Unexpected, fluff #4
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A fluff prompt request for Serena/Casey sports fluff! (related to the previous S/C fluff in this series)
AN:And nearly another 3k of WIP procrastination! (though, if I'm honest, I could probably write a part 2 of this… but it was getting long and also taking a beat - I am slow, but I am trying…)
AN2: The Virginia line is stolen from Madam Secretary.
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She held her hand as they walked home from a late dinner, lacing their fingers together, and leaned her head on her shoulder.
And again, Casey felt a little surprised, that such a simple thing could sweep her off her feet.
She wondered if she would ever get used to it, or even should.
"Hey," Serena lifted her head up and looked at her. "What are you doing on Saturday?"
Casey went through her schedule in her head. "Just a workout, really…" She looked back at Serena, wondering. "What do you like to do for workouts?"
"I like a little variety, so I'll try different classes at my gym, but I do stick to a killer kettlebell routine."
"Kettlebells," she repeated, impressed and surprised. "Thats kind of sexy."
Serena flashed her a pleased smile.
That killed her. She still hadn't gotten used to that. That things Casey did or said, could please her.
"What do you do?"
Casey shrugged a little. "It depends on the season really."
Serena tilted her head in a questioning glance.
"Mostly I like to run or bike to clear my head. But preseason strength and conditioning are so ingrained that I add them in when I'm getting ready for softball season."
"Do you play in a competitive league?"
"It's not a competitive league on paper," she grinned. "I still play on a team with mostly DAs. We play cops, people from the courthouse, firefighters… It's supposed to be a beer league. But there's a lot of bragging rights, and like I said, it doesn't feel right not to be in shape and ready."
"So, what do you do for the preseason?"
"Switch off days of typical lifting for the major muscle groups with running, and when I run I'll throw in some speed or agility work."
"That sounds pretty intensive for a beer league."
"Actually, it's just sort of automatic now, and not nearly as intense as it was back in the day, I mean, I know I'm no longer 18… those were some really pointed workouts."
"I'll bet," Serena said. "Do you like playing other sports?"
"I grew up in Virginia with a father who wanted sons," she grinned again.
"Do play tennis?"
"Yes," she hesitated a beat. "But I'm not very good."
"Would you want to play with me on Saturday then?"
She almost laughed at the absurdity of the question. She knew she'd do anything with her. She'd wait in line at the DMV with her. She'd never experienced this kind of want before.
"That depends on if you get really annoyed by just how often I hit the ball way out of bounds."
She smiled widely. "I can get an extra bucket of balls."
"Then you're on."
They slowed to a stop in front of her building, and Serena waved down a cab, and arranged for it to wait for her a couple of car lengths ahead.
"Then I guess I'll see you Saturday," she said, sliding up to Casey so smoothly that if they were in water, she'd leave no wake.
And then she was kissing her.
Casey couldn't help it, she deepened the kiss, parting her lips automatically, and gently brushing her tongue across her lips.
She couldn't possibly know what the sound that was induced by that simple act would do to her - it was just a small moan of surprise. It sent a wave of honest to goodness tingles throughout her body, causing goosebumps and what felt like a herd of butterflies in her stomach.
Serena seemed to sense that, and took over the kiss.
She felt a thumb softly smooth along her cheekbone, and Serena gently captured her lower lip, biting it ever so gently. The groan that was pulled from her, could hardly be anywhere near equal, but Casey no longer had the mens rea to consider any of it at the moment, being impossibly bombarded by sensation again.
When she pulled away though, she saw Serena's flushed face, the darkened sea of blue in her intense gaze, and the nearly ragged breathing to match Casey's.
It made the butterflies start to stampede.
Serena pulled back a bit, and adjusted the collar of Casey's shirt, smiling. "Good night," she said, like she hadn't just taken Casey apart, and kissed her on the cheek before getting into her cab.
Casey could still feel the aftershocks.
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On Saturday, Casey was a hell of a lot more comfortable than she had assumed she would be.
She hadn't notice any elitist questioning looks, there were no dismissive glances when they entered Serena's club hand in hand.
She supposed she looked much like most people there for exercise, albeit in her newest and brightest workout gear. She supposed she looked slightly like she was there to participate in the yoga or zumba or other cardio classes more than tennis… there were actually a few people in traditional crisp tennis whites and tennis dresses. But overall it was casual enough and she didn't feel like she stood out.
Overall, she didn't even play that terrible of a match. They played three sets with Casey giving olympian efforts, and maybe a few awkward stumbles. But the real problem wasn't keeping up or being fast enough. The real problem was keeping the ball in the court.
Serena looked nothing less than perfect.
Each time she served, her body displayed just how long and regal and powerful it was. She tossed up the ball so smoothly, her body stretching out on a precise plane of physics before solidly hitting it across the net. And then Casey would have to remember to try and return the serves.
Most often when she returned it, she returned it long.
Very long.
After the fourth or eighth time, when the ball was hit to her forehand side, Casey returned it well over the net. Over the net, out of the court, and nearly out of the yard.
She held her hands out in an exaggerated shrug and let her head fall forward.
Serena laughed and put down her racket and came onto Casey's side of the court.
"Well, it looked like a home run to me," Serena said with a teasing grin.
Casey let out a soft laugh through her nose and a tight lipped smile. "I did warn you."
"Come on," she said, smiling softly and sliding into Casey's personal space with an ease that Casey thought would be impossible. Next thing she knew they were as close as could be without physically touching.
And then came the touching.
"All you need are a few adjustments," Serena said, and poked her lightly in the stomach. She came up behind Casey, placing her hands on her hips, her warm hands burning through the thin nylon shirt.
"Don't lead with your hips," she said, and squeezed Casey's, holding them still to emphasize her point, sending heat throughout the core of her body.
"Step into the hit with your lead leg," Serena continued. "And rotate through the stroke continuously."
She moved one hand up to Casey's right shoulder, and traced the touch from the top all the way down to her wrist, leaving a trail of goosbumps along the way. "Think of it as leaning into the ball, and tilting the racket forward," she turned Casey's wrist a few degrees. "To get a little spin."
Casey nodded as if her brain was actually capable of absorbing coaching at the moment. She wanted to though, and tried to concentrate on what Serena was saying.
And then Serena placed a quick, sweet kiss on her lips before returning to her side of the court and Casey's brain threatened to short circuit again.
She let out a deep breath. Lean into the ball, racket tilted down. She breathed in as deep as she could and stretched her neck to crack it. Step into the hit.
She let out another deep breath as Serena smiled and motioned with the ball and racket, asking if she was ready.
She took another breath and smiled and nodded.
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"I got you a water," Serena said, a smile full of teeth and handing over a large, clear cup of ice water with sliced strawberries, lemons and mint in it.
"Fancy water," Casey said.
Serena winked and looked like she was going to respond, when a friendly voice caught both of their attentions.
"Serena," she said.
"Judge Ross, how are you?" Serena responded and took a slight step toward Casey. "Do you know Casey Novak?"
Jamie Ross nodded and shook both their hands. "It's nice to see you both,"she said, friendly and smiling. "Do you have time for a short set?" she said, directing her attention back toward Serena.
"We were just going to lunch," she motioned to Casey.
"Oh," Ross said, her eyes going wide in a brief flash of surprise, and then a bigger smile of understanding. "Oh, I didn't mean to interrupt." And she gave something of a pleased nod toward Serena.
"Not at all," Serena said, catching Casey's eyes and smiling.
Casey put her hand on Serena's arm, lightly and just above her elbow, stopping their exit. "I know I wasn't a very challenging opponent," Casey said. "I can wait if you want to play a bit more. I could use the break to keep up my stamina."
"Are you sure?" she said, giving her half a shrug. "I forgot that the regulars here are used to me playing pick up games," she said, "But I don't have to if you're hungry."
"I can wait," she smiled, and felt her dimples crease her cheeks. "Show me what you can do," she said, and winked, proud of herself for allowing that side of her out.
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The airy space between the floor and the beams above offered an odd mix of court echos, the pings of the balls and court talk, but also mingled voices, conversations from the bar and cafe tables not far off. Casey preferred to be closer though, and sat on the small sets of bleachers that aligned the courts.
While there were many things to notice about Serena, (Casey particularly liked this outfit - her legs were the hardest to ignore, her muscles so subtly contoured her long, elegant limbs). But, even with that distraction, she could tell that something was off about the current set Serena was playing.
She returned the serves easily, but only as hard as they were hit, matching each stroke. Judge Ross was slightly older, and looked enough in shape, but not quite looking nearly as fit as Serena - and they were going head to head?
Serena won two of three sets, and seemed to win those fairly easily. She shook her hand and offered a 'nice-game' and a 'your backhand is getting really good' with every bit earnest sportsmanship. Judge Ross smiled and waved to Casey as she left.
"I think she approves of me having lunch with you," Serena said, smiling with a warm look in her eyes, as she came back to stand in front of the row Casey was sitting on.
"You can tell that?"
"I've been playing her for a few months. We've gotten to know each other a little bit. I'm hoping that someday soon she might let me into her poker game," she said. "But, yeah, I can tell." She stepped a little closer. "I might have gone for wrong types in the past, and I think that there are a few people who will happily approve of…you."
"What is the wrong type?"
"The kind that just don't bring out the best in me." She shrugged a little. "Bad girls, I guess, for a lack of a better term."
"Ah," Casey said, a little chagrinned. "That's um, not quite my reputation, is it."
Serena grabbed her hand, holding it, running the pad of her thumb along the soft skin on the top, and then squeezed it and pulled her close. "No, it's not," she said, and smiled at her, looking into her eyes.
Her mouth snapped closed and she swallowed. Serena's eyes seemed to follow that movement and then trailed slowly up her neck until she met her gaze again.
As Casey was moments from yet another moment of involuntary PDA, another voice startled them apart. This voice, however, was louder and slightly obnoxious.
"Serena, got time for one?" he said.
Casey laughed softly at the interruption, before she recognized him as a criminal defense attorney.
"John got called back to the office and I still have the court," he motioned over his shoulder with his thumb.
"I was heading to lunch," she said, a definite shake of her head.
"Come on," he pleaded. "You killed me last time, you owe me a chance to redeem myself."
"Maybe next time," she said, opening her bag to resheath her racket.
"You afraid I might beat you this time?"
She looked over at Casey who just smiled and shrugged.
"Alright, but just one set."
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What commenced was an entirely different game than the last, faster, and miles different from when she played Casey.
Serena served, and he couldn't make the return. She served again, and this time he returned it, but he hit it too hard and way out of bounds. The third serve was finally returned and then a sharp, manic volley commenced, ending shortly in Serena's favor. Her fourth serve had him sliding out of bounds trying to get to it fast enough. The rest of the match went much the same, fast and powerfully mastered by Serena.
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"Okay, you play a light and easy game, trying to teach me not to hit it into the stratosphere," she said as they ate lunch at the club's restaurant. "And you let a few points go to Ross, letting her win one set. I know you let her… But you… you absolutely demolished that guy in the last game."
"Well, the last one…. Some people need to lose," she shrugged.
Casey knew that her grin had to look a little stupid, but something about that comment caused another small, yet insistent tug at her heart. Every little thing she learned about the woman, from the fact that she had potted orchids in her bathroom, to the little acts of karmic balancing through tennis, made her realize that there wasn't a part of this woman that she didn't want.
"I have a rather complicated history with the sport," Serena said.
Casey tilted her head in contemplation, and made a go-on gesture while sipping at her water.
"It was one of the few things that perked my father's interest," she said. "He seemed to like that I took to it, and paid for as many camps and private coaches and trainers as I wanted." She frowned a little, playing with the vegetables on her plate with her fork. "But after all that work… he only ever came to one match, and he worked on his phone and laptop the whole time. He didn't even come to the state championship."
"That's…" Casey started, but didn't know how to end the sentence without disparaging the man vehemently. "I can't imagine."
"Yeah," Serena said, seeming to agree with the unfinished sentence. "I got really good though." She laughed ruefully. "I stopped playing for a while after that, but eventually I came back to it for stress relief and even fun at times."
"I'm glad you didn't lose something you loved because of…"
"Benign neglect?"
"It doesn't sound that benign."
"It really wasn't that bad. Once I figured all of that out and I stopped trying to impress him, things got better for me."
"He's the one who should be trying to impress you," Casey smiled softly at her. "Because, you are…" she stumbled, not even sure where she was going with this and her throat suddenly starting to go dry. "You are… something."
"Something?" A grin and half a giggle escaped her lips and her tone sounded amused.
Casey could feel her face turning red, and she quickly tried to get the rest of that thought out before she felt even more idiotic. "Amazing. You are amazing, and anyone who doesn't take the time to get to know you is missing out."
The amused smile on Serena's face changed, and grew slowly until it was dazzling.
"Come here," she said, and motioned with her head as she leaned to meet Casey in the middle of the table. She placed her palm on Casey's cheek and pulled her into a kiss.
The touch and the kiss were so soft and gentle that it brought out goosebumps on her skin, and she had to close her eyes to deal with all of the sensations.
Her eyes were still closed as the kiss ended and they resumed their seats to finish lunch. When she opened them again, she found that they were looking at each other with nearly matching smiles.
"You're very sweet."
She didn't know quite how long she was lost in that stare, but then a warm hand slid onto her bare knee, and her stomach clenched around the organic free range chicken she had been eating. It would have been concerning, but then the hand gripped her more firmly, making her skin send a trail of molten fire from her core that rose through her body until it reached the back of her neck.
Serena let go another soft giggle despite herself, but let Casey off the hook.
"So," she said. "What do you want to do with the rest of the day?"
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