A/N Another from the kiss prompts on tumblr. Ktlsyrtis asked for "A kiss out of envy or jealousy"

This is probably not the route you might expect but my brain is in some sort of pit of fluff and I couldn't get into writing the whole "someone else flirting" thing. So here you go: (also, timeline - what timeline? who knows when this is set, other than in the month of October)

Serena sips the cup of tea, sighing for what feels like the millionth time that evening. It is a far cry from what she wishes she was drinking after a long shift, but she had agreed, and she wasn't a quitter. Well, in a way giving up alcohol for a month did make her a quitter.

It's been 20 days since she started "Go Sober for October" in Arthur's memory and it's been the longest three weeks of her life. She has forgone Albie's after shifts. Bernie, to her credit, has pretty much stopped drinking as well, so as not to tempt or goad, and they'd found plenty of other things to keep them occupied in the free time.

Tonight, however, Bernie is out with some of her old regiment to have a catch up. She knows she won't be back late; some of them have young kids they want to get home for. Serena imagines what they'll be doing now, rounds of beers, a couple of whiskeys maybe. Bernie is working tomorrow so she won't be drunk but…

Stop it, Serena. She berates herself, knows that the best thing would be something to take her mind off it. Surely there'll be a repeat of a murder mystery on TV, that will keep her occupied until Bernie returns.

The sound of keys in the door surprises her and she suppresses a smile as Bernie does her best to come in quietly. It's lucky Jason is out because he may have had some complaints.

"Have fun?" She says over her shoulder when she feels Bernie's presence in the living room. In seconds she is curling into her side, an arm slipping around Serena's waist.

"Yes thank you. The pub was gorgeous, they've obviously refurbished recently and they've got a new gin menu with all sorts on it-"

Serena cuts her off with a groan and Bernie ducks her head, the smell of the pub wafting to her nostrils as her hair moves.

"Sorry, but we'll go next month. Just think, you'll appreciate the drink even more when this is over."

"It's torture," she moans, and Bernie smirks because this is not the first time Serena has uttered those words. According to Jason, she'd managed 33 hours without complaining she couldn't drink (although in her defence, she'd been in a heads of department meeting). "Especially now I can smell the pub on you."

Bernie leans away.

"I'll shower, sorry darling."

"No," Serena pulls her back, nuzzles in to her shoulder. "No, I can pretend I was there. Maybe it will be like a placebo, I'll trick myself into thinking I've had something to drink."

Bernie chuckles softly, knows Serena is only half joking.

"Williams says next time you'll have to come along. I told him you could easily drink him under the table. He was my closest rival in the regiment, reckons I'll have lost my tolerance now I'm a civilian. I told him meeting you has kept it up."

Serena swats her arm playfully.

"Did you prove that to him tonight?"

She shakes her head, yawning.

"No, just a few beers then a whisky to finish off. It was a very nice Scotch."

Serena doesn't let her say anymore, is pressing their lips together and dipping her tongue into Bernie's mouth. She moans as she tastes those last remnants of alcohol. Whisky may not be her drink of choice but the faint hint of it on her tongue is heavenly.

Bernie pulls back for breath, puzzlement in her eyes.

"Next time would you mind awfully having a Shiraz?"