So Fragile Yet So Devious

With her key and leftover cake in hand, she walked slowly up to her apartment. The thoughts in her head were racing at a million miles an hour. She reached the door and slid her key inside the lock. Oddly enough, she could've swore she could hear the television from inside. Weird. She knew she'd turned everything off before she'd left earlier in the evening. Once unlocked, she turned the doorknob with caution. She stuck her head inside first to get a look around.

"Corey?" She called to the sleeping figure that was draped over her couch with his feet dangling off the arm and his mouth hanging open. He didn't move at all when she said his name. Setting the cake on a nearby table, she moved towards him and said his name once more. When he didn't respond, she shook him gently. His eyes popped open quickly as she shook his shoulders and when he saw her in front of him he grinned like an idiot.

"Heyyyyyyyyyy you." He slurred.

"You reek of alcohol....." She sighed out of disappointment. The aroma of beer and whiskey was overwhelming.

He poked his bottom lip out in a pout, "Gee thanks."

"How'd you even get in here?"

His eyes lit up as he fished around in his pockets before producing the key he'd found taped to the top of her door frame. "You need to find a better hiding spot for that..."

"Did you drive here already drunk?"

He thought for a second, "Uhhhhhhhhh I may have..."

Her eyes narrowed, "I know you didn't leave my birthday party so you could get smashed."

"Nooooooo. I would never ever do that." He argued drunkenly. "I left cause I knew what Jeremy was gonna ask you..."

"Faith, what are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about him asking you to be his wife." She was shocked. She couldn't believe he knew. "So, when's the wedding?"

"There's not...or...I don't know. Wait, how'd you know he was going to propose?"

"Oh, he called me up just to tell me all about it."

"Well, I don't think there's going to be a wedding...Not with him, anyway."

"Wait," He made an effort to finally sit up but did so too quickly and was immediately dizzy. "You didn't say 'yes' ?"

She shook her head, "I kind of left him with an 'I don't know.'" Seeing that he was having trouble sitting up since the room was obviously spinning, she leaned over to help him. "So, wanna tell me why you got so drunk?"

"I'd love to answer you but I really gotta hurl." He stood up and took off for the bathroom. She followed behind him to make sure he was ok and when he was finished she handed him the bottle of mouthwash off of her sink. He looked at her funny. "You ate italian food AND you just threw up....trust me, you need it."

He nodded and wished around some of the minty liquid in his mouth. When he was finished, he leaned against the door frame and looked at her. He smiled a little bit then put his head down.

"I didn't mean to get this drunk." He started. "I just got to thinking you and Jeremy and him asking you to marry him....and i got really fucking bummed out."

"Corey, you haven't drank like this in a few years. It bummed you out that much?"

"I didn't know what else to do." He shrugged. "I don't know how to explain it..."

"Try."

"I can't." He moved his head back and forth.

"Why not?"

"Because when you're around me, I can't think. I can't do anything."

"We've always been able to talk to each other, Cor."

"It's different now. We're not in Shawn's basement. I'm not some twenty-something year old burn out anymore. And you're not that kid anymore."

"Yeah? So, we grew up."

His head shook and he bit his lip a little bit, "You don't get it. You're this fucking beautiful, smart, funny, amazing woman, now. I get so fucking nervous around you sometimes."

She gently took his hand, "It's just me."

"Don't marry this asshole." He pleaded. "He's not right for you. He's a complete fucking prick actually."

"Corey..."

"It's always been you and me. We've got this thing together that no one else can even come close to. It needs to stay that way. Just you and me."

"What are you saying?" She gulped.

"I'm saying that I'm a complete fucking idiot. A long time ago when you wanted to have a relationship, I should have said yes. I should have went for it. I've regretted it ever since and I don't do well with regrets."

"Well, maybe you still have a chance to fix it.....then you wouldn't regret it anymore..."

He lifted a curious eyebrow at her and a soft grin played on his lips. "So, on a scale from 1 to 10.....how good of a chance do I have?"

She thought for a second, "I'd say you're a strong 6....."

"A 6?!" He exclaimed with some humor in his voice.

"Okay, okay, 6 and a half."

"That's more like it." He tried to move closer to her smoothly but drunken vision caused him to stumble. He nearly fell but she caught his arms and pulled him up.

"You ok?" She asked. "Kind of tripped."

"No, I didn't. I was doing one of those trust exercises." He responded smartly.

"Yeah like you'd really need to test my trust." She joked.

"True." He nodded. "I'd trust you with the most important part of me..."

"Corey. Eww." She pretended to grimace.

"No, not that." He wagged his finger at her then he stopped. "Okay, yeah, I'd trust you with that too." She laughed and his blue eyes lit up at the sound. He leaned in closer leaving his lips only millimeters away from hers. "I'd trust you with my heart." He watched her cheeks redden and she tried to look down out of anxiousness but his hand pulled her chin back up. "I love you, Dolly." She wasted no time in smashing her lips against his and he was more than glad to accept the gesture. Her kisses drove him absolutely mad. And even though she could detect the hint of alcohol on his tongue, he still tasted just a sweet as he always did.