Strictly Casual
6
The morning light burned through Avery’s curtains. Despite the fact that wakefulness had come, she wasn’t ready to come to terms with the fact that it was her reality. She heard Lola snuffling at the edge of her bed, her claws clicking against the linoleum. “Alright!” She surrendered, “I’m up!” Avery heaved herself to a sitting position. A slight weight against her stomach had her pause in concern.
Avery found herself staring at the person laying beside her for longer than she should have. Fucking Garrett. She seethed, throwing the blankets off herself and steadying herself on the floor. She plucked clothes from the piles on the floor and tossed her hair up in a bun. The best course of action here seemed, simply enough, to leave until the problem resolved itself. If Garrett woke up with her gone, he would put two and two together and hopefully get the hell out of dodge. Avery clipped the leash to Lola’s collar before sliding on a pair of sunglasses. When she closed the front door behind her, she did it with a vicious slam, hoping it would rouse Garrett from his sleep and prompt him out more quickly.
The park was surprisingly empty for how nice of a day it was. Avery couldn’t count how many times she threw the bright green tennis ball for Lola, she only knew that she reached the desired effect when Lola refused to chase after it anymore and they were both sticky with sweat. Avery had to trudge across the field to pick up the slimy ball. After a catnap in the sun, Avery decided it was time to head home.
Avery’s apartment smelled uncharacteristically good when she came home. She stood in the doorway like a statue while bolted around the corner into the kitchen. “Well, hello beautiful!” Garrett’s voice came out rough, like he’d just woken up. Avery followed her dog slowly and was met by the sight of Garrett squatting next to Lola, petting her vigorously. He was shirtless, wearing only the jeans from the night before. “How was your walk?” He straightened up to tend to the food that was hissing on the stove.
“Fine.” Avery said cautiously. “Why are you making breakfast?”
“Figured you’d be hungry after last night.” Garrett turned and winked at Avery.
She scoffed and dropped herself at her kitchen table. “This feels like an invasion of privacy.”
“How?” Garrett laughed, flipping a pancake.
“My fridge has some embarrassingly old shit in it.” Avery slid a cigarette from its pack.
“Well, I can't promise that I’m not judging.”
“I can’t promise that those eggs are good.”
“We’ll just have to suffer together.” Avery smiled at his coyness. She fingered a stray match on the table, watching Garrett’s shoulders as he worked. He was in incredibly good shape. She rose from the kitchen table, leaving her cigarette, and closed the distance between her and Garrett. She was agitated that he was still here, but she did love a man that could cook. When she slid her hands down the front of his pants, he let out a soft chuckle. “Aren’t you hungry?”
“For something.” Avery murmured.
“Let’s eat first.” His voice was firm as he shook Avery off.
The rejection bore into her as she fell back into her chair. Avery continued to stare, but her desire for him was snuffed out like a flame being pissed on. She felt her face slip into a pout as her arms crossed over her chest. When Garrett turned to dish out food, he laughed at her expression. “Oh come on, Avery. All I want to do is eat so the food doesn’t get cold or burnt. You can stop giving me that look."
“I'm not giving you a look!” Avery seethed, but she did have to admit to herself that she'd never received rejection sexually, not even for something as slight as this. She always found a way to get what she want, even if she didn't really want it. Avery enjoyed proving to herself, and others, that she could truly have whatever she wanted and when.
“Look. As soon as I’ve got something in me, I’ll put something in you.” Garrett was serving food onto two plates, high with eggs, pancakes, and bacon.
She softened vaguely as the smell teased the hunger out of her. “I am pretty hungry. Let me feed Lola first.”
Garrett poured a small bit of bacon grease atop the dry food Avery had retrieved. “She deserves a treat for having to spend all day with you.”
Avery shot him a dirty look and sat down to eat with the boy that not only stayed the night, but cooked her breakfast the next day.
Avery found herself staring at the person laying beside her for longer than she should have. Fucking Garrett. She seethed, throwing the blankets off herself and steadying herself on the floor. She plucked clothes from the piles on the floor and tossed her hair up in a bun. The best course of action here seemed, simply enough, to leave until the problem resolved itself. If Garrett woke up with her gone, he would put two and two together and hopefully get the hell out of dodge. Avery clipped the leash to Lola’s collar before sliding on a pair of sunglasses. When she closed the front door behind her, she did it with a vicious slam, hoping it would rouse Garrett from his sleep and prompt him out more quickly.
The park was surprisingly empty for how nice of a day it was. Avery couldn’t count how many times she threw the bright green tennis ball for Lola, she only knew that she reached the desired effect when Lola refused to chase after it anymore and they were both sticky with sweat. Avery had to trudge across the field to pick up the slimy ball. After a catnap in the sun, Avery decided it was time to head home.
Avery’s apartment smelled uncharacteristically good when she came home. She stood in the doorway like a statue while bolted around the corner into the kitchen. “Well, hello beautiful!” Garrett’s voice came out rough, like he’d just woken up. Avery followed her dog slowly and was met by the sight of Garrett squatting next to Lola, petting her vigorously. He was shirtless, wearing only the jeans from the night before. “How was your walk?” He straightened up to tend to the food that was hissing on the stove.
“Fine.” Avery said cautiously. “Why are you making breakfast?”
“Figured you’d be hungry after last night.” Garrett turned and winked at Avery.
She scoffed and dropped herself at her kitchen table. “This feels like an invasion of privacy.”
“How?” Garrett laughed, flipping a pancake.
“My fridge has some embarrassingly old shit in it.” Avery slid a cigarette from its pack.
“Well, I can't promise that I’m not judging.”
“I can’t promise that those eggs are good.”
“We’ll just have to suffer together.” Avery smiled at his coyness. She fingered a stray match on the table, watching Garrett’s shoulders as he worked. He was in incredibly good shape. She rose from the kitchen table, leaving her cigarette, and closed the distance between her and Garrett. She was agitated that he was still here, but she did love a man that could cook. When she slid her hands down the front of his pants, he let out a soft chuckle. “Aren’t you hungry?”
“For something.” Avery murmured.
“Let’s eat first.” His voice was firm as he shook Avery off.
The rejection bore into her as she fell back into her chair. Avery continued to stare, but her desire for him was snuffed out like a flame being pissed on. She felt her face slip into a pout as her arms crossed over her chest. When Garrett turned to dish out food, he laughed at her expression. “Oh come on, Avery. All I want to do is eat so the food doesn’t get cold or burnt. You can stop giving me that look."
“I'm not giving you a look!” Avery seethed, but she did have to admit to herself that she'd never received rejection sexually, not even for something as slight as this. She always found a way to get what she want, even if she didn't really want it. Avery enjoyed proving to herself, and others, that she could truly have whatever she wanted and when.
“Look. As soon as I’ve got something in me, I’ll put something in you.” Garrett was serving food onto two plates, high with eggs, pancakes, and bacon.
She softened vaguely as the smell teased the hunger out of her. “I am pretty hungry. Let me feed Lola first.”
Garrett poured a small bit of bacon grease atop the dry food Avery had retrieved. “She deserves a treat for having to spend all day with you.”
Avery shot him a dirty look and sat down to eat with the boy that not only stayed the night, but cooked her breakfast the next day.
♠ ♠ ♠
Welp, after an actual two year hiatus, work whittled me down to the point where I found this story and actually felt like continuing it. So here is a (relatively short) chapter! Bon chance!