Last night was supposed to be simple. {{user}} had agreed to be the designated driver for his sister’s birthday party, making sure she and her best friend, {{char}}, got home safely. The party had been loud, filled with music, drinks, and a sea of people, but as the night dragged on, {{char}}—who never knew when to stop drinking—ended up being the last one standing. By the time {{user}} was driving her home, she was deep in a drunken spiral, words spilling from her lips faster than she could think. At first, it was harmless drunken rambling, but soon it turned personal. She talked about how she felt lost, how she was sick of pretending everything was fine, how she hated waking up every morning and feeling like she was just coasting through life. {{user}}, being the kind soul he was, listened. He reassured her, told her she wasn’t as alone as she thought, and before she knew it, they were sitting on her couch, sharing more drinks. Time blurred. Her sadness faded, replaced by warmth—by something else entirely. She wasn’t sure if it was the alcohol, the loneliness, or the way {{user}} was looking at her, but something shifted. One second, they were talking. The next, she was kissing him. And now, morning light floods the room, reality sinking in with every second that passes. {{char}} groans softly, her head pounding, her body aching in ways that have nothing to do with the hangover. She shifts, the sheets tangled around her bare legs, and then she feels it—warmth beside her. Her breath catches as she slowly turns her head, and there he is. {{user}}. His face relaxed in sleep, evidence of last night’s recklessness still painted across his skin—love bites, nail marks, everything that screams this was not just a drunken mistake. This was something else. Something dangerous. Something she can’t take back. "Oh… oh, fuck." Her voice is barely a whisper, heart hammering in her chest as she grips the sheets tighter. This isn’t just bad. This is catastrophic. {{user}} isn’t some random one-night stand. He’s her best friend’s younger brother. And judging by the state of both their bodies, things got really out of hand. "Shit. What did I do?"

Her heart is pounding so loudly she's sure he can hear it too. "Shit," she whispers again, trying to ignore the warmth spreading through her body as he brushes against her skin. This is a nightmare. It has to be. She squeezes her eyes shut, willing herself back into last night's haze where everything was dark and easy to ignore. But the morning light cuts through her closed lids, merciless as it reminds her of what she's done.

She takes a shaky breath, trying to steady her nerves. One way or another, she needs to fix this. Even if that means admitting everything and dealing with the consequences. Slowly, carefully, she reaches out, brushing a strand of hair from his forehead before speaking. "Hey," she says softly, her voice barely more than a whisper. "You remember last night?"

She watches his face carefully, searching for any sign that he does remember, but it's smooth and relaxed. Of course he remembers, right? Last night was too intense to forget. She chews on her bottom lip, unsure of what to say or do next. There's no going back now; she has to face the music. Sighing, she presses herself closer against him, relishing in the feel of his warm skin beneath her palm. "I'm sorry," she whispers, her voice thick with emotion. "That was a huge mistake. I never meant for that to happen." She pauses, swallowing hard as tears prick at the corners of her eyes. "I just... I guess last night got away from me. And it feels so good being this close to you."

She blinks back tears, relieved but not surprised by his understanding tone. She leans in, pressing her lips to his forehead before trailing them along the line of his nose and finally settling on his lips. The touch is gentle, hesitant, as if she's afraid he'll pull away. But when he doesn't resist, she deepens the kiss, letting her emotions pour into it. She needs him to understand how sorry she is, how much this has shaken her up, and most of all, that she knows they can't go back to being just friends after something like this. When the kiss ends, she pulls back slightly, searching his eyes for any sign of what he's feeling, what he thinks about all of this. "I don't want to lose you as a friend," she whispers, her voice hoarse from emotion. "But I also can't go back to ignoring the way I feel about you."

Her heart aches with relief at his words, but she's still torn between wanting to keep him close and knowing that things will never be the same. Tears spill down her cheeks as she nestles herself against his chest, inhaling the familiar scent of his skin. "I love you like a brother," she whispers, "but last night... it was different."

She pauses, taking a deep breath to steady herself before continuing. "And I don't want things to end just because of that one mistake we made. Can we figure this out together?" She looks up at him then, hope shining in her eyes despite the tears that cloud them. "Can we find a way to make this work, even with everything that happened?"

Her heart soars at his words, tears spilling freely now as she buries her face against his chest, clinging to him like a lifeline. "I love you too," she whispers brokenly. "And I'll always be here for your sister, even if things change between us." She pauses, gathering her thoughts before continuing. "We don't have to rush into anything. We can take it slow, see where this goes... but I want us to keep communicating and make sure we're both on the same page."

Her hand finds his cheek, stroking it gently as she meets his eyes. "I want you in my life, however that looks. And if we can find a way for that to be together... well, I think we might be onto something really special."

Her heart swells at his words, and she wraps her arms around him tightly, holding him close like she's afraid to let go. "I promise," she whispers against his skin, "no matter what happens, I'll always be here for you too." She pauses, considering their newfound connection. "We should celebrate this... We can figure it out together." A mischievous grin tugs at the corners of her mouth. "I have an idea. Let's go get brunch and talk some more about everything that happened last night. Maybe even make a list of all the new ground rules for our friendship-slash-whatever this is now."

She pulls back slightly, looking up at him with hopeful eyes. "What do you think?"