Author. Ana wants to express herself. I will allow it as long as she behaves. Ana, over to you...

FATR (from ana to reader): Wow I'm in a fucked up mood tonight. Christ on a tricylce... Fine, we didn't mean to lie about chapter 13, but we had to split it up to stall again. We know it kind of sucks, it's more about building relationships and tension than anything else, but hang in with us. Things pick up again in chapter 15 (previous to the split, chapter 14). This is just a fun idea that popped into our brain. Mac is such a clutz /giggles/. Author may not like him, but I think he's cute. Nothing new to claim or disclaim so let the mayhem that is the unlucky chip chip of doom begin!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Stephanie stood in front of her mirror bent over to one side so that her dark brown hair, made black by being wet, all hung on one side. The blow-drier's hum filled the still humid bathroom and an aqua green comb raked through the tangles. Her hair would be tangled again by the end of the day, she would brush it before bed, and it would be tangled again in the morning. Curse natural curls, more trouble than they're worth. She began the process of rubbing cocoa butter over every inch of her golden-brown skin. She may enjoy participating in violent wrestling matches on her breaks, but she still had a girlie streak and she liked being soft and sweet-smelling just as much as the next young woman. The tussle last night had inhibited her arms' range of movement and she couldn't reach between her shoulder blades. All well. After slipping into a white bra and pantie set she hung up her towel and walked into her bedroom.

Her clothes were laid out on her bed. Fisk didn't force them to wear uniforms, per say, but he did insist that they wear black bottoms and white tops. Shirts had to have sleeves and there could be no mid-drift showing; all bottoms had to extend past the tips of the fingers when one's hands were at one's sides, et cetera. All in all it was like being in highschool again. The rules weren't as strict for those who worked around the pool, or even those who worked outside in general (for example, they didn't have to wear close-toed shoes), but there were still rules. Some people complained in private but Stephanie didn't care. The pay was excellent, and they were just clothes after all. If people didn't like it they could leave. She zipped her pants.

The door opened.

Stephanie crossed her arms over her chest and jerked around. Mac stood in the door frame, frozen, eyes wide. He wore a green hoodie, a white under shirt, and faded jeans.

Ohshitohshitohshit... "I... uhh... it wasn' locked..." Don' stare, yah dumbass. It's bad enough yah walked in on 'er.

His eyes twitched back to her face and made a huge point of staying there. "It was closed, wasn't it?"A tinge of malice. Don't worry about it, Steph, just pretend you're wearing a bathing suit top. Her crossed arms lowered to a more relaxed position but the air was still thick with tension. "What is it?"

Mac's heart pounded like it was trying to leap out through his chest. Perhaps trying to escape the butterflies that had suddenly hatched in his stomach? "Yah got mornin shift t'day?"

"Unfortunately so. You think I would be up and dressed if I didn't?"

Dressed. Right. "Yah think yah could get someone tah cover yah shift?"

"I'm not sure. I'm not exactly the most popular right now. I think there are some rumors being spread or something."

There was a long silence. Mac studied his feet and rubbed the back of his neck. "Could yah try?"

"Any special reason for you to push this issue so hard?" She smirked.

Mac shrugged. "Jus' wond'rin if yah wanna hang out. We're gonna play cards."

"I don't particularly want to work. You find someone to trade shifts with me and I'll gladly take the morning off."

Mac looked up and down the hall and spotted a girl making her way towards them. "Hey," Mac called to her.

She stopped in front of the door. "Yes?"

"What shift do yah have?"

"Afternoon."

"Well now yah have mornin." He turned to Stephanie. "Go put yah shirt on and le's go."

"I had night shift last night," the girl explained. "You know that master Fisk has the rotation so that-"

"Oh, wah, wah," Mac snapped. "Tell someone who cares."

The girl glared at Stephanie. Maybe she really is fucking them. It's not fair that she has them to ensure her special treatment. "I'll do it, but put a shirt on for crying out loud." She strode off to get on her work clothes.

Stephanie suddenly thought of something. He had already seen her in her bra, if only by accident, and last night he had been laying on top of her. In comparison it seemed so harmless. "Mac, could you do me a favor? If it doesn't weird you out too much."

"Sure. What is i'?" She gestured him inside and he followed nervously. He waited uncertainly in the middle of her bedroom while she disappeared into the bathroom. He was wondering if he was supposed to follow or not when she returned and handed him the bottle of cocoa butter

"Could you put that on my upper back for me? If you don't mind having petal soft, coconut scented hands," she added with a grin.

Tha's not the part tha's makin me nervous, b'lieve me. "Not at all."

"Just be warned that a little bit goes a long way." She turned her back to him.

Mac licked his lips and swallowed hard. "Got'cha." He parted her hair over her shoulders, hesitated, then slid her bra straps off her shoulders. When his hand pressed against her bare back a tingle traveled through his figure tips. Her figure was so petite compared to his, her shoulders so slender. Oh, god, please don' go there. Think of somethin else, somethin like... two times two is four. Four times four is, uh, sixteen, and sixteen times sixteen is... I got no clue. Fortunately he was finished then with no unfortunate side effects. She turned and patted him on the cheek before going to dig up a shirt. It was a chummy and rather condescending gesture but it still made him place his hand thoughtfully against his cheek when her back was turned, savoring her touch. Two plus two is four, four plus four is eigh'. Eigh' plus eigh' is sixteen. Sixteen plus sixteen is... carry the one... damn.

"Hey, Spacey McSpacerson." Stephanie snapped her fingers in his face. "Wake up and let's get going." She was wearing a powder blue, Smoothies Juice Bar baby t-shirt. On the right side it said 'Pool side delivery' and across the bottom it said 'Sweet, Sticky, and Full of Flavor.'

Mac's eyes flitted over this last line. I bet. "What kinda rumors were yah talkin about b'fore?" He ventured as they made their way down the corridor.

Stephanie shrugged. "Pretty standard rumors, I suppose."

"I mean, what'd the rumors say?"

"Basically that am sleeping with either one, some, or all of you," Stephanie laughed. "I don't know where that crazy idea came from. They can't be jealous, I know all of you have given them at least one chance for a fuck session. Well, all of you except Otto."

Mac gave her a sideways look. "The idea's tha' crazy, huh?"

Stephanie looked apologetic. "I didn't mean anything personal by it. It would just be like... having sex with a sibling."

"I understand," Mac grinned/lied. "Don' worry about i'."

Silence. "Hey, speaking of rumors, did you really cut that guy's hand off last night?"

Mac nodded. "I was tryin tah get 'im tah drop the gun. I slipped."

Stephanie raised an eyebrow. "Come on, Mac, you can be straight with me."

Mac laughed. "Yeah, ev'ryone knows 'm better with m' tail than tha'."

"Innuendo not intended, right?" Stephanie winked. He stared at her, chuckled, and gave her shoulder a light shove. However, light for him wasn't necessarily light by average human standards and she almost fell down. "First the wrestling match and now this?" Stephanie shook her head. "You going to start pulling my hair next? We're not in kindergarten. At least I'm not."

"Stop makin fun a' me. Ev'ryone's always makin fun a' me," Mac grumbled without looking at her.

Stephanie's apology was genuine. "Sorry, I was just playing around."

"Yeah, well, don'." There was silence between them the rest of the way. Mac was aware he had made her feel bad. But i' serves 'er right. Flirtin with me, teasin me, but always stayin just outta reach.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

FATR (from ana to reader): CURSE WRITING ACCENTS! DO NOT BE SURPRISED IF MAC NEVER SPEAKS AGAIN! /deep breath/ We're kidding of course, at least about the not speaking again part. Some of you may wonder why we are updating so soon if we need to stall for time. Well I guess the main reason is... /gets all manic/ We've had it just about up to here /back of hand to underside of chin/ with this story! We require sufficient encouragement to continue this madness! The chapter I felt was the worst of all got the most feedback, and we are hoping this, the second worst chapter so far, will get lots of feed back. Ask questions, make predictions, maybe we'll be inspired with a glimmer of-

Author: /shoots Ana in the head/ That was... unusual. Heehee, sorry, she got away from me there for a minute. I know who 'chill your beans' is, I humbly request your permission to use your saying in chapter 15. Warm fuzzies from penguin land! Goodnight! /hauls Ana's bleeding carcass off to lala land./