Drinks, Chinese takeout, re-runs of Drake's Anatomy, and Kai Bartley sprawled on the couch– these were the makings of a typical Sunday afternoon at Mouse Montegomery's downtown apartment. In fact, these were the makings of her favorite Sundays. They were both so busy, Kai practically living in their lab and Mouse always buried under a neverending stack of papers to grade, but on Sunday afternoons, the world seemed to stand still as they put their labor down and spent time refinding their humanity. Here, there were no neurodegenerative diseases, no lecture halls, and no expectations. It was just Mouse and her best friend, against the world.
Above their heads, fairy lights entwined in plastic ivy twinkled where the walls met the ceiling in the small living room, bathing the two in a glow of warm light as they laughed at the TV. Adorning the walls were photos of her favorite people, her favorite places, and her favorite things. Shelves were stacked with books and knickknacks, the floor covered in cat toys and colorful rugs. The large bay windows were lined with plants in various stages of life, though most of them were closer to death– a fact that Kai never let her live down. If only the magic of a Sunday afternoon was enough to bring her succulents back to life, too.
These Sundays in Mouse's small apartment weren't much, but they were comforting, and they were hers.
Sitting with her feet tucked up under her, Mouse watched from the other end of the couch as Kai got lost in the television show, noticing how their pale blue-green eyes were luminescent even in the low light. It was hard not to see how the beauty radiated off of the neuroscientist, the perfect blend of handsome and gentle, of alluring and shy.
"Do you remember when we had to dissect that frog in Ms. Sable's biology class?" Kai asked, poking a set of ceramic chopsticks into their box of lo mein.
"Why," Mouse responded, shaking herself from her thoughts, "Why must you torture me?"
Kai laughed and sat up straight, putting on a posh British accent and holding a pinky out from their grip on their noodles, shimmying their shoulders to get into character.
"Mara Montegomery-Tyler, what in heaven's name have you done here?"
Mouse glared at Kai before twisting her face into a wicked smile.
"At least mine still looked like a frog and not like it was mauled by a tiger," Mouse said, knowing this would get a rise out of Kai before doing her own impression of the elderly teacher. "I can see why they all call you Cat, this certainly looks more like it was performed with claws than the instruments I gave you. Perhaps it does, indeed, suit you better to be called as such."
"God, she really had a stick up her ass about my name, didn't she?" Kai said with a snort, sticking one leg out to reclaim their monopoly of the couch cushions.
"I never understood why," Mouse replied, stabbing a piece of broccoli with her chopsticks after it had fallen into her bowl for the third time. "It's not like it was an abnormal nickname, Catherine Edwards went by Cat, too."
"I think it was less about the name and moreso the entire ensemble– not only did I dress like a lumberjack, but I also blatantly refused to respond to anything resembling my deadname. That, and she caught me making out with Sienna Nichols behind the Tilt-a-Whirl the week before we started school."
Mouse choked a laugh, barely managing to swallow her food before a deep belly laugh rang from her chest.
"It was Ms. Sable who caught you necking Sienna the summer after 8th grade? Oh my god, you never told me it was her! That's hilarious."
Tears started to catch behind Mouse's eyes as she laughed, her face flushing bright red as it always did when she laughed too hard. Her mother always said that she could never keep a secret, her blush always gave her away. Try as she might, however, Mouse could never control the rosy tint that ebbed and flowed throughout the day and she resigned herself to wearing her heart on her cheeks.
Kai couldn't help but laugh, too– Mouse's giggles were infectious and always seemed to break open her stoic friend from their oh-so-serious demeanor. From the day that little Mara Montegomery-Tyler had joined Kai's second grade class in the middle of the year, she had never failed to make the quiet, shy, kid come out of their shell, to let go of the tightly bound walls that held them in place, hid them from view. And, from that day on, Mara Montegomery-Tyler became a constant fixture at Kai Bartley's side, Kai always chasing that comfort and glee, and the two of them becoming their own version of cat and mouse.
As their laughter died down, Mouse burrowed her chilled feet underneath Kai's calf and turned back to her dinner. Kai continued to sit with their free leg pulled to their chest, their cheek resting on it as they smiled at Mouse with closed lips as she still fought with her food. Giving up with a huff, Mouse sat her chicken and broccoli on the coffee table in front of her and scanned for something with easier access.
"Do you want another egg roll?" Mouse asked while grabbing and holding out the waxpaper bag to Kai that held the last one.
"Nah, I'm good," Kai replied, sitting up a little straighter but still just poking at their lo mein, occassionally bringing the smallest piece of noodle to their lips.
Mouse furrowed her brow and frowned as she looked into Kai's takeaway container– it was still almost entirely full. It was unlike Kai to pick at their food. Usually, on Sundays, they would nearly inhale everything in front of them as if they were starving. Even on a normal day, they still could eat circles around Mouse. They were all arms, legs, and a bottomless stomach.
"Is everything alright?" Mouse asked, putting the food back down and placing a hand on Kai's ankle, letting her fingers graze the skin beneath their gray sweatpants.
"Yeah," Kai started, not looking up at Mouse as they answered. "Things at the lab are just getting more intense and I can't get it off my mind."
Mouse nodded and let her fingers draw little patterns on the skin below, knowing that comforting touch was always grounding for the neuroscientist.
"Do you want to talk about it?"
Kai thought for a moment before raising their face to look at Mouse, scanning her features seemingly for an answer that they would not find.
"I… don't think I'm allowed to tell you much more than I already have about the project. It's so classified," Kai said. "But we have some big hitters coming to tour the lab tomorrow and hopefully take David's bait to put their names and expertise on the study."
It wasn't uncommon for Kai's work to be a bit of a mystery to Mouse, her own Ph.D. certainly wasn't in anything close to neuroscience, but Kai had never worked on a project so strictly classified that they didn't feel comfortable sharing at least a little bit of what was going on. Kai liked to pace next to the couch sometimes and spitball out loud about neurochemicals and experiment procedures but for the last 2 years of this study, their work had become something they wouldn't dare speak aloud in front of anyone else, even Mouse who they knew would keep their secrets. The helplessness that Mouse felt at not being able to help her best friend was eating away at her, especially now that Kai's stress was so high that they were barely eating and barely sleeping.
"Is there anything I can do to help?" Mouse asked aloud, unafraid of intruding on what Kai had almost certainly internalized and compartmentalized far, far away in their brain. That had always been her secret weapon, she was the only person that was brave enough to poke around inside Kai's mind and try to pull the tangle of messy thoughts out of the otherwise cool, calm, and collected researcher.
Kai started to rub at their left wrist with their long fingers, rolling the hand around in what seemed to be an attempt to release some tension.
"I dunno, Mouse," Kai said, grimacing and looking at her apologetically.
Reading Kai's body language, Mouse immediately grabbed the socked foot in front of her and changed her seating so that it was resting in her lap. She used her thumbs to start smoothing the muscles of Kai's feet, smiling to herself when she heard the sigh of relief slip from Kai's lips.
"This okay?" Mouse asked, already knowing the answer.
"Absolutely," Kai responded, sinking deep into the couch and putting their other foot closer to Mouse.
The movement made Mouse smile to herself and shake her head at their actions, laughing lightly at the jokingly-pleading look on Kai's face.
"You're lucky I love you, I won't touch just anyone's feet," Mouse said as she worked on loosening the tension.
"Yeah, I know I am," Kai replied, their expression soft and warm and unquestionably genuine.
The feeling that shot straight to Mouse's belly with those words was not an unfamiliar one, tingly and tight and aching to be felt again. Through all of their years of friendship, she had harbored a tiny, miniscule crush that seemed too inconsequential to ever act on, to ever risk their friendship over. It had gotten stronger and weaker with time and space, but ever since moving back to Minnesota 3 years ago to teach gender, women's, and sexuality studies at the University of Minnesota, that feeling that Mouse had, had grown little by little. Though it still was still small, inconsequential, negligible, it was happening more and more often. The gleam of Kai's smile set off flurries of butterflies in Mouse's stomach, their casual touches were electrifying, everything about Kai had become more enticing, more alluring, more enchanting.
But that didn't matter.
Mouse recentered her thoughts on the task at hand but before she could get far, she was interrupted.
"Where'd you go?" Kai asked, wiggling their feet a little and shifting onto their elbows to get a better look at her.
"Hmm?" Mouse only hummed in response.
"Just now, you spent probably five minutes in la la land, eyes glazed over and everything. Got something on your mind?"
"Oh, nothing really."
"It didn't look like nothing," Kai replied, a mischievous grin spreading on their face.
"More drinks?" Mouse asked as she finished rubbing Kai's other foot and promptly stood up, needing to get some distance before Kai could notice the heat rising in her cheeks. She immediately poured herself a drink, letting the alcohol warm her throat and soothe her nerves.
Bringing the bottle back to living room, she offered it to Kai, who had sat up and pulled their legs back to sit in front of them, resting their forearms on their knees, hands hanging limply in the air, watching the screen ahead. While grabbing the bottle, Kai looked up at Mouse and she could have sworn she saw something flash in their eyes, wishful thinking she supposed. On the screen ahead, the protagonist intern fell into bed with the dreamy attending and a sinful noise escaped the speakers of the television.
"God, what I would give for that to be me," Kai said as they poured themself a drink into a mug with flowers on it.
"Definitely would help you relieve of some that stress," Mouse replied, laughing a little bit, the liquor loosening her up just enough.
"It's not like I will get some any time soon with how many hours I'm spending in the lab. Sundays are the only day I get off and by the time it comes around, I'm too exhausted to even think about going out and trying to pick someone up at the bar. And don't even get me started on dating apps. They're useless!"
Kai kicked back on the couch, putting their hands being their head as they rested their head on the top of the couch, jaw dropping open with an "Ugh."
"I know exactly what you mean. And it's not like we can do anything about it," Mouse lamented, knowing all too well the tragedy of the online dating scene as an established professional.
"That may not be a half-bad idea," Kai said, turning their head to face Mouse, looking at her with an eyebrow crooked, almost as if to ask a question.
Mouse cocked her head to the side and furrowed her eyebrows.
"What do you mean?"
"We used to practice kissing together when we were kids, Mouse. What if we did that now, just… more?"
Mouse searched Kai's face for a hint of facetiousness, any clue that they might just be joking around. But as she flicked from one eye to another, down to their lips and back, what she saw was genuine emotion.
"What are you suggesting? We become fuck buddies?" Mouse asked, incredulous but hopeful. Maybe this could be just what she needs to put those tingly feelings to rest, to settle the curiosity of what it would feel like to be underneath Kai.
"Well, I suppose it would be more like friends with benefits, don't you think? I would say we're a bit closer than just fuck buddies. We don't have to, though, it was just a suggestion," Kai responded, though their expression was a little unreadable.
Mouse weighed her options. This could be her one chance to finally have all the answers. Besides, Kai was right, they used to practice kissing as kids and everything worked out fine, how could this be any different? But then again, this was Kai they were talking about here, Kai who could get any woman they pleased with just one flash of that smile. Mouse didn't want to just be a last resort.
"Are you sure you want to do this with me?" she asked, insecurities arising, picking at her fingernails.
Kai moved closer on the couch and grabbed Mouse's nervous hands and held them in their own, rubbing their thumb along her knuckles.
"You're beautiful, Mara, and I can't say this is the first time it's crossed my mind."
Mouse's heart started to beat faster, hearing her real name fall from Kai's lips sent a liquid heat pooling in her stomach, the butterflies from early erupting into a full vibration in her chest. Kai brought their hand up to cup Mouse's cheek, using their thumb to pull gently on her lip. Green eyes met hazel, flicking back and forth and Mouse knew that she could never say no to something like this. She pulled her hand up to cover Kai's, looking up at them with big, round eyes, silently begging them to make the first move.
Kai leaned in close, within centimeters of Mouse's face, their warm breath hitting her lips.
"Tell me you want this," they husked, dropping their gaze to look at her lips.
"I want this," Mouse replied, dropping her jaw, mingling her breath with theirs.
Kai immediately brought their lips to hers, pressing softly at first, hesitantly as if to test the waters. When they were about to pull back, Mouse sighed into the kiss and threaded her fingers into Kai's thick hair. The air between them was electric, charged and hotter than either of them could have expected. Mouse's small noise was enough to spur Kai on, deepening the kiss and letting their hands wander from her face to her torso, gripping her sides tightly.
"Is this okay?" Kai asked, breathlessly, while moving their kisses to Mouse's jaw and down her neck.
"God, yes," Mouse replied, sucking a breath between her teeth, a quiet moan vibrating in her chest.
"Kai is just fine," the neuroscientist quipped with a smirk before dragging their teeth down the side of her neck, sucking gently right below her earlobe.
Mouse tightened her grip on Kai's hair, pulling them back to look at her.
"Funny," she said as Kai gave her a wicked grin before diving back in, peppering kisses along her neck, the collar of her t-shirt, and back up to nip on her other earlobe.
"Your skin tastes so good, fuck," Kai whispered against her ear, voice deep and gentle. Mouse shivered as the sound hit her ears, pleasure shooting straight to her core.
With a gentle push and a guiding hand, Kai laid Mouse down on the couch, her dark curls splaying on the decorative pillow beneath her head. She looked up at Kai and really took them in. Their chest was heaving, pupils blown and lips already turning a handsome shade of pink as they started to swell. Light brown hair stood up at the roots, causing little bumps in their thick locks where Mouse's fingers had gripped them tightly.
Long fingers danced up Mouse's torso, grazing over her shirt and against her cheek before once again pulling at her bottom lip. With a flash decision, Mouse sucked Kai's forefinger into her mouth, sucking briefly before letting it go with a pop.
"Fuck, that's hot," Kai said before immediately dropping to their forearms, smashing their lips against Mouse's, kissing her deeply. Dropping their hips, they pressed their gray sweatpants against Mouse's pelvis, grinding on her as her fingernails started to scratch up and down Kai's back under their t-shirt. It was hot, it was intoxicating, addicting, and Mouse wanted more, more, more.
"Can I take your shirt off?" Kai asked, panting lightly while still rolling their hips against Mouse gently.
But before Mouse could answer, Kai's cellphone started to ring from across the room in their bag, making the tall neuroscientist drop their head in frustration.
"I'm sorry, it's David and he won't stop calling until I answer," they said apologetically, pressing a chaste kiss to Mouse's lips before climbing off of the sofa and digging for their phone.
Mouse sat up and straightened her hair, her clothes. She could feel the flush on her cheeks, the tingling of her kiss-swollen lips, the dripping wetness pooling at her core.
"I am so sorry, Mouse, but I have to go. There is a problem at the lab with the equipment and we need to get everything back up and running before Dr… before our guests show up at 9 am," Kai said as they started to pack their things and wrap themself back up in the outerwear needed to face the chilly autumn air.
"No, it's okay Kai, it's totally okay," Mouse responded, starting to tidy up the coffee table, doing anything to get her mind off of the flood of feelings that were rushing through her mind, through her body.
"I will text you tomorrow?" Kai asked, more as a goodbye than a promise to talk to her soon.
"Absolutely. You're gonna crush it tomorrow and everything will work out exactly as it's supposed to," Mouse returned with a smile.
Kai's face softened in a quiet thanks, nodding their head as they walked to let themself out the apartment door.
"It always does," the neuroscientist replied, their standard response to the comforting, reassuring words that Mouse had shared with them time and time again.
As the door shut behind Kai and all that was left was the ghost of their touch on Mouse's lips, she fell to the couch and cradled her head in her hands. If there was any doubt before that her feelings for Kai were more than just incidental, after getting to taste their lips, feel their touch, experience the raw chemistry that they shared, she had absolute certainty– Mouse Montegomery was in love with her best friend, and always had been.