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Chapter Text

*Courtney 3rd Person POV*

She hated him. She hated him. Ok maybe that's an exaggeration but she hated that after years of training herself to push her feelings aside now he's suddenly bringing them back up. And the others weren't helping at all. 

All Olivia could say was "Oh my goddd! Just tell me what happened in Australia please! Quarantine has officially driven me insane, Keith and Noah shoved me into a groupchat where they only communicate via unhinged memes, the 'Zoom' meetings we have every week are chaotic and borderline depressing, and Sam is forcing me to watch all of 'Star Wars' against my will. So please- spill the tea!"

But there was barely any tea.....other than the fact that they almost kissed in a cocktail induced haze after pub hopping in Melbourne. 

"Courtney? Court? Hello?"

"Huh? Oh sorry!" 

Courtney was pacing the floor of her apartment anxiously before walking up to her propped up phone with her bewildered friend on the screen.

"Sorry Liv I just-" 

"Can't focus on anything because Shayne's coming over and quarantining with you for a couple weeks?" The brunette interrupted with a knowing smirk on her face.

"Honestly my money is on you two not even making it 3 days without pouncing on each other-"

"Liv! Oh my god! No...it's not like that and you know it. It's all....merely platonic and if anything he's gonna help me focus on working out again. You know that since my surgery I haven't been able to really get back in the groove of things and with this lockdown....yeah I need something to do. So chill please." 

"Mmhm....whatever you say. Now if you excuse me I have to go doomscroll on Tiktok for....hours? What is time- anyway- love you bye!"

"Bye Livvy! Say hi to Sam and Grizzy kay?"

The friends hung up and Courtney got to cleaning and setting up her guest room. For some reason- even though she and Shayne also FaceTime super casually- this is the first time she's had anyone over in a while so she decides to go shower, exfoliate, shave her legs....for the first time in a while, and pick out a nice outfit. It's not because she wants to look presentable for Shayne specifically. She's an independent human being who serves for herself. But....maybe if he was impressed.....that would be nice.....

As she's finishing her makeup she hears a knock on the door. 

He's here. Well....here we go.

She fixes her hair that's slowly going back to blonde, now with only hints of red on her roots, and walks to the front door.

__________________________

*Shayne 3rd Person POV*

He's sweating. His breathing is shallow and as he moves and his muscles ripple. He needs this though. He needs this release.

So as soon as he's finished he gets up off his yoga mat, puts his weights away and heads for the shower. Everyone knew Shayne saw working out as a form of therapy- and now with the state of the world and his emotions- he needed to get this energy out more than ever.

He towels off his hair that thanks to everything being closed is now a bit longer than normal. He gets dressed in some sweatpants and a navy t-shirt- not because Courtney mentioned once that she liked that color on him- but because he wanted to wear it...yeah.

He had packed his bags the night before and was pretty sure he packed enough things to safely and comfortably quarantine at Courtney's place. He's also bringing a couple of his plants over so he can take care of them and liven up the place. And did he bring a bag filled to the brim just with books? Absolutely.

The entire car ride there- all 15 minutes- he was clutching the steering wheel. Not to the point where he had a white knuckled grip but there were definitely patterned indents in the palm of his hands. And he'll never admit this out loud but he was most definitely giving himself a pep talk at each stoplight.

"You're fine. Everything's fine. It's just Courtney! You've hung out with Courtney and spent so much time with her throughout the years- you're fine. Granted this'll be the first time it's literally just the two of us for...weeks? Not to mention we haven't talked about- you know what? It fine. It's all cool. It's not weird. She's your friend. Just your friend. Your friend...Courtney..."

He pulled into the parking garage and walked over to her apartment door with his luggage in hand. 

With one last deep breath, he knocked.

He heard her footsteps and he saw the doorknob turn, then the door swung open and there she was. She was wearing an old tie-front crop top and some Smosh leggings with some sneakers.

This was the first time they were seeing eachother in person since quarantine had started and...whether it was the shock of being near another human again or the fact that he only had a protein smoothie and some oatmeal for breakfast hours ago- he was feeling a bit lightheaded.

Or maybe it was her.

Ok it was probably her.

"Hey!" She said beaming at him. "Come in, oh my gosh!" Courtney held the door open for him as he shuffled in and placed his stuff in the living room. She had clearly rearranged some furniture- maybe out of boredom but hey, it looked nice!

"It's really good to see you." He said with an honest smile. "You look good! Your hair looks cool!"

"Yeah? You like this accidental ombre effect?" She giggled. God, he missed hearing that in person.

"I mean I've barely been able to see it because you're always in hoodies or beanies lately but yeah, it's sick." 

'Sick'? Really? Smooth dude. Real smooth.

"Can I...can I hug you? I mean it's...been a hot minute and we're gonna be around eachother for a while so-"

"Court?" He smiled.

"Yeah?" She said with a confusing but heart-wrenchingly endearing look on her face. It's times like this where he understood what Kimmy meant when she said her boyfriend Shane gave her 'cute aggression' and usually this would lead to him tackling her on set for seemingly no reason. But now wasn't the time.

"Come 'ere." He chuckled walking over to her.

She softened her features and closed the gap between them by wrapping her arms around his neck and squeezing. Shayne carefully placed his hands on her back, reeling from the contact. He hoped she couldn't feel how fast his heart was beating just from having her close again.

She stood on her tiptoes slightly and sighed.

"I missed you."

Fuck. 

It was definitely her.

Now his heart was racing faster than an F1 driver on a gallon of Red Bull.

"Me too Court. So much." He exhaled and rubbed her back a bit.

Then reluctantly she pulled away.

"Oof. I needed that. Haven't hugged anyone in weeks and...I'm honestly so glad to have you here. You have..." She took a breath. "...no idea how much."

"Well I'm all yours now!- Wait."

He saw her furrow her brow slightly. "No I mean like, you have me- not like that but like-" 

She gave him an amused smirk, clearly enjoying him being the one rambling now. 

"I just meant that I'm here now. Yeah." 

She giggled at him prompting him to also let out a laugh. Then after they composed themselves Courtney took one of his bags and nodded over in the direction of the hallway.

"Follow me roomie! You're room's right across from mine!"

He picked up the rest of his stuff and trailed after her.

"Oh...cool! Right behind you!" 

Oh boy....this was gonna be an interesting couple of weeks.

Chapter Text

*Courtney POV*

I woke up around 7am to the sound of my alarm clock ringing. The sun was breaking in through the curtains of my window. While everything in my body wanted to stay in bed I knew I had to get up and answer some emails and go over some scripts.

I smooth over my hair, slided on my slippers, and looked in the mirror. I was wearing an old oversized t-shirt and some shorts. My face was kinda puffy as it usually was in the morning and took off the pimple patches I had put on the night before. I went to the bathroom, washed my face, brushed my teeth, peed, and put on some deodorant before going out to the living room.

Of course.

Of course he's awake.

We had all spent enough time at the ‘Smosh House’ up in Sacramento for me to know he was the earliest bird out there.

So, of course, there he was in a white cotton tee, and some loose sweatpants with his hair slightly messy, tinkering in the kitchen.

God, his back was nice to look at.

Shit, Courtney, snap out of it!

“Good morning!” I said maybe a bit too cheerily for my own liking. He turned around slightly shocked. Nice to see he clearly hadn't forgotten I wasn't always this alert in the mornings.

“Hey. How'd you sleep?” He said while balancing his attention between me and the stove.

“Um…good, yeah. You?”

“Good actually! I never usually sleep too well when I'm not in my bed but I feel well-rested.”

“I'm glad. Whatcha making?” I walked around my kitchen bar and stood next to him.

“I made some oatmeal pancakes, coffee, and a protein shake for me. Honestly it's kinda shocking how the blender didn't wake you up actually-”

“Ok, listen, I have dealt with a lot of the noise of the construction site down the street-”

“Ok but that's outside Cour-”

“No but listen-”

“This is inside your house! Were you that dead asleep?”

“Oh shut up!”

He laughed and handed me a plate. 

“Help yourself. And don't worry about last night's dishes- I did them before I started cooking.”

“Shayne! No!”

“What?”

I sighed. “You're my guest.” I whined a bit.

“I know but I don't want to overstay my welcome, and, if it makes you feel any better….you can help out with cleaning this up after we eat. Ok?”

I rolled my eyes. Of course he was gonna be this considerate- It's Shayne! 

“Fine. But please don't burden yourself with my shit.” I told him.

“You're not a burden.” He said softly. Then he looked away and picked up our plates.

“I mean…it wasn't a lot so don't even worry about it. Let's just eat alright?” I followed him to my small dining area in front of my living room.

This boy.

__________________________

*Shayne's POV*

We finished eating and she, before I could say anything, got up and picked up our plates and walked towards the kitchen sink.

“Now I'll take care of this and you can go, take a break, shower, I don't know but don't forget we have a Games production meeting at 3-ish, kay?” She called over her shoulder.

I never noticed how strong her legs looked- Wait. 

Ew! Shayne, don't be a fucking weirdo. God.

“Oh yeah- speaking of, you know that we're preparing ourselves for incessant teasing from everyone right?”

“Oh please. I've been preparing myself.” She said with a laugh. “If anything the only thing we should worry about is setting up your background for videos so...you know fans don't...you get it.”

“No, I know. I figured the room I'm staying in has a blank wall and it kinda looks like a corner in my house so I got that covered.” 

“Oh perfect!” She said bending down to put away the pans I used. 

Don't look.

Don't you dare look.

Shayne. Don't. Fucking. Look.

She straightened back up and started doing the dishes as I let out a breath of relief. I was not about to become a creep.

No matter how gorgeous she was. 

Was I touch-starved? Well yeah, as much as everyone in lockdown was. Is being this close to Courtney helping? Absolutely not. But that wasn't her problem.

“Hey I'm gonna go get ready. You need some help before I…”

“Oh no no no- don't you worry. Believe me Shania,” She laughed and I scoffed. “you've done enough.” I chuckled and rolled my eyes before heading to the bathroom.

After getting ready and attending our meeting, we shot two videos- for the Pit and Games channels- and it's still very strange to film videos over Zoom but we kinda got it down….I hope.

I'm still against the blank wall in the guest bedroom when I get a call from Damien.

“Hey man!” I greet him.

“Hey buddy! How- No Zelda leave your sister alo- hey! Uh-uh! Sorry man the girls were being rowdy.” I hear him give an exasperated but fond sigh over the phone as he handled his cats. “So, how are you? How are...things...” 

I could almost see his small smile. “Don't start. It's literally my first day here. And things have been going really well! I can't lie I liked being all alone but it's nice to have someone around you know?”

“Just ‘someone’ or Courtney?”

“Damien-” I warned.

“Ok, ok! I won't say anything….unless you want to in which case-”

“Dude!” I whisper shouted.

“What? You refuse to tell me what the hell happened that night before we left Melbourne so forgive me for being insistent!” I groaned. He was right. But to be fair. No one knew.

No one could know.

At least not ‘till we got our shit sorted.

“Listen. As soon as….we work through some…stuff- you'll be the first to know, alright?”

“I better be…been waiting years for this shit” He grumbled “Alright! I miss you bud, say ‘hi’ to the missus for me and I'll see you tomorrow for the video shoot yeah?”

I rolled my eyes affectionately over his second statement. “Will do bud.” We said our goodbyes and I went to the living room.

There I found Courtney softly humming some song I recognized from Tiktok to herself and wiping down some groceries she ordered.

“Oh hey! The chicken you wanted along with some…” She rummaged through the bags. “...spices and toiletries for me just got delivered.”

“Oh sick. Lemme help you put those away.”

“Shayne-” She started protesting.

“Nope, I don't wanna hear it. I'm helping you.” I took the heavier bag in my hand and headed towards the kitchen.

I saw her widen her eyes slightly before I turned around and heard her whisper out a soft “Okay…”

Listen. I was raised right. So whether she likes it or not I will do my share of the work while I'm here. It's the least I could do really.

__________________________

*Courtney POV* 

That had no right being as hot as it was.

He is literally only putting away a frozen chicken! Get a grip on yourself Courtney, my god!

Ok but his assertiveness and insistence in helping me...and the way his biceps flexed when picking up the bag-

He's perfect. 

And I'm acting like I've never seen a good looking guy before, Jesus Christ.

I really need to figure my shit out, and soon. I hate to say it, but…Olivia…was…right. It's literally only been a day and the urge to just grab him and-

“Court?” 

Shit.

“Yeah?”

“Where do you keep your spices?”

“Oh!” I stood up and guided him to the spice cabinet in the kitchen. “Here. I have the bigger spices on the top shelf, but you can just put those here.”

“Ok perfect- wait!” Suddenly he came up behind me and pushed back a spice that was slightly hanging off the edge. “There. Woo. That was 2 seconds away from falling on your head. Crisis: Averted.” He chuckled.

I could feel the vibrations of his chest on my back and I prayed he couldn't feel my sharp intake of breath.

Oh god why.

I laughed weakly. “Heh. My hero” He looked at me and our eyes locked. 

I guess he realized how close we were because he awkwardly shuffled away. I never noticed how warm he was. Or maybe how cold I am. Either way, now...now I kinda missed the feeling.

“Um…I'm gonna...I'm gonna go…to the bathroom and uh...you- are you gonna start dinner or should I- do you want me to?” He stammered out, backing away from the kitchen.

“Uh yeah, I can take it- dinner duty I mean! I can take over…dinner tonight” I smiled tightly as he mock saluted me and left for the bathroom down the hall.

I let out a breath. “Fuck, Courtney, chill the fuck out!” I whispered to myself. “He's just Shayne! He's just your friend…and coworker! And a fantastic guy, but chill out” I blew out my frustration and centered myself. I could do it. I could completely get over this tiny, miniscule, itty-bitty, baby sized cru-

No. No. No. Please god no.

“Court? Um…I'm gonna need another towel for my hair…um, I'm gonna wash it so…” He shuffled out of the bathroom. Shirtless. In a towel. Just a towel. Thank fuck he wasn't wet because if I saw that man glistening- Nope. No. Uh-uh.

“Uh yeah…yeah they're in the closet down the hall there” I pointed at the closet's direction.

“Oh! Got it. Thanks!” He spun around and grabbed the towels.

Damn him and his gorgeous back.

“Ok…see ya in a bit.” He smiled softly before entering the bathroom again.

Well….maybe this crush isn't so tiny. 

Ugh.

Chapter Text

*Shayne's POV/Flashback to Smosh Summer Games 2019*

We had just finished filming our annual belly flop competition which also happened to be our last video and ToxiciTea won! Somehow.

I was crowned ‘LVP’ and Joven was currently celebrating his ‘MVP’ status with the others. I had just come back from rinsing off the pool water/kool-aid mix and now I was heading to the big dining hall everyone was in. Most of the cast and crew were laughing and eating….except for the one person I was looking for.

“Heyyy there he is! The ‘LVP’!” Joven laughed when I walked in.

“So, how does it feel?” He propped up his leg and leaned forward.

“Um…shitty! But I'm happy for you man.” I smiled at him. I was glad he finally won something, it was about time.

“Dude that ‘Courtney Freaking Miller’ stunt you pulled was insane! That better be a highlighted moment this season.” Mari called out to me before turning to face Matt Raub who waved his hand and nodded, that could either mean ‘sure whatever’ or ‘shut up’...sometimes it was both. 

“Thanks.” I laughed. “I had to, you know? Um…hey Mar?”

“Yeah?”

I looked around the room once more. “Have you seen Courtney” 

“Um…” She smiled a bit. “No, not since we wrapped. She's probably cleaning up or checking up on Olivia.” Poor Olivia came down with a cold and had to leave early so Tommy agreed to take on an extra turn in the games on Liv’s behalf. He was part of team ToxiciTea in order even out the teams.

“Ok tha-”

“Awww look at our wittle lover boy looking for his girlfriend!” Lasercorn teased walking over to me.

Joven, Noah, Keith and Kimmy laughed as I rolled my eyes and sarcastically laughed. “Hahaha. She's not my…girlfriend.” 

That last word felt a bit heavy on my tongue for some reason.

“Guys. Lay off ok?” Ian came over and placed his hand on my shoulder. “She's not his girlfriend…”

“Thanks Ian-”

“Yet.” He smirked.

That little-

The group snickered and I flipped them off. I loved them but all this fucking teasing was exhausting. Like...can they not see we're just friends? 

“Ok well you guys have your fun talking shit, I'm gonna go change.”

“I saved you some food buddy!” Damien yelled from his table.

“Thanks man!” I called. I waved at them and went towards the rooms our beds were in when I heard a familiar “Ahem.”

“You know, even though the clearly superior team was robbed of the albeit worthless trophy, I have to commend you bub! Not for the win- god no- no, for being so, so deep in denial. I mean that's gotta be like a record of some kind!” 

“Vee…” I scoffed at her. My petite castmate was donning her ‘MushroomClout” cropped tee, short denim shorts, matching pink makeup and boots, and the fading blonde hair she had bleached earlier this this year was showing her natural brown roots along with some neon pink streaks she had dyed in celebration on the games. And of course she had that smug little grin she always has when she knows she's right- which she is not!

“Oh please ‘Squish’!” That's her stupid little nickname for me because apparently she was shocked that my ‘muscles were kinda squishy’ when we met. “You're crushing so hard it's painful to watch- and that's coming from me! Literally half of us said it in the ‘Spilling The Tea’ video we shot!” 

“Vee that's……that's not-” “Are you looking for her?”

I looked down. She was too observant for her own good sometimes. “Yes.” She opened her mouth clearly about to say something witty before smiling and looking down.

“She's in our room.”

“Thank you Vee. I nodded at her and turned.

“Hey Shayne!” She said before I left.

“Yeah?”

“Don't waste time waiting to be loved. If you can do something about it- do it.” She grinned and walked away.

It was really awesome to see what a smart young woman she had turned into.

Had this year been insane for her? Yes. Was I glad her little 'party era' was over? Abso-fucking-lutely. Had I, Courtney, other castmates, and sometimes Ian insisted on picking her up from bars and clubs when she went out alone and had gotten too drunk because they didn't trust any strangers in this city to protect her in such a vulnerable state? Of course.

It was wild to see that the ‘not-so-baby’ of the squad was this emotionally intelligent. 

It was also wild…how right she was.

*Courtney POV*

After we wrapped up the video I told Tommy to save me some food and headed to the room I was staying at. We were in literally the middle of the desert and the living situation consisted of different cabins that had that ‘rusty, run down, old, tin’ aesthetic that we were going for. Luckily the cabins we were sleeping in had ceiling fans. The men and women were supposed to be separated and obviously us ladies gave our cabin the very appropriate title of ‘The Pussy Cabin!’

The name was my idea, by the way. 

But truth be told over the nights we started mixing because some people snored and others liked our extra storage space.

Today after washing off the pool water from the belly flop video, I asked Sarah to have someone get me some ice to put on my bruises. Yeah, note to self: never play paintball with Wes again.

Turns out, he really does know how to use guns! And I bruise shockingly easily.

Vee and Kimmy wanted to stay with me and help me out with putting on some arnica ointment to speed up the healing process but I shooed them away so they could eat with the others out in the dining area and I gave them some extra sunscreen to take to Damien.

I had changed into a bikini top and loose shirt and some shorts after washing my face and finding a shocking amount of glitter in the sink. What could I say? The girls and I were having fun with our makeup this year!

I grabbed the ice pack Sarah found me and placed it on the bigger bruises and put on some Spotify on my phone to pass the time as I sat on my bed.

Then I heard a knock on the door.

“Come in!” I exclaimed absent-mindedly, too preoccupied with a text I had gotten from my sister to look up.

“Hey. I've been looking for you.” 

Shayne. Of course. 

I smiled and looked up.

“Well here I am.” I laughed. I never noticed how good he looked in green. And in tank tops.

Especially in tank tops.

“Shit, Court you really got the worst of it huh?” He said, looking at my legs.

“What? Oh. Oh!” I scoffed and brushed him off. “This is nothing! It barely even hurts! See?” I pressed one of the purple marks “Nothing! So don't even worry about it.”

I could see in his eyes that this didn't make him any less concerned. He looked like a worried puppy. God, he was just the sweetest human.

Then I saw him sigh and kneel down to my level and grab the tube of arnica that was next to me. My heart started pounding in my chest.

“Have you used this yet?” He asked seriously.

“Um…no I…I was about to but…” I trailed off as I saw him take the cap off the tube. Oh.

“Can I…um- is this ok?” He motioned to his hands and my legs.

“Oh…yeah!” 

Jesus Courtney, try and sound less eager! 

I cleared my throat. “Yeah, no, that's perfectly fine, don't even worry about it. But um- you don't have to- I mean if you want to that's- I mean that's incredibly sweet but don't …don't do anything you don't want to.”

“I want to.” 

Oh. 

He moved to get an ottoman that was on Olivia, now Tommy’s side, of the room before kneeling back down. He gently lifted my leg to rest on the ottoman as he scooped up some of the ointment in his hands. He took a breath and started looking at the marks, slowly scanning them before carefully putting his hands on me and rubbing the substance in.

Suddenly it felt like even with all the ceiling fans in the world I still wouldn't be able to breathe.

The skin under his fingers felt like it was on fire, and I don't think that's a normal reaction to bruising ointment.

He's touched me, sure, but never like this. His grazes were firm yet careful and his hands were so soft. The most he's touched me has been a hand on my face or waist or my leg- even when we shared that really chaste kiss in the sketch about smoking ruining iconic movie moments, it was all very…..innocent. But this….

His left hand was dispersing the cream into the skin of my left upper thigh while his right held my leg steady next to him. His gaze was focused on his work and his lips were parted. I don't know if it was the heat outside but he looked like he was getting a bit sweaty….and the urge I felt to wipe that sweat away from his forehead- or maybe even kiss it away- was strong.

“Yeah um…after this you're gonna need to ice this a bit and put on extra sunscreen ok?” His voice came out low and all I could do was nod. Then he took my other leg which had the bigger bruises and shook his head.

“I told them to be careful with you.” I heard him mutter. What? He- Oh my-

“You what?” I asked him gently.

“I just…we had people who had more shooting experience-”

“Literally one person, Shayne. You had one person.” I giggled.

“Ok, yeah but! Still, I knew you- and the others- didn't...so…I told them to take it easy.” 

“You sweet boy.” I laughed. “It's ok! I'll heal!”

“I know but-” He enveloped my thigh with both his hands and I tried to suppress my gasp. Since when are his hands that big? “still…look at you.”

“Shayne…I'm not dying.” I placed one hand on his arm and I could've sworn I felt him relax. 

He chuckled, mostly to himself I think. “Ok…you're right. Now let's finish fixing you up.” 

It was almost hypnotic how his fingers worked over the small injuries. I didn't notice that I still had my hand on his arm until I felt him flex a bit. I bit my lip to stop myself from letting out any of the sounds that were forming in my throat. I don't know what possessed me to do this but, instead of pulling my hand away, I slowly glided it down to his forearm, right before his wrist started and gently rubbed his skin with my thumb. I didn't notice how high the bruises went until he hesitated by the bottom hem of my shorts.

“Um…”

“Oh…don't worry it's all basically on the legs anyway so…”

“Yeah, yeah no I…I figured.” Then, for the first time since he knelt down the second time, he looked up and met my gaze. My mouth went dry when I found his eyes. They weren't the typical icy blue they always were. They were dark. Intense. Alluring. 

Different.

“Thank you for…you know…this.”

“Of course. Yeah it was…it was the least I could do really.” I smiled at him and took one of his hands in mine.

“Oh…I should probably…wash this off um…” He pointed to the arnica.

“Yeah, don't worry it's actually moisturizing- just don't touch your eyes.” He smiled back at me.

“By the way- I don't know if I told you this but…the uh…the uniform- er the…team colors, suit you really well.”

I saw him perk up for a split second, before his eyes looked into mine again and our gazes were firmly locked.

“Yeah? Well…I'm starting to think green might be my new favorite color.”

The way he said it…..the tone…the way my stomach did somersaults…

I'm starting to think he wasn't talking about the team uniform anymore.

I could hear my frantic heartbeat in my ears as he dropped his gaze lower on my face, and I could have sworn as soon as his eyes found my lips I saw him suck in a breath. I squeezed his hand in my own.

I don't know who moved first but suddenly I could feel his breath on my skin as his tongue peaked out to lick his lips.

“Shayne…I-”

“Hey guys I- oop…um-” 

Damien. 

Goddammit.

Shayne moved away from me and stood up before wiping his hands on his shorts.

“Hey Dami. Whatcha need?” I said, trying to cut the tension in the room. 

Shayne placed my leg on the floor and moved the ottoman back to its original spot. 

“Oh! I um, I came here to get the aloe gel because uh…Lasercorn is a bit sunburnt so…um…yeah.” He smiled awkwardly and Shayne nodded in his direction.

“Oh it's in my bag over there- yep that one there!” I pointed towards my bag laying on top of one of the dressers. “Oh ok, perfect! Thank you ‘Cordilly’” I smiled at his little ‘Damien-ism’ for me as he left.

“So…” I started.

“So...” Shayne shuffled over to me. “Do you need anything else? Or…”

“Oh no, I'm ok!”

“Are you sure? Because I could-”

“I'm ok 'Shania'.” I gave him a fond smile and he smiled back.

“Ok well, I'm gonna go out and uh…eat something. You should too!” 

“I will. Don't worry.”

“Alright. I'll see you in a bit?” He gave me a wave and left the room before closing the door behind him and I saw him place his hands in his pockets through the window.

As soon as he was out of my sight I flopped down on my bed and let out a groan. 

“Ughhh! Why? Why is he so gorgeous?! Goddammit Courtney! You were over him! Everything was fine! I can't feel this again. Ugh!” 

I placed my hands on my face and huffed. The butterflies in my stomach were still going wild and my pulse was still going wild. I prayed my cheeks weren't as flushed as they felt.

But as hard as I tried…I couldn't stop the giddy smile that formed on my face from spreading. I giggled a bit. At myself mostly. It felt like I was that boy crazy teenage girl all over again- except I was only crazy for one boy. 

No- for one man.

The fact that he cared so much, that he tried to protect her, the way he handled her, his touch, his gaze, his smile- it was just a couple bruises and yet he was so attentive. She kinda loved that not many people saw that side of Shayne. It was…beautiful.

He was…..oh. 

Oh no no no.

Oh this man is gonna screw me up forever.

*End of Flashback/Back to Present Day 2020/Courtney POV*

I woke up in a jolt. 

Sweat was making my shirt cling to my body and my lips were dry.

Ever since that day before we left the desert after filming ‘SSG:Apocalypse’ last year, that memory of him, what he did, what I felt, what almost happened, haunts my dreams.

Well maybe it doesn't ‘haunt’ my dreams but the times it does appear in my subconscious…..it trumps the feelings any regular wet dream I had in my teenage years would leave me. And it's so stupid given that nothing had actually happened!

But I could've. And that…..that's a lot to process.

I sat up and looked at my phone. It was 4:32 am. Ugh great. Now I'm fully awake and there's no way I'm gonna fall back asleep. One week and a half with this guy in my house and I'm already a mess.

I got up from my bed and changed my clothes for some fresh pajamas and I stumbled into the living room where low and behold! There he fuckin’ is! 

Yippee.

Shayne was lying on the couch in shorts and a cotton tank top. 

Oh this is giving me some very cruel sense of déjà vu.

He was playing with his ‘Nintendo Switch’ and there was a glass of water on the coffee table.

“Oh hey. Whatcha doing up?” His voice was hoarse and his eyes looked tired.

“I could ask you the same thing.”

He bent his legs so I could sit down. “I woke up like an hour ago and I needed to get some water so I came out here and I…got distracted so…” He motioned to his ‘Switch’ and chuckled. “You?”

Oh no.

Ok, time to bring out those acting chops Court-Bourt.

“Oh I had a nightmare.” Well no but-

“Aw shit Court, I'm sorry. Are you ok?”

Well now I'm definitely not! 

“Oh yeah! It was nothing, I was just…falling…a lot.” I mean...I was! So…ha!

“Damn. Well it could've been worse, you know?” Could it? Could it really Shayne?

“You wanna play ‘Stardew’ with me?” He raised his eyebrows and grinned a bit.

Fuck it.

“Ok.”

*Shayne's POV*

I rearranged myself on the couch making some room so she could squeeze in and lie down next to me.

She looked a bit hesitant at first before scooting in.

“Comfy?” I asked, craning my head to the side to look at her.

She sighed and said “Yup. Now come on, I wanna see your farm!” I laughed and we started playing.

Eventually, she moved slightly to her side, her body fully facing me as we chatted and laughed over each other's crappy impressions of each of the ‘Stardew’ characters.

I don't know when my hand migrated to under her head and her legs tucked in next to mine, but now we were lying here together, my left hand and her right were holding my console as we laughed.

“Ok ok hoo! Hold on lemme catch my breath!” She laughed.

“I'm not doing anything!”

“Not anymore but I keep replaying your ‘Hayley’ voice and I-” She broke out into a fit of laughter again and I couldn't help but join. Her face all scrunched up made me wheeze.

“Ok but tell me she wouldn't have a squeaky voice!” I said slightly shifting my pitch at the end of the sentence to the voice that made her laugh earlier.

“She's not ‘Minnie Mouse’!”

She hid her face in my shoulder and laughed some more. Gosh her hair smelled really good. It had a slight fruity scent but it was so...her.

Eventually we settled down and after maybe an hour. I was explaining the layout of my crops when I felt Courtney's breathing become steady and deep. I carefully look over to my side and there she was.

Her head was resting on my shoulder almost on my chest and the hand that she was using to play was set against her torso.

She had fallen asleep in my arms. And she looked like an angel. The peaceful look on her face, the way her eyes slightly fluttered, how her lips settled into a small pout, how I could feel her breath against my neck- it made my heart melt.

I saved the game and turned off the ‘Switch’ before carefully setting it on the table next to us, and, doing my best not to wake her, I used my foot to grab the blanket that was draped on the other side of the couch and dragged it up where I could reach it and pull it up over us so we didn't get cold.

She stirred a bit and nuzzled into me and wrapped her arm around my side. The only thing that I could think about in that moment was how much I adored this girl.

This was dangerous.

This was potentially life altering.

Because I loved this feeling too much. It made me feel…..alive. This is the feeling I dreaded having my whole life because I knew this all-consuming, intense yearning, that's something you can't recover from easily. 

I could never recover from her easily.

Or at all.

I moved a bit to face her and, I couldn't help it, I brushed my free hand over her face and traced her features. She was the most beautiful woman I had ever laid my eyes on. I was sure of it. Everything about her, from her looks, to her personality, her sense of humor, her attitude, her talent- was…

Perfect.

Oh.

Oh no.

I suppressed the urge to groan in frustration. This was a lot. I felt a lot.

She made me feel a lot.

Oh, this is gonna mess me up isn't it?

Chapter Text

*Vee POV/Flashback to Smosh Summer Games 2019*

“Ow! Ah shit…” I heard Lasercorn say after touching his shoulder. Great.

“I told you you needed to reapply your sunscreen Lase!” I rolled my eyes. Men, I swear.

“It's fine- ow! Shit…”

“Ugh! Dames? Could you please get the aloe vera gel for Lasercorn so his wife doesn't kill him when he gets home?”

“She's not gonna-”

“Oh shush! You know Brina told you not to get hurt and we don't want her to have to deal with two toddlers now do we?” I smirked at him.

“You got it! Be right back!” I watched as he walked off and I hopped off the bench I was sitting on. 

“Veevee! Come ‘ere girl! We're taking some pics for the ‘gram” Keith called me over to where him, Noah, Kimmy, and Joven were.

“I'll be right there birthday twin!” I smiled at him and walked towards Mari. 

“Momma!” I joked, giving her ‘grabby’ hands and she gave me a quick squeeze. “We seriously need more women on the team” I murmured and she nodded.

“Have you talked to Boze recently?” She asked. “Oh yeah. Before we left.” I sighed. “I miss her.” “I know, kid. We all do- But! I'm getting lunch with her when we get back!”

“Aw yay!” I smiled a bit but still, I missed seeing Boze at work, even though I completely understand why she left…and why she's not coming back.

“Girls!”

Ugh. Great. Speak of the devil…

“We need you for pictures!” Matt Raub yelled out to us.

“On it Matt!” Mari said back as I made a face in annoyance which made her giggle a bit.

“Let's go.” She put her arm around my shoulders as we walked. “Oh! By the way…take a guess where our resident ‘Ken’ doll is.” She added in a smug yet quiet voice.

“Looking for ‘Barbie’? Oh, I know, I told him where she was. It's painful how blind they are.”

“Right!?”

We took some pictures and I looked at my phone. Damien was taking his sweet time getting that aloe…

I begrudgingly decided to walk over to the cabin he was supposed to be in. Remind me to never wear heeled boots in the desert again? Actually- never mind don't- Ha! I look too good and beauty is pain…a lot of pain…

Ah! There he was! Lingering on a bench a couple feet away from the cabin entrance with a confused look on his face.

“Hey! Where were you? I asked you to get aloe not ponder on the meaning of life dude!” I smiled. 

“I think I just saw something- but you can't freak out!” He stood up and looked around.

“Okay? Dude…you're scaring me-”

“I think they almost kissed!” He exclaimed before clamping a hand over his mouth.

“WHAT?” I shrieked. 

Oops.

“Shush! Look- I walked in and their faces we like this close and they were acting so weird! And I swear he basically jumped away from her when I walked in-”

“What?! You interrupted them!? Damien-”

“It was an accident I swear!”

“Oh my god…oh my god!”

At this point we were just whisper shouting at each other and I was losing it.

“Holy shit! Damien!” I shook him. “Do you know what this means!?” I smiled. 

“Obviously! But…do they?”

Oh, right.

I groaned and threw my head back. “Knowing them they're gonna make this incident out to, I dunno, a fuckin’ product of heat stroke?.” I scoffed. 

“Heat stroke? No. No, they're gonna say they were hallucinating thanks to ‘magic desert mushrooms’ ooh!” 

I snorted and laughed. Honestly…he was right.

They would rather fake their deaths and move to a remote village in Czechoslovakia than face their feelings- and ‘running away from your problems’ is my whole brand!

As someone who has…some history with a coworker I get it's difficult but it's something they have to deal with at some point. For everyone's sake!

Especially mine, I'm fucking sick of this shit-

“Ok so…what now?” Damien asked with a huff.

“Now?...Now we…need to be vigilant and…if at any point they're off on their own we have to try not to be total cockblocks…Damien.” I tilted my head and said pointedly.

“I said it was an accident-” 

“No see this is why I broke up with you-”

Hehe. Here we go.

“That is a lie I broke up with you!”

“Well if you had given me 10 more seconds that wouldn't have been the case!” I smirked at him.

“You're never gonna let this ‘perfect record’ thing go huh?” He crossed his arms and matched my smirk.

“No Damien. Never.” I turned and walked away “If you too had a perfect record of never being broken up with then you would understand!” I called out with a shiteating grin on my face. 

“Ok see, that's not fair- Vee! Vee Castillo, you get back here!” He yelled out chasing me back to the campsite as I laughed.

Oh ‘Shourtney’…I will see you two get together. Even if I have to plant the little seeds of courage in your stubborn little brains to do so…

*End of Flashback*

Chapter Text

*Courtney POV*

I woke up with the sun beating on my face and a stiffness in my back. My eyes felt heavy and I felt a bit of drool around the corner of my mouth.

But right as I tried to stretch I realized I had no room to do so, because I was basically trapped. Trapped between something firm and cushion-y and something warm and soft.

Warm.

Something warm.

Last night.

The dream.

The memory.

‘Stardew’.

‘Minnie Mouse’.

Shit.

My eyes shot open and I was graced…with skin. Not my skin. But skin. Soft skin with stubble growing out of it. Skin covering a neck. Skin flowing down to envelope a collarbone. Skin that flowed almost endless under a white tank top.

Speaking of Topp…

Shayne.

I was nestled up on Shayne.

I had slept with Shayne- wait!

No, not like that!

I literally slept with him. Next to me. Almost under me? Oh my go-

But then I felt the way his arms were wrapped around me, his breath on my hair, his heartbeat…

I could help but feel so…safe. Happy. I can't really describe it. It's almost like the rest of the world was a storm in a way, not necessarily bad, but a lot. And here, in his arms, in the quiet, I found my shelter.

It was so peaceful. But I knew that as soon as my shelter woke up, I would have to deal with my own storm- hell, my own category 5 hurricane. And the reason for all this bad weather- even with this tiny space of solace- well the reason…..

Were my feelings for him.

I laid my head on his chest and basked in this feeling. I didn't know if or when I was ever going to feel this again. 

In a couple weeks we're scheduled to start filming in the studio again but obviously we have a closed and sanitary set for everyone's wellbeing. And I'm excited to see everyone again and get back to work, but man I'd be lying if I said I wouldn't miss the feeling of us being alone together.

I fought back tears as I held him and felt my breaths sync with his. The moment he woke up, it was back to the war zone in my mind, but for now, for now I could pretend…

Pretend...that he was mine.

But he's not. 

And he might never be.

And that destroyed me.

But I'm strong. I could take this. I could get over him again. I had to get over him again.

And here it is. It's over.

I felt him stir and grunt as he slowly woke up.

I tried to play it cool as he took in his surroundings and positioned myself in a way where he only had to turn his head and we were face to face.

“Mmph…hey…good morning…mm…” His voice was deep and gravely…

That was surprisingly sexy- No! Not the time Court-

“How'd you sleep?” He asked while stretching the limbs he could in his current position.

“Oh I slept like a baby” I chuckled. “Honestly this was…nice. You're a good cuddler my guy!” He laughs a bit and his chest moves a bit under my hand.

“Yeah well, you'd be shocked at how cuddly you become in your sleep. It was like I was holding that little koala we met all over again.” We giggled together for a bit.

“Ok you're gonna kill me but I need to pee so bad-”

“Oh shit, yeah no, same.” He interjected as we pondered how to get up from our current position.

“Um so how…?”

“I think you need to move so I can get up bud.”

“No, yeah but your legs are sandwiched with mine-” “Oh, ok wait-”

I didn't really have space to move my legs away from his and the only solution was for me to get up to find a way to stand up without them both falling to the floor.

“Alright- I have an idea, but you have to trust me ok?” Always. I'd always trust him. I'd trust him with my life.

“Ok…” 

“Ok so, hold on to me and engage your core. Here we go…” He turns slightly and grabs the back of my thigh and pulls me over him so I'm now sitting with both my legs wrapped around one of his. I let out a surprised yelp and I grab his shoulders to steady myself. His arm that was under my head was securely holding my waist.

We both looked at each other for a split second.

We've definitely never been in this position before that's for sure…I placed a hand on his chest and his hand that was placed on my thigh joined the other one on my waist…he seemed to be breathing a bit faster and my hand unconsciously dragged down his chest feeling his abs flex under my palm. As soon as we made eye contact, my breath caught as well.

Then we burst out laughing.

His loud cackle echoed in my house as I threw my head back in vicious silent laughter.

We were both turning red from our hysterics. This was us. Loud and absolutely insane.

“Oh god oh…oh my god!” Shayne said, winding down from our giggle fit.

“I pray I didn't accidentally pee on you.” My sentence shakes from my chuckles.

“Ok…hoo…ok, go pee. I'll go after you.” He breathed out as I stood up and stretched properly, walking to the bathroom.

“Hey!” Shayne calls out to me while sitting up on the couch. “Thanks for…hanging out with me last night.” He smiled and I scrunched up my nose fondly before closing the door behind me.

__________________________

*Shayne POV*

She closed the door to the bathroom and I physically couldn't stop myself from smiling. The way she was completely wrapped around me, her smile, her smell, her laugh…I felt like one of those stereotypical teens in a romcom getting all giddy over the smallest things.

God, what is happening to me?

What is she doing to me?

…Can she please never stop?

I slumped my back on the couch and tried to catch my breath. I ran my fingers through my messy hair and desperately tried to stop myself from thinking about how she felt in my hands, how her shirt rode up and showed off a sliver of the skin of her midsection, the all too familiar heat stirring low in my stomach, the way her legs were wrapped around me, the way I prayed she didn't feel any…physical evidence of my feelings while she was waking up and…the way she…looked at me.

Oh, the way she looked at me…

If I could go back in time and stop myself from ever wasting my time with other women when Courtney was literally right there- I would. 

Because nothing could ever compare. That was all child's play. This was terrifying. This was ruining my life. This was filling every single one of my thoughts.

Ever since last summer…everything was for, with, and about, Courtney Miller.

And that…that was fine by me. 

Later that week I was folding my laundry in my room when I realized that I had left a jacket in the living room that needed folding. When I step into the living room I see Court sitting on a chair scrolling through Tiktok…but something’s wrong. 

She was crying.

Why was she crying? What happened? What did she see? Did something happen? Did someone say something? Did someone do something?

(*Bark!*)

Oh. It's a dog video. 

Oh this breaks my heart.

“Hey? Court you ok?” I softly ask her.

“Oh um…nothing.” She chuckled and wiped her face. “I just got emotional over this cute Tiktok, it's nothing…”

“It's not ‘nothing’ Court, you're allowed to feel things, you know?” 

She looked up at me and her glassy eyes broke me.

“I miss him sometimes…”

Django. Her dog. Of course she misses him, we all do.

She got Django like 2 and a half years ago and he was her best friend, her baby really. And the honorary office dog for us. But he required a lot of time and attention, his lifestyle didn't really work with hers and Court felt like she couldn't give him the proper care so, she made the extremely difficult decision and re-homed him and he now lives with a Miller family friend and their family. And he's happy. But this was devastating for Courtney.

I had seen Court cry before, sob really. When ‘Defy’ collapsed, before there were riots and a shit-ton of vandalism, there were tears. A lot of tears. We were scared. Unemployed out of nowhere. There were panic attacks left and right.

But the day Courtney gave Django off to his new forever family…that was a level of devastation I had never seen from her.

That day she showed up on my doorstep hiccuping with sobs. I felt like someone had ripped my heart out. I held her as she bawled her eyes out then made her laugh by pointing out the snot she left on my shirt. I cried too. I loved that dog a whole lot. Still do. But my focus was on making sure she was okay.

And it still is.

I walk over to her and crouch down in front of her and take her hand. 

“Hey, I get it. Trust me. But, it all worked out…” I tried to reassure her. She shook her head a bit. “I know…I just miss…having a little fur ball around…” 

“Well…you just gotta look into…less active breeds of dogs or…”

“Or?”

“Or a cat.”

I saw the corners of her lips perk up a bit at my suggestion as she put her phone down.

“Well I do love cats…I'd gladly have one…just need to make sure I find one that's loving but not too crazy. A lazy little cat. Not right now though, I'm not gonna get a pet in the middle of all this, you know? I want to think this through a bit more. But you will definitely be the first to know if it happens.”

I smiled a bit mischievously. “Or you know, we could do a video where I become your cat for 24 hours-”

“Oh my god no!” She exclaimed.

“What? It'd be hilarious!” I defended.

“Maybe but that would be so embarrassing for us- for you!” 

I snorted out a laugh. “Court, let's be for real, we've done way worse things on camera”

“Well that's debatable-”

“Debatable? Please Court, ‘Sexual Sun’ begs to differ.” 

She sputtered. “Says the guy that played his own penis in a sketch!” 

“And I gave a brilliant performance!” I said in a jokingly defensive tone which made her giggle which made me laugh…

“No, but seriously I mean…literally last year we…you know…” She leaned back on her chair with a knowing look. 

“Made out on camera? Oh yeah I recall, I was there, my guy. In fact I…I wrote it so…” ‘Every Couple Ever’ was an…interesting video to shoot to say the least.

Courtney had come over to me earlier that week and told me she had this idea for a scene, she wanted to poke fun at the ‘handsy’ couple but she didn't know if anyone in the cast was willing to go for it but...maybe a bit faster than I would have liked, I offered to do it with her.

And that whole day I was so nervous, but then we did it and…it was strange and messy and comical…and freeing…and exciting. 

It originally felt like when I would have to kiss the others with the cameras and the crew and Kimmy and Damien acting right in front of us…but the fact that I didn't know if I could ever touch her like this again- I think I went a bit overboard which was the point obviously, but I wonder if that's the impression she has of how I kiss…I mean the only other time we've kissed was a peck in another sketch, and I was supposed to go crazy and so was she but…shit, I'm overthinking again.

But hey it looked good on camera!

“Yeah…about that, I hope you know that's not how I kiss at all.” I chuckled.

“Man I sure hope not.” She laughed. “Bro your tongue was all over my mouth, I swear!” 

“Ok, well so was yours!” I joked back.

“It was supposed to be! I'm sure I lunged at you before we fell over the sofa.” Her body shook with laughter.

I joined in, unable to stop myself from smiling or laughing at the sight of her.

“Seriously though, I know you're probably a way better kisser than that.” She as the laughter subsided and she looked down.

I was still crouched in front of her but now I had shifted to a kneeling position. I noticed her fidgeting with a string on her pants.

“I mean, I just wanted to clear that up because…yeah I would never kiss you- or anyone- like that under any other circumstances. Or most circumstances at least.” I chuckled quietly.

I see her look over my shoulder and purse her lips almost as if she were contemplating something.

“How would you then?” 

What?

Courtney smirked slightly as she looked at me with a playful glint in her eyes.

“Um…what?” I ask, a bit bewildered.

“How would you kiss…someone then?” She reiterated almost challenging me…and fuck, if that wasn't the hottest thing I've ever seen-

“Go on, tell me, I'm curious.” She licked her lips and suddenly a switch in my brain flipped and I started talking before my head caught up with my mouth.

“Well…” I didn't notice that my voice had dropped slightly. “I wouldn't just grab y- er- um, anyone and go at it like that. I like to take things slow and you know, build it up a bit.”

“Ever the gentleman.” She contemplated and I shook my head with a smile.

“Anyway I…I would take- whoever it is that I'm kissing- I would take their hands and gently hold them, and pull them in closer…” I notice her straightening up in her chair. 

“Then?” She asked in a quiet voice.

“Then…then I would move my hands up their arms and brush their hair out of their face, put my hands on their cheeks…and…”

“And?” She said, barely a whisper.

Her emerald eyes finally met mine again and the look on her face sent shivers through me. She licked her lips again, parting them, and my gaze couldn't help but fall to her mouth.

I bit my lip and curled one of my hands into a fist. It was impossible for me to steady my breathing. She was irresistible in every single way right now…if I were a different man I would let go of all my inhibitions and kiss this girl senseless.

But not like this.

Not tonight.

“Should we um…. um…do you want a drink?” I stood up and walked towards the fridge, reaching for the red wine she had bought recently.

“Yeah, what the hell, I'll get the glasses” She sighed standing up, sweeping a hand over her head fixing her hair.

I guess in hindsight, liquid courage was what we needed after all……

Chapter Text

*Courtney POV*

I grabbed some wine glasses from off the shelf and…screw it- some cheap tequila I had laying around collecting dust in my liquor cabinet. I made sure to grab some tacky shot glasses that I had bought while on the TNTL Tour and after Shayne got the wine, I walked over to the refrigerator and got fruit punch to wash all this down later.

I tried to shake off the feeling of warmth that settled in my stomach. My cheeks were flushed and I prayed the makeup I had on my face covered the redness that had spread.

I had no idea what had gotten into him. Or me. I mean, what prompted me to be ballsy enough to ask that question?

He had poured the wine in our glasses before taking a big swig and hastily wiping his mouth. His ears were red and his shoulders looked tense.

Either I was crazy or the charged exchange we had still had him all nervous. No…no I couldn't be that delusional. Just because that's how I feel doesn't mean it's real. And even if it wasn't I couldn't let it happen. I'm not gonna let a crush ruin the most important relationship in my life.

He's the most important person in my life.

Holy shit.

Later that night after downing my first cup of wine, I quickly clutched the shot glass and poured the tequila.

Fuck it.

I took the shot and swung the small glass back on the table.

“Ok wow. Damn. Shots and wine? You sure ‘bout that?” He chuckled nervously eyeing the bottle of the hard liquor I had chucked into my system.

“Oh! Pfft! Yeah! I mean I don't plan on getting drunk, but it's not like we have to get up and go to work tomorrow!” I rolled my eyes and reached for the dark tinted decanter, and poured some more in my cup. 

“Eh, what the hell- gimme a refill!” “Fuck yeah!” He sighed and passed me his half empty glass.

As the minutes passed and the fuzzy feeling of being tipsy had set in. I had taken my shoes off and he lost his outer shirt. My legs were tucked behind me and he was slouching on the couch.

“No seriously! I'm telling you this character is going to kill!” He cackled defending his insane idea. 

“Shayne- it's a nerdy wannabe ninja dude based off of Spencer.” I deadpanned with an amused tone in voice.

“Ok, no!” He corrected. “It's a wannabe interdimensional being.” He said suppressing a smirk.

“Right…and what's his name?” I asked.

“Um…I'm figuring that out still I dunno” He responded with a bit of a slur to his words.

“I'm starting to realize why it's not wise to mix your liquors…” I said, beginning to laugh yet again this evening.

“And yet we had a whole conversation about making out stone cold sober.” He joked as I giggled and took a couple sips of wine to soothe the nerves that arose again at the mention of earlier.

I knew I had to calm down. It's not his fault I was a mess of emotions and found every little thing he did attractive! I mean…just like a couple days ago I was seconds away from crossing a huge line.

__________________________

*Flashback to last Thursday*

I remember I had gotten off a zoom meeting with Sarah and the Pit team and I was going to get a cup of water when I found Shayne working out in the living room with the coffee table pushed off to the side.

“Oh! Um I thought you were in a meeting with Ian for a ‘Twitch’ thing…” I said desperately trying to keep my eyes firmly on his face. 

He looked over at me and and stretched out his arms, “Oh yeah! We luckily wrapped things up early so you know, I figured I might as well get this work out in-”

“Get this work out in, I see that. Um, I'm just gonna grab some water and I'm gonna head in and shower before it gets late.” I interjected, as I darted to the kitchen.

I got my water and before I was able to enter the bathroom, he gently pulled my arm. “By the way Court,” He put down a dumbbell that he was holding in his other hand. “I ordered some Chinese food on ‘Postmates’ and, yes, I made sure to order you extra ramen.” I grinned at him.

“Thank you, frog legs.” He smiled at the use of the old nickname I used to call him. 

“Eh no problem.” He lifted his muscle tank to wipe the sweat off of his forehead giving me a quick glimpse of his abs. I bit the inside of my cheek to stop myself from blushing and, god forbid, making a sound.

I hated that being around him made me feel and act this way! I especially hated it because…well, because I could do jack shit about it.

I smiled and stumbled out of the room into the shower and took a shuddering breath. I stripped off my clothes and turned on the water and stepped inside.

I let the water from the shower head wash over me, soaking me from head to toe, and I grabbed my loofah and my soap.

I covered the loofah in soap and worked it into a lather as I softly scrubbed my skin, gently trying to cleanse and distract myself from the desire and overwhelming feelings that have been eating me alive for weeks- or…if we're being honest…years.

I could try to suppress the emotions, sure, but the closer he was, and the more attraction I felt, the more complicated that became.

I have never felt this much towards anyone. Ever.

I closed my eyes and breathed in the steam that had formed in the room. I let my hand wander along with my thoughts.

I thought about him and how thoughtful and beautiful he was…

“No hey- I got it.”

“Trust me, you look great.”

“Let me help you, Court.”

“You know, I love…making you laugh.”

Those words…and everything he did for me…I felt taken care of and loved…unconditionally so. 

Waking up and seeing him everyday, seeing his eyes, hearing his laugh, feeling his skin- I couldn't resist the need he made me feel.

A crazier woman would jump him at the first given opportunity and throw all caution to the wind- and I was crazy, sure…but I was terrified more than anything.

I thought of his lips as I ran my hand down my chest, dreamed of his fingers as I leaned against the cold tile wall, yearned for his body as I bit my lip and slowly inched my hand closer to the apex of my thighs when, finally-

*[KNOCK]*

*[KNOCK]*

*[KNOCK]*

“Court! Just letting you know, food's here!” He called through the door.

Holy shit-

“Oh um- ok thank you! I- I'll be out in a bit!” I said, jolting myself straight.

“Oh yeah no worries! I'm not done working out, so take your time!” 

Holy shit was I really about to do that? Was I that shameless?

I felt like not even the longest shower could make me feel clean. I was about to cross a huge line. I mean friends don't fucking touch themselves thinking about other friends!

And that's when I realized…he wasn't my friend.

In fact…I don't think Shayne had been my friend for a while

__________________________

*End of Flashback/Courtney POV*

I tried to shake off that memory and focus on him right now.

But I couldn't focus on his words much…all I could focus on was his arm behind his head, his chest shaking with his light laughter, his strong parted legs, and his lips wrapping around the rim of his wine glass.

Yeah…alcohol wasn't enough to numb these feelings. In fact it's making me scarily aware of them.

I also noticed that this was our first time drinking together since…

Since Australia…..

Now that trip changed the way I saw Shayne Topp forever…..

__________________________

*Shayne POV*

I was feeling pretty buzzed after a couple glasses of wine and I felt like that filter that most people have that stops them from acting like a dumbass was slowly melting away.

“No but listen- listen! Ok…” I slur out and stand up “so, we're all playing darts right? We're planning darts, and we're all different characters and it's- we're playing and we follow the rules! But it's like funny, you know?”

Courtney giggles. “Ok bud I think you've had enough.” “Oh for sure, but it's still a good idea!” I say sitting back down. 

“Ugh, I need to drink some water or else I'm gonna be hungover as fuck tomorrow.” I reach over to the table and pour some water into a cup.

“Look, as someone who's done embarrassing things in the past for others' entertainment, I support this insane video idea of yours, but-”

“Oh shut up you wore an ‘I Heart Johnny’ bracelet in middle school.” I interrupted referencing the cringy confession she made in the podcast episode we had shot before we decided to quarantine together.

She made a shocked face and I smiled. “What? You said it yourself!”

“Yeah, but- I- I- ughhh.” She stuttered out and smacked my arm. 

“Hey! Hey! Ow! I don't remember signing up to be your new punching bag- ow!” I exaggerated 

“Oh come on, you're telling me you keep pushing me to work out my arms but you don't want me to use these guns?” She said, flexing her growing biceps and I chuckled.

“Dude, honestly I think you're giving me a run for my money- no cap.” I said in the most ‘gym bro’ voice I could muster.

She scoffed and I drank more of my water when she suddenly said “Oh please. My arms or Ian's will to live: which one will break first?” She joked and I spit out my water, cackling. 

“Holy shit Court!” I coughed a bit.

“What? If he were here with us he would be laughing his ass off!” Yeah, she had a point.

“I wasn't aware we were playing ‘Try Not To Laugh’ drunk edition.” Courtney grabbed some napkins and leaned in to help me dry my shirt.

I was trying to calm my laughter when I felt her hands press firm cleaning strokes on my chest. I just had a small wet spot on my cotton undershirt but she looked determined to dry it up the best she could.

“I'm sorry.” She mumbled lightheartedly.

“No, Court relax. It's just water.” I told her.

“Yeah but…still.” She kept scrubbing. “This is literally the second time I've made you spill on yourself.” She chuckled and I shook my head.

“Heh…yeah. You and your tiny fists of fury.” I mumbled, as I felt my jaw tighten slightly at the memory.

__________________________

*Flashback to about a week ago*

That day I had woken up and decided to make a couple omelets before Courtney woke up. 

And I think after about 20 minutes she stepped into the kitchen wearing short shorts and a big sleep shirt with her hair sticking up every which way.

She looked stunning.

“Hey. Whatcha making today bud?” She asked, propping herself up on the counter next to the space I was working on.

“I'm making some omelets and putting all these veggies to good use. You comfy over there?” I asked her with a lilt of humor in my voice.

“Mmhm!” She said with the cutest little pursed lip smile. Sometimes I just wanted to kiss her all over her dumb face for being so precious for no reason. Honestly, who am I?

We chatted, I gave her a cup of coffee, she helped me whisk some ingredients, and we just spent some quiet time together.

“So, our podcast episode is coming out soon.” She mentioned, sneaking a strawberry out of a bowl next to hee and taking a bite.

I quirked an eyebrow. “Oh! Really? Damn I forgot honestly. It seems like we shot it forever ago.” Courtney nodded.

“I know. And to think that was the reason I asked you to come over here. Big mistake.” She quipped sarcastically.

“Oh ha ha.” I deadpanned. “No but honestly, why me? I mean, I get not asking Liv because she has Sam, and maybe not asking Keith because he likes his alone time but, Vee’s alone, so is Jackie. Why me?”

“Well because, I love Jackie but we're still new friends you know? And remember Vee and I were roommates for a month a while back while she was looking for a new place and that was extremely fun, but we never got anything done! It was like a permanent sleepover. So…you know…after we filmed the podcast I realized that…” She looked down.

“I realized that this could be…good. That we could be good for each other. And you're like my own personal trainer slash therapist so really it was all just convenience.” She waved her hand to try and make the statement sound casual.

“Aw…Court! You missed me so much, that's so cute!” I teased her as she fake punched my shoulder.

I was holding a cup orange juice and when her fist made contact I stumbled back a bit and accidentally spilled juice on my shirt.

“Oh shit, Shayne I'm sorry!” She was quick to squeak out an apology but I just giggled and got some paper towels and dampened them.

“Court it's fine-”

“No, it's not, come here!” She pulled me to stand between her legs, took the paper towels from my hand and put her hand under the stained fabric before starting to try and get the stain out. 

It was addictive, being that close to her, seeing her care so much- I let my eyes fall to her eyelashes and her lips, and then her hands on my shirt and against my chest. The inside of my arms brushed her knees that were set loosely on each of my sides.

The sleeve of her baggy shirt fell to expose her shoulder. I tried to focus on connecting the freckles that she has there. They're like little stars. I could spend hours tracing them if she let me.

I'd spend a lifetime memorizing each and every one if I had the chance.

“There. I think that's good.” She looked up at me and I stared back at her. Without breaking eye contact I carefully pulled up her sleeve and let my fingers linger on her neck.

I could've sworn I felt her shiver a bit. I didn't notice that as she was wiping my shirt she had scooted over to the edge of the countertop and our chests were almost flush against each other. The barely there touches she had given me were making me feel lightheaded and I made a point to keep my hips away from hers.

“I…-” She started to speak before looking over my shoulder towards the stove and her eyes widened. “Shayne, the omelets!” 

I looked behind me and the omelets were charred and there was smoke flowing upwards. “Oh fuck!”

I ran to turn off the stove and Courtney hopped off the counter to help me fan out the smoke. We laughed as we shook our heads and decided to screw it and order takeout.

__________________________

*End of Flashback*

Courtney crumpled up the napkins she used to clean me up and leaned back drinking some fruit punch to try and balance out the alcohol.

“Ok! I have an idea!” She said suddenly.

“Alright shoot!” I turned my head over to look at her. 

“Ok, how about we play a game of rapid fire 20 questions? We each ask each other 20 questions and we answer with the first thing that comes into our heads! If one of us refuses to answer you have to take a shot as punishment and the other person wins.”

I took a breath. 

“Deal.”

“Ok! Dream celebrity hookup and be honest!” She started.

“Brittany Murphy if she were still alive. Did you break anything during the ‘Defy’ riots?” I challenged.

“I threw a chair and helped draw a huge dick on a wall. Did you enjoy filming the ‘Kiss Currency’ video?” She smirked.

“Anthony is a gentle lover, so I can't complain. Did you enjoy writing the ‘Kiss Currency’ video? I shot back.

“Of course! I got to make Ian and Anthony kiss! Do you wish you had a bigger role in ‘Goldbergs’?” She raised an eyebrow.

“No, I'm actually cool with the amount of work they've given to me. Do you purposely post so many pictures of your butt?” I joke.

“I'm usually covered, and I'm proud of what I'm working with, so yes! What is your…ooh! What's your biggest regret?”

Welp. Shot time.

I sighed and reached over to grab the shot glasses on the table. There was no way I could tell her the truth because if I did, I wouldn't be able to stop.

“What? Oh come on! Shayne! No, we just started!” She whined.

“Court…trust me…I gotta drink this.” I started pouring the tequila. She had to stop asking.

“Oh, come on, Shayne, it can't be that bad!” She grabbed my arm and shook it a bit.

“Court…” I rolled my eyes trying to get her to lay off. There was only one thing I regretted and while screaming it at the top of my lungs would be freeing, it would also be the last nail in my coffin.

“Oh please, we all got regrets just spill it! We barely got halfway through the game!” She added.

“Courtney…” I warned. I couldn't say it. I couldn't say it-

“What? What are you so afraid of?” She asked jokingly, clearly talking about the question…..but that struck something in me. 

“You really wanna know why I can't answer that question?” I chuckled dryly. 

Shayne no. Shayne-

“I can't answer it because…” 

DONT.

“What?” She asked quietly.

Shayne stop it.

“I can't answer because…” I looked at her and held my breath. “You know what? It's late, we should get some sleep.”

I stood up and started walking towards the kitchen sink with the shot glass in hand. 

“Wait. What's that supposed to mean?” She said, standing up.

Fuck.

“Don't worry about it, Court.” I started washing the alcohol out of the glassware and prayed she'd change the subject.

“No, you can't just say cryptic things like that a- and- and walk away!” She stuttered over her words in confusion.

“Courtney, I'm not about to talk about this now.” I murmured as I kept my back to her hoping she'd change the subject. 

“Because clearly you want to say something but you won't and I don't want to pry but I feel like I did something so-”

“Courtney-”

“-I mean, did I do something? Did I upset you-”

“Court…” “-I just want to make sure we're okay!”

“Courtney!” I spun to face her.

Oh no.

“I'm not gonna answer the question because it's gonna bring up something neither of us want to talk about.” I explained looking down at the floor.

“I don't…I don't understand.”

“My biggest regret…” I mustered up the courage to look up at her standing across the room.

And before I had another second to think, I said it.

“Courtney, my biggest regret was leaving that night in the hotel in Melbourne.” Saying that felt like a ton of bricks being lifted from on top of me.

She looked at me and her eyes grew teary as she took a couple steps back. 

“Don't say that.” She shook her head. “Don't say that-” 

“Court-” 

“Don't say that because you don't know…you don't know how much that means to me and-” She took a shaky breath.

“You can't say that. Because this- you- you don't understand Shayne. If you give me a glimmer of hope…”

“We can't just not talk about it-” I pleaded.

“Shayne, if- if we talk about it, then what?”

“Then…we can finally figure this out and…” I stepped forward and towards her.

“And risk everything? No. No, I don't think so.” She wiped the tears that fell from her eyes. “Shayne- I refuse to lose you.” She took a couple steps back.

“And I refuse to forget the way I felt. Courtney, I refuse to forget the way you made me feel.” 

There's no coming back from this. The floodgates were open and if she wanted to know then I was gonna tell her.

“I refuse to forget the way you still make me feel.”

Chapter Text

*Flashback to Late February 2020, The TNTL Tour, Melbourne, Australia/Shayne POV*

It had been a couple days since we went to the zoo and now we were just focused on acing this leg of the tour. It was fascinating to see everyone perform live. Especially those that were trained to do so. Truly this trip has been something special.

We were finishing up soundcheck for the show later today. We were gonna have the weekend off and then the rest of next week was gonna be packed with performances.

Tommy, Matt Raub, Ian, Kimmy, Damien, Vee, Mari, Noah, Keith, Spencer, Jackie, and I were sitting in the green room backstage waiting for Courtney, Liv and Sarah to come back from getting us coffee.

Vee was doing some vocal warm-ups as Tommy took some candid behind the scenes pictures.

“Vee, for the love of god, can you shut the fuck up! I'm trying to answer some emails.” Matt said, slamming his keyboard.

“Do you want me to be flat on stage Matthew? If you don't like it there's a dressing room next door. Oh and for the record, shutting down everyone's pitches and ideas just to make more ‘punishment’ videos isn't ‘answering emails’- it's being an asshole.” Vee shot back, making air-quotes with her fingers.

“Ok guys please- don't start.” Ian stepped in calmly.

Honestly…I'm glad someone said it. 

“Come get your coffees everyone!” Sarah said, pushing the door open with her back while holding a tray of coffee cups. 

“We already dropped off the crew's orders so this is just for us! Oh and Ian, I brought you a gluten free muffin!” Olivia cheered walking with bags of food in her hands.

“Dude, Australia rocks.” Courtney mumbled out trailing after them while chowing down on a sandwich.

I laughed at the sight, her cheeks puffed out as she chewed, sauce smearing the corners of her mouth. 

“Beba, [translation: "Babe"] you got a little something- you know what-” Vee stood up to wipe Courtney's face with a napkin. “I'm never getting over how good you look with this hair.” She said, referring to Courtney's dyed red hair.

She did look beautiful. I mean she always did obviously. But you know, I liked that she was having fun and switching things up a bit.

“Aww, thank you baybee!” Courtney smiled. “Mm- Shania! I got you a sandwich too! It's chicken and veggies. Protein!” She opened up the paper bag she was holding and handed me the wrapped up meal.

“Thanks Court…” I smiled at this small gesture, she knew that I was going hard on the protein recently to bulk up and build muscle. It was sweet to see that she remembered. She's one of the few people I know that will actually listen. And I lov- um, I really like that about her.

We rehearsed and had an awesome show that night. The crowd was giving us all their energy and I truly think I'm starting to get why Vee always says that her favorite thing ever is performing live. It's truly…electric.

We were all in the dressing room freshening up when Tommy jumped up with his phone in his hand.

“Ah! Guys! Look! There's a super cute tiki bar like 3 blocks away from here! We have to go!” He said showing us the page on Google Maps.

“Oh I'm so down! Just let me go to the hotel and change into something more…more.” Vee added, winking a bit as Tommy bumped his elbow into hers.

“No, you guys, come on we can't get drunk tonight-” “Sarah please! We literally have the whole weekend off!” Liv interrupted in hopes of convincing our ‘Tour Mom’ to let us go out.

“Ugh, ok all in favor of going out for drinks- knowing full well that they'll be hungover tomorrow and will probably feel icky on Sunday too- Olivia- raise your hand.” She said, pointedly looking at the smaller brunette.

Keith, Vee, Mari, Noah, Courtney, Kimmy, Olivia, Spencer, Jackie, and obviously Tommy, raised their hands immediately. Ian and Damien slowly raised theirs and Matt just said “Ok yeah, whatever.”

“Shayne, what about you man?” Noah asked. I shrugged and said “I don't know…I mean I'm kinda with Sarah on this one and- aren't you guys tired?”

“Shayne please! You wanna know what ‘tired’ is? Performing an hour and forty-five minute long show with intense live singing and choreography all in 6 inch heels and sweating profusely in bedazzled spandex. That’s tired. Now stop being such a grandpa and party with us!” Vee interjected, grabbing my arm.

“Come on Shayne! It’ll be fun! And besides, who else is supposed to completely butcher the “Wobble” dance somehow if you're not there?” Courtney bit away a smile as she teased me.

“It was one time! God, you mess up a popular dance at an office party once-” “Once? Ha. Yeah, sure thing dude.” She walked towards me as Vee moved away.

“You're so fucking annoying.” I say, shaking away the grin that had crept onto my face.

“Yeah, well, annoying you is what I’m best at.” She winked.

“Jesus Christ get room! Ok- so everyone pick up your shit- if we wanna go out tonight we better go to the hotel and get ready. Especially because the ‘princesses of downtown LA’ over here take forever.” Matt Raub said walking between us and then pointing to Vee and Olivia.

“At least we try to look good…” Vee mumbled as he walked out of the room prompting Olivia to lightly swat her on the arm.

“Ok then. Let's go party people!” Sarah sighed, ushering us out the door.

That night we all changed into some more bar appropriate clothes. I put on some jeans and a graphic tee along with some comfy sneakers, knowing I'd probably be on my feet for a while.

Vee stepped into mine and Damien's hotel room wearing The outfit is a neon green two-piece sweetheart neckline crop top and high-waisted shorts set with matching strappy heels and a full face of makeup. Tommy walked in behind her in ripped jeans and a semi-buttoned up shirt.

“Do you guys have like, an oversized jacket I could borrow?” She asked. “So you mean a regular sized jacket on us that looks like it could swallow you whole?” Damien quipped.

“Exactly.” She said, rolling her eyes in faux annoyance. 

Tommy started spraying one of my colognes all over him before fluffing his hair. “Ok! I'm done! I'll meet you guys in the lobby!” He called, walking out of the room.

“Tomm- ugh wait up! We pre-gamed with the hotel mini tequila bottles- you get it.” The girl sighed, trotting after him while hastily putting on one of Damien's jackets.

Yeah, Tommy had the habit of wandering off when he got tipsy and then wandering back when he was drunk…somehow? That and finding the DJ booth in clubs and working his way in.

Sarah knocked on our open door in her rainbow striped long sleeve sequin jumpsuit with platform heels and hair pulled into a ponytail away from her face. 

“Boys! ‘You about ready?” She questioned, peeking her head in.

“Yeah, I think so. Shayne?” Damien answered, turning to me. He opted for a black long sleeve shirt and white jeans.

“Uh yeah! Just let me get my wallet and we'll be out.” I added walking to the night stand by my bed to grab the piece of leather.

We went downstairs to the lobby and there we saw Noah with a color block button up, jeans and sneakers, and Keith with a yellow tank top and a white linen shirt tied around his waist with some acid washed denim shorts and high tops. They were taking selfies as Olivia walked over to them in a lilac strapless mini dress and white heels with silver jewelry to match.

“Damn, Liv-Liv you look good!” Keith said walking over to her and then teasing her about sending a ton of pictures to Sam at home.

Ian walked out in a tour shirt, a jacket, and black pants. “Really, dude? You're gonna self-promote?” I joked.

“It's a fantastic selling strategy!” He smirked. We walked over to the group and Sarah asked “Ok who are we missing?” 

Vee approached us with her arm linked around Tommy's. “Just us, Spence, Mari, Kimmy, Jackie, and Court.”

“I'm here!” Mari yelled out to us in black dress pants and a blue v-neck top, as she speedwalked in her combat boots.

Sarah continued. “Ok so now we just need the girls and Spencer-” “Present!” The editor interrupted as he put his arms around Tommy and Ian. He had a vintage Pink Floyd shirt on and cargo pants.

“This is gonna be funnn…” Tommy said in a sing-songy voice. “Remind me to never room with him again.” Vee said, smiling as the tipsy man bent down to fondly rest his head on hers.

Matt Raub was in the corner by the front doors in a Hawaiian shirt and the same pants he had earlier. And by the looks of it he was having a really…..intense phone conversation as some of the crew that was joining us lingered awkwardly around him.

“Ok we're here! Sorry it's just I couldn't find my phone but we're good!” Kimmy said apologetically in a short blue floral dress and gold strappy heels that matched her hoop earrings. Her boyfriend Shane was traveling with us and, since he was Australian himself, he used this opportunity to show us around a bit. He had a black tank top and some jean shorts and flip flops as he greeted Kimmy by enveloping her in his giant arms.

“I swear ya'll need to start labeling your stuff.” Jackie shaked her head and patted her afro making sure every hair was perfectly in place. She had an orange top with a neck cutout on with some comfy striped orange and black pants and platform heels.

Then I heard it.

The best sound in the world.

Her laugh.

She walked over in faux leather pants, a mess top with a black bralette under it, and some red heeled boots that matched her red lip and purse.

I didn't even know why I was shocked. She was always a vision. But man, tonight…tonight was a completely different story. I wonder if this is what was supposed to be going through Prince Charming’s head when he saw Cinderella walking down the stairs at the ball. Except I'm no prince, and this isn't a ball, it's a crowded hotel lobby, and…the chances of us having a happy ending are slim to none. 

“Look at you! You clean up nice!” She said, nodding her head as she walked past me.

“Yeah well someone's gotta show up you know?” I kissed my teeth and put my hands in my pockets acting nonchalant as she scoffed and rolled her eyes smiling, before Kimmy grabbed her to ask for some gum.

Then we all left the hotel and took a couple cabs to the bar. It was subtly decorated with a tropical aesthetic and they were playing some pop music that got louder the closer you got to the dance floor.

Our group piled in and after an hour we all had some time to get comfortable, Kimmy and Kiana started pulling people onto the dance floor. Vee and Tommy bought a round of drinks and Spencer, being one of the few people in our group that didn't drink, ordered a huge plate of nachos for us.

Noah and Keith called the girls over when I recognized some song that was probably Bruno Mars started playing. Keith and Vee were dancing together and somehow they managed not to spill a drop from their drinks. Damien, Spencer, and Ian chilled in a booth with Monica and Garrett as Kevin, our other editor, showed them some memes fans had made with pictures of the show. 

Olivia, Jackie, and Lizzy spun each other and drank as Kimmy and Shane swayed together next to them. Marcus and Duran decided to take it easy on the alcohol and just laughed at the others' antics. Mari, who was now singing along loudly to the music, pulled a flustered Spencer up to move with her. 

Brennan took pictures of everyone and joked with Greg at the bar. Sarah had some fun and vibed to the music as she sent pictures and videos to Claudio back home. Jeremy and Patrick shuffled in next to her and they started laughing at something Patrick said.

As for Matt, he was still looking at his phone periodically as he sat on a bar stool, drinking a beer with a serious look on his face. But hey, that's Matt.

I was standing by the bar when I saw Courtney pull away from the dancefloor, fanning herself with her hand, and walking over to grab a drink and cool off.

“Hey? ‘You gonna be a wallflower all night or are gonna come over and dance with me?” She smiled around her straw, sipping her martini.

“Me? I thought you didn't want me to butcher any more dance moves?” I responded, reminding her of our earlier conversation.

“Yeah well…” She mumbled. “Woo! Ok I need a drink pero ya!” [translation: “like now!”] Vee huffed, perching herself on a stool next to us a tad winded. “Want another ‘marg’ babe?” Tommy asked with a barely-there slur.

“Yeah that sounds ok! Shayney? You gonna get your ass up and socialize a bit?” She craned her head over to look at me. “I literally just said that to ‘em!” Courtney chimed in. 

“See? Shayne, just indulge us for like…20 minutes! Then you can do whatever you want, yeah?” Vee prompted before Tommy abruptly shook her arm and shoved her drink in her hand. “Hot girl, hot girl, hot girl! Vee- hot girl at three o'clock!” He said hurriedly. “What? Tomm-” 

“There is a hot girl that hasn't taken her eyes off you in like 15 minutes- reddish or blondish hair, purple dress, half sleeve tattoo- don't make it obvious!” “What Tommy I'm just looking fo- oh. Ooh. Yep. See, Tommy this is why I love you.” She smirked.

“Vee but what if she's not-” “Court- her eyes haven't left my boobs in over 7 seconds- she's queer babe. Or just creepy. Either way…this could be fun. Don't wait up for me, kay?” She winked and walked over to the attractive girl across the room.

“Send me your location! Well if you two excuse me I have songs to request.” Tommy walked away leaving me and Courtney alone again.

I turn to see her already looking at me. "Are you staring at me?" "Sorry, it’s a habit. Staring at your dumb stupid face, that is.”

I scoffed at her remark as I finished my beer. Then suddenly an old Kesha song started blasting, probably at Tommy’s request, and she grabbed my arm and pulled me to the middle of the dance floor out of nowhere. 

“Court! What are yo-” “Come on Shayne! You owe me at least one dance! Please?” 

Well how could I say no to that. 

Then it all gets hazy. Keith bought everyone more drinks and everyone was jumping and dancing to the beats blaring from the speakers.

At one point Jackie, Vee, Keith and Mari did a sloppy yet shockingly good pseudo dance-off to a Pitbull song. Later Damien and Ian were dared to twerk which impressed all of us but also caused us to lose it laughing. And Vee most definitely left with that girl she was flirting with earlier. But not before Tommy suggested we go to another bar a couple minutes away.

So then our group- plus Vee’s new…’friend’- went to that new bar, which was more of a nightclub, but about two thirds of us were too far gone to really notice.

The sober ones kept eating and ordering soda and water to keep the rest of us hydrated. I'm sure it was very entertaining to watch us slowly realize that Australians don't mess around when it comes to liquor.

It was there that Courtney lit up as a Neon Trees song started playing. But not just any song. The song. We played the shit out of this song during our trips to Sacramento back in the day.

I matched her wide grin as I got up and reached the dancing platform in this club as fast as I could. We were pretty drunk at this point but, we weren't wasted.

“All my friends!” We screamed together.

“They're different people

Anxious like the ocean in a storm

When we go out, yeah, we're electric

Coursing through our bodies 'til we're one”

I sang in an exaggerated voice as she mouthed the words back.

“And why mess up a good thing, baby? It's a risk to even fall in love” She tried to match my dumb voice with hers.

“So, when you give that look to me” She giggled and shook her head, curling her fingers to beckon me closer.

“I better look back carefully

'Cause this is trouble, yeah this is trouble!”

“I said ooh, ooh

You got me in the mood, mood

I'm scared

But if my heart's gonna break before the night will end

I said, ooh, ooh we're in danger

Sleeping with a friend, sleeping with a friend”

Our friends cheered us on and some even joined. Then the part before the beat drop came in and she wrapped her arms around my neck as we jumped.

I held onto her laughing, as we sang/screamed into each other's ears until the last verses came on and she pulled her head away to look at me.

“If my heart's gonna break before the night will end

I said, ooh, ooh we're in danger

Sleeping with a friend” 

Her gaze was playful but intense and I don't think I spent much time looking away from her faded red lipstick-stained lips.

Until a very drunk Keith came over and hugged us “Y'all know I love you right? Like for real?” We smiled. “Yes Keith, and we love you too.” Courtney said, giving him a kiss on the cheek.

He lingered a bit before he walked away and little by little the night started winding down as everyone took cabs to the hotel- well except Vee, we'd see her in the morning.

Pretty soon it was just me, Court, Duran, Spencer, Matt, Monica, Damien, Kimmy, and Shane. But they wanted to eat a bit more before heading to bed so Courtney left.

Given that Courtney was rooming with Sarah and she was probably tired and wanted to sleep and Court was very awake we headed to my room since Damien was still at the club eating appetizers so we weren't gonna bother anyone.

We staggered into my room trying to quiet down our giggles. What were we laughing at? God knows. But I'm sure it was extremely funny. Or incredibly stupid.

“Ok! Ok wait- hoo…hoo…” She attempted to catch her breath without laughing again.

"Did it hurt?" She asked, finally taking stable breaths.

I smiled smugly. "When I fell from heaven?" 

"No, when you fell off that chair, dumbass.” Yeah….that may or may not have happened and that may or may not be the reason we decided to call it a night. 

Then we were laughing again.

We were still standing in the middle of the entryway in my room. She stood against the wall next to the plain dresser that held the crappy hotel TV on it. And I was standing right across from her.

“Hey thanks for…you know, helping me step out of my comfort zone tonight.” I said, hopefully in a cohesive manner.

“I mean it was really fun! Honestly I may have been wrong about your dance moves.” She nodded her head approvingly. “Told ya” 

“Dude we really need to go out more.” She brushed her hair out of her face. “I mean you know I'm always down to hang out with you. And you know, I guess assume my designated role as ‘bodyguard/babysitter’ when we go out.” I responded, still slurring a bit.

“Granted, tonight we were the ones who needed to be babysat.” Courtney added with a lazy chuckle. “Well! It's not my fault that Gin and Tonics hit a fuck ton harder on the Gold Coast!”

She pretended to kick me but her shoe fell off instead, causing us to laugh again.

The more I laughed the redder I got and the more she laughed the more her body became unbalanced. She was standing on one bare foot and red heel, causing a slight limp.

Suddenly she lost her footing and tripped off to the side. I rushed to hold on to her while she gripped onto me, still laughing.

“Alright, phew, Court- hey- you gotta chill out ok? I don't want you falling and breaking your neck.” I teased. 

“Ok hold on, hold on.” She put her weight on her shoe-less foot as she held my shoulders for stability, kicking off her other heel and groaning, slowly resting her tired feet flat on the floor. 

She kept one arm around my neck as she reached into her bag with her other hand to pull out her phone. One of my hands that was helping hold her up was still circling her waist while I watched her curiously. Then she starts playing an old smooth jazzy song she knows I love.

“What are you doing?” I questioned her, with a bit of a chuckle.

“You owe me a dance, remember?” “Well, yeah but didn't we dance at the club?” “Yeah but, that was more jumping and screaming than dancing.” 

She explained almost as if it were obvious. “You know something? I really like it when you're clingy.” I laugh. She shakes her head against my shirt under my chin, matching my small snicker.

“Yeah? I think we've both been pretty clingy lately.” She lifted her head. “Yeah, but…I don't know…this is different. This past year has been different.” At this point I felt like I was rambling pure nonsense.

“I think I like different.” 

She licked her lips and ran her fingers through my hair to brush away the strands that had fallen in front of my face.

“Really?” I raise an eyebrow, looking at her.

“Mmhm…” She breathed, dragging her other hand to the collar of my shirt.

I felt her slowly pulling me towards her as the song continued and we started gently swaying. I put my hand on the wall next to her head and felt her twisting the material of my shirt in her hand and felt her let out a small laugh. 

She played with the hairs at the base of my neck and I shuddered for a split second. Then I shook my head and met her eyes directly.

Her stare was hot, and it made me feel like a sailor being lured to his death by a gorgeous siren.

She threaded her hand in my hair and I let out a shaky breath at the feelings of her nails on my scalp. Feeling her breath mingling with mine was more intoxicating than the alcohol we drank tonight. 

Blood was rushing throughout my body. It got more difficult to breathe normally and I hoped she couldn't feel how tight her closeness had made my pants.

I leaned my head into the crook of her neck as she swayed with me, letting out full heavy breaths. I held her hip pulling her a bit more into me as the song got to the bridge.

One of her ankles was slightly locked around mine. I raised my face again and we rested our foreheads together. None of this felt like it was the alcohol talking.

She tugged on my collar and arched her back a fraction. Or noses bumped into each other and our lips brushed. I felt like I was a barrel of TNT about to explode.

I was the gasoline and she was a lit match. One spark and we would be engulfed in flames.

She gasped and I slowly angled my head to the right and the hand I had splayed on the wall slided up as my body completely covered hers. Courtney had the stretched fabric of my collar bundled up in her fist reeling me in. 

“I…” I exhaled.

She looked up at me with a look of both innocence, shock, and what could only be described as lust.

So, call me a stupid sailor, but I took the bait. And I was happy to.

I was gladly going to let this siren tear me to shreds.

*Courtney POV*

I felt like my legs were gonna give out at any moment. I had never been this close to him before but I fucking loved it.

I genuinely just wanted to dance…but now? Now I just wanted him. Nothing has even happened yet somehow I feel like I could come undone at the slightest touch.

My heart was jackhammering, my face was flushed, and my underwear was most definitely ruined. And the alcohol definitely wasn't the reason.

“I…” I heard him breathe.

I then looked up at him and his eyes were dark stormy blue and his pupils were huge. 

He moved his hand from my hip to cradle my chin. His thumb landed on my lower lip and gently dragged it down, smudging my lipstick. Or whatever was left of it.

Then-

[RING!]

[RING!]

[RING!]

The moment was over the minute my phone jumpscared us with my ringtone. He hurriedly moved off of me as I looked over to my phone screen. 

Kimmy was calling. Oh shit! I completely forgot that half our group was still out!

I patted down my hair before answering. “H-Hello?”

“Heyyyy bishhhh! So listen- we're- what babe? Oh ok! Yeah so we're about to level in like 15 minutes so I just wanted to ask you if you wanted me to bring you some food? Or a ginger ale for the impending hangover?” She said in a loud voice, probably trying to talk over the music.

“Um no Kimbo I'm ok.” I simply stated.

“Ok! Is Shayne with you? If he is, can you ask him?” She continued.

“Uh…yeah but- are you hungry?” I asked him quietly, covering my speaker with my hand. He shook his head and mumbled “Thanks.” 

“No he's good. Thank you though!” We then said goodbye and I hung up.

Oh. Right. Now we're back to that awkward feeling that always comes out when Shayne and I are alone for too long. It's been here since I had my health scare. And it intensified after his little graduation party that I set up……but this was just a crush. And it will go away.

I hate to say it but I've always had a crush on him. But he had a girlfriend when we met and I then got a boyfriend and we became extremely close. Things were platonic and chill for a long time…but this last year was complicated for me and…he took care of me. He didn't have to- but he did.

Then all those feelings hit me like a freight train.

It's times like this where I tried not to get my hopes up. Even if he truly reciprocated my feelings, we couldn't happen. 

Sometimes I thought ‘well, he's a guy and he's alone so maybe it's not that he likes me, it's that he likes the attention.’

But it was Shayne. Shayne isn't like that. And that's why I…liked him. So much.

“So…um…” He started. “I should…I should go. Um…it's late. I gotta…um Olivia wants to go to the mall tomorrow so…” I rambled as I grabbed my things.

“Right. Yeah. Ok um…let me…let me get the door for you.” I picked up my heels and my purse before he walked me out.

“So…thanks for…well- for tonight!” I said with a stiff yet sincere smile, alcohol still swimming in my system. “Of course. Anytime. Heh…” We awkwardly waved at each other before he shut the door and I stood out in the hallway.

I started walking away but something compelled me to stop. I had to go back there. I took quick confidant strides to his door but as soon as I went to knock- all that confidence was lost. Completely. I could've sworn I saw the doorknob jiggle but after I beat I just sighed and went back to my room.

There I found Sarah sound asleep in her bed with her jumpsuit crumpled up in the corner and an eye mask on. So I got ready for bed and tried to sleep…a task that proved to be extremely difficult with the feelings swirling in my chest.

The next morning I was shaken awake by a frantic Sarah.

“Court! Hey come one…I know you're probably super tired but it's serious. You need to get up. We all gotta go to Matt's room asap ok?”

She was fully ready for the day and barely looked tired. If anything she looked a bit stressed. She walked around the room picking up our dirty clothes from last night. She was stress cleaning. But why?

“What- why? What time is it?” I groaned.

“9:47. Now let's go!” 

I groggily get up and put on some sweats and take an Advil to soothe my headache. God damn you strawberry martinis.

We got to Matt Raub's room and almost everyone was there. And more than half of them looked tired and confused. Keith was sitting on a chair wearing sunglasses and his pajamas with Olivia’s feet on his lap. They both looked super hungover but I wasn't shocked. Olivia was draped on another chair, massaging her temples.

Damien looked mostly fine, given that he only had half a beer last night. Next to him was Kimmy leaning Shane as he rubbed her back.

Garrett showed up after us with ginger and lemon health shots for everyone to help with the probable nausea and drowsiness.

Jackie looked somewhat put together as she chatted with Greg, Marcus, and Shayne.

Shayne.

Oh no-

“God, I love Australia!” Vee said as she burst in the door, in the same clothes as last night, just way less makeup on her face and her hair was wet. But I wasn't exactly shocked given what I remember.

“Have fun babe?” Tommy said as he lifted his sunglasses to look at her.

“You could say that…” She walked over to Noah who offered her one of Garrett's health shots and some water.

“Did you seriously have to do the ‘walk of shame’ to my room?” Matt said, clearly annoyed.

“Ok, cool it with the slut shame-y undertones. And I'll have you know, I would have freshened up in my room but I got a text from Sarah that said ‘come back to the hotel. it's important. SOS.’ So…”

“Yeah Matt- why are we here anyway?” Mari said, clearly asking the question we all had.

“Sarah sent that text to all of you because…well because we have to cancel the rest of the tour.”

Then it was pure chaos.

“What?!”

“Why?!”

“What about the other dates?!”

“What happened?!”

“Ok guys- guys- EVERYONE SHUT UP!” Matt shouted effectively quieting down the room.

“Have you guys heard about this virus called COVID-19?” Ian broke his silence from a corner of the room.

“Yeah it's a flu-like thing that some people got in Europe right?” Noah questioned.

“My uncle sent me some stuff about it on Facebook but they started blaming gay and Asian people in the article so I stopped reading and blasted some K-Pop in retaliation.” Vee interjected.

“Right. Well some cases have been confirmed in the U.S. so-” “We need to go home before they close the borders and cancel flights to stop the spread.” Sarah interrupted Matt and showed us the email they got from ‘Mythical’.

And after some more protests, some people nearly in tears, and finally, acceptance, we all went to our rooms to pack and catch the first flight to California.

Later we ran back and forth between each other's rooms, packing, since a couple of us had borrowed one another's things.

“Who the fuck is this ‘Fauci’ guy anyway? And why didn't they stop the spread sooner?! This is beyond unfair.” Vee said, now in new clean clothes, sitting on her suitcase while Tommy walked around zipping it for her.

“I just want to know if Sam's ok- oh my god! Wait, how are they gonna film ‘Goldbergs’ now? How are we gonna film videos?!”

“If we're all gonna be quarantined I imagine everything is gonna be online probably. Like school and work and stuff.” Tommy added.

“I just wanna get back home and hug my Pinky.” Vee said, talking about her dog, with a sad expression. 

“Court? Hey? You ok? You seem really quiet? Like you've barely said anything about all this…” Oliva commented as she re-folded some of her clothes before stuffing them in her bag.

I looked up from organizing my toiletries. We were in Vee and Tommy’s room, picking up some clothes and makeup we had shared.

“What? Oh. No I'm just…shocked I guess. That's all”

“You sure? Because…last night you and Shayne looked pretty cozy…” 

“Oooh!” Vee and Liv said in unison.

“Don't start-” “Oh come onnn! Please tell us if something finally happened!” Vee said, grabbing my hands.

“Nothing happened. Nothing will…ever happen.” I said pulling my hands away and turning back to keep packing.

“But-” “Liv seriously. Don't ask because there's nothing to tell.” I recalled our stolen moments last night. His eyes on mine in his hotel room. My smudged lipstick on his finger. And him walking me out of his room.

“Then why are you crying honey?” Tommy said in a gentle voice.

Shit. I didn't even notice the tears that had formed and fallen on my cheeks.

“Did that dumbass do something because I swear to god-” “No Vee he didn't! That's the problem.” I sighed. 

“Look, all I'm gonna say is…I'm an idiot. He's my friend. God! Why am I crying!?” I shook my head.

“Because you're in love with him-” “No.” “You both are crazy about eachother- “Vee please stop.” I mumbled.

“This past year we've watched the both of you fall head first, and do nothing about it- Courtney trust me. ‘Friends’ don't have little movie nights where they end up cuddling on the couch and sleeping over so often that they have labeled toothbrushes at each other's houses. Everything about your ‘friendship’ dances on the line of being something more and- yeah. You're both huge idiots. Because everyone and their mother can tell at this point.”

“But it's not worth losing our friendship. Just…help me pack please.” 

Olivia came over and wiped my tears as the four of us hugged and finished packing.

Later that day we all went to the airport. I was sitting on one of the shitty chairs in the lounge texting one of my sisters when Shayne walked over and sat next to me.

“Hey. This is crazy huh?” He commented dejectedly. 

“I know. One minute you're meeting fans and performing and the next…” I gestured emptily to our colleagues and friends wandering around the terminal.

We both sighed. “At least we had one last night of fun before all this.” Shayne said, trying to see the brightside.

“I'm just bummed for all our fans, especially the ones who's shows were coming up.” I lamented.

“Ugh. Don't remind me.” He hung his head low.

I took a deep breath and figured, I don't know when else I'll get the chance to do this so…fuck it.

“Shayne? About last night-”

“What about it?” He asked abruptly.

Huh? Does….does this bitch not remember-

“You know…back in your room-” I said, widening my eyes to try and get the point across.

“Ohh! Yeah don't worry about it. I uh…I wanted to apologize because…well, I know we were both drunk but if I made you uncomfortable with how close we got I'm sorry.” 

Oh.

“No it's ok. Heh, yeah I just wanted to…clear the air.” I stifled out a fake laugh.

“Ok, perfect. I'm gonna go get some water- you want anything?” He asked as he stood up.

“No I'm…perfectly fine.” I gave him a tight-lipped smile as he walked away.

Well…crisis averted. 

Friendship saved.

And all the hope I felt last night was thoroughly shattered.

Then the quarantine routine started as soon as each of us got home. Ian was busy with meetings one day and we had to record a podcast episode one day over Zoom and luckily it didn't feel awkward. The physical distance and the notion of being filmed clearly helped. So much so that we started texting more than we had since our Aussie leg of the tour started. Like that night in Melbourne never happened. Like how we were before we almost...you know.

Then the FaceTimes started and then I asked him on a whim to quarantine with me completely forgetting the unresolved tension we still had. 

Yeah…I was still very much an idiot.

*End of Flashback*

Chapter Text

*Shayne POV/Present Day*

“I refuse to forget the way you still make me feel.”

There. I said it. Finally.

“That's not- no, no, no. No! I can't-” “You can't what Courtney?!” She started walking away in a huff.

“Courtney I'm not letting you walk away without talking about this! Cour-” I took her arm in my hand. “Why Shayne?! You did! You walked away! You apologized for that night! You literally blamed it on the alcohol! You almost kissed me and then brushed it off!”

“Yeah because I was scared!” I let go of her arm and sighed. “That day we left Australia, Damien grilled me on what happened and I couldn't bring myself to say anything other than ‘she's my favorite person and I can't lose her’ and I still mean that but Courtney- this is eating me alive. I can't lie to you, or to myself anymore Courtney.”

Now I was crying. Great.

“Courtney. I lo-” “Don't say it please!” She practically screamed. “If you say it- everything- us, our friendship, our workplace relationship, everything Shayne- it'll be over.”

“How do you know that?” I ask much quieter than before but just as emotional. “Because you're perfect! And I'm a fucking mess.” She walked past me again and leaned against the window in her living room that led to her small balcony.

“I…I'm messy, and I'm gross and I still get weird pimples in places they shouldn't be, and I'm overemotional, and loud, and I still call my dad over the smallest things. And this is why I need you because you're so…balanced. And I'm just gonna mess you up.”

“Courtney. I'm not perfect. God, if anything I'm even worse than you are. I…I've been hurt…and you know that. But I would never hurt you.” I walked closer to her but she put her hand out to create distance.

“But Smosh-” “What about it Court?” “We work together. It could get so messy-” “Vee and Damien work together too! And they're totally normal with each other- in fact they're still really close friends!” I protested. 

“They dated for 3 months, and they're breakup wasn't- ughhh! Shayne you don't get it!” She took a deep breath. “With us…it's different. And people are gonna notice if our dynamic changes and if things go wrong I don't want us to bring down the whole channel!” She rubbed her eyes roughly smudging her makeup.

“Courtney. We don't exist solely for Smosh's benefit. What we have, can be just ours if we want it to be.” I calmly explained. 

“But what if-” “Courtney enough with the ‘what ifs’. We'll cross that bridge when we get there. And trust me, if you let me, I will take your hand and jump off that bridge into the river with you.” I saw her smile a bit at this. 

“If for some reason we don't work out in that sense, I know that the connection we have is strong enough to survive. You'll always have me.” I added, desperately wishing she'd look at me.

“If we don't work out...I can't risk losing my best friend.” She whispered tearfully.

“Courtney. Look at me.” I asked her carefully, watching as her glassy eyes finally looked at mine. “Hey.” I smiled.

“Hi.” She croaked, wiping her tears. Her sad face was tearing me up inside. I also hated that I was part of the reason she was sad.

“Courtney. No matter what. No matter in what context- as friends or more- I will always...” I stepped closer to her, seeing her finally relax slightly. I let out a small laugh. 

“I will always see you at work.”

We both let out a teary laugh at that small callback.

“Shayne…I just don't want to disappoint you or have you realize you actually just want me as a friend or,” She started pacing, “feel stuck with me. Or make an impulsive decision because we're stuck together and…”

Usually I would let her ramble then calm her with my words. But I don't think words are enough anymore. It's now or never.

I had to show her exactly how much I cared about her.

So, with shaking hands and definitely terrified, I trotted over to her and spun her around to face me.

“And-” She gasped as I took hold of her face in my hands. 

She whispered. “What are you-” 

And just like that, I closed the gap between us and kissed her with everything I had.

*Courtney POV*

Holy. Shit.

That was genuinely the first thing that came to mind the second he grabbed me. But when our lips made contact…..’fireworks’ weren't enough to explain what I felt.

When I finally came to after a brief second of my brain short-circuiting I gripped his shoulders and kissed him back with just as much ferocity. It was a kiss born of longing, our pent-up emotions finally spilling over. 

One of his hands moved to my waist as he drew me closer, and I wrapped my hands tightly around his neck. Our lips locked and pressed against each other. Our kiss was abrupt, yet filled with a tenderness that made me melt.

I let out a soft moan when I felt a small nip on my top lip as I hugged him closer to me. But unfortunately air was a necessity. So we finally had to pull away, breathless, small smacking sound emanating from our mouths.

“Promise to just shut me up by kissing me from now on, ok?” I inquired dreamily. He laughed, showing off his adorable flushed red cheeks. 

“So….” I began. “So?” He quirked an eyebrow. “Now what?” I asked with a shrug. “Like…what are we?" "Stupid probably." He responded without missing a beat.

I laughed against his chest and he pressed a quick kiss to my forehead.

“Courtney?” He mumbled against my hair. “Yeah?” I was still somewhat breathless.

He pulled away a couple inches to scan my face. His eyes were moving all over my features as he took shallow breaths.

“I love you. I'm in love with you. And, I'm done pretending I'm not. So, I'm jumping off this bridge. Please tell me you're willing to jump with me.” His sincerity finally broke all my remaining walls down. His voice was trembling quietly with the weight of his emotions.

The words hung in the air between us for a beat, raw and beautiful.

I opened my mouth but no words came out. Nice work Shayne Topp, you actually left me speechless. I smiled completely dumbfounded as my hands clutched at his shirt, pulling him closer almost afraid he might vanish if I let go.

Without a second thought, I closed the distance between us, my breath catching in my throat. 

Our second kiss was a dance of emotions- gentle yet passionate. I felt tears of happiness spill and roll down my cheeks. His hands around my waist felt electric. I felt like my body was buzzing and my nerve endings were being set ablaze in the most stunning way possible.

In a bold move, I parted my lips ever so slightly, inviting him into a new territory we had not explored before. Well, not pleasantly at least. 

The teeth and tongue in our kiss for that EBE sketch was all for show, but this was as real as it could get. We deepened the kiss, each moment filled with the sweetness of our truth being revealed and the weight of our shared emotions. 

He hummed as my tongue brushed against his, and at this moment I couldn't care less about the rest of the world. It was all him

Our bodies pressed together, I was aching to bridge the gap of stupidity that had kept us apart for so long while I threaded my hands back into his hair.

"I love you too," I whispered, as we pulled apart. My voice barely more than a breath as our noses brushed.

“Holy shit. Oh my god.” He said, looking away for a moment. 

“Court…we love each other.” He said almost in shock. Was it just now suddenly hitting him?

I giggled at the adorable wide-eyed look on his face. I cupped his cheek and smiled fondly at him.

God, he's such a doofus.

But he's my doofus.

“You're so cute I can't take it.” I kissed his cheek, beaming at him.

“Will you- I mean I think it's pretty clear but- I just wanna make sure- um…do you- can I- holy shit why can't I talk-” Shayne took a step back and held my hands and he tried to get his words out. I'm sure I looked like a lovesick puppy at this point.

“Phew ok- Courtney Ruth Miller-”

“Full name? Really?” I chuckled, raising my eyebrows.

“Well, yeah it's kinda important so- whatever um- Courtney…will you- officially- be my girlfriend?”

I let my arms hand loosely around his neck as I pecked his lips.

“Abso-freaking-lutely” We both beamed at each other.   

Finally. 

It felt like 20 tons had been lifted from my chest and I could breathe again.

I couldn't describe it in any other way other than, simply put- we were giddy little bitches.

Later that night we were cleaning up, now fully sober, and still riding the high of being…together.

I swear I was feeling like a pathetic teenage girl again and I would squeal into the nearing pillow but my current roommate is my boyfriend so that's a no-go.

My boyfriend.

Boyfriend.

Shayne was my boyfriend.

Eeep!

“Ok, I took out the trash. Need anything else?” He closed the front door while I loaded the dishwasher.

“Yeah, just one tiny thing though.” I put my hands behind my back as I took coy steps towards him.

“What is it?” He raised an eyebrow.

I grabbed his shoulders and stole a small kiss from his lips.

“That.” Both of us were blushing. I hoped to always feel this way with him.

“Alright. Well…I'm totally feeling normal about all of this clearly.” He shot out this little comment sarcastically, making us both laugh.

I sighed and looked down. It was extremely late now and I really didn't want this night to end…..but tomorrow was coming and if this truly isn't a dream….he'd be here, still mine.

“Hey? You good?”

“Yeah just, uh…I don't want to go to sleep I'm just…” I sighed. “...I'm just really happy”

“I know exactly how you feel” He ran a hand gently over the side of my face.

I step away for a bit and put the bottles of liquor back in their cabinet.

“Well…today has been awesome but the sooner we head to bed, the sooner we can see each other tomorrow morning.” He smiled and started walking away to his room.

Suddenly these words escaped my mouth before my mind could stop them. 

“Wait- um…what if- ugh- um we- er I mean- ok-” I laughed at myself and looked over at him. He had stopped walking and had a confused look in his eyes.

“I just can't…imagine being away from you again and- I just want to be close to you. So- if you want to obviously- I would love to sleep with you- actually sleep! With you. In my room. Tonight.” 

I looked awkwardly to the side. Nice work Court! You've had a boyfriend for not even 4 hours and you're already gonna push him away! Great-

“Ok.”

Unless…

“Ok? Are you sure?” I took a slow, wide eyed step towards him.

“Court, we've literally fallen asleep together before. It's no different.” He shrugged nonchalantly.

“You sure about that? Because last time that happened, if I called you ‘hot’ that would've been completely inappropriate. Completely true- but inappropriate.” I smirked watching him fight off a smile.

“Just…just shut up…” Shayne shook his head, grinning and flushed to his ears, then started walking again but this time…to my room.

We got ready for bed separately, him in the guest bedroom and me in the bathroom.

I opted for a baggy shirt that reached my knees, a tank top, and boy shorts. I washed my face and did my skincare routine without skipping any steps. I brushed my teeth vigorously and popped in a mint for good measure. Let's hope this stops my morning breath from being too bad.

I added some tinted lip balm and curled my bare lashes before leaving the room.

I found Shayne in a white sleep shirt and briefs folding over the covers on my bed. He left one of his hoodies draped where he was going to lay.

“Hey…” I trailed into the room. “The bathroom’s ready if you need it.” I plopped down the right side of the bed as he went to go freshen up.

I picked up my phone and marked today on my calendar. Our anniversary. I took a little picture of the empty space next to me with my leg and Shayne's hoodie in the frame. A little cheeky souvenir of today.

He walked back in the room and I put down my phone, setting it on the nightstand. The sight of him ready for bed, standing in the doorway of my room was enough to make me gasp a bit. The domestically of it all made my heart swell.

He gave me a tight lipped fond smile as he sat down next to me.

Then he laid down on his side facing me "Thanks for...you know..." He started. "For what?" I rested on my side, now matching his pose. 

"For...having me. For choosing me…I guess." He rubbed my arm and I scooted closer to him, making our noses brush.

"Always." I made a scrunchy face and he giggled.

After a beat of just staring at each other in comfortable silence, he reached a hand over to cup my face before raising his head slightly and planting a sweet kiss to my lips, his mouth tasting of minty toothpaste.

I smiled and with a small laugh, turned around pressing my back to his chest a bit and grabbing his arm, making it rest over my waist.

He interlocked his fingers with mine over my stomach and nestled his face into my neck.

"Goodnight Shania." I sighed.

"Goodnight Court." He gave my hand a squeeze and we quickly fell asleep. 

But I could've sworn I heard him mumble ‘I love you’ behind my ear. God I was so far gone for this man.

*Shayne POV*

That morning I woke up to the smell of coffee and Courtney's perfume in the air. But when I got to reach for her…she's not there. 

I can clearly see the imprint of her body on the sheets, so I got up and decided to follow the scent which leads me to Courtney, pouring coffee into two mugs.

She's humming to herself, her hair pulled back behind her ears. Her baggy sleep shirt was hanging off her shoulders, showing off those adorable moles I was so endeared by.

I walked over quietly as she poured a bit of sugar into one of the cups.

I wrapped my arms around her waist resting my head on the crook of her neck. She squealed a bit, clearly surprised.

“Shayne! What are you doing up? I was gonna bring you coffee in bed!” She whined lightly.

“Hey! That's my job.” I say quietly and kiss her on the cheek.

She turned around in my arms leaning in to kiss me properly but I dodged her. “Morning breath…” I weakly explain. 

“I don't care. Who knows? Maybe I'll like it.” She flirted as she pressed her mouth to mine. 

This was my new favorite thing. Ever. 

Kissing her? That made everything look so dull in comparison.

Kissing her was all I wanted to do.

A small sound escaped me and I felt her smile against my lips, making me laugh into our kiss.

“Mmh- ok, ok. Now scoot over, I'm gonna make us some breakfast.” I shuffled past her and started to cook.

The day went on and we sat on the sofa, sipping on a smoothie I had made us.

“Come on! Tell me! When did you start to like me?” I ask her smugly.

“Ok look- I always thought you were cute but I don't know…I guess when we started filming so much stuff together that first year I joined I…you know?” She waved her hands loosely.

“Fell victim to my charm?” I joked.

“Oh shut up! You were older and good looking- of course I had a crush on you! But you had a girlfriend…so I eventually got over it” She muttered that last part much more quietly than the beginning.

“How about you? When did you realize I was a catch?” She looked up and fluttered her eyelashes comically.

“I mean I always knew that. But I guess this last year made things way more clear in my head. And after that- it was game over.” She grinned and shook her head, sipping from her straw.

“Mm! But you should know, for a while- it was kinda hard to find you attractive given how annoying you were-” She smirked and my shocked face. “Excuse you? I'm not annoying- I'm hilarious!” I joked, raising my voice a bit.

She laughed and I went on. “I'm offended. Truly.” I lifted my chin and pouted, faking anger.

“Oh please! You were even more annoying when you would get all stubborn and cause us to get into little arguments where I would eventually prove you wrong.” She rolled her eyes a little and gave my leg a playful kick.

"Arguments? I prefer to call them debates. Sounds much smarter that way." I tilted my head, challenging her while she set her smoothie on the coffee table.

"Debates? Sure bud, let's go with that.” She nodded sarcastically.

“But I have to admit, I kinda like it when you get all passionate about stuff." She bit her lower lip, and matched my head tilt.

I huff out a quiet laugh.

"Oh, do you now? Maybe I should get passionate about things more often." My voice drops as my eyes land on her teeth dragging her bottom lip in her mouth.

"Maybe you should."

I move a bit closer, our faces inches apart. 

"Like this?" I whisper 

"Yeah, exactly like this."

I grab her face, setting my cup on the table next to hers, and capturing her lips with mine. 

It all started slow and tentative as she kissed me back, but soon she started pressing her lips more intently into mine, sucking my bottom lip softly, making me release a small groan. 

The spark ignited quickly- too quickly- and soon we were lost in the taste and warmth of each other. 

I wrapped my arms around her, pulling her closer until there was no space between us. Her fingers threaded through my hair, tugging gently as our kisses deepened, becoming more urgent and fervent.

The soft fabric of the couch beneath us seemed to disappear as they sank deeper into the moment. 

My hands roamed over her back, then down to her waist, circling her frame completely. I felt her shiver and press herself closer, her breath hitching as my lips softly moved to her neck, leaving a trail of gentle but fiery kisses.

A soft moan escaped her lips, almost spurring me on. I shifted, my body pressing her back against the cushions and her kisses grew more insistent.

Every touch, every kiss, seemed to blur the lines of reality. My hands gripped her hips, guiding her to straddle me as our kisses grew more heated. Our kiss broke for a moment and she grinned as she leaned to nip at my jaw and lap at my pulse point, making me gasp sharply, before returning to my mouth.

She could feel my heart beating wildly against her chest, and the sensation of their bodies moving together sent waves of electricity through us. 

She started to rock her hips gently against me, eliciting a deep groan from my lips. This was cloud nine. Seeing her holding me with this much need was beautifully dizzying. 

I could feel my pants tighten with each stroke of her hips. I knew she could feel me too from her low moans against my lips. The fire of the moment was almost too much to bear. 

Her fingers slipped under my shirt, feeling the warmth of my skin, while my hand found its way under her top, caressing the small of her back until I reached the sides of her thighs. Dragging my hand I slowly cupped her ass, giving an experimental squeeze. She moaned and moved one hand to rest behind my head as she licked into my mouth desperately.

The rhythm of our movements became more synchronized, each motion building the tension higher.

But I couldn't let this happen. I wanted her bad- but I didn't want our first time to be on her couch as a result of a heated make out. 

So I pulled back, breathless and flushed. Her eyes, dark with desire, met mine, and she looked at me, confused. 

"Wait," My voice came out husky, but determined. "We need to stop.” Worry and disappointment flashed across her face for a split second. 

"Why?" she whispered, her breath still coming in shallow gasps.

"I just want to do this right. This means a lot to me. You mean a lot to me." I explain, trying to make my breaths steady enough to talk.

“When…when we do, decide to be together, like that, I want it to be special, you know? If we weren't quarantined right now…I would've taken you out on a proper date.” I scoffed at the state of the world. She deserved the best first date and because of everything I had no idea when I could give her that.

“I don't just want us to have sex because we're horny, Court. I want us to do it because we've always wanted to connect that way…is that ok?” I explained as best as I could.

“I want to take my time with you…in every way possible.”

“God, how did I manage to get so lucky? You are the sweetest man I've ever met.” She giggled. 

“But you should know- you telling me you want to connect and you being this respectful…it's not doing anything to make me any less horny…” She said in a sing-songy tone, making me laugh.

"Good. Because I plan to savor every moment with you." I wink and laugh as she lets out an exaggeratedly frustrated groan. 

We shifted on the couch, finding a comfortable position to simply hold each other. I wrapped his arms around her, and she nestled her head against my chest, feeling the steady beat of his heart. The heated passion of our earlier moments simmered into a warm, contented closeness. 

We stayed like that, wrapped up in each other's embrace, enjoying the quiet intimacy and the promise of what was to come.

Hey, now-finally - we had all the time in the world.

Chapter Text

*Courtney POV*

These past couple weeks have been incredible. Possibly the best weeks I've had in a while. Or ever.

Shayne and I were finally dating and I felt so….light. It was almost like I had been carrying a ton of bricks on my back for this past year and now it's all over.

I could breathe easier.

“Hey you. What's going on in that crazy head of yours?”

I rolled my eyes and walked over to him as he sat on the loveseat in the living room. He looked just as at ease as I am. And he looked as beautiful as ever.

“Nothing just…happy. I'm happy” 

He smiled as he pulled me down to peck my lips gently.

“By the way, I wanted to ask you,” He straightened up and put his hands on my sides. “Your whole ruse for getting me to quarantine with you was me helping you work out and get back into shape since your surgery, and I don't think we've done much of that at all…”

“What do you mean? We've totally worked out together!”

“Um no- I've worked out- you were just in the room staring holes into me. ” He smirked.

This smug little bitch-

“Yeah, well…touché.” 

He stood up and gently rested his arms on my waist. “We should do it.”

“Huh?” I felt my voice waver a bit at the end there.

“I mean, yeah. We should work out together.” He shrugged nonchalantly.

Oh. Right. So, heh, here's a funny little tidbit…yes we're in love and now we're together but…

I've never felt more flustered and sexually frustrated. Ever.

And that's saying a lot.

Like yes, we're finally together and we can kiss, and hug, and get close to each other now but, ever since we made out that day, he's stopped himself from getting excessively physical with me.

And yes- he said he wanted to take things slow, but we can just make out! I think I've very clearly shown I have self-restraint….right?

“Oh…yeah that sounds fun! Just be warned though- I might need some extra help. I haven't really done much other than stretch a bit here and there and some squats, so if I suck…”

“Court, don't worry about it at all. We're just going to get you warmed up and back on track, nice and easy. Besides, I bet you couldn't keep up with me even if you tried...” he teased, giving me a gentle shove before striking an exaggerated pose to show off his biceps.

“Ask me which way to the library.”

I let out a playful sigh. “Which way to th-”

“Over there.” He strained his voice in a goofy way, twisting his wrist to point dramatically to the side while still flexing.

I burst into giggles as he started snickering at his own antics, his laughter, as always, infectious.

Later that day, after we recorded some VO for some videos, I meticulously folded and arranged my laundry, when a shirt slipped from my fingers and landed with a soft thud on the bedroom floor.

“Oop! Shit…” I bent over to pick up the piece of cotton off my bedroom floor.

“Jesus…” I straighten back up and turn around to find a flushed Shayne holding a plate of fruit.

“Hey. I was just finishing up some laundry.” I say, motioning to the pile of clothes on my bed.

“Yeah, I can see that…” His voice was low, almost a whisper before he cleared his throat. “Um, I was just going to see if you wanted some fruit slices, but if you're busy, this can wait- I can wait.” He trailed off, his eyes flickering with something unreadable as his Adam's apple bobbed a little.

“Um, if you could pop some of that on the fridge for me later that'd be awesome bud.”

He nodded and quickly left the room, walking a bit strangely.

Wait a second-

Was that- 

Was he-

No…

Unless-

*Shayne POV*

Well I'm fucked.

Yes, ok, I'm aware I said I wanted to take things slow- and I stand by that! But….arrgh!

I feel like a teenage boy who can't even look at a pretty girl without getting a boner! 

Now that I know what it's like to really kiss Courtney and really feel her close to me…

I feel like I'm two seconds away from punching myself in the face for basically acting as my very own cockblock.

But I'm trying to look on the bright side! Eventually this will all be worth it! All this built up tension….and ruined underwear….and not being able to kiss my girlfriend for more than 2 to 3 minutes at a time out of fear of getting hard and her noticing….

It'll all be worth it.

But it was so hard- pun slightly intended.

All I had done was slice up some fruit and innocently try to offer some to Court and what does this cruel world greet me with?

Ass.

Basically in my face.

Walking into her, bent over in those fitted sweats, made all the blood I'm my body rush to my head and down to my crotch. 

And it's embarrassing! The last thing I want to do is make her uncomfortable and the biggest reason I want us to take our time is because I don't want us to act on impulse. I need Courtney to feel truly ready. Years of sexual tension deserve a worthwhile resolution, not a hurried fuck on a random Tuesday.

But damn, the latter was tempting….

Truth is, I've always held myself back, I'm not the kind of guy who makes bold moves- literally ask any one of my exes. Even though Courtney is my girlfriend now and she reciprocates fully, I'm still haunted by the fear of messing everything up.

So now after putting the fruit in the fridge, I'm gonna take a cold shower and think really sad thoughts, hopefully curing my current…’problem’ so to speak.

After a while I sat on the couch and drank some coffee while browsing Netflix. Courtney was next to me scrolling through Instagram and reposting some memes to her story.

“Pfft- look!” She laughed, showing me a hilarious video Olivia had made and posted on her feed. 

I started to chuckle, the laughter gradually turning into wheezes. It wasn't until Court pointed it out that I noticed the coffee I was holding had spilled all over my front.

“Oh…shit.” I was still gigging a bit as Courtney looked around for a napkin.

“Court relax-” 

“No Shayne, it's a white shirt! Ugh, I just used the last bit of detergent too!”

I stood up and started “It's ok all I have to do is,” I pulled the damp stained shirt over my head and dried up the coffee that had reached my chest. “soak this in some warm water, dish soap, and a little bit of bleach and we're good! I will however order some detergent for us ‘ASAP’…”

“Uh huh…yeah t-that works.” She nodded almost absent-mindedly.

“You good?” 

“Yeah, you just uh…you should put a shirt on- so you don't get cold, I mean! Um, I will…take that,” She stood and took my crumpled dirty shirt from my hands “and…uh…um…I…”

I followed her gaze and-

Oh.

Ohhhh.

Oh-ho-ho…

“You know Court, my eyes are up here.” I teased. I'm sure my grin was splitting my face at this point.

“What? Oh- oh shut up! Ugh whatever! It's not like I didn't see you drooling over my ass earlier!”

“Ok in my defense!...it was basically in my face-”

“How was I supposed to know you were gonna walk in right when I was bent over! You on the other hand- are basically stripping in the middle of the living room!”

“Stripping?!’ Sure, yeah, whatever you say ‘hot pants’.”

“You- Oh!” She growled and playfully lunged at me, wrapping her arms around my neck. “I could be you up, you know?” I smirk back at her, amused “Oh really? You really think so?”

“I literally have-” “Sure...” “I have!”

I fixed my grip on her waist to hoist her over my shoulder.

“Ahh! Shayne! Put me down! Put me- you bitch-” She started gigging as I gently spun around a bit.

“Think you can still beat me up? Huh? Don't seem like you can- ow! Ow! Hey!” I lost some of my cockiness when she started delivering little kicks to my chest.

“Put me down if you know what's good for you!” She laughed trying to sound serious.

“What's in it for me?”

“Put me the fuck down and you'll see!”

“Well since you asked so nicely…”

I carefully bent over and placed her back on her feet, but before I could straighten back up I felt her smack my butt and why am I even shocked? I gave her an easy target.

“Ow, hey!” I exaggerated.

“Oh please, don't act like you don't love it.” She rolled her eyes and trailed one hand from the center of my chest to the back of my neck.

“I love you.” I murmured.

“Yeah you better.” She murmured back against my lips as our mouths collided in a quick but heated exchange.

I couldn't resist pulling her closer, our playful banter turning into something more intense as our mouths collided again. "But seriously, how could I not? It was right there…" she teased between kisses, a mischievous smile dancing on her lips.

"Mmm, just admit you were dying to do that…" I managed to reply with a grin, before losing myself in another heated exchange of kisses. Before of course feeling another ahem…situation- quite literally- arise. But before I could pull away and calm down-

“Mmmhm…either that wallet of yours is really making an impression, or you're just really happy to see me?” She smiled as she started suckling at my pulse point on my neck.

“God…” I let out a strangled groan and clung to her harder.

“My name's Courtney but, whatever works for you…” She bit my lower lip slowly as she moved her hands up and down my back.

My pants felt unbelievably tight and every part of my body felt warm. My most basic instincts were begging me to let her hands keep wandering, to just let go.

But no. Nope. I had to stay strong.

“Courtney…fuck- Courtney stop.” Immediately she pulled away, almost as if she had reached over and touched a pot of boiling water.

“You ok? Did I do someth-”

“No! No, god no Court…fuck hold on I need- I need to catch my breath heh…”

I shook my head and did whatever steps I could of my ‘cool down’ ritual 

Think sad thoughts, think about politics, think about my parents walking in and being extremely disappointed, Defy Media, Joven in a tiny bikini- 

Yep, all better.

“Ok sorry um…Court listen…I love touching you and being close to you and kissing you- but I can't- I mean I definitely can but like- I said I wanted to go slow but right now it's like- I'm constantly fighting between me wanting to do things carefully and not messing anything up and me wanting to do…you honestly!”

I let out a pitiful laugh and moved my hair out of my face.

“Honestly my self-restraint is-”

“Hanging on by a thread? Yeah, I know. Because I literally feel the same.” She let out a humorless laugh.

“Court…I want this, trust me I do. I just want do things right with you and…I don't want to do something and make you uncomfortable and-”

“Shayne. Believe me. If by any chance you do something I don't feel comfortable with- you'll know. Because I'll tell you. Babe, we have to talk about these things! Because what does bother me is when people shut me out. Now, how do you want to go about this?”

I gave her a small smile. “Babe’ huh?”

She scoffed and gave me a coy shove. “Really? That's all you got out of that?” She bit her lip shyly.

“I'm kidding…look,” I carefully pulled her to sit on my lap on the sofa “I want us to be honest and communicate, yes, but right now I think we should both agree- at least for these first couple of weeks- to try and control ourselves. I want us to at least try to have a first date and…after that…we can try and see what happens.”

“I like that idea…but I can very much control myself. You're the one that can't kiss a little without…” She raised her eyebrows and nodded down towards my crotch.

“Oh, no no no- you were literally all over me! Nope we're not doing this again.”

“Why? Because I'm right and you know fighting with me turns you on?” She gave me a sly crooked grin. I mean she's not wrong-

“You know what?....How about this- until our first date, until I can properly romance you,” I said in a dumb proper accent as she laughed, “we will try and keep things PG, and- to make things more interesting- whoever breaks even a little, has to pay for dinner that day. How's that sound?”

“Sounds like my pockets will be safe.” She pecked my cheek and stood up, offering me her hand.

“You're on babe.” She winked.

I took her hand and kissed it, maintaining eye contact the entire time and relishing the way she fought the blush rising to her face.

“Next Saturday, wear something comfortable. It's a date.” I stood up and walked away but before I closed the door to my bedroom to change finally, I called out to her. 

“And you're right…fighting with you does turn me on.”

Look, I never said I was gonna play fair!

“You son of a-”

Chapter Text

*Courtney POV*

Saturday was only 3 days away at this point and as of right now Shayne was really playing to win.

Like, really playing to win.

I'm talking he's walking around shirtless for no reason, instead of little good morning kisses, he's straight up grabbing me and planting one on me hard and fast, ‘accidentally’ brushing his hand on my ass if he's walking past me. He thinks he's so slick.

Well jokes on you Shania…two can play at that game.

“Baby, are we still up for later?”

I looked over at him and nodded. I had finally agreed to work out with him today and I'm sure he's already planning on showing off already. But I'm not breaking. If anything, I'm bringing out the big guns…

*Shayne POV*

Ok so I may have severely underestimated the things Courtney will do- or more specifically won't do- to prove a point….and get a free meal-

But seriously! I was trying everything! I'm starting to feel like those annoying fitness dudes on Tiktok that basically don't own shirts! And I know she can feel me brush against her went I conveniently need to pass by her.

I'm truly drawing a blank on what else to do. Not to mention our date's coming up and I've got everything pretty much planned but damn, planning a little surprise for your girlfriend while you're quarantining together in a tiny apartment is quite a challenge.

But hey, anything for her.

I had two videos to shoot today and after that, I'd get ready to help Courtney exercise.

I was fixing the ring light she had lent me as I prepped for my last shoot. Lucky for us, we had recorded a lot of content before tour, so we still had videos from old filming blocks coming out.

Suddenly I felt two slender, very familiar hands creep up and cover my eyes.

“Guess who?”

I let out a comedic gasp “Dad?”

She lightly swatted me with a playful snort “Oh- yeah, sure go kiss your dad then!” Courtney turned to walk away before I grabbed her and peppered the side of her face with kisses as she laughed.

“Shayne! Babe- stop!” I felt her giggle when I nuzzled my face into her neck knowing she was a little ticklish. Once I finally let up, “Are you done filming?” she asked.

“No no, I uh…I have one more video to film, why?”

“No, I was just checking. Also, have you…you know…told anyone…about us yet?” 

I shook my head. “I figured we would do that together. Besides, the right moment hasn't really come up and…yeah.”

“I totally agree. I just needed to make sure we were on the same page, you know?”

I nodded before gently kissing her- yes because I wanted to kiss her, but also because I'm running out of strategies to break her. 

But right as I was about to open my mouth and deepen the kiss-

“Hoo- Ok…um…I will leave you to it then!” She chirped as she practically strutted out of the room.

“Damn you Miller…”

*Courtney POV*

Shayne was currently cleaning and setting up some of the work out equipment that he had been using these past weeks. I, on the other hand, was getting ready….to win.

I glanced at myself in the full-length mirror, adjusting my neon pink sports bra and matching high-waisted leggings. A smirk tugged at my lips. This outfit left just enough to the imagination to drive Shayne crazy. Today was going to be fun. 

"Shayne, are you ready?" I called out, stepping into our makeshift home gym, which was really just a corner of the living room with some basic equipment like dumbbells, a jump rope, resistance bands and a yoga mat. 

He turned from his spot by the weights, his eyes widening for a split second before he regained his composure. "Yeah! Just…uh- finishing up some stretches. You?" I suppressed a grin. 

He was playing it cool, but I could see the flicker of interest in his eyes. "I thought we'd start with some warm-ups. How about some stretches?" "Sure," he said, moving to the mat. "Stretching is…important."

I positioned myself on the mat directly across from him, lowering into a deep lunge. I made sure my back was arched just enough to highlight my chest. What? If he could play dirty, so could I!

Shayne's gaze flickered to me for a brief moment before he returned to his own stretches, his movements a bit more rigid than usual. 

"Do you think my form is right?" I asked innocently, leaning further into the stretch. Shayne glanced over, his eyes lingering a bit longer this time. "Looks good to me." he said, his voice cracking slightly. 

"Thanks babe!" I replied with a playful smile, moving into a standing position and shifting to the dumbbells. 

As I picked one up, I made sure to bend over slowly, knowing exactly what kind of view I was giving him.

Bet he wished he had a plate of fruit now…

Shayne's grip tightened on his own weights. He was pretending not to notice, but I could tell he was struggling. 

Just give in, Shania! You know you want to…

I continued my workout, occasionally giving him a taste of his own medicine by resting against him at times or pausing in poses that highlighted my curves. 

And that's on revenge.

He gave me a tight smile, clearly holding on to his self-control by a single human hair. He helped me correct my posture and center myself, making sure I didn't strain or pull anything.

We moved to the jump rope next, and I started skipping, making sure my form was on point but also adding a little extra bounce to my steps.

And because he is truly, at the end of the day, nothing but a man, he started staring so hard I had to fight back a laugh.

"Want to spot me?" I asked sweetly as I lay on the floor with a resistance band. Shayne swallowed hard but nodded, moving to stand behind me. I could feel his presence as I lifted my arms, his eyes on me, watching every movement. "You're doing great…" he said, his voice a bit strained and his cheeks slightly red.

The back and forth went on for the next hour. The poor guy was so out of focus during his workout I was worried he was gonna drop a weight on his chest

When we finally finished, Shayne was visibly flustered. 

Mission: Accomplished.

"Good workout," he muttered, avoiding my gaze.

"Yeah, it was," I said, stepping closer to him. "Thanks for the help, Shayne. You really know how to push me to my limits."

He swallowed hard, his eyes finally meeting mine. "Anytime, Courtney," he said, his voice low and pointed.

I leaned in, my lips close to his ear. "Good, because I think we'll need to do this again soon," I whispered, before pulling back with a satisfied grin, softly pinching his cheek.

"Think you can handle it, big guy?" I teased, calling out to him over my shoulder. 

And damn, was I proud of the reaction I pulled from him.

*Shayne POV*

As soon as she said that I let out a muffled groan against my fist.

Just 3 more days. 

3 more days and it was over. 

She's gonna crack! She has to.

I mean really what else can I do? I've completely run out of new ideas! I've done all four things guys do to look provocative and I'm seriously drawing a blank here.

Unless…

She does have 3 videos to shoot tomorrow and I'm fully free after a meeting so…maybe it's time to do something a bit crazy…

The next day, I lingered in the bathroom while she sat on one of the chairs in the dining room, locked in on filming an episode of the ‘Smoshcast’. I could hear the familiar banter and laughter from her end, which made it the perfect cover for my plan.

I took a deep breath, ran a hand through my hair, and checked my reflection one last time. If this didn’t get her, I didn’t know what would. With a smirk playing on my lips, I slowly made my way to the dining room, making sure each step was purposeful and deliberate.

I wore a loose low cut tank top and biking shorts as I let my hair air dry from my shower. I didn't even acknowledge her as I walked in the room.

I could faintly hear Ian wrap up the video through Courtney's headphones as I poured myself some juice.

She finished filming and closed her laptop. “Hey. Whatcha’ doing over there?”

Alright, Shayne.

Game on.

Remember the plan: nonchalant and cool. She’ll be putty in your hands.

I casually sipped my juice, glancing at her briefly before looking away, as if I hadn’t really noticed her. “Hmm? Oh! Just getting some juice.” I replied, my tone as indifferent as possible. I leaned against the counter, making sure my tank top showed off just the right amount of muscle.

Courtney raised an eyebrow, her eyes twinkling with amusement. “Juice, huh? Ok...”

She’s already biting. Stay cool. I shrugged, taking another sip. “Yeah, gotta stay hydrated. You know how it is.”

Courtney chuckled, standing up and stretching. “Yeah, sure do babe.” She walked over to the fridge, opening it casually. “I’m thinking about making a smoothie. Want one?”

Smoothie? Ok now she’s definitely trying to break me. She knows how much I adore making her a good smoothie…..especially in the mornings…..when she's all groggy and adorable and I just wanna hold her and kiss her-

But no.

No, it's not gonna work. 

Nice try, Court.

I shook my head, keeping my expression neutral. “Nah, I’m good. Just had a smoothie this morning.” 

Courtney nodded, pulling out some fruit. “Suit yourself.” She started chopping the fruit, glancing at me occasionally. “So, any plans for today?”

Plans? This is a trap. Be vague. Be cool.

“Nah…” I shook my head.

Ok maybe not that vague?

“Oh. Well I was thinking we could put on our masks and go for a little walk around the block. Get some fresh air?” She suggested.

“That does sound nice…we haven't gone on a walk all week so…” I nodded “Ok then!”

“Perfect! Give me five minutes!” 

What I didn't know was that Courtney's definition of ‘a little walk’ was five separate laps around her building.

Five.

Separate.

Laps.

I was out of breath, hunched over, and I could feel my mask soaking up my sweat.

“Tired already?” She was running in place and shockingly calm. It was infuriating. 

“Baby, this is nothing! Like, literally the only kind of exercise I was allowed to do after the surgery was a bit of speedwalking! It's great for your circulation and preventing blood clots! Not to mention it gets out all that…pent up energy we have from being cooped up…”

“Court you- you know I- I h-have zero- goddammit- zero problem when it comes t-to-” I pulled down my mask to take a quick breath “Woo!- when it comes to running or ‘speedwalking,’” I said doing sarcastic air quotes with my fingers “but…my god- for someone that hasn't worked out in a while you seem in better shape than I am.”

She smiled “You want me to carry you back home?” She gave me a teasing pout as I glared at her.

“Oh ha ha. No.” I deadpanned “But you can get me some ice for my feet, holy shit.” 

She took my hand as we- in a much more manageable pace- walked back to her apartment.

As we finally reached the apartment, I dropped onto the couch with an exaggerated groan, letting my head fall back against the cushions. “‘Little walk’? ‘Little walk’ my ass…” I muttered, my breath still slightly labored.

Courtney laughed softly, placing a hand on my shoulder. “Told you it would be good for you. Stay here, I’ll get some ice.”

Once she came back with the ice pack, she wrapped a dishrag around it to prevent any burns. Then, she gently placed it on my throbbing legs.

I let out a sigh of relief, the coolness soothing the burning in my muscles. “Thanks, baby.”

She grinned, her fingers lingering a little longer on my ankle. “You’re welcome.”

“You know what this reminds me of?” She giggled before looking down at the ice pack in her hands.

“What?”

“Guess.” She playfully narrowed her eyes at me before looking down again.

“Last year….’Summer Games’....paintball....”

Oh. Yeah…that day…that day was definitely something…

“Right…we just need Damien having awful timing again” I chuckled at the memory of my poor best friend's face when he walked into the cabin that day…

“You know…I used to be really grossed out by the smell of arnica ointment but…after that day…” She carefully moved the ice around. “I would sometimes smell it because…up until that point, that was the closest we had ever gotten and, I don't know, I guess I'm really fond of the meaning it holds for us now.”

She laughed to herself. “Sorry if that's stupid.”

“It's not stupid…I get it. Believe me.”

Without thinking, I reached out, his fingers brushing against her wrist. Courtney looked up at me, her smile fading into something more serious, more intense. My breath caught in his throat.

Her gaze bore into me through her lashes, the passion and intensity of her look mixed with a bit of nervousness took me right back to that blazing summer afternoon. 

“Is green still your favorite color? Her voice almost timid as she spoke.

“Always will be.” I croaked out.

And just like that, I pulled her to me.

Bet? What bet?

As our lips met, Shayne felt a wave of heat surge through me, my body responding to the closeness I'd been resisting for days. 

I guided her to sit on my lap, straddling my sides so I could kiss her properly.

The kiss deepened, my hand sliding from her neck to the small of her back, pulling her flush against me.

The soft pressure of her body against mine, combined with the warmth of her lips, sent a rush of arousal through me that I foolishly hadn’t anticipated.

Courtney’s fingers tangled in my hair, her breath hitching as she kissed me back with equal intensity. I could feel the tension in my muscles easing, replaced by a different kind of tension, one that coiled low in my stomach and made my pulse race.

My hands roamed, fingers grazing the bare skin of her waist where her shirt had ridden up slightly, and I let out a low, involuntary groan against her lips.

But just as I was about to deepen the kiss further, Courtney suddenly pulled back, placing a firm hand on my chest. 

I blinked in surprise, my mind hazy with desire as I tried to focus on her face.

“Whoa! Easy there, tiger.” She teased, a playful grin spreading across her lips as she leaned back slightly, still keeping her hand on my chest to create some distance between them.

I swallowed hard, trying to rein in the heat coursing through my veins. “Court…” My voice was husky, betraying just how affected I was.

But Courtney’s grin only widened, her eyes sparkling with triumph and her forehead resting against mine. “Looks like I win.” she teased, her breath still coming in short gasps.

“Wha- oh. Shit.” I glanced down and sure enough- I failed at keeping things PG. And since I tried not to get worked up all week everything came rushing back with a vengeance. A vengeance that she could clearly feel under her.

“Just so we're clear- I meant everything I said. The fact that it made you horny is not on me.” She defended.

“Oh fuck you.” 

“You will, just buy me dinner first.” She winked, cocking her head to the side.

My cheeks flushed as I laughed at her sly quip back at me.

Man, I love this girl so much.

“Quick question though. How are you when it comes to flowers and pollen?” I asked.

“Oh I'm good. I mean if I stick my face in a bouquet I'm sure I can make myself sneeze but…I love plants and nature- you know that, so I think I should be ok.”

“Noted.”

Little did she know I found the perfect place for a covid safe outdoor date….

Chapter Text

*Courtney POV*

I swiped on a last layer of lipgloss as I took in my outfit. I put on my ‘Smokey The Bear’ graphic tee and some biker shirts with my converse sneakers. And per Shayne's request I remembered to put sunglasses in my purse.

Usually I would call Vee or Liv for advice on what to wear- especially on dates- but they still had no idea Shayne and I were together. For all they knew we were sticking to our original plan: quarantine together at my house first then start alternating over to his place- platonically.

But clearly…the plans had changed.

And it's not like we don't want to tell people! We want to tell everyone! But…for a long time it felt like everyone wanted this relationship to happen. More than us. And now that's it's real…

It's not about everyone.

It's about us. 

And the minute that bubble pops things are gonna be extremely different.

Oh, an don't even get me started on the fans. They'd lose it if they somehow found out. And while that's so sweet and I get it, I'm not ready to deal with all that commotion and neither is Shayne. 

We also just don't want people to look at us differently. We're still ‘Shayne and Courtney’. Even if the ‘and’ holds so much more weight now.

“Babe? You about ready?” I hear Shayne call out from the living room.

“Yeah! I'll be right there!”

I race out, my tote bag in hand and see Shayne holding two stuffed duffle bags in each arm along with a backpack already strapped to his back.

“Are you taking me on a date or a 2 day expedition?”

“Call me exaggerated but I like being prepared!” 

I shook my head and took him in. He was wearing a tan snapback and a black ‘Broncos’ shirt with cuffed jeans (of course) and slightly less beat up converse. He also had some scruff growing out now and I prayed he didn't dare shave it.

What? His facial hair did it for me, ok?

“You need some help over there big guy?” I picked up one of the duffle bags and slung it over my shoulder with a slight groan.

“Damn, what are you bringing dude?” I laughed at the heavy load now on my back.

“Don't worry about it,” He gave me a peck. “Let's just get in the car, ok? Adventure awaits!” He called as I followed him, smiling.

_______________________________________

The car ride was filled with laughter and stolen glances as we sang along to the songs on the radio before putting on Vee’s latest album, letting the music blare from our rolled down windows.

Nothing about this was nerve-wracking- only exciting. The thought of feeling so alive and in love in the middle of a literal plague was so ironic.

But it was true. And I felt, maybe truly for the first time, like I understood what ‘no pressure’ meant in a relationship.

“Ok, so, we're here but, I have to get some things sorted first and then I'll come get you. Got it?” Shayne asked as he grabbed the backpack and one of the duffle bags from the backseat.

We had driven about 45 minutes- 20 of those being thanks to the lovely LA traffic- over to what a mountainous area right in the middle of the city. I didn't recognize the path he took but the shapes looked somewhat familiar.

A couple of minutes later, he came back, and even though he tried to protest, I insisted on helping with the remaining bag. We compromised by letting him carry my purse, so he could still feel like a gentleman.

Then I saw it.

I knew I recognized those mountains!

This is the spot we would usually go to for a hike, usually with Olivia and Ian, but sometimes just on our own.

Granted, back then, those hikes felt slightly more stressful because of the intense mutual pining…well you know.

My mouth widened slightly in recognition when suddenly, Shayne had led me down a path that I hadn’t seen before, one slightly off the main trail, and as we walked, I couldn’t help but feel a flutter of anticipation. 

Shayne glanced over his shoulder, a playful smirk on his face. "No peeking yet! I want it to be a surprise."

I laughed, covering my eyes with my hands dramatically. "I don’t even know where I’m going, so no worries there!" He guided me with a gentle hand on my waist.

Finally, Shayne came to a stop and carefully took my hands away from my face and I heard him take a breath. “Okay, open your eyes.”

I opened them and gasped. We were standing in the middle of a vast poppy field, the vibrant red flowers stretching out as far as the eye could see. In the center of the field was a cozy picnic setup- complete with a checkered blanket, a basket overflowing with food, and even a few scattered pillows for extra comfort. 

“Shayne…” My voice was soft, touched by the effort he had put into planning this. “This is beautiful.”

Shayne grinned, clearly pleased with himself. “Well, I figured if we’re going to have our first official date, it should be something special. Plus, it’s not like we can go to a crowded restaurant right now.” He mumbled that last part as we walked to the little set-up.

I stepped closer to the blanket, my fingers brushing over the soft fabric. “You really thought of everything, huh?”

“Of course!” Shayne said, puffing out his chest in mock pride. “I even made sure to pack your favorite snacks.”

I raised an eyebrow, a teasing glint in my eye. “Oh really? Did you remember the white cheddar popcorn?” Shayne froze for a moment, then quickly turned to rummage through the backpack. “Uh…maybe?” He pulled out a bag triumphantly. “Yes! I got it!”

I couldn’t help but laugh as I flopped down onto one of the pillows, pulling him down beside me. “You know me too well.”

Shayne settled in beside me, our shoulders brushing as we both took in the view. “That’s kind of the point, right? I’ve always known you… I just finally get to do this without pretending it’s all just friendly.”

I smiled, my heart swelling as I looked at him. “Yeah, no more pretending.”

We shared a comfortable silence for a moment, letting the peace of the poppy field envelop us. Then Shayne glanced over at me, a softness in his eyes that made my heart skip a beat. 

“You told me once that you loved poppies when you were a kid,” He said, his voice quiet, “that you used to imagine finding a whole field of them. I remember you looking out at this spot a few times when we hiked here before. The poppies were never quite in season but still, you always got this look in your eyes, like you were picturing it filled with poppies instead of just the usual greenery.” 

My breath caught in my throat as his words sank in. I had mentioned that to him years ago, during one of our late-night talks. It was a random memory, one I didn’t even think he’d remember. 

But here we were, standing in the middle of that very dream, and it was even more beautiful than I’d ever imagined. “You did all this for me?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

“Of course,” he replied, his tone equally gentle. “I wanted this to be special for our first date. Something that meant something to you.”

I felt a lump in my throat as I turned to face him, my eyes brimming with tears I hadn’t expected. “Shayne, I…I don’t even know what to say.”

He stepped closer, his hand reaching up to brush a strand of hair behind my ear. “You don’t have to say anything, Court. I just wanted to give you something special for both of us.”

I laughed lightly, blinking back the tears. “You’ve definitely done that. This is…it’s perfect.”

"You're perfect." He whispered.

Before I could respond, he leaned in, and our lips met in a soft, passionate kiss. It was brief, but full of emotion, leaving us both breathless when we pulled away, our foreheads resting together. 

We stood there for a moment, just soaking in the beauty around us and the significance of it all.

Shayne finally broke the silence, a mischievous grin tugging at his lips. “So, ready to dig into some food? I might’ve gone a little overboard with the snacks.”

I laughed, the sound light and free. “Knowing you, I’m not surprised.” I plopped down onto the blanket, feeling the soft fabric under my hands as I reached for the basket. “But I’m starving, so bring it on!”

He had packed some fruit, sandwiches, and of course, his iconic homemade smoothies. He obviously didn't forget to pack other little treats to munch on later.

I grinned, feeling that familiar sense of comfort that always came with being around him. “You really did think of everything, didn’t you?” 

“Hey, I aim to please,” he said with a wink and a faux sultry voice, handing me a bag of popcorn.

As we started eating, the conversation flowed easily, punctuated by our shared laughter and the occasional teasing remark. It felt so natural, so right, to be here with him like this. What were we so afraid of all those years? 

*Shayne POV*

“...I'm serious! He handcuffed himself to the money as if that was gonna help!”

“Damien? Our Damien?” Courtney almost shouted in shock.

“Yes! There are pictures to prove it too! I mean luckily the police left after they realized we weren't doing anything illegal and the helicopter flew away right after but, still! It was insane!” My voice raised in pitch as I laughed.

Hours had gone by since our date started. With the sun setting and the sky turning orange, we just lounged on the picnic blanket, wrapped up in each other. We’d eaten, talked about everything and nothing, and shared a few kisses and of course we took a bunch of pictures. Her favorite was one of us standing up with the field as the perfect backdrop and the backpack as the perfect makeshift tripod. 

Mostly, though, we just laughed about the dumb shit that popped into our heads.

She burst out laughing, still a bit stunned, as I relived the most ridiculous college story ever. Technically, it’s Damien’s story since it was his fundraiser party, but since I was there, stone-cold sober, I remember every insane detail. And trust me, that was one of the rare wild nights I actually had back then, so it’s burned into my brain forever!

“That's crazy,” She brushed some hair out of her face and shifted to lay on her side, facing me. “I should be even more shocked but, let's be real I've probably done worse.” She giggled.

Her laughter was so contagious, I couldn't help but smile as I gently brushed her cheek. My fingers lingered, tracing the side of her face.

Courtney's eyes met mine, a playful glint in them as she tilted her head slightly. She gently brushed her nose against mine and my heart stuttered at the feeling of her breath hitting my skin. 

I leaned in closer, our breaths mingling, feeling the electric charge between us intensify as she traced shapes on my arm, sending shivers through my body. 

“Today was incredible…I'll never forget it.” She whispered.

Her lips parted in a soft, inviting smile. I couldn’t resist any longer so I pressed my lips to hers in a tender, lingering kiss.

She responded immediately, her lips soft and warm against mine. The kiss started slow and sweet, but as the warmth of the moment enveloped us, it deepened. I felt her body press closer, and pull me on top of her.

Our kisses grew more passionate, and I could feel the heat between us. My hands wrapped around her waist, pulling her closer. She gripped my back, clutching my shirt and balling up the fabric in her fists to pull me closer.

Our chests were pressed tightly together, as our lips and tongues moved in sync. 

I felt her heartbeat quicken, matching the urgency of our kiss. I leaned on one arm as she arched up, her body pressing even closer to mine. The heat of our contact made us both breathless, lost in the intensity of the moment.

I felt myself harden as she trailed her lips to press open mouth kisses to my neck. I let out a muffled groan into her shoulder and started nipping and kissing whatever part of her I could reach.

“Be careful, I don't want to have to buy more concealer.” She breathed out dreamily before guiding my lips back to hers. I smiled against her mouth as I felt her run a hand between us and down my chest.

I glided my hand down to gently grasp her thigh when suddenly, she spread her legs and hooked them around my waist, pressing herself against me completely.

I slowly moved my hand to her ribcage under the swell of her breast, stopping to pull back and check in with her. But before I could get a word in, she took my hand in her's, gently guiding me to cup her fully in my hand.

“Please…” She said in a choked moan, sliding her hand into my shirt to lay flat on my back. The warmth of her palms and the delicate scraping of her nails sending a rush of blood and heat through my body.

I took her in my hand and kneaded her gently, feeling the way her breath hitched as I did. The softness of her flesh, even through her shirt, was addictive, and I couldn’t help but lean in closer, pressing my forehead to hers as I focused on the rhythm of her breathing.

She arched into my touch, her lips parting in a soft gasp that went straight to my cock. “Don’t stop.” she whispered, her voice barely audible but full of need.

I dipped my head to kiss her neck, pressing my lips to the warm, sensitive skin just below her ear. She tilted her head to the side, giving me better access as she mirrored my movements.

The sensation of her nails dragging along my spine made my breath catch in my throat, and I couldn’t help but groan softly against her. 

My hips involuntarily shifted forward, accidentally brushing against hers. The brief contact sent a jolt of electricity through both of us. I felt her body tense for a moment, then relax into it, a soft sigh escaping her lips. Her hips pressed back against mine, the unspoken invitation clear.

I shifted my hips slightly, the subtle friction sending a rush of heat through me as she moaned against my lips. Our kisses grew more urgent, and I could feel her responding eagerly, her hands gripping my shoulders as if anchoring herself to the moment. 

Each movement became more instinctive, the rhythm between us creating a delicious tension. Her breath hitched as I pressed closer, my hips moving in a slow, deliberate rhythm. 

She let out a soft whine, her body bowing slightly to meet mine. The sensation was electrifying, the contact between us growing hotter with each passing second. 

My hands slid from her waist to the curve of her back, pulling her even tighter against me.

I rolled my hips, again, causing a moan of pleasure to tumble from her mouth. She moved hands down into my back pockets, hungrily pressing my hardness against her.

The heat between us intensified, and I could feel her pulse racing in response to the increasing friction. My movements became more confident, matching the rhythm of our escalating kisses. 

Her fingers traveling back up to tangle in my hair, pulling me closer, urging me on. The blanket beneath us seemed to disappear, leaving just the overwhelming sensation of our bodies entwined. 

The sighs we let out against each other and the constant push and pull of our hands was enough to make all rational thoughts leave my brain.

Despite the layers of clothing still separating us, I could feel every curve of her body pressed against mine. The thought of what it would be like to have her fully- without anything between us- flashed through my mind, sending a new wave of heat rushing through me.

I could almost feel the softness of her skin beneath my fingertips, the warmth of her body enveloping mine as she finally took me in, the way she would move and respond and sound with nothing between us.

I pulled her closer, allowing my fantasies to fan the flames. I was ready. I’d wait longer if she needed me to, of course, but as for me- I was done holding back.

I needed her. And I needed her to take me in whatever way she wanted.

She was tugging on the neckline of my shirt before carefully biting my shoulder and smoothing it with her tongue. 

The moan I let out at that action was downright shameful but I didn't give a shit.

“Fuck, baby.” I took her earlobe between my lips and gently sucked, relishing in the metallic taste of her small stud earrings.

Her hips sped up against mine for a second, hands still buried in my hair, before abruptly stopping.

Suddenly, she pulled back slightly, her breath coming in short, heated bursts. Her eyes were half-closed, a mix of desire and mischief dancing in her gaze. 

Her lips were swollen and the makeup around her lips was pretty much gone, her cheeks and neck were red and her hair was a mess. I grinned, sure I looked just as disheveled.

“Hey.” She said softly, a teasing smile on her lips. “As much as I’m enjoying this, we should probably head home...continue this over there.”

The playful suggestion hung in the air, and I could see the mischievous glint in her eyes. I grinned, understanding the hint. “Oh, really?” I replied, raising an eyebrow.

She nodded, her smile widening. “Yeah, let’s just say the evening has been... more eventful than I expected. And while the thought of us ending the night together, like this, under the stars is tempting, I'm pretty sure if anyone sees us we could end up in jail, so…”

I chuckled, nodding in agreement. “Alright, then. Home it is.”

We laid there collecting ourselves, and catching our breaths for a few more moments before finally getting up.

We gathered our things, our hands brushing occasionally and lazy smirks still plastered on our faces all the while. 

With the anticipation still fully there, we walked back to the car.

Chapter Text

*Courtney POV*

On the way home from our date, there were heated kisses stolen at each red light, our hands never wanting to let go of each other. We barely noticed the traffic, too caught up in the thrill of being so close, as if we couldn't get home fast enough.

As we walked from the car to the elevator, our quiet laughter echoed through the empty hallway. The moment the doors closed and the elevator began to hum, he caught my eye with a mischievous grin.

"Can't even make it to the apartment, huh?" I teased, but before I could say more, he pulled me close, our lips meeting in a breathless kiss. His hands slipped around my waist, holding me tight as I playfully tried to escape.

By the time the elevator dinged to my floor, we were both laughing. He spun me around, kissing my neck from behind as I fumbled with the keys at my front door, a bit too distracted by his ministrations. "Need some help with that?" He murmured between kisses.

“Only if you can behave.” I teased, finally getting the door open. He laughed, still holding me from behind as we stumbled inside, the teasing and kisses showing no sign of stopping.

I smiled, finally unlocking the door. And as soon as we stepped inside, he placed the empty duffle bags and the backpack full of tupperware onto the floor along with his hat, as l locked the door.

Then he walked over and spun me around, gently pressing me up against the door, his lips finding mine again. The playful teasing continued as he kissed me, his touch growing more confident. 

Each kiss was a mix of passion and affection, his hands exploring my back and the swell of my curves with a tenderness that made my heart race. His tongue tracing my bottom lip as I granted him entrance.

When he finally pulled away, his eyes locked onto mine, the baby blue of his irises was now a dark sapphire that formed a ring against his blown out pupils. His face and neck were flushed and I still felt him, hard and eager, against my thigh.

"You know…" He murmured with a smirk, "...this is just the beginning." His words sent a shiver down my spine, and I couldn’t help but grin as I pulled him in for another kiss.

“It better be,” I teased between kisses, “because I,” another kiss, “plan,” a deeper kiss, “to thoroughly enjoy you tonight.” 

I smiled against his lips as he claimed mine once more, his mouth trailing down to my neck as his hands firmly cupped my ass, pressing me closer to him.

He pulled away for a moment and grinned, licking his lips for a second before he lifted me effortlessly, wrapping my legs around his waist, kicking off his shoes.

This felt like all my wildest fantasies were slowly coming true as I circled my arms around his neck.

“I hope your neighbors aren't home,” He said with a mischievous grin. “Because I’m about to give this bed a serious test drive.” He stated, chuckling against me.

I laughed, a bit shocked, as he carried me towards the bedroom. 

“Close the-” He kicked my door shut with his foot before I finished my sentence, smiling while lightly nipping at my jawline with his teeth. “Door.”

His hands traveled up and down the sides of my thighs as I felt up his flexed biceps, whispering sweet nothings against his cheek.

His legs brushed against the bed frame as he gently set me down, noticing we had finally reached the bed. His playful smirk remained, and he leaned in for another kiss, his hands exploring my sides with eagerness.

I moved my hands to the hem of his shirt and tugged slightly. He paused, his breath catching as he looked into my eyes. 

“Wait…are you sure? Like...completely?” He asked, his voice low and laced with both concern and hope.

I nodded, smiling softly, my heart pounding in my chest. “I’m sure." I looked deeply into his eyes, gently placing a hand over his heart. 

"I really want you tonight, Shayne.” I whispered, brushing my fingers lightly over the fabric, testing the waters. 

He opened his mouth slightly, as if to say something, but no words came out. His eyes widened in awe before he closed his mouth again. He smiled back, his eyes softening with reassurance. 

“Okay.” He said, his tone gentle, encouraging me to continue.

With a tentative touch, I slowly lifted his shirt, my fingers brushing against his warm skin. 

As the shirt came off, I hesitated for a moment, then leaned in, pressing a soft, lingering kiss to his chest. 

His skin was warm beneath my lips, the steady beat of his heart strong against my touch. His breath hitched, and his hand came up to cradle the back of my head, holding me close as I kissed him again, my lips tracing the contours of his toned chest.

I let my lips trail down to his abs, nipping sweetly at the ridges and tracing his collarbone with tender kisses.

Shifting to his arms, I pressed gentle kisses and nipped lightly at his skin. As I traced the defined muscles, my heart raced, and for a split second, I couldn’t help but fantasize about what else those strong arms could do. 

I suppressed a giddy smile and planted a soft kiss to his biceps, savoring the warmth and strength beneath my lips.

His voice was filled with awe and tenderness as he murmured, “God, you’re amazing.”

I looked up at him, meeting his gaze, and smiled before pulling him down for another kiss. This time, the kiss was tender and slow, filled with a depth of emotion that made my heart swell. 

“You haven't even gotten me naked yet!” I teased, taking this opportunity to toe off my shoes and socks. 

“True. That’s true.” He nodded matter-of-factly before he leaned back slightly, his eyes searching mine with a gentle intensity that sent a shiver down my spine. 

“We should fix that, don't you think?” He whispered gruffly, with a sly quirk in his brow.

“We should. Oh, we very much should.” I laughed, tugging him to me. 

Slowly, his hands slid from my waist to the hem of my shirt, his fingers brushing against the soft fabric as he paused. His steamy gaze flickered up to meet mine, asking a silent question, seeking my permission before he went any further.

“Yes…” I said, barely above a breath, nodding, but as he began to lift my shirt, a wave of self-consciousness washed over me. Underneath, I was just wearing a simple sports bra- not exactly the most sexy thing in the world.

Feeling the need to break the tension, I let out a nervous laugh. “Welp, this is probably not what you were expecting.” I joked, tugging at the edge of the plain fabric. “‘Victoria’s Secret’ is probably turning in her grave.” I snorted.

He paused, his hands still on my waist, and looked at me with an expression that was a mix of amusement and affection.

“Honestly,” He said, a playful smile tugging at the corners of his mouth, “I think you could make anything look amazing. And you do. All the time. I mean I've never seen anyone look so hot in a bird costume before and yet you rocked that.”

I blushed, the humor of the moment helping to ease my nerves, but there was still, I'm sure, a hint of doubt in my eyes. Sensing this, his expression softened, and he reached out to gently cradle my face in his hands.

“Seriously,” he said, his voice quiet as his thumbs brushed over my cheeks. “You’re beautiful, and it’s not about what you’re wearing. It’s you- everything about you- that makes you amazing.”

He leaned in, pressing a soft kiss to my forehead, then pulled back to meet my eyes again. “I’m not here for lingerie,” He scoffed, “I’m here for you. And you have nothing to be insecure about, okay? Believe me, if anything I'm still shocked you wanna be with me”

“What are you talking about? You're fucking gorgeous,” I protested, watching his cheeks flush as he shook his head. “And this whole ‘almost-beard’ thing is super sexy.” 

“Oh yeah? You think so?” He murmured, leaning down to kiss my shoulder, purposefully letting the scruff of his growing beard rub lightly against my skin.

“Mmhmm…” I hummed contentedly, giggling as the prickly hairs tickle my skin. 

“I don't ever want you to feel insecure around me, ok? If you ever do- and I mean ever- please tell me, so I can remind you how stunning you are.”

His words melted away the last of my doubts, and I found myself smiling, feeling lighter than before. “Okay.” I whispered, the sincerity in his eyes making me believe every word he said.

I wrapped my arms around his neck, pulling him close for a kiss, this time without any hesitation.

Our lips locked in a messy, heated kiss as he hovered over me, the fire between us building with each passing second. 

But just as I was getting lost in the sensation, he suddenly shifted his weight, and before I could react, he flipped us over and maneuvered us up the bed with surprising ease. I let out a squeak of surprise, my heart racing as I found myself straddling him, the unexpected move sending a jolt of excitement through me. 

I laughed, a bit breathless from the sudden change, but he quickly silenced me with another kiss, this one even more intense, as if he couldn't get enough. Almost as if he were a man starved, and I was his only source of sustenance.

I felt wanted. 

Carnally and fully wanted.

If only I could go back and tell a younger Courtney that one day a boy wouldn't just like us, but would be so consumed in us.

Man that would've done wonders for my self-esteem.

His hands traveled up my sides, warm and firm, before finally reaching the hem of my sports bra. He paused for a moment, his fingers brushing against the fabric, his eyes searching mine.

“Is this okay?” He asked softly. God, how I loved this boy.

I giggled again at his nervousness, my heart swelling with affection. “Yes, baby.” I whispered, nodding as I reached up to touch his cheek. “It’s more than okay.”

His lips curled into a small, relieved smile, and with a tender touch, he began to lift the fabric, his eyes never leaving mine. I could feel the warmth of his breath, the softness of his hands, and the way his careful movements made my pulse race. 

As the sports bra slipped over my head and my breasts spilled out of its hold, he leaned down, pressing gentle kisses along my collarbone. His hands traced the curves of my waist, his touch both soothing and electrifying. “You’re so fucking beautiful.” 

He murmured, his voice full of sincerity as his eyes roamed over me with a mixture of awe and adoration. I felt a blush rise to my cheeks, his words making me feel both vulnerable and cherished in a way I hadn’t experienced before.

I ran my fingers through his hair, pulling him closer, and kissed him deeply, letting the moment speak for itself. The connection between us was undeniable.

The feeling of our bare chests pressed flush together, made my core throb. I didn't know it was even possible to feel this much when you've barely done anything.

His hand rested on my bare skin for a moment, just above my waist, as if he was giving me time to adjust to the closeness. His fingers traced slow, deliberate paths up my sides, sending a shiver down my spine.

 He seemed to be studying me, watching my face for any sign of discomfort or hesitation. When he reached my ribs, his touch grew even more tentative. 

He glanced up at me, his expression full of concern. "Are you sure this is okay? Because I won't be mad if you want to stop. Like, say the word at any time and I'll be hands off." He said again, his voice sweet and his eyes wide to show he meant it.

I smiled fondly, at how much he cared. "Shayne, I know. I trust you completely." I assured him, my voice steady.

To show him I meant it, I guided his hand higher, over my chest, and he let out a shaky breath as he continued exploring. 

His touch was gentle, almost reverent, as his hand moved over me. His thumb brushed against the skin under my nipple, and I couldn't help but let out a soft sigh. 

He paused, clearly gauging my reaction, his eyes searching mine for any sign of discomfort. But all he found was the trust and desire I felt for him.

His hand grew bolder as he sensed my eagerness, his fingers brushing over my nipple with a feather-light touch. The sensation sent a jolt through me, and I couldn't hold back a soft moan, my body instinctively arching closer to him.

He noticed my reaction and repeated the motion, this time circling the sensitive peak with his thumb, teasing it until it hardened under his touch. My breath hitched, and I could feel the heat rising between us, the tension building low in my belly as his fingers became more deliberate.

"Do you like that?" he asked, his voice husky, his eyes locked on mine as he continued to play with my nipple. The way he watched me, so focused on my pleasure, made my heart race even faster.

"Yes. Oh, fuck…" I breathed out, my voice barely audible as I bit my lip, my hands clutching at his shoulders. The way he was touching me- so gentle yet so intoxicating- made me feel like I was on the edge of something wonderful.

He leaned in, kissing me deeply, his fingers never stopping their teasing. Then, he shifted slightly, lowering his mouth to my breast, his lips brushing over my nipple. I gasped, the sensation overwhelming as he kissed and gently sucked, his tongue flicking over the sensitive bud. “Baby…oh…”

The warmth of his mouth combined with the skilled movements of his hand sent waves of pleasure through me, making it hard to think, hard to breathe. I could feel every touch, every flick of his tongue, deep in my core, making me ache for more as a new wave of arousal ran through me.

He paused for a moment, pulling back just enough to look up at me, his lips grazing against my skin as he whispered, "Tell me if it's too much.”

“It's perfect…holy shit…” I chuckled, the realization just hitting me- we were really gonna have sex.

And fuck, we've barely begun and I'm already more turned on than I've ever been in my life.

Shayne Topp had barely touched me and yet I was officially ruined. 

I was officially ruined, because no one could compare to how he made me feel. And I still had my pants on. 

As his mouth continued its tantalizing exploration of my breast, I could feel the heat building between my legs, a throbbing ache that grew stronger with every touch. 

The way his tongue swirled around my nipple, combined with the gentle pressure of his fingers on the other, was driving me wild. My body responded instinctively, my breath quickening, and I could feel myself getting wetter- if that was even possible. The sensation building with each passing second.

I tugged on his hair and groaned, as my thighs clenched around his hips.

He paused for a moment, lifting his head to meet my gaze, his eyes dark with desire. “You like that, don’t you?” He asked, his voice low and rough, a boldness creeping into his tone that sent a shiver down my spine. 

“I can feel squirming around.” The way he spoke, so confident and sure of himself, only made the heat between my legs burn hotter. I had never seen this side of him, and that tone in his voice was enough fuel for me to get off on my own anytime I wanted.

I nodded, unable to find my voice as I bit my lip, my body shivering under his touch.

His touch was relentless, and the way he moved against me made me ache with anticipation. With a determined shift, I began to grind against him, needing to feel the delicious friction his hard length created between us. 

The sensation made me moan softly, and I could sense the heat intensifying with every movement. His hand roamed lower cupping my ass cheeks firmly, and I could feel the heat of his body pressed firmly against mine. 

The pressure of our bodies moving together sent jolts of pleasure through me, and I whimpered as his hips pressed into me, our rhythm perfectly synchronized.

A low, guttural moan escaped his lips as he pressed into me, his pleasure palpable. His lips moved to my neck, kissing, licking, and nipping along the sensitive skin as his hips grew more insistent. 

"We’re really finishing what we started on the field, huh?" He murmured against my ear, his breath hot and tantalizing.

I shuddered at the heat of his words and the pleasure they fueled. My hands roamed over his chest, feeling the hard planes of his muscles under my fingertips. As his kisses traveled up my jaw, I felt his tongue dart out lick that sweet spot behind my ear, causing me to arch against him, a gasp escaping my lips.

Pulling back slightly, I met his smoldering gaze and couldn't help but tease, a playful grin on my lips. “Why don’t you make it easier for me to finish what we started by taking those pants off?”

His eyes darkened with a mix of amusement and desire, and a wicked smile spread across his face. “Careful what you wish for, Miller.” He whispered, his lips capturing mine sensually, before setting me off of him to lay on my back and standing up.

I chuckled as I propped myself on my knees, watching him as he undid the buckle of his belt.

I crawled over to the foot of the bed and grabbed his hands, stopping them from continuing.

“Can I?” I asked, looking at him through my lashes, my hair probably a mess, and my lips probably extremely swollen.

“Yeah…” He huffed out, swallowing thickly as he moved his hands out of the way for mine.

I finished unbuckling his belt before undoing the button and zipper of his jeans, my eyes firmly on his.

Stepping away, he pulled them down and I laughed at his struggle to get his pants off gracefully.

“Hey man, that's on you for wearing jeans!” I goaded, sitting back on my legs.

“Oh, shut up!” He said, rolling his eyes playfully as he threw his jeans at me.

“Hey!” I threw them back, laughing as he barely managed to dodge them.

His laughter joined mine, the familiar energy between us radiating. It was almost as if being half naked together was the most natural, normal, mundane thing in the world.

I took him in, laughing, flushed, standing before me in just boxers with disheveled. He looked perfect.

He tossed the jeans aside and took a step closer, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

“Alright, Madame, now that we’re both adequately undressed, what’s next on the agenda?” He teased with a professional voice, leaning in and letting his breath tickle my ear.

I trembled, my anticipation growing. “Well, now that you mention it,” I whispered back, my hands trailing up his chest, “I think I’d like to see just how much more you’re willing to do to keep me entertained…”

He chuckled softly, his hands finding their way to my hips. “Oh, really? And what do you have in mind?”

I kneeled back up, my gaze lingering on the bulge in his boxers, my mouth watering at the thought of taking him in my hands. “I- can I…touch you?” I asked, my voice barely a whisper, but full of longing.

His breath hitched slightly, a mix of surprise and desire flashing in his eyes as he looked down at me. "You want to?" he asked, his voice low and strained.

I nodded, biting my lip in anticipation. My fingers reached out tentatively, brushing the waistband of his boxers, feeling the heat radiating from him. I could barely contain the rush of excitement that coursed through me.

He tensed as I slid my hand beneath the fabric, moving my shoulders back and pushing my chest forward instinctively. As my fingers wrapped around him, I felt the smoothness of his skin contrasted with the firm length beneath.

His breath caught in his throat, and a shaky sigh escaped him as I began to move my hand slowly, up and down his length. His eyes fluttered shut, and he leaned into the sensation, his fists clenched at his sides.

I looked up at him with a teasing smile, my confidence growing with each reaction I elicited. “You like that?” I asked softly, my voice low and playful.

A deep groan escaped him, his head tipping back as he struggled to keep his focus. “God, that feels fucking incredible, baby…” He rasped, his voice thick with strain.

I couldn’t help but grin, a surge of satisfaction pulsing through me. “Yeah?” I teased, my tone low.

“Shit… yeah.” he gasped, his groans turning ragged as I quickened my strokes. 

I continued touching him, savoring the way he responded to me. After a moment, I bit my lip, my voice dropping to a whisper, as I mustered up as much confidence as I could.

“Would you take these off for me?” I asked gently, my fingers brushing over his waistband. He opened his eyes, meeting mine, before nodding. 

Slowly, he pushed his boxers down, letting them fall to the floor. The moment he was fully exposed before me, my breath hitched. 

My eyes widened, taking in every inch of him- his toned body, the way his muscles tensed under my gaze, and the sheer size of him. He was never allowed to complain about anything ever again, holy shit.

He was even more breathtaking than I had imagined. My eyes drifted lower, marveling at his length. A mix of awe and arousal washed over me, and I couldn’t help but bite my lip, the sight of him sending a thrill through my body and a rush of wetness between my thighs.

“Wow…” I whispered, my voice barely audible. I met his eyes again, feeling a blush rise to my cheeks. “You’re...so fucking pretty.” I murmured, my voice filled with genuine admiration.

His grin softened, but I caught the hint of a blush rising in his cheeks. "You're amazing, you know that?" He smiled, his voice tinged with affection, a bit flustered by my compliment.

I bit my lip and with a renewed sense of desire, I reached out again, wrapping my hand around him once more.

Leaning in, I dragged my tongue across his chest, nipping and licking at his nipples until they hardened beneath my lips.

His moans grew louder, filling the room, and I couldn’t resist twisting my wrist around the base of his cock, slowly sliding up toward the tip. To heighten the sensation, I spat into my hand before continuing to stroke him. 

The added slickness made my touch more intense. His breath hitched, as his eyes rolled at the sight of spit coating his cock and he groaned deeply, his hips twitching in response. “Fuck,” He gasped, “that feels incredible.”

But suddenly, his hand clamped over mine, halting my movements. He let out a breathless chuckle, his voice a sultry mix of amusement and need. “Wait- hold on.”

Concern flickered in my eyes as I pulled back slightly. “Did I do something wrong?”

“No, not at all, sweetheart.” He said, shaking his head with a grin. “But if you keep that up, I’m not going to last much longer.”

My lips curled into a playful smirk and I rested my hand on his thigh, letting him regain his composure. “Got it. Wouldn’t want to overwhelm you just yet.”

“Oh?” He said, with a challenging lilt in his tone.

I just shrugged nonchalantly as I leaned back on my hands, making sure my tits were on full display.

Which he clearly appreciated as his eyes immediately fell and locked on them. Typical boy.

“I mean…we still don't know if you can handle me, so…” I rolled my eyes, teasing him.

“You don't think I can handle you?” He shot back, his tongue licking his teeth.

“Definitely not,” I said with a sultry edge, my voice dripping with mischief. “But you’re more than welcome to prove me wrong.”

He laughed, a warm, rumbling sound that echoed in the space between us. “Looks like I’ve got a reason to step up my game.”

“What gam- ah!” Before I could finish my sentence, he swiftly moved, pulling my legs out from under me. I gasped, laughing as my back hit the bed with a soft thud. His grin widened as he took the opportunity to lean over me, his kisses traveling down my body.

His mouth savored the skin of my neck and collarbone, trailing kisses down to my breasts. Each touch was marked by a warm trail of saliva, exposed to the air and making me shiver with every breath.

“Mmh…Shayne…” I breathed as his tongue lingered on my stomach, leaving a damp trail that made me quiver with the cool air.

He stopped at the skin under my belly button, looking up at me. “Can I?” He asked, dipping the tips of his fingers into the sides of the waistband of my shorts.

“Absolutely.” I said, gripping the sheets next to me to ground myself.

His hands moved to lift my hips, swiftly pulling down my tight biker shorts and discarding them on the floor. 

I was left in just a pair of damp pink panties, which, thankfully, were somewhat cute with a lighter pink bow delicately placed at the center of the band.

“Fuck me, you're so gorgeous…”

I fought a blush at his words, my response dying in my throat as he lifted one of my legs and started kissing down- or more specifically up- until he reached my hip bone.

He let out a low, throaty groan against my skin, his breath hot and tickling as he licked over the waistband of the flimsy fabric, then moved to my other leg and repeated his actions. Each touch sent shivers through me, causing me to gasp softly.

Then he dragged his hands up the sides of my thighs as he knelt between my legs, taking a deep breath. I could barely hold back my moans as he started to nibble gently on the inside of my thighs, his warm breath causing me to shudder. He then hooked my legs over his shoulders and planted open-mouthed kisses up, up, up until-

“Wait!” I saw in his eyes exactly what he was intending to do. “Shayne, baby, you don't have to…um…I mean- if you don't want to that's ok, I mean, it's not necessary, um…” I stammered, sitting up to meet his gaze. 

I didn't want him to feel like he had to do anything he wasn't comfortable with and in the past, not a lot of guys have wanted to go down on me so I don't really expect it anymore.

Almost as if he could read my mind through the nervousness in my eyes, he looked up at me and said, “Court…I want to. I really fucking want to.” His voice was gravely and it was doing nothing to help stop the mess inches away from his face.

“Been dreaming about tasting you for what seems like forever…”

His words sent a jolt through me, making my body tremble with a mix of relief and desire as my breath hitched, and my legs instinctively tightened around his shoulders, a deep, shuddering sigh escaping my lips. 

The raw intensity in his voice only heightened the fire coursing through me. His hands, which had been gently gripping the sides of my thighs, now moved to the waistband of my underwear.

His fingers were warm and slightly trembling with anticipation as he slid the fabric down my legs. 

As he pulled the last piece of clothing away, my body quivered with anticipation, and a soft, breathless moan escaped me, my eyes fluttering closed as I surrendered to him…completely.

*Shayne's POV*

She was stunning. 

A work of art.

Her messy blonde hair, intense emerald eyes, soft pale skin, scattered moles and freckles, her curves…..

This beat all the fantasies I had made up in my head.

And now she was here, laying naked before me, panting and needy- because of me.

I was terrified of waking up and having this be another one of those very realistic dreams I would sometimes have.

But her intoxicating scent was all too real. My mouth watered, and I was almost overwhelmed by the primal urge to drown myself in her.

I gently urged her to lie back down and slide her body up the bed, grabbing a pillow and sliding it under her hips to give myself better access. 

She had made a mess between her thighs, her folds completely drenched and glistening. The thought of her getting so wet for me was by far the most rewarding and erotic thing…

I climbed up to kneel on the bed between her thighs before I put her legs back over my shoulders and finally leaned in, pressing a firm kiss to her slick cunt. 

Her immediate shudder and the gasp she let out were music to my ears, each reaction from her amplifying my own arousal. I could feel my own excitement growing, the throbbing in my cock making my hands tremble slightly as I traced a path with my tongue, savoring her taste.

The taste was phenomenal, sweet with an underlying hint of saltiness. I couldn’t help but murmur, “You taste amazing, baby. Mmmph.” My voice muffled against her skin.

She froze for a moment, her hands clutching at the sheets as she tried to process the overwhelming sensation. I stopped the experimental licks and started suckling purposefully. Her body responded with a sharp shudder, and I could feel her legs tighten around my shoulders, drawing me closer.

Encouraged, I pressed my tongue against her clit, moving in slow, deliberate circles. The response from her was immediate and intense- a deep, throaty moan escaped her, and her hips bucked involuntarily. “Yes, right there,” She urged, her breath coming in ragged gasps.

But then she added, slightly breathless, “And use more of your tongue babe, not just the tip…”

I bit back a smirk as I adjusted my movements, flattening my tongue to press more firmly against her, moving my head in soft circles, feeling the heightened sensitivity of her reactions as I did. 

Her moans grew more frantic, the intensity of her pleasure evident in every twitch of her body. I could taste the increasing sweetness of her arousal, further making my head spin.

Her fingers tangled in my hair, pulling me closer, urging me on. I could feel her trembling beneath me. 

“More… please,” She begged, her voice breaking. I moaned into her, the vibrations adding a new layer of stimulation, her gasps becoming increasingly ragged.

As her pleasure mounted, her vocalizations became louder, more desperate. “Shayne, oh God… don’t stop,” She cried out, her voice trembling with need. 

My name has never sounded so pretty until this very moment.

Her hips began to squirm uncontrollably, trying to escape the overwhelming sensations. I quickly reacted, holding her hips down firmly with my hands, ensuring she couldn’t move away.

In the midst of her gasps and moans, she managed to let out a breathless, almost incredulous laugh. 

“How the fuck did you learn to do this?” She panted, her voice both astonished and amused. The humor in her voice, despite the heat of the moment, made me smile against her.

I lifted my head just slightly, giving her a teasing smile. “Let’s just say I did my homework,” I replied with a playful glint in my eye. 

“But I’m glad it’s working for you.” Then I lowered my mouth back to her, adding a bit more pressure and speed, eager to keep her on the edge, slowly easing my tongue into her entrance.

Then, when I could feel her body tightening around my tongue, I heard her muffle a groan, "Baby...baby, please...can you use your fingers too?” 

The idea of adding my fingers was almost too much to bear. I felt her warmth and wetness on my tongue, and the thought of feeling her tightness around my fingers drove me wild.

I raised my gaze to look at her flushed face, "You sur-" 

"Yes, holy shit Shayne, yes." The exasperated way she interrupted me made me snort out a laugh as I compiled.

I spat on my index finger and made sure to also gather some of her wetness, never wanting to cause her discomfort.

I took the opportunity to graze my knuckles against her swollen little clit, making her hips buck with a small whine, before I slid a finger into her, feeling the warm, tight embrace.

Fuck, she was so tight. 

I hissed and bit my lip to keep my composure. I thought to myself, if she felt so good around my finger, then how the hell was I supposed to survive feeling her around my cock? I couldn’t stop my free hand from wrapping around my own length, stroking myself slowly to ease the unbearable pressure building in me.

Her body tensed as my digit entered her, and I could hear her sharp intake of breath. The sensation was electrifying, making me harder as I shook my head, continuing to lap and suck at her clit. 

I moved my finger in and out curling them slowly, adjusting my rhythm to match her reactions. Her moans grew more intense with each thrust, her hips moving in rhythm with my finger. The tightness and warmth surrounding me was glorious.

After a few moments of this, she gasped again, “I need more. Please, baby can you....can you...”

"Add another?"

She groaned and nodded. Without hesitation, I added a second finger, feeling her body stretch around both digits. The added pressure and sensation made her gasp sharply, her moans growing louder and more urgent. I curled my fingers inside her, brushing against her sensitive spots.

My breath hitched, the feel of her body gripping my fingers driving me to stroke myself harder, desperate for some relief.

I felt her clenching around my fingers as I sped up, wanting to feel, see, and taste her cum. My head moved in a rhythm of eager, wet licks against her core, obscene squelching sounds punctuating each flick.

Her hand slid over her chest, fingers gripping and twisting her nipples, her breath coming in ragged bursts, as her other hand tangled in my hair.

"Fuck, baby...shit I'm almost there..." 

"Cum for me, Court. Please, fucking cum for me, baby." I murmured against her thigh, curling my fingers, matching the rhythm of her bucking hips, and I couldn’t help but follow the pattern of my hand on her with the one on myself.

"Fuck! Fuck! Shayne!" She let out a long moan followed by a string of curses as she clamped down around my knuckles, dripping down my hand.

I licked at her throbbing core, the wet, noisy sounds blending with her cries of pleasure. Her hips rocked uncontrollably until I felt her softly nudge my hand away.

I pulled my other hand off myself and the pillow out from under her, gently pecking her knee as I climbed up to face her.

I softly brushed her hair away from her face, looking into her eyes with concern and affection. "Are you okay? Was that too much?" I asked, my voice a tender murmur.

She blinked a few times, trying to clear her vision. "I think I might be seeing little spots right now." She joked breathlessly, a playful grin tugging at her lips.

Seeing her dazed face, I couldn’t help but laugh softly, my heart fluttering. "Well, if that’s not a sign I’m doing something right, I don’t know what is."

She laughed breathlessly, the sound mingling with her soft breaths. Leaning in, she captured my lips in a kiss, her taste lingering on them as she savored the moment. 

Pulling back slightly, she gave me a teasing look. "Mmm...you're right, I do taste good." she said with a soft laugh, her eyes sparkling. "No, but seriously, damn Topp! Where did all those skills come from? Holy shit!" Her mouth a wide grin.

"Stop it..." I responded flushed, wiping my chin with the back of my hand.

She giggled, her fingers lightly tracing my jawline as she looked up at me with that playful glint in her eye. 

"Honestly, I’m impressed you’ve been single this long," She teased, her voice filled with mock seriousness. "With skills like that, you should’ve had a line out the door."

I let out a laugh, shaking my head as I leaned in closer. "Hey, maybe I was just waiting for the right person to practice on." I replied, my tone playful but sincere.

She sighed contentedly, her fingers brushing through my hair in gentle, soothing strokes. "You know," She murmured, her voice soft and filled with affection, "I’ve always felt comfortable around you, but this... this is different. It feels... right."

I smiled, my heart swelling at her words. "I feel the same way," I whispered, pressing a tender kiss to her temple. "It’s like everything just clicked into place, and I can’t imagine being here with anyone else."

Her eyes shimmered as she looked up at me, her expression full of warmth and love. "I never thought this would feel this natural, this easy," She admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "I’m really glad it’s you, Shayne."

I gently cupped her face, my thumb brushing over her cheek. "I’m glad it’s you too," I said, my voice thick with emotion. "I’ve wanted this for so long, and now that it’s happening... it’s even better than I imagined.”

"So," she said, her voice light and teasing as her hand slid up my chest, "what's next up on the agenda, Mr. Topp? You gonna show me any more of those hidden talents or…?"

I chuckled, my pulse racing with anticipation as I leaned down to nuzzle her neck. "Oh, I think we can take our time," I murmured against her skin, my lips brushing softly over the sensitive spot just below her ear, making her purr. "There’s no rush... just us, right here, right now."

Shivering under my touch, her breath hitching slightly as her hands found their way to my back, pulling me closer. "Right here, right now…" she echoed, her voice a breathy whisper as our bodies pressed together, the warmth between us igniting once more.

But then, a thought cut through the haze of our closeness. I pulled back just a little, enough to see her face. "Hey, we should probably talk about something first." I said, my voice a bit more serious now.

She looked up at me, a mix of curiosity and concern in her eyes. "What is it?"

I brushed a strand of hair from her face, trying to ease any tension. "Just... we should make sure we’re being safe. I mean, are you still on the pill? Birth control, I mean."

A small smile tugged at her lips as she nodded. "Yeah, I never miss a pill. But, you're right. We should still use a condom, just to be safe."

I let out a breath I didn’t realize I’d been holding. "Glad we’re on the same page. I’ve got some in my pants."

She glanced over at where my pants were discarded on the floor and grinned. "Well then Shania, looks like you’ll have to go fetch them."

I chuckled, feeling a bit sheepish as I moved to stand up. As I did, I could feel her gaze lingering on me. When I turned to grab my pants, I heard her laugh softly behind me. I glanced back at her over my shoulder, grinning. "Enjoying yourself?"

"Oh, very much." She replied with a wink, her eyes sparkling with amusement.

"What? It's a nice view!" She teased, her tone playful. “Oh come on! You know I'm an ass man!”

Shaking my head, I grabbed the condom from my pocket and returned to the bed. "We really should’ve had this conversation sooner." I admitted, settling back over her, condom packet in hand.

"Better late than never," she said, her voice soft as she leaned in to kiss me again, her hands already pulling me close. "Now, where were we?"

I chuckled, stealing a quick peck from her lips as her legs fell open. I slipped my hand down to grasp one of her thighs, lifting it to wrap around my hip. The shift brought us even closer, the friction making her gasp into my mouth.

The tip of my cock brushing against her wet folds made us both moan lowly, as our previous activities made us all the more sensitive. I did, however, get the feeling that she liked that given the way her eyes rolled back and her chest tightened.

Having enough of the teasing, I tore open the foil packet and rolled the condom on, my hands slightly trembling with anticipation. As I adjusted myself between her legs, I paused, catching her gaze. “You alright? You still want this?” I asked, my voice low, but full of intent.

She nodded, her eyes dark with desire but softened by the trust she had in me. “Yeah… I'm good,” She whispered, her hands resting on my hips, pulling me closer. “And I more than want this. I told you- I want you so bad, Shayne.”

Oh the way I could've cum right there and then-

The room felt charged as I lined myself up, taking a steadying breath before slowly, and finally, pushing into her. The sensation was overwhelming, a sharp gasp leaving her lips as her nails dug into my skin. My own breath caught in my throat, the tight heat wrapping around me almost too intense to handle.

“Holy shit…” I muttered, my voice trembling with the mix of shock and pleasure that hit me. Her eyes fluttered shut, her breath shaky as she held onto me, both of us caught in that moment of raw, unfiltered connection.

She gasped, her nails digging into my shoulders, clearly feeling the intensity as well. "Shayne... you feel... so good…" She whispered, her voice trembling with a mix of pleasure and surprise.

I let out a low, shaky groan, closing my eyes for a moment to steady myself. "You’re so... tight," I managed to say, my voice strained as I continued to push forward. “Fuck, Courtney…”

But I was determined to make this last, to savor every moment, even as I felt the tension building inside me, threatening to spill over. "You feel incredible…" I whispered, my voice barely above a breath.

Her eyes fluttered shut, her mouth falling open as she lost herself in the pleasure as I completely bottomed out inside her, my length completely sheathed in her tight cunt. 

Watching her unravel like that, seeing the way she reacted to me- it made my stomach do backflips. 

We stayed like that, unmoving as we tried to catch our breaths, until she used her calf to graze my back, prompting me to look at her. “Ok…you can move now.” She gasped, looking into my eyes and nodding as I looked at her, questioningly. 

As I slowly started to move myself in and out of her, the intense tightness of her body around me nearly took my breath away. I had to fight to keep my cool, every muscle in my body tensing as I tried to focus on staying gentle, on not losing control too soon.

"Holy fuck…" I breathed out, the sensation almost too much to handle. My jaw clenched as I struggled to maintain the slow, careful pace, feeling every inch of her gripping me, pulling me in deeper.

“Baby- fuck me…just like that…” She stammered as I gave her a long slow stroke.

Her words drove me wild, and I tightened my grip on her hips. “Tell me what you need from me,” I whispered, my voice hoarse with desire. “What do you need, love?”

Her breath hitched, and she looked at me with wide, pleading eyes. “Just- don’t stop. I need this… I need you…I…”

Just when I thought nothing could break the moment, she gasped, her eyes widening in disbelief. “Holy shit, we're actually having sex!” She blurted out, her voice a mix of shock and wonder.

I couldn’t help but let out a breathless laugh, even as my own chest tightened with the sensation. “Yeah, no kidding,” I shot back, an amused grin tugging at my lips despite what we were doing. “Took you long enough to notice.” 

She giggled breathlessly, her fingers tangling in my hair, as she pulled me back in for another kiss.

But the humor faded quickly, overwhelmed by the reality of her body completely enveloped around mine, the warmth of her surrounding me.

She laughed, before pulling my lips down to hers. Her tongue mingled with mine in a dirty kiss, while her hands moved down my back and cupped my ass, making me thrust into her harder.

I took the sexy whine she let out as a clear indication that she needed more- and so did I.

I wanted to be closer, to feel every part of her, so I shifted us. Sitting back on my legs, I pulled her up until she was wrapped around me. The new angle made her gasp, her nails digging into my shoulders as she clung to me. 

Her eyes flew open, locking onto mine as the sensation of the new angle hit her. The shock and pleasure were written all over her face, her body responding instinctively, pressing and grinding harder against me. But just as I thrust deeper, I slipped out completely.

We both froze, and I couldn’t help but laugh. “Well, that wasn’t supposed to happen…” I joked, my breath coming out in soft pants.

She let out a surprised giggle, her eyes sparkling as she lightly smacked my arm. “You had one job!”

“I swear it’s never happened before!” I teased, biting back a grin as I fumbled to guide myself back into her. The moment I slid back in, we both let out matching sighs of relief, the laughter still lingering between us.

“As long as that's the only time you say that tonight…” She muttered, smirking as I scoffed.

“Better?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Much.” She grinned, her hips immediately picking up the rhythm again. The playful moment only fueled the heat between us, making the tension more overwhelming.

“Oh God…” She murmured, her voice barely a whisper as she buried her face in my neck. I could feel her trembling, her heart pounding against my chest. We were clinging to each other, hands desperate, lips meeting in frantic, needy kisses.

Every movement brought us closer, the tension between us building with each thrust. Her legs tightened around my waist, pulling me deeper, her body moving in perfect rhythm with mine. “So fucking good…” She mewled. 

The way she whispered my name, the feel of her breath on my skin, the taste of her lips- it was all too much in the best way possible.

Even with sweat making her hair stuck to her forehead, wild whimpers flying from her throat, and that deep flush spreading over her face, she looked flawless.

Utterly fucked, sure, but flawless.

And she was mine.

*Courtney POV*

My moans grew louder, more desperate, as his cock fucked me deep, hitting that perfect spot. “Please,” He breathed, his hands gripping my hips tightly, guiding my movements. “Don’t stop. I need you- fuck I need you baby…”

He leaned in, his breath warm against my ear. "You feel incredible," He whispered, his voice thick with need. "You're so amazing, I can barely control myself.”

His wanton voice made me clench around him instinctively, causing his thrusts to stutter and speed up.

I swiveled my hips over him, trying to provide myself that extra friction I needed. My clit throbbing as I pressed myself against his hip bone on each down stroke.

“Shayne…babe I need-” My sentence was caught off by a moan as he sucked on my tender nipples

“What? Tell me. Tell me baby, what is it?” He murmured, biting softly on my chin.

“Touch me…I need you to touch me…”

My voice was barely a whisper, a little embarrassed by how desperate I sounded, so I buried my face in his neck, pressing kisses to his skin and letting my tongue flick across his Adam's apple.

“God, baby…” He responded with a growl, his movements becoming more urgent, the need between us growing with every passing second. The sound went straight to my pussy. I was sure his thighs were just as soaked as mine, no doubt about it.

He reached down and circled his thumb over my needy clit, helping the knot in my womb tighten significantly.

I moaned softly against his lips, my hands exploring the firm muscles of his back, feeling him tremble slightly beneath my touch.

My legs were shaking, I was finally getting there, I just needed an extra push. This already felt like heaven, but seeing his face as he let's go- that would be pure bliss.

He could sense my growing desperation, his lips moving with precise skill over my neck, sending waves of pleasure crashing through me. Each touch, each caress, intensified the fire within me, pushing me closer to the edge.

“I’m so close…” I gasped, my breath ragged as I clung to him, every nerve in my body alight with the pleasure he was giving me. My hips moved frantically, chasing that elusive peak, his cock driving me deeper into the bliss.

“Fuck, you're so perfect.” he groaned, his own voice strained with his effort to hold back. His hands gripped my hips tighter, pulling me down harder onto him as he moved with a steady rhythm.

His thumb continued to circle my clit in tight patterns, and I could feel my body tensing, every muscle wound tight, ready to snap. The wet sounds of our pleasure mingled, filling the room with an electric energy that seemed almost tangible.

“Shayne, I’m… I’m about to… oh God-” I moaned, the pressure building unbearably as I felt the waves of my orgasm beginning to crest.

He let out a low, guttural sound, his face contorted with the effort to hold on. “I’m so close, baby. I can’t hold back much longer...” He gasped, his voice rough with need.

With a growl, he shifted his angle slightly, driving even deeper into me. My urgency surged. “Faster! Please- fuck! Go faster!” I cried out, my voice trembling with urge.

He responded with a fierce, determined intensity, his thrusts growing faster and more forceful. His hands moved to my ass, squeezing and guiding my movements, pushing me harder against him. 

“You feel incredible- so fucking unbelievable around me.” He murmured, his breath hot against my ear. “I need to feel you cum before I lose it.”

The praise shot through me, making my breath hitch, the words swirling in my head as I clenched harder around him. His voice, rough and low, made everything sharper. My body’s sensitivity surged to a point that felt almost unbearable, yet I craved more.

His words were the final push I needed. My body convulsed around him, the orgasm ripping through me with a force that left me breathless. My moans turned into gasps. "Yes! Fuck...yes, yes, baby, yes-" My body shuddering uncontrollably as I rode out the waves of pleasure.

His grip on me tightened, his own release following closely behind. He let out a low, shuddering moan, his body tensing as he came, spilling inside the condom, his movements becoming erratic and desperate. "Fu- Courtney! Shit..."

I could feel him pulsing, his breath coming in harsh, uneven gasps.

With a final thrust, he pulled me close, our bodies falling back onto the bed in a tangled mess of limbs. I could feel the heavy beat of his heart against my chest, matching the racing rhythm of my own.

In that moment, it was just us, wrapped together in blissful exhaustion.

Shayne slumped on top of me, both of us catching our breath. After a moment, he gently pulled out, and we both let out soft sighs before he rolled over to lie beside me. Our bodies were still buzzing, and the room was filled with the sound of our heavy breathing.

We turned our heads to look at each other, eyes wide with the realization of what had just happened. For a second, neither of us said anything, just staring in a mix of surprise and disbelief.

“Woah.” We both said at the same time, our voices barely above a whisper. That was all it took before we broke into giggles, the sound bubbling up uncontrollably as we processed the moment.

He reached out, pulling me close until my head was resting on his chest. His heart was still racing, and I could feel the warmth of his skin against mine. 

“That was… amazing.” He said, his voice laced with a mix of amazement and affection.

“Right? I mean... holy crap, we just did that!” I agreed, still giggling softly as I nestled closer to him. The feeling of his heartbeat under my cheek was comforting, grounding me after everything we’d just experienced.

Shayne let out a breathless laugh, his hand rubbing gentle circles on my back. “I didn’t think it would be like that,” he admitted, his tone soft. “I thought it would be awkward or something.”

“I know,” I said, feeling a warm flush spread through me. “But it wasn’t. It was…really nice.”

“Yeah,” Shayne murmured, smiling down at me. “It was. I adore you, Court.”

“I adore you too,” I replied, looking up at him with a shy smile. We shared a quiet moment, both of us still a little giddy and dazed from the experience. I giggled, glancing up at him with a playful grin. “Who knew we’d be so good in the sack?”

Shayne burst into laughter, his chest shaking beneath my cheek. “Right? It's almost like we're made for eachother, I don't know…” He teased nonchalantly, his eyes sparkling with amusement.

“Granted, I don’t know how it could’ve been bad,” Shayne said with a goofy grin. “I mean, with my epic skills, how could it not be amazing?”

I rolled my eyes, giving him a light smack on the arm. “Okay, don’t get cocky now.”

He leaned in with a cheeky grin. “I thought the whole point was to get cock...y.” He said, clearly pleased with his own joke.

I groaned, covering my face with my hands, but couldn’t stop laughing. “Please stop. I regret everything.”

I peeked at him through my fingers, shaking my head as I giggled. “You’re ridiculous.”

He chuckled, pulling me into a tight embrace and kissing the top of my head. “Ridiculously good, though.”

I playfully exasperated, kissed him again, laughing softly. “You’re insane.”

He grinned against my lips. “But you love me.”

I rolled my eyes again, but my smile gave me away. “I guess I do. And here I was hoping for a break from your god-awful puns.”

He chuckled, pulling me closer. “No breaks. Just more love and bad jokes.”

I nestled into his chest, feeling the steady rhythm of his heartbeat beneath my cheek. “As long as the love is real, I'll gladly put up with the rest.” I murmured, a contented sigh escaping my lips.

After a few moments, Shayne reached over to grab a soft towel from the bedside table. He gently wiped me down, his touch tender and careful, before taking care of himself. Then, he pulled me back into his arms, wrapping me up in his warmth. 

I realized I needed to pee after that to make sure I didn't give myself a UTI. I carefully untangled myself from Shayne’s embrace and made my way to the bathroom. When I returned, Shayne had already disposed of the condom and was filling two glasses of water. He handed one to me with a warm smile.

“Thought you might need this.” He said.

“Thank you.” I said, grinning at his consideration, taking a sip and savoring the coolness, before we settled back into bed.

We lay there, tangled up in each other, letting the glow of the city lights outside the window hit us through the blinds. “You feeling okay?” He asked softly.

I nodded, feeling safe and content in his arms. “Yeah, I’m perfect.” I replied with a fond smile.

“Good…” Shayne whispered, pressing a gentle kiss to the top of my head.

We stayed like that for a while, just holding each other, letting the afterglow settle in, feeling closer than ever, before drifting off to sleep. 

It wasn’t perfect, but it was us, and that made it perfect in its own way.

_______________________________________

The first light of morning filtered through the blinds, casting a soft glow over the room. 

I slowly woke up, feeling the warmth of Shayne’s body next to mine. As I blinked awake, I smiled at the memory of our night together.

I recalled the way Shayne’s strong arms had wrapped around me, pulling me up to him with a gentle but determined grip. The way his eyes, were dark with desire, locked onto mine as he guided me with deliberate movements.

I remembered how his breath had been warm and ticklish against my ear as he whispered and kissed me, his voice a deep, sultry murmur that made my skin tingle, so different from the usual Shayne that I know.

The memory of his loving touch and the reverent way he had looked at me lingered, causing a shy smile to spread across my lips and made me blush giddily as I snuggled closer to him.

I brushed a strand of hair from his face. He looked peaceful and relaxed, his messy hair tousled and his lips slightly curved into a sleepy smile. I couldn’t help but let my eyes wander over him, taking in every detail- the way his chest rose and fell with each breath, the strong lines of his arms, and the subtle glow of his skin.

As I shifted, Shayne stirred and blinked awake. He stretched his arms above his head and yawned, as I took in the sight of him. Then turned his head toward me with a sleepy, content smile. 

“Good morning, beautiful.” He mumbled, his voice still rough with sleep.

I beamed at him, the happiness bubbling up inside me. “Morning, handsome.”

Without a second thought, he leaned in and gave me a peck on the lips, not bothering to worry about morning breath.

Shayne’s smile widened as he propped himself up on one elbow. “I wonder what’s got you so chipper today?”

I chuckled softly. “Oh you'll never guess. See, there's this guy I've been in love with for like, forever and last night he totally rocked my world. Oh! And the cherry on top is that he looks insanely adorable in the morning.”

He smirked, stretching again. “Adorable, huh? Well good for him.”

I giggled, reaching out and giving his side a gentle poke. “I need to use the bathroom real quick.”

I slid out of bed, stretching as the sheets fell off my naked body before I started picking up our clothes from the night before, which were scattered across the floor.

Shayne’s eyes followed me with a playful glint and parted lips. I glanced back at him with a smirk, noticing his appreciative gaze. 

When I returned, wearing his 'Broncos' shirt from last night and new underwear, Shayne’s eyes widened with a mix of admiration and desire.

“Damn. Honestly, seeing you in that shirt is way sexier than any lingerie will ever be.” He looked down, and raised his eyebrows. “It’s definitely getting pretty difficult to keep myself in check with you looking like that.” He chuckled.

I laughed, walking over to his side of the bed, giving him a teasing look. “Oh yeah?”

Shayne grinned, reaching his hands out to me, pulling me closer. “Oh my God, absolutely. It’s a killer look on you.”

Giggling, I climbed back into bed, our lips met with a warm, tender connection, and I felt his smile against my mouth, making the morning feel even more perfect.

As I kneeled on the space of the bed between his legs, he immediately wrapped his arm around my waist, pulling me closer. His skin, warm and bare, pressed against mine while the thin fabric of his shirt created a teasing contrast between us.

“You know,” Shayne began softly, his breath warm against my neck, “Last night wasn’t just special because of everything we did,” He kissed the exposed skin of my shoulder, his lips brushing featherlight against the fabric’s edge. “It was special because it was with you. I really don't understand what took us so long."

"And I don't mean 'Oh what took us so long to have sex'- no, I mean,” He sighed. "I mean...I've really enjoyed making up for lost time with you, Court."

A flutter rose in my chest at his words, my heart skipping a beat. I shifted slightly, feeling the soft fabric of the shirt ride up as his hand wandered under the hem, caressing the bare skin on the back of my thighs. His touch was gentle, yet possessive, making my face heat up.

He gently leaned back, looking at me with a playful gleam in his eyes. “And as much as you in my clothes is doing it for me, right now, I’m thinking clothes might not be necessary for either one of us.”

I grinned back at him, placing my hand over chest as he moved in to kiss me. “As tempting as that sounds, I'm starving, babe.”

Shayne groaned dramatically but couldn’t keep the smile off his face. “Fine, fine. Breakfast. But I’m definitely keeping my options open for some... post-breakfast distractions.”

I laughed, starting to pull away from him, but Shayne's grip tightened slightly, holding me in place for a moment longer. “One more minute…” He murmured, pressing his forehead to mine, his eyes half-lidded in elation. 

Finally, I gave him a soft kiss and wriggled out of his hold. "Okay, okay, breakfast...come on…" I said, standing up and adjusting the black fabric that hung loosely on me. 

His gaze followed me as I walked towards the doorframe of the room, his head resting on his arm, eyes alight with amusement and something else that made my pulse quicken.

I turned to look at him over my shoulder, catching him smiling at me, his hair tousled and lips curved in that lazy, satisfied way.

"You gonna keep staring or, are you gonna get your sweet ass over to the kitchen and help me with the pancake batter?"

Shayne grinned and tossed the sheets off and stood up, stretching with zero concern about his complete lack of clothing. I tried to focus on anything but him, but it wasn’t happening as my eyes kept drifting over his gorgeous chest and the smooth curve of his hips and his……well you know...-the reason my back feels a bit stiff this morning-

“Shayne,” I said, my voice flat despite the blush dusting my cheeks as I unabashedly checked him out, “Pants.”

He let out a chuckle, raising his hands in mock surrender, as he went to go put on a pair of sweatpants before we made a beeline to the kitchen.

As we walked Shayne wrapped his arms around me from behind, making me burst into laughter. His chin rested on my shoulder, and I could feel the warmth of his chest pressed against my back.

We worked in sync, with Shayne flipping the pancakes as they sizzled on the pan, while I set the table. Every so often, he'd sneak up behind me to tickle my sides or nudge me with his hip, making me giggle and nearly drop the silverware.

When we were finally done cooking, Shayne proudly flipped the last one onto the plate. "See? Gordon Ramsey eat your heart out." He said, puffing out his chest in mock pride.

We sat down to eat, the table now filled with pancakes topped with syrup, whipped cream, and fresh fruit. As I took a bite, I couldn’t help but moan at how good they tasted. 

I nodded. "Mmm- Ok but actually, though." 

"Told ya!" He responded, pouring some juice in my cup.

We continued to eat, chatting about nothing and everything, sharing jokes and laughing between mouthfuls. At one point, Shayne reached over to swipe a strawberry off my plate, and I playfully slapped his hand away.

"Hey! Get your own fruit, thief!" I scolded, though my grin gave away the lack of seriousness in my voice.

He just smirked, popping the stolen strawberry into his mouth without an ounce of guilt. "Oops?" He joked.

I shook my head, taking another bite of pancake when I noticed his gaze lingering. "You're staring again..."

"Can't help it," He replied, his voice warm. "It's hard not to when I’ve got the best view in the world."

I rolled my eyes but couldn't stop the smile from creeping across my face. 

As we started picking up the dishes, Shayne slid behind me once more, resting lips on my shoulder and then pressing a gentle kiss to my temple. This time, though, his hands slid down to my waist, and before I could react, he gave my ass a playful squeeze.

I gasped, turning to swat at him with a laugh. "Shayne!"

He just grinned, completely unapologetic. "What? Now that the floodgates are open, you really can't expect it to be easy for me to keep my hands off you!"

I rolled my eyes, still laughing. "Oh my god, you're crazy! Just help me clean up before I make you do it all yourself."

"Alright, alright. But you started this."

"Sure, blame me." I teased as I handed him a plate. "All I'm saying is that this is very ironic coming from 'Mr. I-Want-To-Wait'"

He huffed out a laugh as I took his arm and tugged him over to the kitchen sink.

As we washed up, he kept sneaking little touches here and there, brushing against my hand, poking my side, or leaning in for a quick kiss when he thought I wasn't paying attention. Each time I giggled, playfully shooing him away, but enjoying the lightheartedness of it all.

Once the dishes were done, I grabbed his hand, pulling him toward the bathroom. "Come on 'Romeo', we need to freshen up and get ready to record some ADR for some videos on the main channel."

Shayne followed with a small grin, whipping the dish rag against my butt with a playful smack.

"Just a heads-up," He teased, "Whatever happens in that bathroom is not my fault! You’ve unleashed the beast." He finished with an ominous voice.

I shot him an incredulous yet impressed look, trying not to laugh. "Okay, well this 'beast' better chill, or we’re never getting anything done."

He chuckled, quirking an eyebrow, twirling the towel like a lasso. "That's supposed to be a bad thing?"

I clutched his hand and pulled him toward the bathroom, my laughter mingling with his as we raced down the hallway.

As we approached the door, I slowed down slightly, pretending to tire out. Shayne took advantage, playfully scooping me up just enough to make me squeal. We tumbled into the bathroom, our laughter echoing off the walls.

In the midst of our chaos, Shayne leaned in, capturing my lips in a quick, giggly kiss. I wrapped my arms around his neck, biting my lip before kissing him back with equal enthusiasm. We broke apart only to burst into more laughter, our faces flushed with happiness.

Finally, we settled into a comfortable embrace, our smiles lingering as we enjoyed the simple joy of the moment, his hand finding its way to the side of my face, holding me closer. 

"I love you." I whispered.

"I love you too. So much..." He murmured back, softly claiming my lips again.

The bathroom door clicked shut behind us, leaving us in our own little world.

Chapter Text

*Shayne POV*

I didn’t think we’d go from zero to this in a matter of days, but here we are. It’s been almost a week since our first time, and we’ve basically done it just about everywhere in the apartment.

Couch? Obviously. 

Kitchen counter? Twice. 

Shower? Almost broke my damn neck but worth it. 

Bed? It's seen plenty of action.

I don't think I've ever been this reckless or horny before. I mean, one second we're just hanging out, talking like usual, and the next we're stumbling into some corner, barely able to keep our hands off each other. It's like there's this pull I can't resist.

We got a taste of each other and it's addicting.

We've had to control ourselves for years but now? Every time we're in the same room, it feels like there's this tension crackling in the air, waiting for one of us to make a move.

Case in point: the vase incident.

She was perched on the dining table, legs wrapped around me, her breath coming in short gasps. My hands roamed up her thighs, and in the middle of it, her arm swung out, accidentally swiping the vase off the edge.

It crashed to the floor with a sharp, echoing shatter, shards scattering across the floor, but we barely missed a beat.

"Uh, did we just break-" She began, her voice breathless and tinged with amusement as she glanced down at the mess.

"Yeah, but it’s not like we can’t get a new one." I replied, grinning as I pulled her back to me. My lips brushed her collarbone, her fingers tightening around the back of my neck. "We’ll clean it up later."

And we did. 

Eventually. 

But not until we were done, sweaty, and satisfied.

Honestly, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't having the time of my goddamn life.

However, acting totally normal and not at all like a smug bastard in perpetual heat in front of everyone during filming and 'Zoom' meetings was becoming increasingly difficult.

As the weekly virtual meeting for the 'Games' channel dragged on, my mind was ensnared by that vivid and steamy memory of that lazy Sunday we spent together- the day after our date.

Every detail of that day with Courtney replayed in my mind with striking clarity.

We’d been in the bathroom, laughing one second before our mouths became too occupied with each other's tongues, steam swirling around us, creating an intimate, heated environment.

The sound of the water mingled with our gasps and moans as we’d shed our minimal clothing in haste. 

Courtney had tossed her- well, technically my- shirt aside with her panties and a playful grin, and I’d followed suit, discarding my pants and stepping into the shower with her.

She had pressed her skin, slick with water and anticipation, to my chest. “Shayne,” she’d whispered breathlessly through a grin, “What's that you were saying about 'unleashing a beast'?”

I snickered, lifting her, her legs enveloping my waist tightly as I pressed her against the wall. The water streamed over us, our bodies moving together with a desperate rhythm. 

Her fingers dug into my shoulders, her nails scraping down my back as we moved together, leaving tingling trails of fire that only spurred me on. We were lost in each other, the world outside the shower fading into nothing. It was raw, intense, like we were pouring every ounce of pent-up desire into each movement, every gasp and groan melding with the sound of rushing water.

As I got close, I panicked, realizing we had forgotten to grab a condom. Sensing this however, she patted my shoulder making me carefully set her on her shaky legs. 

She kissed me before intensly locking her gaze with mine and sinking to her knees, lips parting without hesitation. The second her mouth wrapped around me, the heat and wetness were almost too much. 

She took me as deep as she could, her tongue swirling and teasing while her hand gripped me tight, stroking what she couldn’t fit as I tangled one hand in her drenched hair and placed the other flat on the tile wall.

God, she was stunning, almost too beautiful to be on her knees, looking up at me with that wicked smile as if she knew exactly the effect she had on me.

Her eyes stayed locked on mine, her movements messy but deliberate, sucking harder with every second. The sounds she made around me- soft, wet, lewd- only pushed me closer. She was relentless, taking me deeper with every stroke until I couldn’t hold back any longer. 

She pulled away to catch her breath, a string of saliva connecting her to me as wiped the corners of her mouth free from the spit that had pooled there, before shaking some stray strands of hair from her face.

“You ok?” Her raspy voice innocently asking me that question was almost ironic to me. Like…does she not know what she's doing to me right now?

“Yes. Oh my god, baby yes.” I nodded, out of breath.

She smiled and took me back in, swirling her tongue sinfully, making my knees shake.

I warned her multiple times to pull away since I was almost there. But she only moaned and sped up, bobbing her head and looking deep into my eyes as I came, hard.

She swallowed everything I had to give, her lips sliding off slowly, leaving me trembling and spent as she looked up with a satisfied smirk, gently running her hands up my thighs.

Just as I remembered the way she stood up and guided my hands to that glorious place in between her legs, Matt Raub’s loud voice cut through my headphones, breaking the haze. 

“Shayne! Are you even listening? We need your thoughts on this!”

I snapped back to reality, my face flushed and heart racing. “Uh, yeah, sorry, Matt.” I stammered, struggling to mask my discomfort, praying my shitty computer camera was useful in covering any potential giveaways on my face.

Spencer, sensing the awkward energy, piped up with a grin. “Uh-oh. What happened, man? Did you just remember you left the oven on, or did someone put 'Doki Doki Literature Club' on the filming block triggering your PTSD?” He chuckled and Damien quietly tried to stifle a laugh.

Sarah cut in, raising an eyebrow but still keeping things light. “Look, as much as I’m sure Shayne’s inner monologue is fascinating, we’ve got actual work to do. We still need to figure out who’s Animal Crossing Island we're gonna use in this next video and how all that's gonna work.” 

She leaned in toward her camera, giving me a pointed look. “Shayne, any thoughts you'd like to add, bud?"

I shrugged, "Um...you know...I...uh-" Ian gave me a confused look and said, “Shayne, you look like you’ve just seen a ghost. Everything okay?”

I nodded quickly, trying to control my flushed face. “Yeah, just got a bit...lost in thought.”

Damien raised an eyebrow, curiosity piqued. “Lost in thought? About?”

“Nothing important,” I said, avoiding their gazes. “Just... distracted.”

Matt, now more amused than irritated, shook his head. “Alright, let’s refocus. Shayne, try to keep it together.”

“Got it.” I replied, forcing myself to concentrate on the meeting.

Matt continued, pulling up our filming schedule on his screen. "Now for the Jackbox video I thought that maybe....."

The lingering warmth from the memory still simmered beneath my professional facade, making it difficult to maintain my composure in front of my friends.

After what seemed like an eternity, (but was really about 30 minutes) Sarah nodded, jotting something down in her notes. “Alright, sounds like we’ve got a plan. Matt, are we good to wrap this up?”

Matt, looking more amused than frustrated now, glanced at the notes on his screen. 

“Yeah, I think we’re good. Just make sure you guys check your emails and the filming schedule for next week. Spencer, I'm still waiting for you to finish fixing those fuck-ups you made in the final edit of last week's video. I need them ready to post by tomorrow,” He berated as Spencer simply rolled his eyes and muttered in agreement.

He gave me a quick look, a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. “And Shayne, maybe try to stay with us next time.”

I forced a laugh. “Yeah, I’ll work on that.”

Sarah shot me a teasing smile. “Or at least let us in on what’s going on in that head of yours. Seems like we’re missing out on something juicy.” She finished in a sing-songy tone.

I felt the heat rise in my face again, but I nodded, pretending to brush it off. “Nothing you guys would find interesting, I promise.”

Damien raised an eyebrow, his curiosity not fully sated, but he didn’t press further. “Alright, well, I guess that’s a wrap. I gotta go record some VOs for some things so...”

Everyone said their goodbyes, and one by one, the faces on my screen disappeared until it was just me. I leaned back in the dining chair I was sitting on, exhaling deeply.

Just as I was about to close my laptop, I heard the familiar creak of a door opening. I looked over to see Courtney strolling out of her room, stretching her arms above her head as she made her way into the living room.

“Hey,” She said casually, rubbing her eyes. “Finished recording, finally. What about you? Meeting over?”

I leaned back in my chair, still shaking off the remnants of the awkward meeting. "Yeah, we just wrapped up. It was... something."

Courtney raised an eyebrow, plopping her hands on the table in front of me. "Was Matt in one of his little moods again?"

I sighed, rubbing the back of my neck. "No...well-" I contemplated for a second. "No, I zoned out for a bit, and everyone noticed. You know how it is."

She frowned, her concern evident. “You sure you're okay? You’ve seemed off today.”

Before I could answer, Courtney stood up and moved behind my chair. Her hands rested on my shoulders, and she leaned in, her breath warm against my ear. 

“You don’t think anyone suspects...us, do you?” I said tensing slightly. “I don’t know, it's just...what if they do? What if we’ve slipped up? I mean...I don't think we have, and we've obviously not said anything but-”

Courtney’s hands slid down my arms, her touch soothing. “They won’t find out before we’re ready,” She whispered, her lips brushing the back of my ear. “We’ve been careful.”

I leaned back into her touch, trying to relax. “It’s just hard not to worry. You know how they all are. And, we still need to go over the HR clauses in our contracts so we know how we're gonna deal with this.”

She chuckled softly, her lips grazing my ear as she whispered, “I know, don't worry. You’re so tense.” Her fingers began to explore more intimately, her touch sending shivers down my spine. “Let me help you relax a little.”

“Court...” I managed, struggling to focus.

Her lips continued to tease the side of my neck. “You’ve had a rough day. I can make it better... just like last night.”

I gripped the edge of the table, my resolve wavering. “We can’t-”

“Why not?” She purred, her fingers slipping under my shirt, her touch warm and inviting as my eyes fluttered shut. “We're done working for today, and you look like you could use a distraction.”

I swallowed hard, trying to regain my composure. “Courtney, wait-”

She paused, her breath hot against my neck. “I’m still recovering from last night,” I said, my voice a mix of amusement and hesitation.

Courtney pulled back slightly, her eyes twinkling with mischief. “Alright, alright. I’ll give you a break...for now.”

Courtney’s gaze locked with mine, and we shared a moment of playful understanding. Her eyes sparkled with mischief and affection.

She leaned in and planted a soft, innocent kiss on my cheek. "I’ll let you breathe!” She said, her voice light and teasing.

The feeling of her kiss lingered, and I couldn’t help but smile looking up at her.

__________________________

Later that day Courtney found her copy of the contracts we were given by ‘Mythical’ when they bought Smosh. At the time, when we signed them, we pretty much skimmed over the parts that hadn't been highlighted by Ian's lawyers…because, well let's be real here- we didn't think we needed to.

When we were in ‘Defy’ greedy fucking clutches, technically co-worker relationships were ‘prohibited’...unless it benefited them and gave them views- like the whole Vee and Damien situation.

But now, we really need to make sure we fully understand and cover all the bases- something that's resulting a bit difficult given the amount of gray area in these clauses.

I slouched back in my chair, watching Courtney reread the paper. She had this look on her face, like half of her was amused and the other half was just done with it all.

“‘Not strictly prohibited provided they do not disrupt workplace productivity or lead to conflicts of interest,’” She read out loud, one eyebrow arched. “So…basically, they can’t tell us not to date, but they’re definitely not rolling out the red carpet.”

I snorted. “Right? And this part- ‘real or perceived favoritism.’ Perceived by who, exactly?” I shrugged. “Most people at Smosh- and I love them but c’mon- barely notice anything unless it’s right in front of them, like flashing neon.”

Courtney smirked. “And then there’s the ‘management reserves the right to review and address the situation’ bit.” She shook her head, rolling her eyes. “Which just sounds like, ‘We’re cool with it…unless we’re not.’”

I leaned over to reread it myself, letting the words sink in. “‘Right to review and address.’ So basically, we’re fine unless something actually becomes an issue.” I laughed, shaking my head. “Not the clearest guidance, but I think we’re good.”

She set the paper down, grinning. “I mean, the place is chill- they just want to protect themselves, right? Guess we just…do our thing unless someone says otherwise. And since we're not planning on announcing anything yet, we have time to plan and go over this some more.”

“Sounds like a plan to me.” I said, grinning right back.

Suddenly her phone rang- I immediately knew who was calling based on the ringtone.

‘Diva’ by Beyoncé could only mean one person.

“Hey Veevee! Oh, I'm good.” Courtney responded, chuckling a bit at whatever the girl was saying over the phone.

“Mmhm. Yeah. Oh! Um…y-yeah he's uh- he's here. I've barely seen him all day though, he's been in meetings so…” She looked over at me, widening her eyes a bit and making a small ‘shushing’ motion with her finger.

“Yeah, I'll put you on speaker, on sec.” Moving over to sit next to me, she moved the phone to sit in her hand between us. “Ok, go ahead.”

“Alright- Hey ‘squish’! How are you, bud?” Our castmate cheerily called out.

“I'm good! Tired for no reason but good.” I responded.

“Bro, I know, right? Can you believe it's already the middle of the year? It’s wild.” Her tone was a mix of astonishment and a hint of melancholy, and I can only imagine how she feels, considering this year has, in many ways, been a disappointment for her.

She went on tour with us, and had plans for her own tour, but then- bam- lockdown hit.

She was really sad about releasing her new album during quarantine, but we all tried to make the best of it. Honestly, half of Smosh's TikTok account is just us messing around to her songs. The number of people discovering her music through TikTok is truly unbelievable.

“Crazy how fast time flies,” Vee continued, her voice brightening. “I’ve been trying to keep busy, though! I even joined this gym recently, you know, trying to get back into the swing of things. Vee explained. 

“They’re really strict about social distancing, but it feels good to move again. Sarah actually gave me the go-ahead to join and shared some protocols to follow while I’m there. Just the usual stuff- wearing a mask, keeping my distance, and not hanging around too many people at once. It’s kind of a bummer, but I get it, gotta keep things safe, you know?”

“That's good! It's really sick that you're doing that for yourself.” I congratulated.

“But…speaking of the gym, I might have met someone there…” Her little smirk was almost audible as her voice turned soft.

Courtney leaned in closer, eyes sparkling with curiosity. “Ooooh, details! Don’t leave us hanging!”

“Okay, okay! He’s really tall and has these stunning dark blue eyes. I swear, they could make anyone melt. But, you know, it’s nothing serious- just a casual vibe for now. But honestly, I have a really good feeling about where this could go.” she said, a teasing lilt in her voice.

Courtney nodded knowingly. “Yeah, just remember what happened last time. Take it slow, okay? Heartbreak isn’t fun, and we just want you to stay happy.”

“I know, I know! I’m not rushing into anything, I promise,” Vee reassured us. “I just- it’s nice to have that sort of connection again. Like for real. Makes me feel a little less…lonely, you know?”

“Totally. I get that,” I replied, trying to keep the conversation light. “As long as you’re not planning on doing anything reckless! Again…” I mumbled that last part under my breath as Courtney slapped my arm playfully.

Courtney added, “Exactly! Just have fun, get to know him, but keep your guard up. We love you and don’t want to see you hurt again.”

“I know…I love you guys too. And I miss you! God! I miss hanging out with everyone! The only plus has been all the new music that's been dropping recently. Well, except for-”

“Your ex fling and his band releasing that song about you?” I snickered, trying to fight off a fit of giggles.

“ALLEGEDLY!” She yelled through the phone. “Ugh, I know I should be mad but, it's such a banger though.”

“Yup.”

“Oh my god, yeah.”

We laughed and chatted for a while when she suddenly said, “So, what's uh…what's new with you two? I mean ya'll have been stuck together for quite a bit now so, how has that been? Anything you want to share? Hmm?”

Our heads whipped towards each other as I nervously opened and closed my mouth thinking of an answer that sounded totally normal and not at all like ‘Oh us? Yeah we're together now and have been fucking every on every flat surface in the apartment! Thanks for asking!’ because that is not at all how one of our closest friends should find out that their ‘ship’ has sailed or whatever the fuck people say on Twitter.

But Courtney barely flinched. She just jumped in smoothly, her voice light and casual. “Oh, us? Oh! We’ve been great! Just trying to keep each other sane and, you know- lots of deep cleaning, reorganizing the entire apartment…pretty thrilling stuff.” She shot me a quick side-eye, daring me to challenge her.

I nodded eagerly, catching on. “Oh- Y-Yep, couldn’t live with all the clutter, right? We’ve ‘Marie Kondo’d’ the shit out of this place. You'd be shocked at how much of a hoarder Court is.” I teased, trying to act as normal as possible. Thank god this wasn't a video call or else my face would've given us away immediately.

“Ok, yeah but besides that. Anything new you want to share? Shayne? Court?” She gently pressed. The way she dragged out my name made me realize exactly what she meant.

During our flight back to LAX from Australia Vee came up to me and Damien while everyone was either asleep or too engrossed in the free plane WIFI to notice.

”Ok! What the fuck did you do?” Vee marched over, leaning towards mine and Damien's seats. Her nostrils flared and her left foot tapping repeatedly on the floor.

“What- what are you talking about-” 

“Oh you know what I'm talking about! Last night. What happened?”

Damien took his headphones out at this, looking between us nervously.

“And this is why I hate aisle seats…” He mumbled. "Vee, can we not-”

“Nope!” She cut him off, raising a finger, her focus laser-locked on me. "Shayne, answer the question."

I swallowed hard, hoping my face wasn’t giving anything away. “Nothing happened! Vee, it’s not what you’re thinking.”

“Oh, really?” She challenged, crossing her arms. “Because you two have been acting like you’re in some slow-burn romance movie for months now. And last night…she…” Her voice softened, concern flickering in her eyes. “I just don’t want either of you to get hurt.”

I glanced at Damien, who gave a small shrug, clearly torn between wanting to help me and avoiding Vee’s wrath.

“Listen, we were just…” I hesitated, recalling how Courtney had looked at me, her face inches from mine, that spark in her eyes before the phone rang. A part of me wished I could confess everything, but the words caught in my throat. 

“…it was just a moment, Vee. It didn't…it didn't mean anything.” The lie tasted bitter, and I could almost feel Courtney’s disappointment in the air, even though she wasn’t here to hear it.

Vee’s expression softened slightly. “Fine, if that’s how you want to play it. But just know,” She leaned closer, lowering her voice, “I see the way you look at her- we all do. I’m pretty damn sure she feels the same.”

“It's not that simple…” I muttered, frustration creeping in.

Damien finally turned his head and looked straight at me, his tone gentle yet serious. “Shayne, you don’t have to pretend with us. If you care about her, just be honest about it. Don’t let fear get in the way of what you really want.”

“*Ay Dios mío!* [translation: Oh my god!]” Vee exclaimed, throwing her hands up in exasperation. “You both are such idiots! Can’t you see that you’re wasting time?” Her voice blended with exasperation and genuine concern.

Everything about her energy made me want to laugh and groan.

But then she took a deep breath, her demeanor shifting to something more intense. “Listen, you better man the fuck up and talk to her the next time you’re alone together, I swear. If there’s something there, don’t let it slip away. The longer you wait, the harder it gets.” And with that she went back to her seat next to an eye-mask wearing Tommy.

After that, since Courtney asked me to quarantine with her, Vee has sent me little ‘messages of encouragement’ every week or so saying things like ‘Don't let me down!’ or, ‘You're not getting any younger!’ and, my personal favorite, ‘It's crazy how even I get more bitches than you.’ 

But I know she's only insufferable because she cares. I know that the moment we tell her she's gonna lose it in the best way possible- after she yells at us for keeping it from her and the others in the first place.

“No, um- we've just been playing a ton of Animal Crossing and we started watching ‘The Queen's Gambit’ to balance out all the ‘Tiger King’ content we all devoured earlier this year.” Court explained, glancing at me hoping our friend would drop it.

Vee hummed on the other side of the line, whether she bought tags or not, we didn't really know. “Alright, well at least stop by my island next time! Lord knows I've spent way too much time making it look pretty. Anyway, I gotta go- Dinah booked me some auditions so I gotta figure out where I'm gonna tape them…”

“Ok then, we'll talk soon! Love you!” Courtney answered cheerfully.

“Love and miss you too ‘Bourt! Later, squish!” Vee chirped before hanging up. 

“Bye Veevee.” I added fondly as I heard the line disconnect.

“Well, do you think she bought that?” I asked, turning to look at Court as she tucked her legs under herself on the couch, resting one arm on my shoulder.

“I mean…hopefully. At the end of the day, when we get back to working in person the real struggle is gonna be whether or not everyone else buys it. I think- personally, of course- that we should wait until we hit the 3 month mark to start telling people about us. By that point we'll have figured things out more and…yeah. I don't know. I really don't want to rush this.” She prompted, while fiddling with a string on my shirt sleeve.

I nodded pursing my lips a bit. “Yeah. Yeah, that works for me. Truth be told, I don't know how we're gonna be normal around each other in public now but,” I shrugged, smiling. “I'll try. And not gonna lie, I'm very much going to enjoy having you as my little secret for a bit longer.” I nuzzled my nose to her cheek as she rolled her eyes, sweetly. 

Courtney chuckled softly. “Yeah, well, enjoy it while it lasts. As soon as we tell everyone, it'll be like we're under a magnifying glass.”

I grinned, keeping my voice playful. “I think I can handle the heat. At least for you.” 

“Yeah?”

“Absolutely.”

I didn’t even think about it when I leaned down, just brushing my lips over hers. The kiss was soft, warm, and unhurried, like we had all the time in the world.

She leaned into me, her hand sliding up to cradle my face, her thumb grazing my cheek in gentle, rhythmic strokes.

I let myself melt into it, my fingers slipping into her hair, twisting softly through the strands. She sighed against me, the sound a soft exhale that made my heart skip, and I could feel the curve of her lips as she smiled into the kiss.

We lingered there, letting the kiss deepen in its own time, savoring each brush of lips, each soft brush of tongue and we felt from each other.

Barely pulling away I murmured, almost as quiet as a breath, “Being with you is worth the risk.”

I didn't need her to tell me that she heard me. I felt it. From the way she held onto the back of my neck as she pressed her lips firmly into mine.

As we pulled apart, we rested our foreheads together, relishing in the quiet moment.

But then she piped up and asked me, “By the way- did you get the email Ian sent out this morning?”

“Huh? What email?” I asked, still slightly dazed.

“Apparently there's gonna be a production meeting next week and we're expected to log on.”

“Hmm. Ok. That's kinda weird- I mean to ask us to join- but, alright I guess.”

Little did we know…our quarantine love bubble was about to pop. Life was going back to normal, and soon we’d have a whole new challenge in front of us-

Not getting caught.

Chapter Text

*Courtney POV*

The ‘Zoom’ call was supposed to be just another routine production meeting. We used to have these weekly to review our filming blocks, but since the lockdown started, those meetings have mostly been replaced by email updates. Honestly, it's been a huge time-saver. Most of those meetings could've just been emails anyway.

It’s not that we weren’t invited to meetings anymore; it’s just that we didn’t really need to be there unless we needed equipment sent over or were directly involved in producing content.

But this time, Ian sent an email that seemed to go out to the entire company. When I logged into the call, there were over 20 little boxes on my screen, including Shayne’s- he was in the guest room on his own computer.

We expected the usual updates, a few jokes, and Matt inevitably talking over Ian. But as Ian cleared his throat and Matt and Sarah exchanged glances, something felt...different.

Ian had a look of excitement, the kind he always got when he had big news to share.

Hoo boy…

“So,” Ian began, leaning forward, “big news guys. Um, we’ve decided it’s time to start transitioning back to working in the studio. Slowly, of course, and safely.”

There was a brief pause, and then the reactions started rolling in.

“Wait, for real?!” Jackie exclaimed, her face lighting up as she leaned toward her screen. “Haha! I can finally wear something other than sweatpants!”

“Yessss!” Olivia pumped her fist in the air, grinning. “I miss my desk! And my plants! Are they even alive anymore?”

“No way!” Noah shouted, his box vibrating slightly as he clapped his hands together. “Studio snacks are back, baby!”

Keith chimed in, “And real-life dumb bits! Do you know how hard it is to pull pranks over ‘Zoom’?”

“Holy shit!” Vee cut in, nearly tipping her coffee mug as she jumped up from her chair. “Do you know how much easier my life is gonna be without my dog photobombing every second? No more writing songs about existential crises that make my manager worried? Woo!”

From the corner of Kimmy’s screen, Shane leaned into the frame and with a knowing smirk, his deep Australian accent rang through. “Finally, you can stop using me as your unwilling camera operator. The world isn’t ready for my shaky cinematography.”

Kimmy rolled her eyes but couldn’t hide her grin. “You loved it.”

Damien, meanwhile, dramatically leaned back in his chair and threw his arms out wide. “THANK GOD! I swear, if I have to troubleshoot one more mic issue on these calls, I’ll combust. Studio sound team, I missed you!” His cat Freyja ended up jumping in front of his camera a bit startled at all this before he scooped her up, cradling her under his chin.

Spencer, ever the chill editor, just shrugged, but his smirk betrayed his excitement. “Cool. I guess this means no more exporting projects at 3 a.m. from my couch.”

Then Tommy unmuted, his face splitting into an exaggerated grin. “Oh, thank god. New real-life content is back! I’m so tired of posting throwbacks and weird screenshot memes. If I have to post one more ‘remember when…?’ TikTok, I’m deleting the app.”

Laughter rippled through the group, with Keith chiming in, “You just mad we haven’t done numbers for a month.”

Tommy groaned dramatically, “You think it’s easy making you all look funny online?”

The group burst into laughter again as cameras flickered with nods and unmuted cheers.

“Okay, okay! Hold on, let me finish.” Sarah jumped in, her voice calm but firm.

“The set will be closed, only a couple of people on-site at a time, and we’ll be following strict safety precautions,” Sarah explained. “This isn’t a free-for-all. Masks will be mandatory except when on camera, and we’ll schedule staggered shifts. And, routine Covid testing *will be mandatory.”

Cameras flickered with nods and muted reactions, but my stomach flipped. 

For two reasons. 

Obviously I was ecstatic to go back into the studio and be around my friends and actually go to work. I mean we've been stuck in our houses for months and the world has been so shitty! Of course I miss my old routine, you know?

But now…..

My eyes darted to Shayne’s screen- a faint twitch in his jaw, a half-second longer blink than usual. It was subtle, but I knew the signs. We were screwed. 

Secretly dating had been easy amidst the chaos of virtual work, but now? The prospect of being in the same room, surrounded by everyone, trying to act normal- it was like juggling knives in a hurricane.

And yes I like to think we're good actors but, come on now- I love the guy and he's extremely talented but it's not like we're Bobby DeNiro and Meryl Streep! And besides- we have to be careful not to set any alarm bells off with HR. 

Yes, the terms and conditions sounded reasonable, but we still don't know if there's some sort of loophole or trick in there that could screw us over!

“That's awesome you guys. I can't wait. I mean, let's be real here- Courtney’s probably seconds away from kicking me to the curb at this point!” Shayne jokes, clearly doing his best to seem at ease.

Everyone laughed at Shayne's joke, but I felt my cheeks flush slightly. I quickly masked my anxiety with a half-hearted chuckle.

“Oh, come on, ‘Shania’,” I shot back, trying to sound playful, “if I did, let's be real- who else would put up with your nonsense for 2 months straight?”

"Shit, has it really been that long?" He said. It could have been taken as a general question, but I could tell he was asking me specifically by the way his head tilted and the surprised, fond tone in his voice.

Soon the call wound down, Ian wrapped things up with his usual blend of hesitated positivity and efficiency. “Alright, everyone, we’ll send out your schedules and detailed safety guidelines by tomorrow. Let us know if you have any questions, and as always, stay safe.”

We all waved, exchanged goodbyes, and one by one, the boxes disappeared from the screen.

I watched as Shayne’s disappeared after a quick wave, leaving me alone with the dull hum of my laptop. I shut it with a soft click, sinking back into the couch. The initial rush of excitement about returning to the studio had already given way to that latent stress building in the back of my mind.

It wasn’t just the logistics of it all that was kinda overwhelming- the tight schedules, masks, testing. It was us. And no, it's not even the whole secret relationship thing in and of itself…

Shayne doesn't know this but, it's been a thought that's been eating at me for weeks.

We're we even gonna work out as a real couple outside of quarantine? Was the lack of being pretty much each other's literal sole focus show that we really have no idea how to be together? 

The first time the doubt crept in was a few weeks ago. It was late- well past midnight- and the world outside was dark and quiet. We were curled up on the couch, a movie playing in the background that neither of us was really watching.

Shayne’s arm was draped around me, his hand absentmindedly tracing small circles on my shoulder. I was half-asleep, my head on his chest, lulled by the steady rise and fall of his breathing.

“I could get used to this.” He murmured, his voice low and warm, the kind of tone that made my stomach flutter.

“Used to what?” I asked softly, tilting my head to look at him.

“This,” he said, gesturing vaguely with his free hand. “You, me, no distractions. Just...us.”

I smiled, leaning up to kiss him, slow and lingering. His hand slid to my waist, pulling me closer as he deepened the kiss, and for a moment, it felt like nothing else in the world mattered.

But then, as he pulled back and rested his forehead against mine, I caught the faintest flicker of something in his eyes. Contentment, sure, but also...was it uncertainty?

“What?” I asked, my voice quieter now, the warmth of the moment giving way to a strange sense of vulnerability.

“Nothing.” He said quickly, shaking his head. “I just...I don’t know how we got so lucky, you know? Feels too good to be true.”

It was meant to be sweet, and it was, but something about his words stuck with me.

Because it was good- almost too good. Trapped in our little bubble, there were no outside distractions, no competing schedules, no real-world demands pulling us in opposite directions. It was easy.

And that’s when the thought hit me: Was it easy because it was real? Or because there was nothing else to make it complicated?

I didn’t say anything at the time, just kissed him again and let myself get lost in the moment. But that tiny seed of doubt had been planted. And now, weeks later, it had started to grow.

How the hell were we supposed to navigate this?

I let out a long breath, leaning my head back against the cushions. Before I could get too lost in my thoughts, the guest room door swung open with a quiet creak, followed by hurried footsteps.

Shayne appeared in the doorway, his pace deliberate, his expression unreadable. He stopped a few steps away, hands on his hips.

“We need a plan.” He said, his voice calm but clipped.

I blinked at him. “What?”

He raised an eyebrow, gesturing vaguely in my direction. “For this. For us. So we don't blow this entire thing the second we’re in the same room.”

I sat up straighter, crossing my arms. “We’ve been fine this whole time. I'm sure if-”

“Court,” He interrupted, his voice firm but not unkind, “that’s because we’ve had literal walls between us.” He stepped closer, his tone even but his words quick. “Babe, you do that thing where you laugh at my jokes even when they’re not funny, and people notice.”

I narrowed my eyes, trying not to smirk. “Are you saying your jokes aren’t funny?”

“That’s not the point.” He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck as he sank onto the arm of the couch. “The point is…some people are painfully oblivious, yes, but, some people are incredibly observant. And I don’t want to screw this up. Although honestly- and I’m calling it now: Damien’s probably gonna figure it out first.”

“Damien?” I raised an eyebrow. “You think Damien will notice before Olivia?”

“Oh god,” he groaned, running a hand through his hair. “Her and the girls are gonna be menaces, aren’t they?”

“Shayne.”

“Yeah you're right. ‘When are they not’ is the question.”

“You know what?” I said, leaning forward. “It’s probably gonna be weird, but let’s promise to have little text check-ins every chance we get. And we’ll be following all the safety protocols, so that’ll help with the whole keeping our distance thing. We’ve got this…right?”

“Right. Of course.”

For a moment, neither of us said anything. Then, without a word, he stood up and headed back toward the guest room.

“Shayne,” I called after him, my voice quiet but firm.

He stopped, glancing back over his shoulder.

“For the record, your jokes are funny. Sometimes.”

He smirked, shaking his head as he disappeared down the hallway.

I sank back into the couch, my fingers tapping against the cushion as I stared at the ceiling.

We’ve got this. Right?

I only wished I believed it as much as I wanted him to.

__________________________

*Shayne POV*

It had been about a week since the meeting announcing our return to in-person filming, and while all the prep was going really well, I couldn’t shake that shitty tight feeling in my chest.

The truth is, yes, I haven’t been in a serious relationship in a long time- that’s no secret, we all know this. But now, with Courtney, it’s different. For the first time, I feel confident in what we have. And in myself. I feel confident in myself.

I’ve never really felt that before.

But then there’s this nagging fear I can’t seem to let go of. So many couples broke up because they couldn’t handle being together in quarantine. What if the opposite happens to us? What if we don’t know how to be together outside of this weird little bubble we’ve created?

We’ve always known how to navigate being best friends. But a couple? Do we really know who we are together when life gets back to normal? 

And to top it all off, we have to keep our relationship a secret. The thought of balancing all that…yeah, no wonder my neck feels like it’s made of cement.

And speaking of filming- yeah, that’s today.

It hit me like a truck the second I rolled out of bed this morning.

Today is the day.

We’re all back in the studio today. 

I’m going to walk through those doors, see all our friends again (at least for the first time since the protests we all went to months ago), do what we love most, and try to act like Courtney and I didn’t spend the last few months cuddling on the couch, binge-watching garbage TV, having mind-blowing sex, and debating the merits of pineapple on pizza. (For the record: no, it doesn’t belong. She’s still wrong about that.)

The smell of coffee drifted through the apartment as I stood by the kitchen counter, my travel mug in hand. I was dressed and ready to go- jeans, a comfortable shirt, and my jacket slung over the back of a chair. But my mind was miles away, running through all the things that could go wrong today.

Courtney came around the corner, pulling on her boots, her bag already packed and slung over one shoulder. She looked effortlessly put together, even in her casual clothes, and for a second, I forgot about the studio and the nerves gnawing at me.

She caught my eye and paused. “You okay? You’ve got that look.”

I gave a half-smile. “What look?”

“The ‘I’m overthinking everything and it’s all spiraling’ look.” She stepped closer, arms crossing over her chest. “Want to tell me what’s going on?”

I sighed, setting my mug down on the counter. “It’s just…going back today. It’s a lot. I'm really excited, of course but…I keep thinking about how easy everything’s been here, in our own little world. What if it’s not like that outside of it? What if we don’t know how to be ‘us’ out there?”

Courtney’s face softened, but her lips pressed into a thin line, like she was holding something back. “Yeah,” She said quietly, looking down for a moment. “I’ve been scared of that too.”

That caught me off guard. “You have?”

She nodded, her gaze meeting mine again. “Of course I have. It’s been so good here, just us. I’ve never felt this…comfortable and happy with someone before. You know that. But going back to everything, and keeping this a secret, pretending like none of this happened- it’s a lot. I’ve been overthinking it just as much as you.”

I took her hands, holding them tightly. “Why didn’t you say anything?”

She shrugged, her smile a little wry. “Because I figured we were both nervous enough as it is. I didn’t want to make it worse.”

I squeezed her hands, pulling her a little closer. “Court, I don’t know how this is going to work, but I know I want it to. I want us to work.”

Her expression softened, and she reached up to rest her hand against my chest. “Me too,” she said simply. “Whatever it takes.”

“But keeping this a secret…” I started, the words catching in my throat. “It’s going to be hard.”

Her lips quirked into a familiar, playful smile, but there was understanding in her eyes. “It’s just for the time being. And besides,” She added, her tone lightening, “you can still kiss me now. Make it count before we’re stuck acting like we’re just friends all day.”

I let out a small laugh, sliding my hands to her waist. “You’re so annoying.”

“Uh, yeah and you love it.” She teased, leaning up on her toes.

I didn’t argue. I pulled her close and kissed her, slow and steady, pouring everything I couldn’t say into the moment. Her arms looped around my neck, her fingers brushing against the back of my hair, and for those few seconds, nothing else mattered.

When we finally pulled apart, her cheeks were flushed, her smile warm. “Better?” she asked softly.

“Much,” I said, resting my forehead against hers for a moment. “You?”

She nodded, her voice quiet. “Yeah. Your mustache will never not feel tickly though.” She chuckled as I brushed the bit of hair I let grow out these past couple of weeks.

Stepping back reluctantly, she grabbed her bag and slipped her keys into her pocket. “Alright. Separate cars, right?”

“Separate cars.” I confirmed, though the words left a sour taste in my mouth.

She glanced at me as she reached the door, her expression steady but soft. “We’re going to be okay.” She said, her voice filled with more confidence than I felt.

I grabbed my bag and keys, meeting her gaze. “We’re going to be okay…” I echoed, letting her words sink in.

With that, she opened the door, and we stepped out together, ready to face the day ahead.

__________________________

The drive to the studio felt longer than it was, the quiet in the car giving me too much time to think. I turned on the radio but without my favorite passenger singing along, what was the point?

By the time I pulled into the parking lot, my hands were gripping the wheel tighter than I realized. Courtney’s car was already parked a few spaces away, and I spotted her leaning against the hood, scrolling on her phone.

She looked up as I stepped out, giving me a small smile. It was the kind of smile that steadied me, reminded me we were in this together.

“Ready?” she asked as I approached, slipping her phone into her pocket.

“As I’ll ever be.” I said, trying to sound more confident than I felt.

We walked toward the testing station set up just outside the studio, a temporary tent with a few chairs spaced out and a nurse in full PPE waiting for us. The studio had been clear: no one set foot inside until they had a negative test result.

“Hey, good morning!” The nurse greeted us warmly, clipboard in hand. “We’ll get you all set up. Just a quick nasal swab, and you’ll have your results in about fifteen minutes.”

I glanced at Courtney, who gave me a small, reassuring nudge. “Mm. Piece of cake.” She said.

She went first, sitting down and tilting her head back as the nurse gently swabbed her nose. She scrunched her face up slightly but stayed still, and when it was over, she hopped up like it was no big deal.

“Your turn!” She teased, gesturing for me to take her spot.

I sat down, trying not to make a big deal out of it, but damn if the swab didn’t feel like it was scraping my brain. I blinked the sudden tears that pricked my eyes rapidly as the nurse finished, and Courtney smirked at me.

“Piece of cake, huh?” I muttered, standing up.

She shrugged. “For me, it was.”

We were directed to wait in the chairs until our results came back. Fifteen minutes felt like an eternity, but when the nurse returned, she was smiling.

“Both negative,” she said, handing us each a paper with the results. “You’re good to go.”

I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I’d been holding, glancing at Courtney. “Well, that’s one thing off the list.”

“Let’s go!” She said, her smile widening as we headed toward the studio entrance.

The moment we walked through the doors, the familiar hum of energy hit me. It smelled like home- coffee, paint, and a faint hint of cleaning supplies. My heart thudded as I spotted familiar, yet masked, faces milling around.

“Look who finally showed up!” a voice called out, and I turned to see Damien walking over, his grin wide and easy. He threw an arm around my shoulders. “Man, it’s good to see you.”

“It’s been way too long,” I said, laughing as he pulled me into a bear hug.

Damien turned to Courtney next, his grin widening. “And you! Don’t think you’re getting out of a reunion hug.”

Courtney laughed, letting him pull her into a quick hug. “Aww! Missed you too, Dames. Nice mustache.” She joked, poking at the handlebar over his lip.

“Hey, we match!” I commented, pointing to my own facial hair.

The sound of running footsteps echoed through the studio, and suddenly Jackie came sprinting around the corner, her feet stomping enthusiastically. “OH MY GOD, YOU’RE ALL HERE!!!”

Before either of us could respond, she collided into me with a force that nearly knocked me over, squeezing me so tightly I actually gasped.

“Jackie! Air! I need air!” I managed to wheeze, though I couldn’t stop laughing.

She let go, only to immediately tackle Courtney next, her voice high-pitched with excitement. “Courtney!”

“Jackie!” She answered cheerfully, running to hug her back.

“‘Shanye’! ‘Court-bourt!’” Keith shouted, cupping his hands around his mouth. “Guys! Hey!” Noah called out, next to him.

“Keith! Noah! Ahhh!” Courtney exclaimed, running over to tackle them in a hug.

“Well, don’t kill them.” I added, walking over to join the growing reunion pile.

Suddenly, a high-pitched squeal cut through the noise of our reunion chaos. We all turned to see Vee barreling toward us, a whirlwind of energy and excitement.

“I'm shocked that her vocal cords haven't gone out yet,” Damien snickered. “She’s been squealing nonstop since we all walked in.”

Before I could respond, Vee dropped her bag and leaped onto me like a human cannonball. “‘SQUISH!’ I MISSED YOUR STUPID FACE!”

“Thank you?” I said, hugging her back before gently setting her down.

“Ooh! Not gonna lie this whole ‘discount-Leo-in-the-90's’ hair look? Obsessed. Love that for you.” She ruffled my already messy overgrown hair with a wide grin.

Before I could respond, she spun around and spotted Courtney. “*Bebita!*” (translation: babygirl!) She cheered as Courtney moved over to her, shimmying along the way.

Olivia burst in next, arms flailing dramatically. “GUYS! OH MY GOD, LOOK AT YOU!”

She didn’t even hesitate, pulling Courtney and Vee into a hug that looked more like an interpretive dance routine. “You look AMAZING. HOW?! It’s quarantine!”

“Olivia!” Courtney laughed, twirling her around. “I missed you so much!” She then gasped, “Shayne!” 

“Hi Liv!” I echoed, laughing as the energy of the reunion continued to surge through us.

The squealing and chatter were hitting a fever pitch when Ian finally strolled in, covering his ears dramatically. “Holy crap, I’m gonna lose my hearing before we even start filming.” He deadpanned, though the smile tugging at his lips gave him away.

“IAN!” Jackie practically screamed, darting over to him.

He held up his hands. “Nope, nope, I need at least five seconds to prepare-”

Too late. She hugged him so tightly he stumbled back a step, laughing despite himself. “Ok, ok, I’m glad to see you too!”

Within seconds, he was swept into the growing huddle of hugs and laughter, his earlier protest forgotten. The chaos was alive again, and for the first time in what felt like forever, everything felt right.

“Oh my god- we need to take a picture! Let's celebrate the gang being back together!” Vee added, whipping her phone out of her purse.

Just as we were about to shuffle in for the group selfie, we heard a familiar voice calling from across the hall. “Wait- WAIT FOR ME!”

Kimmy appeared, breathless as she sprinted toward us, coffee in hand.

She stopped a few feet away, hands on her knees, trying to catch her breath. Then, with mock solemnity, she raised one hand dramatically. “My beloved weirdos- I have arrived. The prodigal friend has come back…or, well, ran back, I guess.”

“No way!” Vee gasped before laughing, walking over to hug her. “Kimmy! We missed you! What took you so long?”

“I had to stop for coffee.” Kimmy panted. “Priorities, you know?”

We all quickly scrambled into a semi-orderly formation, laughing and arguing about angles. In that moment, none of the worries about quarantine life, or whatever challenges lay ahead mattered. 

We were just a loud group of friends, weirdly mismatched and perfectly chaotic.

“Okay, 3… 2… 1-”

The camera clicked. And then we were rewarded with a snapshot of our laughter, our crazy hair, and our awkward-looking hugs.

__________________________

After we all got settled back in, Sarah then came and took us to the ‘Try Not To Laugh’ set as she explained the new rules we had to follow.

“So, obviously, because we can't just be going around spitting water, we will be using these,” She pulled out a harmonica from her jacket pocket. “That way, we still get a funny reaction from you guys without spreading unnecessary germs. You'll each get one before filming and please guys, don't mix them up.”

She paused, scanning the group. “Alright, that's all for now. Now while we get started here- Courtney, Damien, Ian and Shayne, you’re needed at the next set over. We’re filming ‘Every Panda Express Ever’, so grab your stuff and let’s head over.”

As Sarah started leading the group away, Courtney slung her bag over her shoulder with a playful shrug. "Alright, time to channel my inner orange chicken connoisseur."

“Please Court, you are one. That and a plate of ramen were basically what she had delivered like 5 times a week.” I added, maybe a bit too comfortably.

“Hey, once a Chinese food addict, always a Chinese food addict.” Ian said, walking in front of us.

“Great! Now I'm hungry.” Damien whined.

“Heh…yeah.” Courtney smiled nonchalantly before shooting me a glare that screamed ‘stop talking dumbass’. 

Yeah, more domestic comments like that could compromise the whole ‘secret relationship’ shit. I mean, Courtney still hasn't let me live down my tiny, miniscule, slip-up while we were filming a ‘Jackbox’ video not too long ago.

We were playing ‘Faking It’ over Zoom- just us, Damien, Sarah, Tommy, and Ian.

Everything was going smoothly, and there hadn’t been any issues with filming in separate parts of the same apartment...until…

The secret task was revealed on the screen: ‘Hold up as many fingers as the number of times you’ve shaved your legs this month’ and then suddenly Ian decided to actually do the math.

"Well, Sarah has someone living with her. Courtney, you're on your own-"

She then interrupted him, faking indignance. "You don’t know my life. Who’s to say I don’t have a man hidden in my closet?"

All he said was “Uh-huh…”

I couldn’t help it. I looked away and tucked my lips inward in an effort to suppress the smirk that crept onto my face.

I couldn't help it, I swear! 

But honestly, Ian- and everyone- knew we were quarantining together and obviously didn't want fans to find out and get the wrong (although technically right) idea. So for him to go that route caught me off guard!

And besides, I thought they weren't gonna catch it in the final edit since Damien luckily lit up and took the attention away from that exchange.

He raised an eyebrow, curiosity piqued. “Wait, Sarah, you were her roommate in Australia. Any leg-shaving secrets going down?”

Sarah shook her head with a shocked laugh. “We had separate showers the whole time.”

Damien leaned in with mock shock. “You didn’t even hold hands?”

Then we just kept playing the game. I didn't think of that moment at all until the video came out and I realized they used a wide shot of everyone in that moment…and needless to say Court wasn't pleased, but…it was ironic and really funny to me, ok?

__________________________

Well, 3 hours and a prop ice cube to the nuts later and we are done filming.

“Hey, I'm so sorry! Do you want me to get you some actual ice?” Courtney said apologetically, patting my shoulder.

“No, I'm good. Just don't think I can make babies anymore.” I joke. She gets a teasing glint in her eye before looking around and behind us and leaning in to whisper in my ear, “So does that mean we can ditch the condoms?

I nearly choked on air as she said that, looking at her in shock, “Are you just trying to kill me today?”

She giggled before completely stopping and composing herself as Vee, Jackie, and Tommy walked into the room.

“...and like I know it's a bit weird but I'm sure it'll happen when he's ready.”

“Vee- honey- it's not normal for his friends to want to get to know you and for him to say no. Oh! Shayne, Court, could you please tell Vee that it's not normal for her new little boyfriend to not want her to meet his friends even though they've asked?”

"Look girl, I am as single as they come but that's a red flag. Mmhm." Jackie nodded.

I felt a pang of protectiveness as I watched Vee’s face, unsure how to make this less messy. “Vee, seriously, if he cares, he’d want you to meet his friends. It’s just…standard.”

Courtney nodded. “Yeah, and you know what it's like to be with someone who hides you away- for multiple reasons. But that's over and you don't deserve that, you know?”

“In fact, how long have you two been-”

“Officially? Less than 2 months. But I've known him for 4. I just didn't want to start going around and telling people until I was sure we were on the same page. That's why I only told you guys recently.”

“Right. No, that’s fair.” I paused, thinking it over before adding, “But in my opinion, that's enough time for you guys to start getting involved with each other’s circles. You could at least meet his friends over a video call if he's worried about spreading the virus.”

Courtney piped up, curiosity sparking in her eyes. “Wait, Vee- quick question. Like, we know he’s a personal trainer, but what else? How old is he, what are his hobbies, where’s he from?”

“Oh. Um, well, he was born and raised here in SoCal. He likes to cook, drive around in his spare time, and...yeah.” Vee’s voice trailed off.

“Okay, but how old is he? Vee?” I pressed.

She glanced away, her voice barely a whisper. “...y-six.”

“What?” Jackie blinked, her brow furrowing.

"Go ahead babe, say it out loud." Tommy said, clearly knowing where this was going.

“...ty-six,” She mumbled again.

“Vee,” Courtney prompted, concern creeping into her tone.

“Thirty-six! Okay? He’s thirty-six. And he’s gorgeous.”

“You’re joking.” I blinked, processing the shock of the revelation.

She shook her head slowly, a faint blush rising in her cheeks.

“Vee! That’s as older than Ian. Are you insane?” Courtney’s eyes were wide with disbelief.

“14 years Vee! He's 14 years older, that's a lot! I- Oh my god…” Jackie rubbed her temples dramatically.

"And now you understand what I've been going through with this one!" Tommy shrugged in a sarcastically happy tone.

“Vee. What the hell is a thirty-six-year-old doing with an almost-23-year-old?” My voice was serious as I tried to rationalize this in my head.

Vee’s gaze dropped to the floor, her smile fading as the question settled in her mind. “I don’t know…he’s just…him. And I know that once you all meet him you'll see why I think he's so incredible.”

Her answer felt small, but there was a flicker of something deeper. Something real. 

She paused for a moment before looking up again, a flicker of defiance in her eyes. “And besides, I’ve hooked up with older men before. Like, significantly older. And yeah, it was...different. But I’ve been fine. This isn’t something new for me.”

The room fell silent. Courtney glanced at Tommy and Jackie, and I saw a quick exchange of uneasy glances.

“That’s different, babygirl,” Jackie finally said, her tone serious. “This isn’t just some hookup. This is a relationship, you know?”

Vee sighed, her expression hardening. She straightened up, a confident resolve settling on her face. “I appreciate you guys worrying. But seriously- I’m a big girl. I know what I’m doing. Don’t stress. I can handle it.”

Her words hung in the air, a mix of vulnerability and strength. Despite everything, she managed a sweet, resolute smile.

“I'll be fine, okay?”

At the end of the day, all that really matters here is if she's happy so…

__________________________

*Courtney POV*

As we all sat down in the lunch hall to eat, I felt Olivia nudge me. I glanced up to see her eyes sparkling with that curious, mischievous glint she always got when she was about to pry.

“So…how are things with you and Shayne?”

Shit. 

My stomach tightened, a mix of embarrassment and anxiety bubbling up.

“What ‘things’? Liv, there are no ‘things’ at all.”

I forced a laugh, hoping the casual tone would steer the conversation away. But god, there were so, so many things.

She leaned back in her seat, a sly grin spreading across her face. “Oh, come on. Don’t play coy with me. You two look like something’s going on.”

I took a sip of my drink, the straw making a soft slurping noise. “We just…quarantined together- everything I would tell you in our phone calls is pretty much what happened. Which is nothing! We were just hanging out and trying to stay sane. I'm sure he's going back to his place full-time after today, so…”

Olivia raised an eyebrow. “Hanging out? Courtney, you were stuck in a house together for, like, two months? Have you at least seen him naked?”

My eyes went wide. I nearly choked on my drink.

Good lord.

Oh god, yes, I’ve seen him naked. 

Like... every possible angle. Every imperfection, every strength. Why is Olivia asking this right now? 

Does she want me to combust from sheer embarrassment?

I’ve got a PhD in Shayne’s body, okay? Like, full research-level knowledge.

But she doesn't need to know that!....yet.

Out loud, I managed a weak laugh. “Liv, that’s… not something we need to talk about.”

She wiggled her eyebrows. “No shame, girl. It's for science- and friendship, you know? You look like you want to devour him whole.” She snorted as my eyes absent-mindedly moved to where he was sitting with Damien.

“Shut the fuck up, that is so not true. I’m just distracted...”

“Yeah, distracted by how much you wanna kiss-”

“Stop. It.”

Just then, Jackie and Vee plopped down at our table, joining us with their plates. Olivia wasted no time filling them in.

“I’m trying to figure out if Court here saw Shayne’s ‘favorite pizza place’, if you catch my drift.”

She raised an eyebrow, a sly grin spreading across her face.

Jackie immediately leaned in, a wicked smile appearing. “Stop me when it’s accurate.” She started moving her index fingers apart slowly, making a ‘that much’ gesture.

“Jesus Christ.” I groaned, feeling my face turn red.

“Wait- please tell me his butt isn't as juicy as it seems because I refuse to be the second best butt in Smosh!” Vee protested.

“Oh- stop!” I snapped, my voice strained from embarrassment.

Jackie, still smirking, raised her fingers even wider this time. “Really? Damn, good for him!”

She wiggled her fingers further apart, a gleaming, over-the-top grin spreading across her face.

I shoved a fry into my mouth, my brain spiraling into mortification. “You guys are the worst.”

They just laughed quietly at my probably (definitely) beet red face.

And for the record Vee, yes his ass is fantastic and so is yours- but if anyone has the best butt at Smosh, it's me, thank you very much.

“Look. Here's what I can say. He's a fantastic cook and a great roommate…and his abs up close are lovely.” I giggled as they all just high-fived me before we continued eating and chit-chatting.

__________________________

Soon we finally were able to go home and man, I think I forgot how exhausting filming could actually be.

The minute I walked in through the door, kicked off my shoes, and set my keys in their designated bowl Shayne came in right behind me.

His eyes met mine, tired but still warm.

Without warning, he wrapped his arms around me, pulling me into a long, much-needed hug.

“I missed you.” He whispered, his voice muffled against my shoulder.

“‘Missed you, too.” I managed to say, feeling the last few hours of awkwardness and stress slip away.

When I finally pulled back to look at him, his lips found mine in a kiss that erased every worry I’d carried home. It was slow and deliberate, a promise wrapped in tenderness.

His hands cupped my face gently, his thumb brushing across my cheek.

I couldn't help but let out a small laugh as I pulled away from the kiss. Looking up at Shayne, I gave his face a quick once-over, eyes flicking to his new damn mustache.

"Okay, seriously though," I teased, raising an eyebrow as I ran my finger across his upper lip. Were you like, trying to channel a '70s action hero or what?”

"Uh, excuse me? I worked hard on this masterpiece."

“Worked hard? It’s a mustache, Shayne, not a mural.” I quipped, biting back a laugh. "And I don't know if ‘masterpiece’ is the word I’d use."

He squinted at me, playfully suspicious. "You’re just jealous because you couldn’t grow one this impressive."

“Yeah, you’re right,” I said, deadpan. “I’m devastated I can’t compete with this.” I gestured to his face dramatically, rolling my eyes.

His laughter filled the room, warm and genuine, before he leaned in, his hands finding their way to my waist.

I pulled back again, barely enough to speak, my fingers toying with the hem of his shirt. “Okay, fine. I might not hate it.” I admitted, keeping my tone deliberately reluctant. “It’s...different.”

His grin grew wider, that boyish, cocky look I knew so well. “Different good or different bad?”

I tilted my head, letting my hands slip up to his chest as I gave him a slow, teasing smile. “Depends,” I said, dragging it out. “It’s definitely a little tickly- like I said- and scratchy...here.” I tapped my lips.

Shayne raised an eyebrow. “And elsewhere?” he prompted, his voice dipping lower.

My mind flashed to moments I couldn’t ignore.

The first time his mustache brushed my lips, I’d laughed- until his kiss deepened, the contrast between softness and roughness sending shivers through me. Then there was the night his lips and mustache trailed down my neck and over my collarbone, leaving tingling warmth wherever they touched.

And that moment- his head between my thighs, his mustache’s scratch amplifying every kiss, every flick of his tongue. I could still feel the heat, the way my body had arched into him.

I felt a flush creep up my neck, but I didn’t let it stop me. I leaned up toward his ear, letting my voice drop into a mock-whisper. “Elsewhere...it’s not so bad.”

He pulled back just enough to meet my gaze, his eyes sparkling with a mixture of amusement and something darker. “Not so bad, huh?”

I shrugged, trying to feign indifference, though I could feel the heat rising in my cheeks. “Yeah. Maybe I like it,” I said, keeping my tone light. “You know, in certain situations.”

Shayne’s laugh was low, rumbling, and annoyingly self-satisfied. “I knew it,” he said, pulling me closer. “You’re totally into it.”

“Don’t push it.” I warned, though my voice lacked any real bite as his lips found mine again. And honestly? Maybe I was into it. Just a little.

His lips found mine again, and this time, the kiss was slower, more deliberate. The teasing edge from earlier melted away, replaced by something warmer, deeper.

I let my hands slip up to his chest, my fingers curling into his shirt as I kissed him back, matching his intensity. His mustache brushed against my upper lip, the sensation still strange but undeniably addictive. I tilted my head, giving him better access as his tongue brushed against mine, the taste of him making my head spin.

He broke away just long enough to press kisses along my jawline, the coarse graze of his facial hair sparking a gasp from me. His lips moved to my neck, lingering as his hands slid lower, pulling me flush against him.

“Shayne…” I whispered, my voice breathless, barely audible.

He looked up, his gaze meeting mine, dark and full of intent. “You’re amazing, you know that?” He murmured, his tone low and sincere, before kissing me again, harder this time.

Without thinking, I started walking backward, guiding him toward the bedroom. He followed, his hands never leaving me as his lips stayed locked with mine. We bumped into walls, stumbled over shoes, but it didn’t matter. The urgency between us was growing with every step, every touch.

By the time we made it to the bedroom, I was already tugging at his shirt, desperate to feel his skin against mine. He helped me, pulling it over his head and tossing it aside before his hands returned to me, strong and sure.

Shayne paused, just for a moment, his forehead resting against mine as we caught our breath. His smile was soft, his voice a murmur. “You ok?”

I nodded, my hands sliding up his chest. “Yeah. More than good. Just missed you all day.”

His grin turned playful. “Well then,” He said, hooking his fingers through the belt loops of my jeans, “let’s make up for lost time.”

I giggled, my laughter dissolving into a gasp as he kissed me again, the door swinging shut behind us as the world melted away.

Chapter Text

A couple weeks later the studio hummed with the clatter of filming equipment and the hushed chit-chat of the crew. 

Lights were on, camera's were focused and monitor's were angled and ready to go.

Keith drummed his fingers on the armrest of the chair he was in, while Vee leaned casually against the striped wall, scrolling through her phone. 

Damien, pacing idly, spun a sanitized foam prop in his hand. Kimmy bounced on her heels, her restless energy filling the room as Sarah clapped her hands sharply.

"Alright, everybody, let’s get this shoot rolling! Everyone got their ‘Try Not to Laugh’ harmonicas?" Sarah called out, her voice gentle but commanding- it was what the crew called her 'teacher voice.'

Damien stopped and looked up slightly, raising an eyebrow. "Uh…small problem, boss. Shayne and Courtney aren’t here."

Sarah froze mid-step, her gaze sweeping the room again as if the two might magically materialize. "Wait, what? Where are they?"

Kimmy’s hand then shot up, "Ooh! Courtney’s probably in the bathroom. She drank, like, three cups of cold brew this morning. You know how that goes."

Damien shrugged, leaning back into the beanbag. "And Shayne? Probably outside getting some air. Or recording a voice memo of him screaming..."

Sarah sighed, already pulling her phone from her pocket. "Of course. Alright, I’ll go find them. You all stay here, okay? Don’t touch anything you don’t have to- remember, we’re keeping it Covid-safe."

Vee smirked without looking up. "You make it sound like we’re a bunch of kids at a museum."

Keith raised his hands with a mock-serious expression. "Hey, I’ll have you know I am extremely responsible."

Sarah rolled her eyes, turning for the door. "Sure you are. Just- stay put. I’ll be right back."

As she stepped out into the hallway, muttering something about schedules and 'it's like herding cats' as the group settled back into their usual banter. 

What none of them realized was that Shayne wasn’t outside, and Courtney definitely wasn’t in the bathroom.....

__________________________

*Courtney POV*

“Are you sure no one saw us come in here?” Shayne whispered, his eyes glinting with that playful spark that always made my pulse quicken.

I glanced around the cramped supply closet, noting the shelves stacked high with props- colorful wigs, script folders, glitter, costumes. The tight space only heightened the sense of secrecy. “Positive. Besides, everyone’s too busy to notice anything right now.”

He smirked, leaning in for a quick kiss that left my head spinning. The confined space made everything feel more urgent, more thrilling, and I couldn’t help but grin at the idea of actually getting away with this.

“Remember when we tried to do this and almost got caught by Ian?”

Shayne laughed softly. “Yeah, and you came up with that ridiculous excuse about looking for a lost script.”

I snorted, feeling the tension break just a little. “Hey, it worked, didn’t it?”

“Barely.” He admitted, the laughter fading into something more serious as he pressed his body against mine.

Then, his expression shifted. His playful demeanor slipped, and he pulled me even closer, the heat between us intensifying. My breath hitched as his hands settled on my waist and one of my legs hooked over his waist, and I felt his hardness pressed against me.

The excitement of being pressed together in the tight space washing over me.

“You know we really shouldn’t be doing this right now, right?” I teased, a sly grin on my face. My voice was light, but there was a mischievous glint in my eyes. “Not that I’m complaining- I mean, this was technically my idea but...consequences, Shayne. Shouldn't we probably think about them?”

“I don’t really care right now,” He murmured against my ear. “Now I just wanna be with you.”

I shook my head with a mock sigh. “Flattery will get you anywhere, apparently.” And then his mouth was on mine.

We both shifted slightly, our hips moving against each other in a languid, sharp rhythm. The confined closet left little room for anything beyond the pressing reality of our tangled limbs and the pulse of desire that simmered beneath the surface.

His hands slid around my back as we pressed against each other, the intimacy growing more intense. The muffled noise from the set outside faded into the background, leaving just the sound of our breaths and the subtle creaks of the closet walls.

“Shit…” He mumbled, breaking away to kiss my jaw as I pawed at his back.

My hips swiveled up to grind against his. The layers of clothing provided less friction than we would've liked but we were taking what we could get.

“Wait- do you really want to walk around with cum in your pants all day?” I asked, aware that would feel gross.

“Um…”

“Well, you should probably let me know when you’re close so I can…get down there on time.” I said, a casual edge in my voice, as if I were just making small talk.

The words left my mouth with a teasing air that somehow drove him wild. His eyes widened briefly before his brow furrowed with that trademark mix of passion and intensity.

“Oh my god…” He groaned, capturing my mouth with his again a mix of frustration and exhilaration passing through with each stroke of his tongue against mine.

His forehead pressed to mine for a breathless moment before he trailed his lips down my neck, leaving a searing path of kisses that made my pulse race all over again. His facial hair both scratching and caressing my skin in an intoxicating way.

Suddenly, a loud knock on the door jolted us back to reality.

“Hey, has anyone seen Shayne and Courtney? We need them on the 'TNTL' set!” Sarah’s muffled voice cut through the atmosphere like a cold splash of water.

We froze, our hearts pounding in sync. Panic crested in my chest, but Shayne’s hands tightened on me, his breath quickening as he whispered, “Stay quiet. Maybe she’ll just go away.”

We held our breath, not moving a muscle. The footsteps outside receded slowly, the danger subsiding but the adrenaline still bubbling under my skin.

“Ok. Yeah, that was close.” He exhaled a shaky breath, a mix of relief and lingering excitement.

I leaned my forehead against his, a relaxed grin slipping onto my face. “Way too close…but kinda fun, right?”

He rolled his eyes playfully with a guilty grin and I couldn’t help the small laugh that escaped. “But yeah, we should probably wrap this up before someone actually starts wondering.”

We straightened our clothes and hair, making a quick check in a cracked mirror on the shelf to make sure we looked presentable. Every piece of clothing adjustment felt like a calculated effort to erase every trace of what just happened.

I stepped out first, slipping into a casual demeanor as if nothing unusual had occurred. Shayne followed a few minutes later, strolling out with a carefree air that made it look like everything was completely casual and normal.

I felt my cheeks flush slightly as I walked to my usual spot by the stool. 

Play it cool, Courtney. Just act natural. Nobody suspects a thing. There's no reason for them to. Everything is totally normal. 

“Finally!” Sarah huffed out before speaking into her walkie-talkie “We found them.”  

“Guys! Call time was 15 minutes ago. I get that we're getting back into the groove of things but please- remember to stick to your schedules.” She gently berated, then she moved over to over see the positioning of the cameras “Oh, Brennan could you…”

"Where the heck have you two been?" Damien’s voice cut through my thoughts, his tone half-joking, half-suspicious. He spun the foam prop in his hand like a detective toying with a clue.

“Oh! Um…well-”

“‘The Goldbergs’ called and I couldn’t miss it. We're gonna start filming again too so…”

Damien’s brow lifted, his lips curling into a small smirk. "Oh, cool, cool. Just, uh, make sure those to let at least one of us know so it doesn't look like you're fucking around and missing call times.”

I tried not to react to his ironic choice of words…oh ‘Damimem’, if only you knew…

Across the room, Keith gave his harmonica a tentative blow, producing a wheezy, pitiful sound that barely qualified as a note. He frowned, holding it up to inspect it. "Uh, guys? I think mine’s broken. Cause’ I can't like-."

Vee glanced up from her phone, her expression as flat as ever. "It’s not broken, Keith. It’s upside down."

Keith blinked, flipping it over with an awkward laugh. "Oh. Yeah, I knew that. Just…testing y’all."

"Sure you were," Vee muttered, already looking back at her screen. "Let us know when you master basic orientation."

Sarah clapped her hands, reeling the group back in. "Alright, alright, focus up! Cameras rolling?"

"Good to go!" Brennan called out from behind the monitor.

“Oh! Perfect! Places people!” Sarah called out as she strode back behind the cameras, clipboard in hand and headset fully engaged. "Everyone grab your harmonicas. Time to embarrass yourselves in front of the internet."

Relief washed over me as the attention shifted, and I reached for the bright green harmonica in my designated bin. As I grabbed it, my hand brushed Shayne’s. I froze for a fraction of a second- just long enough to catch the fleeting smirk tugging at the corner of his lips.

"Careful there," He murmured just loud enough for me to hear. "Wouldn’t want to look too flustered."

"Shut up. Stupid..." I hissed back, barely suppressing a grin and fighting the blush on my cheeks. 

Focus, Courtney. Jesus.

__________________________

*Shayne POV*

In between takes, the crew would rush in to sanitize the stool and props the last person had used. No such thing as being ‘too’ safe in the middle of a literal pandemic.

I stood behind the partition by the metal shelves sorting through some stupid hats I could wear, Damien walked up next to me.

"So," He started casually, glancing around before lowering his voice. "What were you really doing earlier?"

"What do you mean?" I asked, keeping my focus on the hats.

He covered his mic with his hand and leaned in. "Come on, man. You think I haven’t picked up on the weird tension between you two since quarantine ended? Just tell me you finally said something."

I tensed. "Damien, not now." I muttered through clenched teeth, refusing to look his way. My resolve faltered for a second, though, and my eyes flicked over to Courtney. She was laughing with Kimmy, her smile wide and carefree.

Damien smirked. "Yeah, real subtle with the heart eyes, bro."

“Oh-” I groaned. "Alright, fine. If there’s ever anything worth telling, I’ll let you know. Deal?"

"Ok…deal." He said, grinning knowingly as he shrugged.

“By the way, since we're all basically in each other's ‘pod’ you should come over to mine. We could hang and play games like old times.” I prompted.

“You're back at yours full-time?”

“Oh yeah!” I scoffed, faking confidence. “There's no need for me to still be at Court's so…yeah.”

I mean technically, I obviously had gone to my house a couple times while staying with Courtney but only to film for some videos- since I couldn't exactly walk around filming in her house and give our quarantine arrangement away to the fans- and to pick up clean clothes and my mail.

But that was about it.

We obviously haven’t fully discussed moving in together because: a) it’s too soon, b) no one even knows we’re a couple, and c) I’m definitely not ready to give up my own space just yet.

Staying with her felt amazing and so natural, but under more ‘normal’ circumstances, we’d probably just be spending a couple of nights together here and there at this stage. I know that, naturally, we’d be great living together full-time, but I don’t want to rush things.

“Alright, people!” Sarah’s voice rang out, stopping me from dwelling on my spiraling thoughts. “We’re good and sanitized so get ready! Marcus bud, keep the ‘Lysol’ wipes close to you ‘k?”

I instinctively grabbed the nearest hat and shoved it on my head without looking- I'll figure out my bit when it's time. 

Damien’s earlier words replayed in my mind as Keith took his place on the stool. 

Get it together. You’re fine. It’s fine. Nobody knows anything…except maybe Damien. 

And if Damien knows, he’s never gonna let it go. 

And if Damien knows, then Spencer will catch wind of it, and then Vee’s gonna know, and she’ll definitely tell Olivia, and Olivia can’t keep a secret to save her life so she’ll tell Keith, and Keith tells everyone everything. Then Ian will find out and get mad that we didn’t let him know first so he could notify HR, and then HR will tell the ‘Mythical’ execs and they'll think that Smosh is just full of messy liars, and now suddenly, Smosh is going under again, but this time it’s our fault. Courtney will lose her job and blame me for ruining everything, and then she'll break up with me, and I’ll have to move to a cabin in the woods where my only friend is a raccoon named Phil. Or Ruben.

Fantastic.

Yippee.

Damn, if this is how anxious Courtney has felt this whole time I definitely need to give her more grace-

“Shayne!” Sarah’s voice snapped me out of it. “You ready there cowboy?”

Cowboy?

I touched the hat on my head.

Bright red cowboy hat.

Oh, great.

“Yeah! Totally ready!” I called back, forcing a grin and adjusting the ridiculous hat perched on my head.

Courtney stifled a laugh from across the room, and I caught her shooting me an amused look. I rolled my eyes in mock exasperation, but inside, I prayed that I didn't look as stressed out as I was.

__________________________

After the long day of filming, we finally made it back to Courtney’s place. The moment we stepped inside, I let out a groan and collapsed onto the couch, rubbing my face like I could physically scrub away the stress of the day.

Courtney smirked as she dropped her bag by the door, kicking off her shoes. “What a day, huh?”

“Understatement,” I muttered, leaning back against the cushions. “Between trying to adjust to being back on set and ‘The Goldbergs’ basically being on thin ice…I'm burnt out, man.”

She raised an eyebrow as she plopped down next to me, her legs folding beneath her. “Is it really just that that’s stressing you out, or is it the fact that Damien’s probably getting suspicious about us?”

I froze for a second, then sighed. “Okay, fine. It’s Damien. He knows something’s up, Courtney. I can feel it.”

“Shayne. Even if he's getting a vibe, he can't prove anything! He'll know when it's time for him to know. Same with the rest. But not before we know HR's got our backs obviously. I mean…I'm low-key stressing out too but the more I think about it the more rational I need to be so I don't lose my mind.” 

I exhaled shakily, her hand gently rubbing my arm already easing some of the tension in my chest. “I just…I don’t want this to become a problem. For you. Or us. And everyone else.”

Her expression softened, and she shifted closer, resting her hand on my cheek. “No one's going to ruin anything. We’ve been sneaky pros for months now, and no one’s caught on. If Damien- or anyone else- keeps sleuthing, we’ll deal with it. Together.”

Her words hit me square in the chest, and I leaned into her hand, letting her reassurance sink in. “You’re being real mature about this, you know?”

She smiled, her thumb brushing against my jaw. “I am. And you should be, too.”

Unable to resist, I closed the gap between us, pressing my lips to hers in a kiss that said everything I couldn’t put into words. She responded instantly, her fingers tangling in my hair as I pulled her closer.

The stress of the day melted away as the kiss deepened, her warmth chasing away the lingering doubts in my mind. My hands found her waist, tugging her closer until she was straddling my lap, her laughter muffled against my lips.

“See?” She murmured between kisses, her tone teasing. “This is way better than overthinking.”

“Way better.” I agreed, my grip tightening on her hips as she shifted against me.

“You know,” She said, her voice low and playful, “there’s no frazzled producers here to interrupt us this time…”

“Thank god.” 

“So…should we maybe…?” She trailed off, nudging my nose gently with hers as she teased me with going in for a kiss, grazing my mouth with hers, pulling back ever so slightly as I chased her lips.

“Absolutely.” I muttered, before grabbing the back of her neck and capturing her lips again with a hunger that matched the heat building between us.

Her breath hitched, her body melting against mine as the kiss deepened, her hands gripping my shoulders as though anchoring herself.

The heat between us built quickly, overwhelming in its urgency. Her fingers slipped under the hem of my shirt, her nails grazing over my skin as she shifted in my lap, drawing a low groan from my throat.

My hands roamed her back, slipping beneath her shirt to press her closer, the warmth of her skin against mine sending a jolt through me. She broke the kiss briefly, her lips brushing my ear as she whispered, “Shayne…”

The way she said my name- soft, breathless, full of need- was my undoing. I tipped her back against the couch cushions, her laughter turning into a quiet gasp as I leaned over her, kissing her again with unrelenting intensity.

Her knees were to either side of my hips and her hands gripped my shoulders as she arched against me. The kiss deepened, every movement between us electric.

The friction was intoxicating, and I groaned, my hands slipping under her shirt, feeling the warmth of her skin beneath my palms. Her breath came faster, her lips parting as she caught her rhythm, her body rocking against mine in a way that made my thoughts scatter.

She broke the kiss briefly, her forehead resting against mine as her hips moved in a slow grind. “Shayne-” She whispered, her voice shaky with restraint. “This…this is driving me crazy.”

“Good.” I said hoarsely, tilting my head to kiss her again, but she pulled back, her gaze meeting mine, fire flashing in her eyes.

“Not good enough,” She said, her voice dropping as she tugged at the hem of my shirt, her impatience flaring.

I reached for the collar of my shirt and pulled it up and off of me.

Her eyes flickered to my bare chest, her lips curling into a mischievous grin. “I still can't believe us getting to do this is basically free real-estate now.” She trailed her fingers over my abs, her nails lightly grazing my skin, and I tensed under her touch.

Pressing a soft kiss to my chest, her lips brushed over my skin and before I could respond, she moved lower, her kisses trailing down the center of my torso, her hands sliding over my sides as she went. Her lips paused at my abs, and I felt the faintest hint of teeth before her mouth latched onto my skin.

“Hey-” My protest turned into a startled laugh as the sensation registered. “What are you doing?”

She pulled back just enough to glance up at me, her lips still pressed against my skin. “Marking my territory.” She joked.

I groaned, my hand instinctively sliding to cradle the back of her head. “You know, I really shouldn’t let you. What if I need to take my shirt off on set?”

“You're completely free to move, and yet, here you are…” She teased, her tongue flicking against the spot before she sucked gently.

The sharp pull of her mouth sent a jolt straight through me, and I let out a low growl. “You know that’s not fair, right?”

“Fairness is overrated.” She replied, pressing one last kiss to the small newly formed hickey before sitting back on her heels, looking far too pleased with herself.

I reached for her waist, pulling her back toward me. “Alright, your turn.”

She squeaked as I flipped her over, pinning her beneath me with a grin. “Shayne!”

“You started it!” I pointed out, leaning down to nuzzle her neck, my stubble grazing her skin.

“Careful!” Her laughter turned breathless as I kissed along her collarbone, my hands roaming under her shirt.

I pulled her shirt off in one smooth motion, the familiar feeling of her skin under my fingertips sending a rush of adrenaline through me.

Her tongue exploring mine with ease as I pulled her sports-bra up to expose her.

I leaned down, my lips grazing over her neck as I tugged her the structured piece of cotton off, tossing it aside without a second thought. My hands cupped her breasts, giving them a gentle squeeze before leaning down to suck her nipple into my mouth.

She moaned softly, fingers threading through my hair, her body arching up into me like she couldn’t get close enough. “God, I love how you know exactly what I like…” She breathed, her voice tight with desire.

Then moved to her other nipple, my teeth scraping lightly over it before my mouth closed around it, sucking harder this time, pulling a deeper groan from her.

I nipped at her torso, gliding my hands to her leggings and pulling them down, leaving them caught on her dangling right leg. 

I tilted my head, looking down at her, my hands tracing the curve of her hips before I moved them lower. The anticipation was killing me, but I knew exactly how to make her squirm. She was already breathing harder, her hands gripping my shoulders

“Impatient, huh?” I teased, slipping my fingers beneath the waistband of her panties.

She bit her lip, letting out a little breathless laugh. “You know what I want.” She said, her voice low and hungry.

I smirked against her neck, slipping my fingers beneath the fabric and finding her warmth. Her soft gasp sent a jolt straight to my chest as I pressed a single finger inside her, slow and deliberate. She melted into my touch, her hands gripping my shoulders as I began to move, finding a rhythm that had her hips shifting against me.

Feeling her tighten around me, “You feel fucking amazing…” I muttered, mouthing at her jaw. 

A second finger joined the first, stretching her gently, and she whimpered, her head falling back. I leaned up slightly, watching her face as my thumb brushed over her sensitive little clit, earning a sharp gasp from her lips.

“Shayne, please,” she breathed, her body trembling beneath mine.

I kept the pace steady, savoring every sound she made, every shiver that ran through her. Just as her breaths quickened, her hand shot out, gripping my wrist.

“Stop,” She said, her tone exasperated but tinged with laughter. “take your fucking pants off. Fair's fair.”

“But, fairness is overrated, remember?” I said mimicking her earlier words.

She fought a smile as she widened her eyes, “I will leave-”

“Kidding!” I quickly added. 

Before I could push her further, she reached for me, her hands skimming over my chest and down to the waistband of my jeans. Her eyes locked with mine, her cheeks flushed.

I grinned, sitting back on my knees and raising an eyebrow. “Be my guest.”

Her hands worked quickly, her touch leaving a trail of heat wherever she lingered. As she slid jeans lower, down over my hips and pooling by my knees, exposing my tented my boxers.

Her gaze flickered downward, lingering, and her cheeks flushed deeper as she bit her lip. The corner of my mouth twitched into a grin. “What? Like what you see?” I teased, my voice low and laced with humor.

She rolled her eyes, but the blush didn’t fade. “God, you get so insufferable when you're horny.” She muttered, though her hands didn’t stop.

“Me? Yeah sure, keep telling yourself that…” I responded, faking offense.

“Off. Now.” She laughed while moving my boxers down just enough to free me, then, after licking her hand she wrapped it around me, her touch both firm and soft, sending a shiver up my spine.

She huffed and fully removed her rumpled bra that sat over her tits, throwing it on the floor next to us.

I lifted her hips and pulled off her panties, having them pool over the bunched up fabric of her pants.

“Ready?”

She nodded eagerly, reaching around to cup my ass as her legs fell open.

I couldn’t help but laugh, low and husky, as I obliged, lining myself up with her and sliding in, relishing in the feeling of her swollen opening take my cock, gently, inch by inch.

Her breath caught in her throat, and she gasped, her fingers digging into my cheeks as she pushed me in. “Oh…” 

I leaned down, brushing my lips over her neck, kissing her softly before meeting her eyes. “I’m here.” I murmured, starting a slow, deliberate rhythm. Each movement was calculated, attempting to soon push us both to the edge, but I wanted to savor it. The way she responded to me, the way she felt- everything was driving me wild.

Her legs tightened around my waist, pulling me deeper as her hips matched the slow pace. Her breath was coming faster now, each inhale shaky as her body trembled beneath mine.

“Fuck, you feel so good.” I muttered, my voice hoarse as I pressed deeper, each thrust building the tension between us.

I kept my pace steady for a while enjoying her small whines and gasps, when I saw her randomly clamp her mouth shut and a smile started tugging at the corner of my lips.

“You’re awfully quiet all of a sudden,” I teased, my thumb brushing over the skin on her thigh. “What’s going on? You losing focus?”

She rolled her eyes, though the breathless laugh that followed told me everything I needed to know. “I’m just trying not to get too noisy- we're way too close to the front door.” She replied, her hips pushing up to meet mine.

I grinned, leaning down to kiss her neck. “Well, I definitely can't help you there. Goes against everything I'm trying to do here.” I said, shifting my pelvis to increase the pressure.

She laughed again, letting herself moan into my shoulder.

I sped up and- oh

I groaned, my body responding to the friction, but I knew I needed to hold off just a little longer. The pressure inside me was building, and I was close- too close. 

My breathing was shallow, every movement sending another wave of heat through me. I pulled back slightly, looking down at her, then, I pulled out. Courtney's expression shifted from pleasure to a flicker of confusion as her lips parted.

"W-what are you doing?" She breathed, her voice shaky, eyes half-lidded with need.

I smiled, brushing a lock of hair from her face, keeping my movements slow and controlled. "Trust me." I muttered, my fingers lightly grazing over her clit. Her body jumped beneath me, a sharp intake of breath escaping her as she arched into my touch.

Her hips shifted, her hands finding their way to my hair, pulling me closer as she gasped. "Fuck, oh fuck-" She whimpered, her voice desperate, needy.

I slid lower, pushing her thighs apart, and lowered my mouth to her, teasing her with a slow drag of my tongue over her clit. She shuddered, her legs trembling as I swirled my tongue, taking her in deeper with each stroke. 

She was dripping and her sweetness was intoxicating. Everytime I flicked my tongue over her clit, she jerked, almost trying to escape my grasp, clearly overwhelmed before pushing forward and grinding on my tongue.

Her fingers tugged at my hair, urging me impossibly closer, and I didn’t hesitate, tasting her as she moaned, breathless and broken.

“Shayne-” She gasped, her voice strained, hips lifting to meet my mouth. "Don't stop. Don't you fucking stop."

I moved with purpose, savoring her, feeling her hips squirm beneath me with every brush of my lips. I pulled back just long enough to look up at her, her eyes dark with need, her chest rising and falling rapidly.

I slid back up her body, positioning myself between her legs again and when I entered her, she gasped, her body still sensitive, still so tight, and so on the edge.

“Fu- Shayne, baby, please.” She whispered, her voice a low whine. “I need you...I’m gonna fucking lose it.”

“I want us to finish together.” I grit out. “Just a little longer, love. Let me take you just a little longer. Fuck- I’m so fucking close.”

She gasped, her hands gripping my shoulders as she rocked her hips to meet mine, desperate for more, her body trembling with each movement. The tension was unbearable, every part of her urging me to take her harder, faster.

“You're so fucking good." She growled, her voice husky with need. "God- don't hold back, Shayne. I need you to fuck me like you mean it."

I groaned in response, the raw hunger in her tone only driving me further. My hands gripped her hips, forcing her to take my thrusts deeper. 

The way she said it, with such ferocity, pushed me to the edge. Her body arched against me, her legs tightening around my waist as she tried to take control. She was so close, I could feel her shuddering beneath me.

"Now," I muttered against her lips, my voice rough with restraint. "Let go, baby."

She gasped, her body tensing as her orgasm hit her, crashing through her in waves. She cried out my name, her walls tightening around me as she trembled beneath me.

I couldn't hold on any longer. With a few more deep thrusts, I followed her, the pressure inside me bursting, spilling inside her as I groaned and collapsed on top of her, both of us spent and tangled together, breathless and satisfied.

For a moment, we were still, nothing but the sound of our hearts racing in the quiet room. However, in my daze, I shifted too quickly. Before I could catch myself, I felt the couch shift beneath me. My arms flailed, and with a sudden slip, I tumbled off the side of the sofa, landing with a loud thud on the floor.

I blinked up at her, stunned for a moment, and then laughed shakily. “Well, that’s one way to end things.” I paused, wincing as I tried to sit up. “Uhh...I think I might’ve lost the feeling in my legs.”

She burst into laughter, the sound so fucking sexy and carefree. 

“Well,” I said with a grin, trying- and failing- to regain some dignity as I sat on the floor, my pants and boxers still halfway down to my knees. “I think the floor’s winning this one.”

“Are you okay?” She asked between her laughs, reaching out to help me, her eyes full of concern despite her amusement.

“I don’t know,” I said, trying to sit up again but wincing as my pants clung to my legs. “I may have injured my pride...and my ass.” I tugged at my boxers, but they seemed determined to stay stuck.

She shook her head, still chuckling. “You’re a mess.” she said affectionately, sitting up and leaning over to pull me back to my feet.

“Baby, you might not want to fully sit on the couch right now.”

“What why- oh. Ew.”

“Yep we forgot to put down a towel.”

“God, why did I get a fabric sofa? Ugh…”

“Ow! Ugh, it's like a million needles stabbing me, oh my god-”

She rolled her eyes but smiled, brushing a strand of hair from my face. “You’re such a drama queen,” she teased, giving me a gentle shove.

“I’m serious,” I groaned. “I feel like I just ran a marathon.”

“You’re fine.” She said, holding my hands to help support my weight as I shuffled back toward the couch.

I lowered myself carefully onto the couch, wincing as my sore muscles protested. She sat beside me, pulling a blanket over both of us. The tension of the moment faded, replaced by a comfortable silence as we both relaxed, the world outside forgotten for now.

“I’m never living this down, am I?” I asked, looking over at her with a grin.

She smirked, her voice soft but teasing. “Not a chance, babe.”

I leaned back, glancing at the wet spot on the couch with a grin. "So, you just gonna sit there, or do you wanna acknowledge that you’re basically sitting in our little puddle?"

She shot me a playful look. "You're disgusting."

I scoffed. “I'm not the one sitting in cum.” 

She immediately started slapping my arm in retaliation. “You're such a dick!”

"Hey- ow! I’m just saying, next time we either remember to get a towel or tissues, or we do this on the floor- or we straight up get you a new sofa. No fabric obviously, a bit bigger, and no gross wet spots."

She paused for a second, then looked at the couch with a grimace. "God, you’re right. What were we thinking?”

I grinned. "Well, we were thinking with other parts, clearly." I motioned downward pointedly.

She shot me a playful glare. "You’re lucky I still want to be near you after all this.”

I swallowed my giggles, “Yeah, I know.” 

“Rock, paper, scissors? Loser has to scrub the couch?” She prompted with a poke.

“You're on- best out of three. Although we all know I'm incredible at guessing what people are gonna pick.”

“Shayne, you beat Ian once, that's not a flex.”

Ok whatever!

…..Needless to say, once I could feel the southern hemisphere of my body again, I got up to grab the spray bottle and Scrub Daddy.

__________________________

*Courtney POV*

I walked out into the office after filming a couple videos, the usual buzz of voices and clacking keyboards filled the space.

Ian was on his phone in the desk next to me and Shayne was looking through his emails. Vee came trotting our way with Kimmy and Tommy in tow.

"Hey, you guys," Vee greeted us, her tone upbeat but with a hint of anticipation. "T-Bowe, Kims, and I were just talking about how we have two very special days coming up soon."

Ian didn't even look up from his phone, casually responding, "9/11 and Labor Day?"

Vee froze for a second, clearly annoyed. "No! God…" She grimaced. "Tommy and Shayne’s birthdays are coming up."

Ian raised an eyebrow. "I got one out of two, though." He said with a grin.

“Oh..kay.” Tommy scoffed.

Kimmy, who had been listening quietly, suddenly interjected with a bright smile. "Well, actually," She began, "we were thinking about suggesting a joint office party. You know, since going out isn't allowed because of the quarantine and all that, we figured it'd be safer if we just partied with our pod."

Vee nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah, exactly! And I was thinking I could bring my new boyfriend too. You guys can finally meet him!"

"New boyfriend?” Matt Raub snickered as he walked past us, “You didn’t waste any time, huh?" He teased, a smirk spreading across his face.

Vee rolled her eyes. "Shut up, Matt. It's been a minute." She called out, her tone defensive.

“Just saying, if you want to throw a little Covid-safe celebration, you have to get clearance from Sarah and Lisa and everyone needs to have negative test results per the committee. And we can't exceed the permitted number of people allowed by the current safety regulations set in place, you know, like all those influencer parties on the news. So good luck with that!” He called back.

“Well, it'd just be us, my Shane, Tommy’s boyfriend-”

“Kevin,” Tommy interjected quickly.

Kimmy paused mid-sentence, her bright smile faltering for a second. “I…know- um, and Vee’s boyfriend!”

Tommy raised an eyebrow, crossing his arms. “Uh, excuse me? Did you just forget Kevin’s name again?”

Kimmy’s eyes went wide, her cheeks flushing. “No! No, I didn’t forget! I swear!” She stammered, flailing her hands. “My brain just, like…short-circuited!”

Tommy grinned smugly. “Sure, Kims. I'm sure Kevin’s gonna love hearing about this.”

Kimmy groaned, her voice pitching higher. “I didn’t forget! It just flew out of my head for a split second!”

Vee patted Kimmy’s shoulder, chuckling. “Relax, Kimbo. We all know your memory’s basically a goldfish’s sometimes.”

Kimmy gasped dramatically. “I remember important stuff!”

Ian glanced up from his phone, smirking. “Like what?”

“Like- like Tommy’s boyfriend’s name! Kevin!” She exclaimed, pointing at Tommy as if to prove her point.

Tommy laughed. “Okay, but you did just get it wrong, so…”

Kimmy groaned louder, covering her face. “Ugh, you’re all the worst!”

Shayne finally looked up from his emails, deadpan. “No, Kimmy. You’re the worst.”

The group burst into laughter as Kimmy slumped into the nearest chair, groaning.

Vee pivoted, turning to Shayne. "Speaking of plus-ones, Shayne, you got anyone you wanna bring to this party?"

Shayne blinked, clearly caught off guard. “Uh…I don’t know. I mean…not really. Matthew Scott and Shelby are both still very much quarantining and I don't think I should just ask them to come out because it's my birthday, so…”

Tommy, ever the instigator, smirked. “In other words- still shockingly single, huh, Shayne?”

I felt myself tense up at Tommy’s words. Shit. 

Maybe it was the way Shayne’s expression shifted- just for a split second- before he smoothed it out again.

“I mean-”

“Hey guys, maybe we should start hashing out the details for the party then? Like really go over the guest list and stuff so Lisa has a clear picture of the plan and gives us the green light. Yeah?” I huffed out, preventing Shayne from telling any more lies.

“Ok slay. Ooh! And before I forget, we’re thinking about doing it on Saturday the 19th because that way, both birthdays have passed and y’all are both free to celebrate them individually however you want! Cool?” Vee piped up.

“Ok yeah, sounds good,” Shayne answered.

Tommy clapped his hands together. “Alright, let’s go draft this party plan. And Ian?”

“Yeah?”

“Absolutely zero 9/11 jokes that day- and yes! Insinuations and saying the ‘T-word’-”

“Tower,” Vee clarified.

“Yes. That counts. Mmkay?”

Ian gave an exaggerated look of innocence. “Oh, of course! Yeah man, I would never want to hijack your mood.”

I gasped out a shocked laugh, the air going still for a beat before Tommy’s face twisted into pure exasperation. “That’s-”

Vee groaned, rubbing her temples. “Bro, that’s literally-”

And Ian? He just laughed. Hard. And Shayne just lost it completely, cackling like it was the best joke he’d heard all year. “Holy shit Ian!”

I bit the inside of my cheek, trying to stay annoyed, but I could feel the laughter bubbling up despite myself. Finally, I let out a begrudging giggle. “I hate that I laughed at that! You're stupid!” I yelled, shaking my head.

__________________________

Later that day, Damien, Shayne, Jackie, Vee, and I were gathered in the kitchen, snacking and chatting about party decorations when my phone buzzed with an incoming call. Glancing at the screen, I noticed it was my doctor- the one who performed my surgery a couple of months ago.

Vee leaned in slightly and whispered, “Who is it?”

I stepped away from the counter, holding the phone to my ear. “It’s my doctor.” I said, glancing at the group. I wasn’t particularly nervous, but my answer clearly caught Shayne’s attention. 

He straightened up slightly, his expression shifting to something more serious as he started to make his way over to me.

I answered the call, bringing the phone closer. "Hello?" I said, my tone calm but curious.

The voice on the other end was warm and professional. "Hello, is this Courtney Miller? This is Nurse Kyla from Dr. Simmons’ office. I’m calling to schedule a follow-up appointment- the doctor wants to see how things are doing now."

I nodded, though she couldn’t see me. "Yeah, that's perfect. Thanks for calling. When do you have available times?"

"We have a few openings next week," She continued. "Would Monday afternoon work for you, around 2pm?"

"That sounds perfect. I’ll take that!" I replied, immediately marking it down on my phone.

"Great! I’ll send you the confirmation details via text. Just remember to bring any necessary paperwork. Let us know if you have any questions before the appointment."

"Will do, thanks!"

“Everything ok?” Shayne rested a gentle hand on my arm, his tone soft as he checked in with me.

“Yeah. Just scheduling a follow-up appointment. It's all routine, don't worry.” I reassured him.

He nodded, “Alright. When?”

“Monday at 2.” 

He muttered in agreement as I fought a warm smile from spreading on my face at his concern. His thumb carefully rubbing my forearm. The gesture was warm, familiar and painfully cute.

“Um, guys?”

Oh, shit that's right-

“All good?” Damien asked, tilting his head a bit.

We're in public.

“Oh um-” 

Shayne awkwardly took a step back, as if trying to reset. He ran a hand through his hair and busied himself at the counter, trying his best to look nonchalant.

“Yeah. All good.” I smiled, quickly darting my eyes to each of them.

Yep. They look confused.

I chuckled, trying to downplay whatever awkwardness had just been added to the atmosphere.

“Anyway, Jackie, send me the link to those shiny tablecloths, yeah? I'm gonna, uh, film some Tiktok ideas that Sarah sent me so, see you guys later!” I walked off after throwing up the world's awkwardest thumbs up which Damien weakly returned. 

Eh. It's fine.

They got more important things to dwell on…

Right?

Right??

Shit, we need to be more careful. 

Our three months aren't too far from now, we just need to hang on a little longer…

Chapter Text

*Vee’s POV*

I leaned against the counter, nibbling on a cookie and watching that little scene unfold like it was a goddamn live telenovela.

When Courtney walked off after that spectacularly awkward exchange, Shayne just stood in the corner for a beat too long, staring at her retreating back.

Something was definitely going on here.

“Uh…” Shayne cleared his throat, scratching the back of his neck. “I, uh, just remembered- I left something in my car. Gonna go grab it real quick.”

He didn’t even wait for a response before snatching a protein bar from the counter and speed-walking out of the kitchen like his life depended on it.

An almost charged silence settled over us. Jackie arched a brow at me, and I knew she was thinking exactly what I was.

“So that was…” Damien started, trailing off for effect.

“Interesting...” Jackie finished, crossing her arms as she leaned back against the counter.

“Sus as fuck?” I added, smirking as I glanced toward the door Shayne had practically sprinted through.

“Yup.” He nodded, his expression somewhere between amused and annoyed.

Jackie tapped her fingers on her arm, a sly grin spreading across her face. “Okay, but let’s be real- that was giving boyfriend vibes.”

“Oh, absolutely,” I said, raising a hand for emphasis. “The arm rub? The concerned look? That was not a ‘just friends’ move. That was a ‘babe, are you okay?’ moment.”

“Exactly!” Jackie exclaimed, pointing at me.

Damien smirked, “You’re just noticing this now? I’ve been suspicious for weeks.”

Jackie and I both snapped our heads toward him. “What?!” we said in unison.

He shrugged, looking half-amused and half-exasperated. “Come on. The little glances they think no one notices? The random times they both leave the room at the same time? Shayne acting like he’s in a bad rom-com whenever Courtney’s around? It’s all there.”

Jackie gasped, clutching her chest dramatically. “And you didn’t tell us?! Damien, you’re holding out!”

“Because I didn’t have proof!” He shot back, laughing. 

“I mean I absolutely believe something happened while they were quarantining together- like no doubt about it, but damn why won't they just admit it?!” I stomped my feet for emphasis.

Damien sighed, throwing his hands up. “You know what? Fine. I’ll admit it- I’m, like, 98% sure they’re together. Happy?”

“Oh, we’re more than happy,” Jackie said, her grin turning mischievous. “Because now we have a new mission: figure out who’s gonna get them to crack first.”

I grinned. “Oh, this just got so much better.”

“Alright, who’s your bet on?” Jackie asked, leaning forward, wiggling her brows.

“Shayne,” I said without hesitation. “That dude’s terrible at lying. One awkward question, and he’ll fold like a cheap lawn chair.”

Jackie laughed. “You’re probably right, but my money’s on Courtney. She’s a total wildcard. One slip, and she’ll spill the tea without even realizing it.”

Damien smirked, crossing his arms. “You’re both wrong. It’s gonna be me. I know how to ask the right questions at the right time. I’ve been playing the long game.”

Jackie and I exchanged a look, then burst out laughing. “Sure bro.” I said, rolling my eyes. “If that were the case Dames, then they would've told you by now. And besides- the last ‘long game’ you played ended in you taking over a year to ask me out.” I scoffed.

“Ok that's beside the point.” He retaliated, bluffing.

“Nah, I think she's right and our odds just got way better.” Jackie licked her teeth as we high-fived.

Before I could throw another teasing jab at Damien, Olivia strolled into the kitchen, balancing her phone in one hand and a coffee tumbler in the other. She raised an eyebrow at the scene in front of her.

“What odds?” She asked, clearly catching the tail end of Jackie and me high-fiving.

Jackie smirked, leaning forward like she was about to share top-secret intel. “We’re betting on who’s gonna get Shayne and Courtney to finally admit they’re together.”

Olivia’s eyebrows shot up as she placed her cup on the counter. “Oh. That.”

That simple answer caught us off guard. “Wait- what do you mean, ‘that’?” I asked, narrowing my eyes.

She set her phone down and crossed her arms, glancing between us like we were all being slow. “Please, I’ve had my suspicions for ages.” Damien gestured to her with an expression that said ‘See? I'm not the only one!’ 

“But, oh-” Olivia paused, her face lighting up as if she just remembered something juicy. “I actually have a story that might just confirm it for you.”

Jackie gasped. “Spill it!”

“Hold on-” I interrupted, pointing an accusatory finger at Olivia. “How are you just now telling us this?”

She shrugged, a playful grin spreading across her face. “Because I was waiting for the perfect moment.”

“Olivia!”

__________________________

*Olivia’s POV/Flashback*

I smiled as I recalled the memory because honestly, it wasn’t just some casual slip-up- it was the moment I realized how much they were trying to hide. And honestly? It was kind of adorable.

It had all started when I’d caught Shayne and Courtney coming out from a ‘Games’ shoot. They were laughing, chatting about some ridiculous TikTok challenge or whatever. I’d been sitting at my desk, trying to set up some outdoor reservations at a Covid-safe restaurant for me and Same, when I overheard the tail end of their conversation. I’d always found it amusing how comfortable they were with each other, even if they didn’t think anyone was watching.

But then- it happened.

Shayne was holding a couple water bottles, looking over at Courtney with this goofy smile. He said something, and I wasn’t sure I’d heard him right, but I couldn’t miss the way his voice softened as he said it.

“Hey, ba- uh-”

The word barely escaped before he froze mid-step. His eyes widened, and his face flushed that telltale shade of red that only Shayne could manage when he’d let something slip. He cleared his throat, clearly floundering.

“Courtney?” he added, his voice louder, more forced.

For a moment, Courtney just stared at him. Her head tilted ever so slightly, her eyes narrowing in that calculating way she did when deciding whether to call someone out.

He tried to continue “Uh, could you, um, bring me my, um- my big water bottle the, uh-”

“Oh, the blue one? You got it, bud!” She chirped, her voice unnaturally bright- clearly she was panicked that someone in the office was paying attention to something other than work and heard them.

Well in my defense, I wasn't working, so ha!

She turned quickly, heading toward the kitchen, leaving Shayne looking like he’d just narrowly avoided walking into a trap.

I sat back, quietly observing the whole exchange. Neither of them noticed me, too wrapped up in their awkward recovery. Shayne ran a hand through his hair, muttering something under his breath, while Courtney busied herself unnecessarily looking through the cupboards.

I bit back a smirk. If this was them trying to keep things under wraps, they weren’t doing a very good job.

Like, at all.

*Vee’s POV/Present*

“And that’s when I knew. They might be trying to hide it, but the cracks are showing.”

Jackie gasped, slapping the counter. “Oh, my god! That’s basically a confession!” 

Damien smiled and shook his head despite himself. “But seriously, what’s the endgame here? Are we just gonna stalk them until one of them cracks?”

“Obviously.” Jackie said, deadpan.

“Not stalk,” I corrected. “Strategically observe.”

“Oh, strategically observe. My mistake.” He teased, “See, now with you three- aka some of the nosiest people I know- we're bound to get answers.” Damien explained.

“Mmm…I don't know, I crave a boon. More than bragging rights.” I said, propping my hands on the counter and leaning forward.

“Fine. Whoever gets an actual confession…gets free coffee for a week.”

“A month.” I countered, leaning forward with a raised brow.

“Deal.” Damien responded, extending his hand.

“Oooh, this gon’ be gooood!” Jackie added, hip bumping Liv.

A couple seconds after this, Tommy walked in with an empty coffee mug and shoved it in the dishwasher. 

“Hey…ugh, all these emails are frying my brain. What's up?”

Olivia bounced on her heels, “Ooh! We're betting on-”

“Liv! Inside voice.” I mumbled.

“Oh, sorry. Heh. Um, we're betting on who's gonna get Shayne and Courtney to fess up and-”

“Admit they’re at least fucking?” He finished, straight-faced.

“Tommy! What?! You knew too?” I scolded stepping closer to him.

“Huh? Oh, no. I don't know anything. But I do know what sexual tension looks like and all I'm saying is that in their case- it's been resolved.” He said with a cheeky look.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw Damien grimace.

“So, you in? Winner gets free coffee.” Jackie chimed in.

“And lord knows I need it. Ok, I'm down.” He sighed. “But! Can we all agree? No sabotaging. No cheating. Let’s keep this semi-dignified.”

“Boring!” Olivia groaned.

“Define 'dignified'.” I teased, nudging him.

“Ugh, this is gonna end in tears. Probably mine.” Damien muttered.

“Don’t worry, Deem.” Tommy said, clapping a hand on Damien’s shoulder. “You can cry into all the free coffee I’m about to win.”

Jackie gasped, pointing dramatically. “Oh, it’s on now!”

“Wouldn’t have it any other way.” Tommy grinned.

As the group dispersed, I immediately started brainstorming.

I wasn’t sure who’d win, but one thing was clear: this was about to be some of the most entertaining weeks of my life.

And on top of all this, we still had a party to set up for.

Ay ya yai…

Chapter Text

*Shayne POV*

The ‘Slack’ notifications for the party channel kept pouring in throughout the weeks as the day of the little get-together got closer.

I muted the sounds as I locked in to finish writing a script for the main channel. 

Suddenly, warm hands landed on my shoulders. “Last year in your twenties begins in a week! You started writing your will yet?” Vee’s voice chirped right behind me.

Before I could answer, Tommy cut in, spinning his chair around with a dramatic flourish. "Listen, Vee, I just turned twenty-eight, which means I still have a solid two years before I have to start having another existential crisis. So please, don't remind us of our impending doom, mmkay? Especially Shayne, poor buddy’s knees are already clicking when he walks."

I shot him a look. "Wow, thanks, man. Love that for me."

Tommy smirked. "You're welcome, Grandpa."

“Damien! Did you and Liv remember to double check with Sarah on whose Covid test results have come in yet?” She called over to him as he walked down the hall.

Damien slowed his steps, eyebrows furrowing before realization hit. “Huh? Oh yeah she said she's getting the updated list tomorrow.”

“Ok, ‘perf’. Now, Squish, I have some fantastic news for you!” She exchanged a glance with the guys before spinning my chair around.

“You know Rhiannon’s friend Sandra? Blonde, short, great rack?”

I groaned, rubbing my temples. “Ok, you really need to stop spending so much time at the editor's bay-”

“Well, she's single and has been knee-deep in quarantine so, if you want I could ask-”

“No.”

“But-”

“Vee, really, I'm good.”

"Fine. Be that way. But I am making you dance with us at least once at this party." She declared, pointing at me with full confidence.

I scoffed. "Not happening."

"We’ll see..." She grinned. "Anyway, we should probably start wrapping up work stuff so we can actually get to decorating. Last year in your twenties, Shayne! It has to be fun." She reiterated.

"Yeah, yeah…" I muttered, but despite myself, I felt the corner of my mouth twitch upward.

One more week until the party.

One more week until we hit three months.

Just gotta keep it together.

__________________________

*General POV*

As soon as Vee was satisfied with her prodding, she stretched her arms over her head, letting out an exaggerated sigh. “Alright, I need a break. My brain is fried from working all morning.”

Tommy took the bait immediately, rolling his chair back and standing up. “Same. What’s the move?”

Vee made a show of pretending to think before snapping her fingers. “Coffee run. I’m feeling something sweet. Maybe a pastry, too.”

Damien, who had barely taken two sips of his current coffee, shrugged. “Yeah, I’m in.”

“Shayne? You want anything?” She asked the blonde, tilting her head.

“No I'm good.” He shook his head and spun himself back around to keep typing away.

“Alright, cool.” Vee grinned, already walking toward the door with the two trailing behind. Once they were safely in the hall, she glanced back toward the workspace, making sure they were out of earshot. Then, with a knowing smirk, she turned to the guys.

“Did you see how quick he was to turn down that date?” She mused, voice dripping with amusement as she sarcastically said, “I wonder why...”

Tommy scoffed, shaking his head. “Oh, come on, at this point, they’re just messing with us.”

Damien chuckled, and murmured, “Either that, or they actually think they’re being sneaky.”

They all snickered as they walked towards the front office and then to Vee’s car for their little errand. 

__________________________

*Courtney POV*

After wrapping up my scenes for a sketch and filming a TNTL, I moved towards the common area by the desks, the sound of fingers clicking on keyboards and some chit-chat here and there was the only thing that filled the space.

Olivia was there texting Sam as I sat down on the couch. She looked up from her phone and tilted her head slightly. "You okay?"

I blinked, caught off guard. "Yeah, why?"

She shrugged. "You just seem a little...I dunno, checked out. You’re not about to ghost this party, are you?"

A laugh escaped me before I could help it. "No! I promise. I'm just-" I hesitated for a split second, then settled on, "Tired."

Liv narrowed her eyes, unconvinced but not pushing. "You sure?"

I nodded, offering a reassuring smile. "Yeah. Just been a long couple of weeks."

She studied me for a second longer before setting her phone down, shifting her focus entirely to me. "How was the follow-up? I meant to ask earlier, but things have been hectic."

Ah. There it was.

I exhaled, my fingers absentmindedly smoothing over my jeans. "It was good. Dr. Simmons said everything looks fine- like, actually fine. No signs of anything bad, no surprises. Just...good."

The words felt weird in my mouth, almost foreign. For so long, I'd been holding my breath, half-expecting another complication, another wave of bad news. But for once, there wasn't one.

Liv’s expression softened. "That’s amazing, Court."

"Yeah," I murmured. "It is."

And yet…

*Two weeks ago*

The exam room was cold. Too cold.

I knew it was just the sterile chill of every doctor’s office, but it still made my skin prickle. The fluorescent lights hummed above, bright and unrelenting, and the scent of antiseptic filled my nose even through my face mask.

I could do this.

I had done this.

And yet, my hands still clenched into fists in my lap, fingers digging into the fabric of the gown I had changed into as I sat on the exam table.

Beside me, Shayne leaned against the wall, arms crossed, eyes flicking between me and the door every so often. His mask covered the lower half of his face, but I could tell by the crease between his brows that he was watching me closely.

“You doing okay?” His voice was quiet, just for me.

I nodded, though my throat felt tight. “Yeah.”

Liar.

I could already feel the edges of panic creeping in, tightening around my ribs. The air in the room felt thin. Too thin.

This was just a follow-up. Just an exam.

Nothing bad was happening today.

The door opened, and Nurse Kyla walked in, all warm eyes above her mask. “Hey, Courtney. Ready?”

I nodded again, gripping the edge of the table a little harder.

Shayne’s fingers brushed my arm, grounding me for just a second before he pulled back. Just a small, silent reminder: I’m here.

“The doctor is wrapping up another appointment,” the nurse said as she rolled a cart closer. “So I’ll be taking your vitals first, okay?”

Simple. Routine. I could handle this.

She reached for the blood pressure cuff, and I held out my arm. The second the velcro tightened, my chest tightened with it.

My breath hitched.

It was nothing. Just the squeeze of the cuff. Just the machine doing its job.

But my body didn’t care.

I stared at the numbers on the monitor, my heartbeat pounding in my ears. My palms were damp, my mask suddenly suffocating.

Not now. Not here.

My nails dug into my thigh as I focused on the solidness of the table beneath me.

In. Hold. Out.

I forced my gaze up. Shayne’s eyes were locked on mine now, steady, unwavering.

Breathe.

He didn’t say it. He didn’t have to.

Instead, he did something small, something so subtle no one else would have noticed- he lifted his hand near his stomach, fingers splayed, and mimicked a slow, deep breath.

In.

Hold.

Out.

I followed him. Again. And again.

Little by little, the panic loosened its grip. The room stopped spinning. My breath came easier.

By the time the nurse unwrapped the cuff, I could move my fingers again.

“Blood pressure’s looking good.” She said gently. “Dr. Simmons will be in shortly.”

As soon as she left, I let out a slow breath, rolling my shoulders. “Well. That was fun.”

Shayne snorted softly, shaking his head. “You did good.”

I tilted my head toward him, smirking just slightly. “You breathe like that a lot?”

His eyes crinkled with the hint of a grin. “Only when the person I care about looks like they’re about to pass out.”

Warmth spread through my chest, different from the panic. Softer. Safer.

Before I could say anything else, the door opened again, and Dr. Simmons walked in.

She greeted me with the same calm warmth she always had, her presence a steady reassurance. “Hi, Courtney. How are you feeling? Ready to get started?”

I nodded, swallowing back the nerves that tried to creep up again.

She moved through the usual routine- listening to my heart and lungs, gently palpating my abdomen. It was all normal. Familiar. But my mind kept drifting ahead, anticipating what came next.

The internal exam.

“Alright, Courtney, we’re going to move on to the pelvic exam.” Dr. Simmons said gently. “Just like before, I’ll talk you through everything. If anything feels uncomfortable or you need a break, just let me know.”

I nodded, though my hands were already gripping the table again. I scooted down, settling my feet into the stirrups, my body tense. The air against my skin felt too cold.

Shayne stayed where he was, gaze fixed on some random spot on the wall, giving me as much space as he could while still being there. He never watched- I'd asked him not to. But I still felt his presence, steady as ever. “You're ok Court.”

“You’re going to feel some pressure…” Dr. Simmons warned.

The speculum was cold, even with the warmed gel, and I felt my body instinctively tense.

“Deep breaths,” she reminded me. “In through your nose, out through your mouth.”

I tried. The pressure was uncomfortable, foreign, making my pulse spike. My fingers curled into fists at my sides.

From the corner of my eye, Shayne moved.

He lifted his hand again, fingers splayed, mirroring a slow, deep inhale.

In.

Hold.

Out.

I matched it. Breathed with him. Focused on the rhythm instead of the discomfort.

“You’re doing great,” Dr. Simmons said, her tone even. “Everything looks good so far.”

She finished the rest of the exam quickly but thoroughly, checking for any irregularities. Finally, she removed the speculum and peeled off her gloves.

“No signs of anything concerning,” she said. “Everything looks exactly as we’d hope. I’ll have the lab confirm your results, but based on the exam, I’m very optimistic.”

I let out a slow breath, only now realizing how hard I had been gripping the table.

“See?” Shayne said lightly, voice cutting through the lingering tension. “Told you you’d do good.”

I gave him a look, but there was no heat behind it. Just something quieter. Something softer.

“At least I didn't almost pass out again.” I muttered.

Dr. Simmons chuckled. “I’d call that a win.”

And for the first time in over a year, I let myself believe it.

*Back to the present/Courtney POV*

Liv nudged my knee again, pulling me back from my thoughts.

“Hello? Earth to Courtney.”

I blinked, shaking my head. “Sorry, zoned out.”

She studied me for a beat, not in a pushy way, just…waiting.

I hesitated, then exhaled. “It’s weird, you know?” I said, stretching my legs out. “I thought that once I got the all-clear, I’d immediately feel-” I waved my hand, searching for the right word. “Done. Over it.”

Liv tilted her head. “And?”

I picked at a loose thread on my jeans. “And I do. Mostly. But then I’ll be going about my day, feeling fine, and suddenly, I’m right back there again.” I glanced up at her. “It’s annoying.”

Liv offered a small smile. “Well, yeah. You went through something really scary last year. Your brain’s not just gonna forget because you got good news.”

I huffed. “I’d like it to, though.”

“Obviously.” She leaned back, stretching her arms over her head. “But I think it’s kinda like a bad breakup. Even when you’re over it, sometimes you hear a song, or pass by a place, and it just…takes you back for a second.”

I gave her a look. “Did you just compare my medical trauma to getting dumped?”

She grinned. “It kind of works, though.”

Despite myself, I laughed. “Yeah, okay. Fair.”

“Now, if you excuse me, I need to go check in with the Mediterranean place that's catering the party. Sarah will kill me if I forget to order the spicy hummus dip.” She stood up and left, typing on her phone and somehow dodging stepping into anyone on the way.

How? No idea, but it was damn impressive.

That's when it dawned on me that the party was approaching so soon. Finally.

If I'm not getting the dates wrong, then that would be the last night any of our peers would know us as ‘Shayne and Courtney’ and not ‘Shayne and Courtney’. The thought made me both extremely giddy…and painfully nauseous…

__________________________

*General POV*

What both blondes didn’t realize was that some people had very much caught on a while ago. 

Especially over the past few weeks, the signs had only gotten more obvious- the lingering looks, the conveniently timed inside jokes, the way they seemed to just gravitate toward each other without thinking. 

No one needed to say it out loud. The small group dedicated to sussing out their friends basically knew. And with the party creeping closer, the question wasn’t if something would happen. 

It was when.

__________________________

It started with Damien.

He was doing everything to stay subtle- though he never really had been- but this was a new level of theatrical.

“So, ‘Courgan’,” He said one afternoon in the break room, leaning against the fridge like he was in a soap opera, “if you had to pick one person in the office to be handcuffed to for 24 hours…who would it be?”

Courtney blinked, halfway through pouring almond milk into her coffee. “Um. What?”

“Hypothetically speaking,” Damien added, with a too-casual shrug. “Just, you know. For science.”

Courtney narrowed her eyes. “Is this for a video?”

“Nooo. Maybe? Yes.” He lied. Badly.

Jackie, lurking by the microwave with a protein bar, piped up. “Actually, that would be a good video. But yeah- just answer.”

Courtney squinted between them, clearly suspicious, but didn’t take the bait. “Liv,” she said coolly, sipping her coffee. “She’s resourceful, fun, and wouldn’t let me starve.”

From the other side of the kitchen, Liv looked up from her phone next to Spencer who chowed down on some brownies Vee had baked. “Aww, thanks Court! I'd absolutely keep you alive.”

Shayne, passing through for his third La Croix of the day, let out a soft ‘huh’ and kept walking.

Strike one.

By now Vee, Tommy, Liv, Jackie, and Damien formed a loose but dedicated alliance. The goal: to get either Shayne or Courtney to slip up- admit something, touch for too long, call each other 'babe' by accident again. Really anything.

Operation ‘Blond(e) Ambition’ was born. At least that's the name of the groupchat Jackie made.

They set up traps. Mostly dumb ones.

For example, when Vee and Shayne were arguing about his current choice of facial hair.

“It looks like a dead rat on your face.” She deadpanned.

“Ok, fuck you, it looks hot as hell.” He defended, brushing the hair with his finger.

“You really think that? Ok, Courtney, do you think Shayne looks hot with that mustache?” Vee asked suddenly, turning her head pointedly.

Courtney froze for a second before blinking harshly and without even looking up, “Um, no. He looks like a cop.”

Shayne furrowed his brow as Spencer laughed from his spot across the room, typing away on his computer. “Okay, rude.”

“Am I wrong though?” She then shot back, meeting his indignant stare, smirking.

Damien whispered over to a smiling Tommy, “Flirt fighting. Classic ‘Shartney’.”

Shayne noticed the two taller men laughing to themselves but ultimately ignored it. What was so funny anyway?

He did miss the way the snickers spread to Vee as he looked down at his phone and his face lit up.

[ 2:47 pm

Court: btw u do look like a cop

Court: but like a sexy vegas cop ]

Strike two.

It continued with Liv.

She had the ‘gentle’ approach. You know, ‘gentle’- like buttering artisanal toast with a chainsaw.

They were sitting around on the studio couch during downtime, just casually scrolling, when Liv leaned over and showed Courtney a meme.

“Isn’t this so you and Shayne?”

Courtney barely glanced. “That’s a picture of a possum holding a knife and a raccoon in a cowboy hat with big hearts drawn over their eyes.”

“Exactly,” Liv said, completely serious. “It’s the energy.”

Courtney gave her a long, silent look carefully weighing the implications of the image. “What are you doing right now?”

“Nothing!” Liv said, suspiciously fast. “Just girl talk.”

Across the room, Vee snorted behind her laptop.

Shayne, who had just walked in, paused. “Did you just compare me to a possum?”

“No,” Liv said. “You’re the raccoon.”

“Imagine hearing that out of context.” Spencer added from his desk.

Courtney didn’t say anything, but she was definitely starting to connect dots.

Strike three.

Jackie went for the long game.

It started with TikToks. Then ‘personality quizzes.’ Then asking pointedly which male cast member Courtney would save in a zombie apocalypse- ‘but not based on survival skills, like, emotionally.’

Courtney started answering everything wrong on purpose.

“Who’s your Smosh soulmate?”

“Vee or Olivia.”

“Pick a love language.”

“Stealing fries or sending memes.”

“If you had to pick a cast member to be trapped in an elevator with?”

“Keith.”

“No, seriously-”

“Still Keith.”

Jackie pouted. “You’re not playing the game right.”

Courtney raised an eyebrow. “I don’t think you’re actually playing a game.”

Jackie blinked innocently. “What else would I be doing?”

Meanwhile, Shayne, who had heard only the elevator part, was halfway into a mental spiral about whether or not Courtney found Keith more elevator-compatible than him.

Spoiler: she didn't.

Tommy didn’t play dumb.

He played to win.

Out of everyone, he was the one who noticed the real tells- the subtle shift in Courtney’s laugh when Shayne was in the room, the way Shayne’s hands always hovered a little too long near her lower back, like gravity was stronger between them.

So he waited.

Waited for a moment just like this: sketch brainstorm, whiteboard out, coffee in hand, casual enough that no one would question him in this writer's meeting.

Did he pitch an entire skit just to prove a point?...Maybe.

“Okay, so in this scene, hear me out,” He said, scribbling on the whiteboard, “Courtney, you’re trapped in a time loop. Shayne, you’re the barista slash cyborg she keeps running into. You guys fall in love. There’s an emotional monologue. Maybe a forehead touch. Then boom- plot twist- he doesn't have a dick because…well, robot.”

“Tommy,” Shayne said slowly, “this is a sketch about aliens.”

“Exactly. Time loop, aliens, same difference.” Tommy said, with no further explanation.

Courtney stared at him. “Are you okay?”

Tommy nodded. “Never been better.” 

Spencer, who'd walked in to grab a charger, piped up. “Y'know this isn't exactly helping your cause at climbing the ranks here dude-”

“Shut up Spencer.” Tommy snapped.

It was one of the worst sketches they ever wrote and it absolutely didn't air, but Tommy caught the faint flush on Shayne’s neck at the mere mention of romancing Courtney in character- something thats never happened before. Bullseye…

They once even met at Jackie’s apartment.

Which meant they were crammed onto a futon, two mismatched chairs, and a suspiciously lumpy beanbag that Vee swore moved when no one was looking.

Oh. Nevermind. That's just her cat Olive.

The vibe was a mix between underground resistance group and college group project where everyone forgot the assignment.

Liv was already setting up in the center of the living room. She’d brought snacks (Takis and mini KitKats), a dry-erase board, and several index cards with question marks on them. Surely Sam's been loving coming home to this energy every night for the past couple of weeks.

“Welcome,” She said, putting back a mostly intact Dorito on the table after barely nibbling it. “To Operation Blonde on Blonde-”

“Please don’t call it that,” Everyone groaned in unison, except for Jackie, who was in the kitchen making popcorn and shouted, “Didn’t we vote on ‘Blond(e) Ambition’?”

“We did!” Vee confirmed, now curled up on the beanbag with a Capri Sun and the little feline.

Liv shrugged. “You’re all cowards. Mine sounds iconic.”

Damien flopped across the futon. “No that sounds like something a poor tween stumbles upon in their dad's basement.”

Vee dopiley laughed out loud at that. Tommy, for some reason squeezed in one of Jackie’s hoodies that she was in the process of folding, pulled out his tablet and tapped it. “Focus up. I have visual data.”

“Oh, *por dios*...” [Translation: “oh dear god”] Vee muttered.

“Last week,” He said, pulling up a paused video, “Courtney’s arm brushed Shayne’s at exactly 3:18 in the latest “Challenge Pit” This was filmed merely a month ago. Note the immediate reaction- watch Shayne’s face. He blanks. Textbook micro-fluster. Rewind it if you have to.”

Liv squinted. “That could just be editing lag.”

“No,” Tommy said darkly. “I felt it.”

Damien held up a notebook full of doodles and what appeared to be an elaborate shipping chart. “I’ve documented three almost-kisses based on body language and energy tension alone.”

Jackie, now holding the popcorn bowl like it was the holy grail, blinked. “Were you actually in the room for any of those?”

“No,” Damien said. “But I also felt it.”

They all turned expectantly to Vee, who was still calmly sipping her juice pouch. She’d been surprisingly quiet.

She finally spoke. “Well, I saw them sharing headphones in the green room. He was holding one side for her. And they were laughing. A lot. You know, honestly, I'm shocked I'm the only one here with potential viable evidence.” She finished quietly. 

The room went very still.

Damien whispered, “Th-that’s basically married.” with faux seriousness.

Tommy nodded slowly. “That’s how I fell in love with my middle school lab partner.”

Liv dramatically stood and slammed an index card labeled ‘TENSION??’ onto the coffee table. “We’re getting close. I feel it. Plus, Shayne’s too much of a germaphobe to be swapping ear wax with just anyone.”

Everyone nodded in solemn agreement.

Then Jackie broke the silence: “So...what’s our next move?”

They all looked at each other as a beat passed.

Tommy said, “We have literally no idea what we’re doing.”

“Absolutely none.” Damien added.

Liv sighed. “But we care. Passionately.”

Vee reached over, snagged a KitKat, and muttered, “God help them if they aren’t secretly in love after all this.”

“Help them? Help us. This is getting fucking pathetic.” Tommy scoffed realizing how ridiculous they all probably look right now.

“Wanna watch ‘Tiger King’ for the millionth time?” Jackie prompted.

“Yup.”

“I'm down.”

“Why not?”

“So did she kill her husband or…”

Meanwhile Courtney…she was way smarter than her friends gave her credit for.

__________________________

*Courtney POV*

I paced the living room, arms crossed, my socks slipping a little on the hardwood as I passed the coffee table for the third time.

“Shayne, I’m telling you, they know.”

Shayne sat on the couch, laptop open, fingers hovering over the keyboard. “There’s no way.”

“Shayne-”

“Look- is Damien suspicious? Yes. But he’s not a gossip. Are the girls suspicious? Maybe. But they got nothing, and weren’t you the one telling me not to be paranoid last time I was freaking out?”

I stopped pacing, huffing. “Well, yeah, but-”

He looked up, softening. “Then listen to your own advice, babe. If they do know, they’d never blow our cover. Besides, pretty soon, most people are gonna know, right?”

He patted the couch beside him, and I reluctantly sank down next to him, still frowning. Without saying anything, he leaned in and pressed a quick kiss to my cheek, just near the corner of my mouth- warm, familiar, grounding.

It made me smile, despite myself.

“Anyway,” He continued, pulling his laptop closer again, “we need to get ready and start drafting these emails for the HR reps, and prep mentally for the meeting with Lisa and Ian next Monday.”

I leaned my head on his shoulder with a dramatic sigh. “How much do you think he’s gonna freak out over this?”

Shayne leaned back, resting his cheek against the top of my head. “As our boss? He’s going to be as professional as possible and set the standard for how Smosh should treat these things.”

I glanced up at him, smirking. “But as our friend?”

He laughed, eyes lighting up. “Oh, as our friend he’s gonna lose his shit. Guaranteed.”

I giggled into his chest, unable to help it. His arms instinctively came around me, pulling me closer.

“How do you feel?” I murmured against him. “You’re gonna be one year older in a couple hours.”

He tilted his head thoughtfully. “Honestly? Twenty-eight was crazy. Like...insane for a myriad of reasons. But somehow, also really awesome." He looked at me pointedly as he said that. "So yeah, I’m kind of excited for twenty-nine.”

I grinned, pulling back just enough to meet his eyes and lowering my voice. “Wanna get started on your first birthday present?”

He raised an eyebrow and pointed to his computer. “Is it HR-friendly?”

“Absolutely not,” I said sweetly, before leaning in to kiss him- slow, teasing, and a little more intense than before.

His laptop was definitely forgotten as his hands slid to my waist, pulling me into his lap.

Yep. I made sure twenty-nine was off to a strong start.

By the time Friday rolled around, the vibe at the office had shifted from 'frantic production week adapting to the new normal' to 'party countdown,' and I’d almost managed to calm down the internal panic that had me spiraling earlier in the week.

Almost.

Everyone was buzzing about Tommy and Shayne’s little celebration, given the lack of human interaction we've all had all year. I kept it cool- didn’t hover around him more than usual, didn’t sit next to him at lunch (even though I really wanted to), didn’t give anyone a reason to look twice. 

Shayne, meanwhile, was comically chill. Maybe he was overcompensating but it was impressive, honestly- especially given his previous panic. If he was still worried about anyone catching on, he didn’t show it.

I, on the other hand, flinched every time someone so much as looked in my direction for too long.

Which is probably why I noticed when Vee's eyes lingered.

It happened in the breakroom, during one of those late-afternoon slowdowns where half of us were pretending to still work and the other half were pretending not to be gossiping.

I was pouring myself coffee when Vee walked in, holding her usual iced whatever, and stopped mid-sentence in her convo with our newest castmate Amanda. Just for a second.

Her eyes flicked to my chest, then back to my face. A blink. Then a tiny smirk tugged at her lips.

Not a full smile. Just enough to make my stomach twist.

I glanced down instinctively, thinking maybe I spilled something on my shirt- but nope. Just my usual necklace resting against my collarbone. My fingers grazed the chain, then froze.

Oh no.

I hadn’t noticed it earlier when I threw my top on in a rush, but from this angle- and with how low-cut the neckline was- just the faintest purplish smudge peeked out beneath the edge of the fabric of my bralette.

Goddammit.

A hickey. A fucking hickey. The one I'd gotten on Shayne’s actual birthday.

I swallowed, trying not to make a face. Tried to act normal. Casually adjusted the chain around my neck and tugged the neckline just slightly.

Vee didn’t say anything. Just kept talking with Amanda like nothing happened. But as she turned to leave the room, she shot me one last look. Not accusing. Not smug. Just...curious.

I stood there, gripping my coffee cup like it could protect me from the unraveling paranoia.

Okay. Stay cool. It’s fine. Maybe she didn’t actually see anything. Or maybe she saw it and assumed it was from someone totally random.

Still- just in case- I made a mental note: No more v-necks until this whole thing was official.

Or at least until the party was over.

__________________________

*Vee POV*

I finished my conversation with Amanda, glancing over at Courtney one last time as I walked away. I mean, don’t get me wrong- it was a nice view regardless- but the faint purple smudge just barely peeking out from under her shirt made me pause and almost scream.

Amanda caught my look and raised an eyebrow. “You good?” She asked before I completely left the room.

I shrugged, trying to play it cool. “Oh, yeah. Just…got a lot of work to do, heh.”

I pushed off the wall and headed toward my little betting pool. I smirked and leaned against Jackie’s desk. “You guys will never guess what I spotted while looking at Courtney’s chest.”

Damien whipped his head around immediately. “Well, that’s one way to get fired.”

Spencer sat a little apart from our group, headphones on and focused on editing something on his laptop, completely tuned out except for the occasional quick glance in our direction.

“Spill! We have to get to the TNTL stage in less than 10 minutes.” Jackie pushed.

I leaned in and responded, “She had a very suspicious looking purple bruise right here.” I pointed to the approximate place the mark was on by my cleavage.

“You're joking.” Tommy deadpanned.

“Get it, Court, damn…” Liv murmured, lips twitching into an impressed grin. 

“Now- it could be that she burnt herself with a curling iron,” I added with faux innocence, lifting my brows suggestively.

“Haven't we all?” Jackie quipped, her tone breezy as her eyes twinkled with recognition of that old classic excuse.

“Or maybe she accidentally bumped into something and got a bruise,” I continued, slowly turning the dial of possibilities.

“Oh yeah, I knock into shit tit-first all the time!” Tommy shot back with dry sarcasm, tossing his hands in the air.

I couldn’t help the smirk that spread across my face as I leaned back, eyebrows high. “Or…”

“Or, it’s all my best friend’s fault, and that- respectfully- makes me want to puke.” Damien cut in, his nose scrunching slightly as he offered a tight-lipped smile, like the visual alone was too much for him to stomach.

I giggled, the sound bubbling up uncontrollably. “God, I can’t fucking wait till Saturday.”

“We need to keep our eyes peeled, though.” Tommy reminded us.

“And ears. Shayne gets loose-lipped and somewhat lovey-dovey sometimes when he drinks.” Liv pointed out.

“That's true.” Damien nodded and snapped his fingers. “But, if we're wrong, we're gonna have a ton of explaining and apologizing to do.”

Tommy shook his head. “There's no way. I mean, we all felt that weird tension during the blackjack video we filmed.” He looked at Damien who weakly shrugged, still looking somewhat uncomfortable.

“The one where Court was ‘Brianna Boho’ and Shayne was that weird samurai dude with the nasal-y voice?” Jackie asked.

“That's the one.” He affirmed.

“Truly there was no reason for all of that.” I said wide-eyed.

We all agreed before breaking out into quiet chuckles.

Later, the group had drifted back together outside the green room, all half-running on caffeine and endorphins after filming and working all morning. The moment we had a second of downtime before lunch, I pulled them in.

“You know what we haven't tried yet?,” I started, glancing around. “Remember that episode of 'Friends' where they get Chandler and Monica to admit they’re together?”

Jackie tilted her head. “The one with the flirting standoff?”

“Exactly.” I nodded. “They just kept pushing them until they cracked. *We* could totally do that.”

Liv looked intrigued. “You mean…we flirt with them?”

Tommy grinned slowly. “That is so stupid. I’m in.”

I gestured like a conductor. “Alrighty then. Damien, you flirt with Courtney-”

“Absolutely not. Gross. No.” Damien didn’t even hesitate. “She’s like a sibling to me. I’d rather be struck by lightning.”

“Okay, noted.” I smirked. “Tommy’s gay, so that’s a no.”

Tommy gave a slight bow. “Unfortunately for the cause, but yes, extremely.”

“Jackie-”

Jackie cut in, already grinning. “I flirt with everyone all the time. It’s like breathing to me. They wouldn’t even notice.”

“Liv?”

Liv shrugged. “Courtney and I joke-flirt constantly, it's our love language. If I turn it up even a little, she’s just gonna ask what bit we’re doing. Same with you two.”

There was a beat of silence as the plan crumbled in real-time.

Then Tommy turned toward me. “So that leaves you, Vee. You try Shayne.”

I blinked. “One: ew. Two: that feels borderline incestuous. And three: I have a boyfriend now.”

Tommy gave me a look and quietly snorted. “Okay, but like…how serious?”

I narrowed my eyes. “Motherfu-”

Right on cue, Spencer rounded the corner, holding a water bottle and a tangle of cords under his arm.

“What’re you all huddled up for?” He asked casually, eyes flicking over our suspiciously guilty faces.

“Nothing!” I said quickly. “Just talking through TNTL ideas.”

“Improv strategy,” Jackie added with a too-bright smile.

Tommy coughed into his hand. “Totally normal comedian stuff.”

Damien and Olivia just tried their best to look busy.

Spencer slowed but didn’t press. “Uh-huh.”

As soon as he disappeared towards the catering table, we all exhaled in unison.

“What’s our stance on putting a bell on that dude?” Damien said, rubbing his forehead.

"Trust me, I've tried for years now." I sighed.

“If nothing happens tomorrow, I swear to god…” Liv added, shaking her head as we walked towards the catering table.

Yeah…this party's gonna be something…

Chapter Text

Shayne’s POV

I woke up to a burning, searing heat. 

Not the sunrays hitting my torso through the curtains, but Courtney’s lips grazing the curve of my neck, soft, teasing, and I was already a mess before I even fully opened my eyes. 

The sheets were tangled around us, and her breath was warm against my skin as she moved down. My heart skipped a beat, the hazy remnants of sleep fading fast as I realized what she was doing.

I tried to get her attention, brushing her hair back and out of her face. "Hey-"

But she gently shook her head and kissed the palm of my hand. "Shhh...just relax."

Her mouth was moving lower, kissing the edge of my ribcage, down to my chest, and the flicker of her tongue across my skin made me shiver. The way she took her time, drawing out each kiss and nip, making it feel like she was savoring every inch of me- it was like nothing else existed in that moment.

Then, she slipped beneath the covers, and I felt the heat of her breath just before her lips found the waistband of my boxers. I could hardly breathe, every nerve in my body buzzing and pulsing as she slowly, expertly, pulled them down, freeing me. There was no rush. She was taking her time, and god, every second felt like it stretched forever.

Her lips, soft and teasing, trailed along my inner thighs, and I couldn’t help but groan, my fingers gripping the sheets. She kept her eyes on mine, that mischievous, confident glint in her gaze. She knew exactly how to make me lose all fucking control.

"Court..."

She didn’t hold back- she never did. Her mouth moved lower, and I couldn’t stop the way my body responded, my hips lifting slightly, begging for more. The first pass of her tongue on my cock- hot, wet, and slow- had me gasping, each movement sending a jolt of pleasure straight to my core. I couldn’t think, couldn’t focus on anything but the way she made me feel.

Her hands were firm and rough against my hips, holding me down in place as she worked me with her mouth, and I smiled in spite of myself- she knew how much I liked this side of her. The burning low in my pelvis grew as I laid there. I threw my arm over my face to stifle my moaning- her neighbors have been through enough.

She licked up the underside of my cock, slow and deliberate, then took me in deep. 

Her cheeks hollowed as she sucked hard, and I groaned, burying my face in the crook of my arm. I was already close.

She didn’t stop. Just kept going, steady and confident, her rhythm unshaken. Every now and then, she paused to breathe through her nose, but she never pulled away. Her eyes were starting to water, and I noticed the slight shake in her arms from holding herself up as her nails started to dig into my thighs, but she didn’t seem to care- if anything, she looked determined as she giggled at my ruined state.

I was shaking, too- hands gripping her hair, dragging her closer. The pressure built fast, sharp and overwhelming.

I pushed up on my elbows, breathing hard. “Shit- baby, wait. You gotta slow down-”

She pulled back just enough to look up at me, sweetly smirking with glossy eyes. “I want it. All of it. Let go for me.”

Then she went right back down- deeper this time, pushing through her gag reflex like it didn’t faze her. Her throat flexed around me, her mouth moving with more intent, like she needed it as bad as I did.

That was it.

I came hard, and she stayed with me the whole time- no flinch, no hesitation. She took every drop, swallowing and humming around me, just adding to the the aftershocks.

I collapsed back onto the bed, boneless and spent, my chest rising and falling like I’d just run a mile.

“Jesus,” I muttered, eyes closed, arm back over my face.

Courtney didn't say anything. She just looked up at me, a satisfied grin on her lips, eyes glowing with that familiar mix of affection and mischief. "Good morning." She whispered, her voice thick, her hands trailing lightly over my chest.

I couldn’t even speak at first. All I could do was nod, unable to keep the smile off my face as I pulled her up to me, kissing her softly, not caring at all where her mouth had just been. "Well it sure is now, goddamn..." I muttered, my voice hoarse.

She laughed, a soft, knowing sound, and pressed her lips to mine again before slipping out of the bed and into the bathroom. "Consider that your first of probably many gifts you'll be getting today..." She teased, the warmth of her body leaving a lingering imprint as her words shook me out of my haze.

Oh shit, that's right. 

The party's tonight.

__________________________

The sun had already dipped low by the time we were both standing near the door, dressed and ready. 

I watched Courtney adjust her earrings in the mirror by her front door, her fingers trembling just slightly. 

I wasn’t the only one that was nervous.

She caught my eye in the reflection, offering a small, tight smile- the kind that didn’t quite reach her eyes. “You good?” She asked softly, even though I could tell she was really asking herself the same thing.

I crossed the room, wrapping my arms gently around her from behind, resting my chin on her shoulder. “I’m good if you’re good,” I murmured, pressing a soft kiss just below her ear.

She let out a shaky breath, her hand coming up to cover mine. “I’m so jittery,” She whispered. “And it's stupid! We’re not even telling anyone tonight. This is supposed to be our last hurrah before people see us differently and I'm scared my anxiety wont let me enjoy it.”

“I know,” I murmured, tightening my arms a little around her. “I feel the same way. Especially knowing that, come Monday, it'll be out in the open. That’s enough to make it feel big.”

She nodded, leaning back into me, her eyes closing for a second. “We’ll get through it,” I added, brushing my nose lightly against her temple. “You and me, okay? One more night, just us and the guys, before we deal with the rest.”

Finally, she turned in my arms, slipping her hands up to cup my face. Her eyes were a little glassy, but her smile was stronger now as her arms circled my neck. “You always know how to pull me back down to Earth, don’t you?”

I gave a crooked grin. “Well, yeah. That’s kind of my job now.”

She let out a soft laugh, leaning up to kiss me- slow, lingering, full of quiet reassurance. 

I kissed her back just as fiercely, feeling her nerves and mine melt together, grounding both of us. When we pulled apart, she touched her forehead to mine, smiling. “Ready?”

“Ready. Just don't let me drink too many of Tommy’s cocktails and we should be fine.”

She laughed and wiped her gloss off my lips as we held onto each other for one more second- a silent promise between us- before grabbing our keys and heading out the door towards our respective cars.

By the time I pulled up to the office parking lot, my heart was hammering in my chest again for no good reason. It was just a party- just a laid-back celebration with the people I’d worked with and laughed with for years. But tonight, everything felt different.

I spotted Courtney’s car pulling in just behind me, and for a second, we locked eyes through the windshield. She gave me a tiny smile and a thumbs-up, and I couldn’t help but grin back, the nerves easing just a bit.

Okay, here we go.

I stepped out, smoothing down my jacket, shaking out my hands like a boxer trying to loosen up before a fight. Not that this was a fight. It was just a birthday celebration- mine and Tommy’s, a few days late, because everyone’s schedules were chaos.

Music thumped faintly through the walls as I headed toward the door, the familiar rush of voices and laughter spilling out when I pushed it open. 

There was warm colorful light, the smell of pizza, wings, some Mediterranean dishes and someone yelling “Shayne!” from across the room before I even made it fully inside.

Tommy was already there, of course, holding court by the food table, a ridiculous plastic crown perched crookedly on his head. He threw his arms up when he saw me. “Aye! Birthday boy number two!” He called, grinning ear to ear.

I laughed, making my way over, clasping hands with him in one of those exaggerated, joking bro-hugs. “Look at you, still sober.” I teased.

“Hey, don't get used to it!” Tommy shot back, grinning. “Happy belated, man.”

“Back at you,” I said, feeling the warmth of the room sink into my skin, easing the last of the nerves.

Behind me, I heard Courtney’s laugh- soft, familiar- as she slipped in and got immediately pulled into conversation by Olivia and Sam. Our eyes met briefly across the room, and she gave me that little smile again, the one that meant 'we’re okay'.

And just like that, I felt myself exhale, shoulders loosening.

Tonight wasn’t about worrying. It wasn’t about secrets or big reveals or planning what came next.

Tonight was just about having fun for the first time in months.

I walked towards the makeshift bar with Tommy and we grabbed some drinks, throwing a grin each other's way, as I let myself sink into the night.

I weaved my way through the room, high-fiving Noah, hugging Sarah, joking around with Damien and Kimmy, getting pulled into a quick 'how’s it feel to be old now?' roast from Jackie and Keith.

It felt good- easy, light.

The music was pumping, snacks were disappearing fast, and I let myself relax into the familiar chaos of it all.

“Shayne!”

I turned just in time to catch Vee bouncing over, practically glowing with excitement. She threw her arms around me in a big hug, laughing.

“Happy birthday, old man!” She teased, pulling back with a grin.

“Again with that old man shit? You’re gonna be in the same boat in, what, five years?” I shot back, raising a brow.

“Six, technically,” She smirked, flicking her hair. “Anyway- tonight’s gonna be so fun! My boyfriend’s on his way, and I cannot wait for you guys to finally meet him.”

Right. The boyfriend. The… thirty-six-year-old boyfriend. It wasn’t that I didn’t trust Vee- she was sharp, funny, could handle herself- but still. Twenty-two and thirty-six? That was a big gap, and no matter how much I told myself to chill, I couldn’t help the flicker of unease.

“Can’t wait,” I said lightly, giving her a quick smile.

As soon as Vee dashed off to check her phone, Ian nudged me with his shoulder.

“She tell you about this guy?” He muttered, sipping his drink, eyes flicking after her.

“Yeah. I've heard.” I said.

Ian gave a protective little snort. “Well, thoughts? Because I have many. She’s like a little sister to me, man. And thirty-six? That's older than most of us. I’m just saying…”

Before I could answer, Damien- who was already standing with us, rocking on his heels, hands shoved in his jacket pockets- gave a light shrug.

“Honestly, not my circus anymore,” Damien said with a half-smile, glancing at me. “Just…y’know. Gonna be interesting to watch.”

Ian snorted again. “Oh, it’s definitely gonna be interesting.”

I raked a hand through my hair, letting out a breath as I glanced across the room, where Tommy was behind the little bar, happily mixing drinks in front of a small crowd.

“Yeah,” I muttered. “No kidding.”

But before we could dwell on it, Jackie was waving us over for a group selfie, and I shoved the tension aside, letting the party mood pull me back in.

I wasn’t about to start overthinking.

Not yet, anyway.

After a while of mingling and saying hi to the few plus ones our coworkers had brought, I saw Courtney weaving through the crowd toward me, grinning like she had just spotted me

“Shania!” She called out, drawing out my nickname with playful excitement.

I raised a brow as she threw her arms around my shoulders in a quick, friendly squeeze- one of those big, over-the-top hugs like we were coworkers who hadn’t seen each other all day.

“Happy birthday, my guy!” She laughed, pulling back with a bright smile.

I smirked faintly, murmuring just for her, “Way to act natural dude.”

“Shhh...” Courtney whispered, eyes glinting as she patted my chest lightly and slipped away, heading toward Liv and Jackie by the drinks.

I let out a small breath, shaking my head as I did a quick cautious scan of the room.

Ian casually sipped his drink, eyes following Courtney for just a second too long with furrowed brows before turning back to the conversation he was having like nothing happened.

Damien stood with his phone in hand, his expression relaxed, maybe a faint flicker of amusement passing through his eyes- but no comment either.

Tommy was busy playing DJ with Vee but he glanced up briefly with a faint smile, going right back to clicking away at the laptop by the speakers like the professional he was pretending to be.

Vee on the other hand leaned casually on the counter next to him, smirking as she murmured something under her breath. Tommy snorted softly, glancing my way, but neither of them said anything out loud.

Ok...maybe Courtney was right...that was weird.

__________________________

The music was loud, the lights were low, and I had a solid buzz going. I wasn’t exactly a party animal- never had been- but tonight, I was doing my best to keep up.

Tommy- who’d taken his role as pseudo-bartender a little too seriously- had insisted on pouring me his new birthday invention; his ‘28’ cocktail.

Jackie kept pulling me into shots, Olivia was bouncing around taking selfies with everyone and singing loudly in Sam's face, while Keith had dragged me into a couple of ridiculous dance moves that I definitely couldn’t pull off sober.

Somewhere between grabbing a beer and laughing at one of Ian’s bad jokes, I noticed Spencer slipping in through the door, somewhat fashionably late, holding a Trader Joe's bag and a box of soda balanced in his arms.

“Hey, I come bearing goods!” He greeted, sliding over with a small nod and a smile. Ever the certified wallflower.

“Yo, Spence!” Keith called from across the room, waving him over. I raised my glass in greeting, feeling the warmth in my chest from the drinks- light, pleasant, definitely hitting, but not too much.

At least, that’s what I thought- until Damien appeared at my elbow.

“You good?” He asked quietly, cutting a quick glance at my cup. I gave a lazy shrug. “Yeah, yeah, I’m good.”

Damien didn’t look convinced, but he let it go, clapping me once on the shoulder. “Just pace yourself, birthday boy. Don’t want you dozing off on the couch before the three hour mark.”

I let out a small laugh. “Noted.” 

Vee was still hanging by Tommy as they moved towards the dance floor, Ian and Noah were locked in a dramatic retelling of some old squad story to some ‘Mythical’ peeps, and Spencer lingered near the drinks table, cracking open sodas and sharing chips with Kimmy's Shane- a hilarious sight given the sheer size difference between them.

And me? I was just trying to enjoy the night.

That was until I noticed Courtney and the girls had drifted somewhere into the crowd.

Vee and Liv had pulled Courtney into their little dance circle near the middle of the room, laughing and swaying to the beat. They were fully hyping each other up, hips rolling, arms in the air, Vee laughing so hard she almost lost her balance at one point while Liv shouted something over the music.

I hadn’t really meant to stare.

Well…

But then Courtney’s eyes flicked up, locking on mine- just for a second.

And then she did it. That once-over. Slow, deliberate, like she was openly, unapologetically checking me out and- holy fucking shit.

I felt my throat go a little dry, heat crawling up the back of my neck that had nothing to do with the drinks.

Melbourne.

My brain served up the memory unhelpfully, all of us packed into that sweaty pub all those months ago, her moving close just to mess with me, daring me to react. The way she laughed and we sang and...

I let out a breath, tugging at the collar of my shirt like it was suddenly too warm, and turned sharply toward the drinks table.

Yeah. Water. 

Definitely time for some water.

__________________________

*Courtney POV*

The music pulsed through the floor, and I laughed breathlessly, letting my head tip back as Liv grabbed my hands, spinning me. Vee was right there with us, grinning, hips swaying, her curls bouncing as she teased Liv for almost tripping in her heels.

God, this was fun- stupid, light, exactly what we all needed.

Then Vee’s phone started buzzing like crazy in her back pocket. She glanced at the screen, groaned, and shot us an apologetic look.

“Gimme a sec,” She mouthed over the music, slipping off to the side.

I kept moving with Liv, laughing, but my eyes flicked over- noticing, just for a second, Shayne standing by the drinks table with Tommy, Ian, and Damien.

Damien said something, probably a joke, because Tommy and his boyfriend Kevin cracked up and clapped him on the back, Ian half-choked on his drink, and Shayne gave one of those shocked smiles I knew way too well. I caught myself biting back a grin.

The music kept pulsing for a while as Liv leaned toward me, shouting over the beat, “Where’s she at?”

I glanced over- Vee was still by the wall, frowning down at her phone, typing something furiously.

Liv and I exchanged a look, then shrugged.

“Come on,” I yelled, grabbing her wrist. “Let’s grab a drink!”

We weaved through the crowd toward the drinks table, where Tommy was mid dramatic retelling of something to Ian, complete with big gestures.

Shayne was laughing into his cup, cheeks flushed while Damien leaned in slightly, saying something low that made Shayne snort.

“Hey, hey!” Liv greeted, slipping in beside Tommy. “What’d we miss?”

I grinned, slipping next to Shayne, feeling his arm brush mine briefly.

Before I could say anything, Vee reappeared, breathless, her phone still in hand. She joined us, forcing a cheerful grin.

“Okay!” She said, clapping her hands together. “So, slight change of plans: my boyfriend’s not coming.”

We all turned toward her.

“Something came up, I don't know…” She added quickly, waving it off like it wasn’t a big deal- but I caught the quick flicker of disappointment in her face before she masked it again.

Tommy let out a sympathetic little 'aw,' Ian and Kevin gave a low whistle, and Liv squeezed her shoulder and Damien muttered a ‘we'll get ‘em next time’. The words hung in the air a little too long. 

No one said it, but the tension was there- that collective, unspoken wariness about this boyfriend nobody really knew.

“His loss,” I said lightly, flashing her a grin, hoping to keep the mood lifted.

Vee laughed, but her eyes darted quickly toward her phone again before she shoved it into her bag.

Shayne, beside me, just softly agreed, “Yeah…his loss.”

I caught my breath, trying to shove the sting of worry that I felt for some reason.

__________________________

A little while later, I caught Shayne’s eye from across the room. Without needing a signal, we both gradually drifted away from our respective groups, ending up near the bar, side by side.

He gave me a sideways glance. “You okay?”

“Yeah,” I murmured, smiling faintly. “You?”

He gave a soft, wry laugh. “Yeah, honestly I really needed this. Although I think we’ve officially got eyes on us tonight.”

I snorted, glancing toward the others. “Oh, absolutely. Vee, Liv, Damien…it’s like a whole-ass surveillance squad.”

He smirked and let out a sarcastic laugh. “Think they’ve got bets running?”

I nodded and shrugged. “Probably. But…”- I leaned in just slightly, keeping my tone light and quiet- “if we play it cool, throw them off our scent…”

He raised a brow, amused. “Yeah?”

“…We might even get the chance to slip away later,” I finished with a little grin. “They'll be none the wiser.”

Shayne’s smirk widened, his eyes glinting. “Oh, you’re dangerous.”

“Mm-hmm.” I lifted my glass toward him. “Here’s to acting natural.”

He clinked his drink softly against mine, his grin matching mine. “Natural’s what we do best.”

“Oh, we're so natural.” I said dryly, arching a brow, the sarcasm slipping easily into my voice.

“So natural.” Shayne echoed, dragging the words out with a faux LA lilt to them.

So for the next couple hours, we kept a casual distance, blending in with everyone else. I laughed at his loud, dumb jokes, even when they made Sam groan and smack his arm. When he and Tommy opened a few gifts, I stood nearby, hyping them up with a few playful cheers making him grin and roll his eyes in that bashful, boyish way.

When a small group of us decided to play ‘Heads Up’, I ended up on his team, and we got caught up in the rush of shouting out answers, high-fiving, and yelling over each other. I focused on the game, but every so often, I caught myself glancing over at him, noticing how he practically lit up under the shitty party lights. Honestly, that was the hardest part- acting like I wasn't absolutely head over heels for his big stupid face.

Eh, but at least I had Spencer and a shit ton of food to keep me company in the meantime.

__________________________

*General POV*

As the night wore on, the music thumped steadily through the office, the drinks flowed, presents were exchanged, and the laughter rolled easily between the select group of friends scattered across the room.

Jackie, tipsy and lazily dancing by Vee nudged her with a grimace. “You see them? Not even standing close,” She slurred softly, disappointed.

Vee, sipping from her cup, tracked Courtney and Shayne briefly through the crowd- both standing on opposite ends of the room, chatting casually with others. “Ugh, they’re so fucking boring tonight,” She sighed, shaking her head.

Liv let out a soft groan, standing there waiting for Sam to come out of the bathroom for a dance. “Seriously, we were rooting for you!” She whisper-shouted, half-laughing.

Tommy, cheeks flushed from the drinks, said- maybe a bit too loudly, “What a waste of a coffee bet,” He groaned, throwing a mock pout toward them.

Sarah then sauntered over, giving them all a sharp, curious look. “What coffee bet?” She asked gently, one brow raised, arms crossing like a mom catching her kids scheming.

Jackie’s eyes went wide, and she let out a startled laugh. “Oh, it’s, uh-” She started, hands flailing a little, teetering dangerously close to spilling the whole thing.

Without missing a beat, Vee and Liv immediately stepped in front of her like human shields, throwing on wide, tipsy smiles.

“Oh! It's literally so stupid.” Vee rushed out, waving her hand casually.

“Yeah, yeah, we were just guessing who’d pre-game the most before the party,” Liv added quickly, her voice a little too bright.

Tommy, sensing the tension, jumped in with an exaggerated laugh. “I said me! Always bet on yourself, right?” He grinned, cheeks flushed pink. “So now, they owe me coffee for my impending hangover.”

Sarah squinted at them all, her eyes lingering just a second longer on Jackie, who was now swaying behind them, before giving a small smirk. “Alright,” She said with a teasing tone. “Just behave, okay? Let’s not make Mythical regret buying us, yeah?”

With that, she gave a mock-stern look, then turned on her heel and wandered off toward the snack table with Claudio and Ian, leaving the group to collectively exhale.

__________________________

The early hours of the get-together had been loud and buzzing- people showing off their plus-ones, crowding the bar, taking way too many selfies in the conference room. But now, the energy softened.

Conversations broke into smaller circles, and a few tipsy coworkers huddled near the snack table, nibbling at half-empty platters.

Someone had set up an impromptu karaoke corner in one room, drawing a small, rowdy crowd, while others drifted toward the parking lot for air or settled into quieter spots on the couches.

Jackie, flopped onto the couch with a dramatic sigh. “Man, I thought we had a chance tonight,” She said, swirling her drink. “No drunk kisses? No hands lingering? What is this, amateur hour?”

Liv leaned against the wall, arms crossed, amused. “They’re good at playing it cool. Honestly, all jokes aside, I don’t blame them. It’s not like they need to prove anything.”

Vee, perched on the armrest beside Jackie, smirked. “Maybe they’re just better at hiding it than we thought. Or maybe they’re smarter than we gave them credit for.”

“Sam finally talked some sense into you?” Vee joked as the former waved her off.

Tommy, buzzed but still chipper, grinned, leaning his head against Vee's shoulder, half laying on the surface of the couch as she scratched his head- Kevin got a headache and went home early, thus he was now fully their problem. “I’m just here for the chaos, and this? This is tame. Bland. Where’s the drama? The raw sexual chemistry? I mean it's my birthday goddammit!”

Damien, nursing a water and handing one to his more intoxicated friends, shook his head with a faint smile. “First of all, no- not really. And second, you guys hyped this bet up way too much…which, okay, I’ll admit, is partly on me. But I told you- if I couldn’t get them to crack, none of you were going to.”

Jackie gave an exaggerated pout but eventually relented with a sigh. “Yeah, yeah…guess we lose. But next time-”

“Next time?” Damien cut in, raising an eyebrow.

“We’re picking a better target.” Jackie finished, a determined little smirk pulling at her lips.

The group settled into a quiet buzz, chatting and snacking away- though no one seemed to notice the empty spot where Courtney and Shayne had just quietly slipped away, off to somewhere...less crowded.

__________________________

*Courtney’s POV*

Spencer was mid-rant about some ridiculous internet drama- something about a viral tweet that had somehow spiraled into a full-on hashtag war- and honestly, I was only half-listening. His earnest way of getting worked up over this stuff was really endearing, and I kept nodding along, smiling where I was supposed to, even throwing in a few ‘no way’ and ‘you’re kidding’ to keep the conversation going.

But beneath Spencer’s words, I felt this low buzz of awareness stirring in the back of my mind. I could hear Shayne’s laugh cutting through the music, sharp and loud, as he stood with Ian and Brennan.

I saw the way his body was angled- leaning just a little too close to Ian, one hand loose at his side, and one holding a beer. Every so often, he’d glance up and scan the room, purposefully.

And then, out of the corner of my eye, I caught it- his gaze locking onto me, slicing clean through the crowd.

It wasn’t just a look- it was loaded, intense, and thirsty. The kind of look that made a sudden heat pool low in my stomach and rush up my spine all at once.

I could've missed it had it not been for the insane way he brought his beer bottle to his lips, took a sip, then licked them as he zeroed in on me.

I blinked, heart tickling my ribs, and forced a smile at Spencer. “Hey, I’m gonna go use the bathroom real quick.” I said, trying to sound casual but sharp enough to cover the sudden rush of heat all over my body.

Spencer looked surprised, but just nodded with what looked like a sly smile, “Go piss girl.”

I slipped my phone out as soon as I started walking, fingers rushing to my most recent text convo.

[11:38 pm

me: Meet me by the bathrooms in five]

I didn’t wait around for a reply. I started moving towards the hallways in the back every step careful, my hips swaying expertly, and my head spinning with anticipation.

I scanned the dim hallway, the edge of a smirk tugging at my lips. This was crazy.

I heard the faint shuffle of footsteps just as the last minute ticked down. My pulse jumped.

After the five minutes passed- the second Shayne rounded the corner, his eyes locked onto mine- sharp, dark, dialed in.

I didn’t wait.

Without a word, I reached out, curled my fingers in his sleeve, and yanked him toward the single-occupancy bathroom door. He let out the smallest huff of surprise, but I saw the flicker of a grin just before I shoved him inside, heart pounding in my throat.

The door clicked shut behind us, and I pressed him back against it, the solid weight of him thudding softly against the wood. My hand shot up, twisting the lock with a loud clink.

We both froze for a beat- eyes searching, breath shallow.

“Jesus, Court,” Shayne rasped, his voice just this side of wrecked.

“Shut up,” I muttered, half-laughing under my breath, my fingers already curling in the fabric of his shirt. “I've been wanting you all night...”

He tilted his head, smirking, but his hands were already on my waist, pulling me closer, all the fake distance we kept all night just snapped in half the second we were alone.

The music was a low thrum through the walls, like the rest of the world was still dancing and drinking and laughing just outside- and here we were, locked away, stealing time we didn’t technically have.

“Someone’s gonna notice,” Shayne murmured, his grin widening, voice low against the shell of my ear.

I breathed out a shaky little laugh. “Not if we’re quick.”

His mouth brushed the edge of my jaw, and I could feel the smile in it- that reckless, teasing edge I knew way too well.

“Yeah?” He murmured. “Better not waste any more time, then.”

My mouth crashed against his before the words were even fully out, hot and urgent.

I fisted my hands tighter in his shirt, yanking him impossibly closer. His hands slid up, rough palms skimming under the edge of my jacket, fingertips brushing the skin at my waist thanks to my crop top.

My breath hitched- sharp, quick- and I could feel his grin break wider against my mouth, cocky as hell. Bastard.

“Still down to act natural?” I murmured against his lips, my voice breathless but biting.

He laughed softly- low and rough. “This is the most natural I’ve felt all night.”

I bit his bottom lip lightly in retaliation, smirking as I felt his grip tighten at my waist in surprise

Somewhere in the back of my mind, I knew we didn’t have long- someone could come looking, knock on the door, hell, notice we were both gone at the same time- but right now? Right now, I didn’t fucking care.

His hands slid down my waist before he suddenly dipped lower, lifting me effortlessly before walking in further and settling me on the edge of the cold sink. The sudden shift made my breath catch, legs wrapping instinctively around his hips.

Shayne’s eyes darkened as he stared at me, the space between us shrinking until I could feel the heat radiating off his skin. Without breaking eye contact, he reached back and unbuttoned his shirt, the fabric slipping off his shoulders to reveal the lean lines of his chest and arms- skin flushed from the night and raw with desire.

The dim bathroom light traced the hard contours of his muscles as he leaned in, fingers gripping my hips tightly, grounding me. His mouth found mine again, deep and possessive, as if making up for barely being able to touch me all night.

My hands slid over his bare skin, fingertips burning, memorizing every inch as he kissed down my jaw, neck, and finally the sensitive spot just below my ear.

As his hands roamed lower, Shayne’s fingers brushed the smooth fabric of my tights beneath the skirt. He paused, brow quirking in mock annoyance.

“Tights? Seriously dude? You look amazing but…”

I smirked, eyes twinkling with mischief. “I’m testing out a new look.”

His grip tightened and he smiled, fingers digging in as he leaned closer, voice barely a whisper. “You’re going to make this way harder than it needs to be.”

I let out a breathless laugh at his unintentional(?) innuendo, eyes locked on his. “Maybe I want it hard.”

“Yeah?” He laughed quietly.

“Mm-hmm…” I shivered at the rasp in his voice, feeling the thin fabric of the tights stretch as he worked them off, raising my hips- impatient hands dragging them down just far enough, leaving them tangled at my knee around the leg he hiked up around his waist.

I felt his fingers slip lower, catching the edge of his belt, the soft scrape of leather and metal resounded in the room as he worked the buckle open. His mouth dipped to my collarbone, breath warm, his teeth grazing just enough to make me suck in a sharp breath, my pulse jumping under his touch.

Shayne’s hands skimmed back up, slipping beneath the bunched edge of my skirt with a kind of intent that made my breath catch. His fingers brushed along the thin band of my underwear, and I felt the hitch in his breath when he realized just how little was left between us.

He dipped his fingers lower as he felt the wet patch that had formed. He let out this low, rough sound, half a laugh, half a groan- “You’re killing me here.”

I barely managed a shaky, breathless laugh, my fingers curling into his hair as, his fingers hooked and tugged the thin fabric aside with a practiced sort of impatience.

He dragged his fingertips teasingly along my slit, gathering the slick there, before circling slow, maddening strokes over my clit. My head tipped back, a soft, helpless moan slipping past my lips as my hands clenched tight in his shoulders.

“Fuck, baby please-” the words tumbled out, shaky, desperate.

“What? What do you need?” His voice was low, a little unsteady as he tried to hold it together.

“Inside,” I muttered, my hips shifting forward, my breath coming faster.

“Here? You sure-”

“Please.”

I reached down, fingers wrapping firmly around him as I stroked him over his boxers, feeling the heat, the weight. My breath hitched as I eased him out, guiding him just enough to let his tip kiss my clit as I shifted my hips forward on the sink, making me bite back a needy moan.

“Condom?” I murmured, my voice cracking slightly. The extra barrier would make clean up significantly easier given our current situation.

“Back pocket.” His voice was rough, barely above a whisper, his head hanging low for a second as we both steadied ourselves, the tension pulling tighter between every breath.

My hands were shaky as I reached around him, fumbling a little as I dug into his back pocket- feeling the tight curve of his jeans, the slight tremble in his thighs as he pressed closer, his breath skimming hot along my neck.

I finally fished the small foil packet free, tearing it open with a soft rip that seemed louder than it should have been in the small, echoing bathroom. Shayne’s hand caught mine gently, steadying me for a second, his eyes locked on mine- dark, heavy-lidded, searching.

His hands slid down, gripping my hips, lifting me just slightly, just enough to fit between my thighs.

I helped roll the condom on, fingers brushing over him, feeling his muscles tense under my touch. His forehead dropped to my shoulder, a quiet, almost shaky exhale escaping him.

“Oh fuck…”

I let out a breathless little laugh, wrapping my arms around his neck as I felt him press closer, the anticipation coiling so tight I thought I’d snap.

His hands gripped under my thighs as he lined himself up, the blunt head of his cock brushing right where I was already aching, making me jolt with a shaky gasp.

“Ready?” He murmured, voice low and rough right by my ear.

I tightened my arms around him, burying my face in his shoulder, my voice barely more than a whisper. “Fuck yeah. Please.”

And then- slow at first, careful, his breath stuttering as he pushed in- he filled me, the stretch making me gasp happily, hips rocking instinctively toward him, needing him deeper, closer.

As we moved together, breath coming fast, I pulled back just enough to glare at him with a wicked grin.

“Holy shit,” I said, voice low but giddy. “We’re fucking psychotic. This is…”

He laughed, rough and a little dark. “Yeah, this is so fucked. We’re so dead if anyone finds out.”