brother. They slept on the floor for the rest of the night, and neither cared how achey they were in the morning.