"Jianyu, it's not—"
"What's going on?"
Great, as if you needed someone else to worry about. There Ace was, with a slightly confused look on his face. But god, did he look good with damp hair and a towel over his shoulders. Not that that mattered right now, definitely didn't, that wasn't distracting you at all. Nope. No way.
"It's nothing—"
"(Y/n)'s just saying the reason she's avoiding our feelings is because we make her too happy." If it hadn't been Dal interrupting you, you might've blown a fuse again.
His words struck you hard, and you stared at him in disbelief. Dal met your gaze calmly, but for a second you couldn't recognize the man before you. He seemed... Different. Off.
"You're talking weird."
"I'm not." He shrugged. "I'm just being vague. Though I don't think there's a reason to be." Dal brought a hand to his chin. "I mean... It should be obvious you overheard us. Is it not?"
"She what?" Jianyu's breathing hitched. "Which part?"
"Which part?" It was your turn to repeat her words. Jianyu slapped a hand over her mouth.
"Amon woke you up on accident..." Ace narrowed his eyes. "Damn that brutes loud mouth."
"Excuse me?" That felt unnecessarily hostile. "Well— I mean— if you all had just told me, maybe then there'd be nothing to overhear!" You defended shakily.
"Told you, so you could run before we had a chance to begin with?" Dal tilted his head. "Or told you, so we'd have a chance at all?"
How the hell was this real. What was happening. You weren't ready for this confrontation. Not today. Not right now. Not yet, please.
"Why does this sound like an interrogation?" You laughed nervously. "Aren't confessions supposed to be heartfelt?"
"I have been heartfelt." Jianyu sounded downright exasperated. "I was heartfelt! Don't lump me in with them!"
"I would've liked it to be." Ace mumbled. "This wasn't how any of us wanted you to find out, I think."
You hesitated.
"But it was." You breathed. "And I... I..." You didn't know. What were you really thinking? Really feeling? "Can't breathe."
Those were the last words to leave your mouth before you'd made a quick escape. Down the porch stairs you went, going the long way to the front entrance of the house. Your hasty steps turned to stumbled strides, to full blown sprinting. A commotion had followed you, but it faded as the wind began to whistle in your ears.
Soon enough, you were too far to hear it at all.