Maya sat at the kitchen table, toast in hand, watching her friends lose their damn minds. She took a small bite, leaning onto the kitchen table, "What are you two running around like headless chickens?"

Smackle glared, "Some of us have classes."

"Or jobs," Riley called from the lounge. She emerged through the door, wearing only a bra on her top half, "Have you seen my white blouse?"

Maya shook her head, pointing at Smackle, "She had it last."

Riley frowned, "When did you need to look professional?"

"Trying to trick a hot med student into sleeping with me," Smackle admitted, grabbing the toast out of Maya's hand and taking a bite.

She snatched it back, "You have a problem."

A deep voice came from the stairs, "I agree."

"Oh good, Farkles here," Smackle sneered, tossing Riley's blouse at her from the laundry room, "That's my queue."

Farkle gave Riley a quick kiss on the cheek, ruffling Maya's hair as he entered the kitchen, "She loves me really."

"I really don't," Smackle called back before exiting the apartment with a decisive thud.

Farkle made a face, reaching for the coffee pot, "I'll crack her one day."

"It's super precious that you think you can change her mind," Maya leant back, picking up her own mug.

Riley twirled into the kitchen, hugging Farkle from behind, "Isn't he persistent? It's adorable."

Maya shook her head, "I was gonna go with stupid, but okay."

Riley grinned, leaning over his shoulder to peer at her phone on the counter. She froze.

Farkle glanced back, "What's up?"

He moved forward, eyes glancing over her screen. He paled.

Several knocks came from the front door, both of their head snapping up, "Josh."

Maya rolled her eyes, "What's boing doing here?"

"I don't know," She looked frenzied, "He just text me to say he's here."

Another knock.

Maya laughed, "Oh shit, you told him to come and fix the shower, remember."

Riley gave a frantic nod, "But… But Farkle's here."

Farkle rushed to the seat beside her at the table, "Initiate code red, plan a."

"What's that?" Maya looked between them.

Riley snapped a quick, "Play along," before moving to answer the door.

Farkle slung an arm around her shoulder, "Plan a is that I'm here with you, not her."

She raised an eyebrow, "As in, you spent the night in my room?"

"She's your best friend. Be a team player."

Maya stared, "I don't want to be a part of this team."

A grinning Riley entered the room, "Maya, could you show Josh what's wrong with the shower? I've got to run."

She was out the door before Maya had a chance to protest. Farkle got up quickly, checking his phone as if something important had come up, "Gotta run too, babe. See you later tonight."

He pulled her down, giving her a quick peck on the lips. Maya stilled, turning slowly to meet Josh's gaze as Farkle ran out of the door, "Morning."

Josh crossed his arms, eyebrows raised, "Who was that?"

She ignored the way that shirt showed off his arms, "A friend."

He cocked his head, "He called you babe."

"We're great friends," She smiled, the girl in her appreciating the jealousy in his voice.

He narrowed his eyes, "Show me the shower."

Maya was really starting to wish she'd known he was coming. She was wearing a pair of sweats and a thin tank top, no bra. Not exactly the image of herself she wanted to present to someone who looked like the real life equivalent of a ken doll. With the endowments, she imagined. And she had really imagined. But this was Josh, what did she care?

She leads him up the stairs, motioning to the shower, "Work your magic, oh wise one."

He shoved her playfully, bending down to inspect the shower, "What exactly is wrong with it?"

"Blocked, broken, who knows? You can fix it I'm sure."

"Your faith warms my heart."

She laughed, walking back down to the kitchen, "Less faithful, more relentlessly optimistic."

She promises she's not sticking around to see Josh. She just has a lot of work to get done at home today. That, and Josh took off his jacket around ten minutes ago. Maya was only human, and he was working up a sweat with all the shower drain unblocking. She decided to take her happiness into her own hand, taking a glass of iced tea up to him.

"Here you go, big guy," She leant down, placing the glass beside him.

He glanced up, rocking back on his heels. He picked up the glass, finishing it in three big gulps, "Oh I needed that."

"Well, you've been hydrated," She motioned to the drain, "No excuse not to finish that up."

He grinned, "Should have known you weren't just being kind."

"I have been," She retorted, "I haven't snuck in here and turned the shower on over you yet, now, have I?"

"Fair point," He leant back down, "I'll take what I can get."

The sight of his smile made her feel dizzy. She glanced over his physique, tucking the memory of the muscles in his back away for later consideration. He glanced up, frowning, "You okay?"

She blinked, "Me? I'm just dandy."

She could not have exited that room fast enough.

Josh came down the stairs, hair soaked in water. Maya glanced up from the table, doing a double take at his drenched form, "What the hell happened to you?"

He gave her an impish grin, "I got it going. And then I got excited, and accidently turned the shower on while I was still in it."

She closed her eyes, ignoring how incredibly adorable he was, "All right, take it off."

He stared, "I'm sorry?"

"The shirt," she tried to control her breathing, "I'll wash it."

He looked her up and down, shrugging, "Okay."

The henley was over his head before Maya had the chance to protest. She had meant change into a different shirt, upstairs, when the sight wouldn't make her dizzy. His skin was damp, the muscles in his arms rippling as handed the shirt to her. She stood frozen, taking a long, pervasive look over his bare body. His abs were defined, corded muscle bunched as he stood there, smirking at her.

She let out a shaky laugh, "All hail the US army, am I right?"

She stopped, frowning, then snatched the t shirt from his hand. For once, Maya, for once be normal. She could have said anything else, literally anything. Like, "Thanks for helping out, Josh."Or, "Yeah, I'llwash it. Least I could do."Maybe even her personal favorite, "Fuck me, Josh. Fuck me hard."

In her mind, she was doing the best one possibly could in the situation presented to her. What else was she supposed to do? It's not like she could jump her best friends brother in their shared living room. Well she could, but not without compromising about a million morals. She felt him behind her, watching as she threw his shirt in the washing machine and turned to face him. His eyes were dark; the way he was looking at he set her skin on fire.

She avoided any more eye contact, shifted past him, "I've got a t shirt in my room you can borrow?"

"Depends," His voice was scratchy, "Is it your 'overnight guests' shirt?"

She frowned, remember the mornings events, "Farkles? No."

"So he did stay here?"

She looked up, curious, "Do you care?"

"I care if he's a guy who's gonna be hanging around my sister a lot."

Maya had to suppress a laugh, instead covering her mouth. He looked over, "What's so funny?"

"Shirt. You need a shirt," She lead him up to her room, hoping he was following and tossed an old grey hoodie of Zay's she had kept. He caught it, eyes on her, "This smells like you."

" Are you saying I don't smell nice?"

He pulled it on and she left out a sigh of relief. She turned, finally able to look at him, "Want food? Least I could do"

He grinned, "You want to spend time with me, Hart?"

She shoved past him down the steps, "You're paying."

Maya leant back against the chair where she was perched, basking in the warmth of the sunlight. Josh sauntered out of the diner, plates in hand, "My friend gave us a discount. But he refuses to be my waiter."

She sat up, leaning forward to pop a fry in her mouth, "The why is he on his way out here?"

Josh looked around, shocked, as his friend approached, clapping him on the shoulder, "Josh, my man. You didn't tell me that food was for your lady."

Maya arched an eyebrow, looking up at the handsome stranger, "I'm sorry? Have we met?"

"No ma'am," he grinned down at her, stretching out a hand, "I'm Lucas."

Josh closed his eyes, shaking his head, " This is one of roommates. You didn't get to meet him the other night."

Maya smiled sweetly, taking his hand, "Nice to meet you, Lucas."

"Well," He clapped his hands, shooting her an easy grin, "I'll leave you to it, then."

Josh let out a relieved breath, "Bye Luc."

Lucas stopped, leaning down to his ear, speaking in a not so hushed whisper, "You were right. She's really hot."

Maya felt a wave of triumph pulse through her, glancing up at Josh, "You're not too bad yourself, Joshy."

He narrowed his eyes, "Don't call me that."

She shrugged, grabbing another handful of fries, "You can't stop me."

He threw a fry, "Watch me."

I hit her face. That arrogant asshole. She retaliated with a handful, "Like to see you try."

He turned his gaze on her, a shiver running down her spine at the dark look in his eyes, "I'm game."

She was snapped out of her quickly fading resilience by a shout from across the street, "Josh? Peaches?"

Maya had never see him look so unimpressed when it came to his sister. He cursed under his breath, "Riley."

Riley bounded over, energy radiating from every pore, "What are you guys doing here?"

Maya smiled up, "What does it look like we're doing, honey?"

"Uh," she looked around, "Eating food while simultaneously proving to Lucas that you're a 'couple'"

Maya froze. That son of a bitch had lured her on the premise of good food, "You got it, Riles."

Josh smiled his way through Maya's accusatory glare, "Why are you here, pumpkin?"

"Lucas gives me free food, too, " She smiled sweetly, receiving a surprise eyebrow raise from Maya.

She frowned, "But what about Far-"

"Anyway," Riley interrupted, "I'll be going."

"No don't leave," She called after her, huffing when she ignored her completely.

Josh leant forward on his elbows, "What's the matter? Don't want to be alone with me?"

Menacing smile in place, she cocked her head, "No more than I have to."

At his silence, she stood up, "I think we've done enough convincing for today. I'll see you round, Matthews."

When she had called Smackle to tell her she really wanted to see her and tell about the afternoons events, Maya was surprised to find her best friend in the middle of an engineer frat party. Smackle had invited her around to help out with the controlling of newly drunk science majors, and Maya had been all to ager to take advantage of the alcohol provided.
Today was an emotionally tough day.

That's what lead her to the current moment, where she stumbled out of the taxi, Smackle catching her just as she was about to face plant, "Alright, drunky, let's get you inside."

Smackle held an arm around her waist, using her free hand to open their front door, "He really did a number on you, didn't he little one?"

Maya groaned, "He's so pretty."

"He sure is," Smackle consoled her, pushing open the door and shoving her inside.

Her ear perked up at the sound of raised voices in the kitchen. One of which she could never mistake, because it turned her inside to mush.

She picked herself up, striding into the kitchen, pretending there wasn't an alcohol induced fog clouding her mind, "Don't you have you own house, Matthews?"

Josh looked over, stance defensive, and narrowed his eyes, "Not now, Maya."

Her hackles were rising, "Last time I checked, this was my apartment, not yours."

Riley barked out a laugh, her arms crossed, her demeanor a mirror of Josh's, "Don't worry, peaches. My brother here is just being dramatic.

Maya went to laugh, but her vision blurred. The last thing she heard was a muffled, "Maya?"

Then she fell.

Strong arms caught her, lifting her up before she could hit the floor. Josh wrapped an arm around her waist, his tone was dark, "What the hell, Smackle?"

Smackle flinched at his expression, "I lost her for one second at this party I was at, and she came back like this?"

Josh grimaced, shifting her weight as she fell helplessly against him, "Does she drink often?"

"Never," Smackle was frantic," And she didn't even drink that much."

Maya heard the rustle of a packet thrown at them, followed by Riley's voice, "She forgets to eat a lot. She probably had nothing to soak up the alcohol."

Josh picked her up, cradling her in his arms, chuckled at her weak attempts to protest, "Be quiet, Hart. You're going to bed."

A ringing in her ear woke Maya up, the pounding in her head returning in full force. Someone groaned, shifting behind her. Her head snapped up, "What the-"

"Shit," Josh cursed, sitting up straight, "Shit."

Maya groaned, "Not so loud. What the fuck are you doing here?"

If she'd finally slept with Josh after all this time and didn't remember it, she was going to be pissed.

He ran a hand through his hair, "I was supposed to be watching you, not sleeping."

"I'm really gonna need you to stop talking so loud, boing. My head is pounding," She buried her face in her pillow.

He looked down at her, holding out a protein bar, "Eat this before you get up."

She raised an eyebrow, noting the swirling in her stomach, and snatched the bar out of his hand, "You didn't have to stay with me."

"Well, I did," He chuckled, nudging her, "You were incoherent."

"I don't remember much."

He grinned, "So you don't remember telling me how pretty I am?"

Her mind felt fried, "I'm sorry, what?"

He brought his voice up an octave, "'But like, you're so pretty. Like a girl, but in a manly way. And your eyes, don't even get me started'"

"God damnit," she groaned, shoving him, "Get out of my bed."

"Yes ma'am," Josh rolled out of his side of the bed, "I'm gonna take my pretty ass downstairs and make you some coffee."

Maya groped for the first thing she could find on her bedside table, throwing a pair of socked at him as he left the room, "I hate you."

He yelled from the stairs, "But you love my eyes."

A/N:

So I didn't plan on this story being more than a one-shot, but your guys' reaction was so positive, I felt the need to continue. If you like it and want me to keep going, please let me know. Still not 100% on continuing this one xx