Ice Cream
"Gustavo!" Kelly wandered the halls of the studio. After a solid fourteen hour day the boys trudged back to the Palm Woods and Gustavo slunk away the first chance he got. Thunder shook the walls of the studio and the lights flickered. "Gustavo!"
She turned into his office. Gustavo was scribbling in a notepad when she knocked.
"Gustavo," He looked up. With attempted nonchalance he pushed the notepad under a folder.
"What?" He attempted a glare but the stress of the day took most of the malice away.
"You should head home. The storm is getting bad." She chose not to mention that the only road to her home closed over and hour ago. It wouldn't be the first time she'd slept on the couch in studio A. She even had a pair of pajamas in one of the supply closets.
Gustavo opened his mouth to tell her off for bossing him around but decided against it. Her slumped posture and glazed eyes betraying her exhaustion.
"What about you?"
Her eyes snapped to his. The unmistakable concern in his voice shocked her. Gustavo didn't care about her. He put up with her. Plain and simple.
As she opened her mouth to respond a loud clap of thunder sounded and the lights flickered off.
"Shit!"
Gustavo jumped (Actually jumped) out of his chair. Kelly never cursed in front of the boys and only seldom in front of him. He followed her as she dashed from his office.
"When the power goes out the doors automatically lock-" She yanked on the door. "And won't open until the power's back."
Kelly turned her head down and looked away preparing for the verbal onslaught. Gustavo never directed anything at her but she did want to be able to hear on her thirtieth birthday.
"Alright." He shrugged. Kelly turned her head and blinked at him surprised at his calm tone. They stood awkwardly for a moment. "Ice cream?"
"What?"
"The ice cream, in the fridge it's going to melt."
She gave him a smile and her heart fluttered. No. No, no, no. She cannot have feelings for her boss who does next to nothing but yell and… he wasn't yelling. He's shuffling his feet and waiting for her to answer.
"Y-" Her voice caught in her throat. "Yeah."
They navigated the dark hallways with ease. Many of the studios lights suffered from the impact of stray hockey pucks (or sticks… or players) and both Kelly and Gustavo could find their way around the studio blindfolded.
They reached the kitchen and Gustavo pulled out three tubs of ice cream. He gave her the tub of strawberry and pulled the chocolate close to himself. After tossing Kelly a spoon (and a rather impressive catch) he sat himself on the low black futon.
"How did you know I like strawberry?"
He shrugged and dipped his spoon into the rapidly melting carton.
"You always get it when we take the boys out."
She smiled behind her spoon. He noticed. He cared.
"Why did you choose me?"
She crossed the room and sat next to him. The darkness dulled her inhibitions but the emergency light kept her an arm's length away.
"What?"
"Why did you choose me? As your assistant."
He sighed.
"Your resume was impressive."
"My resume was shit."
Gustavo played with the end of his spoon not meeting her eyes.
"I liked you. You have the fire."
Kelly's jaw dropped. That was the most sincere complement he ever paid her. She lifted her head and noticed a smudge of ice cream on his cheek. Her hand reached to wipe it away but stopped a fraction of an inch away.
"I'm sorry that was unprofessional. I-"
He leaned into her touch sending pleasant sparks through her body. She used her thumb and, though she was tempted to lick it off, wiped the chocolate on a napkin. They ate in silence. Kelly finished first and stirred the spoon around the empty container.
Gustavo put his carton down and turned to Kelly. She blushed under the scrutiny of his gaze.
"Thanks."
He smiled placing his hand next to hers so their pinkies touched. Did he feel the same way? If she misread his actions she would lose the best job she ever had. Her resume (using the term loosely) would get her nowhere in this town.
It shocked her when he placed an arm around her shoulders but she wasn't complaining. Her heart thrummed with getting this close, with the possibility of Gustavo reciprocating her feelings. She steeled herself to speak.
"Gustavo-"
"Kelly-"
They froze. Kelly chanced a look at Gustavo's lips. The building shook with a particularly loud clap of thunder.
Gustavo leaned in first, pressing his lips gently against hers. The tentative nature of the kiss at odds with the man Kelly had come to know. She ran her tongue along his lower lip and he groaned at the sensation. He pulled her into his lap. For a moment he let himself think about how small she was compared to him.
"You ok with this?"
His question pulled her back to the present.
"Yeah. Are you?"
"Yeah."
They didn't speak much after that. Moans and whimpers the only sound in the dark studio. Somehow all their clothing found its way to the floor and they spent the night wrapped up in each other.
That morning when the boys came in they noticed something had changed. Maybe it was Gustavo not yelling at them, maybe it was Kelly smiling a bit more than usual, but the four boys knew that both the adults in their lives were happier than they were before.
"Hey who ate all the ice cream!"