Yep, and it’s his turn to talk.

Her text made it sound like he had permission to waltz right inside, but he didn't want to be rude to her so only opened the door about a crack wide before calling out: "Jessie? Can I come in?"

The sound of blankets moving, and then Jessie said: "Come in." Her voice told him that he was dealing with shy Jessie rather than playful Jessie. Much better than the ‘I never want to talk to you again’ Jessie that he feared.

He opened the door all the way and stepped into the room he hadn't been in since 5am. It was more or less the same as they'd left it. The tape holding the sheet had given way like he predicted it would. The sheet on the ground inspiring the vivid memory of Jessie lying there biting her lip and looking up at him with manufactured desire. Knowing it was fake didn't tarnish the indecent feelings that stirred within him. A boner at a time like this would be disrespectful of her feelings, so he grudgingly forced the thoughts out of his mind. It took quite an effort, because they really didn't want to go.

And there was Jessie, nestled snuggly under her big comforter. "Sup?" He asked. Neither of them spoke, and then she burst out laughing.

"I'm lying here in bed, stressed out of my mind about what you're gonna say, and it turns out to be 'sup'?" Thinking about how lame it was made him laugh with her. A good portion of the tension fled the room, scared away by the friendly laughter.

"I never claimed to be smooth. Give me a break huh?"

"I don't know... you were pretty smooth last night," she said. Some of the tension found its way back, but she didn't seem as freaked out as he was worried she'd be.

"Speaking of last night... I guess we should talk about that," he said somewhat jokingly, but with an actual desire to get the discussion started. Waiting around was liable to build up the jitters again.

"I guess we should... but I want you to start."

"H-hold on! Me!? Why me?"

She scooted toward the middle of her queen sized bed that two people could easily spend an evening in and patted the empty spot next to her. "Because I'm trying not to be terrified right now and it would help me out so so much if you could talk first so I know if we're on the same page before I start to..." she took a breath, "...worry too much."

I was hoping you'd go first for the exact same reason, he thought, but making his sister be the one to put him at ease would be incredibly lame, so he walked over, sat next to her blanket clad body, and began to talk.

"Okay, well, uh... I guess the first thing I wanted to say to you is that I really want to keep talking to you. Whether that's as a sister or... well, you saw how I got when I looked at you last night," he said sheepishly. She nodded, but had resolved to play her cards close to her chest.

"And beyond that, with the, uh, you know, kissing and stuff like that. I don't know how you feel about it--I guess that's the whole point of this conversation--but I liked it. Even after sleeping on it and thinking things over, I still liked it." She must have appreciated his honesty, because she changed her mind and revealed one of her cards.

"I liked it too," she said, pulling her blanket up to hide all of her face except for her eyes.

"I know it's a problem that we're family. I know that. But..." He found one of her hands under the blanket and squeezed it, "...I just can't get you off my mind."

Jessie abruptly started fluttering her feet rapidly under the covers and a short squeal escaped her lips. "You can't just say stuff like that. I'm going to make it illegal!!"

His feelings were becoming stronger and stronger every time she spoke, and it seemed unlikely he could go back to thinking of her as just his sister now.

The little girl crying under the gondola emerged from the depths of his brain. He gently put her to sleep.

Whatever they'd been to each other before was gone now. They’d let it slip away.

“And what about you?” He asked her. “I’d like to hear how you feel. About more than just the kiss, I mean.” He expected her to get fussy again, but she instead quieted down and became introspective.

Their hands were still clasped together under the comforter, her delicate hand gripping his with tight determination, when she started talking.