ethan & emma: talking with you.

Burritos at 1 a.m.

The moment hung in the air. But then Ethan cleared his throat, glancing down at his phone.

Emma wanted to chase the moment down, reclaim it, do something about it.

That intensity bubbling inside her, that sudden longing, didn't disappear. She was aware of the outline of her body, the sensation of the couch against her thighs, the fragility of the force holding her heart together. It felt so delicate, even now. She'd had crushes on people before, but this felt different. New.

Just then, her stomach grumbled. She nibbled at the Chipotle earlier, but for the most part she hadn't eaten anything since noon.

"You hungry?" Ethan asked, eyebrows raised.

"I guess I still am," she said, hand on her stomach.

"Should we Postmates something else?"

"I'm kind of craving a burrito. But Aliberto's doesn't deliver."

Ethan smiled, only slightly. His eyes were warm in the soft light, and as they rested on hers, she felt her heart beat a little faster. "Let's go, then."

"Physically go? Like drive there?"

"Yeah, why not?" Ethan said, nodding to himself and rising from the couch, tossing his Nintendo Switch back onto the cushion. "It'll be an adventure."

Emma agreed despite herself. "Okay, okay, you convinced me. Where did I put my jacket?"

"Hmm... in the kitchen, I think." He jogged into the kitchen and disappeared for a second, and Emma tried to temper her smile. Relax. He's just being nice.

He came back in, brandishing the jacket and presenting it like a prize. "For you."

"Thank you very much," Emma said, inclining her head and accepting the jacket. They headed out the door, Ethan closing it quietly so as not to disturb Grayson. "You're a good brother," Emma observed, her tone light.

"I know. Grayson should appreciate me more."

They both hopped into his car, and Emma shivered at the cold leather seats.

"Do you have a song request?" Ethan asked, the car revving on.

"I'll find something," Emma said, hiding a mischievous smile.

"While you do that, I'll map the way to Aliberto's."

"Do you really not have the route memorized? We've been there probably 5 times now."

"I'm bad with directions! That's why I always need to use Google Maps."

"Ethan, you've lived here probably twice as long as me."

"I don't see why you're acting so shocked. You know how bad my memory is."

"Because I could drive to Aliberto's in my sleep. That might have more to do with my obsession than actually understanding directions, though."

"I think it's because you have a problem."

Emma grinned, finally finding the song. "You're not wrong." And she pressed play.

"Jesus Christ," Ethan groaned, his head falling back onto his seat, as Baby Shark started to blast through the car's speakers. Earlier today she had spammed their group chat with voice messages of just Baby Shark playing in her own car. 

"This is like torture," Ethan said. "You realize that, right? You're torturing me, on purpose."

Mommy shark, do do dah do do do, daddy shark, do do dah do do do, grandma shark, do do dah do do do...