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WALKING INTO THE HOTEL ROOM, a sigh leaves Athenas lips as she runs her hands through her hair. It had been a rough couple of days to say the least and she knew it wasn't half over. She just had to prepare for the next storm that hit them. Of course, the next storm happened one second later when she walked through the hall and saw Harry sitting on the couch. She stopped in her step but she knew he already heard the door close.
Clearing her throat, Athena walks into the room, placing her coat on the chair. "Hey." She says as she looks over at him. Harry meets her eyes but she didn't know whether or not he wanted to talk either.
"Hi." He responds before a wave of silence moved between them again. Athena walks toward the couch, sitting on the other end.
"Where is everyone?" Athena asks, not hearing anyone else in the hotel but she was mainly focused on Harry who was right next to her.
"Trixie wanted a milkshake so they took her to the grill." Harry tells her and she nods her head. Of course.
"Oh."
Harry could feel that it was awkward and he felt horrible that he had caused that. "I never meant to make you uncomfortable." He apologizes and Athena was a bit confused. She would never feel that around Harry, even if he did kiss her. She just didn't know how to address it.
"You didn't."
"So, you've been avoiding me for fun?" Harry asks, somewhat teasing her but he knew why she was avoiding him. Athena sighs, looking down at her hands.
"Harry, I love you, you know that." She tells him, lifting her eyes back to his and she never wanted to cause him any pain, but she knew she had to say it. "You're my friend. And I don't want to lose that." Athena denies. Harry nods his head. He knew from the moment he had kissed her, she would never feel the same way.
"I know. It was stupid and.. the heat of the moment." Harry responds. Athena tilts her head, her eyes softening.
"You don't have to lie." He could tell her how he felt. He could rant to her for all she cared. Athena just didn't want to lose him, she wanted him to still feel like he could talk to her.
"Thena, I love you too." Harry tells her and just by looking in his eyes, she knew officially.
"But not in a friend way."
"We've known each other for decades and there's... you can't expect me to push away all those moments." Harry says as he shakes his head. Maybe if it was only a few years, he could get over it and they could go back to normal. But it had been decades and his heart can't heal that fast.
