Though We May Fall {An Aphmau AU}

A Present of Love

**Aaron's POV**

    It was nearing midnight when we finally said our goodbyes. Aph and I were the last to leave Melissa's apartment, everyone else had slipped away an hour before. Melissa had wanted to get to know Aph again after she had left all those years ago, and they had spent the past hour chatting it up, leaving me to sit in the back and listen to their banter. They hit it off quickly, and I could tell that I needed to intervene if we were ever going to leave at a decent time.

    "Bye Melissa. I'll call you tomorrow." I waved over my shoulder, my other hand pressed against Aphmau's lower back to guide her out the door. She waved energetically back at Melissa before the elevator doors closed before us, hiding my sister from view. Aphmau sighed, looking up at me with a bright smile.

    "Thank you Aaron! Thank you for all of your help." I smiled down at her, pulling her into a hug and resting my chin on top of her head. She hummed, snuggling into my chest and wrapping her arms around me as well. "I wouldn't be here without you." I held her closer, enjoying the feeling of her warm body pressed against mine. I would never make a move on her while she was still dating Ein, but that wouldn't stop me from loving her. She was my best friend, and a world without her was a world I never wanted to live in again. She had made my life so much better, and I wanted to be by her side for the rest of our lives. But... she could never know that. Not yet at least.

    As the elevator doors opened once more, I let go of my friend and instead placed my hand once more on the small of her back. She rested her head against my arm, and I smiled again, bracing myself for the cold we would surely be facing once we left the complex. "We have a long time 'till we get home don't we?" Her soft voice rose up to me, and I chuckled, letting out a sigh.

    "That's for sure."

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    By the time the train pulled back into the station, Aphmau was passed out on the seat beside me, black hair hiding her face from sight. The sun was starting to rise, casting rays of yellow and orange to bring the world back to life. Snow fell all around us, blanketing the world in peaceful white.

    I looked out at the station, seeing my car on the far side of the parking lot. With a glance back down at Aphmau and a sigh, I managed to move her off of my shoulder long enough to stand up. I put my coat back on and swung my backpack over my shoulder before reaching down and slipping my arms underneath her sleeping form. Draping her coat over her torso, I started the journey back to my car.

    It took about five minutes to trudge through the snow and ice that coated the concrete parking lot and another minute to dig my keys out of my bag while still holding onto Aph, but eventually, I managed to get her situated in the passenger seat and myself in the drivers. I sat for a few moments, watching her. She looked so peaceful while she slept, nothing like the mess she had been a week prior. Irene, she makes it impossible not to fall for her.

    As I sat there, a thought came to me. Where should I take her? Not to her dorm because I didn't have a key and didn't want to wake Dottie up this early, and definitely not back to mine; I couldn't imagine what people would say if they found out about that. Maybe to Sylvanna's house? I mean, I hated to wake her up at six in the morning, especially on Christmas, but I doubted that she would mind if it was because I was bringing her daughter home.

    Before I put the car in drive, I glanced once more at the sleeping angel next to me. With a smile, I reached back to the backseat of my car and pulled out the blanket I always kept in my car. The heat didn't work that well in my car, and, while it didn't bother me anymore, I always had a blanket somewhere just for friends. And Aphmau is definitely a friend.

    Twenty minutes later, I was pulling up outside of Sylvanna's house, the sun barely reaching over the edge of her roof. The new sun cast golden rays over the fresh white snow, blending and mixing into the perfect painting on the lawn. The house looked dark, but knowing Eric, he would be awake any minute now. Turning off my car, I grabbed my coat and zipped it up, bracing myself for the freezing cold and foot of snow outside. I crunched through the snow to the other side of the car, pulling open the door and reaching over to unbuckle Aphmau. She murmured slightly, letting her head fall to the side. Smiling, I slipped my arms under her and pulled her close to my chest, the blanket still covering her torso and legs.

    When I rang the doorbell, it was a few minutes before someone answered. The solid oak door swung open to reveal the tall figure of Eric Fyre. His salt-and-pepper blue hair was tousled, and his turquoise eyes were bleary, and it took him a few seconds to realize who I was. When he did, I smiled, shifting Aphmau in my arms.

    "Hi Mr. Fyre. Um, she obviously fell asleep on the train, so I thought I should bring her back here?" He nodded, a smile breaking through his beard.

    "Oh of course! Katelyn got back a few hours ago I think, so you can bring her into the guest room," he whispered, stepping back and motioning for me to follow him inside. Gratefully, I stepped out of the cold and into the warm house, snow falling off of my boots and shoulders. He led me past the kitchen and towards the back of the house. Pushing open a door, he revealed a full-sized bed in the middle of the room, a large window against the wall showing the picture-perfect scenery of their backyard. "Right in here. Thanks Aaron." I nodded as he left, stepping over to place her gently on the bed. Hesitating for a second, I pulled back the blankets first before putting down. It took me a few minutes to take off her coat and her boots, but then I pulled the sheets back over her, my blanket still wrapped around her under the covers. Crossing the room, I pulled the curtains closed, plunging the room into darkness.

    Before I left, I paused next to her, marveling at how peaceful she looked as she slept. Some kind of impulse came over me, and I leaned down and kissed her gently on the forehead. Heat rushed to my face and I rushed out of the room, closing the door quietly behind me.

    "Thanks for bringing her home Aaron," Eric murmured as I rejoined him in the kitchen. I nodded, a small smile crossing my face as I scratched the back of my head.

    "Oh, it's no problem. I'll get out of your hair now. Merry Christmas."

    "Wait! Do you have anywhere to go for Christmas? I know you don't have the best relationship with your parents and Melissa is all the way in Falcon Claw..." he trailed off, slightly embarrassed. "I don't know, I just thought I'd offer."

    I laughed, one hand on the doorknob. "Jeffory invited me over for dinner with his family tonight. I'll be fine, truly. Now, Merry Christmas, Mr. Fyre." He laughed also, giving me a wave as I left his house, starting the journey back to my car and back to my dorm. That's where I'd be spending the rest of the day. By myself.