A/N: Please read and review! :D PS. In the episode before the second season finale there is going to be an Ezria scene with a bed involved. Or so I've heard. Woot! :)
Disclaimer: I don't own "Pretty Little Liars". Yadda yadda.
The gloomy darkness surrounding Aria Montgomery withheld her from tentatively knocking on the wooden door, but it convinced her all the more that her hasty decision to come here was the right one. The bold, golden characters "3B" stared back at her - almost as if they were radiating light - and they were inviting her to open the door; ultimately promising comfort and - more importantly - a safe place to crash. Aria bent down and moved her hands over the area she was currently standing on - searching - until her hands indubitably connected with something solid other than the laminated floor itself. Aria carefully lifted the doormat and closed her fingers around the spare key Ezra Fitz had hidden underneath it.
As Aria put the key in the lock and turned it her heart was fluttering in her chest; or perhaps "pounding" was a more adequate description. Her hands were involuntarily shaking and she had a hard time keeping them steady. She winced, silently cursing herself, when the hinges let out a loud squeak while she swung the door open, revealing more darkness inside Ezra's apartment.
Aria stood there for a few moments, her left hand lingering on the doorknob for support, as she let her eyes get used to the black shapes enveloping her. Only after she could recognize the key elements present in Ezra's little private home, she dared to remove the key from the lock and close the door as quietly as she could possibly muster.
Aria took a couple of careful steps towards the couch, which she estimated to be a couple foot in front of her, and felt her admiration for Jenna Marshall multiply in the process. Aria felt so unsteady and uncertain without sight, she was thoroughly impressed of the fact that Jenna still managed to roam the hallways of Rosewood's local high school as confidently as she did.
Aria was so focused on reaching the couch that when she finally did bump into it she let out an involuntary yelp. She quickly clamped her hand over her mouth, hoping Ezra wasn't thinking someone was planning an incursion on his apartment, and she listened for noises coming from the direction of his bed.
When Aria had established he was most likely still fast asleep, her hands smoothed over the soft material covering the couch. With her hand clinging to an inanimate object she felt unsurprisingly more safe and she dared to walk a little less hesitantly. She soon regretted this decision, however, when she tripped over something. She'd momentarily forgotten about the small table next to the couch and her legs had gotten tangled up with the piece of furniture because of it. The noise Aria made when she landed on the floor would have made her scold at herself - If that wouldn't wake Ezra up, what would? - but her small scream trumped the sound of both the table and Aria tipping over.
The floor didn't greet Aria too roughly, leaving her physically unharmed, but she blinked her eyes in surprise when the lights suddenly switched on. Ezra was standing near the light switch and he mimicked Aria's expression when he noticed his sixteen-year-old girlfriend sprawled out over his apartment floor at 1 AM in the morning.
"Aria?" Ezra said disbelievingly. He had definitely recognized Aria on the floor, but it didn't stop him from rubbing his eyes in a sleepy daze; surely he had either imagined her there or he was dreaming, right? When he removed his hands Aria was still there and he noticed the damage she'd done to his apartment.
"Careful. There's a table over there," Ezra remarked drily, gesturing to the table Aria had just tripped over.
"Thanks for the warning," Aria replied sarcastically. Ezra was by her side in a couple quick strides and helped her to her feet by offering her his hand, which she gratefully took. Aria admired his bare chest for a moment, before she shook her head and took a step backwards.
"What are you doing here?" Ezra asked her once she was standing on her own feet.
"I- I locked myself out of the house," Aria replied sheepishly, her cheeks rapidly becoming a delightful pink.
"You locked yourself out of your house," Ezra repeated slowly, dumbfound. The right corner of his mouth went up without him telling it to, twisting his mouth into a half-smile.
"My parents took Mike on that trip I told you about. I couldn't exactly ring the doorbell so they could let me back in," Aria continued. Ezra snorted before he could help himself and Aria glared at him. "It's not funny!" she exclaimed.
"You're right. It isn't," Ezra said after a pause, but the amusement in his eyes didn't convince Aria he really believed this to be true.
"It's not!" Aria insisted, her cheeks darkening even further.
"You wanted to stay here for the night?" Ezra asked Aria, ignoring her comment.
"No, I just randomly decided to break into your apartment in the middle of the night," Aria replied, giving him a look.
"Alright. Alright," Ezra said, glancing around. His hand went to his hair as he contemplated what to do. "I guess you can take the bed. I will take the couch," he finally said, motioning to the rumpled sheets on the double bed in the far corner of his apartment.
"Don't be silly! There's plenty of room for the both of us in your bed," Aria said.
"Are you sure you're comfortable-" Ezra started to ask her, but she interrupted him.
"It's fine. I can't take your bed away from you," Aria said. "Just don't try anything, okay?"
Ezra agreed to her offer before he could talk himself out of it. Complicated as their relationship was, they didn't exactly often get an opportunity to hang out, let alone spend the night together. He wasn't going to let a chance like this slip through his fingers. When they'd both agreed they would sleep in the bed, Ezra remembered his manners.
"Let me take you coat," he said, helping Aria take it off and draping it over the back of the couch. "Can I get you anything? Are you hungry?"
"I'm fine," Aria assured him, shyly smiling up at him. They both fell silent, unsure what to do. Aria took her heels off and tossed them around the room, where the landed with a loud smack.
"Sorry," she mumbled, wincing at the sound. She seemed embarrassed. "Where shall I put those?" Before Ezra could reply, Aria started babbling about her friends. Whenever she was nervous she tended to become a little loquacious.
"-and so I'm not sure what I'll do tomorrow. But I'm sure at least one of them has to be home, right? I mean, I won't bother you that long," Aria concluded her monologue, starling Ezra with her small outburst. Ezra had a hard time focusing on her words, though, and a hard time not focusing on the small dress Aria was wearing, which was unintentionally revealing more than Ezra wanted it to reveal if he was going to be very close to her all night.
To distract himself, Ezra picked up Aria's heels and delicately put them by the front door. Aria didn't seem to notice he was unable to reply because he had no idea what she'd just said.
"I'm tired," Ezra said abruptly, feigning a yawn to support his words, and he was unable to meet Aria's eyes. As Ezra went to his bed and crawled under the covers, he wondered for a brief moment if Aria had changed her mind, but she slid into the bed next to him without saying a word. Ezra switched off the lights and, once again, a pitch-black darkness surrounded them.
Aria could feel Ezra shift multiple times beside her until he was comfortable and she was glad he couldn't see the flush creeping over her face this time. Her back was turned towards him and once she felt him press him bare chest against her back, she swallowed. She'd never noticed before how loud a swallow could sound in such a quiet room. Aria felt naked and vulnerable in the bed next to Ezra. Ezra had his nose buried in Aria's hair. A delicious flowery scent filled his nostrils and he coughed. Aria tried not to squirm. Shallow breaths and an awkward silence followed.
"I'm just confused about one thing," Ezra said after a few minutes, his voice a tad hoarse. Aria was grateful to hear his voice. It reminded her of the fact that it was Ezra she was with. Ezra, the one she loved and the one who loved her. And, maybe the hardest thing to remember for her at the moment, the one person who always made her feel comfortable. "How did you manage to lock yourself out of the house in the middle of the night?"
Aria chuckled. "You're not going to believe me when I tell you," she mumbled.
"Try me," Ezra retorted. Aria could feel his chest and throat move while he spoke. Aria hesitated briefly, but finally she spoke.
"I was taking out the trash and I-"
"You were taking out the trash in the middle of the night?" Ezra asked Aria incredulously. He had been planning to listen to her story with an open mind, he really had, but he still interrupted her. "Why?"
"Because it needed to be taken out."
"In the middle of the night?" Ezra asked her again. Aria couldn't see him skeptically raise his eyebrows, but she could practically feel him do it.
"I ate something with anchovies. I threw the leftovers in the trash. It rank," Aria said reluctantly.
"So that's what that horrible smell is!" Ezra exclaimed with a laugh.
"What?" Aria asked him, her voice slightly high-pitched and slightly horrified.
"I'm kidding," Ezra quickly assured her, before he quietly laughed again. Aria elbowed him in the side and she heard a satisfying oof!
"Ass," she said, smiling in the dark.
Ezra grinned. "You were telling me something?"
"Before you rudely interrupted me," Aria replied.
"I thoroughly apologize for it," Ezra said. "Please do continue." Aria sighed dramatically, but she gave in.
"I left the door open. I forgot to bring my key. I took the trash out. When I turned around the door was closed," Aria told him in one breath. "End of story."
"Hm," Ezra said, while he buried his face in Aria's neck. "Can't say I'm sorry you locked yourself out."
Aria laughed. "Can't say I am either."
Ezra shifted again and his leg bumped into Aria's. She flinched from the surprise.
"Sorry," he mumbled.
"It's okay," Aria said, brushing her leg against Ezra's again and letting it linger there. She heard his sharp intake of breath. Ezra stayed still for a moment, before he decided she'd tortured him enough and he moved away from her a little. Aria couldn't help but feel a little disappointed when he did.
They shared another quiet moment together, although the initial awkwardness had disappeared. Their breathing had slowed down considerably and they'd both relaxed.
"You know, I wouldn't object if you tried to kiss me," Aria said when she finally dared to say it, turning around to look at Ezra in the dark. For a minute she thought Ezra might have fallen asleep and just when she was about to go and try to sleep as well she heard his voice.
"You wouldn't mind?" Ezra asked for clarification, amused. Was it possible to hear someone smile? In that moment Aria believed it was.
"You would be forgiven for-"
It. Aria couldn't finish because suddenly Ezra was there, brushing his lips softly against hers. Aria tilted her face towards him and Ezra tilted his face towards her. They closed their eyes, right before their lips truly connected.
Ezra's mouth didn't move as gentle over hers as it usually did and Aria was taken aback from the passion in the kiss. He was kissing her like his life depended on it and she was happy to return the favor. Ezra's tongue slipped in Aria's mouth, gently but demanding, and he explored her mouth like he never had before.
Their limbs entangled until they couldn't get any closer to each other anymore. Ezra rolled on top of Aria, pressing against her. Aria started breathing a little raggedly as Ezra's hands traced her face and they continued to move downwards. Ezra made his hands stop at her hips - where the little patterns he traced with his fingers filled Aria with a tingling sensation all over her body - before he would take things too far. Aria's own hands slipped into Ezra's hair. They stayed like that for a long time, until Ezra finally broke away from Aria. He sat up, switched the lights on and jumped out of the bed.
"What are you doing?" Aria asked in surprise and confusion. She put her hand over her forehead to block out some of the light. She couldn't help but notice that Ezra looked a little flushed and that he was breathing just as fast as she was. His hair was sticking out in every possible direction imaginable and the sight of it made her smile.
"I think I'll sleep on the couch after all," Ezra said with a solemn smile. Aria laughed, until she noticed Ezra didn't join in. Was he serious? Why?
"Why?" Aria asked. She frowned. "Is it because I asked you to kiss me? Because I can control myself."
"I can't," Ezra replied, staring at her intently, willing her to understand. "I may be older than the guys your age, but I have just as much hormones. I'm not just going to let myself take advantage of you like that."
Aria didn't say anything as Ezra retrieved a couple blankets from a hidden closet she'd never even noticed before. When he started to spread the blankets over the couch in an attempt to make his "bed" for the night a little more comfortable, Aria did speak.
"I can make my own decisions, you know. If I wanted you to stop, I would've told you to."
"I know," Ezra said, not doubting her words were true. He rubbed the sleep from his eyes with his hands.
"Then I don't understand what the problem is here," Aria said. She was leaning on her arms so she was in an upright sitting position.
"The problem is that I didn't want to stop either," Ezra said. "I don't think we should do this right now. We may not be drunk on alcoholic beverages, but being drunk on hormones comes pretty close. You just told me not to try anything; yet there we were, going at it anyway."
Aria snorted. "You forgot to mention the part where I asked you to kiss me and therefore gave you permission to do so."
"And hormones had nothing to do with you asking me that. Nor did the fact you were practically on top of me already," Ezra said sarcastically.
"Don't flatter yourself," Aria said, laughing. "But I can see your point."
"Good." Ezra nodded. He gave a wistful sigh. "Good. Well, good night." He sat down on the couch, but he didn't take his eyes of Aria.
"Come on," Aria said, patting the empty spot beside her on the bed. She could still feel the lingering warmth of him there. Ezra stared at her and Aria made pretty little circles on the bed with her hand - not unlike what she'd once seen Kate Hudson do in a movie - in an attempt to entice him back to the bed.
"I promise I'll behave," she added when she saw him hesitate, giving him a wicked grin.
Ezra finally complied, slowly getting back into the bed. Aria was actually quite proud of herself for convincing him so easily. Then again, Ezra hardly needed convincing to get into a bed with a beautiful girl he loved as much as he loved her.
Aria put her head on his chest and cuddled up to him.
"I love you," she murmured.
"I love you too," she heard him reply, right before exhaustion took over and she fell asleep.
"We just slept together," Aria told Ezra to following morning, a small smile on her lips.
"We did," Ezra agreed, gazing at the beautiful girl.
"I never really expected my first sleepover with a guy to be just that; a sleepover," Aria confessed.
"Well, it was one hell of a sleepover," Ezra replied, brushing a stand of hair behind Aria's ear. Aria smiled and Ezra smiled back. "Let me make you some breakfast."