that awkward moment.

Arielle wondered what was on his mind. It was clear that he was deep in thought, however, she was pretty much a complete stranger to him. It wasn't very likely that, if she asked, that he would answer her truthfully. So, she didn't bother asking and simply finished off the last of her drink. "Why? Are you trying to get me drunk?" She asked, a wide grin on her face as she looked over to him. Her accusation was a teasing one. "Has that been your plan all along? You talk to me and act all sweet and charming, get me drunk, and then we go back to your place and you have your way with me?" She raised an eyebrow. Her tone was still light and teasing, and she hoped that he wouldn't take her words negatively.

---

"We'd be shit best mates if we didn't care about the others well being." Zayn pointed out with a slight chuckle. He wanted to think that she saw him as a good friend and someone that she could confide in if she had to. He knew that that was how he saw her. He knew that he could trust her with just about anything. They'd sort of always just been there for each other throughout university and everything else. How could he not trust her of all people? If he couldn't trust her, he didn't know who he could trust. "Alright." He watched as she flagged down a taxi before following her over and climbing in.

Harry chuckled and finished his drink. "No. You see I wouldn't get you drunk. Tipsy maybe, but not drunk. I'd want you to remember how amazing I was the following morning. And I would only have my way with you if you were cool with that. And how could I be sure it was what you wanted if you were drunk?" He said back smiling softly, "would you like to get out of here?" He asked wondering if it was time to go back to wherever they were going and moving the night along. Harry was really interested in this girl and of course more than ready to head out. Though he'd been ready to leave with this girl since he'd gotten over here if he were being completely honest.

---

"Couldn't agree more there." Sage told him. The cab ride back to her flat was short and soon enough they were arriving to her flat and she was pulling out a couple bills to hand the driver before she was climbing out and pulling her keys out to let them in. She hated that tonight was a total bust, mostly because she'd kind if wanted to hook up with someone. But she got over it because none of the guys at that bar had been worth it. Hell in her own opinion the only good thing was that Liam had met a girl who seemed good for him from the split second she'd seen her.

Arielle couldn't help laughing at his words. "A bit confident aren't we?" She teased, a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips. Some girls would have been taken aback by his later words. He was being forward, but that meant that he knew what he wanted, and she really didn't see anything wrong with that at all. She would rather he be straightforward with her than beat around the bush. "I was hoping you'd ask that." The smile on her face had turned into a faint smirk. This was what she wanted, wasn't it? A quick hook-up with an attractive guy who seemed decent enough. And it seemed like that was what she'd be getting.

---

Zayn climbed out of the cab after her, not really even thinking twice about it when she paid the driver. Some guys would have made a big deal about it and claim it was only polite that they paid, but he wasn't like most blokes. Plus, Sage was his best mate. It wasn't like there was anything going on between them. There was nothing but platonic feelings between them. They weren't dating. Hell, they weren't even hooking up. He had no reason to be chivalrous with her. Not that he was really one of those overly chivalrous guys to begin with, but that was besides the point. "Come on. I have a date with your TV and Netflix, and I really don't want to be late.' He grinned as he headed towards the apartment building.

Harry chuckled again and shrugged his shoulders. "Maybe, but considering you just agreed to leave with me I'd say it paid off." He joked as he stood up from the bar and grabbed his jacket. So he was a bit confident with himself. And maybe some girls would've been taken back by his forwardness. That didn't matter though. Plus he'd learnt how to read people, or he'd thought he did. And he was only overly confident around girls he knew it would work on. He could play the guy who was more laid back and up for talking until the girl asked him to leave if he needed to in order to get a hook up. All that mattered right now was that she was going home with him, or maybe they were going back to her place. He didn't know quite yet where they were going, but he knew they were hooking up and he was happy with that.

---

"Says the guy who's lagging behind me." Sage joked with him as she walked into her apartment and automatically slipped her feet out of her boots and started to unhook her bra. "Lord these things are so fucking uncomfortable." She said while she slipped it off on her way to her room to change into something else. "Go ahead and pull everything up. I'll be done in a minute." She told him knowing he already knew where everything was, and while he did that she went to her room to change. Then she headed to the kitchen to make them some drinks because she was going to need some drinks during this movie. Even if it was a good movie, they'd went to a bar and she hadn't even gotten a beer it'd been so pricey for her to want to pay for one. So she was drinking at home with Zayn where it was free.

"I suppose it did." Arielle said, a soft laugh escaping from her lips as she stood up from the bar stool. She slipped on her jacket, though it wasn't a very warm one it would have to do, and followed him towards the entrance of the club so that they could leave. She really didn't mind that he was confident. He wasn't overly as such, so it didn't come off as cocky or conceded or anything like that. He just seemed to be confident in his own skin, and it made him a bit forward, but definitely not in a bad way. She liked when a guy knew what he wanted. "We can go to mine if you'd like. It's not that far from here." This wasn't something that she did on a regular basis, she hadn't had sex in quite some time actually, and she sort of hoped she didn't come across that way. She was doing this because of her recent dry-spell. He just so happened to be the lucky winner. If she were to refer to it as such.

---

Zayn chuckled softly, following her into her apartment. He wasn't even the slightest bit phased when she unhooked her bra and slipped it off on her way to her room. It wasn't like it was the first time she had done something like that. He felt like it was a good thing. It meant that they were comfortable around each other. And they really couldn't be best mates if they weren't at least somewhat comfortable with each other, right? "Alright." He headed into the living room and turned on the TV, getting Netflix all set up before he began looking through all of the movies. He finally settled on The Avengers. He was in a superhero kind of mood tonight, what could he say?

"You're place sounds great." Harry told her not minding. Shagging a pretty girl was what mattered, where didn't. Well it did kind of since he wasn't really one who had sex in public and shit. Sure there had been more than one time when Zayn had walked into the flat while he was shagging someone from his roster, and well that was always awkward for both him, Zayn, and the girl. Because Harry didn't like people walking in on him while he was doing it, he didn't mind if someone brought it up afterwards and like asked him who she was or something like that, but really sex was a private thing he liked to keep private while it was happening. Whatever. This girl, Arielle, just happened to be the one he was sharing himself with for the night and well her place wasn't far so they were going to her place. Which was probably a lot closer than his place, which would take a cab drive of like half and hour or so. It just depended on traffic really.

---

"God you really have no idea how lucky you are that you're a dude." Sage said handing him a drink before she sat down next to him with her own drink in hand. "I mean you don't have to worry about wearing a bra, or a periods, or none of it. It fucking sucks." She told him taking a sip of her drink and turning to look at the TV while she pulled her legs up underneath herself smiling a bit when she saw The Avengers. She loved superhero movies, and especially when it was a superhero movie that had like six or so attractive male leads. That was something she would never complain about.

Arielle smiled. "Alright." She said. "It's actually like only a few blocks from here, so we can walk there, I guess." She figured it would be easier that way. It wasn't raining right now, surprisingly enough, and it wasn't really that cold out, and it was maybe only a ten or so minute walk back to her apartment, or she supposed they called it a flat here, anyway. She'd estimated the time and distance pretty well, and before she knew it, they'd reached her apartment building. "This is me." She told him once they'd reached her door. She fumbled with her keys for a moment before unlocking it, and walking inside.

---

Zayn eagerly accepted the drink she handed to him, taking a sip before chuckling at her words. Clearly they were comfortable around each other if their conversation had gone to this. Oh, and maybe there was also the fact that she was wearing nothing more than an oversized sweater and her knickers, but that was just a minor detail, right? He saw nothing wrong with it. She was comfortable around him, and he her. There was nothing else to it. "Guys have other things to worry about. It's not all rainbows and unicorns for us, babe." He said as he settled into the couch, and made himself comfortable.

Harry didn't mind walking to her flat with her. It was a nice night out after all. No rain, and the air wasn't as cold as usual, so it was nice. And it didn't take long to get to her flat at all. Really they were there in a matter of minutes. "This is a nice place." He told her as he followed her inside taking a moment to look everything over and take it all in. Though he doubted that he'd really remember the place. He didn't mind having sex at a girls place, but he didn't do it that often either. Plus for all he knew this was a one time thing with her. Maybe he'd decide to put her on her roster or something, but he'd have to kick some one first and well he hadn't gotten the so from anyone and so this was as far as he knew for tonight only.

---

Sage rolled her eyes playfully and took another sip of her drink. They'd had conversations much like this before and they usually turned into conversations about how guys should be rewarded for putting up with women on their periods or how hard it was for guys to hide their boner when they got hard in public. Which she agreed that it would suck to be in public and suddenly be turned on and unable to hide it. She still thought he was an idiot sometimes though. She didn't know why she was so comfortable around Zayn, or how they were so comfortable they could talk about anything, including the people they were with if it came up. But she was, and she didn't think she'd trade that for anything.

"Thanks." Arielle offered a small smile as she set her keys down in the dish that was left on the little island counter near the kitchen. Her back was still facing him as she contemplated what to do next. This wasn't really her thing. She didn't normally go to bars specifically in search of a hook-up, but desperate times called for desperate measures she supposed. Plus, she would have to be stupid not to seize the opportunity with someone as attractive as Harry. So, with every ounce of courage she had, she turned and walked over to him, wordlessly, and without any warning, pressing her lips to his.

---

Zayn looked over to her, noticing how she rolled her eyes. He was kind of surprised that she didn't say anything though. Normally, she had some sort of a sassy comeback or snarky remark to make. He was kind of surprised, seeing as she normally had something to say in response. "Do my eyes deceive me? Sage Matthews actually doesn't have something to say to that?" He asked, his eyes widening in mock shock. A small grin threatened to tug at the corners of his lips as he looked at her, taking another sip of his drink.

"Not a problem." Harry said while he looked around a bit longer. He was quick to rest his hands on her hips and pull her closer to himself while he kissed her back though. This was his chance to get some though so he wasn't fucking it up. "We should go to your bedroom," he murmured against her lips and waited for her to lead him since well even though it wasn't some huge flat with like seven bedrooms or anything he'd never been here before and didn't quite know his way around.

---

"Shut up." Sage said looking at him before softly pushing his shoulder lightly. "You're an idiot." She added in her normal sassy tone before she gently hit her glass against his a took another drink, only to notice moments later that her lime had fallen off her cup and she quickly readjusted herself and leaned a little closer to him so she could see it and move it from the couch all together.

[ so I was lost for what to type. Lord. I feel like this is an awful post. ]

"It's this way." Arielle mumbled against his lips. She began to tug him down the hall towards her room, though she didn't pull away and her lips didn't leave his once. However, in the process, seeing as she was walking backwards, she ended up bumping into the wall a few times, causing soft laughter to bubble from her lips. "Sorry." She mumbled sheepishly. She wasn't someone who got overly embarrassed or mortified. She normally just laughed when she somehow made an idiot out of herself. That was just who she was. It didn't take long after that for her to reach her room, and she really knew that this was about to happen. She was about to hook-up with an attractive guy she'd picked up at a bar.

---

Zayn chuckled softly at her words, shoving her back lightly. "And you're best friends with said idiot, so what does that say about you?" He countered, a cheeky grin tugging at the corners of his lips. He watched as she leaned forward to pick up the lime that had fallen onto the couch. "Here, I've got it." He murmured, leaning down to pick it up as it was still somewhat out of reach. In the process, his hand managed to brush against hers and he froze, his eyes locking with hers.

[It was fine. ]

Harry just kept kissing her while she pulled him to the bed room. He laughed against her lips softly when she bumped into the wall a few times, it was understandable though given she was walking backwards and all. Once they were in her room however Harry knew stepping things up was in order. He held her in place kissing her still while he kicked off his shoes so he didn't trip over his own feet while his fingers were itching to get her clothes off. And before he knew it he was dragging his hands up her back pulling her shirt off only breaking the kiss to fully remove it and toss it off to the side somewhere.

---

"I guess that makes me an idiot too." Sage said still trying to grab the lime, before she felt his hand graze hers and they were locking eyes seconds later. Her hazel locked with his bright honey eyes and suddenly the entire mood was different. Where this had come from, or what he was suddenly thinking she didn't know. But she felt herself wanting him to lean closer. Never in the years she'd known Zayn had anything like this happened. And she knew it wasn't the drinks since it was the only thing she'd drank. She didn't want to make a move though in case they weren't thinking the same thing.

Arielle smiled against his lips, hearing him laughing right along with her. At least she wasn't the only one laughing about her clumsiness. Not that she would have cared if she was because she definitely wouldn't have. She didn't make a big deal out of anything unless it really was a big deal. She just didn't like unnecessary drama. And she was sure that she wasn't alone in thinking that. When he pulled back to discard her shirt, she did the same with his, blindly tossing it somewhere across the room. In a flurry of clothes and kisses, it wasn't long before she saw that they'd found their way onto her bed. Her lips were moving feverishly against his, hands running down his toned and tattooed chest and torso.

---

Zayn was shocked. What he was feeling now as his dark eyes locked with her hazel ones, was something that he had never once felt when he was around Sage. She'd always just been his best mate. His feelings for her had never been anything but platonic. The feelings and emotions coursing throughout his entire body right now were anything but platonic now though. It was all just so new for him and confusing, however, he liked it. He liked it a lot actually. And maybe that was why he wasn't thinking straight. Or maybe he wasn't thinking at all. He didn't know what it was, but before he could think twice about what he was doing, he'd closed the small distance between them, his lips crashing against hers heatedly. And that was probably the best decision that he'd made on a whim in a very long time.

In a matter of minutes Harry was hovering over her while he kissed her feverishly and ran his hands over every inch of her. He was touching her and feeling more intimate with her than he usually did with girls. But he didn't think about it. Because it wasn't a big deal. He'd play it off if he had to that he was always like this, or that it was because of something silly like feeling connected to her. Didn't matter what he said he'd play it off some way or another. This was just a one night stand. Another girl he'd add to his list of girls he'd been with and maybe she'd put him on his roster for another go in the future. It was just sex.

---

Sage was quick to kiss him back unsure still of where this was coming from, but she also didn't care. It was slightly confusing seeing as they'd always only seen one another as only friends. Plus she'd just helped him land a girl like three days before. Yet they were lip locked. And she pulled away silent for a moment to stare at him and gather a few thoughts. But there wasn't anything to gather really. As far as she knew they were both single so it wasn't like they were breaking some golden rule of cheating. Plus she'd liked it. And so deciding to stop over thinking the situation she moved slightly closer and pressed her lips back to his. Maybe it was weird that this didn't feel weird. An maybe it wasn't. Right now she really didn't care.

Arielle knew now that she had gone far too long without sex. Her lips moved feverishly against his, her hands running frantically along his well-muscled body. Her heart was racing, her breathing fast. She'd missed the euphoric high she got just from kissing him. Something about this felt different than she remembered though. It was almost like there had been something missing beforehand, and now there wasn't. She pushed it to the back of her mind though, figuring it was just because she hadn't really been having sex much recently. Actually, she hadn't been having any sex period. She just assumed her memory wasn't doing the last guy she'd slept with any justice. That's all it was.

---

Zayn really didn't know what was happening. The last thing he ever thought would happen tonight was happening. He had never really pictured himself kissing Sage, let along feeling what he was feeling for her right now. It was strange. Sure, he'd thought about what it would be like to kiss her, hell he'd even thought about what it would be like to shag her, however, he always dismissed the thoughts rather quickly. He'd been pretty weirded out seeing as she'd always been more like a sister than anything else to him. But what he was feeling right now begged to differ. When she pulled back, he watched her closely, trying to figure out what was going through her mind. Before he could fully figure it out, her lips were on his once more. His hands moved down to her waist and he pulled her closer to him, kissing her back deeply.

Harry was positive that he'd never kissed a girl like this before, and he'd kissed a lot of girls. He didn't love her, he'd just met her. He didn't really feel anything for her. But he could easily tell they connected and clearly could have more intimate moments together and sex than anyone else he'd slept with. Which he was cool with. He was enjoying how she felt under his touch and knew he'd enjoy everything they did tonight. He'd actually been enjoying their time since he'd started hitting on her in the first place.

---

Sage leaned in closer and slightly deepened the kiss wrapping her arm around his neck with her fingers gently playing with the hairs on the nape of his neck. There had been once or twice maybe when the thought of what it would be like to be with Zayn had crossed her mind. It never stayed long though. It would cross her mind and as soon as it was there it would be gone again like it was never there to begin with. Zayn had just never seemed like her type, he'd always been more like her brother in a way. She helped him get girls and he helped her get guys. And here they were now with each other and it didn't feel awkward.

Arielle's lips moved feverishly against his as her fingers found the waistband of his boxers. Within seconds, she was beginning to tug them down as she wanted to move this all further along. She was pretty sure that it was because she hadn't had sex in such a long time, but she hadn't wanted someone this much before. Maybe she needed to hook-up with attractive guys from bars more. Of course, she didn't know if this was a one time thing. Would Harry want to do this again? Or was it just all one night stands and that was it? She could tell that he wasn't looking for a serious relationship right now, and she was fine with that, but she didn't know what would happen after tonight. She pushed those thoughts to the back of her mind and just focused on kissing him. "Bottom drawer." She mumbled against his lips, knowing she kept a stash of condoms there just in case. Not that she'd really needed them until now, but that was besides the point.

---

Zayn honestly couldn't tell you even if he wanted to what was happening right now. He just couldn't explain it. And how could he? Sage had always just been his best mate. Hell, she helped set him up with girls all the time, and he helped set her up with guys, and now here they were kissing? Yeah, it was definitely a bit weird, but the level of weird was the last thing on his mind right now. All he cared about right now was Sage and the fact that they were kissing. His lips moved quickly against hers, feverishly even. He pulled back a few moments later and began to pepper light kisses along her neck and to her exposed collarbone. Thank God for oversized sweaters.

Harry smirked against her lips while he helped her push his boxers down and he just as eagerly moved his hands down to pull her knickers down and discard them as well, then he pulled away for only a moment to locate the bottom drawer and grab a condom and put on. He didn't pay much attention to how many were there, or anything else because he didn't care. He just cared about putting this one on and continuing what they were doing. Which meant when it was on his lips were back to kissing her while the rest of him touched all over her preparing for hopefully the best sex of his life thus far. Because he had a feeling that's what this was going to be. The best sex he'd ever had. And he had no problem totally comparing her to the other girls he'd shagged. Usually that was kind of how he figured out who to put on his roster when he'd first started it. And like anyone with a roster he only kept them around until he got the so. Then it was on to the next girl.

---

Sage's breath caught in her throat for a second feeling his lips on her skin. His lips were soft and felt nice, and of course since they hadn't every done this before and hadn't ever really talked about where she liked to be kissed the most and shit he probably didn't even know. But she couldn't hold it in and let his name roll off her tongue in a breathy moan at feeling his lips even near her collarbone. She didn't know what it was about that spot that drove her mad, but there was something. And it was kind of sad how she could feel so weak and just be turned on thanks to one little spot. But it was how it was, the second his lips had even ghosted over her collarbone she was done for. That was the moment she became all his.

[ I don't know what was so funny about this. But sitting here reading that last line and just imaging Zayn being thankful for oversized sweaters cracked me up ]

Arielle really didn't know that this was something Harry did frequently. She didn't know that he pretty much had girls lining up to sleep with him. She didn't know that he had a list of different girls numbers that he would call for a late night shag. She knew none of this. Of course, she could have easily assumed something like that seeing his attitude toward settling down and all that crap that he'd been talking about at the club, but it really didn't cross her mind once. To be completely honest, there wasn't much of anything that was crossing her mind right now other than what was going to be happening soon. A soft moan sounded from her lips, the sound muffled by his against hers as she kissed him heatedly.

---

Zayn had no idea where any of this was coming from. He didn't know why he was doing what he was doing, and he sure as hell didn't know why he was feeling the way that he was feeling. This was Sage. His best mate. The girl who helped him pick up girls whenever they went out. The girl who he helped get guys. The girl who, up until recently, he'd only seen as a best mate and maybe even a sister. The thing was, he wasn't really thinking much about what he was doing or what he was feeling. He was just acting on pure instinct alone. He smirked slightly against her skin, hearing the soft moan that escaped her lips and continued to work his along her neck and collarbone, biting and sucking ever so often too.

[I just reread it and I find it funny too. ]

Harry ran his large hands over her body one more time cupping her breasts in his hands and gently rubbing his fingers over her nipples as he pushed positioned himself and pushed into her slowly. He didn't want to move to fast or hard and hurt her, but he also wasn't one for much foreplay either. Really he didn't usually make a girl wait or tease her or anything unless he was really in the mood to drag everything out. And even then he didn't go there often because he felt it might give the wrong impression. Of course he was a bit more handsy with Arielle than most girls and something about that had felt right, like it was what he was supposed to do so he went with it. She wasn't like his other shags, and while he didn't know what was so different about he didn't really mind either, because he was telling himself that it was just a shag and nothing was ever going to come from it but great sex.

---

Sage's eyes fluttered closed while Zayn's lips worked against her skin. Out of all the guys she'd been with, out of all the guys she'd let kiss her or take her back to their place, out of them all she'd never felt quite like she did right now. She'd never felt herself give in so easily or crave a persons touch like she did right now. She'd never let sat there and let a guy kiss her or touch her while she did nothing but enjoy it. Her hands were always moving against them using them to show the guy she liked what he was doing. But right now with Zayn's lips against her skin she didn't feel like she needed to do anything else. It felt nice and she was moaning his name in content while her fingers gently played with his hair on the nape of his neck. There was something intimate about what was happening that she'd just never really felt before and she didn't want it to end.

[ I know. Like I still have no idea what's so funny about it, but it's just funny ]