Turtle wobbled under Qibli's sudden weight on his back. Why did I do this? Why? He shook his head. There's something wrong with me. 

He tried to stop his whole face from turning red as he carried his crush to the moonlit (or now, sunlit) underground cave. Turtle slid through the entrance and flew over to the rock in the middle. 

"Qibli, are you okay?" He panted, shaking dust off of his wings. Qibli was seeming to struggle, and he looked completely red, too. 

"Uh... mentally, no, physically, yeah I'm fine," he said, sitting up slowly. 

Turtle barked a loud laugh, trying to neutralize the conversation. "Yeah, me too," he tried to hide the panting in his voice. He was so worn out from running so far-AND CARRYING QIBLI! It was crazy of him to do so. 

Qibli chuckled. "In what way? I mean, I'm sick and I've been stuck in my cave all day-AND I can't even run without fainting! That wears down a dragon, right?" He asked Turtle, his face turning to normal. 

Turtle couldn't hide his blushing. "Well, I've been very confused about how I'm feeling lately." 

Qibli sat up immediately and looked Turtle straight in the eye, their snouts inches apart. AH! QIBLI! DON'T SNEAK UP ON ME LIKE THAT! He wanted to voice it, but he was being very, very choked by his emotions. QIBLI STOP I CAN'T BREATHE. 

"How? About me?" 

Turtle shook his head with surprise and then leapt into the lake under him, completely overwhelmed and flustered by the sudden jump in the conversation. "Oops! Sorry, Qibli! I just had to cool down. Your scales are very hot." He felt like he might have even gotten something off of his chest. Qibli's scales were attractive, just like Winter's face was. Turtle didn't take any romantic feelings for Winter, but he was quite attractive.

"It's okay! If it's too hot up here and you feel uncomfortable, you can sit in the water!" Qibli said sweetly. 

Turtle felt even more emotions come onto him. AH. QIBLI. STOP BEING POLITE AND NICE AND SWEET. He thought helplessly. "Uh... I guess they are about you. I'm just thinking if I'm betraying Umber... or Kinkajou... or Peril... for you taking the role of my... best friend." 

That was far too corny. Turtle looked down, and he didn't bother shielding his red face. It spread like, everywhere. He looked half SkyWing. Qibli looked surprised, and his face turned completely red as well. 

"Uh... you... think of me as a best friend?" He asked solemnly. Turtle smiled at him sweetly. 

"Of course I do! You're always here for me! Just like I'll always be there for you! Are you okay with me considering you my best friend?" He suddenly felt very self conscious. 

Qibli laughed for what seemed like years. His smile was like being in the arctic for moons and then finally bathing in sunlight. "Of course I am! You're the closest friend I have! Sure, you're annoying sometimes, but I love you-AS A FRIEND," he added quickly. 

Everything suddenly felt very obvious. Does... does Qibli like me back? No, there's no way. He told me he liked Moon. What happened to that? Was he lying? Turtle wondered. 

"Funny wording," he said instead, sighing of relief. He and Qibli laughed for a moment before Qibli jumped into the water with Turtle. 

"It was getting lonely up there." 

Turtle chuckled, and without thinking, he wrapped Qibli in a tight hug, on that made them both turn red, but neither of them pulled away.

"Come on. Let's get you nice and dry," he smiled at his crush, walking with Qibli along the hallways of the school. 

Turtle wrapped his tail around Qibli's. I need to get used to touching this guy. I mean, we're best friends. We're going to have to hug, right? It felt very cozy, and when Qibli blushed briefly, Turtle pushed it back. 

We're friends, he thought sternly. Not what I want us to be, which really, really sucks. That doesn't matter, though. It's an honor to be his friend. Turtle lingered on the thought happily. 

I hope Qibli feels the same. 

Turtle nudged Qibli awake. "Bro, you're talking in your sleep. Is something bothering you?"

Qibli snapped up, brushing his wings. "Sorry, Turtle. I was dreaming about what Webs is going to roast me about tomorrow! Sorry again. I didn't mean to disturb your sleep."

Turtle shrugged. "I can't sleep at all! So I was just awake and hearing you." I was just awake thinking about you! He added in his mind cheerfully. I hope this never ends. 

"Well, after this I won't be able to, either. So... do you want to... play a game?" Qibli asked quietly. 

"Yes!" Turtle clasped his hands together excitedly. "We can play this game that me and my brothers used to play! One of us does tries to make us laugh, while we hold water in our mouths!" He sang. 

Qibli cleared his throat. "Ahem, I am the Meme-Master, of course I should be the one to tell the jokes!" Turtle fell over laughing. 

"You failed already!" Qibli gasped, nudging him playfully. As Turtle's loud smothered laughter dissolved into light giggled, he went to the sink and let water into his mouth. 

Qibli cleared his throat, and then turned dead serious. What's he doing? But soon, Qibli made a funny face and as Turtle made an effort to keep his mouth shut, the laughs were too strong. 

Water shot out his nose, all of Qibli, Turtle, and the bed. He and Qibli fell all the way over laughing, splayed on top of each other. 

Suddenly, Kinkajou's annoyed head poked into their room. "Shut up, calm down, and go to sleep!" 

Turtle shut his mouth and so did Qibli. As Kinkajou slid the door shut, the two boy chuckled a little longer and then Turtle got up and sat on Qibli's bed. 

"We can talk instead," he snickered. 

Qibli nodded, wrapping his wings around Turtle. "For definitely!" 

"FOR DEFINITELY?" Turtle wheezed. "DON'T YOU MEAN FOR SURE?" He and Qibli tried not to laugh, but it just resulted in more laughing. 

Turtle knew it would just result in even more laughing. Never ending laughing. 

I want it that way between us. Forever. 

Smol Author's note:

Please tell me what you think! If you're reading this (since apparently it's in the top 50 or 60 in "turtle stories") please drop a comment and let me know if I did something wrong! I know the pacing is a mess, but I'm trying my (half-assed) best!