Okay, for all of those reading, this chapter takes Sphinx and Chaos from a PG-13 relationship on and into an R setting. However, unless I am specifically asked, I am not going to up my rating which means I'll be alluding to the missing portions of the upcoming chapters. This does not mean that this story is going into the pure fluff and sappy realm. Oh no. But be warned this one does get somewhat odd and fluffy and just down right silly.

DISCLAIMER: THE ONLY THING I OWN ARE THE ORIGINAL CHARACTERS AND A NOW WONDERFULLY RESTORED CHEVELLE SS THAT IS STILL EATING ME OUT OF HOUSE AND HOME IN GAS.


The Distance From Friends to Lovers

All was right in the world and had been for two weeks. Chaosia was moved and her practices were finally back to their normal time, which meant that she was able to actually see some of her boyfriend before and after class without sacrificing her coveted sleep. Said boyfriend was well aware of just how precious sleep was to the art student after she'd missed her coffee and snapped at him before running off to practice. Of course she'd called and apologized and he had let her off, but he had learned a valuable lesson for dealing with Chaosia: Let her sleep or be armed with coffee. On practice mornings, the blacker the better.

And after that tiny hiccup, Sphinx was happily (well for him, anyway) getting to reap the benefits of having a girlfriend who not only understood a good bit of what happened in the morgue, but was usually interested in what happened there. It was today, fifteen minutes before his morgue shift ended that he had to relish that fact, especially with the pile of paperwork he'd be bringing in tonight. Thank God she retained a good portion of her medical studies and actually liked "checking" his paperwork. Her checking usually turns into fixing whatever the other idiots did before I have to. And she could tolerate his boosting as well. She had even made a compromise with him on that regard.

"If you promise not to get maimed, shot, stabbed or killed I have no problem. Do whatever you were doing before. However, If you do get maimed, shot or stabbed, I'm going to send you to your precious morgue myself. And if you get killed, I'm raising you from the dead and killing you all over again, got it?"

Sphinx smirked, glancing at the clock on the wall in the larger autopsy room as her voice flitted through his head. She was too damned cute to actually be threatening when she'd found out that Atley had a score he wanted help on, but Lord did he love it when she turned vicious on Atley and Memphis, swearing death and worse if they allowed him to get hurt. Mikhail had been the saving grace for this new boost, swearing on their mother's grave that he wouldn't let one hair on Sphinx's head to be out of place when he returned home. She had consented then, offering him his bargain. And after the others left, she'd been very persuasive in getting him to promise not to let anything happen to himself, Atley or her brother . . .

Hell, she'd gotten him to swear to come to all of her games and cook dinner tonight for when she helped with his paperwork. Speaking of which . . . . He glanced at the clock again. Was the bloody thing even moving?

To hell with it. He was leaving early. He never had before and today seemed as good as any to start. Especially since he knew if he got to either apartment before her he could watch her slink around in those wonderful soccer shorts of hers.

He grinned, basking in that knowledge as he grabbed coat and paperwork before going to clock out. Her game shorts were knee length, well beyond regulation . . . but her practice shorts were borderline indecent. He had almost stroked when he had come through her patio door to find her stretching and chatting away with Andrews, painfully unaware of just how much of her long tanned legs she was showing. He'd almost killed the boy on the spot before he heard his saving grace.

She was trying to get him to date Paul and neither had the balls (metaphorically of course) to ask the other out. She was practically ragging him worse than anything Kip or Tumbler could toss out when she spotted him. She'd smiled and waved before forming herself into a human pretzel and continuing on with her conversation.

Sphinx shook himself as he walked to his car, having finally left the morgue.

No one with bones should be able to bend like that, but Chaosia had acted like it was fine. She'd even kept up a conversation while he'd beat a hasty retreat to his own home for a very cold shower and two hours of the unsexiest thing he could find on television: the home and garden channel.

She'd laughed when she'd come up later but if she'd known how damned bad her doing little things like that drove him bat shit crazy for her, he'd be a whipped man. And today was one of the days that the fate of a whipped man didn't seem so bad.

Especially since he hadn't seen her all damned day.

He drove on, only stopping for lights and signs as he made his way back home. He didn't dare think about how two weeks ago he'd been standoffish about having her in his life and how now he was damned sure he was going to try and keep her there.


Chaosia walked into her apartment, throwing bags and papers on the nearest couch as she made her way down her hall to her bedroom. She needed a long hot bath and a bottle of Jack in the worst way. Her wonderful, adoring Coach had pulled her aside to inform her that he was going to be out of the country for four weeks for a wedding . . . and he was leaving her and Orsinio in charge of practices and scrimmage, though he practically decreed in front of the team that she was the one in charge of all drills, work outs and exercise.

As soon as Coach was out of earshot, she and Orsinio had come to an agreement: Two practices per week ending with a scrimmage on the second. This meant they could focus on things other than soccer for a while . . . and as long as the green defense didn't cause any more problems, then she wouldn't drill them into the damn pavement again.

Which is why her legs felt like they were about to fall off. Mouthy little twits had decided to test her. The 350 laps she'd made them run up the steps of the stadium and then back down had all of their legs burning . . . but her offense had taken it in stride. They were used to it from their practices. The poor defense was about to stroke. For about two seconds, she'd contemplated calling Sphinx and letting him run her drills for her.

She'd smirked at the mental image of her usually terrifying boyfriend glaring at the newbies, sending them scaling the steps quicker than their Coach ever could before dismissing it entirely. Save that for drastic measures.

As she ran her bath, she called Sphinx, telling him to forget dinner and just to come eat pizza with her in about an hour. He'd been elated to escape kitchen detail for the evening but promised to cook another time before hanging up.

Chaosia had just shed her clothes and was sinking in the tub when her bathroom door opened. She looked up, thankful for the mountain of frothy bubbles hiding her from view as Sphinx casually strode in the room, dropping to sit beside the tub as she looked at him tiredly. She wanted to scold him or work up enough energy to be outraged at his intrusion of her privacy and modesty, but she just couldn't.

He seemed to get that as he shook his head and picked up a washcloth, soaking it in the water before he ran it over her back. She moaned, leaning so he could get the rest.

"I swear if you keep doing that I won't freak out at you. What are you doing here so early?"

He shrugged, washing her back with gentle circles. "Figured you needed something to yell at with how you sounded over the phone . . . ."

She shrugged, hissing at the slight movement causing her shoulders to pop. Sphinx raised a brow. "What have you done to yourself now?"

"Nothing worse than I did to the defense. I swear those boys are idiots. I had to make the whole team run over 300 stadium laps before they would even attempt to listen. Now, I'm just sore and cranky so be warned I won't be good company."

He gave a deadpan look as if asking her "You think I'm worried about you being good company?"

She grunted, resting her forehead on the cool porcelain of the claw foot tub. "And I know you don't care. Hell, you'll probably just be thrilled to have peace and quiet for a night. I'm just warning you, is all."

He nodded before leaning forward and placing a kiss on her hair then stood to leave. As he made his way out of the bathroom, he heard her groan and lean back. He shook his head, deciding to go ahead and call in their pizzas for her. Lord knows if she was that tired she'd probably already forgotten.

He walked by the couch, shaking his head at the bags on her couch. She would freak tomorrow when she realized she had left them out and in such a state but if he moved them into her office, then he was stepping further into the whipped realm of thinking than he wanted. So, he avoided looking at the bags as he ordered their food and turned completely away from them so he didn't have to see them as he sat on her other sofa to watch television. Finally, he pulled case files out to work on so he had an honest to God reason to not touch the offending bags.

God, boy-o. You're losing it. Just ignore the damn things. It's not like she asked you to pick them up or anything. Just do your damn work and leave it be. Besides, you'd probably just put them in the wrong spot anyway.

And with that thought, he buried himself in work, listening to whatever show she had on. And he only glanced at the bags four more times before he heard her go into her bedroom to get dressed.


As Chaosia emerged from her bedroom, she marveled at what was waiting on her. Two pizza boxes were perched on her coffee table with two beers (and already on coasters without having to be told!) and a huge pile of paperwork beside them but minus her stoic boyfriend. She smiled, shaking her head as she moved to get her bags and move them into the office. They could just sit anywhere in there but here in the living room she would go nutty looking at them. It was when she went to look for them that she noticed they weren't there.

She quirked a brow, going back down the hall to her office, opening the door to find the art tote neatly beside her desk and her messenger bag in the arm chair. She looked back, puzzled. She knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that she had not put them there . . . had she?

Shaking her head, she walked back into the living room, spying Sphinx settled into the couch with a case file in his lap and one of the beers in hand. She stopped, just watching him. It still amazed her how he could make small things seem graceful and dignified while she could turn small things into full blown catastrophes. She wondered, for a split second, if he boosted with the same deadly grace and determination that he handed everything else with, even paper work. If he did, then he was truly a sight to behold if anyone could catch him. She'd learned from Sway and Mikhail that he was one of the best, especially when it came to classics and muscle.

I wonder what it would be like to watch him boost . . . He'd probably die if I ever asked to tag along, though.

He looked up at her, brow raised as she walked over to the couch and sat beside him. She grabbed a piece of pizza, downing it quickly and took a long drought of her beer. She turned, blushing as she noticed him watching her intently.

"What? I know it amazes you that I eat, Sphinx. But I do. Thank you, by the way."

He snorted, scowling as he put the file on the table and throwing his arm over the back of the couch, allowing her to settle into him before he draped it over her shoulders.

"For what?"

She shrugged, laying her head on his chest as she picked up the remote and flicking through channels. "For letting me have my space, for getting pizza, for putting my mess away while I was in the tub . . . Just for being considerate. It means a lot to me."

His scowl darkened as he grumbled to himself, but he pulled her closer all the same.

She smirked, burying her head into his chest to hide it from him. She loved making him grumble. Most people probably pissed themselves when he started but she thought it was cute, especially when he did it after he'd done something sweet and got caught.

Finally, she settled on watching "Dexter" before leaning up and kissing his cheek.

"I don't expect you to do this stuff, Sphinx. If it makes you uncomfortable just tell me . . . okay, bad choice of words. Just let me know, however you chose and we'll work on it. Now hand me that case file."

He handed over the file, shaking his head as he picked a new one. As he heard he snort at something, he knew it was going to be a long night.


Finally, at about two o'clock in the morning, Sphinx decided they needed to call it a night. Chaosia was barely awake, pen in hand as she almost nodded off for the second time in three minutes.

He rescued the case file from her, putting it safely with its brethren before taking the pizza boxes and empty beer bottles into the kitchen. After securing the pizzas in the fridge and tossing the bottles, he came back into the living room chuckling as he saw Chaos was actually asleep sitting up.

"That must be a useful habit in class, luv. Come on, let me put you to bed."

She started awake, wide eyed before she saw him, rolling her eyes as she got off the sofa and headed to her bedroom. He shook his head at her. At least she was already in sweatpants and a tank top so he wouldn't have to force her to change. She really was like a child when it came to getting her to do something when she was half asleep . . . though he knew he wasn't any better.

She tossed her glasses on the bedside table and climbed under her covers, sleepily patting the spot beside her. He chuckled, shaking his head.

"No, luv. I don't stay when you have class, remember?"

She looked at the clock and then to him, like he was crazy.

"Sphinx? It's Friday, meaning I don't have class tomorrow and it's late. Just get in bed."

He shrugged, not even bothering to argue. He knew it was only Thursday and that she did have a class tomorrow . . . but he wasn't going to argue. He set the alarm on his phone and tucked it under the pillows before shedding his over shirt and pants. He was down to underwear and a wife beater when he heard her snort. He looked up and was amazed as she started to shake with barely contained laughter.

He tried to wait it out, mentally contributing whatever was going on as a result of fatigue, until he finally snapped.

"What in the bloody hell is so funny, Chaosia?"

She started to laugh out loud then, almost rolling off the bed as she wheezed. Finally, as the vein on the side of his head started to pulse she sat up and tried to keep a straight face as she explained.

"What in the world are you wearing?"

He stood to his full height, looking down and surveying the black wife beater and dark brief underwear. He looked back at her like she was crazy before shaking his head. He was not going into anything with her tonight. Not while she was like this. He was liable to snap and to more damage than even he and Atley could fix. But when he looked back up and saw the unadulterated mix of mirth, astonishment and lust dancing in her eyes, he had to say something.

"I'm wearing underwear and a damn beater, Chaosia. Same as I always do. Why?"

She shook her head, stretching back out as she faced him with her check propped on her hand. She lazily perused his body, making him feel slightly exposed and extremely uncomfortable.

"We are going to go and get you some other underwear, honey. You look like you raided a five-year-old's drawer. Not that I'm complaining per say, because they definitely accentuate some great aspects . . . but . . . seriously, Sphinx. Tightie Whities?"

He glared, crossing his arms as he looked down his nose at her. "They are not white, Chaosia-" "I know, Sphinx. Hardly anything you own is white. But still, there close enough."

He leveled his darkest scowl, which only earned him peals of laughter. Cursing, he tore the wife beater off and ran a hand down his face. He noticed, however, that she wasn't laughing anymore. He opened his eyes, looking at her hesitantly.

She was just staring at him, mouth open. Great. Now what?



Chaosia had only been having some good old fashioned, mean spirited fun at her normally too serious boyfriend's expense. Honestly, she really didn't have that much against the briefs and if he liked them, then who was she to say anything . . . but it was too good an opportunity to pass up. And it had all been going so well until he shed that damn wife beater and exposed that wonderful chest of his.

Did he not realize just how nice he looked without a shirt? He was toned and defined without being too muscular, with only a small fan of dark hair on his upper chest though his torso was littered with lighter scars that had healed. The beginnings of the black Sphinx on his left shoulder was visible, something she loved to trace with her fingers. Usually, all she ever got to see was his chest . . . but tonight, courtesy of the formerly despised briefs she could see his abs and that wonderful deep V where his pelvic bones were . . . and a nice taught butt and glorious legs. God, she was never going to make fun of the underwear again. And if he didn't put a shirt back on, they weren't going to leave her bed ever again either.

She forced herself to look up and into his eyes, focusing on how they were more green than anything right now until she could trust herself to speak.

He shifted, glaring at her as he asked, "Well? Anymore laughs, then?"

She straightened, pulling the covers back as she patted his spot. "Nope. Not one. I'm sorry, I'm just tired and silly and being a bitch on top of it. Forgive me?"

He glared at her before shaking his head and climbing in beside her, keeping his distance. She sighed, head downcast as she rolled over.

Way to go, genius. The closest you've ever gotten him to nude and what do you do? You laugh at him and make really bad jokes. God, I should have been lobotomized before I screwed this up so badly.

She looked back over her shoulder, seeing that he'd rolled away from her. Finally, she gathered what was left of her courage and rolled over, snuggling up to his back. He stiffened as she wrapped her arms around him and laid her head on his shoulder, kissing the sphinx tattoo as she whispered to him.

"I really am sorry, baby. I was just picking. You can keep them, I swear I won't say anything else. Please don't be mad."

He snorted, rolling over to face her, allowing her to snuggle into his bare chest as he shook his head.

"I'm not mad, woman, just confused. First you insult me then you start looking like a bloody starving woman at a buffet. Seriously, luv, you send more weird signals than a-"

She cut him off mid-rant, kissing him hungrily as ran a hand down his chest and around to his back. He groaned into the kiss, rolling them to where he was on top. When they parted for air, one of his hands was on her hip while the other was cupping the side of her face. She kissed him again, leaving a trail down his jaw and to his neck. He shuddered closing his eyes as she chuckled, tracing his back and chest as she brought her hands up to cup his face.

"I am sorry, Sphinx. Will you forgive me if I promise to make it up to you?"

He nodded, eyes never opening as he informed her, "Yeah, Love. I'll forgive you. But we'd better cut this short or we are definitely not leaving this bed tomorrow. I have work and you do have class."

She smiled, kissing his right below his ear as she whispered, "Actually, I'm taking a day tomorrow because of the practice today. So we could lie in bed all day if you want to go send an email to your supervisor . . . If you want to that is . . ."

He swallowed loudly, finally looking at her. She could tell he wanted to but that sense of following . . . whatever it was that he followed was getting in the way. Finally, something won as he rested his forehead on hers, whispering hoarsely "Only of you want to, lover. I promise it's your decision. Just tell me what you want, Chaosia."

She smiled, kissing him. "I want you, Sphinx. As much as you want to give me. We'll go as far as we're both comfortable with, okay?"

He quickly pulled his phone out from under the pillows and sent a text to his supervisor's cell number. She shook her head, knowing it wasn't the email he would normally be expected to send but it would do until they got to a computer sometime tomorrow. He tossed the phone, dipping his lips to hers. "Tell me when you're uncomfortable and we stop. Deal?"

She giggled, nodding as she met his lips with her own. "Sure, sure. I'll let you know."

And those were the last six words spoken all night.


Thanks for all of the reviews and support! Oh, and if anyone can figure out where the inspiration for the underwear bit came from, just drop me a line and I'll give a cookie! Seriously! I have chocolate chip and white chocolate macadamia nut! I just have to figure out how to get them to you . . . Anyway, it's late and I'm drifting into insanity . . . so later.