He didn't move back. He didn't want to move back. He tried to will his feet to move him back but they weren't budging.

For a second, his brain couldn't even think. Her talking about mouths being dirty sent his brain to places he tried to never let it go to. Then he tried coming up with a weak joke about turtle mouths and salmonella but he didn't want to say anything else that had to do with his mouth in relation to her, in relation to kissing or anything of the like.

He needed to back away. He really, really needed to back away.

And yet his feet still wouldn't budge.

His Adam's apple bobbed visibly as he swallowed, the talk of tongues making him extra aware of his own in his mouth.

"Yeeeah," he said dumbly, having trouble finding something else to say. "I never really got why that was a thing."

Move! Would you just move already?! said his brain.

Kiss her! also said his brain.

Don't be like Donnie! said the other part of his brain again.

Don't be like Donnie, the pro-kissing part of his brain said enticingly. Don't be like Donnie and kiss her. No stupid music boxes and being too corny, no charts, no following her around unless she wants you to follow, no nudging her around like she's a piece on a game board and a prize at the same time. Kiss her. Show her what she is to you and if she doesn't want it, tell her friendship is enough and reign it in where it needs to be. Even if it hurts.

Okay, technically that's not being like Donnie but it's still wrong.

Show her. Even if she turns you down. She deserves to know that she's worth that. Give everything you can to her and tell her she doesn't owe anything back.

As both parts of his brain were locked together in deadly combat all he could do was hover there, the two of them standing in each other's space.