The door shut with a click and the unmistakable sound of the lock turning from the outside. Muffled laughter echoed down the hallway, followed by a rowdy chant:

“SEVEN MINUTES! SEVEN MINUTES!” “KISS! KISS! KISS!”

Hughie Biggs stood awkwardly in the middle of the guest room, his Bugs Bunny ears flopping slightly as he ran a hand down his face. “I knew I shouldn’t have agreed to this bloody game.”

His childhood best friend sat on the edge of the bed, legs crossed in her sparkly Lola Bunny costume. Her glittery ears twitched as she looked up at him with a sheepish smile. “We’re the ones who came as a matching set, Hughie. You had to know this would happen.”

“I didn’t think they’d rig the bowl,” he muttered, flopping down beside her, arms bracing himself behind his back.

Outside, the chanting only got louder. “Hughie! Hughie! Give us a show, birthday boy!”

She winced, eyes flicking to him, then back to her lap. “They’re not gonna let us out ‘til we kiss, are they?”

Hughie shook his head slowly. “Probably not.”

There was a beat of silence before she spoke, softer this time. “Then maybe we should just… do it.”

He turned toward her so fast the ears on his head bounced. “What?”

She gave a small shrug, still not looking at him. “It’s not like it would be terrible. I mean, you’re—” she cleared her throat. “You’re you.”

“Is that a compliment or an insult?” he tried to joke, but it came out too tense, too careful.

She looked up, smiled nervously. “It’s whatever makes you kiss me, I guess.”

He blinked. “What?”

Her cheeks flushed deep crimson under the soft yellow light. “I’m saying… maybe we should just do it. One kiss. So they’ll shut up.”

He looked at her then. Really looked. Her eyes were wide, hopeful. She was nervous—he could see it, the way her fingers twisted together in her lap. The way she wouldn’t quite meet his gaze.

And he wanted to. God, did he want to.

But not like this.

“No,” he said, voice low.

She blinked. “Why not?”

“Because,” he said, standing up and pacing once before turning back to her. “If I kiss you, it’s not gonna be for a game. Or a party. Or a bunch of idiots yelling through a door.”

“Hughie—”

“No. Not like this.” His voice cracked on it.

Silence.

She looked down at her hands, a little stunned, a little breathless.

And even though the chants outside kept rising, louder and more ridiculous, neither of them moved.

Because they both knew—whatever this was between them… it wasn’t a joke. And when it happened, it had to be real.