Aubrey sat in the twin's kitchen, lazing in a chair at the table. Kristopher sat up on the counter. The clock on the wall clicked with each second. Tick-tick-tick. Awkward silence. Tick-tick-tick. Awkward silence. Aubrey knew which one he preferred to listen to. T

Kris looked up after a few more minutes, first staring into space then looking into Aubrey's black empty gaze. "So...does Nik...he, um...does he...?"

"You're his brother. Not me." That was mature.

"But...He's Nik."

"He's still entitled to liking someone."

"Yeah, but come on. He never picks anyone. Girls fall all over themselves for him, and he doesn't seem the least bit interested, or if he is, it's not long enough to form a relationship."

"Well, maybe this time will be different."

"She seems cool, Aubrey; I don't want to see what she's like when Nik is done with her. You know what I mean? She's too sweet for him."

Aubrey snorted at that, but didn't answer right away. He pushed his bangs out of his eyes and worried a nail. When he did speak, his voice was soft. "Skye can take care of herself. Truthfully, I'd be more worried about Nik since nothing's really going on between them-"

"Yet," Kris cut in.

"-And Skye doesn't seem that interested."

"Oh, she doesn't?"

Aubrey's brow wrinkled, his eyes puzzled. "No," But he didn't sound too sure.

Kristopher hopped off the counter and started walking out of the room. Aubrey followed, stopping next to his friend in the doorway of the living room. The scene before them looked like something out of a care bear advertisement.

Skye was curled up against Nik, her head resting on his chest and one of her arms curling over his shoulder, around his neck. Nikolas had an arm around her waist, holding her as they slept. Their legs were tangled together, their faces in angelic repose.

"They look so innocent," Kris said softly.

Then Skye stirred, frowning in her sleep. Aubrey moved to go to her, but Kris put an arm out, stopping him. When she started to squirm, Aubrey watched with concern. Skye always had nightmares.

Nik's eyes flicked open. Aubrey and Kris watched him look on impassively, but then he pulled her closer, murmured to her sleeping form and stroked her cheek. She cried out, and Nik said her name softly. "Skye," he held her face, shook her gently, "Skye."

Skye's eyes opened, wide and panicked. She gasped when she saw Nik, then realized who it was. She whimpered and he just held her, looking into her eyes. She bit her lip, "I'm sorry."

Shaking his head, Nik just pulled her closer, hugging her. "Don't be."

Her hands fisted into the front of his shirt. Nik kissed her forehead. That made her eyes widen and she whipped her head up, looking at him. He smiled gently and leaned down, brushing her lips with his. She froze; not saying anything, not moving. He pulled her against him and she pressed back against him stiffly.

"Stop it," Nikolas whispered, his hand rubbing her back. She relaxed, little by little, then they both closed their eyes.

Aubrey turned to Kris, eyebrows raised. They were both shocked, stunned, amazed. Quietly they headed back to the kitchen, and Aubrey whispered furiously.

"Did you see that! Did you see that!"

"That was...different." Kris said blandly, sitting down in one of the kitchen chairs. His fingers traced over the round wooden table, idly twirling a spiral pattern on the oak. Aubrey watched quietly, mouth set thoughtfully.

"That was interesting, in a frightening way." Aubrey continued.

Kris smiled, staring down at the table. He sighed and leaned back in his chair, looking at Aubrey. "I think we should try a bit of match making,"

"I think we're too late."

"I think you should stop talking about Skye and I," Nik drawled, walking into the room. He leaned a hip on the counter, folding his arms over his chest and leveling his gaze on Aubrey and Kris.

Both guys jumped, unaware of Nik's presence until that moment. He just watched them.

"You shouldn't spy on people, you know."

"We weren't."

Nik quirked an eyebrow, then smiled. "Don't worry your pretty little heads about match making or Skye."

Aubrey watched his friend critically. "Why not?"

Nikolas caught Aubrey's gaze, and for once his eyes didn't look like a flat picture. You didn't look at him and just see eyes, didn't see just how far gone on everyone he was. His eyes looked like an ice storm. Shaken, wild and excited. He smiled and looked wistful.

"Because I'm going to be worrying about her."

"What do you mean?"

Nik was never one for subtlety or beating around the bush. He looked at his brother and his friend, saying, "I like her, I want her, and she's mine."

"You're talking about her like she's an object, Nik." Kris watched his twin, waiting for a reaction.

He wasn't disappointed. Nik shook his head, hopped up onto the counter and rubbed the back of his neck. "I can't help what it sounds like. I don't know how to put it into better words. I told you I want her, and I do. And she's mine in the way that if someone even looks at her wrong I'm going to bite his fucking head off."

Most people would be emotional when they said they were going to kill someone. Angry, maybe. Nik said it like he was talking about today's weather. Aubrey and Kris didn't say anything, just watched silently as Nik hopped off the counter and walked back to the living room.

A few more moments of silence passed, then Aubrey spoke up. "Well, then. I'm going to bed."

"Me, too." Kris stood and so did Aubrey. At the foot of the stairs Aubrey cast a look over his shoulder. "D'ya think they'll be okay together?"

Kris was quiet for a beat, then he smiled and nodded. "I think they'll be great together."