We're just friends, honest
This fic is for the gift exchange in the "Summer '12 Exchange." For my lovely Hannah Banana [in the jungle dances]- hope you like it!
Prompts: peanuts, the act of flirtatiously spinning hair around a finger; a 'Jane Eyre' reference, blue lips from the cold
Pairing: Mosh (because that's as much crack! as I can handle )
way back when:
"Mass, come on; it'll be fun!" Kristen pleads, as she pulls on Massie to get her out of bed, wanting them to go to the park together. "It's warm outside, and there's a breeze; plus, you'll get exercise!"
"That's what yoga is for; now go away," Massie exasperatedly tells her, while flailing out her arms in a gesture of "get the fuck away from me" before burrowing deeper into her downy, goose feather duvet.
"It's past one! You shouldn't be sleeping this late."
"Thanks to your nagging, I'm not! And I came back from Alicia's at eight am, so I deserve my sleep. I repeat: go away," her voice slightly muffled by her pillow.
All of a sudden, she feels like she's being whacked by a… stick? Rod? Rolled-up newspaper?
"Kristen, what the hell?" Massie exclaims, sitting up.
"Good, you're finally up," Kristen says with a look of triumphant on her face and a rolled-up issue of Vogue in her hand.
"Yeah, so I can do this," she says sweetly and before Kristen can ask "what?" she grabs a pillow and smacks Kristen who falls backward with a "umf"; Massie then proceeds to throw the pillow on top of her and runs to the bathroom to avoid any brutal punishment.
;;;
Strolling toward the park, the late summer breeze is perfect, the wind gently blowing Massie's curls into the air.
"Y'know this is actually kind of nice," she says, closing her eyes, only to have her hand snatched away by a surprisingly (not so much) strong blonde.
"Come on Mass, we're almost there," Kristen says, while tugging Massie along with a smile so bright on her face, you would have thought that she had found the cure for cancer.
"Almost where?" She stops in her tracks when she sees a distinct figure sitting on the bench, "Oh no, I am not third-wheeling with you and Hurley," she announces, crossing her arms over her chest.
"Nice to know you like my company so much, Mass," Kemp says, smirking. He then wraps his arms around the delighted blonde.
"Oh, please, like you're hanging out with me; you're just going to suck face with Kris," she says cynically, narrowing her eyes at the pair, one of whom is blushing red, while the other is bursting into laughter.
Before they can retort, they hear an exclamation from a brown-haired boy, "Where'd you guys go?"
Massie turns to the voice, her amber eyes lighting up when she recognizes the owner.
"Josh!" She squeals, throwing her arms around him, "thank God you're here. Kristen tricked me into coming here, so she could swap spit with that perv over there without her mom going bat shit on her ass because she's with me."
"Good thing I'm here then, 'cause they don't waste any time," he says, chuckling slightly after glancing at them.
"Ew, they're like a live porno," Massie comments, scrunching up her ski-slope nose.
"Didn't peg you to be the type to watch porn, but then again, you can never really tell," he laughs at her startled expression which quickly turns into a glare, "kidding, let's get out of here."
;;;
The two had first become friends when he moved into town, and Alicia decided he was her soul mate. He was the peanut butter to her jelly, a gift from God to the female kind (specifically Leesh). And as Massie was the best friend, it became her duty to become the spy for Alicia's love life, getting all the info on the boy in question.
Almost in an instant, they clicked, able to be with each other, easily and comfortably. They were complete opposites, but that's what made them get along so well. Even through the Alicia-Josh-Claire love triangle and the demise of "Massington" they kept their friendship strong, always finding a comfort in one another.
"Massie, just sit down," Josh practically pleads, patting the soft grass beside him in an effort to convince the reluctant brunette that sitting on the ground won't ruin her outfit.
"If I get grass stains on my shorts, my mom will kill me," she says, looking down at her clothes. A loose-fitted tank with a huge bow on the chest, mint green short shorts, and cuh-yute metallic silver thong sandals are her adornments. While admiring her shoes and the gorge French pedicure on her toes, she doesn't realize that someone had taken her hand until a sudden force causes her to fall directly on top of Josh.
She lets out a yelp, hearing Josh's deep (but not too deep) laughter. She finally realizes how close she is to his face. He has the longest and thickest lashes she has ever seen (how come boys have great eyelashes? they don't even appreciate them!); his brown eyes have flecks of gold and green in them (how has she not noticed them before?). He has a beauty mark at the corner of his bottom lip; oh, his lips are so full and cherry red. She licks her own lips.
''See? That wasn't so bad," at the sound of his voice, she breaks out of her reverie. How can she think of her best friend like this? It's practically incest! She suddenly becomes acutely aware of the steady thud of his heartbeat, which seems to be pounding against her chest, and how one of his warm hands is holding hers and the other is wrapped around her waist.
"Yeah, who knew grass wasn't so bad?" She says, a blush creeping into her face. Putting her hands on either side of his face and anchoring her knees around his waist, she starts to get up, only then hearing a sharp intake of breath. Startled, they both turn to see a little boy, no older than five, frozen and watching them, his blue eyes as wide as saucers and his small pink lips in an "o". Realizing what a precarious position she's in, she starts to get up again, not remembering why she had stopped in the first place.
All the while stuttering out, "This- this isn't what it looks like."
The boy promptly turns around running and yelling, "Mommy, teenagers are doing naughty things on the grass!"
Josh's eruption of laughter causes her to jump. What the hell is wrong with him? She just stares, as he sits there clutching his stomach; at what- she has no idea.
"Stop laughing! The kid probably thought I was raping you," she says, sitting down and shoving his shoulder, which only causes his hysteria to increase.
Wiping the tears from his eyes, he turns to see the glare sent in his direction. If looks could kill, he'd be looking at his own death right now.
"Oh, relax, would you? The little boy isn't going to report us or anything," he smiles, bumping shoulders with hers.
"Well you could've said something," she grumbles.
"Like what? Oh, yeah, Massie; right there," emitting a moan at the end.
"Josh!" Her face is flaming for unknown reasons (I am not turned on when he says my name and moans. Nu-uh. No!).
"I'm kidding. Look, when we go to court, I promise that I won't tell them you took advantage of me."
"Josh!"
"Kidding, sheesh. Peanuts?"
"I'm going to kill you one day, I swear," she promises, shaking her head at the idiot that is her best friend.
"Then who would you molest at the park?" His eyes widen to look innocent, but a smirk makes its way across his red lips anyway.
"Argh!"
;;;
then, there was:
"Massie, I'm going to die if you don't come with me!" Alicia exclaims, throwing her hands in the air, almost knocking out another student in the process.
"Who are you? Lindsay Lohan in the Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen? Y'know if they ever do a remake, you'll be perfect for the role," Massie smirks at the distressed state of her Spanish friend.
"That's not funny; I need to make Alessandro fall in love with me," the Hispanic girl huffs slightly.
"The Italian exchange student? He has the sexiest accent," Massie prods with a look of appreciation crossing her face.
Before Alicia can respond, a redhead wiggles her way into their huddle in front of Massie's locker. "What's shakin', bacon?"
"Hey, Dyl; apparently, Alicia and Alessandro," Massie says, while wiggling her perfectly arched eyebrows suggestively.
"The hot Italian exchange student?"
"The very one."
"He has the cutest accent; I love how he says my name!" Dylan squeals.
"That's what I said! And the way he runs his hands through his hair," Massie says, sighing.
"And the way he rolls his r's; think of what it'd be like if he did that in your mouth."
Massie and Dylan lean against the lockers, imagining it with a dreamy expression, all the while forgetting their black-haired friend who is in a "crisis".
"Hello!" Alicia practically screams, trying to get their attention, "now that I have both of your approval, can you help me?"
"Nope. I have a Pre-Cal test that I need to fail next period," Dylan inserts, shaking out her crazy curls.
Alicia looks expectantly to Massie, who glances up from her examination of her French manicure. She scrunches her eyebrows in confusion before realizing what is silently being asked, again.
"No! I have an essay I need to write on Jane Eyre. And quit stalking the guy. Here's my advice; leave him alone for a while, and let him come to you. Mystery is always hot," she says, patting the other brunette's shoulder.
"Damn, I hate it when you're right," with a sigh, Alicia heads the other direction to her classroom.
As the bell signals eight minutes until nine, kids start to crowd the halls. Massie and Dylan make their way down to the first floor.
"So, what are you doing this weekend?" Dylan queries.
"I'm going with Josh to his country house in Connecticut; there's this -"
"You're driving all the way to Connecticut? For what? It's no fun going to your country house if you can't stay long. Go next weekend during Labor Day holiday."
"I don't know the details, but it's, like, urgent. Jeremiah was going to send his assistant, but Josh offered to go, so his dad let him."
"Why are you going then?" Dylan asks, a mischievous smile coming onto her face.
"Josh is enamored with the idea of a road trip," Massie rolls her eyes at Josh's stupidity, but the smile on her face gives away that she isn't really annoyed.
"You sure?"
"Of what?"
"Josh's apparent love of road trips?" Dylan inquires a knowing glint in her emerald green eyes.
"Then why else would he be obsessed?" Massie wrinkles her nose. Dylan doesn't seem to be paying attention.
"Maybe you got the object of his obsession confused; maybe he just wants some quality time… alone," a smirk makes its way across the redhead's lips.
Massie snorts at the prospect of what her best friend is implying. "Yeah, right," she shakes her head, almost as if she is removing the idea from her brain. As if, Josh doesn't- she isn't even going to finish that thought. No way.
;;;
finally, it came:
"Now I'm climbing the walls
But you don't notice at all
That I'm going out of my mind
All day and all night…"
Massie sings along to the radio with her feet on the dashboard of Josh's olive-green Ashton Martin, bobbing her head and shimmying to the music.
"Really, Mass?" A look of abhorrence crosses Josh's face.
"What? It's a good song."
"It's One Direction; need I say more?" His voice drips with "Duh!"
"They're a good band!" Her eyes widen in defense.
"Please, you're a total groupie," he scoffs.
A blush sweeps across her cheeks (it might be true, just a little bit… or a big bit. They have British accents! How can you not not like it?), "Says the person who's still clinging onto the Spice Girls."
"Hey! They are mag-"
"Shut up, I love this song!" She snaps, doing a little jig to express her excitement.
"I'm at a payphone trying to call home
All of my change I spent on you
Where have the times gone? Baby, it's all wrong
Where are the plans we made for two?..."
Josh just shakes his head, trying to suppress his laughter at the brunette in the passenger seat. Only about an hour to go- he can make it.
;;;
They hadn't noticed the dark storm clouds up ahead or checked the weather beforehand, which would've been helpful, considering they are now running through the pouring rain to the front door of the country house, already drenched head to toe.
Massie's 'who cares if we're driving, I can still look cute' outfit isn't looking as cute as it did dry. She's wearing a red and white striped, fitted tee tucked into khaki, high-waisted short shorts with suspenders and the most amazing five by five shoes. They are red, faux-suede peep-toe pumps with a side bow. Since the rain would have ruined them, she had decided to leave them in the car with their overnight bags, which they would retrieve as soon as the stupid rain stopped.
Hopping from one foot to the other, she starts to get restless. What's taking Josh so long? She looks up again to find his face (has he always been this tall?); without heels, he towers a good five inches over her. He's digging through his chinos for the key. Her eyes catch on Josh's white shirt- his wet, see through white shirt. She bites down on her lip hard. She can see his muscles, his taut and perfectly sculpted abs. If she reaches out with one hand, she'll be able to feel his soccer-toned stomach.
He looked up fast, as she jerks her hand back in surprise. She can feel her cheeks heat up, almost as if she had been caught doing something wrong; which, in a way, she was.
His brown eyes twinkle, and the most delicious smile makes its way across his cherry red lips. (How do they look so good? Hers are probably blue from the cold. Argh, so not fair.)
"Found it," he jiggles the keys in his left hand.
"Finally," she breathes a sigh of relief, not from him finding the key, but that he didn't find her checking him out. As he turns around to unlock the door, she mentally curses herself. How could she do that? And how could she get turned on by it? 'There's something wrong with me,' she thinks. That seems to have become her mantra lately.
;;;
What they thought was going to be a slight downpour becomes a raging storm. The power is out, and they don't know where the generator is. So, they set candles all around Josh's old summer house room. The flickers of the flame give everything a surreal glow.
Massie is currently kneeling on the window seat, looking at a flash of lightning that illuminates the whole room. Her earlier ensemble is in a pile in Josh's bathtub and she's stuck wearing an old Yankees shirt of Josh's; it reaches mid-thigh (which frankly covers more than her shorts did) so she doesn't bother looking for pants, which would've been too much of a hassle anyway.
Josh comes back from the kitchen with snacks in his arms. He's wearing a gray V-neck and plaid pajama pants that look soft to the touch.
"Ok, Mass, I've got nutter butter, chocolate chip, and Oreo cookies; plus, a variety of chips. And! Wait for it... I found Sunny D," he adds this part, as though he had found gold. The excitement in his eyes makes Massie want to sit him in her lap and pat his hair as if he were five.
Instead, Massie walks over to the bed where he had spread out all the food and sits beside him. He's going on about some childhood story that happened here, but she doesn't hear the words coming out, because the way his lips are moving looks so intoxicating that she can barely think straight. Her brain goes into a slight haze and, before she can think twice, she's flirtatiously spinning her hair around a finger. A light smile plays at her now glossy lips (courtesy of Cinnabon Glossip Girl) Right as she's about to say something along the lines of "that's so cute" or "you're so adorbs!", she snaps out of it. Where has her snarky manner gone? Was she actually going to flirt with Josh Hotz? She groans, and Josh is looking at her, concern masking his (so hot) face.
"Hey, you okay? Are you catching a cold?" He asks, but, before she can say anything, he's resting a warm, broad hand on her forehead, which her senses practically hum at in excitement. He's so close that she can smell his Polo Double Black Ralph Lauren cologne and the ocean-y scent from his Surf bumble and bumble shampoo.
"Yeah, I'm fine," she manages to croak out.
"You sure? You look kinda weird; well, weirder than usual," he smiles to show that he's kidding.
But Massie doesn't even think of an insult to throw back at him; all she can focus on is the way his eyes crinkle in the corners of his eyes when he smiles. And how unbelievably sexy he looks in the candlelit glow.
"Oh, please; you're one to talk. Do you even own a mirror?" She winces at how lame that sounds, but he just laughs.
As he lies on the bed, she's convinced that the fate-controlling-master-person and/or spirit is out to get her. Their situation is straight out of a movie; pouring rain, romantic candles everywhere, just the two of them, and she can't do shit about it because they're friends. Yippee! Fate-controlling-master-person and/or spirit sucks balls. No, she takes it back; no need to anger it and make things worse.
"Josh, are you asleep?" She lies down beside him.
"Nah, I'm not really tired."
"Let's play 20 questions."
"You start."
"Um, do you like anyone?" Real original, right?
"Hmm, not really, no," She bites back a growl; couldn't Josh just like her? And come out and say it? Boys are supposed to make the first move! Isn't there, like, a rule about it? "Do you?"
"Yes," she blurts, before mentally smacking herself for letting that out.
His eyes pop open, and he turns to face her, "Who?"
"Only yes or no questions, and it's my turn. Hmm… Would you date Alicia if you could now?"
"No." Aw, yeah! [Happy Dance]
"Why not?"
"What happened to only yes or no questions?" He smirks.
"Fine, Claire?"
"Uh, no."
"Kristen?"
"Nope."
"Dylan?"
"No," she's frustrated and elated at the same time. He doesn't want them, but who the fuck does he want?
She decides to go for it. Deep breaths, "Me?"
"Uh- Wait. What?" His brows crinkle in confusion.
"Just answer," she says, trying to keep a straight face.
"Yeah, sure," he says it casually with a shrug of his shoulders.
"Why?" Her eyes narrow; what's up with his nonchalance?
"This is a trick question, isn't it? I knew it! Are you going to smack me if I say the wrong thing? I'm still recovering from previous bruises."
She gives him a hard look, "Humor me."
"Alright, um, you're my best friend, so we get on really well. You get me. You're loyal, funny, and really hot," she snorts at the end of his spiel.
"Is it my turn yet?" He bumps shoulders with her. It's do or die time.
"JoshIlikeyou," she blurts out before she can second guess herself.
What she's expecting is something like "I like you too, Mass" or maybe "I don't like you like that; let's just stay friends, yeah?"; she would even settle for "oh, wow" for Josh's non-articulate moments.
What she gets absolutely crushes her. He starts laughing, like she'd told some knock knock joke! The anger quickly evaporates, and sorrow takes its place. She's fighting back tears at this point.
Josh immediately stops laughing when he sees her face. He had thought she was kidding, like that time she said that she got him and that Strawberry chick arranged for a court marriage. Massie Block really does like him.
"Hey, come here; I didn't know you were being serious. I'm sorry," he wraps his strong arms around her.
"You don't have to apologize. It's fine if you don't like me," she sniffles, trying to shrug him off, but he has a strong grip.
Josh would have believed her if he hadn't observed her tugging at her auburn curls, a dead giveaway that she's upset.
"I do like you; I needed a minute to digest."
"It's fine, really. I get it."
"Massie-"God, she's stubborn. Seeing that she's going to ignore everything he says, he lifts her chin up with his finger and places his lips on hers.
She's shocked at first, but then melts into the kiss. This isn't what she's been wanting for so long (even if she wasn't willing to admit it). It doesn't feel wrong at all. It's tender and sweet and so right.
Josh shifts her into his lap, her legs wrapping around his waist. She kneads her hands through his hair; whatever he's doing with his tongue is pretty fucking fantastic. He moves his hands inside her shirt, stroking up and down her sides, before resting right above the waistband of her La Perla lace panties. She pulls off his shirt, not caring where it lands. He's warm and muscular, and he doesn't want to stop. She presses up against him even more, tugging at his hair. She can feel his smile against her mouth. He licks her bottom lip, before she pulls away. She still needs to make sure.
"Do you really?" Her voice has a slight rasp from the lack of oxygen (not that she minds).
"Yes, I really do," his voice almost pants.
That's all she needs to hear before smashing her lips against his once more.
El Fin