fic: euro trippin' (6/?)
Title: Euro Trippin' (6/?)
Author: crazygorgeous13
Fandom: Grey's Anatomy
Pairing: Callie/Arizona
Rating: PG-13
Beta: Unbeta'd. All concrit welcome.
Summary: AU. Callie and Arizona meet on their breaks before college while backpacking through Europe. C/A for sure, and other characters will show up somewhere down the line.
Disclaimer: I do not own anything to do with Grey's Anatomy, nor do I make any money from this. I am just playing with Shonda's characters and will return them in almost new condition when I'm done.
A/N: I am SO sorry. I really, really didn’t intend to leave you guys hanging for so long. The reason this took so long was a combination of awful writers block (which I’m still suffering from), ideas for other pairings and fandoms that won’t leave my brain alone, the “finale fortnight” as I called it, a lack of time at home and even less on the computer, searching for a new job, Wicked, Pirates of the Caribbean, and the fact that I procrastinate and am very easily distracted by the internet and other people’s fanfic. I think I need a beta to a) bounce ideas off of, and b) kick my ass into gear. If anyone’s interested, send me a PM. This one goes out to those of you who sent me messages or left comments reminding me that there are people out there who are waiting ever so patiently for me to update. I really am sorry it took me so long.
This chapter doesn’t cover much in the way of time, but it does clear up a thing or two for our girls. I promise that eventually they will leave the hostel, and London for that fact, and go out in the real world.
Chapter 6: Cheatin' and Creepin'
Arizona.
I could have killed Mark. And Teddy.
I mean, I was drunk, so the murders may have been somewhat clumsy, and I’d definitely get arrested, but… Where was I? Oh yeah, I was going to kill my best friend.
It had started about two hours before, although I’d definitely lost track of time. I’d met her, the girl from the plane, from Miami. Callie, I said her name to myself, smiling. She and her friend Mark had met Robyn and Lily, and so had joined our conversation. When she smiled at me - the group, I mean - apologizing for something, I had to remind myself to keep breathing, and concentrated on keeping my mouth closed as I listened to her beautiful voice. And then she laughed, and I couldn’t help but smile.
I’ll admit, I was excited when she said she would be playing in the pool knock-out.
There was just something about watching Callie play pool that got me all kinds of hot. Maybe it was the way her body would lean over the table, which never failed to afford someone like me the best views. Maybe it was the look of concentration she got when she was lining up a shot, her brow crinkling adorably as she bit her full bottom lip, making me think about all the dirty things I wanted to do to her involving said lip. Or maybe it was the fact that now that we were playing one another, it was quickly becoming the dirtiest game of pool I'd ever played.
We weren't cheating or anything, not really, but we were definitely causing each other a fair amount of, shall we say, distraction. From the very start of the game, I was racking up the triangle, and then she'd gone and basically trapped me against the table with her body. I could feel her warm breath on my ear and neck, and I had to fight the urge to turn my head to the left and kiss her right then and there. Instead, I stopped racking and gripped the edge of the table to stop myself from touching her. Then we'd made our wager. I was so distracted by the feel of her body pressed up against mine and the feeling of her lips at my neck that I couldn't even think of a better bet. When she’d given hers, a cocky promise that she would win, it took all the strength I had not to pot the black then and there, desperate to let her win and have anything she wanted from me.
Despite it all, we were both pretty skilled, even with the large quantities of alcohol coursing through our systems, and we ended up both playing for the black, to win the game.
At this point, suffice it to say that I was drunk. And I’ll just be honest, horny. The taunting and teasing we had engaged in during the game had definitely gotten me all hot and bothered in a way that was only compounded by the alcohol.
Studying the table, I knew, drunk or not, that I’d be able to hit this shot and win the game. The funny thing was, that usually super-competitive voice inside of me had taken a back-seat to the one inside of me telling me to give in to Callie. Knowing I was going to throw this game, I still had to put up appearances.
“Alright. Top corner.” I called, knowing it’d be harder to fuck up this shot than it would be to make it.
“Let’s see what you’ve got, Ar-zona.” She slurred a little on my name betraying her own inebriation.
I lined up, trying to make the next shot for Callie as easy as possible, settling the black a couple inches from a pocket. I looked up at her, letting a bit of nervousness cross my face. It wasn’t entirely faked either, as much as I wanted her, I was still just that teensy bit reserved about the whole thing. I could feel myself falling hard for this girl, and that was scaring the shit out of me.
“Centre pocket,” she called, and damn it if her slight smugness wasn’t super hot.
She lined up the shot, hitting the ball straight into the pocket, winning the game. It wasn’t until the cheers and clapping erupted that I was suddenly very aware of the room around me. For so long now, I’d been in my “Me and Callie” bubble, and I found that now I was reluctant to leave it.
Nevertheless, the bubble had been popped, and now I was unabashedly watching Callie collect her drinks card from the bar, and walked (with only a little bit of a drunken sway, I might add) to join her at the bar. When I got there, there were two shots of tequila sitting on the bar, with a salt shaker and two slices of lemon.
Making sure to infuse my voice with as much suggestiveness as possible, “So… Since you won, I guess I’ll have to do what you tell me.”
Luckily I’d gotten that out before she ran her tongue over the back of her hand, because in that moment, my mouth went dry; the only thing I could think about was that tongue on my hand, and lips, and other parts of my anatomy. Wordlessly, she handed me the salt shaker, having sprinkled some over her own moistened flesh. I mimicked her actions, watching her eyes as they tracked the progress of my own tongue.
“A shot of Tequila? That’s what I have to do?” I asked in response to the shot she placed in front of me. I was a bit disappointed, I had thought we were most definitely on the same page.
“The tequila’s just a celebratory drink between the two finalists of the pool tourney.” She responded, making my body flush with heat again, anticipation building once more.
After taking the shot, barely even feeling the usual burn, “So, Callie.” I leaned in, “What exactly am I doing for you?” Again, I didn’t try and hide the seductive tone of my voice; sure to make her know that I was game for anything.
“For that,” She murmured, “We’ll definitely have to go somewhere more private.”
My pulse was racing, in an entirely good way; in anticipation, in lust and want. “Where’d you have in mind?” I asked.
“Well, I was thinking -umph!” Mark had slung his arm somewhat forcefully over Callie’s shoulders. Mark. Her boyfriend. Who I heard her say she loves.
And just like that, reality came flooding back to me, momentarily forcing the effects of alcohol from my system, my mind sharpening for just long enough to realize what was happening. What are you doing Arizona? She’s in a relationship. And she’s straight. The last part came out as somewhat of an afterthought, it wouldn’t be the first time I’d converted a straight girl. The fact that she was in a relationship though, that was important. I couldn’t be that person, the one that gets in between a couple. Not again, anyway, that annoying voice inside of me whispered.
“What do you want, Mark?” Callie shot me an apologetic look, followed it with a slight eye-roll and shrug towards Mark. Despite everything, the actions made me smile.
“Actually,” He huffed, and I could smell the Jaeger and Tequila from a foot away, “I wanted to talk to Blondie here!” I leaned back, causing his finger to narrowly miss poking me in the face.
“Me?” The surprise was completely genuine, what could he possibly want with me? Probably wants to tell me to stop flirting with his girlfriend, I thought, I’ll stop if she does.
“Huh?” They were both looking at me with questioning expressions on their faces; it was Mark who’d spoken.
Realizing I had actually voiced my last thought, I was never more thankful for the fact that we were all drunk; it made derailing trains of thought so much easier. “What?”
“Hmm?” Mark was looking even more puzzled,
“Hey?” I was even getting confused now.
“O-kaaay…” Callie had apparently had enough, “Mark. What did you want? You said you needed Arizona.”
“Oh! Yeah. I just wanted to ask you-” Here it comes, I thought, and started running through what I was going to say to defend my actions, “Is Teddy single?”
“What?” It was so far from what I’d thought he was going to say that I had no response. All I could think was that Callie seemed unperturbed by his question.
“Huh?” Was his eloquent response.
“Oh, no. We’re not starting that again, are we?” Callie asked in trepidation.
“No.” I was quick to allay her fears, “That just wasn’t-Anyway. In answer to your question, Mark, yes, she is single.” I had to indulge my curiosity for just a second, “Why do you wanna know?”
“Mark wants to know because he doesn’t like getting in the middle of couples,” Amen to that, I thought, “Not since that time you got yourself punched in the face by Derek!” They both started laughing at some shared memory. I couldn’t help but feel really weird to be witnessing this conversation.
“Um… OK. But, uh, yeah, she’s single.”
“Sweet! Don’t wait up, Cal!” He straightened up (as much as he could in his state, anyway) clapped Callie and I on the back, and then strode off towards Teddy, who seemed to be in a comfortable conversation with Lily.
I just couldn’t understand how she could sit here and pretend like it didn’t matter that Mark was about to go hit on another woman. Not that she herself was all that innocent, no amount of alcohol could make me imagine the intensity of the way she had been blatantly flirting with me all night.
Blame it on the alcohol, but I couldn’t contain the next words out of my mouth, “You’re OK with that?” I jerked my head to the right, towards Mark who had now joined Teddy and Lily.
She looked really puzzled, “Yeah… Of course I am. Wait, are you alright with it? I know Mark isn’t looking for anything serious, but he won’t hide that fact from Teddy…”
Now it was my turn to try and wipe the bewilderment off my face, “Wow… So… But-You guys-” as Callie just took another sip of her drink, I gave up, “I’ve never met a couple in an open relationship before!”
Callie had a blank expression on her face for a second, and then she clapped her hand over her mouth, her eyes wide; she was coughing and spluttering, her hand not quite catching all the liquid that had been expelled from her mouth. I started clapping her gently on the back, apologizing profusely, “I’m so, so sorry, I didn’t mean to upset you. I just-I dunno, you weren’t hiding it so I thought you were open about it. I’m sorry, just- pretend I didn’t say anything.”
Finally catching her breath for a second, I realized that Callie wasn’t angry, the way her body was shaking wasn’t from being upset, she was laughing; laughing so hard that tears were rolling down her face. It was contagious, soon enough I was giggling along with her, although I still had no idea what was so funny and I asked her as much.
When she finally straightened up, she answered, “Oh, my god, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to laugh quite so hard. It’s just-oh, the idea of me and Mark being a couple! That’s just hilarious to me. He’s my best friend, kind of like the big brother I never had.”
So they’re not a couple! Internal Arizona started doing a super happy, if incredibly nerdy, dance in my head. Suddenly the way we’d been teasing each other all night became much more serious. Before I knew, I’d gone along with the flirting because, well, it was just nice to feel wanted. Plus, you know, she’s super hot, and I wanted to flirt with a beautiful girl. This beautiful girl.
“Wait, you thought me and Mark were together? Like, together-together? Dating?” she asked, as if the notion had really just sunk in.
“Um… yeah?” I hadn’t intended for it to come out as a question, but I was a bit nervous now, and the alcohol was starting to slowly trickle from my system.
“Oh… OK.” She seemed a bit disappointed. There was a moment of awkward silence, and then, “I thought that you realized… Never mind. So!” She plastered a bright, and even I could see, fake, smile on her face, and looked up, searching around for a new topic.
“Sorry, thought I realized….” I led her, needing to know what she was going to say. All traces of the flirty banter we’d been engaged in a few minutes ago were gone, and I couldn’t explain the sudden shift.
“IthghtyorelisdIwsflrtnwtyou,” she expelled in a rush.
“I got none of that, except the ‘you’ at the end,” I confessed with a smile.
She took a deep breath, apparently steeling herself to say the slower version, “I thought-I thought you realized I was flirting with you, OK? And that you were flirting back. But of course now I realize I’ve actually been a complete idiot, because you know, you thought I was in a relationship, and obviously you’re just a really friendly person, and you probably don’t even remember me from the flight, and I’m just really drunk and stupid-“ She seemed to run out of steam, dropping her head onto her arms, a muffled “Fuck!” coming from the direction of the bar top.
I couldn’t help the smile that slowly spread across my mouth, replacing the look of confusion I’d been wearing.
“You’re not stupid,” I said, leaning down close to her ear, close enough to feel a few loose strands of raven hair tickle my nose, “I knew you were flirting with me.” I stated.
“You did?” came the timid response.
“Of course I did,” I said matter-of-factly, leaning back slightly, “You weren’t exactly subtle about it, Callie. And I was totally flirting back. I mean, yes, I am a naturally friendly person, but ever since I saw you back in Miami, I haven’t been able to get you off my mind.”
“Really?”
“Really.” I answered, completely honest.
That got her to lift her head up from her arms, and really look at me.
“Really.” I repeated insistently with a smile on my face, I needed her to know I was telling the truth. I was rewarded when a brilliant smile lit up her eyes, a smile I knew that I was the cause of.
“You are so beautiful when you smile.” I said it almost absentmindedly, the way I would sometimes hear my Dad tell my Mom she was beautiful. The enormity of the implications of that errant thought would come back to haunt me, but in this moment, heavy traces of alcohol diminishing my brain-mouth filter, I didn’t care.
“Yeah?” she asked, equal parts bashful and flirty.
Nodding in earnest, I continued, ticking the items off on my fingers “So, now that we’ve established that you’re gorgeous, that we are flirting, and that apparently we’re both a bit of a creeper--” she had been nodding along, but now had a look of confusion on her face, so I explained, “We both basically stalked each other from Miami. And then when we run into each other here by some stroke of serendipity, neither of us actually admits this fact. Face it, we’re creepers.” I finished with a decisive bob of my head and a smile.
“I can deal with that,” she replied, leaning in closer, I could feel her breath on my lips she was so close, “As long as we can be creepers together.” She looked at me, intent obvious in her eyes, and that one damn eyebrow raised.
Swallowing hard at the blatantly sexual way she said that innocuous sentence, I continued, albeit slight more out of breath than before, hyper aware of our proximity to one another “As I was saying, now that everything is out in the open, I think that you should definitely tell me what it is you won when you beat me at pool, because the curiosity is basically agony. I don’t do well with being teased, at least, not when it comes to surprises like this,” I added not-so-innocently. If she wanted to play that game, then I was definitely in.
Now it was her turn to inhale sharply at my words, we were still so close that I felt the little whoosh of air past my cheek. Yeah, that’s right, I could give it as good as I got.
Composing herself, she murmured, “Like I said, that definitely requires more privacy than what we have here.” I knew I wasn’t imagining the way her eyes glanced down at my lips, and I certainly didn’t miss the way her tongue darted out to swipe across her own.
“Can I have a sneak peek? Just-a little hint?” My breathing had hitched when I felt a warm hand on my left knee, and my eyes fluttered closed for a moment involuntarily.
“I think we can definitely, definitely arrange that,” she smiled a little cheekily, looking at me from under long lashes, her bottom lip drawn gently between her teeth.
As if testing the waters, the hand on my knee slid up, ever so slightly, coming to rest mid-thigh.
I encouraged her, tracing my right hand down her arm, letting our fingers gently intertwine where they hung between us.
I watched her, and she watched me, both of us daring the other to make the first move.
As if there had been an unspoken signal, we both moved at once, coming together in a ghost of a kiss, our lips barely grazing.
That was all it took for a sudden rush of warmth to pool low in my stomach, and I let out what sounded pathetically close to a whimper. I felt, rather than saw, Callie smile, and press her lips fully against mine. I’d thought I was warm before, but that had nothing on this. The heat spreading through my entire body was like being in a fireplace, flames licking intermittently at my body.
I pulled her bottom lip gently between my own, parting our lips ever so slightly. I could honestly say I’d never been kissed like this before, never so softly yet so intensely. For the moment, there was no sense of urgency, just the calm caress of her lips against mine. Then she moaned, and all that self control went out the window.
My left hand clamped over the hand on my leg, which was now decidedly higher than mid-thigh, Callie’s fingertips fidgeting dangerously close to the top of my leg. My right traced back up her arm, coming to rest on her cheek, drawing her in closer as our lips parted, tentative tongues licking at unfamiliar lips.
It wasn’t awkward. Not at all. Which was weird in and of its self. It felt like we’d been doing this forever. I knew the right moment to tilt my head, and she knew the exact way to play her tongue against mine. This kiss wasn’t a fight for dominance; it was like the salsa, near-perfectly choreographed yet fiery and passionate, both partners knowing when to give and take.
When inhaling something more than carbon dioxide became a priority, I moved my lips to the brunette’s jaw line. My need to get my lips on Callie’s extremely lickable looking neck was interrupted, however, when I felt hands grasp the ones on my thigh and pull them apart; I felt as though a white-hot brand had just been removed from my skin, I could still feel the phantom heat where Callie’s hand had been.
“Okay, guys, I think you’ve given the room enough of a show,” Teddy said discreetly, “Not that it wasn’t hot, because it really was, I mean even I was getting turned on, and no offense intended Arizona, but you’re like a little sister to me so I’m a bit weirded out by the whole thing.”
She must still be drunk, I thought absently still staring with lust-glazed vision at Callie. On some level, I knew I was definitely still drunk, but my whole body felt alive and humming, drunk on the Latina in front of me.
“Okay, seriously?” My head was turned around against my will by a strong hand on my chin, “You guys actually have to stop. One, the bar is closing, I’ve seen James try and tell you guys this three times now, but it’s like you don’t hear him. B, Mark is drunk off his ass, and ran outside about five minutes ago, not looking great, so Callie, you might want to go and see him, make sure he’s alright. And three, I am really quite drunk, and need to go to bed, but I can’t remember where I put my room card, Arizona.” Her last bit came out something of a whine and I had to chuckle, because Drunk Teddy could swing between really sensible and incredibly child-like in the same breath.
“Fucking Mark,” Callie expelled a sharp breath.
“Teddy, you put your room key in your bra, remember? So that you wouldn’t lose it?” I sighed, knowing that my wonderfully amazing make-out session was done for the night. As much as I was absolutely loving getting my mack on with Callie, I knew if I didn’t get Teddy to bed soon, it wasn’t gonna be pretty, and my best friend had to come before the best kiss of my life. It seemed that Callie shared my philosophy, and despite looking pissed off, was going to get her friend.
“Okay,” I experimentally stood up from the stool, not sure that my legs would still support my weight. Turns out they did, although I did still sway a little and had to grab the bar for support; whether that was from the still-strong presence of alcohol in my blood stream, or the fact that all the blood had rushed from my head to a place decidedly south of my head I didn’t know. “So…” I started awkwardly, not sure what to say.
“I’ll, uh, just go wait at the stairs,” Okay, so the murder-y thoughts I’d had about my best friend when she interrupted us were possibly slightly unfounded, the girl knew when to make herself scarce.
Left alone, bar the last few people milling around, finishing off drinks and pool games, Callie and I looked at each other.
“Well, I guess I better go find Mark,” she started, and she sounded almost regretful, “The last time he was this drunk it was well, let’s go with ‘not good’, I have to go make sure he’s okay.”
“It’s fine, I completely understand. I need to get Teddy to bed anyway.” I smiled, letting her know I got it, our friends were more important. Neither of us seemed to know what to say, and for a few seconds we just smiled at each other, eyes darting around nervously; ironic, considering what had transpired not five minutes earlier.
Feeling bold, I stepped forward, but was careful to leave a decent inch or two between our bodies. I placed one hand gently on her cheek, before brushing my lips against hers in a chaste kiss.
“So, I’ll see you around?” I asked, and I really hope it didn’t sound as desperate as I thought it did.
“I certainly hope so,” she replied, “If not, I might become a bit of a creeper again. Plus, I still have a bet to collect on, and if that was anything to go by, I’m really gonna have to kick your ass at pool a few more times.” she smiled wickedly, lifting an eyebrow, taking a few steps backwards towards the door leading outside.
“About that… I totally let you win. Just so you know.” I announced smugly, as she turned towards the door.
“I totally beat you fair and square, but you know, whatever you need to tell yourself to make it okay,” she responded playfully without missing a beat, disappearing through the back door.
I couldn’t begrudge her getting the last word in. As with everything else, I found her cockiness super hot, and remembered that I still had a drunken Teddy waiting for me in the lobby.
“Finally!” She exclaimed from her leaning stance against the hand rail of the stairs.
“You’re wasted,” I stated almost fondly, I couldn’t wipe the smile off my face. “Let’s get you to bed, babe.” I looped her arm over my shoulder and started up the stairs slowly.
“Thanks,” she slurred happily, “You always take care of me. Even if it means stopping kissing the girl you’re obsessed with.” I knew this was her drunken, round-about way of saying that she loved me, and appreciated what I was doing for her.
“You’re welcome,” I responded absently, my mind had gone straight back to Callie with her words, and I was acutely aware of how turned on I was.
If I didn’t see her soon, I was definitely going to take up ‘creeping’ again.
Definitely not sure on this chapter, because it’s been written through writer’s block, and in way too many sittings. So if you liked it, I’d love to hear it. If you hated it, I won’t lie and say I’d love to hear it, but the feedback is important to me. I’m still working through whatever’s blocking me, but I’ll try my hardest not to leave it so long before another update.
Author: crazygorgeous13
Fandom: Grey's Anatomy
Pairing: Callie/Arizona
Rating: PG-13
Beta: Unbeta'd. All concrit welcome.
Summary: AU. Callie and Arizona meet on their breaks before college while backpacking through Europe. C/A for sure, and other characters will show up somewhere down the line.
Disclaimer: I do not own anything to do with Grey's Anatomy, nor do I make any money from this. I am just playing with Shonda's characters and will return them in almost new condition when I'm done.
A/N: I am SO sorry. I really, really didn’t intend to leave you guys hanging for so long. The reason this took so long was a combination of awful writers block (which I’m still suffering from), ideas for other pairings and fandoms that won’t leave my brain alone, the “finale fortnight” as I called it, a lack of time at home and even less on the computer, searching for a new job, Wicked, Pirates of the Caribbean, and the fact that I procrastinate and am very easily distracted by the internet and other people’s fanfic. I think I need a beta to a) bounce ideas off of, and b) kick my ass into gear. If anyone’s interested, send me a PM. This one goes out to those of you who sent me messages or left comments reminding me that there are people out there who are waiting ever so patiently for me to update. I really am sorry it took me so long.
This chapter doesn’t cover much in the way of time, but it does clear up a thing or two for our girls. I promise that eventually they will leave the hostel, and London for that fact, and go out in the real world.
Chapter 6: Cheatin' and Creepin'
Arizona.
I could have killed Mark. And Teddy.
I mean, I was drunk, so the murders may have been somewhat clumsy, and I’d definitely get arrested, but… Where was I? Oh yeah, I was going to kill my best friend.
It had started about two hours before, although I’d definitely lost track of time. I’d met her, the girl from the plane, from Miami. Callie, I said her name to myself, smiling. She and her friend Mark had met Robyn and Lily, and so had joined our conversation. When she smiled at me - the group, I mean - apologizing for something, I had to remind myself to keep breathing, and concentrated on keeping my mouth closed as I listened to her beautiful voice. And then she laughed, and I couldn’t help but smile.
I’ll admit, I was excited when she said she would be playing in the pool knock-out.
There was just something about watching Callie play pool that got me all kinds of hot. Maybe it was the way her body would lean over the table, which never failed to afford someone like me the best views. Maybe it was the look of concentration she got when she was lining up a shot, her brow crinkling adorably as she bit her full bottom lip, making me think about all the dirty things I wanted to do to her involving said lip. Or maybe it was the fact that now that we were playing one another, it was quickly becoming the dirtiest game of pool I'd ever played.
We weren't cheating or anything, not really, but we were definitely causing each other a fair amount of, shall we say, distraction. From the very start of the game, I was racking up the triangle, and then she'd gone and basically trapped me against the table with her body. I could feel her warm breath on my ear and neck, and I had to fight the urge to turn my head to the left and kiss her right then and there. Instead, I stopped racking and gripped the edge of the table to stop myself from touching her. Then we'd made our wager. I was so distracted by the feel of her body pressed up against mine and the feeling of her lips at my neck that I couldn't even think of a better bet. When she’d given hers, a cocky promise that she would win, it took all the strength I had not to pot the black then and there, desperate to let her win and have anything she wanted from me.
Despite it all, we were both pretty skilled, even with the large quantities of alcohol coursing through our systems, and we ended up both playing for the black, to win the game.
At this point, suffice it to say that I was drunk. And I’ll just be honest, horny. The taunting and teasing we had engaged in during the game had definitely gotten me all hot and bothered in a way that was only compounded by the alcohol.
Studying the table, I knew, drunk or not, that I’d be able to hit this shot and win the game. The funny thing was, that usually super-competitive voice inside of me had taken a back-seat to the one inside of me telling me to give in to Callie. Knowing I was going to throw this game, I still had to put up appearances.
“Alright. Top corner.” I called, knowing it’d be harder to fuck up this shot than it would be to make it.
“Let’s see what you’ve got, Ar-zona.” She slurred a little on my name betraying her own inebriation.
I lined up, trying to make the next shot for Callie as easy as possible, settling the black a couple inches from a pocket. I looked up at her, letting a bit of nervousness cross my face. It wasn’t entirely faked either, as much as I wanted her, I was still just that teensy bit reserved about the whole thing. I could feel myself falling hard for this girl, and that was scaring the shit out of me.
“Centre pocket,” she called, and damn it if her slight smugness wasn’t super hot.
She lined up the shot, hitting the ball straight into the pocket, winning the game. It wasn’t until the cheers and clapping erupted that I was suddenly very aware of the room around me. For so long now, I’d been in my “Me and Callie” bubble, and I found that now I was reluctant to leave it.
Nevertheless, the bubble had been popped, and now I was unabashedly watching Callie collect her drinks card from the bar, and walked (with only a little bit of a drunken sway, I might add) to join her at the bar. When I got there, there were two shots of tequila sitting on the bar, with a salt shaker and two slices of lemon.
Making sure to infuse my voice with as much suggestiveness as possible, “So… Since you won, I guess I’ll have to do what you tell me.”
Luckily I’d gotten that out before she ran her tongue over the back of her hand, because in that moment, my mouth went dry; the only thing I could think about was that tongue on my hand, and lips, and other parts of my anatomy. Wordlessly, she handed me the salt shaker, having sprinkled some over her own moistened flesh. I mimicked her actions, watching her eyes as they tracked the progress of my own tongue.
“A shot of Tequila? That’s what I have to do?” I asked in response to the shot she placed in front of me. I was a bit disappointed, I had thought we were most definitely on the same page.
“The tequila’s just a celebratory drink between the two finalists of the pool tourney.” She responded, making my body flush with heat again, anticipation building once more.
After taking the shot, barely even feeling the usual burn, “So, Callie.” I leaned in, “What exactly am I doing for you?” Again, I didn’t try and hide the seductive tone of my voice; sure to make her know that I was game for anything.
“For that,” She murmured, “We’ll definitely have to go somewhere more private.”
My pulse was racing, in an entirely good way; in anticipation, in lust and want. “Where’d you have in mind?” I asked.
“Well, I was thinking -umph!” Mark had slung his arm somewhat forcefully over Callie’s shoulders. Mark. Her boyfriend. Who I heard her say she loves.
And just like that, reality came flooding back to me, momentarily forcing the effects of alcohol from my system, my mind sharpening for just long enough to realize what was happening. What are you doing Arizona? She’s in a relationship. And she’s straight. The last part came out as somewhat of an afterthought, it wouldn’t be the first time I’d converted a straight girl. The fact that she was in a relationship though, that was important. I couldn’t be that person, the one that gets in between a couple. Not again, anyway, that annoying voice inside of me whispered.
“What do you want, Mark?” Callie shot me an apologetic look, followed it with a slight eye-roll and shrug towards Mark. Despite everything, the actions made me smile.
“Actually,” He huffed, and I could smell the Jaeger and Tequila from a foot away, “I wanted to talk to Blondie here!” I leaned back, causing his finger to narrowly miss poking me in the face.
“Me?” The surprise was completely genuine, what could he possibly want with me? Probably wants to tell me to stop flirting with his girlfriend, I thought, I’ll stop if she does.
“Huh?” They were both looking at me with questioning expressions on their faces; it was Mark who’d spoken.
Realizing I had actually voiced my last thought, I was never more thankful for the fact that we were all drunk; it made derailing trains of thought so much easier. “What?”
“Hmm?” Mark was looking even more puzzled,
“Hey?” I was even getting confused now.
“O-kaaay…” Callie had apparently had enough, “Mark. What did you want? You said you needed Arizona.”
“Oh! Yeah. I just wanted to ask you-” Here it comes, I thought, and started running through what I was going to say to defend my actions, “Is Teddy single?”
“What?” It was so far from what I’d thought he was going to say that I had no response. All I could think was that Callie seemed unperturbed by his question.
“Huh?” Was his eloquent response.
“Oh, no. We’re not starting that again, are we?” Callie asked in trepidation.
“No.” I was quick to allay her fears, “That just wasn’t-Anyway. In answer to your question, Mark, yes, she is single.” I had to indulge my curiosity for just a second, “Why do you wanna know?”
“Mark wants to know because he doesn’t like getting in the middle of couples,” Amen to that, I thought, “Not since that time you got yourself punched in the face by Derek!” They both started laughing at some shared memory. I couldn’t help but feel really weird to be witnessing this conversation.
“Um… OK. But, uh, yeah, she’s single.”
“Sweet! Don’t wait up, Cal!” He straightened up (as much as he could in his state, anyway) clapped Callie and I on the back, and then strode off towards Teddy, who seemed to be in a comfortable conversation with Lily.
I just couldn’t understand how she could sit here and pretend like it didn’t matter that Mark was about to go hit on another woman. Not that she herself was all that innocent, no amount of alcohol could make me imagine the intensity of the way she had been blatantly flirting with me all night.
Blame it on the alcohol, but I couldn’t contain the next words out of my mouth, “You’re OK with that?” I jerked my head to the right, towards Mark who had now joined Teddy and Lily.
She looked really puzzled, “Yeah… Of course I am. Wait, are you alright with it? I know Mark isn’t looking for anything serious, but he won’t hide that fact from Teddy…”
Now it was my turn to try and wipe the bewilderment off my face, “Wow… So… But-You guys-” as Callie just took another sip of her drink, I gave up, “I’ve never met a couple in an open relationship before!”
Callie had a blank expression on her face for a second, and then she clapped her hand over her mouth, her eyes wide; she was coughing and spluttering, her hand not quite catching all the liquid that had been expelled from her mouth. I started clapping her gently on the back, apologizing profusely, “I’m so, so sorry, I didn’t mean to upset you. I just-I dunno, you weren’t hiding it so I thought you were open about it. I’m sorry, just- pretend I didn’t say anything.”
Finally catching her breath for a second, I realized that Callie wasn’t angry, the way her body was shaking wasn’t from being upset, she was laughing; laughing so hard that tears were rolling down her face. It was contagious, soon enough I was giggling along with her, although I still had no idea what was so funny and I asked her as much.
When she finally straightened up, she answered, “Oh, my god, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to laugh quite so hard. It’s just-oh, the idea of me and Mark being a couple! That’s just hilarious to me. He’s my best friend, kind of like the big brother I never had.”
So they’re not a couple! Internal Arizona started doing a super happy, if incredibly nerdy, dance in my head. Suddenly the way we’d been teasing each other all night became much more serious. Before I knew, I’d gone along with the flirting because, well, it was just nice to feel wanted. Plus, you know, she’s super hot, and I wanted to flirt with a beautiful girl. This beautiful girl.
“Wait, you thought me and Mark were together? Like, together-together? Dating?” she asked, as if the notion had really just sunk in.
“Um… yeah?” I hadn’t intended for it to come out as a question, but I was a bit nervous now, and the alcohol was starting to slowly trickle from my system.
“Oh… OK.” She seemed a bit disappointed. There was a moment of awkward silence, and then, “I thought that you realized… Never mind. So!” She plastered a bright, and even I could see, fake, smile on her face, and looked up, searching around for a new topic.
“Sorry, thought I realized….” I led her, needing to know what she was going to say. All traces of the flirty banter we’d been engaged in a few minutes ago were gone, and I couldn’t explain the sudden shift.
“IthghtyorelisdIwsflrtnwtyou,” she expelled in a rush.
“I got none of that, except the ‘you’ at the end,” I confessed with a smile.
She took a deep breath, apparently steeling herself to say the slower version, “I thought-I thought you realized I was flirting with you, OK? And that you were flirting back. But of course now I realize I’ve actually been a complete idiot, because you know, you thought I was in a relationship, and obviously you’re just a really friendly person, and you probably don’t even remember me from the flight, and I’m just really drunk and stupid-“ She seemed to run out of steam, dropping her head onto her arms, a muffled “Fuck!” coming from the direction of the bar top.
I couldn’t help the smile that slowly spread across my mouth, replacing the look of confusion I’d been wearing.
“You’re not stupid,” I said, leaning down close to her ear, close enough to feel a few loose strands of raven hair tickle my nose, “I knew you were flirting with me.” I stated.
“You did?” came the timid response.
“Of course I did,” I said matter-of-factly, leaning back slightly, “You weren’t exactly subtle about it, Callie. And I was totally flirting back. I mean, yes, I am a naturally friendly person, but ever since I saw you back in Miami, I haven’t been able to get you off my mind.”
“Really?”
“Really.” I answered, completely honest.
That got her to lift her head up from her arms, and really look at me.
“Really.” I repeated insistently with a smile on my face, I needed her to know I was telling the truth. I was rewarded when a brilliant smile lit up her eyes, a smile I knew that I was the cause of.
“You are so beautiful when you smile.” I said it almost absentmindedly, the way I would sometimes hear my Dad tell my Mom she was beautiful. The enormity of the implications of that errant thought would come back to haunt me, but in this moment, heavy traces of alcohol diminishing my brain-mouth filter, I didn’t care.
“Yeah?” she asked, equal parts bashful and flirty.
Nodding in earnest, I continued, ticking the items off on my fingers “So, now that we’ve established that you’re gorgeous, that we are flirting, and that apparently we’re both a bit of a creeper--” she had been nodding along, but now had a look of confusion on her face, so I explained, “We both basically stalked each other from Miami. And then when we run into each other here by some stroke of serendipity, neither of us actually admits this fact. Face it, we’re creepers.” I finished with a decisive bob of my head and a smile.
“I can deal with that,” she replied, leaning in closer, I could feel her breath on my lips she was so close, “As long as we can be creepers together.” She looked at me, intent obvious in her eyes, and that one damn eyebrow raised.
Swallowing hard at the blatantly sexual way she said that innocuous sentence, I continued, albeit slight more out of breath than before, hyper aware of our proximity to one another “As I was saying, now that everything is out in the open, I think that you should definitely tell me what it is you won when you beat me at pool, because the curiosity is basically agony. I don’t do well with being teased, at least, not when it comes to surprises like this,” I added not-so-innocently. If she wanted to play that game, then I was definitely in.
Now it was her turn to inhale sharply at my words, we were still so close that I felt the little whoosh of air past my cheek. Yeah, that’s right, I could give it as good as I got.
Composing herself, she murmured, “Like I said, that definitely requires more privacy than what we have here.” I knew I wasn’t imagining the way her eyes glanced down at my lips, and I certainly didn’t miss the way her tongue darted out to swipe across her own.
“Can I have a sneak peek? Just-a little hint?” My breathing had hitched when I felt a warm hand on my left knee, and my eyes fluttered closed for a moment involuntarily.
“I think we can definitely, definitely arrange that,” she smiled a little cheekily, looking at me from under long lashes, her bottom lip drawn gently between her teeth.
As if testing the waters, the hand on my knee slid up, ever so slightly, coming to rest mid-thigh.
I encouraged her, tracing my right hand down her arm, letting our fingers gently intertwine where they hung between us.
I watched her, and she watched me, both of us daring the other to make the first move.
As if there had been an unspoken signal, we both moved at once, coming together in a ghost of a kiss, our lips barely grazing.
That was all it took for a sudden rush of warmth to pool low in my stomach, and I let out what sounded pathetically close to a whimper. I felt, rather than saw, Callie smile, and press her lips fully against mine. I’d thought I was warm before, but that had nothing on this. The heat spreading through my entire body was like being in a fireplace, flames licking intermittently at my body.
I pulled her bottom lip gently between my own, parting our lips ever so slightly. I could honestly say I’d never been kissed like this before, never so softly yet so intensely. For the moment, there was no sense of urgency, just the calm caress of her lips against mine. Then she moaned, and all that self control went out the window.
My left hand clamped over the hand on my leg, which was now decidedly higher than mid-thigh, Callie’s fingertips fidgeting dangerously close to the top of my leg. My right traced back up her arm, coming to rest on her cheek, drawing her in closer as our lips parted, tentative tongues licking at unfamiliar lips.
It wasn’t awkward. Not at all. Which was weird in and of its self. It felt like we’d been doing this forever. I knew the right moment to tilt my head, and she knew the exact way to play her tongue against mine. This kiss wasn’t a fight for dominance; it was like the salsa, near-perfectly choreographed yet fiery and passionate, both partners knowing when to give and take.
When inhaling something more than carbon dioxide became a priority, I moved my lips to the brunette’s jaw line. My need to get my lips on Callie’s extremely lickable looking neck was interrupted, however, when I felt hands grasp the ones on my thigh and pull them apart; I felt as though a white-hot brand had just been removed from my skin, I could still feel the phantom heat where Callie’s hand had been.
“Okay, guys, I think you’ve given the room enough of a show,” Teddy said discreetly, “Not that it wasn’t hot, because it really was, I mean even I was getting turned on, and no offense intended Arizona, but you’re like a little sister to me so I’m a bit weirded out by the whole thing.”
She must still be drunk, I thought absently still staring with lust-glazed vision at Callie. On some level, I knew I was definitely still drunk, but my whole body felt alive and humming, drunk on the Latina in front of me.
“Okay, seriously?” My head was turned around against my will by a strong hand on my chin, “You guys actually have to stop. One, the bar is closing, I’ve seen James try and tell you guys this three times now, but it’s like you don’t hear him. B, Mark is drunk off his ass, and ran outside about five minutes ago, not looking great, so Callie, you might want to go and see him, make sure he’s alright. And three, I am really quite drunk, and need to go to bed, but I can’t remember where I put my room card, Arizona.” Her last bit came out something of a whine and I had to chuckle, because Drunk Teddy could swing between really sensible and incredibly child-like in the same breath.
“Fucking Mark,” Callie expelled a sharp breath.
“Teddy, you put your room key in your bra, remember? So that you wouldn’t lose it?” I sighed, knowing that my wonderfully amazing make-out session was done for the night. As much as I was absolutely loving getting my mack on with Callie, I knew if I didn’t get Teddy to bed soon, it wasn’t gonna be pretty, and my best friend had to come before the best kiss of my life. It seemed that Callie shared my philosophy, and despite looking pissed off, was going to get her friend.
“Okay,” I experimentally stood up from the stool, not sure that my legs would still support my weight. Turns out they did, although I did still sway a little and had to grab the bar for support; whether that was from the still-strong presence of alcohol in my blood stream, or the fact that all the blood had rushed from my head to a place decidedly south of my head I didn’t know. “So…” I started awkwardly, not sure what to say.
“I’ll, uh, just go wait at the stairs,” Okay, so the murder-y thoughts I’d had about my best friend when she interrupted us were possibly slightly unfounded, the girl knew when to make herself scarce.
Left alone, bar the last few people milling around, finishing off drinks and pool games, Callie and I looked at each other.
“Well, I guess I better go find Mark,” she started, and she sounded almost regretful, “The last time he was this drunk it was well, let’s go with ‘not good’, I have to go make sure he’s okay.”
“It’s fine, I completely understand. I need to get Teddy to bed anyway.” I smiled, letting her know I got it, our friends were more important. Neither of us seemed to know what to say, and for a few seconds we just smiled at each other, eyes darting around nervously; ironic, considering what had transpired not five minutes earlier.
Feeling bold, I stepped forward, but was careful to leave a decent inch or two between our bodies. I placed one hand gently on her cheek, before brushing my lips against hers in a chaste kiss.
“So, I’ll see you around?” I asked, and I really hope it didn’t sound as desperate as I thought it did.
“I certainly hope so,” she replied, “If not, I might become a bit of a creeper again. Plus, I still have a bet to collect on, and if that was anything to go by, I’m really gonna have to kick your ass at pool a few more times.” she smiled wickedly, lifting an eyebrow, taking a few steps backwards towards the door leading outside.
“About that… I totally let you win. Just so you know.” I announced smugly, as she turned towards the door.
“I totally beat you fair and square, but you know, whatever you need to tell yourself to make it okay,” she responded playfully without missing a beat, disappearing through the back door.
I couldn’t begrudge her getting the last word in. As with everything else, I found her cockiness super hot, and remembered that I still had a drunken Teddy waiting for me in the lobby.
“Finally!” She exclaimed from her leaning stance against the hand rail of the stairs.
“You’re wasted,” I stated almost fondly, I couldn’t wipe the smile off my face. “Let’s get you to bed, babe.” I looped her arm over my shoulder and started up the stairs slowly.
“Thanks,” she slurred happily, “You always take care of me. Even if it means stopping kissing the girl you’re obsessed with.” I knew this was her drunken, round-about way of saying that she loved me, and appreciated what I was doing for her.
“You’re welcome,” I responded absently, my mind had gone straight back to Callie with her words, and I was acutely aware of how turned on I was.
If I didn’t see her soon, I was definitely going to take up ‘creeping’ again.
Definitely not sure on this chapter, because it’s been written through writer’s block, and in way too many sittings. So if you liked it, I’d love to hear it. If you hated it, I won’t lie and say I’d love to hear it, but the feedback is important to me. I’m still working through whatever’s blocking me, but I’ll try my hardest not to leave it so long before another update.