Published on March 22, 2020
Author's notes:
Everything's been surreal of late so I just want to say to everyone to stay safe and take care of yourselves and your loved ones.
Chapter 35: College, Part 5
….
Previously:
Gisele was browsing at the farmer's market when she hears her name called.
"I'm so lucky to run into you. I was going to call," An Asian woman continued, "How've you been?"
It was Han's mom.
"Good. Just getting through school. And you?"
"Busy. Always. You know. I wanted to ask if you would like to watch Maxo for the summer. And house sit for us."
"Maybe Han wants to do it," Gisele deflects, "he always says he misses him."
"Han is coming with us," Han's mom relays, "to Hawaii and Korea."
"Oh," Gisele says slowly, trying to process this new information as she replied, "Can I get back to you?"
"Of course. We leave after graduation."
..
-Later that night-
Gisele was at Han's door. She knocks.
"Hi," Gisele says as Han stands there surprised, "We need to talk."
…
Truth
Gisele sits at the kitchen table as Han shuts the door, sitting opposite to her when he does sit.
"I ran into your Mom today."
"I heard."
"She asked if I could dogsit and housesit this summer."
"Are you?" Han pushes a pizza box Gisele's way.
"I said I'd think about it," Gisele swallows, "I hate the way we left things at the cabin, but I thought we'd have at least all summer to figure it out."
"She told you about our trips."
Gisele nods, and then wrings her hands, "I'm going to back to Israel in the fall and I don't know what's going to happen after that."
Han thinks for a moment before just blurting out, "I'm sorry too. I gave you my word back in December that I wouldn't make a move, and I didn't respect your decis-"
"I'm in love with you too," Gisele says at the same time as Han's explanation.
"Are we going to be together though?" Han crosses his arms.
"Yes," Gisele answers, already up and reaching for Han.
Han gets up slowly and Gisele goes for a kiss. Han finally gives in, pulling her closer by the waist. Han groans as Gisele sucks on his lower lip so his hands make their way under the hem of her shirt and then it's her turn to moan.
The kiss was spine tingly and urgent. Gisele wraps her legs around Han as he lifts and pushes her to the nearest wall. Han starts kissing her all over, his lips trailing from her earlobe to her neck.
"Han," Gisele moans, repeating, "Han?"
He looks up she sees his eyes trying not to look so puppy-like. Gisele gives him a reassuring smile before palming his face and giving him a brutally slow kiss.
"I just want to kiss you again," Gisele looks deep into Han's eyes, "I want this. I want to be with you, too. No matter what."
Han sighs in relief, capturing her lips again.
..
-Friday at midnight, hours later-
Gisele sits up on Han's bed when sees a flicker of light and smiles as Han's face comes into view behind a cupcake and lone candle.
"Happy Birthday," Han says, "Keep in mind, this old muffin is largely symbolic and we'll get you the best cake when we can."
"You put the sprinkles on yourself," Gisele grins.
"And the Nutella,"
"I can think of a better place to put it," Gisele licks her lips seductively as she reaches over to take a bit of the chocolate on her finger.
"You say things like that," Han sits back down on his bed, "and we're going to have to stay in bed all day."
"You do things like this," Gisele gives Han a quick kiss, "and I'll want to."
"What's your Friday schedule like this term?" Han asks, "Cause I worked it out so I'm done by three."
"So no ditching after all?"
"We have these weekly quizzes and my last few weren't so great," Han winces, "If I skip this one I might not have any breathing room come finals."
"I have the late shift at the library today and Mia and I are going to have a girl's day for my birthday on Saturday. How about next Friday or Saturday?"
"Saturday. It's a date," Han kisses Gisele's shoulder blade, "Make a wish."
Gisele closes her eyes and thinks, extinguishing the flame soon after, taking a bite, and offering some to Han.
"I can come by after work and we can do this again."
"You need to get back home," Han says quietly as he pulls Gisele closer.
"No," Gisele sets the plate on his nightstand and sinks further in Han, teasingly responding, "Are you kicking me out?"
"Hell no!" Han chuckles.
"I need sleep and so do you." Gisele replies softly caressing Han's face, "You look as tired as I feel."
"We can pretend it's an all-nighter. And you're the best subject in the world by far."
Gisele blushes, "You're too good at that."
"Casanova bullshit flirting? Like that could ever work on you."
"No." Gisele rubs the back of Han's neck, "Making me feel good and safe, being a great friend."
"You've been a comfort to me more than you'll ever know," Han confesses, "and I don't think I've told you that because I'm not always good with sharing my feelings. You kind of crept up on me and then you were all I could think about."
Gisele responds with a kiss, slow and tender, stopping to add, "For the record I had a crush on you after we met. I was open to something happening, but then everything else happened…and here we are."
"We can believe this is the way it was meant to happen," Han muses, "I don't think I was in the right head space back then. For awhile."
"I have a past and so do you," Gisele says a little uneasy.
"I'll talk to Becky," Han whispers in Gisele's ear as he holds her tighter.
"We should do it together," Gisele adds.
"We will," Han reassures, "Let's get ready for bed, TV?"
"They moved The Twilight Zone to 12:30."
"Perfect. I might have a new toothbrush, but if I don't, I won't brush if you can't," Han jokes as he turns up the volume on the TV.
"Don't put that on me," Gisele says, dragging Han out of bed, "I can make do with floss and mouthwash."
"Old army trick?"
"Wouldn't you like to know?"
They brush and floss and Gisele changes into a pair of Han's drawstring sweats and v-neck, settling into Han's bed, him spooning her as the familiar theme song plays.
…
Or
"Hey," Han croaks when he wakes up with Gisele in his arms, "Up long?"
"Showered, ate breakfast…" Gisele teases, mumbling.
"Getting cute with me?" Han pulls Gisele closer to him, "Think you're funny?"
"I think you're funny and cute," Gisele kisses his cheek.
"That was too easy," Han laughs, going in for kiss, "you forgot handsome, smart…"
"Mmmh," Gisele moans as Han kisses her slowly, "I want to do this all day."
"And all night," Han smirks, "Then again."
Han's alarm beeps, but he hits the snooze, continuing to kiss Gisele.
..
-Early Friday morning-
"Another hour. You can pull this off for class. I'll get you another clean pair of sweats, t-shirt, pen and paper," Han makes his case as Gisele nibbles his earlobe, "Shower and go, oh, commando."
Gisele groans before coming to her senses, "You have a quiz, and I have an essay to print. It'll make tonight even better when I come over. I'll get breakfast ready."
"Okay," Han quickly heads to the bathroom mumbling about a cold shower.
Han's fridge was bare and with more takeout than usual. Gisele cooks the last two eggs, plating it with cold leftover pizza from the night before. Han takes a quick shower, and they have breakfast with Han looking over his notes and Gisele proofreading her essay.
"Are you continuing school in Israel?" Han asks as he pours another cup of coffee for Gisele.
"No, but I might reapplying for grad school in the future," Gisele answers, "my old boss from the army called again, she said I could do a trial run for a month or so on the task force, but I thought it was better if I was there longer, to get a good feel of it, and financially it's my best option."
Han finishes buttoning his plaid shirt, rolling up his sleeves as Gisele continues.
"What about you? Are you going to give the east coast a try?"
"Looks like I'll be here," Han answers nonchalantly.
They hadn't talked about the logistics of their relationship.
After finding out about his dad's illness Han was reevaluating the things in his life, and he had a thought last night to bring up that maybe Gisele was right about losing Becky if they were to be a couple, but he couldn't when he finally got what he desired.
Gisele had similar thoughts after her conversation with Han's mom. She spent her shift at the library preoccupied. But something inside her snapped when she found herself abruptly shift at the last minute to the turn into the street leading to his door. She was going to trust her heart then. She was going to love him and not lose him.
"I haven't changed my mind," Gisele goes to embrace Han behind his back and kissing his shoulder, "I still want to be with you, try the long distance."
"When can I visit you in Israel?" Han tips his head back to lean into Gisele's.
"My aunt's visiting in July so I thought maybe you could hold off and join your parents then?"
"My dad's sick," Han says quietly.
Gisele turns to lock eyes.
"He's stable now, but I don't know for how long. I only found out a few weeks ago."
"If you ever need to talk. I'm here," Gisele cradles Han closer, rubbing his back, "We'll figure this out."
"My dad's a fighter," Han psyches himself up, "he'll pull through, and we will figure us out."
The last moments before Han leaves for school is mostly silent. Gisele proofreads her essay one final time as Han gathers his backpack.
"Memorial Day's the last Monday in May and I scheduled work off, we can go away somewhere."
"Just drive?" Gisele suggests.
"Race rematch?" Han smiles looking over to Gisele now.
"I've only gotten better," Gisele smirks slyly.
"Good. Keep keeping me on my toes," Han chuckles, "Or what about tonight? I'll meet you at the library parking lot."
"Deal."
…
Dare
That night Han and Gisele took an impromptu trip to a beach with Han wining both races there and back. They stuck their feet in the sand like the last time they were at a beach together when they visited the sand dunes, and enjoyed a proper birthday cake by a bonfire after skinning dipping.
"Close call," Han grins as he gets out of his Plymouth Roadrunner, "I'm more familiar with these roads."
"This might be the city roads I know most," Gisele retorts as they walk to Han's apartment, "Real drivers don't use excuses, right?"
"You won the tiebreaker for now," Gisele tuts, "but this is never over."
"Never a doubt," Han smirks, dusting residual sand from his clothing, "What?"
Gisele's laughing uncontrollably as she inspects her clothes.
"I'm just used to leaving your place at this time of night," Gisele explains.
"Well get used to this," Han grins, lifting Gisele and twirling her as he shuts the door by pushing her up against it and catching her by surprise with a sensual kiss.
He stops too abruptly for Gisele's liking, voice husky, staring into her hazy eyes, "And we never used to do that either."
"You tell that to all the women? The ones I saw all summer," Gisele licks her lips, "Half naked, practically fucking by the doorway."
"Did it turn you on?" Han grabs her tighter by the hips, "And when Crystal mistakenly invited you over thinking you were the third?"
"Can't be more than right now when I tell you Charlie wanted you not me?" Gisele whispers seductively, nibbling Han's earlobe, "I know you would have been up to that challenge, you, me, and a Robert Redford lookalike."
"Oh I'm not sharing you."
"Good," Gisele gives a lethal stare that instantly softens as she kisses Han again.
..
-Saturday, late morning, many hours later-
"Did you hear that?" Gisele curls tighter into Han.
"It's probably for one of the neighbor's."
"Does your mom or dad have a key?"
"So smart, so cute," Han kisses her forehead, "If there's no one, you're joining me in the living room." Han just stares at her as he finishes putting on his sweatpants.
"Go."
Han opens his front door and quickly scans the area.
"No one in sight!" Han yells.
Gisele steps out in Han's robe, sitting on the kitchen table as Han takes a drink and offers her one.
"Table again?" Han mumbles, kissing Gisele's shoulder as she takes a drink from a water bottle.
Gisele runs her fingers through Han's hair as he kisses down her body, removing the robe as he moves along.
The two are too preoccupied to notice the key turn in Han's door.
"Oh my God!" The voice of Becky exclaims, dropping the cake she was holding, "I'm sor-Gisele?"
"Beck-"
"Becky…" Gisele goes to cover herself with the robe.
"Wha-wha what is this?" Becky stutters, passively cleaning the cake, "Are you fuck buddies now? You never change, Han. What were you sneaking around behind my back?"
"Since last night," Han says taking Gisele's hand in his, "And it's not like that."
"We didn't mean for this to—for," Gisele tries to catch Becky's eye, "you finding out like this."
"And you couldn't find anyone else Gisele?" Becky spits, voice choking out, "You know how I feel about him. We're supposed to be friends, more than that. Family."
"He's not yours. You can't put him on hold and want him when it's convenient," Gisele argues.
"Is that what he told you?" Becky scoffs.
"This isn't a fling," Gisele continues, "And I've thought about it over and over, and I've tried to fight it but I can't."
"This started with me. I told Gisele you'd understand," Han says softly, "If you knew how much I love her. That you and me are passed ever getting back together. I'm tired of running around in circles. It's not fair to either of us."
"So is it that you love her or you're tired? Is this what Thanksgiving was about? And the ski trip?" Becky goes lethal, "Ask him about your first Halloween."
"Beck…"
"Well you know Han and I were doing our back and forth and I basically told him to go fuck a random person to see if it meant anything. It was a stupid, petty dare, but he didn't exactly say no. Catwoman. You."
"I was going to tell you," Han defends.
"I mean I didn't know it was you at first, but can you imagine?" Becky rambles, forcing the cake into the trash can, "Even with this-you deserve more than that."
Gisele lets go of Han's hand.
"I don't want to speak to you either of you," Becky storms off, "Don't try."
Gisele heads in the opposite direction to Han's bedroom.
"Don't touch me!" Gisele warns, "A year and a half. The night in the hot tub, she was talking about Halloween, I thought she meant the last one and you let it slip when you were high. Was this all a challenge for you?"
"No," Han pleads when she's rushing to get dressed, "You know me better than that."
Gisele sniffles, "This is what happens when I don't trust my gut. I can't believe I got myself dragged into your bullshit. You slept with me now you can move on with your life. Or go on with whatever games you two play."
"All of it was a mistake, the idea of it and not telling you," Han pleads, "I love you Gisele, that's real. Becky didn't mean it either, she knew telling you would likely make you leave her alone and hate me. She's just hurt right now."
"It worked," Gisele holds back her emotions.
"What can I do? What can I say?" Han continues, "Don't use this as an excuse 'cause you're scared. Think about it and give me another chance."
Gisele continues to sit on Han's bed trying to process everything that just happened as Han waits for her next move…
…..
End notes:
This chapter originally covered more, but the rewrite and editing put it over 2500 words so I made it into a "bottle episode" (one setting). So for those who are not really into this College AU, there are at least three more chapters to go until I start something new again.
I've been self re-editing, so there will hopefully be minor tweaks and edits for grammar and clarity to the College AU serial's previous chapters, so look out or wait for that if you all want to reread the chapters.
Again stay safe and take care of yourselves in these tough times.
