Challenge 565: Modern Family (4 Drabbles)
Title: The Girl at the Trade Show
Author: Coco | madampresident | grrriliketigers on AO3
Fandom: Modern Family| Claire/Gloria
Prompt: 565 - Travel
Word Count: 250, 250, 250, 150
Summary: Claire goes with Gloria to a trade show.
“Hey Claire.”
“Hey dad…” Claire sat up straighter in her chair. “What’s up?”
Jay sat down across from his daughter. “Hard to get used to being on this side of the desk.” He chuckled. “Are these chairs smaller than before?”
“They’re the same chairs. They’re always the same chairs.” Claire bit back a sigh.
“Because they seem smaller.”
“Dad.”
“Right, right. Gloria’s going to a trade show this weekend with her sauce but I’ve got a tee time at the club…”
“And you can’t reschedule?”
I’ve been waiting months to beat the pants off Earl Chambers.”
“And this involves me, how?” Claire furrowed her brow.
“I need you to go with Gloria. For moral support. I’d ask Cam but he’s doing football clinics all weekend.”
“I don’t know, dad, a weekend alone with Gloria…” Claire sighed.
“You’d be doing me a huge favor.”
“If I do it, it’s for Gloria.” Claire interjected. “Did you ask her if she minded if I go?”
“Yeah!” He said, his voice rising in pitch.
“So, you didn’t ask her.” Claire smirked.
“You two have been getting along so great.” Jay insisted. “And you’re… well, you’re a little terrible at mingling, but you being with her can highlight how good Gloria is at it. Do some networking and then have a little girl’s weekend.”
“Daaaad.” Claire whined.
“I’ll go home right now and square it away with Gloria. She’ll say yes. You’ll have a great time.” He stood up. “It’s settled. Pack your bags, kiddo.”
**
“Jay said you weren’t enthusiastic about coming with me.” Gloria said after a couple hours of nearly-silent car ride.
“It just…” Claire sighed. “It feels more like an affair if we travel somewhere together.”
Gloria laughed. “And it didn’t feel like an affair when you fucked me in my walk-in closet? Or in the backseat of your car? Or the bathroom during Cam and Mitchell’s anniversary party? Or-“
“I get it.” Claire held up her hands. “You don’t need to recount every place we’ve ever had sex.”
“So, you did want to come with me?” Gloria grinned.
“Are you kidding?” Claire smiled. “Of course I did. A whole weekend with you? Sex in a bed? No fear of someone walking in… I’d actually get to take my time with you…”
Gloria mmed softly as Claire’s hand slid over her thigh. She shifted slightly, hands gripping the steering wheel, Claire’s hand quested further, slipping beneath the hem of Gloria’s tight dress.
Gloria flipped on the turn signal and pulled off to a rest area, Claire’s mischievous fingers still winding their way north. She opted for a space far away from the small cluster of cars.
“You’re not wearing any underwear.” Claire purred as Gloria lowered the driver’s seat. Claire’s fingers teased Gloria’s clit and Gloria whimpered.
“So, does it feel more or less like an affair when you’re fingering me at a rest area?” Gloria bit her lip.
“Shut up.” Claire teased, capturing her lips and slipping her fingers into Gloria.
**
Claire walked up to the table where Gloria was already seated. Gloria smiled widely. “Claire, you look fantastic.” She stood and leaned in to kiss her.
“You’re not so bad yourself.” Claire murmured against her lips before taking her seat.
“The waiter came by and I ordered you a Chardonnay.” Gloria pushed the wine glass a little closer to the blonde.
“Thank you.” Claire picked up the glass and sipped it. She laid her hand down on the table and Gloria threaded her fingers with Claire’s.
Claire held up her glass. “To an excellent day of sauce peddling.” She teased.
Gloria clinked her glass. “To the best peddling partner a girl could ask for.”
They sipped their wine and fell into a comfortable silence, still holding hands. They didn’t separate until the waiter brought their salads- and they reluctantly released each other.
Claire was surprised that the unhurried sex- though amazing- wasn’t the highlight of the trip. Rather, the little things she took for granted: kissing or touching in public, having a romantic dinner, or not having to be back by a certain time.
Claire felt a pang of sadness when she realized that there was an end date. They were driving back the next day.
“Are you okay?”
She looked up at Gloria and smiled wanly. “I am. I’m just happy.”
“You don’t look happy.”
“I just realized it ends tomorrow.”
“But we don’t end tomorrow.” Gloria took Claire’s hand again. “Te amo, Claire.”
“Te amo tambièn.” Claire grinned.
**
“I’ll go get the car.” Gloria said, her hand brushing Claire’s lower back as she passed.
After finishing check-out, Claire took the bags out to the curb to wait for Gloria.
“You and your wife are so cute.” A woman beside Claire said. Claire started. “Didn’t mean to startle you. Was that a weird thing to say?”
“Why do you assume we’re married?” Claire furrowed her brow.
“Well, you both wear wedding rings.”
“Oh, right.” Claire smiled tightly, trying to appear calm.
“And we saw you at dinner. It’s just so nice to see people so in love.” The woman continued unabaited. “Are you newlyweds?”
Claire nodded helplessly.
Gloria pulled up to the curb. Claire picked up both suitcases and carried them to the car quickly.
“Congratulations!” The woman smiled, waving as Gloria pulled away.
“What was that about?” Gloria laughed.
“I’ll explain later.” Claire sunk down in her seat.
Author: Coco | madampresident | grrriliketigers on AO3
Fandom: Modern Family| Claire/Gloria
Prompt: 565 - Travel
Word Count: 250, 250, 250, 150
Summary: Claire goes with Gloria to a trade show.
“Hey Claire.”
“Hey dad…” Claire sat up straighter in her chair. “What’s up?”
Jay sat down across from his daughter. “Hard to get used to being on this side of the desk.” He chuckled. “Are these chairs smaller than before?”
“They’re the same chairs. They’re always the same chairs.” Claire bit back a sigh.
“Because they seem smaller.”
“Dad.”
“Right, right. Gloria’s going to a trade show this weekend with her sauce but I’ve got a tee time at the club…”
“And you can’t reschedule?”
I’ve been waiting months to beat the pants off Earl Chambers.”
“And this involves me, how?” Claire furrowed her brow.
“I need you to go with Gloria. For moral support. I’d ask Cam but he’s doing football clinics all weekend.”
“I don’t know, dad, a weekend alone with Gloria…” Claire sighed.
“You’d be doing me a huge favor.”
“If I do it, it’s for Gloria.” Claire interjected. “Did you ask her if she minded if I go?”
“Yeah!” He said, his voice rising in pitch.
“So, you didn’t ask her.” Claire smirked.
“You two have been getting along so great.” Jay insisted. “And you’re… well, you’re a little terrible at mingling, but you being with her can highlight how good Gloria is at it. Do some networking and then have a little girl’s weekend.”
“Daaaad.” Claire whined.
“I’ll go home right now and square it away with Gloria. She’ll say yes. You’ll have a great time.” He stood up. “It’s settled. Pack your bags, kiddo.”
**
“Jay said you weren’t enthusiastic about coming with me.” Gloria said after a couple hours of nearly-silent car ride.
“It just…” Claire sighed. “It feels more like an affair if we travel somewhere together.”
Gloria laughed. “And it didn’t feel like an affair when you fucked me in my walk-in closet? Or in the backseat of your car? Or the bathroom during Cam and Mitchell’s anniversary party? Or-“
“I get it.” Claire held up her hands. “You don’t need to recount every place we’ve ever had sex.”
“So, you did want to come with me?” Gloria grinned.
“Are you kidding?” Claire smiled. “Of course I did. A whole weekend with you? Sex in a bed? No fear of someone walking in… I’d actually get to take my time with you…”
Gloria mmed softly as Claire’s hand slid over her thigh. She shifted slightly, hands gripping the steering wheel, Claire’s hand quested further, slipping beneath the hem of Gloria’s tight dress.
Gloria flipped on the turn signal and pulled off to a rest area, Claire’s mischievous fingers still winding their way north. She opted for a space far away from the small cluster of cars.
“You’re not wearing any underwear.” Claire purred as Gloria lowered the driver’s seat. Claire’s fingers teased Gloria’s clit and Gloria whimpered.
“So, does it feel more or less like an affair when you’re fingering me at a rest area?” Gloria bit her lip.
“Shut up.” Claire teased, capturing her lips and slipping her fingers into Gloria.
**
Claire walked up to the table where Gloria was already seated. Gloria smiled widely. “Claire, you look fantastic.” She stood and leaned in to kiss her.
“You’re not so bad yourself.” Claire murmured against her lips before taking her seat.
“The waiter came by and I ordered you a Chardonnay.” Gloria pushed the wine glass a little closer to the blonde.
“Thank you.” Claire picked up the glass and sipped it. She laid her hand down on the table and Gloria threaded her fingers with Claire’s.
Claire held up her glass. “To an excellent day of sauce peddling.” She teased.
Gloria clinked her glass. “To the best peddling partner a girl could ask for.”
They sipped their wine and fell into a comfortable silence, still holding hands. They didn’t separate until the waiter brought their salads- and they reluctantly released each other.
Claire was surprised that the unhurried sex- though amazing- wasn’t the highlight of the trip. Rather, the little things she took for granted: kissing or touching in public, having a romantic dinner, or not having to be back by a certain time.
Claire felt a pang of sadness when she realized that there was an end date. They were driving back the next day.
“Are you okay?”
She looked up at Gloria and smiled wanly. “I am. I’m just happy.”
“You don’t look happy.”
“I just realized it ends tomorrow.”
“But we don’t end tomorrow.” Gloria took Claire’s hand again. “Te amo, Claire.”
“Te amo tambièn.” Claire grinned.
**
“I’ll go get the car.” Gloria said, her hand brushing Claire’s lower back as she passed.
After finishing check-out, Claire took the bags out to the curb to wait for Gloria.
“You and your wife are so cute.” A woman beside Claire said. Claire started. “Didn’t mean to startle you. Was that a weird thing to say?”
“Why do you assume we’re married?” Claire furrowed her brow.
“Well, you both wear wedding rings.”
“Oh, right.” Claire smiled tightly, trying to appear calm.
“And we saw you at dinner. It’s just so nice to see people so in love.” The woman continued unabaited. “Are you newlyweds?”
Claire nodded helplessly.
Gloria pulled up to the curb. Claire picked up both suitcases and carried them to the car quickly.
“Congratulations!” The woman smiled, waving as Gloria pulled away.
“What was that about?” Gloria laughed.
“I’ll explain later.” Claire sunk down in her seat.