Dangerous Light

Athena’s air supply catches in her throat, making her gasp quietly, as her body tenses. Her hands quickly find the limbs that are wrapped around her, as she looks down to see her hands on the familiar set of arms. I don’t think there’s ever been a time that I could wrap my hand around one of his arms, Athena thinks to herself as she nonchalantly tries again, it’s a snowball’s chance in hell, I guess.

“You still trying to see if you can grab my arm?”

Her body noticeably relaxes when she hears Jordan’s voice and she smirks, “it was worth a shot.”

“Did you grow claws, or something?” Jordan asks quietly after a second.

Athena snorts, turning her head to try and look at Jordan. “What in the hell are you talking about?”

“It feels like claws are running up my arm.”

Turning back toward the windows, Athena shakes her head and removes her hands from Jordan’s arms and holds them out. “I got my nails and toes done today.”

“So, you got claws?”

“They’re not claws, Jordan.”

Jordan scoffs, “look at those things. You could, like, gouge someone’s eyes out with them.”

Athena quickly turns to examine her gel fingernails, against the skyline’s light, which barely come off the tips of her fingers. “But they’re not even long.”

“I never said they were long claws,” Jordan whispers, resting his chin on the top of Athena’s head.

The petite blonde’s manicured hands are resting on Jordan’s forearms again and she rolls her eyes, “it’s like your life’s mission is to just make me start growing gray hair way too early, or something.”

“You caught me,” Jordan whispers with a smirk on his face.

Nodding, Athena smirks, “it’s about time, don’t you think?”

Jordan quickly, but playfully, tightens his bulky arms around Athena’s waist, just barely lifting her off of the ground. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

A giggle escapes Athena’s lips as she moves her feet around gently, only meeting air. “How many years have you been doing the same thing, Jordan? You think I’d never catch on, or something?”

“I don’t know. But I’m thinking that if I come up with a new plan, I’ve got what, a good decade and change, to come up with another one?”

Athena laughs as Jordan squeezes her again, beginning to move away from their spot, “no!”



In both of her petite hands, Athena holds one of Jordan’s larger, rougher, hands, carefully examining it.

“Maybe you should get a manicure,” she mumbles to herself.

Not even looking away from the television, Jordan inhales, “taking my hand back now.”

“What?” Athena laughs, leaning into the pillows. “What’s so bad about getting your hands and nails cleaned?”

“Girls do that, Athena.” Jordan mumbles, staring at the muted television.

“A lot of guys do it, too, Jord. You know that.”

He shakes his head, “not me. I’ll leave that stuff up to you.”

Athena shrugs, completely leaning back into the wall of pillows and staring at the silenced, early hour infomercials playing on the plasma screen television across the room.

“Hell, when was the last time you got your nails done before today? It’s been… a while.”

Furrowing her eyebrows, Athena purses her lips and stops fumbling with the hem of her shirt. “You don’t know that, Jordan.”

The look he shoots in Athena’s direction, illuminated by just the television, is a knowing one that speaks for itself.

“Don’t give me that look,” Athena says, rather gently.

“What are you gonna do about it?” Jordan smirks.

Unexpectedly, Athena shoves Jordan’s shoulder with a grin playing her lips.

Caught off guard, Jordan actually budges and stares at Athena with wide eyes. A smirk pulls onto his lips, “don’t start something you can’t finish, Athena.”

“Is that a threat, Staal?”

“Maybe, Fischer.”

Pausing for a moment, Athena sighs. “Fine.”

“That’s what I thought,” Jordan slowly turns back to the television.

Athena propels herself toward Jordan, across the bed, this time. Her arms are out, and around his neck in her meek attempt to tackle him.

Snorting rather loudly, Jordan slips his arms around Athena’s waist and rolls her onto his other side, in a few swift motions. Already in a fit of quiet giggles, the blonde woman shields her face.

With an audible groan, Jordan leans over his best friend to grab the television’s remote and press the power button.

“I can’t breathe,” Athena groans from under Jordan’s body, barely draped over her own.

“Oh,” Jordan scoffs pressing the power button on the televisions remote, darkening the room immediately, “shush. You can breathe enough to whine and giggle.”

Athena smiles as Jordan lies down calmly next to her. “Wow, you’re feeling awfully mature tonight, eh?”

“I’m always feeling mature,” Jordan smirks, obviously sarcastic. His arms are still comfortably around his friend’s waist, his chest barely an inch from her back.

Silence falls over the dark room, and both of the blondes lie with their eyes open.

“Hey, Jordan,” Athena breaks the silence, moments later.

“Hey, Athena,” Jordan whispers back.

A smile pulls onto Athena’s face as she puts her hand over one of Jordan’s, now on the other side of her body. “What’s it like?”

“What is what like?” Jordan asks, slowly lacing his fingers in between Athena’s much more delicate ones.

Her voice is quiet and gentle, a tone that Jordan is not used to hearing from any woman he lays with like this on a regular basis, “living your dream.”

“It’s alright, I guess…”

Athena turns her head to look in Jordan’s direction. “Just alright?”

“Yeah, just alright.”

“Why isn’t it the greatest thing ever? You’ve always wanted to play hockey, Jordan.”

He nods, “I know.”

A melancholy smile plays Athena’s lips as she gently squeezes Jordan’s hand.

“Anyway, what are you gonna do after this?”

Raising her eyebrows, Athena sighs. “Not like I have many options.”

Jordan squeezes her hand, reassuringly. “You have plenty of options.”

Guilt suddenly weighs on Athena’s heart, an offer made earlier in the day playing over again in her mind. Don’t even think about telling him, her mind snarls at itself, don’t ruin this. “I’m probably,” she says quietly, “just gonna go home.”

“The Bay?”

Athena nods, “yeah.”