Katie stood there for what seemed like an eternity, though it was probably just a few long-winded seconds, of clearly and shamelessly gawking at Effy. Well, maybe there was a little shame in the form of a deep flush covering her pale cheeks, or the way that her lips seemed to press together in a furious, but ultimately useless attempt at speaking...

I mean, it wasn't even that bad, really.

Her eyes had traveled along the length of the slender girl's bare back, a little too quick in time to make a mental note to slap herself later. Even when her purse tumbled on to the bare floor, Effy's muscles didn't flex or twitch in surprise. She was always such a mystery, that Stonem girl.

But Katie wasn't quick to forget the rock incident.

In fact, she felt the hairs rising on the back of her neck and goosebumps surfacing on her skin when Effy finally made an attempt to turn around. Stumbling over her fucking designer shoes, Katie instinctively backed up towards the door. One foot behind the other… come on, it's not that hard, you twat, she mentally chastised herself. Though it was a downright mess up there in her head.

The other girl's long brown hair was unkempt in a beautiful, almost poetic way and nearly long enough to cover her lady bits now.

(Or so she imagined, for Katie would rather be dead than caught staring at the irresistible girl that had the power to drive steadfast friendships apart.)

For a second, she was reminded of Lady Godiva. Surely, she wasn't going to prance around like this all the time, was she? It wasn't like she needed the ego trip or anything.

Effy, however, seemed relatively unfazed by Katie's bewildered reaction. Instead of meeting her eyes, her gaze had traveled along the floor, settling abruptly on the imposter's shoes. Her lips quirked up into a lazy half-smirk, while her eyes slowly slithered up the leopard printed covered body like a snake. When they finally made eye contact after what seemed like an agonizing thirty seconds, the bare brunette spoke first.

"Brogues," Effy stated in that inside joke-like tone. Other than the smirk curved on her lips, the rest of her body posture remained relaxed, but stoic. She was never one to give anything away, apart from the faint hint of amusement that shone in her dark, smoldering blue eyes.

"S'cuse me?"

Effy refrained from chuckling dryly as Katie skeptically tore her gaze away and averted it down to her own feet, furrowing her brows in confusion at the off-handed remark.

"I expected brogues," Effy spoke again, lifting an arm for what Katie presumed was to cover herself, but instead it just extended towards the nightstand for a lit spliff. It was only then that she noticed the slight fog in the room, but Katie was too paralyzed to move towards one of the windows for a bit of fresh air (which could be a good excuse for the lapse later, because clearly, she was drop-dead stoned).

Besides, the whole fucking neighborhood didn't need to see… well, all of Effy!

"I'm not quite sure what you mean," Katie said quickly, turning away when she finally knocked some sense into herself as her thoughts collided into one another like a freight train. She was in Effy's bedroom. Alone. With her. In all her glory, might I add.

"And for fuck's sake, would you get some bloody clothes on?"

Shit, that wasn't as convincing or as smoothly a topic change as she'd liked it to be…

"It's my place," Effy said in a matter of factly manner, waving her hand around and watching distractedly as the smoke followed her subtle movements. Her eyes flickered towards Katie once more, noticing the overall tension in the body facing away from her.

If she didn't feel that she owed her, she probably wouldn't have paid much mind to the demanding Fitch.

Slipping on a long plaid buttoned down shirt that reached her knees, Effy skipped the buttoning part bit as she walked passed Katie. Before reaching the door, however, her voice dropped a few decibels as she leaned over to whisper into the other girl's ear while passing by.

"Fuck and clothes don't work in the same sentence, Katie."

Katie was left stunned by Effy's rather forward remark, though she really shouldn't have expected anything less from the other brunette. She found herself alone now to deal with her thoughts. "Keep it together, will you?" she muttered harshly to no one in particular, tugging down on her skirt once more as if in self-assurance, before following Effy's lead out into the kitchen.

By the time she got there, Effy had hopped up on to the counter and was sitting by a bottle of vodka. She wasn't sure when the former rock slinger had produced the bottle or a pair of knickers, nor did she really care, but at least there was more left to the imagination. Although, now that you mention it, she wasn't sure why she felt a twinge of disappoint at those findings…

Bugger, she really needed to get laid.

"So who is it this week?" Katie asked nonchalantly as she moved to sit beside the brunette, taking the spliff without so much as asking, though Effy didn't seem to mind at all as she went for the bottle instead. Her question almost seemed unnoticed, until Katie pressed on further. "Your shirt. Here's to hoping you're not picking up on Naomi's fashion sense… butch was so last year, hun."

Effy almost managed to grin at that statement, mostly for Katie's sarcastic use of 'hun,' but it didn't quite reach her eyes. "Dunno," she replied casually with a shrug, taking a long swig of the liquor. She never said much, but her silence spoke volumes.

"Isn't it too early for—" Katie began, cutting herself off when Effy raised a brow in her direction. Right, the nagging… she wasn't exactly sure when it started, but it was almost like she felt entitled to do it. It's not like she had a motherly complex or they were dating or anything.

"Isn't it too late?" Effy countered, her eyes glued on to the countertop before them. Something was off about the way that she didn't hold eye contact when she delivered that blow, but the other brunette was too busy being self-conscious to notice. It was easier that way.

Katie felt herself fidget a bit, knowing that she was in for one of those infamous Effy Stonem sessions, where her mind would be picked apart by the know-it-all. "Look, you just caught me by surprise, alright? Don't get your knickers in a twist."

Stupid. Mentioning knickers, fuck, or clothes around the other brunette was just plain stupid. It was like opening the door and screaming out, Read me, Stonem!

Effy didn't say a word. Instead, she merely dropped Katie's cellphone into the other girl's lap and slid off the counter, grabbing back her spliff from the outstretched hand by the window before striding off.

And no, Katie fucking Fitch didn't watch the sway of her hips...

Not really.

(Yeah, real convincing there, I'm sure.)

Katie did admittedly frown in confusion, but she also felt relieved by the briefness of the interrogation. Most people she knew would crack after just a few minutes alone with Effy. I mean, there was probably an island solely for survivors of that piercing unwavering stare and she would be the only one!

Dropping her gaze curiously to her lit up screen, her eyes squinted at the old text message from Cook from that afternoon that had been opened back up.

Get mindfucked yet, Katiekins? Find out about Freds and try to get some willy waggle while ur at it, yeah? Ur fucking cranky. x Cookie.

A/N: Thanks for all the great reads and reviews! For all those awesome Keffy fans, I'm hoping that this chapter will answer a few questions and stir a whole new batch (; AUs are a lovely thing, m'dears. Things will start to clear up after the next chapter, which will be a flashback. So a little Cook/Katie banter up ahead!