Picture Perfect

(this chapter is like 4K words I'm so sorry lol enjoy! BY THE WAY A Summer Song is an old song by Chad & Jeremy- you've heard it if you've ever watched Princess Diaries lol and I would totally suggest listening to the first 40 seconds while you read the part it's mentioned in cause it definitely adds to the part).

-----Kat's (very drunk) POV

I somehow manage to sprint my way into the beautifully designed hotel in my heels earning a few stifled laughs from the hotel night staff. I ignore them as I head to the elevator pushing the up button repeatedly until the doors opened in surrender. I hop in alone and glance at my floor choices. "4 or 5?" I wonder drunkenly aloud. What I was really saying was "go to my room and sleep or go see Claude?"

My alcohol induced heart was saying "go see Claude you know you want to JUST DO IT ALREADY!" while my mind was saying, well, I wasn't sure what it was saying- probably begging me to never drink alcohol ever again. A goofy smile grows on my face when I push the '5' and it lights up in agreement. As the elevator doors open, my heart starts to flutter wildly; my drunken mind just wanted to see Claude's irresistible smirk and hear the accent that drives me crazy on a daily basis. My heart was crying out for him as I approached the first doors that lined the corridor.

I halt immediately, "shit- which room is he?" I knew he was on the floor- all the Flyers were but I had no clue what room. "Think Kat think," I slur to myself as I tap my forehead with my index finger. He usually stayed in a room in the middle of the group of rooms in the hall- right? Damn I can't even think straight. I walk down the hall until I hear some noise coming one of the rooms- it sounded like Sportsnet- this had to be him.

I give a rapid knock onto the solid door in front of me with a goofy smile on my face until it opens. The feeling of seeing his in front of mine was making my heartburn with anticipation. The door swings open quickly revealing a gorgeous brunette. The smile on my face rapidly faded as I realized how stupid I must've looked. "Hi- can I help you?"

"Uhm no- I'm sorry I must've knocked on the wrong door," I manage to spit out coherently as my heart broke. I was just glad Claude wasn't here to see me interrupting his night with his hook up. Just as a go to turn away a new voice pops up, "Kat? I thought it sounded like you," a familiar voice pops up from behind the woman.

"Ryan," I smile with a shout; happiness washes over me- so this wasn't Claude's room after all, "I'm so sorry to bother you guys I was looking for Cl-,"

"Kat?" I hear the door adjacent to Ryan's open wide and head full of ginger hair sticks out.

"G!" I chime happily and turn to White, "I was looking for him!" I add, pointing to Claude, "have a good night sorry bout bothering you guys!" I wave flamboyantly; he just laughs and replies with have a good night. I was surprised he didn't ask why I was looking for G- did he know too? How many guys did know?

I walk over to a snickering Claude, "Katina I believe you've had too much alcohol."

"Pssshhh, you mean too much fun!" I giggle and wiggle my brows. He returns my giggle with a panty-melting grin and my heart can't help but flutter in my chest. Time moves slow around me as he starts to talk to me- I try to hear what he's saying but everything is muffled as A Summer Song starts to play in my mind. I observe his perfect face, the curls on his head that refuse to obey, and the way his lips move when he's talking; the view of his face was so hypnotizing. His breath is tainted slightly with the scent of beer, making my heart lighten. His facial features tighten slowly into a perfect smitten- encapsulating smile and I'm pretty sure I fall deeper in love. Sooooooooft kisses on a summer's day I hum along to the words being sung in my head. My alcohol haze combined with the cheesy love song playing in my head made me look at him through a pink tinted color lens.

A hand waves in front of my face abruptly, bringing the music to a halt and time starts to move at a regular pace, "Kat? You okay?" G laughs light heartedly.

"Yeah- sure just tired" is what I should have said- instead, "When you look at me time moves slow and everything goes pink and I hear a sappy love song in my head- to be exact it's A Summer Song- but only the beginning," is what I let roll off my tongue. My eyes widen as I realize what I just said, "I'm sorry I'm drunk and I'm word vomiting I think."

"It's okay," he half laughs, "wait here real quick, okay?" he asks with a smile before returning into his room for something. I almost say 'anything for you but' I keep my lips sealed. He comes out with a sweatshirt over his v-neck that fit around his toned arms perfectly making my pout slightly. "Let's get you back to your room, it's late."

"You could've just said goodnight Claude, I don't need an escort," I roll my eyes- now he was acting like one of the guys, "and I'm not your sister."

"First of all, who said anything about sleeping? And second, I don't think I'd ever be able to look at you like a sister so you don't have to worry about that," he says keeping his eyes forward, locked on the elevator.

"Oh thank god," I say aloud by accident causing G to laugh.

"To which part?" he asks as he places a sturdy hand on my back guiding me down the hallway keeping me from swerving.

"Both," I answer truthfully.

We get to my room quickly, and it only takes me about four tries to swipe into my room. "AhhhhhAAAAA!" I say with an evil snicker as it beeps green letting us in.

"Shhhhhhhh, you're not the only person on the floor," he rolls his eyes.

"Captain, did you just roll your eyes at me?" I ask as we push walk into the large hotel room, "someone needs a drink," I grin ear to ear, heading towards the mini fridge. I pull out an alcohol filled tiny bottle and toss it towards Claude- and by toss I mean I kind of sort of not really tossed it his way, causing him to run to catch it- and surprisingly he keeps it from hitting the floor.

I clap my hands together, "can you do any other tricks?"

"Very funny Katina," he says as he places the bottle on the dresser next to him.

"No way, you've gotta catch up with me," I point to the isolated bottle.

"Fine," he smiles, unscrews the lid and downs the liquid content easily. He moves to the lounge area of the room and makes himself comfortable on the couch, "so when is Tessy going to get back?"

"Probably never," I say through a struggling grunt as I take off one of my heels and toss it next to my bed,"she's gonna run away with Scott and," my other stiletto is pried off with a grumble, "get married. The two were dancing- getting all hot and heavy when I left." I grab the complimentary snacks from the counter and all the alcohol from the mini-fridge and unleash it all on the coffee table in front of Claude. He grabs a beer from the case next to him and I cock my head, "when the fuck did that appear?"

"I've had this the entire walk down here- wow you're drunk," G laughs whole heartedly. "Anyways, why'd you leave in the first place?" he asks, takes another small bottle of what I'm guessing is tequila and finishes it with ease.

"Honestly because the guys won't tell me what's up with Parker- I know they're hiding something," I plop down on the couch next to Claude.

I notice his hand clutch the empty container tightly and looks to the window, avoiding eye contact, "it's not that big of a deal, really."

"Am I going to have to get you drunk so you can tell me?" I ask with a devilish grin and he returns it quickly.

"Maybe."

-----Claude's ( tipsy) POV

I untwist the cap of yet another bottle and drink it in a couple swigs. I had made the promise to myself that I was going to take it easy tonight but that changed as soon as she showed up at my door. Sure I had a few beers but that was nowhere near the buzz I was getting now from downing tequila so fast.

Her alluring eyes were on me, waiting for me to tell her about the prick Parker, in this state I couldn't deny her request. "He's just not a good guy Kat- he known for being a player- dating multiple girls on the staff that don't know each other- he breaks it off with them as soon as it gets too serious," I bring beer bottle to my lips and take a drink, "rumor has it he treats the girls like shit afterwards too. I know it's not totally serious but I mean they're just looking out for you."

"Well maybe he's changed- and besides how would they know for sure?" she scoffs- why was she defending this guy she'd went on one date with?

"Why does it matter? Wouldn't you trust us more than some guy?" I ask failing to hold back my thoughts.

"It's not that I don't trust you guys- I think you maybe too over protective," she singsongs with annoyance, "let's just drop it. Don't want you to spoil my buzz too."

"Deal," I nod and push the thought of the prick out of my now slightly spinning head.

-----Kat's POV

With the TV now turned on to a Christmas movie on ABC Family as background noise, the two of us drank happily splitting a beer bottle which was giving me heart palpitations- I felt like a young pathetic fan girl thinking, oh my gosh his lips touched this!

"So are you ready for Christmas?" he asks motioning to the movie playing with his eyes and turns his body to face me and I do the same.

"Of course- Philly looks so pretty during Christmas, which I haven't been able to experience yet this year, and I love seeing my family and spending it with Jules and Dex," I smile goofily as the Christmas spirit brightens my thoughts.

"Dex?"

"My older brother- I haven't seen him in so long," I sigh and Claude rests his hand on mine to offer comfort- ironically, it did everything but that.

"Don't worry Christmas is so close and we'll take a walk around the city as soon as we get back from the road trip," he offers.

"I'll hold you to it- if we can both remember," I laugh as I look at the few empty tiny bottles of liquor.

*** A few more bottles later***

Claude and I were drunkenly laughing on the couch as we exchanged dumb stories about nothing - catching each other up on anything that we didn't know about each other. We were clicking together so well it was enough to make my head swirl even more.

"There's no way that's your hidden talent!" I object with a giggle.

"Go head try me," he challenges with a smirk.

I pick up a complimentary bag of M &M's, open them and grab just one out of the bag. I toss one towards his face and he surprisingly catches it on his first try and munches on it with a victorious smile that bright enough to wake the dead. "Nooooo WAY!" I yell and lose it laughing. I throw a few more his way one-by-one and he catches every single one in his mouth. "You're unbelievable Claude," I giggle, chucking a M&M into my own mouth.

"You have any hidden talents?" he asks with a sly grin.

"If you count being double jointed as a hidden talent," I answer hesitantly.

"I would count it as a hidden somethin'," G laughs heartily, making such a pleasant sound.

"Well here's my hidden something," I say with a bouncy giggle before I take off my flannel and show him my double jointed elbow. He responds with funny wide-eyed look, "I'm pretty sure you're the only person on the planet that can still look cute doing that," he admits with a chuckle.

"I hardly doubt that but thanks anyway," I blush and fail to fight back a goofy smile. I take a swig of our shared beer as he watches me, searching my face. Claude eyes me in my tank top, noticing my naked arms and begins to take off his sweatshirt. He offers it to me silently with a sweet smile. I force myself to decline even though I wanted his sweatshirt so bad, "uh, no thanks it's okay, my flannel's right here."

"I know," he says still holding the hoodie. I blush once again and take the sweatshirt from his hand. Putting it on, I bask in his amazing scent I always have stuck in my head; it was even more intoxicating than the tequila sitting on the coffee table.

"Ya know, you're pretty soft around the edges regardless of what everyone else on the team thinks," Claude says softly leaning his arm on the back of the couch.

"I could say the same about you captain," I retort, "you're a pretty sweet guy."

"I don't know about that one," he teases.

"I do- You could be at a club, hitting on potential hook-ups on a Saturday night with your best friends, having the time of your life. Instead, you're here, with me," I tap my chest, "eating junk food, and splitting beers and tequila shots," I half laugh.

"Who said I'm not having the time of my life right now?" Claude challenges with a smile, and a silence grows between us as we grin goofily at each other like two teenagers. He takes a bag of fancy snacks from the coffee table and opens it, "ever have one of these?" he asks as he pops a chocolate covered something the size of a golf ball into his mouth.

I shake my head no, "what is it?"

"Just try it," he chuckles, pulls a chocolate-covered-something out of the bag, holding it in between his fingers. He holds it in front of me, almost grazing my lips lightly, making my heart go numb "bite into it, you'll see." I observe his dark eyes staring deeply into mine- why did he have to look so good?

"I don't know why you can't just tell me what it is," I turn my head resist the irresistible Claude Giroux charm; I was very proud of drunk me.

"Just bite into it," he says softly and deeply with a gentle smile, breaking my stubborn walls; we both knew we were flirting with danger. I wrap my hand around his wrist to steady it as I bite into the rather large chocolate covered something keeping my eyes on him. The air around us turned tense as shockwaves pulsed through my body as we touched; drunk Claude was a fucking flirt but I couldn't complain- two could play this game. As soon as I broke the outer shell of chocolate, thick caramel poured on my tongue and Claude's fingers as I pulled my head a few centimeters away chewing the bite I took. I take the last of the caramel filled treat out of his fingers with mouth once again. His eyes grow even darker as I lightly suck the excess caramel off his thumb and index finger, keeping eye contact.

"Did you like it?" G asks, his voice low.

"Of course, who doesn't like caramel?" I ask with a knowing grin. Obviously, the captain wasn't expecting a taste of his own medicine.

-----Claude's (drunk) POV

Four beers and two tiny vodka bottles later, Kat and I were laughing up a storm, doing stupid shit, playing Go-Fish and Bullshit with the random deck of cards we found in the bedside table. Even though we both couldn't see very straight we still attempted to play our games regardless. There was nothing harder than bluffing while drunk off your ass; but we were still pretty damn good at it. We started a new game of Bullshit by putting half of the deck into the discard pile to start since there was only the two of us playing.

"I'm discarding a three of hearts and four of diamonds," I say trying to hide my smile, but it was almost impossible looking at her face. She looks at me from behind her cards with an arched eyebrow. Kat lowers them, "buuuuuuuuuuuuuuull- SHIT!" she yells holding back a laugh. She picks up the cards to inspect them, and finds that I am indeed lying through my teeth. "AhAAAAA!" she giggles; Kat picks up about 10 cards from the discard pile and hands them to me, "I believe these are now yours caaaaptain," she singsongs cheerily, "looks like I'll be winning."

I try to think of a snarky comment to say back but my mind goes fuzzy and suddenly I'm watching her mouth grow into a smile in slow motion. Her eyes twinkle as she looks into mine and I'm honestly hypnotized. Was this what she was talking about earlier? Shit, I'm in deep with this girl. A Summer Song doesn't get a minute to play in my head- before I know it, Kat's shaking me from the hypnotizing daze, waving the cards in my face.

"Eaaaaarth to Rooooooo! Take the cards!" Kat chimes and I slowly take the cards from her small fingers.

"I am going to put down my four of clubs and five of spades," she says a little too confidently. A smile plays on her face challenging me.

"I think.... BULL SHIT!" I yell and she lets out a squeal. Kat lifts up her two cards, "I was not bullshitting! How do you like them apples!" she giggles wildly, getting in my face and almost falls off the couch. I grab her to keep her from taking a tumble and start to tickle her, sending her into fits of laughter that was music to my ears.

"Uncle! Uncle!" she gasps "Uncle! Stop pleeease!"

"Well since you asked so nicely," I chuckle and let her fall to my chest where she rests her head, recovering for her laughing fit. Kat burrows her head deeper in my shirt making herself comfortable and I couldn't complain at all. I rest my hands on her back, bracing her sides with my arms. "You good?" I ask in a whisper.

"Perfect," she replies almost silently.

My gaze moves from her to the old Christmas movie playing on the TV. I close my eyes to rest them as Kat hums discordantly along with the song all the puppets were singing. With the combination of Kat's body draped on top of mine, her breath on my chest, and alcohol it was almost impossible to keep myself awake.

*****

"Kat?" I hear a high pitched voice say.

"G?" a deeper one follows bringing me to consciousness slowly. My eyes flutter open and white sunlight pouring in from the window greets them. I feel a light body on top of me start to stir in place. I look down to Kat and observe her disgruntled face- probably hating the sun as much I was; I rub my eyes with my fingers and look to the figures gaping at us from the door. Tess is wide eyed, holding a pair of heels in her hands, and Scott was behind her with the same exact look.

"Uh, good morning guys," the scratchy voice next to me says and gets up from my chest, "I-I -uh- w-we- uhm," she stutters trying to figure out what to say.

"We just kinda fell asleep last night by accident," I fill in her blank and she looks to me, thanking me with her eyes. Kat and I realize that we're still partly entangled with each other; I was holding her small hand in mine, with my other arm wrapped loosely around her side. Once we realize what we must've looked like to them, we separate immediately.

"We'll uh- come back later," Tess says with a devilish grin and starts to turn around.

"No- no- stop- stay you don't need to leave," I blurt out, "this is your room- not mine. Besides I have to get back and start packing for the plane." I get off the couch alongside Kat and start to pick up some stray trash on the table; Laughts and Tessy force some conversation but we both knew that they were really paying attention to us watching our body language with each other.

"Uhm, thanks for hanging out with me last night," Kat says looking to the floor in an attempt to hide a blush.

"No problem- I had a ton of fun," I say honestly, flashing a genuine smile. We stand awkwardly for a few moments in silence before Kat speaks up.

"I should- uh- start cleaning and packing," she says rubbing the back of her neck with her hand.

"Same here," I admit, "see you on the bus then?"

"Yeah of course," her face lights up. She walks me to the door towards to new couple and waves goodbye with a shy smile. I unwillingly wave back and head out the door with Laughts' hood in my hand, dragging him out of the hotel room.

The girls chime their goodbyes as we make our way out and down the hall. "Listen Laughts, if you tell anyone what you just saw, which was nothing," I give him a stern look, "I'm going to make it my personal goal to make practices hell for you."

"Hey- no problem you didn't even have to say anything," he holds his hands up in surrender as we walk down the hall towards the elevator.

"Thanks- it's just- we don't need any rumors flying around, go it?"

"Aye, aye Captain."

I get back to my room in no time and start to pack in hopes to distract myself. Reader was already packed with his bags already on his bed and was probably down at breakfast stuffing his face with some of the other guys. As much as I wanted to pick up my phone and tell Kat that I wish we could've spent the morning in laying on the couch together, watching Christmas movies, something was telling me not to.

Something was telling me flirting was only going to make it worse, make being friends messy, and it was a careless thing to do- but hell, a little fun and flirting never killed anyone right? She liked me, I liked her- just because we can't date doesn't mean we can't have fun flirting- what could go wrong?

"To hell with it," I murmur aloud and make a B-line for my phone. I quickly type out a message on my phone, "We need to do that again sometime soon- but not have our morning end so short- I haven't had that much fun since Halloween night. Save me a seat on the bus?" I send it before I chicken out and toss it on the bed anxiously waiting for her to reply.

She could either get freaked out, stop talking to me, or throw coffee in my face again, I think to myself, weighing the outcomes of what I've just done. As time passed and still no reply, the negative thoughts in my head started to nag me incessantly, "Claude you moron what the fuck were you thinking?" I ask myself, "way to ensure that Kat will never speak to you again." Just then, my phone buzzes beside my head making my heart race. The text message written on my screen made a smile stretch across my face.

"Same here- last night was great. Drunk Claude is definitely my favorite Claude- I'm glad one of us didn't pull a 'Cinderella' this time though. I'll see you on the bus Captain (: "

This was the beginning of a beautiful 'friendship.'