7

Miles didn't move. He stood frozen for a second and when he went to move I was sure he was about to push me away, disgusted. Then I felt his hands curl into the fabric of my shirt and he deepened the kiss, crushing his lips to mine. He took a step forward, pushing my back up against the wall as he pressed himself closer.

His left hand slid to my hip as his right held the back of my neck. My brain was screaming at me that he still thought I was a man but, for some reason – I blame the alcohol – I didn't care; I'd been waiting for this since I first saw him.

All too soon the kiss ended, as suddenly as it had started. Miles jumped back from me as if he'd been burned. His eyes were wide with shock, and shining with badly concealed mirth as he pressed a fist to his lips. Behind his smile I could tell that the kiss had worried him; it had felt so right.

But I couldn't believe I'd been so stupid! My actions must have mimicked his as I brought my hands over my mouth, internally cursing myself for being such an idiot. "I didn't mean to-" I began, but he interrupted me.

"I'm so sorry." He had that stupidly adorable half smile plastered on his face, though now it was much more the look of a child who'd just been caught with his hand in the cookie jar and was attempting to bluff his way out of it. "I just… I seemed to think… I mean…."

I'd never seen Miles speechless before. His face was a deep red as he struggled to find the right words. "With as little offence meant as possible," he reverted back to his usual charming smile, if slightly ebbed by drink, "…but for a moment, I didn't seem to know you weren't…" he paused, taking a breath as his brain tripped over the words. "Female." He clasped his hands in front of him, digging his fingernails into the back of his knuckles. "I assure you it won't happen again." He smiled, almost sadly.

John was standing behind him, biting his knuckle in a desperate attempt to keep his laughter quiet. My eyes flicked to Tom whose lips were pursed together, his face red with the effort of trying not to laugh.

My head was still spinning from the sensation of having his lips on mine. I'd been trying not to admit it to myself, but after that kiss there was no denying it, I loved Miles. My eyes settled back on his face, his perfect face. "I love you."

It took me a full second to realise I'd just said that out loud and my hands instantly clamped over my mouth. Miles seemed to choke on his breath as his eyes snapped back to mine, a mixture of fear, surprise and something like hope etched into his handsome features.

It was then that John's eyes flicked to Tom's and the second they made eye contact it became too much for them. Tom let out a bellowing laugh, doubling over so that he was actually leaning on his knees, and John was no better – he was using Luke for support as his whole body shook with laughter.

"Y-you love me?" Miles stammered, and I couldn't help but think back to what Tom had said. Maybe he really did like me, but he didn't understand why – because, as far as he knew, I was Joseph Coleman.

I opened my mouth to say something, but Tom's shout of laughter cut me off.

"For heaven's sake Miles, I thought you were intelligent!" He flung his arm over Miles' shoulders as he laughed harder. "You two are driving me insane!" Tom barely could pronounce the words through his laughter. "I've honestly never seen you so head-over-heels in love before," he grinned, pinching Miles' cheek.

I didn't miss the elbow Miles jabbed into Tom's stomach, though I couldn't quite hear his hissed response. Whatever it was Tom roared with laughter, in a way only a Scotsman can achieve, leaning so heavily on Miles that I thought they were both about to collapse.

I pushed myself off the wall, wincing slightly as my stomach muscles clenched in painful protest. Instinctively, his hands reached out help me but he quickly checked himself, clenching his hands into fists before dropping them at his sides.

"I-" I started to try to explain, but my head was barely keeping itself together; I'd actually kissed Miles, and I'd told him I loved him. I couldn't help it as a laugh burst from me - the more I thought about it, the funnier it got. I pressed my palms to my face, my fingers massaging my eyes as I let out a shaky breath.

"The Cap's right," John calmed himself long enough to speak. I looked up to see him fighting to keep his composure as he nodded to Tom – who'd taken to leaning on a chair, rather than Miles, while he tried to remember how lungs were supposed to work. "You two are infuriating!" He grabbed Miles' arm, pulling him forwards, and then pulled me towards them both.

I could see the gears in Miles' head whirring as he tried to make sense of what was happening. His eyes were searching my face for some explanation, but I didn't know what to say. His kiss had made me far dizzier than the alcohol had and I couldn't keep the smile off my face.

"I never thought I'd be telling my little sister-"

Miles choked again. "Sister?!"

John ignored him, "-to hurry up and kiss the dark, handsome stranger… but would you please just kiss him already?"

"You're his sister?!"

It was my turn for the caught-stealing-cookies grin. "It never came up?" I bit my lip hopefully.

He let out a long relieved sigh, "Bloody hell, I thought I was-" he didn't finish the sentence. He didn't need to. "You knew?" He turned to Tom who just nodded, still laughing.

"Your face-" Tom began, but peeled off into a fresh bout of laughter.

"I think I preferred the sullenly silent version of you," Miles complained. He turned back to me, his eyes tracking my face, seemingly searching for something to clarify this all for him. "You're really not a man?" he asked jokingly, but with a glimmer of real suspicion in his tone.

I shook my head, a small laugh escaping my lips.

He blinked a few times, clearly judging the amount of alcohol he'd had and the possibility of this all being a liquor-induced dream. "So this isn't one of those charming school-boy pranks that backfire and everyone's left not talking to anyone else for the rest of the term?"

I raised my eyebrows slightly, silently questioning what sort of school it was that he'd gone to, but again shook my head. I just shrugged my jacket off my shoulders and, with some difficulty, unwound the strip of linen from around my chest, pulling it out from under my shirt with a slightly rueful smile. "I wanted to tell you, I honestly did."

Miles' hand flicked back to his mouth as his brain worked through what was happening. He squeezed his eyes shut, opening them quickly as if he was half expecting everything to be different.

I suddenly found myself speaking so quickly I'm not sure the words that came out were actually the ones I'd been intending to say. "At first I was too scared that you'd go to the Colonel and I'd be sent home or that you'd get into trouble if anyone found out and I was already feeling guilty that Tom had to keep my secret and then once I'd got to know you and I knew you wouldn't tell and that you wouldn't care I didn't know how to tell you and the more I got to know you the more I realised that I was falling in love with you and I didn't think you liked me because, well, because I was a man and then I thou-"

"You bloody bastard," Miles whispered, taking a step forward, pushing John out of the way as he did so. He gently wrapped his hand around the back of my neck and lifted my mouth to his, kissing me firmly. Someone, I think Luke, whistled as he did.

"I'm sorry," I tried to say, but he pulled my mouth back, deepening the kiss. "I-" he didn't even let me get to the second word that time.

"I think, just maybe, he's kissing you to shut you up," Luke pointed out with a smirk.

I pulled back, giving Miles a suspicious glare. "Are you?"

Miles pulled his face into a thoughtful expression. "Little bit," he nodded with a laugh. "So if you would do me the honour of complying, for at least a minute, I would be extremely grateful."

I couldn't help smiling at how ridiculously polite and English he sounded, even slightly drunk. He took my silence for consent and curled his fingers through my hair pulling my face back towards his. His lips caught mine with a deliberation that hadn't been there before and I found myself melting into his touch. I didn't try to say a word this time; I had much more pressing matters to focus on and besides, my mother had always told me it was rude to speak with your mouth full.

...

Well... there you go, I... err... well... yes.

Less said the better I think.

I hope you enjoyed it, I'd love to know what you think! :)
~sockitysocks