I was inspired by an M rated fic which I'm sure you've all read! I'm not sure how interested you'll be so it may just be a one shot. This is set December '11 and for the sake of this, Carter affair didn't happen and Ciaran and Michelle were never more than friends.
'My favourite line was "Can I call you sometime?" It's all you had to say to take my breath away'
It was unexpected and took her almost by total surprise. Her hair flickered in the wind, the harsh noise whistles in her ears. She walks with her head down, eyes focusing on the floor. Her sub-concious tells her to avoid looking at people, avoid their judging looks.
But as she makes her way towards the pub, her hair flutters up and she looks towards the door, finally lifting her gaze she walks right into him and their eyes meet him.
She has barely paid attention to him before. She hadn't noticed the sparkle in his deep blue eyes. The other times she had spent with him, she'd been wrapped up in the mess of her broken life. The loss of Liam, the heartache and the pain that had caused her. The aching for this almost complete stranger's best friend that had always been unrequited.
But he smiled warmly at her as though they were best friends that had just met for the time in years, as though they had an entire history of friendship and she thought maybe one of the tiny sparks inside her that had long blown out.
"Hiya Carla love" his familiar Irish accent brought a warm smile to her delicate features and she answered him with a quite voice, much unlike he was used to hearing from her lips.
He wasn't silly, he hadn't lived under a rock for the last few months and he knew exactly what tortured thoughts were hidden behind the layers of make-up that adorned her face. He thinks back to when he had first met the woman that stood in front of him and remembered thinking that there seemed to be so much under the surface that nobody had reached out for yet.
"I was gonna head back to me flat but now you're here maybe you could twist my arm and I'll let you buy me a drink?"
His charm would usually be something she would usually laugh at, she would usually have teased him for being so cheesy and put him in his place. But the light hearted banter but Carla at ease and she thinks that maybe a drink with him might not be such a bad idea. So she smiles at him, it doesn't quite reach her eyes but it's more real than it has been since Frank took everything away from her just a few months ago.
"I'll come for a drink with you, but you're paying" Ciaran smiles fondly at her as she slips inside and he follows closely behind. They sink into an empty booth and Carla waits for Ciaran to return with her red wine.