I see why the elders called Uno the card game of frayed friendship. Playing it is like walking down the boulevard of broken dreams. It is how years worth of friendship hang on the line as the final card is placed down an--
"It's my win." Aries said as he placed his last card on the stack in the middle of the bed.
"No way! How is it possible?! I lost again!" I tossed the cards that I had initially held up into the air with frustration and buried my face in the pillow as I grumbled into it.
"Face it. You're just not 'card' out for it."
"... Did you just..."
"What did I do?" Aries smirked as he played innocent.
"I don't know whether to laugh or feel bad about that."
"Well... maybe we should... 'shuffle' things up?" Aries said with a grin before I felt my lips beginning to tug into a smile.
"You should stop."
"Why? I have plenty more in my 'deck'."
"Anymore puns and you won't like where this is going."
"I'm only doing it as a favour to myself.... And here I thought we were... 'card' out for one another."
"Okay, that's it." I said as I tugged the pillow from beneath me and threw it at Aries.
"Why? Is it because its... 'sheety'?"
"Oh God. Did you really just... Stay right there, mister. I'm gonna catch you this time." I narrowed my gaze as I did the 'I'm watching you gesture' and grabbed another pillow.
"No, stop. You should give up on catching me!"
"And why should I do that?" I stopped as I held the pillow above my head and stared dead on at Aries. There was nowhere to go, I got him cornered.
"You need to catch up on your sleep not me!"
It took me more than a second to understand what he was going for before I frowned.
"God! Why did I even bother!" I gasped and threw the pillow at him.
"But Sol. Wait, wait, wait!" Aries laughed from below me as he covered his face.
"What now?"
"We should head to bed... and maybe get some spaghetti tomorrow."
"... Well, you do need to get up early... But why spaghetti...?"
"Because its 'pasta' bedtime!"
"Geez! You just won't stop will you!" I sighed as I finally gave up and joined him in laughing like hyenas.
"Okay, okay. I'm... hah... done... My stomach won't handle it."
"Yours or mine?"
"... I guess we can't eat cake tomorrow."
"What? Why did you suddenly bring it up?"
"Because we will have a stomach ache."
"... ... Dammit, Aries." I hit him with the pillow again once I figured out what he had meant and climbed onto the bed, clearing off the cards scattered all around.
"Okay, I'm sorry. That's enough puns for the night. But are you feeling better now?" Aries asked as he took a deep breath and calmed down, sitting beside me as he handed me some cards he had picked up from the floor.
"What do you mean?"
"You've been on a real losing streak since our trip here. I just thought it might make you feel unhappy hanging around me."
"... Do you really think I'm that petty to do so?"
"What?! No. Of course not!"
"My point exactly. I'll be upset for a while but at the end of the day... it was a good game. Heck, I'll even beat you next time!" I said whilst pumping my fist.
Aries looked at me with a blank expression before his ears and tail popped out again. I tilted my head and raised an eyebrow before it finally clicked that he was flustered even if, judging by how his tail is wagging, he seemed quite contented.
"By the way, I just realised that this suite/lodge thing only has a double bed for some reason. Guess we'll be sleeping together tonight." I said before I shifted my gaze from the bed towards Aries.
"WHAT?! I... uh... I can uh..." Aries gasped as he struggled for words.
I furrowed my eyebrows as I didn't understand what was up with his reaction. Plus his face was gradually turning beet red, although he sounded as if he was against it, his tail.... seems to be wagging uncontrollably in excitement.
"I'll give you three seconds to decide or I will sleep on the couch. One... T-"
"OKAY!"
"-- that was fast." I blinked as I saw Aries clenching his fist in a almost victory pose.
"Was it? N-nevermind. Any side preference?"
"Why does it sound like you're asking me what side dish I want? Hahaha... not really. I'll take whatever side you don't want then."
"... I'll go with the left, then."
"Hmm? Sure."
"Well, it's getting late. Should we turn in for the night?" Aries asked as he glanced at the time.
"Sure. Actually... Tell me something... ... Were you reluctant to sleep with me because I snore?"
"Eh? What...? Oh uh... no. That's not it. Its uh..." Aries held my gaze as he was caught unexpected by the question.
"And it's why you suggested which side I should sleep on because you were trying to tell me to sleep on my side..."
"H-huh?"
"I know studies had shown that sleeping on the side could reduce the likelihood of sleep apnea and snoring but is this your subtle way of telling me that I snore?"
"That's not it!" Aries panicked as he held my wrist, his expression more of confusion than worry although his reactions were a little of both.
"... I'm joking. But. Well, I have this thing... Well it never went out of fashion for a reason... Here. Ear plugs. New. Of course. Just in case. I can set alarms up to wake me up, so that I can wake you up tomorrow without ruining your sleep. See! Everything covered." I grinned confidently as I felt Aries grip on my wrist loosen.
"But I never said that you did..."
"Your expression says it all."
A little white lie wouldn't hurt. I actually had an idea earlier since we are in a mountain range of some sort. I wanted to get ready some materials to test out my theory and am worried I would disturb him if he knew I was up.
"But you're not an early riser." Aries said as I imagined him hitting the nail on the head.
"T-that... I can wake up when it counts."
"Sigh... I guess you won't listen to me regardless of what I say."
"Exactly. Also, take this. Extra relaxing eye mask. I also made it in a way you feel the calming effect of the ocean waves caressing your eye lids as you sleep."
".... Is there a different reason behind giving me all these to use?"
"N-no. J-just use it. I want you looking your best for the photoshoot tomorrow! I was already responsible for that wound, so everything else should be kept optimal!"
"Is that so? Even though you say I look the best everyday?"
"H-huh?! When did I?"
"You say it on a daily basis. I'm not kidding."
"J-just go to sleep will you!" I said as I tossed a pillow in his direction.
"I would but I wanted the ears and tail to go away first."
"Didn't you say you knew how to control them?"
"Not on occasion when they pop up randomly."
"Hmm... What if we coax you with familiarising with the things that makes you flustered so that those feelings leave?"
"Is that your theory?"
"Sort of."
"We can try it. ... Hmm... what kind of things do you suggest?"
"I don't know. Hmm... Why don't I go with something recent..."