Okay, just so everyone knows...
I'm not going to be around for much of Labor Day weekend, as I have to help my grandparents at their booth at The Woodstock Fair (in Connecticut) as I do every year. I do find it unlikely, though, that the next chapter of Pantheon will be quite as delayed as the most current one was. *winks*
As it happens, though, it seems that the muse returned from her walkabout with a new plot-bunny, so - for those that may actually care - I give you the sequel to my She's The Man fic Christmas Wishes, Resolutions.
Title: Resolutions
Fandom: She's The Man
Pairing: Olivia/Viola
Rating: PG-13, at least
Author's Note: Sequel to Christmas Wishes
________________________________________________________________________
Viola Hastings had never considered herself an especially complicated person. Her life had been simple, once, and she'd liked it that way.
Go to school. Play soccer. Learn things. Play soccer. Hang out with friends. Play soccer. Go on dates with boyfriend. Make out with said boyfriend. Maybe even play some soccer with the boyfriend.
Nothing seemed simple, anymore.
Oh, she still did all of those things - some more then others, as soccer wasn't really a winter sport - but she'd often find herself getting distracted, with her mind wandering places she really didn't care for it to go.
It was largely her own fault, too. If she'd found another way to deal with her problems at her old school instead of cross-dressing and impersonating her twin brother in order to get a spot among her old team's rivals, none of this would be happening, now. She usually shrugged it all off, since doing so had brought her a number of new friends and Duke, but... Sometimes, she felt like she was going insane.
And she could pinpoint the exact moment when everything had become so screwed up, when she'd lost her mind.
It felt like it had been months since IT had happened, but it had only been about a week.
Seven days ago, at her mother's Christmas party, she'd ended up under the mistletoe with Olivia Lennox, who hadn't much seemed to mind, and what was supposed to have been a simple kiss between friends had turned into a full-blown makeout session that might have gone on longer - or farther - had Paul not interrupted them to tell her that Duke was looking for her.
Duke, who had fled from her mind, along with everything that didn't involve Olivia's lips.
Duke, who she'd brought to the New Year's party to try and make it up to him, even though he didn't know anything was wrong.
Duke, who had disappeared in the course of getting a drink, though she thought she'd seen him talking with some of his friends once since then.
Duke, whom she loved.
Duke, who was *supposed* to be the one she kissed at midnight, even though he'd shyly assured her that he wasn't going to insist on holding her to such a silly tradition.
She'd resolved to spend more time with him in the new year, and that she would not let herself keep splitting her attention the way she was. She was gonna be a one-person girl.
That she couldn't say one-man girl, even just in her head, should have told her things wouldn't be quite so simple.
***********************************
The balcony was deserted when she slipped out there to get some fresh air and clear her head, which was just fine by her. She breathed in the cold, crisp air and stared up at the stars. Why, she wondered. WHY couldn't things be simple, anymore?
It's called growing up, her brain informed her almost smugly. There was nothing to do but deal with it.
She knew what the *real* reason was, though.
"I thought I saw you come out here."
The real reason was standing behind her, sliding the glass door closed again, cutting down the noise of the party.
"Hey, Olivia," she said, not turning around or looking away from the sky.
Footsteps came closer. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah," she said, fighting down a shiver that she sternly told herself came from the cold. She'd left her coat inside, after all. "Just needed some air."
A soft chuckle. "I know what you mean. I thought I might actually scream if Malcolm asked me to kiss him at midnight one more time."
"You shouldn't encourage him so much, then. Tell him to get lost."
"I did."
That actually made her turn around, and she instantly wished she hadn't. Olivia looked... No, no, she'd made a resolution. Ignoring the voice in the back of her mind that insisted it wasn't the new year yet, she said, "Well, it's about time, if you don't mind me saying."
"I actually have before, he just... keeps coming back. Like a roach." Viola smiled faintly, and it collapsed as Olivia drifted by her to grasp the railing, staring out into the night. "You might want to get inside, though. I don't think you've got even a minute left before the clock hits twelve, so you'll have to find Duke fast."
Viola hesitated, then admitted, "We're not doing that."
Olivia turned to look at her sharply. "Is everything okay?" A flicker of what might have been guilt passed through her eyes.
"Yeah, it's just... Well, you know how much he *loves* being put on the spot." They shared a fond smile. "I don't think he wants to be gawked at just for kissing his girlfriend. And besides, it's just a silly tradition. I mean, it's just like kissing under the m-" She broke off as she realized what she'd been about to say, face flushing. Olivia looked down and away, leading Viola to wonder if THAT hadn't been why Olivia had come to find her right then.
From inside, they could dimly hear the crowd shouting, "TEN, NINE, EIGHT..."
Looking a little embarrassed, Olivia shifted uncomfortably, then started to head for the door. "I should probably get in there, before someone comes looking for me."
"FIVE, FOUR, THREE..."
Viola didn't even think. She had no idea why she did it, as she'd been handed a perfect out to the awkward situation she'd found herself in, but she grabbed Olivia's arm, stopping her before she'd gotten more then a foot. Olivia looked at her, startled.
"TWO, ONE... HAPPY NEW YEAR!"
Having no clue why she was doing it, Viola impulsively kissed Olivia.
And, oh, God, has she missed those lips. Not breaking away, she pulled Olivia off to the side, out of sight of anyone who might be looking outside. She felt her back press against the side of the house but ignored it, the chill that came through the thin fabric of her dress no match for the increasing heat of the kiss.
This was insane. She knew it was insane. She had a boyfriend that she loved, she'd made resolutions... But she also knew that of everyone she'd ever dated, no one had ever kissed her like THIS before. She knew it couldn't continue. She knew she really should put a stop to this.
Then she knew that Olivia's hands were drifting to places that no one but her had ever touched... and something between her brain and her body was blocking the increasingly urgent message to stop her.
Boyfriends had attempted to fondle her before, but she'd never been... caressed before, in such a loving fashion that she couldn't even make herself *want* it to stop.
Independent of her will, her hands reached up under the back of Olivia's shirt, as if to search for her bra strap. What she might have done once she'd found it, she had no idea, and would never know, because there wasn't one there.
It took a minute for it to sink into her distracted brain just what that meant.
The words 'OH MY GOD OH MY GOD OH MY GOD' streamed through her head on some kind of loop, only broken when Olivia unbuttoned and removed her shirt, derailing all trains of thought.
Was this really happening? Part of her mind, once it started back up, pointed out that it really was too cold out for such things. Another knew that if they did stop to try and find an empty bedroom inside she'd chicken out, and that maybe that was for the best.
Most of her brain, though, was stuck on the fact that she was having the most intense make-out session of her life with the hottest woman she'd ever seen (when she'd started caring about that, she had no idea), who was topless, and really, shouldn't she do something with that fact?
And somehow, she doubted it was JUST the cold that was making Olivia's nipples jut out like that. Still, though, she decided she should probably try and warm them up.
Olivia moaned the second Viola's hands placed themselves on her breasts, and Viola knew her fate was sealed. After that sound, there was no way she would be able to stop what was happening, no matter what happened. She made an encouraging sound when she felt Olivia unzipping her dress.
Standing there against the wall, out of sight of the party raging inside, they made love.
***********************************
"That was incredible," Viola sighed. The party was dying down by that point, which meant she'd have to go find Duke soon.
"I know." Olivia had finished getting dressed again by then, and was standing near the railing with her arms around Viola while the latter looked up at the stars.
"I've never, uh..."
"Neither have I."
"I mean... at all."
"And I repeat... neither have I."
Unbidden, a smile started forming on Viola's face. "You could have fooled me."
"Likewise."
She sighed, and the smile collapsed. "So, what happens now?"
"What do you want to happen?"
She heaved a much more frustrated sigh. "I don't know! I mean... I just massively cheated on my boyfriend - with another woman, no less! - but if I had it all to do over again... I don't think I'd change a single thing." She paused. "Except maybe move us somewhere warmer. I think I may have frostbite in places that should NEVER get that cold."
Olivia chuckled at that last comment, then shook her head. "You love him?"
"I... Yes, I think so."
Much quieter, "And how do you feel about me?"
A long pause. "I think I just showed you."
Olivia sighed, letting her go and taking a step back. Viola missed the warmth immediately. "I don't want to be the other woman. When you've made up your mind, one way or another... You know where to find me. In the meantime... I hope we can still be friends."
Viola turned to look at her, fighting down a half-formed urge to cry. "I will ALWAYS be your friend," she insisted with the utmost sincerity.
Olivia smiled at her, gave her a quick hug, and rushed inside to find somewhere to clean up, most of the remaining partygoers too drunk to notice how disheveled she was.
Viola shook her head sadly, sighed, and followed her in, looking around for her boyfriend.
She really missed 'simple'.
~Fin~
As it happens, though, it seems that the muse returned from her walkabout with a new plot-bunny, so - for those that may actually care - I give you the sequel to my She's The Man fic Christmas Wishes, Resolutions.
Title: Resolutions
Fandom: She's The Man
Pairing: Olivia/Viola
Rating: PG-13, at least
Author's Note: Sequel to Christmas Wishes
________________________________________________________________________
Viola Hastings had never considered herself an especially complicated person. Her life had been simple, once, and she'd liked it that way.
Go to school. Play soccer. Learn things. Play soccer. Hang out with friends. Play soccer. Go on dates with boyfriend. Make out with said boyfriend. Maybe even play some soccer with the boyfriend.
Nothing seemed simple, anymore.
Oh, she still did all of those things - some more then others, as soccer wasn't really a winter sport - but she'd often find herself getting distracted, with her mind wandering places she really didn't care for it to go.
It was largely her own fault, too. If she'd found another way to deal with her problems at her old school instead of cross-dressing and impersonating her twin brother in order to get a spot among her old team's rivals, none of this would be happening, now. She usually shrugged it all off, since doing so had brought her a number of new friends and Duke, but... Sometimes, she felt like she was going insane.
And she could pinpoint the exact moment when everything had become so screwed up, when she'd lost her mind.
It felt like it had been months since IT had happened, but it had only been about a week.
Seven days ago, at her mother's Christmas party, she'd ended up under the mistletoe with Olivia Lennox, who hadn't much seemed to mind, and what was supposed to have been a simple kiss between friends had turned into a full-blown makeout session that might have gone on longer - or farther - had Paul not interrupted them to tell her that Duke was looking for her.
Duke, who had fled from her mind, along with everything that didn't involve Olivia's lips.
Duke, who she'd brought to the New Year's party to try and make it up to him, even though he didn't know anything was wrong.
Duke, who had disappeared in the course of getting a drink, though she thought she'd seen him talking with some of his friends once since then.
Duke, whom she loved.
Duke, who was *supposed* to be the one she kissed at midnight, even though he'd shyly assured her that he wasn't going to insist on holding her to such a silly tradition.
She'd resolved to spend more time with him in the new year, and that she would not let herself keep splitting her attention the way she was. She was gonna be a one-person girl.
That she couldn't say one-man girl, even just in her head, should have told her things wouldn't be quite so simple.
***********************************
The balcony was deserted when she slipped out there to get some fresh air and clear her head, which was just fine by her. She breathed in the cold, crisp air and stared up at the stars. Why, she wondered. WHY couldn't things be simple, anymore?
It's called growing up, her brain informed her almost smugly. There was nothing to do but deal with it.
She knew what the *real* reason was, though.
"I thought I saw you come out here."
The real reason was standing behind her, sliding the glass door closed again, cutting down the noise of the party.
"Hey, Olivia," she said, not turning around or looking away from the sky.
Footsteps came closer. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah," she said, fighting down a shiver that she sternly told herself came from the cold. She'd left her coat inside, after all. "Just needed some air."
A soft chuckle. "I know what you mean. I thought I might actually scream if Malcolm asked me to kiss him at midnight one more time."
"You shouldn't encourage him so much, then. Tell him to get lost."
"I did."
That actually made her turn around, and she instantly wished she hadn't. Olivia looked... No, no, she'd made a resolution. Ignoring the voice in the back of her mind that insisted it wasn't the new year yet, she said, "Well, it's about time, if you don't mind me saying."
"I actually have before, he just... keeps coming back. Like a roach." Viola smiled faintly, and it collapsed as Olivia drifted by her to grasp the railing, staring out into the night. "You might want to get inside, though. I don't think you've got even a minute left before the clock hits twelve, so you'll have to find Duke fast."
Viola hesitated, then admitted, "We're not doing that."
Olivia turned to look at her sharply. "Is everything okay?" A flicker of what might have been guilt passed through her eyes.
"Yeah, it's just... Well, you know how much he *loves* being put on the spot." They shared a fond smile. "I don't think he wants to be gawked at just for kissing his girlfriend. And besides, it's just a silly tradition. I mean, it's just like kissing under the m-" She broke off as she realized what she'd been about to say, face flushing. Olivia looked down and away, leading Viola to wonder if THAT hadn't been why Olivia had come to find her right then.
From inside, they could dimly hear the crowd shouting, "TEN, NINE, EIGHT..."
Looking a little embarrassed, Olivia shifted uncomfortably, then started to head for the door. "I should probably get in there, before someone comes looking for me."
"FIVE, FOUR, THREE..."
Viola didn't even think. She had no idea why she did it, as she'd been handed a perfect out to the awkward situation she'd found herself in, but she grabbed Olivia's arm, stopping her before she'd gotten more then a foot. Olivia looked at her, startled.
"TWO, ONE... HAPPY NEW YEAR!"
Having no clue why she was doing it, Viola impulsively kissed Olivia.
And, oh, God, has she missed those lips. Not breaking away, she pulled Olivia off to the side, out of sight of anyone who might be looking outside. She felt her back press against the side of the house but ignored it, the chill that came through the thin fabric of her dress no match for the increasing heat of the kiss.
This was insane. She knew it was insane. She had a boyfriend that she loved, she'd made resolutions... But she also knew that of everyone she'd ever dated, no one had ever kissed her like THIS before. She knew it couldn't continue. She knew she really should put a stop to this.
Then she knew that Olivia's hands were drifting to places that no one but her had ever touched... and something between her brain and her body was blocking the increasingly urgent message to stop her.
Boyfriends had attempted to fondle her before, but she'd never been... caressed before, in such a loving fashion that she couldn't even make herself *want* it to stop.
Independent of her will, her hands reached up under the back of Olivia's shirt, as if to search for her bra strap. What she might have done once she'd found it, she had no idea, and would never know, because there wasn't one there.
It took a minute for it to sink into her distracted brain just what that meant.
The words 'OH MY GOD OH MY GOD OH MY GOD' streamed through her head on some kind of loop, only broken when Olivia unbuttoned and removed her shirt, derailing all trains of thought.
Was this really happening? Part of her mind, once it started back up, pointed out that it really was too cold out for such things. Another knew that if they did stop to try and find an empty bedroom inside she'd chicken out, and that maybe that was for the best.
Most of her brain, though, was stuck on the fact that she was having the most intense make-out session of her life with the hottest woman she'd ever seen (when she'd started caring about that, she had no idea), who was topless, and really, shouldn't she do something with that fact?
And somehow, she doubted it was JUST the cold that was making Olivia's nipples jut out like that. Still, though, she decided she should probably try and warm them up.
Olivia moaned the second Viola's hands placed themselves on her breasts, and Viola knew her fate was sealed. After that sound, there was no way she would be able to stop what was happening, no matter what happened. She made an encouraging sound when she felt Olivia unzipping her dress.
Standing there against the wall, out of sight of the party raging inside, they made love.
***********************************
"That was incredible," Viola sighed. The party was dying down by that point, which meant she'd have to go find Duke soon.
"I know." Olivia had finished getting dressed again by then, and was standing near the railing with her arms around Viola while the latter looked up at the stars.
"I've never, uh..."
"Neither have I."
"I mean... at all."
"And I repeat... neither have I."
Unbidden, a smile started forming on Viola's face. "You could have fooled me."
"Likewise."
She sighed, and the smile collapsed. "So, what happens now?"
"What do you want to happen?"
She heaved a much more frustrated sigh. "I don't know! I mean... I just massively cheated on my boyfriend - with another woman, no less! - but if I had it all to do over again... I don't think I'd change a single thing." She paused. "Except maybe move us somewhere warmer. I think I may have frostbite in places that should NEVER get that cold."
Olivia chuckled at that last comment, then shook her head. "You love him?"
"I... Yes, I think so."
Much quieter, "And how do you feel about me?"
A long pause. "I think I just showed you."
Olivia sighed, letting her go and taking a step back. Viola missed the warmth immediately. "I don't want to be the other woman. When you've made up your mind, one way or another... You know where to find me. In the meantime... I hope we can still be friends."
Viola turned to look at her, fighting down a half-formed urge to cry. "I will ALWAYS be your friend," she insisted with the utmost sincerity.
Olivia smiled at her, gave her a quick hug, and rushed inside to find somewhere to clean up, most of the remaining partygoers too drunk to notice how disheveled she was.
Viola shook her head sadly, sighed, and followed her in, looking around for her boyfriend.
She really missed 'simple'.
~Fin~