Picking Battles

A/N: So I'm thinking that if you haven't updated for 10 months (cannot believe it's been that long!), there is not point in making any sort of excuses. Therefore, I humbly present you with a new chapter.

A/N2: Set sometime after the infamous vagina vote/ "I'll get the lotion" scene in 7x14, but before the other infamous "this is not my dream" scene in 7x16.

"Pick battles big enough to matter, small enough to win." – Kozol

o0o0o

"Ummm, what are you doing?" Callie asked, peering over one of her many pregnancy books to see Arizona perching herself on the other end of the couch, lotion in hand.

"I am rubbing your feet," Arizona replied with a furrowed brow as if foot rubs were as routine as breathing.

"Uh, okay, I guess the question is why instead of what, then."

"My beautiful pregnant girlfriend had two back-to-back surgeries today. And that was before the emergent cases came in. I figured she would be tired and that her feet would probably hurt, because she's been on them all day, and yeah, did I mention she was pregnant?"

Callie narrowed her eyes. "What did you do? Did you start smoking again? Because you know that I don't want you to now that I'm pre-ow!"

Exasperated, Arizona kneaded her fingers deeply into Callie's foot, hitting a particularly sensitive spot. "No, I didn't do anything, and no, I have not started smoking again, because if you haven't noticed, I'm committed to this."

"Sorry," Callie replied, a sheepish smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. "It's just...you hate feet."

"Yep."

"You say that they're the worst body parts, because we walk on them all day and they're smelly and callus-y, and that hands, and certainly mouths, should stay far away from feet."

"I do say that, yes." Arizona continued to rub deep circles over the ball Callie's left foot.

Callie moaned in appreciation, but continued. "You once said that given the choice between having a root canal without anesthesia and giving a foot rub, you would choose the root canal nine out of every ten times."

"Mmhmm," Arizona agreed, pretending to have no idea where Callie was going with her statements. She really wanted to avoid yet another fight.

"So...my question is, what makes this situation the exception to the rule?"

"Pregnant people like to have their feet rubbed. You like to have your feet rubbed."

"But - "

Arizona dropped Callie's foot with a heavy sigh, cutting her off. "I am making a sacrifice here, Callie. I love you, and you are housing our baby, which I find...miraculous. It's stupid, because I'm a doctor, but I wake up every morning completely in awe of the fact that there is a tiny human growing inside of you. And I can't help you with any symptoms or take away any discomfort you feel. So the least I can do is rub your damn feet. Okay?" Arizona picked up her foot again and dug her fingers into Callie's heel, making the brunette groan in satisfaction.

"Okay," Callie replied through her moan. "I'll stop complaining."

"Good," Arizona replied curtly through gritted teeth. She really didn't like feet.

Callie allowed herself to be lost in the deliriously wonderful feelings for a few moments, before her eyes snapped open and her head shot up.

"Is this a Mark thing?"

"Hmm?" Arizona asked. She'd been getting exceedingly good at playing innocent.

"Are you mad that Mark gave me a foot rub the other day?"

"It's just that...this baby is ours; it's all three of ours. And I get that and I'm okay with it. Really, I am. But this body?" Arizona gestured to Callie's prone form. "This body is yours...and sometimes it's mine, but you know whose it definitely isn't? Mark's."

"Sometimes it's yours, huh?" Callie asked with a smirk. She just couldn't resist.

"Oh, don't even pretend to be mad. You love it when I'm possessive."

"And you hate it when you have to be possessive," Callie finished with a sigh. "Stop rubbing my feet."

Arizona frowned. "I think you're missing the point."

"No, I think you are. I'm enjoying this, and you better believe that you're going to be doing this some more before the munchkin arrives, but right now, I want to talk to you...face-to-face instead of face-to-foot." Callie scooted up on the couch and patted next to her, gesturing for Arizona to join her. Arizona begrudgingly scooched closer to her girlfriend, realizing how naive she'd been to think she could get away with the gesture without having to have a discussion about it.

"So," Callie began, "you're upset that I let Mark give me a foot rub the other day."

Arizona confirmed Callie's statement with a sharp nod. "You were moaning. I mean moaning moaning. Sounds were coming out of your mouth that I'd only ever heard in the bedroom. Mark was practically giggling, because even though he's maturing, he's still Mark Sloan. And you know what I was doing?"

Callie shook her head 'no' in response to Arizona's rhetorical question, even though she knew exactly what Arizona had been doing.

"I was boiling broccoli."

"Best broccoli I've ever had," Callie swore seriously, trying in vain to keep the mood light.

Arizona huffed. "I was boiling broccoli, Callie. I was watching a pot of stupid tasteless green vegetables boil, and I was listening. I was listening to you and Mark moaning and giggling and 'oh, Mark! That feels sooo good,'" Arizona mimicked.

"Okay, you're exaggerating. I was not practically having an orgasm as you seem to be implying."

Arizona raised her right eyebrow, challenging Callie. "Guarantee that Mark went back to his apartment and made Mark Jr. very happy with the thoughts of the noises you were making."

Callie rolled her eyes. "Gross, Arizona."

"Exactly!"

Sighing, Callie dropped a hand onto Arizona's leg, rubbing lightly over the denim covering her thigh. "Honey, I promise there was nothing sexual about that foot rub, and I certainly wasn't thinking anything like that."

"Oh, I know that. But making you moan, no matter the context, should be my job. Exclusively."

"The only reason I let him do it instead of you is because I know how much you hate feet! I was trying to do you a favor!" Callie defended, her voice rising of its own accord as she became more frustrated.

"Well, stop trying to do me favors. You should know that at this point I would do anything for you, Calliope. I am all in. And I need you to trust that. I need you to stop relying on Mark for things that I should be doing."

"I do trust that, I promise. No more Mark giving me foot rubs." At the appearance of Arizona's raised brows, Callie continued, "...or anything else that should be your job."

"Thank you," Arizona said, leaning in to give Callie a quick peck on the lips.

"I'm sorry," Callie said with a sigh.

"Me too. I know my insecurity is frustrating and hardly attractive."

Callie shook her head. "Don't. I'd be the exact same way if the situation were reversed."

"It's been my turn to be crazy a lot recently."

"It doesn't count if I'm the one making you crazy," Callie reasoned, before dipping her head down to catch a longer kiss.

"Well, that's a relief," Arizona laughed against Callie's lips.

Callie kissed her again, running her tongue along Arizona's bottom lip. "Shut up," she whispered.

"Oh, you want me to make you moan, do you?" Arizona teased.

Callie nodded while laughing. She gently pushed Arizona back to the opposite end of the couch and pulled up her right foot, wiggling her toes for added effect. Surprising both of them, Arizona took Callie's proffered foot in her hand and kissed the instep lightly. She continued to kiss her way up Callie's foot, around her ankle, and up the exposed part of her shin. As she got higher, she added a few licks and nips, and Callie's breath hitched predictably.

Suddenly, Arizona sat back on her knees. Pulling Callie to her by both of her ankles, she wrapped the brunette's legs around her waist. Arizona rocked forward, pleased with Callie's groans as Arizona's abdomen created delightful friction against her core. Arizona leaned over Callie's body and kissed her languidly.

"Better than a foot rub?"

"Mmmm, much."