Should have.

AU.

One Shot.

Precious metal shipping. (Gold x Silver.)

I knew it was wrong.

But above all, I knew.

I knew the self-destruction Silver was placing himself under, and I knew every single time he lied to my face, to my back, to my heart, and I felt it was wrong otherwise. So, instead of catching him on his fibs, I simply took it as he would state it, and let it all slide.

My patience, however, was drawing rather thin.

He was always so secretive whenever it came to the topic of his jacket, and whenever anyone would even mention the word 'wrist', he would fidget nervously, as though blocking something out. 'Block what out?' I asked myself at first, but after putting two and two together, I came to the forth conclusion as he stated things about his 'grandmother's house, even though when he left it was anything but pleasant.

He was 'kidnapped', as my sister so plainly put it, but no one said where to. The only information that was told was that he was gone, somehow, somewhere, and he wouldn't be back for a while.

But through my naivety, and my falsehoods of stupidity, I had tried to get him, more often then not, to try and take his jacket off. There was something under there, and I had to uncover it. And, like some sort of equal reaction to a type algebraic equation, he refused just as much, saying as he was sweating profusely under the merciless sun 'I'm fine'.

Lies. I thought loudly and proudly.

All of them are lies.

But, I never once spoke up in an obvious fashion.

"Silver, aren't you warm?"

"Why do you ask that?"

"It's like, ninety degrees out, and you have that ridiculously thick jacket on."

"I need it."

"Oh, so you don't get a tan or something? God, what are you, a vampire?"

"Yeah, sure, something like that."

He has no idea how much he worried me. I acted so 'rough and tough' just because I didn't want him to know the fact of how much he concerned me. In all honesty, the majority of the time he was away at what he called his 'grandma's' house, I would fall asleep on the verge of tears, just trying my hardest to figure out what was going on in his mind. Just to think, what was going on in his heart.

Though, at the same time, I was trying to find myself.

Of course it concerned me, because he was my best friend, but something in my gut took it beyond friendship, beyond the limits of holding hands platonically with a childish air around us. Something, though I'm still not sure if it was a particularly loud thunderstorm or the feelings of love that made me realize that, without Silver, I would fall apart.

When he left, I did fall apart, if only slightly.

I wanted him back, not like he was some normal friend that went away for a week on vacation, but as though my sister herself were to suddenly leave me. I felt so terribly alone.

But somehow, I knew what this was about.

"Crys, can I ask you something?"

"Hm?"

She was reading a book, probably more enthralled in the small, flimsy paperback then she was with me. Though, it didn't really matter, all I did nowadays was ramble about nothingness and pray for a response that proved my point correct.

"I've been feeling this odd sensation in my gut, like a weight is on it but I can't figure out what it is. Do you know what it is?"

"Probably love, why, do you have a crush on someone?" At this, she had gotten up, propping herself on her elbows and staring almost through my skull.

"Ah, n-no, it's just I—"

"You DO like someone!"

I could hear the spark in her voice, and I tried to sink lower into her bean bag, almost attempting to become one with the god forsaken object that refused to merge with me. The gazes she sent me were completely curious, no underlying meanings and no attempts of blackmail. Just pure, mundane, curiosity, mixed with an always-present sense of tired and bored.

"So, who's the lucky girl?"

Oh, if only she knew she just called Silver a girl.

And then, it hit me, like brick to the face and clippers to a sheep:

I liked Silver.

I mean, sure, I had been told time and time again that it was no big deal if I started to feel strange, obscene vibes about some of my female, and male, friends, but the thought of Silver being the one to send me these odd feelings? It simply sent my brain into a slight state of shock.

Though, there was something inside me now that sent myself a message of hope. I'm not sure why I was hopeful, but I was, because somewhere inside of me, my gut had said he liked me as well.

While this was not confirmed or denied for what seemed to be years, but was actually in fact only a few weeks, something still struck me as odd.

"What would you do if I kissed you?"

"What the hell?"

It really did come out of nowhere, but to be completely honest, I was a bit upset with myself for being so completely crude.

"I'm asking everyone I know. It's just a survey"

That's was all, really! That was the whole just of it all! But, if it really was, then why was his face matching his hair, more tomato colored with each and every second. It simply struck me as rather odd, to say the very least.

"Oh okay. I would probably…"

A small pause, almost miniscule. I felt my brain rushing, my ears throbbing. I could have easily have told him how I felt at that exact moment, but something in me cowered, something inside of me shrieked 'no' as loudly as it could without being heard.

"Just stand there like an idiot and maybe hit you after it."

Now, guilt rushed over me.

He looked… relieved? No, he looked…disappointed. He looked as though he would burst into tears at any moment and simply walked away, trying to cover his face with his cherry-red hair, if only in the slightest bit.

I knew I said the wrong thing.

And I knew I was so guilty of it all.

So, after he came back, happier then ever, and with a smile that I knew so easily was just a lie to try convincing me, I felt prioritized. First thing, I would ask him where he was, and afterwards, I would apologize, maybe for something I did wrong while he was wrong, or maybe something before he left.

I'm not sure what it was for, but somehow he knew what had to be done. Or at least, I feel that he did. I'm not actually positive on this little factor, however. For all I know, he could have been using his typical 'smile and nod' technique his mother had taught him.

"Silver, I'm sorry."

"For what?"

He sounded uneasy, and I felt like I was going to be sick.

"For, well, I'm not sure. It just felt like the right thing to say."

There was an akward moment of silence, and in the miniscule time period in which no words escaped either of our lips, all I could hear was a car alarm blaring in the distance, almost like a red flag but not quiet. I could see his face turn a light shade of pink, and I figured that was another bad sign as well, but I simply ignored it as just that, and nothing more and nothing less.

"Oh. I see."

Maybe he was just lying. I'm not truly sure if he actually understood what I was trying to hint at, but if he did, it wouldn't have been so shocking as to what I did next.

A simple movement.

So very simplistic and without any meanings either hidden or exposed.

Yet, it spoke in volumes that hair pins and barrettes could not simply fathom. I approached him, gently yet with a firm enough force that he didn't dare to back down. For, you see, he never would have backed down from a challenge back then, not once in his whole decade plus however many years would he ever even dare to shy away from a challenge, especially with me.

I grabbed his arms, a simple gesture, yes? He didn't seem that phased by it, a bit curious and concerned, yes, but not enough that it would visibly show on his face.

Though, the next movement was far from a simpletons reign of dictation, for within the next millisecond, my lips were locked onto his, planted firmly and with a sense of clumsiness. He tasted like sweat mixed with a stale sort of apple pastry, although it wasn't even like it was displeasing. It was because of this sudden taste, unlike anything described in any book, game, diary (ahem crystal) or even parental lecture, that I had gotten such a liking when, rare as it was, Silver kissed me.

The first kiss was like every other.

Though, the only thing that was different was that I hadn't expected him to push back, to accept it plainly, and put forth effort, with whatever sloppy skills he had.

It was comforting, somehow.

To know that he would almost always push back, despite the complete spontaneity that I had planted down the first one, without any words or even gestures that could set up a little notice saying 'prepate yourself'.

Though, after that first kiss, we had made it official.

"Gold. I like you."

"As do I."

There was a momentary silence, but it was quickly shattered like a mirror to the floor.

"What? Like yourself?"

I scoffed a bit, sucking all of the juice I could out of a typical Capri sun, the strawberry mix taking wonderfully to my throat, healing it momentarily from the merciless sun above our heads.

"No, I like you."

The wind blew through our hair as we sat in his backyard, the green grass mixing with over-cooked strands of dried shrubs, but the duo paid it no mind. The porch in the tomato-haired male's backyard was shielded by a large over-head canopy, though it didn't do much for our bare feet, sizzling hotly in the sunlight.

"Oh really?"

A cloud covered up the sun, if only for a moment, and all they could do was thank the water-infested fluffiness for the covering.

"Yeah. By the way, why are you still wearing a jacket?"

I hadn't really expected him to answer, all I had expected was maybe a nervous chuckle, and maybe even a little clip of a 'nothing'. Though, without my even realizing what was going, he had taken it off, showing my his wrist. At that point in time I didn't know if I was either loved, or if I was disturbed. Because, with several strokes, marks, and scars, he had spelled out a word that both confused me and allowed me to realize how much I meant to him.

"This is why."

It took me a few moments to realize what it said, but after I had read it, I felt oddly reassured, and from then on I knew he would always remember me, through good times and bad.

"Gold."

(x)

DONE.

I promised you guys a second chapter, and this is what you get!

I hope you guys like it, I personally do. Originally, though, I wasn't planning on making it so lovey-dovey in terms of Gold, but I see him being a shy kid who portrays himself as a toughie in order to keep people from making fun of the fact that he's a silly, cute, and bashful boy going through the troubles of puberty.

If I get enough reviews I may do a third chapter, but that's a huge 'maybe'. (If I get at least 15 I'll start working on it.)