Title – Halfway To Anywhere
Summary: Naya's not sure how she ended up in her bathtub; hung-over and with Heather on top of her, but the kink in her neck suggests they slept there. Sequel to Behind Closed Doors. RPF. HeYa.
Disclaimer: Still no.
A/N: So sorry it took so long with this chapter, I haven't had time to write. Being an adult is stressful sometimes! Thanks to every single person who reviewed, fav'ed and followed :) almost 200 guys!
-ooo-
The bitter aroma of coffee assaults Naya's senses welcomely as she pours the dark liquid into her mug. It's early, around six in the morning. Although despite hardly sleeping at all Naya is faring well. It no doubt has a lot to do with the fact that Naya has downed more than an average person's weekly intake of coffee in the space of an hour, but she still feels pretty good. A bit jittery, but good nonetheless.
She's pretty sure Heather slept well. She stirred a couple of times but not to a completely awake state, mainly it was just a change in breathing and some movement.
It worries Naya, Heather's behaviour the night before. Even if she knows it was about Mark. There is still a bunch of reactions Heather had on the beach that don't particularly make much sense. Naya's not stupid. She knows jealousy when she sees it and to be perfectly honest Heather couldn't have been known as subtle when she had attempted to confront Mark.
She's just turning around with her coffee in hand when she sees Heather walking into the small kitchen, her hair is tousled from sleep and she looks deathly pale.
Naya nods in greeting, "hey, sleep well?"
Heather spares her a glance and despite looking completely unwell she gives Naya a small smile, "yeah." She answers. Her voice is raspy from sleep and Naya's ears delight in the tone. Heather continues, "Did you get any sleep?"
"A bit." Naya says, "I had a coffee last night though so that kept me up."
"I remember." Heather notes, "About you drinking coffee, and trying to force feed me some." She points to Naya's coffee with an outstretched finger. "Can I have some?"
"Course you can." Naya chuckles, she places her own mug on the bench and dutifully sets out to fill one for Heather. She wants to bring up last night. She thinks she should at least clear things up with the whole Mark situation, but honestly she has no idea how much Heather remembers.
Or how much Heather is willing to talk about before she is pushed too far and anyway, again, Naya doesn't know how much Heather remembers.
She did after all pass out for a long time, and before that she was too drunk to even sit up on her own so Naya wouldn't know how to bring it up.
It's not just the rumour she wants to talk about, it's them. It's clear that Heather is becoming unsure about things and Naya really doesn't know how they'd handle everything if both of them became confused, so she needs to say something. Ask the right questions until she gets an answer. Even if her chest tightens nervously at the thought; it is Heather she is talking to, her friend. It shouldn't be hard.
She finishes pouring the hot coffee and spins around to hold out the mug to Heather, "sit down, we need to talk, hon." Her words sound confident and Heather takes the offered coffee thankfully, a strained smile however tells Naya this might be harder then she first thought.
Heather sits at the table almost too quickly and looks to Naya, "about last night?" She mutters around her lips.
"You guessed it."
Heather looks down to her coffee, "I was really drunk." She tells. "I mean I probably should have watched how much I was drinking. Because I do stupid things when I'm drunk, and, y'know how it is like when things start spinning and suddenly the craziest ideas are in your head and you think it's a good idea, even if it's not, at all. But you still do them anyway. Like that time you tried to jump over Kevin leapfrog style but clipped your knees on his back and ended up with a massive graze from your forehead to the tip of your nose…."
"Heath –"
"Or that time Chris got plastered and rolled everywhere, that wasn't a good idea cause like he ended up with dirt all over him and Lea tripped when she tried to jump over him but misjudged the speed he was rolling at. But, but I mean…at the time he thought it was, y'know, a good idea."
Naya holds her hand up slowly, "slow down for a second."
"It's the alcohol, Naya. That makes people act differently. Because you don't go around leapfrogging over people and Chris doesn't roll everywhere instead of walking and Lea doesn't even try to jump over things she shouldn't. It's the alcohol." Heather adds quickly, she's not even looking at Naya properly. She's just glancing from her coffee to Naya's jaw. "And I was really drunk."
Naya breathes out, "Heather, don't even try to hide behind that excuse." She says firmly.
There's a pause, before Heather clenches her jaw. "I'm not. You know how it is, Naya, when you're drunk."
"I do. I do know." Naya says immediately, keeping her eyes on Heather. "But I chose to leapfrog. The alcohol didn't force me to do it or change me; it just made the consequences seem irrelevant." She pauses, readjusting her hold on her own coffee before she shrugs. "Liquid courage."
Heather meets her gaze but doesn't say anything, so Naya steps forward.
"You drank enough last night to probably kill a small animal. So you weren't exactly in a great position to be thinking of consequences or how relevant things were, do you even remember much?" Naya adds.
She knows Heather does, simply because she's defending herself already and if Naya's honest – making up excuses.
With a small shrug, Heather takes a trying sip of her coffee. Naya thinks she's probably holding back a gag from the smell – hung-over Heather couldn't stomach the smell of food or apparently coffee first thing in the morning – Naya had learnt that a few months back. She's almost surprised when Heather takes a second, more eager mouthful.
Heather doesn't actually answer her, so Naya moves closer until she's able to sit in the chair opposite the girl.
"What you did last night –"
"I was drunk."
Naya sits her coffee on the table roughly. "I'm aware." She states strongly.
With a quick inhale, Heather mimics Naya's stare. "Why are you getting pissy?" She asks in a low tone.
Naya shakes her head, she really hadn't intended to sound so firm but her lack of sleep does not help with anything right now. "Because I'm trying to have a conversation with you." She explains just as strongly.
Heather doesn't even seem fazed; she just shrugs and holds her palms upwards. "We're talking right now." She snaps back.
"You're saying a lot of words, Heather. But you're not answering my questions."
"What exactly do you want me to say?" Heather's hands smack down on the surface of the table roughly and Naya feels her stomach burn with agitation and annoyance.
She leans forward in her seat, "answer me. Answer my questions."
"Again, what do you want me to say?"
"Tell me what you remember." Demands Naya instantly, her tone drops off at the end of her sentence and she ends up with a soft inflection that breaks away her own irritation.
Heather must hear it to, because she loosens her tense shoulders and swallows. "I remember you dragging me into the shower." She says quietly. Naya is thankful for the answer. "And waking up in your bed."
Despite herself Naya can't help but smile at the thought. It was a nice one. Heather sleeping in her bed, Heather sleeping next to her; curled up by her side.
It was nice.
Something Naya really wants to do again.
She clears her throat and takes her own sip of coffee, the liquid burns her tongue. "Is that all you remember? Do you remember anything about what happened at the beach?"
Heather nods.
With a breath out, Naya sits up straighter. "You remember almost drowning?" She asks and it comes out so serious that she has to backtrack her own thoughts and add a smile, "I had to go into serious life-guard mode." She adds jokingly. She's trying to lighten the mood, to keep Heather from going on the defence and herself on the offense.
Heather manages a soft smile. "I remember a bit. That wave was fierce." She lightly says, her attempt at adding to Naya's light-hearted approach is welcomed and Naya has the sudden urge to hug Heather.
"It really wasn't." Naya says around her own smile. "But I'm off track, we're getting off topic."
Heather looks confused and also slightly unsure. "What exactly is the topic?"
Ignoring the nervous flutters in her chest, Naya forces herself to keep eye contact with Heather. "Us." She hushes out. She's glad her voice is strong, even more so that it holds a dominate tone. One that takes control of the situation.
Heather looks suddenly startled, her eyes advert and she taps her fingers recklessly against her mug. "What about us?" She questions. It's quiet but still an invitation for Naya to continue.
She's thankful Heather isn't pulling back. It takes two to have a conversation.
Sucking in a lungful of air to steady her increasing heart rate, Naya lifts her coffee off the table before clicking it back down again. Now or never. "I want to know where this is heading, where we are heading."
It's a blatant sentence on Naya's part but she still sounds confident and Naya thinks it's the only reason Heather looks back to her, because the blonde's nerves are on display in very visible signs.
Her tapping fingers, tense shoulders, that fact she's biting her bottom lip and looking away every few second only to look back. Heather's nervous.
"I don't think I understand, Naya." Heather breathes out tightly. It's done in a manner that suggests she does in fact understand, but she's too hesitant to further answer and Naya is quick to flash her a comforting smile. It's probably shaky, but damn she's nervous as well.
"This thing we have going on." She starts. Her voice cracks under her whispering tone, and she clears it quickly. "I want to know where it is going. Is it going somewhere? Or is it just a bit of fun?" That last part kills her to ask, but if Heather's small head shake is anything to go by Naya doesn't need to worry.
"You're serious?" Heather asks.
Naya is put off guard by the reply and she twitches her head back in a movement that is jerky and also way too much like her character. "Serious about…?" She searches.
Heather seems to pick up on how left field her response came out because she sits up straighter, "about this talk."
Not what Naya expected to hear.
She is serious though. That's probably been made clear by her getting annoyed when Heather wouldn't answer her. But she's serious and she's nervous and she's so completely confused about everything concerning Heather that it almost makes her want to laugh and cry simultaneously.
And also maybe just hug Heather for a very, very long time.
She settles for a nod of her head, "why wouldn't I be serious?"
"It's just – I mean, you and – um." Heather licks her lips and scoffs at her lack of ability to speak.
Naya speaks up, "I'm serious." She assures. "I am."
Heather's bites her bottom lip but looks at least a bit calmer, "it's not just a bit of fun…" She breathes in answer to Naya's before question. "It's more than that."
More than that. More than that!
Naya's heart swells with premature relief and she nods; half pacifying Heather's nervous look, and half calming her own erratic emotions. "Okay, now we just have to figure out what we want from this."
"As in…?"
Naya swallows, "as in a relationship or friends with benefits or something. What is it you want from it?"
"Me?" Heather squeaks.
Naya is taken off guard again and she tilts her head sideways a fraction, "um," she swallows. "Yeah?"
Heather looks down, not at her mug just at her hands. "What do you want from it?"
"I asked you first." Naya states calmly. Her hammering heart tells otherwise, and she shifts in her seat with the intention to internally shift her thoughts. The ones that keep her stomach in knots and her chest tight – the one thing she is consciously aware of thinking is abort! Abort! – Her fight or flight response is greatly leaning towards flight.
But she can't just stand up and forget everything. She needs to talk to Heather, even if they seem to have the worst social skills and a lack of knowledge when it comes to having a somewhat easy and normal conversation. Naya thinks there's probably a good reason as to why it is so hard to talk to Heather about this and their situation, but for the life of her she's too nervous to really worry or delve deeper into that train of thought.
Heather glances up slowly but otherwise doesn't say anything so Naya leans forward, placing her elbows on the table and her palms flat against the surface.
"We need to talk." She adds, it's a stern reminder.
Heather nods once, a soft movement. "I know."
"Last night, with the…. With the whole 'Mark' thing." Naya scrunches her face up in slight confusion; she's still a bit unsure about Heather's response to the rumour. "The way you were…." She drawls slowly.
"I was drunk." Heather's quick to tell.
"We're vetoing that excuse."
"It's not an excuse, it's a fact."
Grinding her teeth, Naya breathes in through her nose. "You're using it as an excuse though. Yeah, you were drunk but that doesn't justify your actions. It just means you lacked a brain filter and also the ability to walk in a straight line."
"You don't get it though, I was like out of it."
"I'm aware." Naya says pacifyingly. "I carried you half way across the beach." She adds in explanation and Heather looks self-conscious. "The way you were, it wasn't like you Heather. I mean, you practically bitch slapped Mark away when he tried coming over to you, and then there's the whole passing out moment you so suddenly happened to bring about –"
"Sorry."
Naya shakes her head at Heather's meek voice, "I wasn't looking for an apology. I just want to understand what's going on and also why you got so upset about Mark."
"I wasn't that upset."
"Why were you mad?"
"What?"
"Mad. Why were you mad? You said last night when I was trying to get you cleaned up that you were mad. With who?"
Shifting in her chair, Heather shuts her eyes. Only for a few seconds. "I don't know."
"Yes you do." Naya encourages.
"Myself." Heather's answer comes out clipped, quiet and tense and she shakes her head. "Mark." She adds, "You."
"Me?"
"I don't know, no – or yes. Mainly just everything." With a small frown Heather looks to Naya, her eyes are pale. "Actually that's a lie, it wasn't everything. It wasn't even really you. I was angry because, I – well, first I was just angry because of Mark and then I got mad because I was angry with Mark in the first place and it wasn't called for, and he was – you were like cuddling on the beach and I don't know why I even came over. But I was mad. Because Mark was all like 'hey Naya, wanna cuddle while we're intoxicated and maybe make out a little' and apparently you agreed." Sucking in a lungful of air Heather pushes her coffee away from herself.
Naya frowns, "first of all that Mark impression was horrible, and sweetie the last thing I was going to do with Mark was kiss him. I don't like him romantically. We were talking, that's all."
"I know." Tells Heather, "I know that now, but last night I was too drunk to think of that in a rational way and that's not me using alcohol as an excuse, it's just how it was."
"You worried me." Naya states truthfully. "The rumour is not true. Mark doesn't even know about it and the only reason it got starter was because Dianna misunderstood me when we were talking about the hickey on my neck."
Heather actually looks amused, "Dianna started the rumour?"
"Inadvertently."
"But I thought she was under the impression that we have a thing."
"She still is, I think. I must have thrown her off slightly when I tried evading her question about the hickey. But while we're back on the subject…" Naya adds, "I want to know what's going on," she pauses before breathing out. "With us."
"Okay."
With a shaky smile, Naya nods. "Okay, so, uhm…, original question again, what is it you want from it? Or this, or us." She frowns at her poorly constructed question but keeps her shoulders square, she's sure from an outsiders point of view she'd look confident. She's also sure Heather can see right through her façade.
Heather's fingers tighten on her mug and Naya thinks she can hear her swallow nervously. "I don't want us to be just friends with benefits, Naya." She hushes out.
Naya's heart jumps with relief and something close to adoration.
She smiles lightly, a smile that barely reaches her lips but shines through her eyes anyway.
Heather squeezes her mug, "do you?" she starts, "want us to be just friends with benefits?"
Naya shakes her head quickly, "no. No, I…that's not what I want."
"So we're on the same page so far?" Heather laughs in a way that tells Naya she is appeasing her nerves.
Naya does the same, a throaty chuckle in comparison to Heather's more airy one. "Same page."
"Cool."
"Mm,"
"So, uhm…" Heather smiles at Naya before she looks sideways; focusing on what Naya thinks is the fridge. "Why is this so hard?" She laughs again, a breathy sound.
Naya again mimics Heather unconsciously, "I have no idea," she informs around her own smile, she tilts her head when Heather chuckles again. It sounds forced and awkward. "Are you okay?"
With a quick nod and still keeping her eyes adverted, Heather blows her cheeks out. "I'm nervous." She strains.
Her cheeks are tinted with a soft pink and Naya's eyes run across every part of Heather's appearance, from her locked jaw – adverted gaze – tapping fingers and almost worried frown, to the simple fact that Heather's shoulders are drawn high. A protective position that Naya recognizes from the acting classes she use to attend, body language wasn't her strong point, but it helped with her acting. And so she's knows Heather's position is signifying she is predicting an attack, it's a submissive position if anything; but one that can be related to being unsure.
"Don't be," Naya whispers. Despite the fact that she herself is also nervous, she still sounds convincing. She doesn't want Heather to feel nervous. She doesn't want that at all. Although the fact that Heather does feel nervous indicates the conversation means a lot to her and it calms Naya's racing heart just a tiny bit.
Heather breathes out another shaky laugh but looks back to Naya this time, "I like you."
"I like you too." Naya responds. It's instinct, almost an unconscious reaction to Heather's declaration that probably steams from the first time Naya had met Heather. It's publicly known that she had outright told Heather she liked her. In a platonic way that is. Or maybe not so much now that Naya thinks about it. Either way she says the words without hesitation and Heather smiles at her almost knowingly.
"I mean, I really like you. Y'know?" Heather asks. She shakes her head a second later, "I'm being awkward." She blushes.
Naya's laugh bubbles from her throat uncontrolled. "You're being cute."
If it's possible, Heather's blush grows even further and she ducks her head. "Shut up." Her voice is light and breathy and Naya chuckles again.
"You're so easy to make blush."
Heather shakes her head, "no. No I'm not."
"Yes, yes you are." Naya teases warmly. She pushes her mug away slowly before she scoots her chair back. It scratches on the floor and captures Heather's attention and so almost lamely Naya stands up. Her intention was to smoothly make her way closer to Heather, but instead she ends up rushed and strangely robotic and with little pride she kneels beside Heather's chair.
Heather grins at the lame movement, but to Naya's pleasure she shifts on her chair so that she's facing Naya's kneeling form. Her coffee, much like Naya's, is left on the table.
"You look awkward." Heather states bluntly.
Naya smacks her knee in retaliation, "you look awkward."
"I am awkward." Informs Heather lightly, she kicks her leg out and gently knocks Naya's knee with her bare foot.
"A little bit, you are." Naya grins, before turning serious. "I really like you to by the way."
The confession slips easily from her lips and Naya feels warm just saying the words out loud. Heather's blue eyes are fixed with hers and they shine under the morning light, there's an emotion behind her gaze that Naya wants to ask about, or maybe she just wants to keep quiet and have the soft look Heather is directing her way all to herself. Because something so beautiful seems like it would be marred if anyone else saw it. Naya doesn't want Heather looking at anyone else like that, so she simply takes in the moment in silence.
Her nerves are calmed when Heather's blush intensifies and confidently she places both hands on Heather's thighs, pressing her palms against Heather's bare skin. She's almost glad the clothes she let Heather borrow consisted of short-shorts and a tank top.
The sudden urge to be around Heather more hits her like a rush of wind, which is weird because she's around her right now. But it's the kind of feeling that has Naya wanting to see Heather beyond work and her apartment and the occasional party or get together. She wants to go out with Heather. To different places.
She wants to experience new things…with Heather.
The feeling is overpowering and leaves small jolts of energy in Naya's limbs, prickling her skin warmly.
She smiles up at Heather strongly, "I want to take you out." She states with a wide grin, her confidence coming back despite the fact she was stating something so big and also stating it without much thought.
Heather looks lost, "out of the…closet?"
"What?"
"What?" Heather gulps with a fluster, "Nothing."
"I meant I want to take you out, like to a public place. This Saturday." Naya clarifies, pressing down harder on Heather's thighs. "My treat, I'll pay for everything."
Heather's eyes twinkle with fondness and she bobs her head. "Okay."
"Okay?"
"Yeah, okay. You can take me out."
Naya breathes in, "you are aware I'm trying to ask you out on a date right?" Nervous shake to her tone aside she still manages a subtle smirk.
She's pretty sure her hands are shaking from the thought of what she just asked. Or really what she is planning. A date. With Heather. Her best friend. Her heart twists with confusion and Naya can't tell if it's excitement or apprehension.
Heather looks embarrassed but amused, "I got that you dork."
"You're blushing again." Naya points out before literally pointing it out and poking Heather's cheek.
Heather flinches away with a large smile, "Stop it!"
"Blush much?" Adds Naya to her teasing, going in for another poke – Heather is quick to swat her hand away – and Naya laughs it off.
"I'm not blushing. So stop violating me."
"Violating you? How much more dramatic can you get?" With a laugh at Heather's pouting features, Naya pokes her again. Pressing her finger into Heather's jaw rather clumsily.
Heather smacks her away again, "Don't," She warns with a chuckle. "I'm hung-over!"
"Oh, poor baby!" Naya coos with little sympathy, eliciting a low giggle from Heather. She stands from her position on the floor and swiftly pokes Heather's cheek again.
"You keep poking me…" The warning falls short when Naya cuts her off with another quick jab and Heather stands as well, clumsily attempting to move around the kitchen chair in her escape plan. It tips up and she bumps her side painfully before gripping the chair that's in mid fall and slamming it back into its steadied position. "Ow," Naya tries to reach for her but in her hung-over state Heather interprets it as another poke and steps backwards. "Don't, Naya!" She laughs.
"I wasn't going to poke you." Naya defends, still advancing rather menacingly. Although there's a warmth in her eyes that suggests she was genuinely just reaching out.
"I'm tired." Heather deadpans, "and I feel sick, and I have a headache."
"Stop complaining,"
"I have a hangover, I'm allowed to."
Naya advances quickly and grabs Heather's wrist securely, "I have one too, you don't see me complaining." She hushes lowly, tugging Heather against her easily.
"You've had a gallon of coffee," Heather says.
Naya shrugs before wrapping her arms tightly around the blonde's waist and tilting her head, "It didn't really help." She hums, smiling when Heather leans into her.
"Poor baby." Heather mocks.
Naya snorts a laugh and retaliates by poking Heather's ribs hard. Heather jumps so Naya does it again, relishing the feel of Heather's body moving closely near hers. She's taken by surprise when Heather draws her into a strong hug. Thwarting Naya's attempts at tickling.
With a throaty chuckle, Naya pushes forward effectively forcing Heather into a backwards walk. It's clumsy and awkward and they both stumble with a shameful inelegance as Naya keeps barrelling forward. She manages to grip Heather's hips strongly around the hug and the feeling of Heather's chest pressing against her own makes Naya feel like she needs to swallow a roughness away that's in her throat.
She's clearing her throat around a shallow cough when Heather's back hits the bench and the edge of the sink forcefully. It brings them both to a quick halt and the soft little whimper that comes from Heather at the harsh contact sounds beyond addictive to Naya. It's crossed between shock and a protest of sorts, but there's also a hint of laughter that has Naya's skin prickingly hotly.
She laughs at their position and digs her nails gently against Heather's sides, eliciting a soft gasp in return.
Heather's palms are pressing flat against the small of Naya's back and her chin rests on Naya's shoulder fittingly. It would seem like a normal hug if it weren't for Naya's teasing grip and relentless tickling. Heather's squirming against her, but Naya has the advantage and slight upper hand with Heather being trapped between the bench and herself and Naya takes full benefit of it – pressing her fingers lightly against Heather's waist repeatedly – and in turn pulling soft little gasp of laughter from Heather.
"You're ticklish." Naya states. It's not like she didn't know before, because she did. She just – usually – isn't the one finding the spots on Heather that make her squirm and giggle. She wants to keep going, keep exploring Heather's warm body with gentle touches and playful scratching. It's scary how much her body simply needs to be close to Heather's.
She pushes her hips forward, meeting Heather's in return and pinning her further against the bench.
Heather's hands move so that she's grabbing at both of Naya's arms, gripping just above her elbows. She tries to push Naya backwards but Naya is quick to tense her body, making the task difficult and in turn pressing their bodies flush. She dances her fingers higher up Heather's sides and the girl instantly wiggles.
Heather's laugh is sharp and airy and Naya wants to hear it again and again and again so she tickles a path across Heather's ribs, feeling Heather's chest expand with another uncontrolled chuckle.
She knows she's basically cornering Heather in her kitchen and well, tickling her like some creep. And on some very strong level she thinks she should at least pull back a little bit instead of pushing herself painfully close to Heather, because although Heather's body is warm and familiar, Naya knows it's a little too intimate for just a friendly moment of teasing. Not that Heather seems to mind, but Naya can't help but feel like she's about to overstep some invisible boundary and it makes her throat dry and her brain over analyse everything she is currently doing.
It's probably why when Heather pushes her back again Naya complies dutifully, stepping out of Heather's personal space and ignoring the cold chill that runs down her spine at the loss of contact.
Heather's smiling and her eyes are soft and round; an expression that makes her look innocent and exposed.
Naya's stomach dips wantonly at the simple look and she has the sudden urge to kiss away Heather's gentle expression.
She licks her lips in unconscious preparation and Heather's eyes flick down to watch the gesture.
Naya doesn't actually do anything though, other than stare at Heather's sweet gaze. In fact for a long pause they both just sort of stare. Maybe, Naya thinks, Heather just realized that Naya had asked her on a date. Because Heather's lips purse thoughtfully and her eyes become distant, glossy with the beginnings of a faraway look and Naya watches carefully; waiting to catch any fleeting emotion to grace the blonde's face, eager to read Heather even if she's finding it increasingly hard not to stare at Heather's lips the whole time.
Heather drops her gaze and it breaks the lull of the room.
Naya clears her throat sharply, "we should get ready for work." She takes another step back, a friendly smile playing at her lips. "You'll have to borrow some of my clothes, yours are covered in sand."
Heather raises both her eyebrows in a slow movement, one that suggests she's embarrassed but also mirthful. It makes her look young.
Squashing another urge to kiss Heather, Naya looks sideways. "How do you feel?"
From her peripheral vision Heather shrugs, "okay, a little sick but like, not enough to want to become best friends with the toilet bowl." She smiles toothily and Naya looks back with a fond glance.
"Good to know. Just make sure you drink water today, alright?"
"Uh huh."
"I was going to give you a couple of glasses last night but you didn't want any. It probably would have made you feel better though." Naya explains.
Heather nods with a tilt of her head, "I'm sorry you got stuck with me last night."
"I said I'd take care of you." Naya quickly says, casually shrugging despite feeling strangely exposed by her own declaration. "You were out for the count for a while." She adds needlessly.
Heather is probably very much aware that she had passed out. She doesn't need Naya telling her.
"Did I do anything embarrassing?" Heather asks already looking mortified.
Naya shakes her head, "nothing too bad."
"I feel like you're lying to me."
"You remember most the night anyway," Naya laughs, Heather frowns and it causes her forehead to crinkle cutely.
"It's blurry though."
"Take it from me, you're in the clear. Nothing embarrassing went down, I swear." With a quick smile Naya turns around, making her way out of the kitchen. "I'm going to get dressed, help yourself to something to eat if you can stomach it." She says in a sing-song voice. She hears Heather grunt in response before sweeping into her room and shutting the door.
The bed is unmade and Naya smiles at the upheaved blanket before she goes over to her dresser. She pulls out a fresh shirt – a simple grey tee – and throws it on her bed before she pulls her top she slept in up and over her head. She's still wearing her bra and absently she adjusts it, allowing her top to crinkle upon the floor when she drops it.
She's trying to be quick, because Heather will need to get dressed as well and they don't have a lot of time left until they're needed on the set of Glee. So carelessly she grabs for her fresh shirt, she barely even reaches her top when Heather's voice is heard from outside the door. Slightly muffled.
"Oh my God!"
Naya curls her fingers around her top that's still sitting on her bed, but otherwise freezes in mid grab. "What?"
There's shuffling outside the room, "Naya!" Heather shrieks in a low although still contained voice. It makes Naya scrunch her eyebrows and side-eye the bedroom door strongly.
"What?!" She repeats, louder.
"No, no. No, no!" Heather's mumbling a second later and then Naya's door is being flung open frighteningly fast as said girl barrels in.
Naya practically snatches her top like some scared man clinging to his last possessions and she crumples it against her exposed chest, hugging it in place.
"What are you doing?" She asks around a mouthful of air, Heather's too busy swaying her head back and forth to see how startled Naya is. "What's wrong?" Naya adds when it's clear Heather's looking for something.
"My phone!" Heather breathes erratically, "I've lost it. I can't find it anywhere! It's not in here is it?" She asks quickly, "Or with my clothes? Did you sit it somewhere? I can't even remember the last time I had it on me."
Still holding her shirt against her chest, Naya shakes her head. "Calm down. Seriously breathe before you turn blue. Lea has it."
Heather looks in Naya's direction incredulously, "What? Why?"
"I don't know. She just does. You left it with her last night, so I told her to keep it until tomorrow." Naya explains calmly.
Heather's quick to lower her eyebrows, seemingly okay about Naya's state of undress. "You didn't think to grab it yourself?" She asks.
No.
Naya scoffs a small laugh and it sounds tight, "I kind of had my hands full carrying your heavy ass up the beach."
"You could have put it in your pocket." Heather deadpans and Naya's brain internally screams a loud duh! Because why didn't she think of that last night?!
"No cause…whatever. I was kind of distracted with getting you inside and settled. I didn't have time to focus on where your phone was. It's fine, Lea won't have lost it. It's probably sitting safely in her room as we speak."
Heather extends her arm and holds her palm out quickly, "gimme your phone."
"Why?" Naya asks quickly, crumpling her top further against her chest. She doesn't know why though, it's not like Heather hasn't seen anything. But still Naya finds herself hiding like some teenage girl afraid to change in the lockers.
Heather is good at turning a blind eye.
"I want to ring my phone." Heather states, "Just to remind Lea to bring it on set today."
"She's not going to forget it."
"Phone." Demands Heather with a wiggle of her fingers.
"Seriously?"
Heather looks around the room again, squinting cutely. Or at least that's what Naya's mind seems to want to think. "Where is it?" Heather asks, looking back to Naya.
Unconsciously Naya looks in the direction of her phone, which is resting on the unmade bed. The sheets cover half of the device but Heather manages to follow Naya's line of vision and almost immediately walks towards it.
Naya follows, "calls cost a fortune, Heather!" She scolds grabbing her phone from the bed in a snatch and holding it to her crumpled shirt and her chest.
Heather lamely tries to reach for it, swiping the air like a bear claw. "I'll be quick, no longer than a minute." She insists.
Naya twists away, letting her back face Heather. "It's not the time that costs it's the actual dialling of the number!" She says around an amused huff.
"Then let me send a text then…" Whines Heather, she's reaching around Naya quickly. Trying to pry the phone away. "Naya…, come on!" She breathes when Naya spins around again effectively backing up into Heather, the action makes Heather stumble and she staggers off balance. "God!" She grunts in shock and then just as swiftly as she regains her balance she wraps her arms around Naya.
Naya squeals. Like an actual squeal of surprise and Heather's warm breath hits the nape of her neck hotly.
Heather's basically holding Naya's arms in place which leaves very little room for Naya to move, so when Heather pulls her closer to the bed Naya really has no choice but to go along with the movement. Heather breathes in and then holds her breath and before Naya can ask why, she's jolted up as Heather lets herself fall onto the bed. Clinging to Naya menacingly and in turn bringing Naya's squealing form down on top of her.
Naya's practically lying on her back, on Heather, with her arms locked in place by the blonde's grip and she laughs out a puff of air in confused amusement.
It's uncomfortable and she holds her top and phone tighter to herself when Heather's legs wrap around her own. She's literally mimicking a snake, curling herself around Naya's form.
"You're a dork!" Naya rasps.
Heather makes a noise that's halfway between a grunt and a hum and then Naya finds herself being flipped over, she lands on her stomach with her arms still tucked beneath her chest and Heather straddles her. Sitting on the small of Naya's back with ease.
"Just one text…. Naya." Heather whines, she tenses her legs and Naya has to bite her tongue from the sensation of Heather's body against her bare back.
"Oh my God, I'm in my bra Heather…" Naya whispers around a tight exhale. Mainly it's tight because Heather is sitting on her and she's being squashed against the mattress, but it's also tight because her mind is starting to think of every position Heather and herself could be in if she flipped them and just kissed Heather like some deprived crazy woman…
Stop!
Heather chuckles, whether at Naya's words or the sound of her voice Naya isn't sure, but either way something amuses Heather. "Just one text." Heather reiterates, she slides her hands down to Naya's waist and tickles her quickly.
The unexpected touch makes Naya jolt and her sharp chuckle is one of shock more than anything else. Heather breathes in with delight at Naya's response and slides her hands up further tickling at Naya's ribs, sides, back. The sensation is unbearable and despite herself Naya lets out a string of giggles, she squirms violently under Heather's administrations, half annoyed but unable not to laugh and Heather's fingers find the back of her neck – Naya yells out a protest and her voice sounds raspier than usual – Heather, not listening keeps tickling, grazing her fingertips across Naya's showing skin torturously and with her own laughter. Heather's laughter however is amusement.
"Off!" Laughs Naya breathlessly, unable to get a proper breath of air. She lifts her hips in a bucking motion, intent on wiggling free and one of Heather's palms smacks against her shoulder blade in an effort to stay upright. It just manages to push Naya further into the mattress and so with another chuckle that she seriously can't contain she buries her face into the blanket. "Stop…no!" She's laughing without break now and Heather keeps running quick fingers over her showing skin, tickling away Naya's ability to breathe.
"Give me your phone and I'll stop," Heather informs around a light voice, she's happy, Naya can tell by the tone.
Heather increases her tickle-attack by digging gentle fingers further under Naya's waist and Naya breathlessly grunts a laugh.
"Fuck!"
"Do you give up?"
"I can't breathe!" Naya's knows her statement would mean a lot more if she wasn't laughing throughout it, but her giggles only increase when she thinks of their situation.
They're so immature.
"Then give me your phone."
Digging her face into the blankets more, Naya shuts her eyes, laughing in an almost tired tone as she wiggles her upper body. "Okay. Okay! I give up, you win! Take the phone." She breathes desperately, "Just stop tickling me you dork!"
Heather does. Immediately. And with a small wiggle of her hips she loosens her hold around Naya, allowing her room to move.
It's a gesture Naya takes full advantage of and with a clumsy motion she manages to flip both of them, dropping her shirt and phone to the side in the process and straddling a smirking Heather. She all but drags Heather's arms above her head in a desperate attempt to cease all tickling from the blonde, and she holds them there as she grinds her hips down. Locking her legs around Heather's thighs.
Heather is flushed a soft pink and her eyes sparkle with a playful emotion as she watches Naya, a dusting of freckles cover her cheeks and the bridge of her nose and Naya finds herself wanting to kiss every single one. Instead of that though, she leans forward with a whispered.
"Say uncle."
Heather bucks her hips and smirks in a way that Naya thinks is a teasing gesture, but otherwise she stays quiet.
Naya shifts so that she's holding Heather's arms with one hand and with the other one she tickles Heather's ribs, digging her fingers into the thin tank top in a revengeful fashion.
Heather lets out a loud chuckle and raises her hips again, clumsy and desperate in a bid to free herself.
Naya laughs, "Say uncle!"
Not complying, Heather tugs free one of her arms and grabs at Naya's offending hand. Her other arm is still held down, so their struggle ends up a lame standoff of jerky movements and tensing muscles. It's only when Naya sits forward and puts practically all her weight onto Heather's free arm that Heather allows Naya to win. She huffs her annoyance, but easily lets Naya press her arm back onto the bed and Naya smiles victoriously.
"Say uncle and I'll get off." She informs lightly.
Heather huffs again, but a small grin shows. "Uncle." She relents and with a warm look Naya rolls off the dancer.
She lies next to Heather breathlessly, "you can ring…" She says, "Your phone that is."
Heather only just sits up to grab Naya's phone that is now lying in a tangle of blankets when there's a knock at the door. It's loud and quick and Naya confusedly grabs her shirt before pulling it over her head quickly, she doesn't miss Heather's lingering gaze.
"Expecting someone?" Heather asks, looking away when Naya meets her eyes and staring at the phone.
Naya shakes her head, because no, she isn't. At all.
"No one." She voices curiously and then while Heather's attempting to find her own number in Naya's phone to ring, Naya makes her way out the room. She sweeps across the living room quickly, adjusting her shirt and running her hands through her messy hair before she reaches the front door.
With one final adjustment to her shirt and a glance down at her sleep shorts, Naya swings open the door.
"Thought we could car pool." Dianna is saying even before Naya has the door completely open. She pushes past in a manner that is still polite and Naya fumbles with catching up.
"Please come in." She mutters to the back of Dianna's head.
Dianna turns around just as Naya shuts the door and her soft hazel eyes move over Naya's body swiftly, it'd be intimidating if Dianna didn't look so genuinely friendly.
"Why are you all sweaty?" The actress lightly questions, looking Naya up and down slowly.
Naya hadn't even realized she was, but just as she goes to reply, Heather emerges from the bedroom in a huff. Naya's phone cradled in both her hands and cheeks flushed.
A light bulb must go off, because Dianna suddenly looks knowingly at Naya. "Oh." Is all she says. But really, that's all she needs to say.
Naya shakes her head, "No, no not 'oh'."
"She isn't picking up!" Heather talks over Naya loudly, "I called twice and nothing. What if she's already left for work and left my phone at her place?" It's only then that Heather choses to look up from the phone and she startles a little at the presence of Dianna, it's quickly gone and replaced with a smile. "Oh, hey."
Dianna smiles back, "Hi."
Shaking her head again and still flustered from Dianna commenting on her being sweaty, Naya snatches her phone from Heather's grasp. "She's probably still asleep, or turned your phone off."
"Who?" Asks Dianna, looking between Naya and Heather.
"Lea. She has my phone."
"Obsessed with it much by the way?" Naya responds, Heather ignores her and breathes in deeply. Which Dianna – ever the observant woman she is – picks up on like a hound after some poor fox.
"Why are you out of breath?" She looks over Heather much like she had done to Naya, and Heather shrugs casually.
"We were on the bed –"
Naya's stomach dips at how wrong Heather's words could be taken and she smacks the innocent girl with the back of her hand. A loud cracking sound fills the room and Heather recoils in shock.
"Ow! What?"
Naya ignore hers and instead smiles tensely at Dianna, "Do you want coffee?"
Heather hits her back, not as hard but still forcefully and Naya frowns at the pain in her shoulder.
"Ow!"
"Hurt?" Heather bites.
"Yes, actually."
With a small smirk that suggests she's not entirely serious, Heather walks past Naya and Dianna. "Good, cause you hurt me too." She informs as she heads towards the kitchen.
Naya stares in stunned silence, half amused, and half regretful she had smacked Heather in the first place. Girl could hit!
Dianna watches Heather walk away before she turns around with an incredibly soft look in her eyes, "she's wearing your clothes." She tells Naya.
"Hadn't noticed." Naya quips sarcastically, but she allows herself a small smile. "Coffee?" She asks again.
Dianna nods. "Sure."
"Also, uhm," Naya shrugs, "can we talk later or sometime?"
If Dianna opens her mouth any more Naya's sure she'd let in the devil or something, she looks absolutely thrilled and her eyebrows rise quickly.
"Of course." She practically throws out in a desperate whisper.
Naya smiles, "um, thanks."
-ooo-
TBC