"…and that's when I stopped dating high school boys and started dating college men," Zoe finished. She took a delicate sip of her wine. "It's for the best, really."

Root stared at Zoe with wide eyes, impressed. "Wow," she breathed, "you are so cool."

Zoe laughed at her, smiling kindly. "I'm really not, but I'm happy to maintain the illusion."

Root felt something nudge her knee under the table and turned to look at Shaw. Shaw was ignoring her, leaning her elbows on the table, her hands wrapped around a pint of beer. They were at a bar somewhere in Brooklyn, a quiet place that Zoe had suggested. Root had had a fake ID for years now, but she had let Shaw make her a new one. It turned out to be unnecessary. Zoe had just greeted the doorman and they'd all been let in.

Root drank in the way the yellow light from the lamp illuminated Shaw's skin and made her glow. It had been nearly two months since she and Shaw had started sleeping together and Root wasn't sure what they were to each other. On the one hand, they hadn't gone on any dates, but on the other hand, they'd spent the last week sleeping together every night. That was certainly a step up from their random meetups.

It was nice to hang out with Shaw in non-sexual way, too. Zoe had invited Root out after the finale of The Bachelor. Apparently, she actually wanted to be friends. Root was glad for the invite because she was worried about keeping an eye on Zoe after there were no more watching sessions for the year. She hadn't been having much luck finding out any information about Zoe.

Joss, Zoe's roommate, was here with them. Root hadn't really met her and she was pretty sure that Shaw had only met her once before. Joss was dating John, so Root felt like they were kindred spirts, working through relationships with people who weren't very forthcoming. Root pushed her hair behind her ear, looking away from Shaw and down to her lap.

Shaw had let Root sleepover the night before. It was the first time they'd been in the same place for that long. It had been nice and Root had woken up to find Shaw holding her close, arm wrapped around her stomach. Root didn't want to get her hopes up that something real was happening, but even Zoe was noticing something between them. It had been her idea to invite Shaw to drinks, too.

She looked across the booth at Zoe and Joss and smiled. "You're both really cool. I'm glad we're finally hanging out."

"I'm sorry I've never made it to Bachelor night," Joss replied. She leaned forward on the table, absently toying with a straw wrapper. "I've been pretty busy."

"She's been getting busy," Zoe clarified, winking, "with a certain boy friend."

Shaw groaned loudly, leaning back and slamming into the cushion of the booth. "That's disgusting. Please never put Reese and sex in the same sentence. Now I feel sick."

The girls around the table laughed. Root smiled at Shaw, winking when Shaw looked at her. Shaw rolled her eyes and dropped a hand under the booth to rest it on Root's knee. It was getting easier to touch, Root thought, now that Shaw had opened up a little bit. Root put her hand over Shaw's, intertwining their fingers, but Shaw pulled away. That must have been too much.

Root lifted her arms and rested her elbows on the table, cradling her chin in her hands. "Did I tell you? John can't make eye contact with me anymore because he definitely saw me and Shaw hooking up in a 7/11."

Joss and Zoe gasped, then broke into fits of laughter. Root glanced at Shaw, who was staring at her angrily.

"Why would you tell them that?"

Joss wiped a tear from the corner of her eye. "Is that why he kept blushing when I said we were hanging out?"

"Poor boy!" Zoe chuckled, pressing a hand to her chest. "He's already so fragile."

"Fragile?" Shaw snorted. "Please. He's not fragile; he's just dull."

Root bumped her shoulder against Shaw's. "Don't be so mean to your best friend. He was traumatized! He didn't speak once on the ride back."

Shaw rolled her eyes. "He never speaks anyway."

"That's true," Joss agreed. She took a quick sip from her glass of beer. "It was nice at first because he wasn't talking my ear off like most guys, but now I wish he was better at conversation."

"Sometimes you don't need too much conversation," Root said, gesturing with her head to Shaw. "If he's anything like her, there are better ways to spend your time."

This time, Shaw stood up as she glared at Root. "I'm leaving."

"Oh, relax," Joss joked as Root grabbed Shaw's arm and pulled her back down. "You're as fragile as John is."

"I am not!" Shaw denied. She yanked her arm from Root's grasp and slumped back against the seat again, crossing her arms. "I just don't need everyone knowing my business."

Zoe hummed and leaned in. "Do you have any business worth knowing?"

Root watched her carefully. Zoe had too much power on campus and around the city not to have powerful connections and if this was the start of their friendship, Root wanted to make sure that she could access those connections, too. Zoe glanced at her for a second before turning her attention back to Shaw.

Shaw just rolled her eyes. "My only business is keeping people out of my business."

"She's really bad at it," Root laughed, bumping Shaw with her shoulder again. "I've been in her business several times now."

The girls at the table laughed, and this time, Shaw didn't try and run away. Instead, she just lightly punched Root's arm and took a big sip of her beer. Root reached for Shaw's knee, resting her hand there, her nails lightly scratching Shaw's tight jeans. Shaw didn't move closer, but she didn't push Root away again.

"I'll change the subject," Root said, drawing a line in the condensation around her glass with her free hand. "Are you guys going home next week?"

"I am," Joss answered, perking up. "I always go home for Thanksgiving. My mom kind of demands it."

Zoe shuddered. "Your mom is terrifying."

"She's just been overprotective since dad had his accident." Joss shrugged, smiling fondly. "It's nice to see him, you know? So, I don't mind."

"I'm glad your dad's ok," Root said. "Accidents can be scary. Can I ask what happened?"

A look passed between Zoe and Joss and Root filed it away for later. She didn't know anything about Joss, but Root was sure that if she was friends with Zoe, she had some use. Root waited for Joss to answer, ready to store away the information, but Joss avoided the question.

"I don't really like talking about it," Joss answered, slumping forward slightly. "It was a few years ago now, but it's still sensitive."

A warm hand landed on Root's leg and she pushed her knee into Shaw's. Even though Root was on a reconnaissance mission, she couldn't help but be distracted by Shaw. She tried to telepathically tell Shaw to slide her hand between Root's legs, but Shaw's hand stayed on the top of her thigh.

"I understand." Root picked up her glass. "My parents died a few years ago and I still think about them sometimes."

She took a sip of beer, wincing slightly at the sour taste. Even though she was drinking beer more often, she wasn't totally sure what her favorite kind was. She didn't think it was IPA. Putting her drink down, she realized that the other three girls were looking at her oddly.

"What?"

"Honey," Zoe said, leaning forward, "Are you ok? That must have been so hard."

"We weren't that close. So, what are your Thanksgiving plans? I'm sticking around here."

Zoe still looked a little uncomfortable, but she smiled delicately. "Stuck in the city? I'm heading upstate to visit my cousin. It's been far too long since I've seen her."

"I like the city." Root smiled at Shaw. "There's a lot to do here." Root gasped slightly as Shaw's nails dug into her leg. She coughed to cover it and dropped her head, pushing her hair behind her ears. "I, um, I'm sure it's beautiful upstate this time of year."

"It is…" Zoe said, eyes flicking between them. She picked up her glass. "What about you, Shaw? Plans?"

She took a sip of her wine, eyebrows raised at Shaw expectantly. Shaw shrugged casually. Her ability to seem calm at all times astounded Root. Shaw scratched Root's inner thigh, nails catching on the cotton of Root's leggings.

"I'm staying in the city, too."

Root perked up. "Oh? I assumed you'd be going home to your family."

"I don't have- No." Shaw rolled her eyes. "I used to spend the holiday's with John's family, but I'm not feeling it this year. I'll probably just bum around for a few days in my dorm room."

Root's back tensed as Shaw's fingers slid down her inner thigh and curled under her leg. Shaw's hand was hot even through her leggings and Root was so glad she'd decided to wear a dress. Across the table, Zoe was talking, but Root's focus was entirely on Shaw's hand and the way it was gripping Root with confidence.

The thrall that Shaw cast over Root had not diminished in their months together. Shaw was able to make her wet with just a brush of skin. Strong fingers moved between Root's legs, pushing into Root's underwear and making her jump.

"I have to go," Root said, trying to sound normal. "I'm so sorry. I just- My stomach." She gave Shaw a pointed look. "Finish your drink."

Shaw pulled her hand away from Shaw to grab her glass. She finished her beer in three opened-mouth gulps, her throat working. Root tore her eyes away from Shaw's throat to smile sadly at Zoe and Joss. She rubbed her stomach.

"Oh," Zoe said surprised, straightening up, "that's…too bad." Root started to pull out her wallet, but Zoe stopped her. "Don't worry about it. It's on me."

"Are you sure?" Root asked, already gathering her coat and scarf from the seat beside her. "I can venmo you later."

"It's ok."

Shaw set her glass back on the table and picked up her coat. "We should do this again sometime."

Joss chuckled. "Wow. I'm surprised you're suggesting that. John said you're not the social type."

"Oh, well." Shaw shrugged. "He's- He barely knows me. Ready?"

"Yup!"

Root hurried out of the bar, pulling her coat on. She knew she should be embarrassed to leave Zoe again just to have sex with Shaw, but Root just couldn't bring herself to care. Zoe wasn't giving her anything and Root really wanted to feel Shaw inside of her. She smiled at the bouncer as he opened the door for her.

She pulled out her phone to call an uber, but Shaw walked passed her, throwing an arm in the air to call a taxi. The bar was on a busy street, so it only took a second for a cab to stop in front of them. Shaw opened the door for Root, nodding her head toward the entrance impatiently.

Almost diving into the cab, Root scooted quickly across the seat and gave the cabbie the address of their dorm. She wanted to scream 'and step on it!' but she restrained herself as Shaw sat down beside her and closed the door. The cab merged back onto the street and started for the dorm.

They weren't too far from their school, but Root couldn't wait another minute to kiss Shaw. She leaned forward and closed the small glass partition between the backseat and the driver. It wasn't really privacy, but it made her feel a little bit better.

She climbed onto Shaw's lap, spreading her thighs to straddle her, dress hiking up, high on her thighs, and crashed their lips together. Shaw's taste and smell immediately fill her senses, overwhelming her and making heat pool in her stomach. Root loved the way Shaw's tongue felt against her own, and the way their wet lips slipped against each other.

She clutched Shaw's jaw in her hands, holding her close even as Root's mouth pushed her back. Shaw's hands moved under Root's skirt, sliding up her tights and settling against her hips. Her fingers pulled Root tighter against her, pressing their stomachs together and digging her nails in hard enough to leave bruises. Root groaned as she thought about Shaw marking her and dragged her head back enough to speak.

"You're so fucking hot," Root whispered into Shaw's open mouth. "I want you to fuck me until I can't walk."

Shaw's fingers dug harder into Root's hips, making her buck and hiss. "I want to taste you."

Tearing her hands away from Shaw's face, Root dropped them to her lap. She pulled up her skirt, used one hand to stretch the band of her tights, and stuck her other hand into her underwear. She ran her fingers over her clit, not surprised at how wet she was. Shaw always had that effect on her and Root loved it.

Reaching back further, she pushed two fingers into herself, kissing Shaw again as she twitched her fingers, unable to control herself.

"You make me so wet," Root moaned. "I think about you fucking me constantly."

"I think about fucking you constantly," Shaw growled, her voice low. "Let me taste you."

Root bit into Shaw's bottom lip as she yanked her hand out of herself and her underwear. When it was free, she released Shaw's lip and pushed her fingers into Shaw's mouth. Red, full lips closed around them and Root could feel her sucking Root's fingers clean. Shaw hummed at the taste, her eyes burning holes into Root's.

Root gasped at the feeling and the knowledge that Shaw was as desperate for her as she was for Shaw. Root grasped Shaw's jacket, wrapping her fist around the lapel, and tugging on it. She wanted to strip Shaw down to nothing and lick her until she came.

Root took her fingers out of Shaw's mouth and kissed her, tasting herself on Shaw's tongue. She was already sweating, being so close to Shaw always drove her crazy. Her body was shaking with need, little tremors ran through her body.

Shaw sucked on Root's tongue.

"You taste so good," Shaw murmured. "I want you to come on my face."

Root moaned, her eyes closing. If they didn't get to school soon, she was going to make Shaw fuck her in the taxi. Thankfully, the cab started to slow and Root hopped off Shaw's lap back onto the seat. As soon as the car stopped, Root jumped out, leaving Shaw scrambling to pull her wallet out and pay the driver.

They'd been dropped off right in front of the dorm and Root hurried up the sidewalk to the door. When she reached into her pocket to pull out her key card, a hand grabbed her arm and spun her around. Shaw shoved her into the brick wall, sharp edges digging into her back through her coat, and pressed her full length against Root's front.

Shaw attacked Root's neck, her teeth nipping and mouth sucking. Root held Shaw's hips, holding her close and trying to soak in her heat. It was freezing out, the mid-November air as cutting as the bricks at her back, but Root felt hot and feverish. Shaw's mouth was almost painful against the thing skin of her neck and her hands squeezed Root's breasts through her dress.

Root needed her bare skin touched too much to make-out in the cold. She shoved Shaw away, grinning as Shaw growled at her. Sticking her card to the sensor, Root unlocked the door to the dorm. She turned her back on Shaw and pulled the door open, racing inside.

She ran through the common room to her door, taking her keys out of her coat pocket as she ran. When she got to the door, she looked behind her, unsurprised to see Shaw already next to her. Her hands shook as she unlocked the door, but she got it open and stepped inside.

Root was only a few steps into the room when Shaw slammed the door shut and locked it. She stared at Root with wild eyes.

"On the bed," Shaw ordered, "and take off your clothes."

Swallowing hard, Root yanked her boots off and tossed them aside before leaping onto her bed. She stripped quickly, keeping an eye on Shaw as they both undressed. Once her clothing was gone, Root dropped onto her butt. She watched Shaw reach behind herself to unhook her bra.

She let it fall to the floor, eyes fixed on Root. When it was off, Shaw stood at the end of the bed fully naked. Root was still shivering with anticipation and Shaw seem to vibrate with tension, too. Like a tiger stalking its prey, Shaw climbed onto the bed on her knees, crawling forward.

Grinning, Root scooted backwards until her head was on the pillows. Shaw covered her quickly, laying her warm, firm body on top of Root and pressing her into the bed. Root groaned and spread her legs, letting Shaw settle as close as possible. Root wrapped her arms around Shaw's neck and pulled her down.

Shaw kissed her slowly, languid and deliberate. Her hand crept up Root's side, calloused hands brushing over soft skin and making Root's back arch up. She could barely breathe, she was so turned on. Every inch of skin Shaw touched burned and twitched with need.

Shaw's hand finally covered Root's breast, thumb flicking over a hard nipple, and Root gasped, lightheaded. Her body felt electric. Root whimpered and lifted her hips into Shaw.

Grinning against Root's mouth, Shaw flipped them over. Root lifted herself up onto her elbows, her hair creating a curtain around their faces. Now, both of Shaw's hands cupped Root's breasts, nails lightly scratching.

She lifted her head and licked the sensitive underside of Root's breasts. Sometimes, Root felt self-conscious of her small breasts, but the way Shaw sucked and licked them washed her fears away. If someone as hot as Shaw found her attractive, then Root couldn't worry about anything

Shaw released Root's nipple with a wet pop. "Sit on my face," she rasped, wiggling towards the foot of the bed. "Please."

Root groaned to hear Shaw ask to eat her out and quickly moved up, resting her hands on her headboard to leverage herself forward. She lowered herself onto Shaw's face, immediately moaning as Shaw's tongue slowly stroked her, flicking inside her.

Liquid heat pooled between her legs and she leaned down, resting her forehead against the headboard so she could watch Shaw. Their eyes met and Shaw dragged her tongue around Root's clit slowly. Root's breath hitched, her hips jerking forward. Her stomach muscles jumped as Shaw sucked and licked.

Root closed her eyes, hips moving against Shaw's face. She licked her lips, reaching a hand to her breasts and running her fingertips across her nipples. She pinched one, harder and harder until she growled in pain. Shaw's hands hooked over her thighs, hands splaying over her stomach, nails digging in. The pain pushed Root closer to the edge, and she rode Shaw's face even faster.

She was gasping in time to her movements as she raced towards her orgasm. Squeezing both of her breasts, Root tossed her head back, losing herself in the feeling of Shaw's tongue on her and inside her. With a last stuttering moan, she came, a strangled gasp escaping her lips. Shaw held her in place until she stopped shaking.

When Root could breath again, she swung her leg over Shaw, shifting quickly until she was covering Shaw and kissed her desperately. Shaw's face was wet and Root could taste herself much more than she could in the car. It spurred her on, making her want to touch Shaw even more.

She stretched a hand down Shaw's body, smiling when Shaw spread her legs wide. Root lifted her head, swirling her fingers in Shaw's wetness, teasing her with wide circles, avoiding her clit.

"You're a little desperate tonight," Root joked, brushing her lips against Shaw's. "Someone's getting used to all the sex."

Shaw rolled her eyes. "Just shut up and fuck me."

Root pushed three fingers into Shaw, watching the way Shaw's mouth dropped open and her dark eyes unfocussed. She thrust her fingers in and out of Shaw, her biceps burning. Root wanted to lick Shaw's neck, lap up the sweat dotting her collarbone, but She couldn't take her eyes away from Shaw's face and the furrow growing between her brows as she grunted softly.

Shaw held onto Root's arm as she moved, steadying herself. Root loved the way Shaw looked when Root touched her and the way her soft moans caught in her throat. Shaw was so dangerous, but she trusted Root enough to open her legs and close her eyes. Root thrusted her fingers faster and deeper.

"Look at me."

Shaw's eyes opened, meeting Root's. They were deep and dark, and Root couldn't believe that they barely knew each other. She already cared about Shaw, even if Shaw didn't care about her. Root wanted to live in Shaw's head and understand her completely. Shaw's eyes fluttered shut again and Root used her thumb to rub against Shaw's clit.

A few thrusts later, a growl tore from Shaw's throat and she clenched around Root's fingers. Her face turned red as Root continued to fuck her through her orgasm, keeping her tense and short of breath. Eventually, Shaw started to gulp down air again and Root slowed her hand.

Shaw licked her lips, eyes fluttering open. "I'm hungry."

Root laughed. "But you just ate!"

"Gross," Shaw muttered, pushing Root's hand out of her and rolling off the bed. "You're getting too confident."

"I think you like it," Root said, smugly. "I'll be topping you in no time."

Shaw scoffed as she padded over to her clothing and pick up her coat. "I doubt that." She pulled her phone out of her coat. "You have a long way to go. You've never even used a strap-on before."

"Neither have you," Root challenged, raising her eyebrows. "Not with me anyway. I don't think you've really topped me, actually."

Shaw looked offended, her phone clutched in her hand. "I'm definitely the top in this relationship."

"If you say so." Root shrugged. "I think we're pretty equal."

"I'm not talking about this now." Shaw unlocked her phone. "Just know that I'm the top and deal with it. Chinese or Indian?"

Root smiled. "If you say so."

"I do say so. That makes it true."

"I'm just saying that I've killed people and you haven't, so I think I'm more equipped to be the top."

Shaw glared at her. "I still don't know if I fully believe that. It doesn't matter. Chinese or Indian?"

"You believe it," Root said, not answering the food question. "Remember that you made me promise not you kill you? That's bottom behavior."

"Ok, I'm going to eat alone."

"No," Root laughed, "don't go. Indian."

Shaw watched her suspiciously through narrow eyes. "I'm going to top you soon. Prove my power."

Root hummed, stretching out on the bed seductively, smiling as Shaw's eyes trailed over her body. "I would love for you to prove your power. Several times."

Shaw seemed like she was going to come back to the bed, but she restrained herself. "Dinner first. Then, more sex."

"Whatever you say, boss."