Emerging from the Shadowed Path

[Maxim Vasilijev]

The previous evening (http://sw-fans.net/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=29625) had been full of surprises and confusion and...new emotions. It was no wonder they had both slept so soundly. In the morning, he awoke. He slipped out from beneath her and replaced his body with a pillow. Keira always slept in later than he did, and a pillow, he’d found easily substituted for him when she was that exhausted. He’d stood gazing out the window for some time, and had even at one point wandered down the stairs to the gift shop. There, he bought Keira what would have to, for the time being, settle for clothing. He knew she wouldn’t really care for the rather preppy look that the gift shop sold, but it was the only choice.

And then he returned to the room. He showered, threw on boxers with the Inn’s logo on them, and then he pulled his dirty pants on again. He was standing there shaving when Keira awoke.

He turned to her, shaving cream faced and nodded.

“Morning sleepy head…..”

[Keira]

Kei looked at Max with blurry eyes. The night before seemed like a dream. But him standing there, his face lathered in shaving cream was testament that it had not been. Sighing softly Kei threw the covers back, hoping all was forgotten by him. That he had indeed forgiven her.

Kei sat up and stretched her lithe body, not thinking about the picture she presented. She had never been a shy girl when it came to her body. Standing up she made her way to the bathroom, intent on brushing her teeth. Her mouth felt like someone had died in it. Pushing back her disheveled hair she nudged Max over.

"Scoot I need to brush my teeth." Kei muttered as she bent over the sink. The tooth brush supplied by the motel already inserted in her mouth. She had never been a morning person.

"How in the frell do you have a night like that and wake up so frelling perky." She growled in-between brushing.....

[Maxim Vasilijev]

He chuckled at her disheveled appearance. Even then, first thing in the morning, he found her attractive.

“Im not …perky.” He replied, clearly disliking the word she had chosen to describe him. His nose wrinkled and he stopped shaving for a moment to stare at her obstinately in the mirror.

“I just couldn’t sleep. The sun is coming in the blinds, the bed is lumpy, and they were vacuuming the halls for crissake.” He added, as if this meant she should have been awake far before she was.

But he moved over, giving her the sink and sticking the razor in to rinse when she gave him the chance.

“You want to go somewhere and grab breakfast?” He suggested.

“The Inn isn’t serving it anymore, but supposedly theres this diner down the street…”

[Keira]

Kei raised her eye brows at him. He was almost blaming her for sleeping in. She had the mind to kick him in the shin but was too tired for it.

Turning she leaned against the sink, watching as he finished shaving. "I can’t help you have ultra sensitive ears Max, I have told you time and again to wear ear plugs and a mask for those sensitive eyes of yours. You are perky btw, it's a word that fits you very well." Her words were teasing and playful.

"Mmmmm breakfast sounds good to me. Did you get me something to wear? I hope they aren’t girly cloths Max, you know how I hate girly cloths." Reaching up without thought she rubbed a small spot of the shaving cream from his mouth with her thumb.

[Maxim Vasilijev]

"I don’t have ultra sensitive ears or eyes, Kei. Im like any normal person. You sleep like a rock.” He accused good naturedly before he made the last stroke with the razor. As he rinsed his face in the sink, water splashed everywhere, testament to him still being a single guy without much concern to keeping the place neat.

He gave a quick glance in the mirror after she brushed the left over shaving cream just to be sure there wasn’t any more left.

Did you get me something to wear? I hope they aren’t girly cloths Max, you know how I hate girly cloths.

He half snorted half chuckled as he moved from the bathroom back to the bedroom area. He picked up the bag with the clothing in it that the cashier had taken so long to wrap in tissue paper.

“Here….” He replied, setting it down on the bed.

“I did the best I could under the circumstances. We can stop somewhere else later….” This was a huge offer coming from him. He hated shopping or anything that resembled it – unless, of course, it took place in a sport store, speeder shop, or blaster retailer. And while Kei was not like most women in so many ways, she had left him sitting outside a dressing room once before – and once was more than too many times for him.

[Keira]

Kei giggled under her breath at Max's comment about being normal. If there was anything they were not it was normal. But who was she to argue, she herself had said the same thing to him in the past.

Kei took the offered bag knowing with the smirk he wore it was going to be bad. She doubted he could have found anything to suit here style or lack there of this early in the day. She pulled the soft colored preppy cloths from the bag and her nose wrinkled.


"Maxxxxx...... couldn’t you have found something dark? I mean pink come on, you know I don’t do pink. I should just wear my robe." She said with a disgusted look on her face.

Looking over at Max she could see he was trying not to laugh. "Oh..... You did this on purpose didn’t you? So you could see me in girly cloths. "Kei leapt at him tackling him on the bed. Sill unmindful of her undressed state, wearing only a small pair of panties as cover. It didn’t cross her mind to think twice before going into wrestling mode with him.

Kei pinned him to the bed easily, not because he couldn’t fend her off but because he had let her. Not that she would agree to that. "So whatcha gonna do now Mr. Smarty pants??"

[Maxim Vasilijev]

He let her pin him, laughing all the while as she did it. The look on her face when she’d realized what he’d done had been too much to resist. He didn’t care if she never put the stuff on – it had been credits well spent for the humor it had afforded him.

So whatcha gonna do now Mr. Smarty pants??

He continued to laugh as he stared up at her. Until, his gaze left her eyes and remembered exactly what she was – or better put – wasn’t wearing. Instantly he’d looked away, reminded of last night and his promise to himself before he’d fallen asleep that he would stop looking at her like he had – that he would think of her as the friend that she was – the friend that she thought he was.

Easily, he tossed her off him and she bounced, giggling onto the mattress. Normally he might have pinned her and tickled her just to make her think twice about the next time she thought about trying to best him in that way – but this time, he couldn’t. It seemed too...intimate. And he didn’t dare to go there lest he lose control once again of his thoughts regarding her.

He stood up and grabbed the clothes she'd discarded and refused to wear.

“C’mon, Kei, its not that bad….” He protested, holding up the pink sundress.

“Just put it on and lets go eat.” He added.

This was wholly uncharacteristic of him. At least, the fact that he wasn’t taking advantage of a scantily clad woman trying to wrestle with him. It would have been almost laughable to him if it hadnt been for the fact that it was Keira. Some time ago, it wouldn’t have mattered at all. And now, as he tried to curb his desire for her, he was perhaps overreacting in trying to avoid any kind of contact that would encourage those thoughts.

[Keira]

Kei slowly got off the bed, a look of utter disgust on her face as she eyes the dress. She knew he was tormenting her with the ugly thing on purpose. She would pay him back in some way for the pink garment he had chosen.

"Ok Max but only because I’m starving..... But don't think I will forget this one. When you least expect it bud...." She griped as she took the dress and moved to the bathroom to fix her hair.

Kei had noticed how he had looked away from her quickly when they were tussling on the bed. She cursed under her breath softly for not thinking before acting. She would have to be more careful of his feelings toward her now. She knew he must be utterly disgusted by her action again. Sighing softly Kei looked into the mirror, wondering what had changed. He had never been this ill at ease with her, not even when she wandered around naked in front of him. Kei began to wonder if he was in love with another woman and didn’t want to say.

After she had fixed her hair and slipped into the small dress, she walked out of the bathroom. Still scowling down at the small, barely there dress. The pink seeming to glow brighter as the sun hit it.

"Look at this thing. It shows more than my robe does." She glared and plucked at it. The dress was cut up to the very top of her thighs and showed enough cleavage she might as well not hidden them at all.

[Maxim Vasilijev]

While she was in putting the dress on, he reached for the shirt he’d had on the night before and pulled it on. His hand was sore from the blaster bolt, but it wasn’t anything that wouldn’t heal naturally.

And then he took a seat and flipped on the holovid and flipped through the station. As Kei came out of the bathroom in the sundress, he turned from the sports program he’d been watching and let out a low, appreciative whistle.

“Since when have you care about showing anything off?” He retorted as he looked across the room at her. He was sitting in a chair by the window, sprawled out in it as he waited for her.

He stood from where he was and moved to her.

“You look great…” He added, knowing that she really didn’t care for what she was wearing. He’d seen that face on her plenty of times – even with her own clothes. He always knew he was in for a long time of lying there on her bed watching tv while she put on and discarded outfit after outfit on those occasions. And every single one she always tried on always looked great. But she always found some tiny thing he couldn’t seem to notice wrong with it.

“Trust me on this one.” He added as he slipped his arm comfortably over her shoulder and tugged her with him towards the door. And he wasn’t lying – he was entranced with her. Why hadnt he noticed before? He wondered to himself as they walked down the stairs and out the back door of the inn, why suddenly everything seemed to have changed.

They walked this way down the path that led to the street, and then down the sidewalk that led to the small, quaint downtown area.

“Have you given any thought to what you’re going to do?” He asked as they walked. He was thinking about last night, and the fact that the gamblers had found her apartment. She wasn’t going to be able to go back there to live – and even if she wanted to, he wasn’t going to let her.

[Keira]

Kei tried to ignore the dress as they made there way to the restaurant. She slid her arm around his waist and walked quietly beside him, wondering herself what she was going to do. She in truth didn’t want to let the guys scare her off. It wasn’t in her nature to do so. But she had a bad feeling they had it out for her in a big way.


“Have you given any thought to what you’re going to do?”

"Well I guess I can just go buy a bigger guy and shoot whoever comes through the door.... Or I can move, if I move I can’t stay here." Sighing her brow puckered in thought.

"I do know I have to go back there and at least get my stuff. All of my ummm real cloths and pictures. If they trashed the place, I’m so gonna kill them." She growled.

They arrived at the small bistro and were given a seat, leers from the other men made her frown down at her dress yet again. If she had a knife with the mood she was in there leers woulda faded quickly......

[Maxim Vasilijev]

“I’ll go back and get your stuff for you another time.” He offered, thinking that when he did, he’d bring along a few of his friends from the Order – just in case.

As they sat down, Maxim noticed, too, the leers. And a warning look from him in their direction was enough to make them at least make the glances a little less obvious and much more furtive, if not stop them altogether.

“Why don’t you move to Coronet on Corellia?” He suggested, nodding in assent to the waitress as she stopped by with coffee for the two of them.

“It’s a good sized city on the water – plenty of jobs.” He handed her one of the menus that lay on the table in front of him.

“Besides…Im there.” He added with a broad grin.

He leaned back in his seat.

“And from the looks of it, you need someone around to keep an eye on you….”

[Keira]

“I’ll go back and get your stuff for you another time.”

Kei was about to protest this but thought better of it. He would have just argued the point with her until they were both confused on who was right and who was wrong. She just figured she would sneak back without him and get her stuff.

“Why don’t you move to Coronet on Corellia?”

Kei raised her eyebrow at the idea. She had never thought about going there. She had made a life here and the gambling had always been good.

"Oh I need someone to watch over me huh? Who mind you am I going to stay with until I get a place to live anyway? I don't know Max the gambling’s great here....... But if you need someone to watch over you I might just be tempted to go." Kei dropped Max a wink and proceeded to order a huge breakfast, one she more than likely would only half finish.

The thought of living near him again made her heart pound. She in fact loved the thought. She had missed him horribly.

"All right I will move there, I guess I can stay at a motel until I find a place. It's not like I have lack of money is it. Besides this means I can keep you outa trouble andddd we can party again like we used too." She grinned at him from behind her cup of coffee. Her eyes twinkling with her thoughts. She just wished he wanted her the way she wanted him.....

[Maxim Vasilijev]

He’d ordered just as big of a breakfast as she had. Only, he’d finish his – and then what was left of hers as well. Just before the waitress left, he stopped her to request water for the two of them, and a glass of juice as well, and then he turned back to Kei.

“You’ll like Coronet.” He promised, his expression lighting up a bit as he spooned a lump of sugar into his coffee and reached for the cream.

“Its by the sea, its got plenty of cool bars and clubs.” He grinned at her then, and like any man, his gaze had tended to drop after meeting her eyes to her chest which was so conveniently revealed in the dress she wore.

He’d caught himself a moment later and stared down into the coffee he lifted to drink. Clearing his throat, he continued.

“You know, I can talk to my master – she might let you stay at the castle with me until I can help you find a place to live ad get you settled in with your stuff…..”

His gaze met hers again.

“If you want, we can catch the shuttle back there this morning and I can help you look this afternoon. Ive got today and tomorrow off….and tomorrow I could show you the city and where Ive been living…” He added. Though it might not have shown in his expression, for he tended to keep a rather reserved façade at times, it was clear from his offer that he was excited about the prospect of being in the same city with her once again. Excited about continuing old times.

[Keira]

Kei hadn’t noticed his eyes drop to her chest. The way he had looked at her with want. If she had it would have thrown her into an utter state of confusion. She figured he looked at her as a brother would and was in fact disgusted with her still that she had kissed him.

Kei had been to busy eating and listening to him tell her of his home. Of staying with him at some castle. This one made her eyes come up to meet his excited gaze.

"A castle huh..... Did they crown you there?" She asked in teasing tones. "How in the heck did you end up at a castle Max?" She was just as excited about being in the same city as him. The thought of being able to be with him like they used to in school was almost overwhelming. She tried to mask it, to hide how happy it made her but he knew her far to well for that.

Her eyes glimmered with happiness, her smile lit her face. "I think this is gonna be great. We can take off in the morning like you want but first there are a few things I need to do. We can meet back here in a few hours if you want?" She quickly dropped her eyes so he could not see what she was up to. That she planned to go to her apartment and get all the stuff she needed. Her pictures of them at school and her cloths.

Kei knew he would have a fit if he found out she was going there.....

[Maxim Vasilijev]

A castle huh..... Did they crown you there? How in the heck did you end up at a castle Max?

He only snorted at these remarks.

“I slept with the princess.” He retorted. She’d known from the way he said it that it wasn’t at all close to true. He grinned as she made some smart remark back.

“And Im no where close to being crowned. Its…well, I’ll show you when we get there” He added, his expression shifting enough for her to know that this was something he did actually take seriously – the way he’d taken sports back at school so seriously. She’d nodded.

I think this is gonna be great. We can take off in the morning like you want but first there are a few things I need to do. We can meet back here in a few hours if you want?

He gave her an odd look, his fork full of omelette pausing in midair.

“What do you need to do that you need to get rid of me for?” He asked. Heck, she wandered around nude in front of him, what was left that he couldn’t know about?

He caught the way her gaze quickly dropped.

“Oh no you don’t!” He stated, stubbornness entering his voice.

“I know what you’re up to.” He added, stuffing the bite in his mouth and chewing.

[Keira]

“Oh no you don’t! I know what you’re up to.”

Kei raised her eyebrows at this statement. He knew she did not like to be told what she could and couldn’t do. Though at times she would defer to him with things this was not something she would give into.

"Max I have to get my stuff and I can take care of myself as you know." Kei lower lips pouched out. He knew by this action she was more than ready to argue the point.

"Look Max you know I will be careful and I am not leaving my stuff behind." Kei stuffed another bite of food into her mouth as if to signal the conversation was over. With the way Max was, being just as stubborn as she, Kei knew better.

[Maxim Vasilijev]

He shrugged and shook his head.

“Fine. But you’re not going by yourself.” He replied just as stubbornly. The way his jaw set and a slight scowl began to set in made it clear to Kei that he was prepared to argue over this issue as well.

“And you didn’t look like you could take care of yourself when I ran into you last night.” He added, about to renew their argument from the evening before about what she had risked in her gambling episode.

He sighed and reached for the orange juice.

“Look, truce. At least until you’ve had your coffee…” He added, referring to the fact that she was typically grumpy in the morning until she’d had her full cup of coffee and a chance to wake up.

"Then we'll go and get your stuff and get out of here, ok?"

[Keira]

Kei opened her mouth to retort and burst out laughing instead. She knew he was telling the truth about the coffee and the fact she had gotten in deeper than she should have at the bar. But she wasn’t about to admit it to him.

"OK Ok Max truce...... If you feel the need to come along and carry stuff than that’s fine. If someone shows save my stuff and I will take care of the intruder." She giggled at the last bit before sipping at the fragrant coffee.

Kei pushed her half eaten plate at Max knowing he would polish it off. "Eat up sugar we have one heck of a long day ahead." She dropped him a wink and signaled for another cup.

"Besides I need to get outa this awful out fit before some preppy tries to talk to me. Or worse someone says aww isn’t she cute." She grimaced down at her cloths. "And stop grinnen at me frell it all."

[Maxim Vasilijev]

He snorted at the idea of him hauling all her crap down those stairs. But he had insisted he go along…so it was his own darn fault for opening his big, bossy mouth.

As she pushed her plate toward him, the young man with the healthy appetite gladly began the job of finishing off what was left.

Besides I need to get outa this awful out fit before some preppy tries to talk to me. Or worse someone says aww isn’t she cute.

He had grinned at this, shaking his head in amusement.

“Awww…but you are cute….” He replied, teasing her back and easily falling back into their familiar patterns.

Sometime later, they finished up their breakfast and walked back to the speeder bike at the Inn. Though Keira had insisted on driving, Maxim had finally won her over by declaring that she had to humor him because if she didn’t let him drive it would be an enormous slight on his masculinity. And knowing how grouchy he could get over such things, she’d finally given in and let him.
As they arrived at her apartment, the door was flung wide open, blaster holes going clear through it. But no one else seemed to be in sight.

Maxim stepped over the debris of overturned objects, broken glass and general mayhem that seemed to have taken place.

He turned to look at her, knowing she wasn’t going to be happy about it.

“You ok?” He asked, still looking at her as he leaned down to pick up a picture that remained in a shattered frame.

[Keira]

Kei's good humor quickly faded as she steeped into her ruined apartment. She had known they would trash it but not to the extent that faced her now. She took in her beloved plants, and her well cared for furnishings. There was nothing left untouched.

“You ok?”

Kei bent down next to Max, gently taking the shattered frame from his hand. She slid the picture out and stared at it. It was her favorite one. She was up in Max's arms and they were both blasted and grinning. A look of utter emptiness clouded her features. The picture was bent and scratched much like there lives had become. Standing she looked down at max and gave him a sad smile. Her fingers gently trailing across his cheek.

"You know me Max nothing bothers me." Her face told a totally different story.

"Well come on then lets see what we can salvage and get the frell outa here. She stepped over the shattered remains of what was once her home and began to look for what she needed. She wanted so much to just push her self into his arms. To seek comfort like she used to when upset. But she didn’t know if that was what he would want now, after all this time, after the kiss she had given......

[Maxim Vasilijev]

You know me Max nothing bothers me.

He stood as she did, watching her stepped over the shattered remains of her apartment.

“I know you well enough to know that’s not true….” He replied, though his words were not accusing. Rather, they were gentle and he too stepped over shattered glass and uprooted plants to get to her.

She had cried in his arms plenty of times. Often enough for him to know that this was exactly where she needed to be right now. And as he approached her, she seemed content to settle into him, her head resting against his chest before she released her tears.

She was a tough girl. And few people knew how sensitive she truly was – with the exception of Maxim, who probably knew her sometimes better than she knew her own self. And this was true of him as well – she knew him just as well.

It was odd now that they were both floundering when it came to admitting what they both wanted to admit. That they were perfect for each other.

He didn’t bother to tell her it would be ok – because he knew she knew it would be. Her tears were out of anger – anger that everything she held so close to her could be so thoroughly invaded. It was a disturbing feeling and he wasn’t going to deny her this moment to deal with it and process it.

His hands caressed the bare skin of her back and shoulders afforded by the dress she so hated.

“I’ll help you put the pieces back together, kid.” He stated as he leaned to plant a kiss on the top of her head.

[Keira]

Kei was grateful for the comfort he offered, was glad he had insisted coming with her. It would have been too hard to do it all alone. The hurt was consuming and painful but she knew it would slip into the familiar anger she was used to dealing with. It was the one emotion that got her by. She had built a life here, a life many would not find agreeable. She though had taken great pleasure in it.


“I’ll help you put the pieces back together, kid.”

She pulled back from his damp shirt, giving him a small smile. "Thanks Max, I......I'm glad you found me again." Kei turned quickly hiding her emotions once again. Making her way to the bedroom she gathered what cloths she could. Most were ruined but some could be salvaged. She opened the small hiding spot and retrieved papers she needed and her precious pictures. She was taking very little with her and though it bothered her to leave so much of her life behind, she knew she could deal.


"Well that’s that Max. I am in your capable hands now. What's the plan....?” The thought of going with Max, of being with him once again took the sting from what was shattered. At least she had him again......

[Maxim Vasilijev]

He had been slumped on the tattered futon, watching her as she gathered her things. Now he stood and reached for one of the bags she had packed, slinging it easily over his shoulder.

“Why don’t we catch the next shuttle out of here…” He suggested, walking into her kitchen and grabbing a couple of cans of soda out of the fridge.

He stuffed on in the bag, and cracked the seal on the other. He took a big gulp – drinking half of it in the process – something she always complained about when they shared drinks – and then handed the rest of it to Kei.
He grabbed the jacket he’d left there the night before when they’d escaped in a hurry and pushed the blaster bolt riddled door open, holding it for Kei to pass through.

***********************************************

Some time later they stepped off the shuttle and into the spaceport of Coronet. Maxim led the way, more than familiar with getting around. Though he had only been living there since spring break of school, he knew the city well and had already begun to acquire a sense of pride in living there.

He led the way to the parking garage where he’d left his speeder bike.

“Why don’t we see about getting you an apartment….” He suggested, “and I’ll show you where Im living later on. Im a little out of the city..” He added as ift o explain why this suggestion made the most sense.

He gave her a semi sad grin “I’d offer to have you come stay with me, but I’ve got to check with my….with someone there first. Ive never really had a visitor so Im not sure whats cool with them….” His tone of voice made it clear that he did feel very badly about this.

“But I can come stay with you….” He added with a cocky grin. “You know, just to be sure to put a cramp in your dating habits….” This was said teasingly, but, he realized, he fully intended it. He wasn’t looking forward to watching her date guys. Back in school, he’d been jealous of the guys she dated to some degree, but it hadnt really mattered. Suddenly, it did.

[Keira]

Kei gave him the same cocky grin back, dropping him a wink to complete the look. She knew he would spend as much time as possible with her. He always had and she doubted he had changed that much. In school it had been almost impossible to separate the two. Most had thought them a couple by the way they acted and how familiar they were with one another. There had in fact been many jealous boys and girls that had dated them. Kei could remember many times they had snubbed there dates in favor of one another.


"Well if you didn’t stay with me and scare the men off, I just wouldn’t know what to do Max...." She said in a lilting draw, her grin showing she was purely teasing. She almost through in a girlish lisp to enhance the effect but decided against it. She figured he needed to get back into the groove of her humor.

"So where are we gonna find a place this quick..... Like I said I’m not lacking on money but they may object to 'We want it right this minute' kinda thing." Her sculpted eyebrow shot up as she questioned him.

Kei found herself wanting to tell him that she didn’t want a boyfriend for him to cramp.... That she wanted him and him alone. "I wish you would just kiss me." She mumbled under her breath as she turned away in a pretense to look at the surroundings.....

[Maxim Vasilijev]

“Im not dissing you!” He protested, completely mishearing her wishes mumbled under her breath.

“I was serious when I said I was sorry I couldn’t ofer to have you come stay with me. Its just...its different there.” He added somewhat defensively.

He looked over at her, his dark eyes seeming to glower for a second to let her know he was serious before he grinned at her to let her know he wasn’t angry or anything.

It was then that a few girls voices called out over the balcony of their apartment down to them.

“Hey! We’re having a party later….” One of them called out to the two of them.

Another leaned over the balcony as well, laughing as she did, clearly already a bit intoxicated, but a seemingly fun girl. They were all about Kei and Maxim’s age – just out of school and apparently having a great time of it.

“Yeah, you should come…” She added pointing at the two of them, her glass of whatever liquid spilling down on the sidewalk a bit to close to Maxim and Keira.

“Ooops..sorry.” She giggled, retreating back a few feet.

"Seriously, you should come, though..." She added.

Maxim raised an eyebrow at Kei, and in doing so spotted a sign in the window of one of the apartments reading ‘for rent’ with a com number to call.

He grinned at her, somewhat cocky – a grin that in his college days definitely would have let her know exactly what was on his mind – hooking up with one of them.

“Theres an apartment for rent here….” He stated, nodding towards the building, his grin still firmly in place.

He wanted Keira. But he couldn’t have her. So he was going to do his best to get over it. Starting immediately. And he was going to do it by acting the way he always had with her – the same way she’d been as well. He couldn’t count the number of parties he’d gone to with her just because she’d spotted a guy she’d been interested in. And she had always done the same for him.

[Keira]

“I’m not dissing you!”

Kei raised an eyebrow at the statement, wondering what in the frell he was talking about. She had never said he had dissed her. She wondered if he was perhaps training a little too hard at times.

"Ok odd one...... I didn’t say you were dissen me silly." As the girls called out Kei glanced up and made a face. Why were there always a group of party girls where ever she and Max went?

"Do you have a tracking device or something on you that draw's all scantly clad women? That want to party?" She finished giving him a dirty look. Kei wondered if she would ever have her chance with him, if he would ever see what she felt.

"Ok we can rent here but I'm tellen you ima end up with an inferiority complex and it will be all your fault. Hopefully the guys here are just as good looking." She said casting a glance at him, seeing if it got any reaction at all from him.

[Maxim Vasilijev]

Do you have a tracking device or something on you that draw's all scantly clad women? That want to party?

He noticed her giving him a dirty look and merely chuckled.

“Aw, c’mon…” He replied, rolling his eyes and grinning.

Ok we can rent here but I'm tellen you ima end up with an inferiority complex and it will be all your fault. Hopefully the guys here are just as good looking.

He raised an eyebrow – not over her comment about guys, because that was typical of her, but about her ending up with an inferiority complex. Didn’t she realize how beautiful she was?

“Like you’ve got anything to worry about…” He responded as he pulled out his com and made the call. In then minutes, the owner would meet them in front of the building to show them the apartment. He hung up the com and was stuffing it back in his pocket when he spoke.

“The guy said he’d be here in about ten minutes to meet us…”

************************************************** ****************
The apartment suited Keira perfectly. It was spacious and had a balcony that overlooked a courtyard with a pool.

It was as they stood out on the balcony that a group of four guys who lived in the apartment across the courtyard decided to open their doors and begin to barbeque. Even from where they stood, Maxim noticed them checking out Keira.

“So…you want the place?” The owner asked as one of the guys let out a low, appreciative whistle, catching Keira’s attention – and making Maxim scowl. He opened his mouth to reply for Keira, but she beat him to it.

[Keira]

Kei did notice the men checking her out, not that they even held a candle to Max.... But if she couldn’t have him then maybe another would do. She doubted she would ever want anyone as much as him though and the thought irked her.......



“So…you want the place?”


"Oh yea I'll take it.... Who am I to pass up this offer?" She turned and dropped Max a wink. Not noticing her previous scowl. Well they had the best of both worlds in her opinion. He had women to hit on, as much as it bothered her to think that, and she had the men. But in Kei's mind the most important thing was they had one another again.

"So you think you can stay with me here Max? You know how I am about new places. Besides you gotta beat the boys back or throw the chicks on the other balcony at them." She gave him a coy grin, Kei was a rare sort that was totally unaffected by her beauty, she knew she wasn’t bad looking but she never viewed her self as more than that.

"C'mon lets go swimmen, I do believe I brought my suit just in case of an emergency such as this." Kei ran up and threw her arms around Max's neck, her feet dangling as she hugged him.

"It's so good to be with you again Max. I have missed you so much." She whispered into his ear. Kei wanted to say more, to tell him but once again fear held her in check.....

[Maxim Vasilijev]

With all the details of lease signing out of the way, Kei had turned to him with her question.

So you think you can stay with me here Max? You know how I am about new places. Besides you gotta beat the boys back or throw the chicks on the other balcony at them.

He rolled his eyes at the last part, but seriously answered her first question.

“You know I’ll stay with you.” He replied. He did know how much she hated being alone at night. Though she was strong enough and able enough to take care of herself, he knew she liked having him around. Or maybe it was like she just lked having a guy around and he was the safest one – being just a friend and all. If she only knew what was going on inside his head since he’d run into her a few nights ago – she would likely have felt differently. Or so he thought.

As she ran up and threw her arms around Max's neck, her feet dangling as she hugged him, he wrapped his arms around her.

"It's good to be with you again, too, Kei.” He replied, not wanting to let her go and share her with the rest of the galaxy.

But he did. He released her.

And then she dug through her things, flinging an old pair of his shorts at him as she went to change into her bathing suit.

************************************************** **

Outside in the pool area, they were joined by the girls from one apartment and the guys from the other. Maxim and Kei, two who easily fit into any environment given, accepted beers offered by their new friends.

One of the girls sat down on the end of Maxim’s lawn chair that sat beside Keira’s. It was almost too close for him because he could hear the guys as they hit on her, and it was annoying the heck out of him.

“So…are you guys together?” She asked to either one of them, her eyes shielded by sunglasses.

[Keira]

Kei lounged in the sun sipping at the beer that her fellow neighbors offered. Her small suit brought the guys flocking to her side. Kei in truth could have cared less. Sure they were all cute and she figured if Max never noticed her they would be an interesting alternative. Kei lowered her glasses down on her nose. Her long legs stretched out before her. She nodded as one of the guys offered to rub lotion on her already tan legs.



“So…are you guys together?”

Kei looked to the young woman the sat near Max, in-between them to be exact. A frown tilted the corner of her full lips down.

"You’re in my ray’s sister." She replied in a biting tone, she did not realize how jealous the words made her sound. Even if she had realized it she more than likely would not have cared in that moment. Kei leaned back trying to take her mind off of Max flirting and the girl responding. She took no notice of the man rubbing lotion on her legs. She wished it was Max doing it.

"Need to flip." She said absently, sending the guy off to get her another beer. Her small suit leaving nothing to the imagination. In her view it was optimal for the perfect tan. She settled onto her stomach, the sun glasses obscuring her eyes as they locked on the pair. Her harrumph of anger did not go unnoticed by Max.

"What a load of BS." She muttered.......

[Maxim Vasilijev]

Kei had always been rather vocal about the girls he’d dated. She’d never been shy on that topic. It seemed that the girls he dated had never been quite good enough for complete approval from her – but at the very least, she’d usually been civil to them. And she’d never sounded like….she had a moment ago.

He shot her a questioning glance, as if to ask her what was up with her biting tone. It wasn’t like he was dating the girl – for crissake, he was only talking to her. For now. Besides – what right did Kei have to tell him who he could fool around with and who he couldn’t.

He raised his eyebrow at her, nodding towards the guy who she’d just sent running off to get her a new drink. His way of saying, ‘like your choice is any better.’

And then he turned back to the girl, clearing his throat a bit.

“Uh….no. We’re not.” The words were thick as they rolled off his tongue. The admission tasting bitter.

“Its soooooo great y’all are moving in.” The girl added, not seeming to get the fact that Kei had been a bit rude to her.

“My roommates and I were just talking about how cool it would be to have new people around. Everyone in the complex is our age, but we’ve pretty much all sort of shacked up already….” This she added with a flip of her ponytail, and then a look to Maxim that was an attempt at acting shy, though he could tell within moments of meeting her that she wasn’t at all shy – in any way.

“Tommy already told me he was checking you out earlier….” She added, nodding to Kei.

“Gawd, you’ve got such an awesome tan.” She added, pouting just a bit, though it was certainly more for an effect than her actually being upset. She had a pretty good tan going herself.

“Im Skylar, but most everyone just calls me Sky….” Her hand rested on Maxim, a subtle indication to him that she was interested in getting to know him a little better, despite the fact that this latest comment was still directed towards Kei.

Maxim, while this was going on, bristled at the fact that any of the guys had been ‘checking’ Keira out. He wasn’t surprised, but he sure as heck didn’t like it. And he had scowled instantly in a flare of jealousy at the fact that later tonight, Kei would probably be hanging out in Tommy’s arms instead of his.

[Keira]

Kei grimaced at the girl’s mindless banter. In any other situation she more than likely would have been ok with the girl but the fact she was hitting on Max didn’t settle well. She didn’t acknowledge Max's scowl, figuring he was just mad because she wasn’t playing nice with the chick he was hitting on. She bit her tongue to ward off the sharp retort.


“Uh….no. We’re not.”

Kei's eyes squeezed closed for a moment at the admission from Max, the words falling on her ears like a bitter lash. She would have given anything to hear him say they were. That they indeed were a couple. But by the tome of his voice even the thought of saying it made him uncomfortable, or so she thought.



“Tommy already told me he was checking you out earlier….”

Kei looked at her, the heat in her eyes would have burned a hole in the girl had the girl had a brain to notice it. "Tommy....... He the one rubben lotion on me?" She asked with sarcasm dripping.


“Gawd, you’ve got such an awesome tan.”

The girl kept talking without pause, noticing nothing at all. Kei sighed and rolled back over. "Hey Max rub me down with some more lotion? I think beer boy got lost....." She asked wanting to pull his attention back to her. Wanting to forget the lush blonde hitting on him.

"Gotta keep my tan perfect you know." She smiled at Sky with a cold grin. Wanting to rip the seemingly vacant look off her face. Her choice in men were just as bad as his were at times. Not that she would ever admit it to Max. She had seen his look.....

[Maxim Vasilijev]

Hey Max rub me down with some more lotion? I think beer boy got lost.....

He turned back to Kei and without protest reached for the lotion. This was typical of him. Even when he’d had girlfriends, he would have done the same thing. It was perhaps the reason his relationships hadn’t ever worked out. It had always been a point of contention that he lavished more attention on his friend Keira than on them. He just didn’t get it. Before there hadn’t ever been a reason for them to worry. He hadn’t been interested in her that way….now….He shoved this thought aside as best he could. It was nearly impossible though as his hands came into contact with her skin.

“Ooooh…maybe you could rub me down after her!” Skylar suggested, reaching for her bottle of lotion.

“That’s such a great idea. You know….” As the girl chattered on, Maxim found himself more and more just wanting to take Kei back to her apartment where they could be alone. Skylar was attractive, but she wasn’t Keira. No one was. And no one would ever be able to compare.

But as he finished rubbing lotion on Kei, because he had no other choice but to get over these strange feelings he had for her, he turned to Sky and paid particular attention to rubbing lotion on her.

During this time, Tommy the beer boy returned.

He handed Kei her beer and pulled up a chair near her.

“Where are you moving here from?” He asked, reaching without asking to rub in a bit of lotion that Maxim hadn’t rubbed in completely. His hand then remained there, caressing.

[Keira]

Kei had let her eyes slip closed as Max caressed her skin. Her mind wandering to what might have been, to what could be. There had been so many times she had wanted to just kiss him, to look into his eyes and announce her feelings. There just never seemed to be a right time to do it and now with his obvious discomfort with the kiss she wondered if there ever would be a right time.


Her body relaxed completely under his soothing touch, one she knew well. One she wanted to know more of in so many different ways. When the girl asked to be rubbed down it took everything Kei had not to reach over and smack her simple grin off of her face. As his hands left her skin she slight shuddered rippled through her, a loose of warmth, a deep need left unfulfilled.

Kei's eyes stung momentarily with unshed tears, she looked to Max wanting him to see the shine in her eyes. For him to pick her up and carry her back to the apartment and make love to her. Instead it was the beer boy’s voice that broke the silence, it was his hand that found her skin and settled there.


“Where are you moving here from?”

Kei swallowed back the tears and sharp retort. Biting her full lower lip until the skin almost broke. "From there to here." She said giving him a coy grin and a wink. She had never been one to talk about herself. Max was the one who knew everything about her and Kei preferred it that way.

"So.....Tommy is it?..... What’s it like around here any good gambling going on?" She glanced to Max and swallowed, looking away quickly. She could not stand too see his hands on another.....

"Don't you think that’s rubbed in good enough??" She snapped before she could bite back the words. Taking a swallow of beer she berated herself silently.....

[Maxim Vasilijev]

Though he was trying to focus on Skylar, he couldn’t help but keep one ear out for Kei’s conversation with beer boy. He could hear the flirtatious tone enter her voice, and this only made him focus more intensely on rubbing in the lotion, turning the small task of assistance into more of an intimate gesture.

Don't you think that’s rubbed in good enough??

His head whipped around to stare curiously at Keira. For a moment he was confused, for her behavior was so….odd. Any other time she would have teased him about it later, or she would have at least put in a good word for him. Now he wondered who the heck’s team she was playing for – for she clearly didn’t seem to be on his.

“You’re the one who complains about getting streaks if I don’t rub it in well enough….” He replied, the two of them sounding like a couple who’d been together for long enough to make such easy replies.

“And you got in enough trouble at the last casino.” He added, referencing her conversation with Tommy.

“You’re staying out of them unless you’re with me.” The tone of his voice hinted at anger, perhaps annoyance. He knew he sounded like a jealous over protective boyfriend, but the words slipped out before he could stop them.

Tommy and Skylar exchanged glances. She might have seemed air headed, and he a bit dim witted, but they – and anyone else who witnessed Maxim and Keira would have seen the sparks that flew between the two of them.

[Keira]

Keira glared at Max as he spoke, her eyes lashing at him with daggers. Jealousy apparent to all but the two who spoke. Her low growl was something he had grown used to, a tale tale sign that she was about to come unglued.


"I was doing just fine at the casino thank you, before you butted in." She said knowing full well he had saved her butt on that occasion. "Besides what makes you think I can't take care of my self Max. Obviously I have survived this long without you, after your disappearing act." Her words were biting and despite the heat in her gaze anyone who looked deep enough would see the hurt there, the yearning that always clouded her eyes when she looked at her friend.

Kei jumped up from her chair, unwilling to let him see her glimmering eyes. She dove into the pool without another word, letting loose the sobs that had been choking her throat as soon as the water enveloped her.

Kei's mind yelled out her frustration, her need..... She stayed under water, holding her breath for much longer than even Max was used to. She had always been good at it and had in fact perfected it over time. Besides she figured it was a good cover, she could explain away why her eyes were so red.

"Why is everything going so wrong? Why can't he just love me?" She thought to herself..... The overwhelming anger she had a moment ago gave way to pain at never having what she had always yearned for.....

[Maxim Vasilijev]

His cheeks heated in anger and a bit of humiliation. Not only were her words biting, but they made him sound like a real jerk. And on top of that, he wanted to kick himself for ever having let anything semi-possessive slip from his mouth.

And, she’d left him sitting there between Tommy and Skylar, who were regarding the two of them with more than curious expressions.

“She does this all the time.” He stated in some way of explanation. But it sounded to him like he was selling her out, and so he corrected himself.

“I mean, we do.” He sighed and offered a small shrug of his shoulders.

“She’s like a little sister to me.” This he added more to remind himself of what Keira was to him – she was a friend. A friend who knew him better than even his own twin brother knew him. Even though she was much much more to him - even if he could never admit it - to anyone - to himself even.

“We argue over stupid stuff.”

And with that he stood and walked to the edge of the pool. He sat on the edge, legs hanging over, waiting for Keira to finally emerge from the depths. She was doing it to annoy the heck out of him, he knew. She was trying to make him worry – or perhaps was basking in the satisfaction of making him wait to talk to her.

[Keira]

Kei had stayed under long enough to make her lungs feel like they would explode. She wanted to go for longer, to make him come in after her, to hide from him all at the same time. She swam to the edge before surfacing. Her eyes burning as badly as her lungs. Needing air, needing him to see how much she loved him. Kei knew he just wanted to be friends. That he would never view her as anything else. He had made that all too clear with his actions and words.


Kei came up her mouth open and gasping. Her hands instead of finding the ledge had found Max's legs. She held onto them and looked up into his face. There was so much to say and no way to say it. So instead she scowled.

"Come to yell at me more?" He had not yelled at her but it had felt that way. His every word had boomed into her mind leaving an aching void.

"What's the matter Max the lil blonde girl kick you to the curb?" She turned her face away from him, feeling once again the stinging in her eyes. She bit her full lower lip, this time drawing blood. She wanted desperately to take the words back. To tell him what she really felt. Her hands still clung to his legs, her chest was pressed to his calves as she kept herself afloat.

[Maxim Vasilijev]

Come to yell at me more?

He didn’t bother to justify her accusation with a response. Instead dark eyes gazed down at her, narrowing slightly. He’d come to apologize, and she made ti nearly impossible to do. Forget that – not nearly impossible – entirely impossible.

What's the matter Max the lil blonde girl kick you to the curb?

He tried to ignore the fact that her breasts were pressed against his legs as she used him to remain afloat.

“Whats the matter with you is a better question.” He retorted.

“And sounds a little less insecure and mean than yours.” He was bordering on hurt and angry, and his hurt was most often displayed through anger. It was rare Maxim let anyone see a weak side of him. Kei would maybe see through this, perhaps not in her own anger and hurt.

[Keira]

“What’s the matter with you is a better question.”

“And sounds a little less insecure and mean than yours.”



Kei could almost swear he was hurt and showing it through anger as he always did. But she couldn’t see why he was hurt, didn’t want to see that she might have hurt him in some way. Her own hurt was displayed much as his was, with sharp retorts and anger filled actions. Kei tried to ignore that her chest was pressed to his legs. That her hands wanted to caress his muscular thighs.

Swallowing she looked back to him, her eyes still glimmering. Her lip red with her own blood. "I have never been insecure, as for being mean....... I have a headache." She finished lamely, unsure as to what to say.

"What’s up with you anyway? Snapping at me like that?" She said turning the blame, knowing it had been her jealous words that had made him snap at her. She ran her hand over his leg without thought.

[Maxim Vasilijev]

He accepted her explanation of having a headache. This made the most sense to him, and being a guy, he didn’t give it a whole heck of a lot more thought than that. She did get mean when she had a headache – and when she was hungry. He should have remembered….

What’s up with you anyway? Snapping at me like that?

He let her turn it on him, noticing for the first time the blood on her lip and being a bit distracted.

“I don’t know whats up with me….just a long day, I guess. Im sorry...“ He replied with a small shrug as a hand reached out to touch her lip gently.

“You’re bleeding…” He commented.

“Did you catch something when you dove in?” He asked immediately after, anger dissipating as concern won over.

[Keira]

She nodded at his words accepting them as easily as he accepted hers. They had both had a long and tiring day, so she could understand. What she didn’t understand was why he didn’t see what was under his nose. Or maybe he did see and didn’t want to acknowledge it, wanting it to remain as it had always been, a friendship.

As his finger grazed her lip, her eyes grew wide. His touch alone was enough to make her ache. Her hands tightened on his thighs and she pulled closer to him without thinking about it.

"I.....I musta bit it when I dove in." She thought that to be the truth. Not realizing she had in fact bit it thinking of him.

"Look Max I am sorry for getting so upset.... But I just don't like her. You can do so much better than that." She said softly her eyes looking into his, begging him to see. "Like me." She thought to herself.

Kei pulled her self up higher resting her fore arms on his legs. "Forgive me....?" Her words came out in an unintentional sultry tone.

[Maxim Vasilijev]

I.....I musta bit it when I dove in.

He’d made a small face then, showing he was concerned.

Look Max I am sorry for getting so upset.... But I just don't like her. You can do so much better than that.

This, he could accept. This sounded more like the Keira he knew and it made it much easier on him to slip back into the way he always was with her. He would have made a lewd remark, but the girl was still somewhat within hearing distance and he wasn’t entirely that crass. Well, not all of the time, anyway.

His hand that had brushed her lip moved to brush the hair that was matted to her forehead away, she looked good for a soaking wet, red eyed, bloody lipped woman. And with this thought he shifted a bit.

“Why dont we just go inside and hang in your apartment for a while…” He suggested.

“Chill out before the party later….”

[Keira]

Kei grinned up at him, liking the idea more than he knew. She couldn’t have him the way she wanted at that moment, maybe not ever but to have him alone was always a welcome time.

"Alright.... Sounds good to me. I think I have some beer in there some where." Kei lifted her arms in a gesture that said pull me out. As he did she was automatically pulled close. Her wet body meshing to his. A blush heated her face.

"Forgot your own strength?" She jested to cover her own want. She would have loved to wrap her arms around his neck and pulled him closer.

"Come on before those two get an idea and follow us up. I can only take mindless banter for so long Max." Kei moved regretfully away from him, wondering if she dared to try and get him drunk and seduce him.

Walking ahead of Max she failed to notice the picture she made from behind in her skimpy suit and wet body......

[Maxim Vasilijev]

Forgot your own strength?

He chuckled.

“Naw, I just thought Skylar might find me more attractive if she
saw a beautiful woman hanging off of me.” He joked in return.
Reluctantly, he released her as she suggested they get going. He ended up behind her as he stopped to let Tommy and Skylar know they’d be at the party later. He caught Tommy’s eyes following Kei and felt the urge to blacken both eyes until they couldn’t open enough to look at Kei anymore.

But he refrained and instead grabbed a towel. Catching up to Kei, he wrapped it around her from behind.

“For the love of……would ya cover up a little bit?!” He half demanded of her. This was ridiculously out of character coming from the guy who would more often than not be more than behind getting women to wear less.

He noticed the odd look she gave him and he quickly turned it into a joke.

“You said you could only take mindless banter for so long – you keep that up and no guy trying to talk to you will be able to come up with anything better than mindless blabbing….”

With this, he gave her his typical grin, something that bordered on cockiness before he scooped her up playfully and carried her into the building despite her protests (which were hardly really protests).

Once inside, Maxim sunk onto the well worn couch of the apartment. How fortunate that the places came furnished, though he knew it would only be a matter of time before Kei redecorated.

“So whats wrong with Tommy boy?” Maxim asked, easily sinking back into old habits.

"You didnt seem all that into him....."

He knew exactly what was wrong wit the guy and why he wasn’t right for Kei. But he wasn’t about to tell her that. To tell her that would only open up doors he wasn’t ready to open.

[Keira]

Kei grimaced when Max mentioned Skylar. Her name alone was enough to evoke a jealous rage. Kei bit back her retort not wanting Max to realize how much it all bothered her, how much she wanted him for herself. Instead she mumbled curses under her breath soft enough that they only sounded in her ears.


“For the love of……would ya cover up a little bit?!”

Kei's brows shot up and she shot him a curious glance. He had never tried to cover her before. Maybe she sickened him more than she thought. The idea of that made her heart clench. When he scooped her up into his arms she did a half hearted protest, wishing he was carrying her up to her place for more than just talk. She could only wish, with all the signs of him being repulsed by her.


“So what’s wrong with Tommy boy?”
"You didn’t seem all that into him....."

Kei settled next to Max after grabbing them both a beer. The towel dropping from her smooth shoulders and pooling at her waist. Shrugging she gave him a crooked smile.

"Nothing at all wrong with him. He has a good body and is cute. If you like the mindless type. I really don’t think he could squeeze an intelligent convo out of that mouth of his. Why you think I should go for it?" She was curious as to what he would say. If he would push her self toward the beer boy. Perhaps to get her out of the way so he could have a chance with Sky. Kei hoped there was enough beer in her house to get him good and drunk, and then she could make a move before the blonde beauty got her hooks into Max......

[Maxim Vasilijev]

As the towel dropped, his eyes followed it. How had he never noticed her before? How had he not noticed the beautiful woman that had been right there…..He wanted to kick himself for ever having become friends with her. Becoming friends now seemed to make it impossible to….He shoved those thoughts violently from his mind, assisted by Keira’s question.

Nothing at all wrong with him. He has a good body and is cute. If you like the mindless type. I really don’t think he could squeeze an intelligent convo out of that mouth of his. Why you think I should go for it?

He chuckled.

“I would have thought you’d of figured it out by now that I pretty much always go for the mindless type….” He replied as he took a slug of his beer.

“So my opinion on that doesn’t really matter all that much. And besides, Im not into guys.” He added with a lazy grin.

“But if you must know…I think you deserve better.” He added as he reached to gently press Kei’s skin just below her collarbone.

“You’re burnt a little you know….”

[Keira]

“But if you must know…I think you deserve better.”

Kei looked away as he said those words. Wondering if he perhaps thought she was not good enough for him. She wondered if that is why he chose to remain friends with her instead of becoming so much more. He thought her lacking in some way. Kei looked back up her heart for once in her eyes. She did not know it so there was no way to block the look and if she had tried she would have failed anyway. Perhaps he would not notice the slight quiver of her chin.


“You’re burnt a little you know….”

Kei jumped as his finger settled softly on her skin. His touch like a slow burn that would last long after he stopped touching her. "Frell it Kei, stop acting as if he were the last man on the planets. Get over it..." She reprimanded herself, her mind berating her for each thought of him other than a friend. She still anted to get him good and drunk, to have one night with him. She wondered if just one night would be worse than never at all.


"You know me Max, it will turn into the perfect tan that will fade unless I subject myself to relentless rays." She chuckled softly almost sadly.

"Hey drink up slacker, we have a party to crash and we can't very well do that without being toasted can we. Besides I need to pick out something skimpy to wear and I need your help." She didn’t add the last thought.....One you can’t resist........

[Maxim Vasilijev]

Hey drink up slacker, we have a party to crash and we cant very well d that without being toasted, can we. Besides I need to pick out something skimpy to wear and I need your help.

He snorted and raised the bottle to his mouth to take a healthy guzzle. But not before muttering something, tasingly, about about what a lush she had turned into.

"Fine, fine..." He grumbled, finishing off the bottle and stnading up from the coach. He grabbed another from the fridge and rummaged through his bag for a change of clothes.

"I'm gonna shower while you...pick out an outfit." He explained. The last thing he needed was to be thinking about or watching her change into outfit after outfit. They all looked the same to him and they all looked good on her. He could have cared less what she wore. If ti was up to him they wouldnt even be going to the stupid party, theyd be....

He caught her pouty look.

"Ill help you when I get out of thw shower..." He added, trying to find a middle ground. How was he ever going to keep this to a friendship only?

And before she could try to convince him otherwise, hed gone to shower, beer in hand. When he got out, she was there inher bedroom unpacking the bags they'd brought, clothes strewn about the room already.

He shook his head and grinned.

"Hurricane Keira..." He teased as he leaned against the doorframe between the bathroom and the bedroom, teasing grin firmly in place.

"You think I should shave?" He asked her as he ran a hand over the scruff.

[Keira]

Kei had busied herself flinging cloths from her bags. It was the only way she could keep herself from joining him in the shower. Her brow furrowed in desperate thought, any thought but the sound of running water, of him just beyond the door. It would be so easy, just a few movements would take her to where she always wanted to be.

"Men....." Her grumble was low and for her own benefit.

"Hurricane Keira..."

Kei sighed at the sound of his voice, squeezing her eyes closed. She had barely made it..... Keeping her self from a huge mistake.... Maybe.... Turning from the bags she mustered a grin that never quiet reached her eyes.

"I like you scruffy Max.... Shows just how devilish you truly are. Now to my cloths. ." Kei shrugged of her robe and picked up a small black dress. Wanting to look at Max, to see his reaction.

"How bout this one?"

[Maxim Vasilijev]

Devilish, huh? Heck, she knew he was devilish with or without scruff. It was just his nature. But…if she thought it would be best. He tried to tell himself he was doing it more because if she thought scruff was better, so wouldn’t any other girl out there, and the sooner he distracted himself with someone else, say….Skylar for instance, the sooner he’d get over this ridiculous infatuation with his best friend.

As she held up a black dress, he gave a shrug. It wasn’t a shrug of indifference, but really, Keira would look good wearing a gunny sack, so it wasn’t like this choice of clothing needed to be such a big deal.

“Only if you bring a sweater or something, if that’s the one you wore to that party in Antiedam (a dorm on their campus back at school).” He remarked as he walked over and reached for some clothes to throw on – namely, the same clothes he’d been wearing earlier.

“The last time you wore that thing you ended up on that Holovid for Underage College Girls or something like that, remember? And we had to go and get them to cut it because the dean was going to expel all the students who had anything to do with it….”

He found one of his old tshirts among her things, and giving her a semi odd look, as if wondering why she’d bothered to hold on to it, he pulled it on.

“And I know you’re not going to get expelled from anywhere, but I was thinking we could probably find better things to do with the end of our night than be trying to get you out of trouble again…” This was said teasingly, for there was no doubt that most of their nights had been spent that way, and it only made for better stories later on – or now. And besides, neither one really seemed to mind all that much, anyway.

He grinned at her.

“So what do you think this party is going to be like, anyway?” He asked as he shook his head to dry it a little, droplets of water flying this way and that.

[Keira]

Kei winced at his shrug of indifference, knowing herself to be a fool for even thinking he would one day want her. His shrug alone told her he would never view her as anything more than a friend, a sister.


“Only if you bring a sweater or something, if that’s the one you wore to that party in Antiedam (a dorm on their campus back at school).”

The comment elicited a soft chuckle, knowing where he was going with it before he even said it.

“The last time you wore that thing you ended up on that Holovid for Underage College Girls or something like that, remember? And we had to go and get them to cut it because the dean was going to expel all the students who had anything to do with it….”

"I looked good on it though, you have to give them that Max. They took some good shots of me. If the Dean hadn’t been so uptight....." Kei let her words trail off, it wasn’t just the Dean who had been so upset about the holovid. Max had been livid as she recalled. As usual her mind didn’t wonder why, she just chocked it up to his brotherly need to protect her.

"Anyway Max I'm to frelling old to wear a sweater, and besides it defeats the purpose of the dress.” She said as she shrugged the next to nothing black sheath on. She did not finish that it was to entice him and no one else. The dress hung off of her tan shoulders, showing by far more cleavage than the little pink thing he had bought her, it encased her body like a tight glove and barely skimmed over her hips to fit to the upper half of her thighs. Kei chose to ignore his comment on her getting into trouble. They both knew there would be trouble no matter what she wore and they as always would get out of it.

"Still fits......What do you think Max, is this me or is this me." She grinned as she tossed her hair back over her shoulder, letting it fall free to her waist.


“So what do you think this party is going to be like, anyway?”

“I have a feeling this will be a night to remember, and if it’s not we can always make the party a better place to be by just being us.” She answered with a wicked grin of her own. Stifling the groan of want as he shook the water from his head.

“Why did he have to be so frelling handsome anyway?” Kei thought to herself.

[Maxim Vasilijev]

“I have a feeling this will be a night to remember, and if it’s not we can always make the party a better place to be by just being us.”

He snorted.

Keira was her own party. And maybe sometimes he was too. But truly, she was the one who made heads turn. She was the one with the laugh that made you think she had some sort of secret. She was the one with the come hither sort of eyes and the pouting lips. She was…..

He turned somewhat abruptly to the fridge, busying himself in it to find a drink or something. Maybe a pitcher of ice cold water to pour over his head to freeze it from thinking the things he was thinking.

It was as he was doing this that an odd thought almost fell into his head.

Why did he have to be so frelling handsome anyway?

His eyes narrowed for a moment, and he shook it off. He really needed to get a grip. He was turning into a kid fresh into university, drooling like he was in a candy store.

As he stood back up, beer in hand, he felt a bit more composed. This felt more like old times – a beer in hand. And that was how he managed to find a bit more composure. How he managed to return to the way things used to be.

He walked over to her, offering her a bottle of her own.

“You look great.” He offered sincerely as he looked down at her, at this girl who captivated him. This friend of his – a friend he felt himself fortunate, so fortunate to have. So fortunate that he would never dare to reveal his true feelings and risk losing her.

He reached to smooth a lock of her hair, tucking it behind her ear. He knew she hated it when he did that, for she always reached to remove it right away, but she looked so darn cute that way. She hated looking cute, he knew. She liked looking…well, stunning, as she did standing there in that ridiculously short, tight dress. But he actually…well, he liked her when she was cute. He liked her when she was stunning.

Really, there wasn’t much he didn’t like about her.

“Can I get you to eat something for dinner before we go…?” He suggested, willing to take her out if need be, so long as she agreed to eat something before a night like they would probably have. Concern, yes, it was concern. He cared about her, more than she would ever realize.