First off thanks to the reviewers. Second this is a bit shorter than I've been doing as of late. & third I'm a bit iffy about this one soo any feedback will be greatly appreciated.
Enjoy...
"Now hold your hands up, blocking yer face," Pete took Josie's fists, rearranging them slightly, "Good. Oh Jesus Joze, stop giggling – this is serious." He sighed in happy frustration as she fell into another fit of giggles, "I knew I should've banned you from drinkin' wine."
Josie tried to stop laughing, succeeding for the moment at least as she held her hands up, "Alright alright, I'm done. Teach me oh wise one," she snorted slightly while he rolled his eyes at her.
"Ok babe, now try and hit me," he said. They'd been eating dinner at her flat when she'd asked him to teach her some defensive skills. He should've known it was a bad idea when she'd nearly finished a bottle of wine by herself with dinner.
Just as Josie pulled her fist back three things happened simultaneously: someone banged on her door, Pete glanced over at it and Josie punched Pete square in the face.
"Holy shit," he yelped in pain, his eyes watering and blood flowing from his nose.
"Oh my God baby, I am so sorry – come in!" she shouted to whoever was at the door before sprinting into the bathroom to grab some bandages and ran a washcloth under warm water as she hurried back into the other room.
She saw Dave resetting Pete's nose with a loud crunch as Swill stared on, biting back a laugh. Josie cringed, physically pained that she'd hurt him, "Jesus Joze, what'd he do to ya to deserve a broken nose?" Dave yelled to her.
Josie blushed deeply as she reached Pete and shoved Dave out of the way, "It was an accident," she glared at Dave before addressing Pete, "Come 'ere babe." She led him to the couch, forcing him to sit down before straddling his lap and leaning his head back gently. She pressed the washcloth to his nose, wiping the blood away as she bit her lip nervously.
"I am never teachin' you anything again," Pete mumbled, staring through watery eyes into Josie's brown ones. He tried to lean forward to kiss her but she shoved him back, "Nuh uh, I have to fix this first Romeo." He groaned in frustration as he leaned back again, letting her soft hands clean his face up as she taped his nose carefully, unbelievable this girl is, he thought at the ridiculousness of the situation, but fuck if she isn't perfect for me.
Pete glanced around the room, wondering why the boys were here and his eyes narrowed slightly as he watched Dave blatantly staring at Josie with an awestruck look on his face. He tightened his grip on her hips, pulling her closer to him and trying to shake off the wary feeling Dave had been giving him lately. Bovver had even been mentioning how he'd seen Dave hanging around Josie more and it caused a slight panic to well up in him at the thought, the memory of her brother's warning always in the back of his mind.
"Dr. Murphy is done fixing the work that Fighter Murphy created," she kissed his nose tenderly then moved to his lips, "Sorry Pete," she whispered as she hung her head in shame.
Pete tilted her face up to him, "Yer a bloody liability. Maybe she should be teachin' me how to fight, eh boys?" he addressed Dave and Swill who both grinned widely and shook their heads in agreement, "What are you lot doin' ere?"
"Friday night bruv, thought you'd want to join us for a session at the pub. Especially since Miss Josie isn't working and finished up that big paper early," Dave said and Pete eyed him dangerously, now how is it he knows about that?, he thought bitterly since he'd only just found out about that a couple hours ago.
He'd originally planned on meeting the boys out since he thought she'd be in the library all night but had been pleasantly surprised when he'd showed up at her flat for a quick hello and found her cooking a surprise dinner for him.
Josie looked at Pete questioningly, "It's up to you babe, I'm your personal slave for a week after the results of my botched fighting lesson."
He pressed a kiss to his favorite freckle that sat just to the right of the hollow of her neck, "Hmm, slave for a week, eh? I may have to get that in writing," he whispered only to her before addressing the boys, "Yeah sure, we'll come for a few. Give us a couple minutes and we'll meet ya down there," he said with a dismissive wave.
Dave and Swill waved goodbye as they walked out of Josie's place and Pete pulled her towards him, "Hmm, now – as your master – I insist that you cook breakfast naked and deliver it to me in bed tomorrow morning."
Josie threw her head back in laughter as she nuzzled her nose into his neck, placing a kiss just below his ear, "Whatever you want," she whispered before kissing him tenderly.
Pete held her to him for a few moments before releasing her so she could change and he leaned back on the couch, glancing around her place. He grinned at the many pictures of the two of them that dotted her walls. Some of them showed groups of the boys and when his eyes landed on a photo of Matt he started thinking about that particular situation.
Matt had been around for a few months now and was still alternating between his couch and some of the other boys. Whenever Josie stayed over (which was more often than not) she'd offer her place to him. His eyes strayed to another photo of just him and Josie that had been taken around Christmas that showed her in a ridiculous sweater that had a huge knit tree on the front of it and she had wrapping ribbon tying her hair up in a high ponytail.
Pete laughed at the sight of it remembering how she insisted it would spread holiday cheer. He continued to stare at the picture, examining her closely, smiling at the way she seemed to fit so perfectly with him. Just as he felt her wrap her arms around his waist he was hit with an idea, "Yer lease is up soon innit?"
"Yeah, at the end of March," she said as she furrowed her brow in thought, "Whoa, which is in two weeks. Time's made a fool of me, I should probably have a chat with my landlord before I'm out on the street."
"Well…" Pete started as he turned to face her, resting his hands on her hips, "I was thinkin'…" he bit his lip in thought, nervous for what he was going to ask.
Josie stared up at him in concern, "What is it Pete?" she asked as she wrapped her arms around his neck.
"I think you should move in with me," he said in a rush of words then closed his eyes in case she pulled a horrified face at the very thought of it.
Josie's eyes widened in shock and she felt her heart pound in her chest as she stared up at him, "Open your eyes idiot," she whispered as she kissed his lips softly, "I'd love nothing more."
Pete's face broke into a wide grin, "Really? You want to live with me?"
"Course I do, we pretty much do anyways," she barely got the words out before he'd pulled her into a bone crushing hug, "I love you." She whispered to him softly.
"Mm, I love you too," he said as he nuzzled his nose against hers, "Even if you did break my nose."
"Twat," she whispered into his neck as she sucked lightly on his pulse point, "You ready? Quicker we're done there, quicker we're back here. Alone."
"Mm, that's my girl – always thinkin' with yer lady parts." Pete murmured to her, knowing what was coming.
Josie shoved him away, a furious blush creeping up her face, "Ugh, you're always ruining a sweet moment with your perversion."
Pete laughed loudly at her before pulling her flush against him, bending him her back and kissing her roughly, "You love it," he mumbled into her lips before he finally set her up right.
"I love you," she breathed into his lips, "Now lemme go, time to leave."
Pete released her reluctantly as she took his hand and led him out of her flat. The short walk was made slightly longer as Pete tended to continually pull her into his arms, raining kisses down on her face and neck thrilled to think about their future together. Living together was just the beginning – soon enough, she'd be his forever.
The mid-March night was unseasonably warm so it made the two of them dawdle that much more. The usual seven minute walk ended up lasting about fifteen when they finally shoved through the door of the Abbey to the delighted shouts of the boys.
"Joze! You ain't been 'ere for fun in forever!" Ike shouted happily, pulling her from Pete and towards the bar, "Shots on me."
At this the boys immediately crowded around Ike and Josie until he waved them away, "I meant for her ya twats – get yer own drinks." Josie laughed loudly at the fallen look on their faces, pinching Swill's cheek lightly and offering to buy him a drink which obviously snowballed into buying a round for the whole lot of them.
Pete grinned across the room at the sight of her just as she threw back a shot, grimacing slightly at the taste of the liquor. His eyes darkened slightly when he saw Dave edge closer to her and he heard Bovver clear his throat next to him, "Bit cozy, eh?"
"Bov – leave it. Dave ain't stupid and Josie isn't about to leave Pete anytime soon. So just fuckin' drop it cause I've about had it listenin' to the two of you tryin' to figure out if Josie's a slag or not. I got news for you two – she ain't," and with that Keith stood up to join the rest of the boys at the bar.
Pete felt his jaw drop. Keith. Quiet Keith who never spoke out against anything Pete or Bovver said and had never seemed to particularly like Josie had just sat there defending her and saying she was a good girl. He glanced next to him to see Bovver wearing an evil glare and he shoved out of his chair before he could say a word.
Keith was right. Pete was being an idiot and Josie had just agreed to move in with him, did he ever really believe she'd leave him for Dave? Fuck I'm an idiot.
He stood back from the crowd, letting the boys cluster around Josie eagerly. He'd nearly forgotten she was the only girl that had ever been able to befriend the boys. She held the status of being taken which meant the rest of the boys were more comfortable with her. Pete knew that most of them went to her for advice on women or just the silly stuff that you couldn't say to a group of men who'd rip the piss out of you for asking what to get their mum for Christmas.
How could I be so selfish to keep her to myself? Pete thought, momentarily shamed. He turned to stand at the end of the bar, leaning against it as he took in the scene around him. The sudden movement of the Abbey door swinging open caught his eye and the person that walked in caused his mouth to fall open in shock.
Through a haze Pete heard Terry give a low whistle behind him, "Tell me that ain't who I think it is."
"Olivia." He stated by way of confirmation.
Luck was with him and the boys had yet to notice her entrance along with another girl he barely recognized from grade school. Unfortunately, it didn't hold out for long as slowly he noticed the boys start to point and whisper. He barely noticed Josie pulling a confused face as she looked at him questioningly while he simply ignored the look, staring in the other direction before moving towards the two newcomers.
Josie followed Pete's gaze and felt her mouth go dry as she saw him staring at two girls she'd never seen before. No – not two girls, just one. One tall blonde who would dwarf her, with the lightest of green eyes and curves Josie would kill for. Her makeup was caked on but she was pretty in a very overstated way.
She felt her stomach flip unpleasantly at the look in Pete's eye and realized the rest of the boys had pretty much fallen silent at the entrance of the two new patrons, "Steven? Steven Wilkins is that you?" Josie stared gobsmacked when the shorter of the two girls came waltzing towards the boys, flipping her long strawberry blonde hair over her shoulder, "My my I just never expected to run into you boys here!" she swooned before throwing her arms around Swill.
Josie rolled her eyes before grumpily turning back towards the bar, hah, what a crock of shit, where else would the boys be on a Friday night? She thought bitterly as Swill made small talk with the girl, "Alright there Zoe? Haven't seen you two blondies around 'ere in years."
Stepping further away from the group, she searched for Pete only to see him locked in a hug with the tall blonde. Fire ran through her veins, eyes flashing at the sight and she was about to march over when she felt someone grip her arm tightly, "Joze – leave it."
She tried to shake Terry's grip off her arm but to no avail and she finally gave up when she realized he wasn't letting go, "Alright, alright Christ! I'll let my boyfriend flirt away with some whore," she spat out, plopping angrily into an empty barstool. "You might as well get me drunk old man, shot of Jameson's please."
Terry gave Josie a sympathetic smile as he set the shot in front of her along with a pint and she took it easily, not even feeling the burn of the liquor as it made its way down her throat, what are you worried about? He just asked you to move in with him, who cares that he's over there chattin' some girl up, a part of her said soothingly.
Funny that you apparently don't exist though Joze, another voice replied tauntingly, you knew he was too good to be true.
"Ugh," she groaned out loud as she dropped her head to the sticky bar top not even glancing to her right when the empty stool moved and a body dropped into it. Knowing it wasn't Pete she chanced a glance to her side to see Swill giving her a reluctant smile.
"They're just girls we grew up with, haven't seen 'em in years," he said by way of explanation.
Josie tried to shrug casually but it came out as more of a twitch, "I didn't say a word. S'not my business," she lied awkwardly as she chugged half of her beer down.
Swill poked her in the side, "Yes it is. You've nothin' to worry about. Dunham's crazy about you & so are we."
She glanced over to see Pete leaning in towards the yet unnamed girl, grinning at her stupidly and her eyes narrowed at the sight, "That a fact?" she asked skeptically, "So just who is she?"
Swill sighed, "The true-blonde is Olivia – Pete may or may not have had a thing with her when we were younger but it was over and done with years ago. The other one's Zoe – Davey had a quick fling with her years back." Josie felt slightly nauseated at the sight of Pete with the other girl, realizing she'd had a bit too much to drink and this was not a good situation to be in. She was toeing the line of going over and ripping the other girl's hair out.
Not wanting to embarrass herself she downed her pint in two gulps then slammed it down, "Fuck it. I'm out of here," Josie said a little louder than planned which caused a few curious glances in her direction. But not the glance she'd been hoping for, "When he realizes I'm gone tell him not to bother coming to mine. That way he has an option to bring blondie home if he so chooses."
"Josie don't be stupid," Swill tried to reason with her as he grabbed her hand lightly, "He's just catchin' up with her. And you shouldn't be wanderin' the streets alone."
She shook off his grip, stumbling slightly in the process, "So? I'm letting him catch up. And I'll be fine – I live five minutes away."
Josie walked determinedly towards the door, not even sparing a glance around the rest of the room. As she stepped into the now cool night air she breathed in deeply wondering what had gotten into her. Girls chatting up Pete were nothing new so why is this one getting to me? She thought in frustration when a tiny, evil voice answered cause you finally have some competition.
Josie wrapped her arms around herself, feeling a tear leak from the corner of her eye replaying the night's events in her head. Why, oh why did we ever agree to go out tonight? She thought despondently. She couldn't wrap her head around the fact that Pete didn't even notice her when she'd walked out. It was so unlike him. Normally they were so completely in sync that they knew where the other was at all times. But tonight – tonight it was as though she didn't even exist.
She heaved a huge sigh, wiping another tear from her eye and hurrying towards her flat, wondering what would happen when – if – Pete showed up at her place tonight.
Pete sat staring at Olivia as she talked about her time in France. He grinned at the familiarity of her and her soft, English accent. He laughed lightly at part of her story before noticing her empty glass, "Lemme grab you another drink, love," he said as he stood up, striding towards the bar.
He was met with the sight of Ike and Swill, both with arms crossed over their chests and glaring sternly at him, "Aye aye boys?" he asked, wondering what their deal was.
"Yer un-fuckin-believable mate, the queen bee strolls in and you forget about someone?" Pete stared at Ike in confusion, wondering what the fuck his problem was when comprehension dawned on him through his beer addled mind.
"I take it by the sickly look on yer face yer just now rememberin that pretty little Yank you've been runnin' around with for about a year now," Swill said sarcastically as Pete looked frantically around the room, "Don't even bother bruv. She took off about two hours ago – nice of you to finally notice."
Pete stood taken aback by the harshness in Swill's tone, "What the fuck's yer problem?"
Swill stepped forward to meet him, "What's my problem? The fact that the girl you're mad about walked outta 'ere – alone I might add – fighting tears because her twat of a boyfriend took a fancy to the new shiny toy in the room."
Pete realized the bar had fallen silent and all eyes were on him, "This ain't yer business bruv, so just back off." He said edgily, not wanting to back down in front of the watchful crowd.
"Er, Pete?" a voice said accompanying a slightly nauseating floral scent he noticed for the first time that contrasted with the familiar apple scent of another, "Thought you were gettin' that pint?"
He glanced down to see Olivia looking up at him with doe-like eyes and he felt slightly sick at the green staring back to him when he'd become so used to brown, "Oh my God Josie." He groaned in disgust that he'd been so caught up in his old flame that he'd forgotten about the girl he was madly in love with, the girl he'd not three hours earlier asked to move in with him.
"I'm Olivia idiot," the blonde smiled warily back at him and leaned into his side, wrapping an arm around his waist. Her touch made him feel physically ill and he stared down at the too tan face and the heavily lined eyes wondering what he ever saw in her. And what would have every made him want to talk to her tonight.
Chalking it up to the amount of drink he'd had he pulled away from Olivia, "No. No," he said more forcefully as he moved further away from her, "You shoulda hit me Swill, preferably two hours ago – but thanks bruv, I'm an absolute fool." He turned to Olivia, "I'm sorry – you'll have to get that pint yerself."
Her mouth dropped open before her eyes narrowed slightly, "Yer just gonna leave me? I haven't seen you in years and we were just starting to catch up," she said with an exaggerated pout, fluttering her eyelashes foolishly.
"Yeah well, I'm sorry. You'll have to find another toy for the night," he walked away from her quickly not even seeing the look of fury that painted her face.
Pete burst out into the cold clear night, running towards Josie's flat. I ask her to move in with me then moon over some chav I went out with back in grade school – what kind of prick does that? And to a girl like Josie no less. He picked up his pace when he remembered Swill saying she'd left in tears – alone.
Fuck me, am I in trouble, he though, praying he wasn't about to encounter the famous Murphy temper he'd learned to avoid. Unfortunately for him, he didn't think he had a shot in hell of avoiding it tonight.
Soo, what do we think will greet Pete? Anger? Tears? Josie & Dave together? Hmm...decisions, decisions.