Written for Cassiemortmain. Prompt: Knocking at the wrong door

The two girls entered the hall, giggling like kids, their arms full of gifts and junk food.

"What floor already?" asked Sybil.

"Second, apartment 10," answered Gwen.

"10? I thought he said 12."

"No, no. 10, I'm sure of it."

Sybil nodded less than convinced by her friend, and the two girls took the stairs up to the second floor. Their friend moved in this new building only a few days ago and as it was during their exam session, they had not been there until now. They didn't even have to help because Thomas already had a friend living in the same building. Once in the hallway, Sybil shushed her friend to be quiet as they were about to surprise their best friend, Thomas, for his birthday.

"Remember that he doesn't expect us."

"Oh my God, he's so gonna hate us for this…He was so grumpy about celebrating his 25th birthday."

"He'll get over it…eventually," stated Sybil.

They soon reached apartment number 10. As Gwen was about to knock, Sybil interrupted her gesture.

"You're really sure? Because I'm pretty certain that…"

"Can you be more confident in me, please?" asked Gwen, looking like she was hurt but with humor in her voice.

"Be my guest."

Sybil freed her friend's hand pretty sure it wasn't the right door. Gwen let out a giggle and knocked at the door.

They waited a few seconds and, when nothing happened, Gwen knocked again. Then they heard some muffled sounds from the other side and some curses before the door opened, not to their friend, a tall dark man, but to a bare-chested, well built, wet, blond haired man, who stood with a towel around his neck wearing a grey sport gym bottom.

"Hello? Can I help you?" he asked with a thick Irish brogue after a quick look of surprise passed his face.

Gwen was looking at him with wide eyes, gasping before discretely elbowing Sybil signifying that he was just her type. Sybil was also appreciating the view but more discretely than her friend.

"Sorry, we must have knocked at the wrong door," she finally answered, her cheeks reddening when the man's eyes wandered on her, an appreciative look on his face.

"Looking for Thomas?" he asked, nodding to their packages.

"Yeahhhh," sighed Gwen almost dramatically.

"It's next door. Number 12."

Sybil crossed her arms on her chest and turned to Gwen, glaring at her.

"Alright, alright, you were right," answered the red haired girl while rolling her eyes to the man. "My mistake."

"In fact, I was getting ready to go over there. I'm Tom, Thomas's friend," he said, reaching his hand out.

Gwen shook it eagerly before releasing it and elbowing Sybil again.

"I'm Gwen. And this is Sybil."

"Nice to meet you two," he said, shaking Sybil's hand but lingering a little bit longer. "I think I'll see you over there, then."

"Sure," answered Gwen as Sybil seemed to have lost all her faculties of speaking.

That's when Gwen's eyes landed on his other hand that was wrapped in a towel as well, some blood showing here and there on the linen.

"Oh, are you hurt?"

Tom looked down at his wrapped hand and shrugged.

"Oh, it's nothing, really. I had a little disaccord with one of my knives in the kitchen as I was cooking for Thomas's party."

"Are you sure? Because Sybil here," said Gwen pushing a little bit in her friend's back so she almost tripped over Tom, "is a nurse. She could have a look at it."

Sybil glared at Gwen.

"Gwen, I'm sure that Tom is completely capable of…"

"You don't mind?" interrupted Tom. "Because the blood doesn't seem to want to stop.

He looked expectantly at her.

"Go," said Gwen, pushing her again. "I'll wait at Thomas's."

She winked, not so subtly, at her, and Sybil's cheeks reddened even more.

"Do you have a first aid kit?" she finally asked.

"In the bathroom," he answered, showing a direction through the hallway with his wrapped hand.

"Ok," she finally sighed. "Lead the way."

She turned to Gwen.

"And you…just say to Thomas that I'm coming right away."

"Take your time," she answered with a smirk before winking again but at the two of them this time.

And with a laugh, she left and headed to the next apartment, leaving Tom and Sybil alone.

"This way," said Tom, catching Sybil's attention that was on Gwen's retreating form.

She turned and smiled at him before following him inside. They went through the hallway to the bathroom in silence. Once in the room, Tom reached under the sink for the first aid kit and then, gave it to Sybil with a little smile.

She took it and pulled out what she needed as Tom unwrapped his hand to show her how badly he was hurt. She looked at the wound, frowned, and then rolled her eyes.

"You won't die for sure," she chuckled while applying some disinfectant.

It was still bleeding a little bit, but the cut was only superficial. He winced as the disinfectant stung his open wound and chuckled too.

"Well, you know how we men are. When we get hurt or sick, it all becomes disproportional."

Sybil looked up at him before reaching for a band-aid and sticking it on his hand.

"All done," she said finally, releasing his hand.

"Good…" he said before reaching for her and pulling her against his bare chest, "because now I can properly greet you."

Without any more words, his lips crashed on hers and his good hand took hold of her neck, pulling her desperately close to him. Sybil offered no resistance and wrapped her arms around him, moaning loudly when his tongue invaded her mouth to tangle with hers.

After a few minutes of deep kissing and tender touching, the two separated, breathless, and Tom looked down in her eyes, smiling tenderly. He pressed their foreheads together.

"Well, that was unexpected," he chuckled.

"I tried to avoid this," she answered, playing with the thin hairs on his chest. "But Gwen wouldn't listen to me. Thank God you reacted quickly."

"You think she suspects something?"

Sybil shook her head.

"She knows there's someone in my life who's been taking my breath away these past few weeks. She's even pretty inquisitive about it. Thomas is too. They say that I look like a fool because I'm always smiling. And now that Thomas is living here just next door, it's gonna be even more complicated."

"Maybe we can tell them tonight?" tried Tom.

They have been together for almost two months. They met at the library and it was over coffee that they discovered that Thomas was a mutual friend. They kissed only a day after they first met and decided to wait to tell their friend, not wanting to make a fuss about the whole thing.

"I wanted to keep you all for myself as long as possible," pouted Sybil, hugging him. "As soon as Gwen knows, she will be all over you with questions. You won't know what hit you!"

"I'm ready for this. And now that Thomas is living here, we could be caught. It will be easier to meet and we could even go to your place. Better to tell them than Thomas discovering you naked at my place or us kissing madly in the hallway."

"You're probably right," sighed Sybil.

She rose on the tip of her toes and kissed him lightly.

" What time is Thomas expecting you?"

"At eight. We were supposed to have a guy night- football, beer and all that."

"Well, I suppose that your party has been crashed by two pretty girls."

"You won't hear me complain about that but…"

He lifted Sybil and turned around so she was seated on the sink. He moved between her legs and slid his hands under her top, caressing the soft skin and showering her with light kisses from her cheek to her neck.

"…I think we can be a little bit late. At least they know where we are and…"

His hand caressed her right breast over her bra and her whole body stretched out to him.

"…that way, I suppose they would know," finished Sybil with a loud moan.

Tom smiled at her before stealing her breath away with a kiss meant to show her how she makes him feel. His life had taken a brand new path since he met her and now, as they were about to step in the light with their relationship, the path was even clearer to him. Sybil was definitively part of his future.

The end