Sorry for the delay in updating. I had finals.
Please read and review.
The central air was broken for good this time and even Peter with his mystical talent of fixing all things mechanical wasn't saving them until an agent could drop off the parts he needed to make it work again. So naturally the Hull area, even with the ocean so near, was experiencing a heat wave unlike any other in the past which left each member of the household sweaty and irritable. Walter had taken to locking himself into one of the bathrooms and taking long cold showers while the rest of them were left to fend for the last bathroom and taking turns finding sweet release from the steaming spell the house air had them under. The men, sans Walter, had taken to walking around in just shorts, forgoing shirts all together and the women were getting as close to nothing as they could and still keep their pride and wore swimsuit tops with the shortest shorts they each had in their wardrobe.
Determined to not spend another day wasting away in the living room, Olivia took to exploring her surroundings with a new vigor, especially since Peter had taken to leaving the room whenever she was in it. Before he'd just ignore her or she'd catch him staring at her when he thought she wasn't looking but then he'd turn away quickly or glare half heartedly. But today he would just up and leave if she entered a room he was in. She was finally at the top floor and was searching everywhere but in the bedrooms, as she didn't want to encroach on Astrid and Walter's privacy. She was about to call it quits when she noticed a rectangular trim in the ceiling with a little knob. Not even thinking twice about it, Olivia leapt up as high as she could and grabbed a hold of the knob and pulled down with all her weight letting a ladder slowly unfold in front of her. Unable to resist temptation she quickly scaled the ladder and found herself in a very humid and musty attic. She could hardly breathe through the heat but on the far side of the space she saw an old box fan. Olivia almost giggled in delight as she crawled over and through boxes to get to the new found treasure already thinking of locking herself in her room with this fan and keeping cool. Grabbing the fan she made her way back to the hatch and poked her head down to make sure the coast was clear. When she confirmed it was, she quietly snuck back down the ladder, balancing the fan in one hand and then shut the trap door behind her. She'd made it all the way to her room without anyone noticing her and she closed the door behind her and settled on hiding the fan in the closet until she could find something to bring up to her room to keep her occupied while she basked in her new found breeze.
Trying to fight her giddiness at her new discovery she entered the living room and went straight for the book shelf. She hardly noticed Peter was lying out on the couch until he shifted and started to get up to leave.
"You don't have to leave; I promise I'll be gone in five minutes." Olivia said dryly. She heard him sigh and relax back into the couch.
"I think there might've been a couple Sudoku books in the box the agents brought by earlier." Peter offered tentatively.
Olivia glanced back at him, eyes narrowed in suspicion and when she found that he was just trying to be helpful she nodded her thanks and left for the dining room where the box of stuff was generally left for everyone to pick through. Toward the bottom of the box she saw a couple puzzle books and smiled. Thinking that despite the silent drama and sweltering heat, the day was finally looking up, Olivia collected a couple bottles of cold water and her new found book and pencil and shut herself away in her room.
It wasn't until eight in the evening that a soft knock sounded on her bedroom door. Olivia leapt up from her sprawled position on the bed, but was too slow and the door creaked open with Peter poking his around the corner. He just stared dumbly at her in her bikini that she had unthinkingly put on since she was alone in her room.
"Ummmmm…" He continued to stare until Olivia grew self conscious.
"What did you want?" She asked, trying to distract him from the fan behind the door.
"You missed dinner and –" He paused and tilted his head sideways a bit. "Is that a fan?" He stepped fully into the room and quickly found the fan behind the door. "You've been holding out, Dunham! But now I think it's my turn." Smirking he reached for the plug and yanked, grabbing the fan and making a quick escape.
"Peter! That's my fan. I found it!" Olivia whined, careful not to be so loud as to alert the others of what loot she had found.
"Not anymore!" Peter called over his shoulder and made his way to his room. Not willing to give up, Olivia marched after him. He had been quick though and was already in his bedroom. Olivia stood in the doorway and put on her best dangerous face and crossed her arms across her chest.
"Peter, put the fan down and step away from it, or else…" She said with a low and serious voice.
"Or what? You'll shoot me?" Peter chuckled. "You've already tried to do that, Sweetheart, and it didn't work."
"No, I won't shoot you, I was thinking of something much worse." She said mockingly.
"Worse than a bullet?" Peter smiled wickedly at her. "Well now I'm just curious."
He didn't have long to wait before Olivia launched herself at him and he just barely had time to turn his back to her before she latched onto him with her arms wrapped around his shoulders and her legs around his waist. Peter staggered under the force and weight of her and almost dropped the fan, but he held on tight as he twisted to try and remove her from his back.
"I don't have to hurt you if you just give up the fan, Bishop." Olivia threatened breathily from beside his head.
He gave a deep throated chuckle. "All you've done is add a little extra weight to me. What could you possibly do from my back?"
Olivia grinned wickedly before yanking solidly on his left ear making him half howl and stumble, dropping the fan to the ground and making his hands shoot up to try and wrench her off. He twisted and turned and even bent over to try and rid himself of her, but he was only partially successful when he stumbled onto the bed ad turned the table so that she was pinned beneath his weight and he had wrestled her hands to above her head. She glared daggers at him and writhed from beneath him until she stopped, panting for air.
"Like I was saying…" Peter grinned, but stopped short when she grinned in return and managed to flip their positions so he was pinned to the bed on his stomach and she on top of him with his arm wrenched behind his back.
"Swear you'll let me keep the fan," Olivia said still breathing hard from their wrestling match.
"Never!" Peter said, gasping for air. She lifted his arm up a bit making him call out. "Are you going to break my arm for a fan?"
"Just say it!" Olivia said. That's when she heard a deep chuckle coming from the doorway.
"I don't think you need him to say that he's your bitch," Booth teased and laughed when Peter growled and shifted violently to escape, almost knocking Olivia off him. "Hey, is that a fan?"
"No! That's my fan. I found it and I'm going to keep it." Olivia said, her voice rising in panic. She couldn't take two men. That's when Brennan walked in to see what the commotion was about.
"Is that a fan?" She gasped and made a beeline for it.
"Hey! I was fighting for the fan first!" Peter called out from beneath Olivia.
"How about we play a game for who gets to keep the fan for the night?" Booth reasoned, holding Brennan back from just stealing the fan. He glanced at each of them and Olivia finally let up on Peter who cradled his arm gingerly and sat up on the bed.
"What kind of game?" Peter asked cautiously.
"Well, one of the agents brought by a very large box of alcohol. We could do a drinking game," Booth offered with a smirk.
"That doesn't sound very fair…" Brennan reasoned. "Physically speaking, agent Dunham and I won't be able to consume nearly as much alcohol as you and Peter since we are smaller and lighter in body."
"Then how about we play teams? Bones and I versus Olivia and Peter." Booth offered.
"So, what? Whoever keeps their liquor down wins the fan?" Olivia asked, warming to the idea of finally relaxing.
"Kind of. After every two shots you have to pass a sobriety test. The team who passes the test after the most drinks, wins the fan." Booth said.
"Three spins and a straight line should do the trick." Olivia said helpfully.
"So is everyone in?" Booth asked, looking to Peter and Brennan who had yet to say anything about the game. Peter and Olivia shared a look and a wide grin.
They had the fan in the bag, Olivia thought to herself and must've projected something along those lines to Peter who nodded at her. Once they were all agreed that they would play, Olivia went back into her room to grab some shorts to throw over her bikini bottoms and then left to join the rest of them downstairs.
"Olivia should eat a snack or something before we start. She skipped dinner so she's at a disadvantage from the rest of us," Peter said, to all the world just sounding innocent and helpful, but Olivia knew he was just trying to increase their odds for winning the fan.
"Fair enough," Booth said, already reaching for a set of eight shot glasses and bring them to the table.
Brennan and Peter each brought over a couple bottles of whiskey. Olivia quickly ate a turkey sandwich that someone had obviously set aside for her and then washed it down with a few gulps of water. While Booth arranged the glasses and whiskey bottles, Brennan and Peter moved the long ottoman to the other side of the glass coffee table and across from the long couch. When they were all set up Booth and Brennan sat on the ottoman and Peter and Olivia took the couch. Each of them had two shot glasses filled with whiskey in front of them and two bottles in front of Peter and Booth so they could refill the glasses as needed. Booth raised his first glass I the air.
"Here's to bizarre cases that make no sense at all!" He smiled brightly all around and everyone lifted their glasses with either a chuckle or smile and a chorus of "cheers! Here ,here!" and of course Brennan's eye roll. They all threw the glasses back and downed the drink.
Brennan fought not to gasp at the burning that slid down her throat like liquid fire and she turned to grin at her partner. This was a game they were familiar with and would win.
"To putting away the bad guys!" Brennan cheered. And they all laughed and threw back their second shot.
"And now for the first round of spin and walk," Olivia said, already getting steadily to her feet. They moved a few feet away to a more open space so no one would trip over furniture.
"We should have opponents spinning each other so that there's no cheating and taking it too easy on your teammate." Booth said, snagging Olivia by the arm and gently pulling her over to the edge of the rectangular rug that lay between the dining room and living room. Brennan felt her stomach drop as she watched Booth gently squeeze Olivia's bare shoulders and spin her around. She glanced over at Peter and supposed that he had noticed as well since he was looking none too happy. When Olivia was done spinning, she easily walked the line and only hesitated once.
Peter motioned Brennan over to the corner of the rug and gave her a dry smirk. A smirk she had learned meant, what can we do? So he gently grasped her bare shoulders and did what Booth had done with Olivia and spun her. By the time she was done, the combination of swirling colors and a light giddiness took over and she giggled before finding the line and walking it without any hesitation. Booth and Peter also passed quite easily and soon they were all sitting back down for their second round of shots that Booth and Peter were already pouring.
"To the agent who gave us all this whiskey!" Peter cheered and once again they threw down another shot.
"To being alive and in good company," Olivia said, eyes glimmering at Booth. Silently everyone threw back the fourth shot of the evening.
All four passed the second round of spin and walk and tossed back another two shots each. The third round had Olivia walking the line slowly and a bit wobbly, Peter making it rather well, and same with Booth. Brennan however stumbled into Peter and caught herself with her hands on his bare chest just as they clunked heads after her spinning. She did not make the line that time. Peter peered over Brennan's shoulder as the female scientist laughed her heart out at falling into him and tried to share a look of triumph with Olivia but her brow was creased and when she caught his gaze she frowned and quickly looked away. Bewildered at what was going through her mind, Peter took his seat beside her and they all continued while Brennan watched as they each threw down two empty shot glasses each. This time getting up, Olivia began to tip into Peter and he caught her with one hand on her shoulder and the other on her waist. He gave her a concerned look and Olivia stared at him with slightly hooded eyes. He turned her into the direction of the space they'd been using but leaned down to whisper huskily in her ear.
"We're almost done, 'Livia. I think one more round and he'll cave." Olivia shivered beneath his gentle touch and the feel of his breath on her bare neck and shoulder. She saw a very knowing smirk on Booth's face from the corner of her eye and fought not to jerk out of Peter's touch; she as enjoying ot way too much. Too everyone's surprise all three lasted another two rounds before Olivia stumbled and Peter was quick to catch her before she hit the floor. She blushed at the feeling of his arms around her bare waist and was relieved to know the alcohol had already brought a rosy tint to her cheeks prior to her error.
"Thanks," she mumbled into his bare chest. He set her carefully back on her feet and wouldn't step away until he was sure she wasn't going to fall. Olivia gave him a nod that she was fine and Peter took his turn, barely able to traverse the edge of the carpet. It was now Booth's turn and Olivia spun him around, barely aware of how she was standing at the moment let alone helping this man spin. Booth made it to the starting point and then a few steps before overcrossing one leg over the other and stumbling completely off the line but caching himself before he fell.
"Aw man!" He groaned and looked rather disappointed, but Olivia saw right through it. He was trying to play matchmaker! He knew the winning team would have to share a bed to share the fan and why that hadn't occurred to her earlier was beyond her.
"But-" Olivia stammered, her words lost on her drunken tongue.
"Nah, you won fair and square, but maybe you could let us have the fan tomorrow to be good sports?" Booth asked, fighting the grin on his face.
"Yeah I supposed we could," Peter said grudgingly.
Olivia was fighting off the panic that was doing a great job of sobering her up and finally found some words. "Your room or mine?"
Peter looked at her, confusion clearly written across his face and then it hit him. Understanding flooded his features and he actually blushed. Olivia couldn't stop the laughter the bubbled to the surface and out of her.
"You're okay with sharing a bed with me?" Peter asked, completely shocked at the idea.
Olivia rolled her eyes at him. "I'd share a bed with Big Foot if it meant there was a fan," Olivia laughed and Peter scowled. Booth and Brennan laughed heartily at them; Brennan leaning onto a doubled over Booth. Olivia smirked at them and finally took in Peter's pissed off face. "Come on Big Foot, let's just use your bedroom; the fan is already in there." She wrapped her hand around his left forearm and tugged him in the direction of the stairs.
When they reached the third floor, they split off to get ready for bed. Olivia stood I front of her half unpacked bag and cursed herself for over thinking what she might wear to bed that night since she'd be with Peter. She should pick something casual and comfortable so he wouldn't get the wrong idea, but hell, it would be great if he agreed to the wrong idea. He was probably wondering what was taking her so long by now so she settled on a black cotton camisole and matching boyshorts underwear. Biting her lip and looking into the full length mirror she admired that this could come off as either casual or something else all together, depending on how he saw her. Olivia schooled her face to one of neutrality, prepared to deal with a nearly naked Peter or a fully clothed. She entered his room to see him sliding the desk across the room to the end of the bed and then he set the fan atop it. He glanced up and grinned at her for a moment and then his face went slack for a second and then to neutral.
"Which side do you prefer?" Olivia asked, trying to keep her voice from wavering as she stared at him in nothing but boxers.
"Honestly, I usually sleep in the center, but I don't think that's an option, so I'll cater to whatever preference you have." Peter said smoothly.
Olivia chuckled and shook her head. "I normally sleep in the center as well."
"Then how about I take the side closest to the door," Peter offered, already stepping to 'his' side.
Olivia nodded and moved to the furthest side and climbed on top of the bed, not bother with the sheets. She wanted to feel the rushing air on her bare skin and the sheet would just block it. She turned to her side facing Peter and stared at him as he stared up at the ceiling.
"Thanks for winning, Peter." Olivia murmured. Her eyes were already beginning to shut of their own accord, but she saw him smirk, his eyes never leaving the ceiling.
"Anytime, 'Livia." He whispered. And then Olivia fell asleep with the strong scent of Peter all around her and the breeze of the fan caressing her skin.