Peach Cocaine

Casey woke to the smell of eggs, and God they smelled amazing. Her stomach instantly began to rumble before she even opened her eyes. She glanced around, realizing she was still on the couch and curled up in a comforter.

Sitting up, Casey’s blue orbs traveled to the kitchen where a thin, shirtless and heavily tattooed Pale Fish stood, plopping peaches into a bowl.

“You didn’t ‘ave any, so I bought some,” He says once he notices she’s awake, he indicates toward the slimy fruit with a fork, “I couldn’t believe it.”

“They’re disgusting,” Casey frowns, suddenly feeling self-conscious of bedhead and possibly smelling funky. Good lord, she had to look disgusting herself.

Wait a second... why is Pale Fish half naked in my apartment? She looks around shiftily and quickly stalks off to the bathroom, “I’m taking a shower!”

“Aye, dear,” He says.

Dear?

What the hell?

Casey turns the water on and dunks herself beneath the shower head. Hoping that she didn’t just step into the Twilight Zone and suddenly her and Oliver are married with five kids. She checks her ring finger to be clear. Nothing. Good.

When she is all fresh, clean and completely dressed and dry, she meanders back out into the kitchen. A small, almost guilty smile is playing on her lips.

“Oi, don’t let your eggs get cold. I didn’t make them for m’self, sweet,” Oliver says amiably.

Casey sits down obediently at the counter and begins to eat. It tastes wonderful, so why wasn’t he having any? How could he not have any?! She hadn’t tasted these good of eggs since her last visit with her Grandma Wolton in Michigan.

“How can you not eat this? It’s amazing!”

Pale Fish smirks, his thick lashes resting on his cheeks as his body rumbles in laughter. “I don't really care for eggs, love.”

She gives him a disgruntled look, “Why is that so funny?”

He pauses, not sure on how to reply, because there really isn’t anything funny with what she asked. Oliver just enjoys her company, and it makes him feel exceptionally happy to be around her at the moment.

So, he shrugs, replying truthfully: “Because I like being around you.”
This takes Casey for a short loop. She hadn’t expected something like that to come out of his mouth.

“Oh…”

“By the way, I took your car in to get it fixed an’ I bought you more food. The only things you had were a box of half-eaten Happy-o’s and old dog biscuits. I’m pretty sure Chum doesn’t eat those.”

Chum is curled up by Oliver’s feet, he raises his head in acknowledgment.

Casey nods, “Thank you! But how am I going to get to work today? It’s an hour away…”

“I’ve got yeh covered,” Oliver smiles, “I’ll take you there until you get your car back.” It also gave him an excuse to be around her more often.

“I… I appreciate you coming over last night. On such short notice, too.” Casey begins to play with the remainder of eggs.

“It was my pleasure.”

A drawn out silence builds up.

“Why did you come searching for me?”

Finally the question has been said. Something that she has been itching to ask since their reuniting merely two weeks ago.

Oliver stares at the empty bowl in front of him. He begins to wonder if this girl would ever comprehend the pain he had gone through in rehab and if she’d accept him for all his faults and mistakes he’d made in the past. And probably will make in the future. Sure it would be asking a lot from a girl he hardly knows, but he truly likes her. Eventually he would like to spill all of his guts out to her…

“This is going to sound ridiculously cheesy, but the memory of you kept me going in… in rehab. And I had to know if there would be anything more between us… since I really couldn’t pursue it before.”

Seductress Fish.

Casey hadn’t thought of her in quite awhile. Even with him opening up like this, she is still afraid to ask about the woman. There seemed like too much raw emotion revolving around her, and Casey didn’t want Oliver to leave. She liked being around him, too.

“Well, I’m glad you found me,” Casey smiles.

“I am too.” Oliver leans across the table and abruptly kisses her on the mouth.