Winter Plans, Part 2
Another Day
Matt had never found the sight of luggage so depressing in his entire life.
Well, no, wait. It was a lot worse when Dad and I moved out... Matt shook his head, unwilling to let those memories distract him from his present difficulties.
Sora was whirling around her dorm room, gathering items, folding them, organizing them, placing them on her bed. There were only two days left before her flight to Japan, where she would be spending winter break with her mother. Matt was trying to help, but he kept ending up underfoot, since he really wasn't sure what Sora wanted to take. Her focus was entirely taken up by her task, and her instructions were fractured and disjointed, rendering them indecipherable.
It's only a month and a half, he told himself, trying and failing to keep his mind voice heartening. You'll survive, old son. He was looking forward to the break, since it meant lounging around and having lots of time for his music. It would also give him a chance to be with his brother, and maybe even invite him over for January, so that he could have some company at home. The house got lonely with his father spending so much time at work, and Amy wouldn't be a walk away, since she was staying on campus.
Decent-sounding plans, perhaps, but Sora's departure placed an enormous rain cloud squarely on top of them. His hands tensed in his pockets as he considered opening up the topic for discussion again. Sora wouldn't like it, but, if there was even a slight chance that she might change her mind...
Oh, to hell with it. This is Sora. She'll forgive me. "Ah, Sora?"
"Mm?" Sora didn't look away from the growing stack of clothing on her comforter, and Matt managed half a grin. Her habit of getting absorbed in her task was cute, as far as he was concerned, especially since it gave him a reason to get her attention. He moved close to her, staring down at the nape of her neck, then bent, trailing kisses over the curve. A wolfish grin formed as she gasped, lowered her outstretched hands, and shivered, pressing her back into his chest.
"Are you really sure I can't come with you?" he asked, his tone shamelessly seductive. Sora tipped her head back and sighed, but didn't move away from him. It didn't escape Matt's notice that she had exposed more of her neck to him. He obliged her without a thought, spreading the scope of his ministrations to wherever she indicated. Perhaps it was just due to association, but her skin felt cool and soft and was lightly fragrant, reminding Matt of flower petals.
"I'm sorry, Matt. I want you there, you know I do, but it's just not possible right now." Her hand rose to the side of his head, trying to keep his face against her neck, but Matt withdrew anyway.
"You... You really haven't told either of your parents about me." By pure strength of will, Matt kept the hurt out his voice, keeping his tone even and polite. He understood why Sora was keeping quiet. He really did. But in the past, any girl who received a lingering token of his attention, with the exceptions of Amy and Kari, had bragged about it to anyone who would listen. The girls he had dated spent more time advertising their relationship than engaging in it. Matt certainly didn't miss that, but the experience still made this opposite situation strange and uncomfortable for him.
There was another slow, winding sigh from Sora. "I want to, Matt." Her eyes caught his, and a soft, wistful smile spread over her face, drawing Matt back into her. His arms surrounded her, his hands intertwining against the small of her back. It took effort not to tip her head back and indulge in a long, lingering kiss whenever affection and pride warmed her eyes like this.
She must have sensed his weakness, because her hands rose to his face, drawing him in even closer. She rose to her toes, placing her lips closer to his. Keep it together. Don't let her distract you. Damn it, I'm an idiot, why can't I let this go?
"But...?" he prompted, speaking almost against her mouth. Fool. Ass.
Sora's eyes snapped open, then averted. She leaned into him, burying her forehead in his chest. "But I have circumstances. I've already explained them to you. I need more time before I reject the offer from my mother's business partner."
Matt wrapped his arms around her, cradling the back of her head. His eyes pinched shut under the force of his guilt. He knew he was making this harder for her than it had to be, but he wanted this too much to back down. Damn pride and desire to hell and back, he thought savagely, even as he bowed to them.
"I don't really get it, Sora. I'm not asking you to reject that marriage offer and your mother's business. I just want to be introduced as your boyfriend and spend the break with you."
"Those are the same thing." Sora backed up enough to point her reddish-brown eyes up at him, lifting her brows simultaneously. "Maybe things are a bit more... subtle where I come from? But, if I were to have you stay in my home and introduce you to my family and friends as my boyfriend, it would absolutely get back to my mother's business partner. It would send a message that I'm not serious about their offer. Even worse, they would perceive me as essentially throwing it in their face, rejecting it. It's insulting to everyone involved, Matt. The only way for me to be so open about our relationship would be to formally- and politely- decline the offer of marriage beforehand. Anything else would cause shame and difficulties for my mother." Her hands bunched up the fabric over Matt's chest, and her glance fell from his.
Matt stood completely still for a moment, absorbing her words, slowly realizing the finality contained therein. Ah, hell. Now I feel like a dick. Matt took Sora by the hand and led her to Amy's bed, the only open space in the room at the moment. He sat, and she sat beside him, working his hand with more strength than she probably realized. The understanding that he would just have to let her go was coming together within him, and he forced himself to accept it, to reject any feelings of hurt or wounded pride.
"I'm sorry, Sora," he said, holding her hand between both of his. He lifted her knuckles to his lips for a moment, then released her. "I had no idea that the situation was so... complex. I'm glad you explained it to me like this. Now that I understand... I'll do whatever you need me to do." No matter how much it hurts.
Sora's grip immediately loosened to a comfortable hold. "Really?" she asked quietly, leaning into him. Matt lifted an arm, freeing his side for her, holding her beside him. Her head rested against his shoulder. "No hard feelings?"
"None." Matt stroked her far arm, aiming to soothe. He wished he had some way to prove to her that he would be waiting, with understanding and patience, for her. She seemed a bit reluctant to accept his assurances, which probably meant that she felt guilty about this. "It's not your fault, Sora. I won't hold this against you, as long as I know you'll come back to me."
"You know I will." The words were uttered without hesitation, with a certainty that bordered on fierceness. She smushed herself against him, so that she was almost sitting on his lap. "I'm going to miss you so much, Matt. I bet I'll listen to your CD a thousand times over."
"Psh," Matt said, tossing his head. "You would have done that anyway, groupie."
"Matt!" Sora laughed and swatted his back, and Matt was glad that she had let him sneak around reacting to what she had just said. Of course he would miss her, of course it would be an ache inside of him the whole time. But that didn't mean he wanted to own up to it.
She sighed, and Matt looked down at her, making a questioning sound. "Oh, I was just thinking. It's really sad... We'll have to just text and email each other. Cellphones are out. We could Skype- that's how I keep in contact with my mom when I'm here, and my dad when I'm in Japan- but I don't know how much privacy I'll have. There may not be many chances."
Matt's hand tensed against her waist, and she must have felt it, because she slid entirely onto his lap and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. "Sora-" He broke off for a moment as she wiggled her butt, trying to find a comfortable angle. "Ah- You're going to spend your summer break in the states with your dad, right?" There was something desperate in his voice, and Matt hated it, but he couldn't seem to hold it back. Damn it, I used to be so in control...!
"I... I don't know yet, Matt. I'm sorry. Let's just... One thing at a time, right?"
"Yeah... Yeah." Matt fought the urge to sigh, opting to wrap his girlfriend up in his arms, instead. "Let's get you packed, Sora."
She pulled back just enough to give him a puzzled look. "You want to pack?"
A smirk creased Matt's face, and he fixed Sora with his best look of sharp-eyed intensity, loving the way her body went stiff and breathless. "I want to free up your bed."
There would be plenty of time to miss her and indulge in self-pity over their situation later. Right now, there were more interesting things to do…
Another Day
Joe was folding a sweater vest when Mimi burst into his room with no knock or announcement. The clothing fell from his hands with his surprise. She was moving like a hurricane, a storm on her pretty face, her arms crossed and stiff. There was no kiss of welcome, no sultry smile, no warm greeting.
Oh, God, he thought, noticing the way her eyes focused on his with an eagle's intensity. I think it's me she's unhappy with.
"Tell me again why you can't come home to Los Altos with me after New Year's," she demanded, her voice edging on shrill. It reminded Joe of fingernails on a chalkboard, and he grimaced and edged away, causing his girlfriend's scowl to grow. Oh, God. Oh, God.
Izzy turned his desk chair around, picked up his laptop, and strode right out of the open door, abandoning Joe on the field of battle, no doubt heading straight to Amy. Joe couldn't help but envy Izzy sometimes for his girlfriend's meekness and even temper. Mimi was frequently more than Joe could handle, and this encounter was headed straight in that nerve-wracking direction.
He stuttered for a few moments, the sounds unintelligible, then stalled for time by bending to retrieve the vest. Thankfully, he calmed enough to remember his defense, and he was able to mostly stand straight and tall, if a bit wobbly.
"I-I got an internship at the hospital where I volunteered during high school." Despite his anxiety, a swell of pride expanded his chest. "A lot of kids I know, some from high school, but most from here, also applied. It's a sought-after position for pre-med students. I really didn't expect to get it, there were some really smart people in the running, so-"
Mimi cut him off with an impatient hand motion. "Why would you want to be around a bunch of sick people in the cold when you could be laying on a beach with me?"
"Mimi- being with a bunch of sick people is essentially what I want to do for the rest of my-" Joe paused, tipped his head, and frowned. "Hn. I guess it sounds kind of strange when you put it that way."
Mimi lifted an eyebrow at him, as if to say, 'No kidding.' Joe sighed and tried to word his defense as carefully as possible, painfully aware that Mimi was capable of exploding. "Mimi... I would like to spend the break with you. I really would. But, even if you stayed here with my family, I'd be working full time. This internship will look great on my resume, and I need the experience. The money doesn't hurt, either."
"Oh, who cares about money?!" Mimi demanded. A pointer finger began to tap ceaselessly against the crook of her arm. Joe swallowed the urge to choke.
Wow. We really come from different worlds. Joe's family was comfortable, as he came from a long line of doctors. However, they weren't exactly rich, and they always kept a close eye on cash flow, especially as the cost of education continued to rise. Joe was the third son enrolled in a seemingly endless amount of medical schooling, and, although he thankfully wasn't expected to pay for it, he was determined to become financially independent as soon as possible.
All of which meant that he had a succinct answer for his girlfriend. "I do. I need money now if I want to take you out, and if I want to pay for myself when our group goes out. More importantly, this internship will help set me apart from all the other people trying to get into med school, which I need to do if I'm going to support myself some day." Although Joe was nervous about upsetting Mimi, focusing on his goals strengthened his resolved, helping him keep his voice even and calm.
Every muscle in Mimi's body tightened, and Joe stepped back, horrified, when her eyes began to gleam with moisture. "You're saying this internship is more important than me. Just like studying was more important than being with me."
Joe's mouth fell open, but he sputtered over his defense, his brain shutting down in the face of a teary-eyed girl. His window for speaking was short, given Mimi's lack of patience, and her voice jumped even higher as she continued. "I didn't say anything then because I thought we would have all break to be together!"
That was not saying anything?! Joe managed to keep that thought to himself, but it was a close thing, given the way Mimi had pouted and sulked around him during finals. "Mimi, I'm not trying to upset you," he said, completely losing any traces of calm as a tear dripped down Mimi's cheek. "You're very important to me. You know that. And I'm absolutely going to miss you."
"You don't have to, though! Just come to California with me, it would be so fun, Joe. You need to relax, anyway. It's always work, work, work with you. Come on." Mimi advanced on him, her expression warming by the second, and Joe swallowed hard. He was aware that Mimi could be deceptive about her intent. Was she about to pull a flatiron on him? His hands tensed at his sides. The only thing that kept him from fleeing was the knowledge that Mimi had a reason for wanting the more intimate parts of him intact.
"Muh-Mimi-" her hands landed on his hips, and she smushed herself against him, staring up at him with powerful, pleading eyes. Once she was sure she had his glance, she licked her lips, and Joe's knees went a little weak. He was well aware of what that look normally preceded.
It took monumental to avert his thoughts, especially since his body was responding to them, but, somehow, Joe managed it. He breathed in deeply, pausing over a soft gasp, then grit his teeth. He was perfectly aware that this might not end well for him, and that Mimi was in the perfect position to retaliate rather painfully, should she choose to. "I have my own life outside of you, Mimi. And you have one outside of me. This portion of our lives is supposed to be devoted to preparing for the future, and that's what I'm going to do. I'm always going to give you as much of my time as I can, just like I did during finals, but-"
"You hung out with me for like an hour a day during finals!" She stomped her foot brutally, missing one of his by about two centimeters, and took hold of his upper arms, using them to haul herself onto her tiptoes, so that her accusing glare could be delivered more closely. "I want to introduce you to my friends back home, and I bet my parents would like you. What's so wrong about wanting to be with you over break?!"
"Nothing!" Joe sputtered. "I'm glad you want to be with me, Mimi, but... I'm sorry. I really am. But fun isn't my number one priority right now."
"I don't want fun to be your number one priority. I want me to be your number one priority." Her voice finally lost that shrill quality, going quiet and vulnerable instead. She buried her face in his sweater and wrapped her arms around him. Her shoulders began to shake, and a quiet hiccup announced the beginning of full-on crying.
Oh, God. I feel like such a jerk. What am I supposed to say? On the one hand, Joe was fairly sure that he hadn't done anything wrong. It seemed that this was a whirlwind of well-meaning selfishness on Mimi's behalf, really, and he was tempted to be annoyed by the fact that she was putting him in such an uncomfortable situation. But she was beginning to sob, and every sign of her distress seemed to gut him, until he was bending over, his stomach beset with very real physical pain. "I'm so sorry. Please, please... Don't cry, Mimi. I'm sorry. I'm sorry."
He was halfway through lifting her face from his chest when she pushed off of him and stormed away. "God! You're seriously not changing your mind, are you?!" she cried, pausing once or twice to allow for a wet, trembling gasp.
"I- I- Mimi, what am I supposed to do?" he asked miserably. He held his hands out towards her, like a sinner appealing for mercy. Mimi tried once, twice, to make a reply, then drew herself up, apparently trying to scrape together as much dignity as she could, despite the mess of tears and redness on her face.
Then she twirled around and strode right out of the room, slamming the door behind her.
Promptly Thereafter
Mimi twisted Amy's doorknob harshly, cursing under her breath when she found it locked. "God, Amy!" she shouted, pounding on the wood with a tiny fist. "Why do you always have to lock the damn door?! No one's going to kidnap you!"
She tapped her foot impatiently as she waited for the door to open, then strode right by her wide-eyed friend, making her way to her bed. Izzy was already sitting there, but she plopped herself down anyway. Her keen eyes immediately noticed a wardrobe malfunction.
"You're not buttoned right," she snapped, grabbing his shirt. "You missed one." Normally, Mimi was much better with these signals, but she was too upset right now to notice that Izzy was going red and edging away from her. It didn't occur to her that he was askew because she had interrupted something juicy with her sudden entrance.
As soon as she released him, Izzy stood, grabbed his laptop, and retreated a second time. As before, he didn't make a sound, and he paused just long enough to run his fingertips over Amy's hand on his way out. Then he was gone.
Coward, Mimi thought, but the insult was more a result of her bad mood than actual feelings of disdain. It was better that Izzy had left. Although Mimi was neither shy nor guarded, she was at her most comfortable with her girls, and Amy was a patient, familiar listener.
Her friend was already sitting beside her and wrapping an arm around her. Mimi leaned into her gratefully, laying her head on her shoulder. Amy didn't prompt her, didn't say anything at all. She just patted Mimi's back, breathing deeply all the while, waiting for her to feel ready to talk. Amy could be an intolerably high stress person, but right now, she was relaxed and still, as if there was nothing more important on her schedule than attending to Mimi.
God, I forgot how comforting she is. Mimi shifted, pushing lightly on Amy's upper body. Taking the hint, Amy separated from her and laid out on her bed, leaving enough room for Mimi to join her. Soon, she was pressed up against a soft, warm, decadent body, inhaling that well-known scent of flower petals coated with sugar.
"Why can't boys be more like girls?" she demanded, snuggling into Amy. "We never fight."
Amy offered her a small smile. "I don't know if it's really a male versus female thing. Romance just… has a way of complicating things."
Mimi frowned and tsked. "Stupid boys," she muttered, refusing to accept the wisdom of Amy's words. Condemning the opposite sex was so much more satisfying at the moment.
"Of course." Amy reached over her and grabbed the tissue box off of her desk. Mimi plucked a few sheets out, then wiped her eyes and nose.
"Joe won't come to California with me," she explained at last. Amy's arm twitched around her waist.
"Did… Did you expect him to? He has that internship," she said, and the reasonable, calm tone she used immediately dug at Mimi's nerves. "He's been hoping to get it all semester."
"He has me!" she retorted, crumpling the tissues in her hands. "I don't understand why he'd rather work at a depressing hospital than go to my house!" Her eyes began to leak again, as much with frustration as sadness, and she dabbed at them with annoyance, nearly poking herself in the process.
Amy produced an uncomfortable humming sound, then began to run her hand up and down Mimi's back. Mimi leaned into the touch, even as her eyes narrowed warily. She could sense that Amy was on Joe's side in this, and that was seriously pissing her off. Didn't she know that girlfriends were supposed to agree with each other, teaming up against the boys?
"We're eighteen, Mimi," she began, moving her eyes to the ceiling. Mimi huffed and seized some of her hair, finger-combing it mercilessly.
"Yeah. Totally old enough to do adult stuff, so there should be no objections to him staying with me." Of course, if one of them happened to be seventeen, she still would have extended the invitation. But there was no need to point that out, now was there.
Amy's lips twitched upward. "Ah, that's not where I was going with that. What I mean is, we have a lot of life laid out before us. Joe is really aware of that, Mimi. He has goals that he wants to achieve, and he's willing to do the leg work. It's a good quality. It's not something you should fault him for."
Mimi frowned and crossed her arms, fixing Amy with a glare. "We're young. There's no reason to be so serious! We're just freshmen in college! God, why does he have his whole life planned out when he's only eighteen?! You're supposed to have fun in college!"
"Yes," Amy said, resting a hand on the curve of Mimi's waist. "And Joe's really lucky. If he didn't have you, he would forget about fun entirely, probably. But… You know…" She hesitated, and her fingers tightened against Mimi's body.
Mimi cocked an eyebrow, letting it go higher and higher as the silence stretched on. "If you've got something to say, then you should say it," she demanded at last. "Nothing happens if you just keep quiet and stare at me. It's annoying, you know."
Amy took a deep breath and closed her eyes. "Alright. Alright. You make sure that Joe has fun, right? Well, in the same way, I think you should try to learn from him. Do you have any idea what you want to do with your life?"
"I just said, we're only eighteen! No one knows that stuff when they're only eighteen! God, are you even listening?!" At this point, the injustice of being rejected by her boyfriend and failing to receive pity and comfort from one of her best girls was stripping away her emotional control. She grabbed Amy's shoulders and gripped them with far too much strength.
"Mimi- stop shaking me- I am listening. But you need to listen, too, okay?" Amy's hands cupped Mimi's face, and they were soft and warm. Although Mimi's gut response to those words was to grow even more annoyed, something about the concern in Amy's eyes stilled her tongue. It cost her a lot of effort, but she managed a curt nod. "Okay. I'm not telling you all of this to talk down to you. I'm saying it because I care about you. Right now you're fulfilling your core requirements, right? But you'll have them all completed by your third semester if that's all you take. You're running out of time to not know what you're working towards, here. You know?"
Mimi produced a long, impatient sigh. "Amy. Come on. You know my parents are loaded. I don't need a job. I don't need plans. I'm not trying to be a bitch, but that's just how it is. I know I'm lucky, but I also know exactly where I stand."
"Umm… I'm sorry, Mimi. Don't get mad, but, uh…"
"Oh, just say it already!" Mimi cried, rolling her eyes. Amy patted her back soothingly, or at least tried to. There was something anxious about the quick, relentless tempo, and it made Mimi's nerves spike further.
"When we went dress shopping that one time, didn't you say that you only came to college in the first place to prove to your parents that you can take care of yourself? I… I don't know if you can do that if you spend the whole time thinking that you can always fall back on their money."
Mimi's body seemed to lock into place. She could feel her eyes going wide, but that was the most movement she could manage. Amy's expression was so earnest, as if she was focusing all of her thoughts on making Mimi understand and accept her point. Mimi tried to close her eyes, tried to block out the power of Amy's logic and voodoo brain waves, but all she could do was stare blankly back at her.
"You're one of the greatest people I've ever known. You're strong. You're vivacious. You're fierce. And stars, you're beautiful. If there really are divine powers out there, they all wept on the day you were born, wept for joy and pride that they made something so wonderful." Amy's hands ran gently down Mimi's hair, then landed on her waist again. "But will any of that matter in the long run if all you ever do is play? Will you be able to keep Joe's interest if you never use any of your gifts?"
Mimi's eyes began to water, but it wasn't because of pain and frustration anymore. Amy's words seemed to be some sort of key, slipping into her heart, twisting it, entering it so that she could leave a mark there. Mimi wanted to brush off all of these serious feelings- seriously, why was everyone throwing their feelings at her lately? Didn't they know she had more than enough of them on her own?! But Amy had driven her point too far home by now. There was no way to ignore it.
"You were born great. But, if you just tried, you could be exceptional. Joe is going to be. He won't let anyone stop him, not even you, no matter how much he cares about you. He's not rejecting you; he's embracing his own greatness, nurturing it, incubating it." She hesitated, and her brow pressed down on her eyes. Her lips moved, but no more words came out. Although she had done nothing but lay down this whole time, she was breathing a little hard, as if she had just run a few laps around the room.
She wore herself out trying to explain this to me. It's not like her to say what she's thinking. It doesn't seem like a big thing, but I think, in her own way, she's been fighting for me this whole conversation.
"Do… Do you understand?" Amy's voice was shaky, uncertain, and oddly vulnerable. Her eyes shone with the illumination drawn to their wetness.
Oh, God. Amy. You stupid little sweetie. Mimi cleared her throat and stood.
"W-where are you going?" When Mimi turned, she saw that Amy was wiping a tear from her face with her sleeve. A twinge of pain worked its way through Mimi's chest, and her fingertips moved in tiny circles around the hurt. "Are you mad? Did I say too much?"
Sighing, Mimi returned to the bed and leaned over, putting her face level with Amy's. Her fingers rose to her cheeks, then pulled her in. For just a moment, she pressed her lips lightly to hers. An expression of love, and of gratitude.
"I need to go apologize to Joe," she sighed. "I had better make the sex extra good tonight."
Amy's mouth twitched. She smiled, then began to laugh, snorting into her cupped palms. "Spare me the details," she requested, staring up at her with wide eyes.
"Oh? Don't you want them?" Mimi teased. Amy pulled back, smiling in an embarrassed sort of way. "Well, if you're sure…"
The truth was, Mimi was feeling too raw to stick around. She patted Amy's head, then slipped out of the room, feeling grateful that Amy didn't try to stop her or ask any questions.
Unfortunately, she wasn't quite done with all of this stupid serious stuff yet.
Promptly Thereafter
Joe was hopelessly describing Mimi's explosion to Izzy when someone knocked on the door. Sighing, but still slightly grateful for the distraction, he went to the door and opened it.
A strangled sound slipped out of him when he found himself standing face to face with Mimi. He flinched back a little, expecting more anger and frustration, but her hands landed on his hips and pressed inward. Oh, no. Is she going to try to win me over with seduction again? I'm not sure I can keep resisting that… He swallowed hard, and he began to perspire.
"Joe…" Her voice was soft and serious, and Joe tilted his head. This was rare, and no explanations readily jumped to his mind. All he really registered was a beleaguered sigh from Izzy as he collected his things.
"Sorry, Izzy," Mimi said, never tearing her eyes away from Joe's. "Sora left the other day, right? Could you do me a huge favor and spend the night with Amy? Here." She looked away long enough to pull some money out of her pocket, and to offer it to the redhead. "Order her that pizza she likes."
Izzy stared at the money and frowned in a puzzled sort of way. "Mimi, I don't need-"
"Oh, would you take it and go, already?! I owe her, okay? Look, I'm on a short fuse today, and-"
"Alright." Joe was tempted to laugh at the wideness of Izzy's eyes, but he was too uneasy at the moment. He had no idea what was running through Mimi's head. "If you'd kindly give me a moment to pack up…"
The room was silent as Izzy hurriedly threw some things into his backpack. He tried to slip out without taking the money, but Mimi was having none of that, and she practically shoved it into his chest as he passed. Izzy shut the door behind him, and Mimi twisted the lock home.
Taking Joe's hand, she led him towards the center of the room. She wrapped her arms around him, then rested her forehead against his chest. A deep breath expanded her ribcage. What in the world is happening here? Joe directed the question towards the ceiling, as if he expected advice to rain down from the heavens.
"You had better learn a lot at that stupid hospital," Mimi said at last. "And call me everyday and tell me all about it. I swear to God, if you miss a day, I will fly back here so fast to yell at you-!"
"Wait- Mimi?" What in the world did Amy say to her?! If Joe was understanding this properly, then Mimi was giving him her blessing to do his internship- an extremely begrudging blessing, yes, but a blessing nonetheless.
Mimi's body began to shake a little, and Joe embraced her automatically, steadying her against him. "Are you alright? What's wrong? Mimi?"
"I, I don't want to talk about it, okay? I'm going home the day after tomorrow. You're spending every moment with me until then." Joe wanted to ask for clarifications, but Mimi grabbed his arm and pushed him onto his bed, then got on top of him. A startled sound slipped out of him as she began to kiss him hard. Her hands gripped his face, and she pinned him down, making escape impossible.
Oh, to hell with it. Just take what you can get and be grateful, Joe. He let go of his confusion and focused on returning her kiss. It made him a bit uneasy to admit it, but the truth was that he wanted to give her whatever she desired. After going against her wishes once today, he would bow down to any whim she mentioned now.
A throaty, needy sound slipped out of Mimi as she broke off their kiss. "Do you have a webcam?" she demanded, her voice breathy and soft.
"W-What?" Joe's brain tried and failed to understand the sudden change of subject.
"A webcam. Do you have one?"
"I, uh, I don't think so? Why?"
"I'll get you one." Then she was kissing him again, and Joe forgot about the interruption entirely.
He didn't think of it again until hours later, when his arm was wrapped around a sleeping Mimi. She was sweaty, and the smells of sex were clinging to her, but Joe happily held her close anyway, entranced by the sparse view of her body offered by the moonlight. His mind was deeply at peace, an unusual and wonderful feeling for him.
And, in that calm and stillness, the meaning of her words became clear. His face instantly went a deep shade of crimson. He fixed the ceiling with a look of nervous mortification.
Well, wonderful. I'm not sleeping tonight.
Elsewhere, A Little Earlier
Tai wandered down the dorm's hallways, headed towards Amy's room. He was so damn sick of watching Matt mope around the dorm room. At least the bastard had someone to miss. What, would his balls shrivel off if he didn't get any for a month and a half? Mine are still fine, thanks, and it's been way longer than that for me. Tai had been tempted to point out that Matt was acting like an idiot, but he vaguely knew better than to go there.
Worse yet, Amy was staying here with Izzy, that sneaky little bastard. Truthfully, Tai was grateful that someone had finally thought of a way to keep Amy away from her house for most of the break, but that gratitude was begrudging. Tai was going home, and the university was about a forty minute ride away. He could come visit, but Amy would be working during the day, and he had no idea how he would entertain himself while she was dribbling blood down the throats of killer bats.
And if Matt continued to act all sorry for himself during the break, then that source of entertainment was gone, too. It seemed like it would just be him and Kari. He was happy to get the chance to spend time with her, of course, but she had school during the day, bringing him back to the issue of how to keep himself occupied.
At least Amy's still here now. Part of Tai knew that dumping his problems onto Amy's lap was a little unfair, but she always listened so patiently and kindly. And, right now, he needed that concern, needed someone to put him first and indulge him.
The anticipation of her care and attention had him feeling a little better already. Her door came into sight, and he turned the doorknob. To his surprise, it was unlocked for once. He opened it and stepped into the room.
His eyes jumped to Amy, sitting on her bed and playing Mass Effect. Izzy was pressed up beside her, and his arm was around her waist. An open pizza box was sitting on her desk, as well as a two liter bottle of cola.
"What do you think, Izzy? Do you like Tali or Liara better?" Amy's head tilted onto Izzy's shoulder, resting there. Tai's eyes focused on Izzy's hand, which was beginning to slip under Amy's shirt.
"Well- Ah, I think you missed one, behind that crate- Hm. I suppose I prefer Liara, although Tali is certainly a likable character."
"Ah, see, I think I like Tali a little better. But it's a tough call, right? What's a commander to do?" Izzy laughed faintly, then pressed a soft kiss to Amy's temple.
"Can't you play this game as a woman?" he asked. That stupid hand was almost entirely under her shirt now, resting on the skin above the waistline of her pants, and Tai felt himself bristling.
"Yeah, but I figured you'd rather pick a girl character to romance. I also wanted to try something different. My femme-Shep already had hot alien sex with Garrus. Repeatedly."
"Ahhh, Garrus. I see." Although Izzy's tone was mostly detached, there was a faint teasing feeling to it that Tai really didn't like.
"Aww, don't be jealous." Amy paused the game and fixed Izzy with a goofy smile. It didn't strike Tai as a particularly romantic moment, but Amy leaned in for a kiss anyway. Izzy edged back, and Tai silently cheered his resistance. But then he noticed that the redhead was stealing the controller from Amy, and, once it was secured, he returned the kiss with more enthusiasm than Tai ever would have anticipated.
Okay, you're turning into a creeper, dude. She's on some kind of lame nerd date. Let her be. It occurred to Tai that Amy would probably invite him to have some pizza if he made his presence known, and then suggest playing a multi-player game. And it was ridiculously tempting to interrupt whatever was happening here. But…
She looks happy. Really damn happy. It went against all of instincts and desires, but Tai quietly stepped back into the hallway and closed the door. Amy's outraged, but still oddly delighted, cry reached his ears through the barrier a moment later.
He listened to her laughter for a moment, then shook his head and made his way back down the hallway, mentally speaking every obscenity he had ever heard all the way.
