Homecoming

[sandi_grl]

"Well isn't that a shame."

As he wrapped his arm around her, she slipped hers under his armpit and held on to his waist. She felt her phone vibrate in her back pocket, the pattern of the vibration telling her it was a text from Chas. Probably wondering where she was, typical protective older brother. If only he knew she was out with Marc. The though made her smile as she ignored the text.

Finally it was their turn to play. The racked up the cups, filled them with beer from a pitcher that came from one of the kegs outside and started. It all started off well enough as she got the ball in a few of their opponents' cups... But then they started sinking some shots.

She chugged another cup before adding it to the stack to the side, making that 6 cups now, 3 for her and 3 for him. That wouldn't have been a problem if they'd used the typical amount of beer, but each cup was at least 3/4 of the way full. "Heating up," one of the girls they were playing against called before shooting again. The ball bounced and Chelsea tried swatting at it, but it went in another cup.

"Son of a bitch," she mumbled, pulling two cups off the table, handing one to Marc. "I usually don't suck this bad."

 

[a_libertine]

Marc grinned at her and said, "At least you have played before. On base if we are trying to get drunk, we just do."

He picked up the ping pong ball and bounced it a time or two experimentally. Seemingly satisfied he quickly fired the ball to the other end. The other male swung to bat the ball, but missed. Marc bounced it under his hand and into a cup.

Both of the other team scowled and wooded as they each chugged a beer from the table, leaving one cup on the table. They tossed the ball back to him and Marc asked Chelsea, "Wanna get drunk or win?"

Without waiting for her to answer Marc fired the ball again.

 

[sandi_grl]

"Considering you haven't played before, you're the best partner I've had in this game. Chas sucks as a partner, he gets too competitive." She wrinkled her nose at the memories of going to a few parties with him.

She watched as Marc shot the ball again and made it in the cup, winning the game. She looked at him with a grin. "Have you had enough to dance now, or do we need to go find some liquor?"

 

[a_libertine]

He looked down at her and grinned impishly. "Trying to get me drunk so you can seduce me?"

He caressed her face gently and said, "That won't work. Of, and I stress if, that happens we will both be sober as a church mouse."

He wrapped his arm around her again and led her to the bar area, "You get your hard stuff, I will grab a couple beers meet you back here."

 

[sandi_grl]

"Can you blame a girl for trying?" she teased, before her smile faltered some. If? Was he saying that there was a slim chance for tonight, or a slim chance for anything at all? She was reading too far into it.

She wandered off and grabbed a cup of that nights jungle juice. Tasting it, she made a face as she realized it was super heavy with gin, which she hated. She set the cup on the counter and returned empty handed, thinking maybe she'd just steal one of his beers.

 

[a_libertine]

Returning with two beers in each hand, Marc saw that Chelsea had no drink. "What happened to the hard stuff," he asked as he held out a pair of beers.

"And, no, I intended to drink all four," he said with a smile.

A drunk petite blonde wearing a top tighter than Marc's dance up to them and she ran a hand over his chest, "Oooh, muscles."

He looked at her and gave a half cocked grin as he tilted his head towards Chelsea, "I think the pretty one called dibs, check with her."

 

[sandi_grl]

Chelsea took a large swallow swallow from one of the beers as the blonde sauntered up to Marc. She then smiled as the blonde turned and looked at her. "Rachel, you know I don't share well."

"Oh Chels! You made it!" She gave the auburn beauty a hug before turning her attention back to Marc. "You must be the infamous Marc," she stated, not being shy about looking him up and down. "I thought you just a figment of her imagination. You're much cuter than she described. Chels, hun, you gotta get better at describing guys."

 

[a_libertine]

I looked from the blonde to Chelsea and back, grinning wildly. "Been talking about me, eh?"

I downed the beer I had and tossed the empty toward the trash. Wrapping an arm around Rachel's shoulder and steered her away, "Come along Chelsea, I want to watch your face as tits here tells me stories about me."

 

[sandi_grl]

Rachel beamed up at him. "Oh, I have lots of stories to tell you."

Chelsea stared at the two, her face flushing pink. Her friend had a decent amount to tell Marc, for sure. And alcohol apparently made the girl code go out the window. Chelsea listened as the short blonde went on telling him how he was all she could talk about when they first met in their freshman year of high school. And how she'd turned down dates to prom because he was supposed to come home on leave and she was going to ask him... But last minute his leave got denied, at least so said Chas. And how she was such a prude, holding out because she was hoping for him. For being drunk, Rachel had the memory of an elephant, recalling things even Chelsea didn't remember telling her over the years.

She had enough. She'd barely drank out of the first beer he'd given her, and didn't even touch the second. She pulled her keys from his pocket. "I'll see you two later. Have fun." She left them, obviously flustered.

Why was she being so sensitive? He knew she like him, that was implied earlier at home, and by them holding hands and holding each other close earlier in the evening. But hearing her friend make her out to be obsessed? It was a bit too much.

 

[a_libertine]

Marc watched as Chelsea's face turned darker and darker as Rachel let it all hang out. Part of him was impressed that she had waited 4 years for him. Really impressed. A part of him also was saddened that she did, she missed a lot in high school.

When she stormed off, Marc gave Rachel a peck on the cheek and a muttered, "Thanks tits, next time hang them out for all of us to enjoy."

He took off after Chelsea and grabbed her hand and spun her around. "Rule three, neither of us storm off with out talking about the issue."

He then held her gently by both arms, "I have trust and controls issues Chelsea, no one has been as close as Chas, and even he fell away while I was in the desert."

Leaning forward he kissed her quickly on the lips. "If you want anything to work, there are rules, three you know and many more to come. They get more complex as we go, because of lots of damn issues I have. And storming off never helps anything."

 

[sandi_grl]

She'd almost reached the car before he got to her. She blinked away the tears that she'd been fighting off as she was walking. She was embarrassed, frustrated, angry... His kiss, though gone as soon as it came, tamped them down, at least for the moment.

He was willing to give her a shot? "She... I just..." she started, not quite able to get her words together as her mind raced. She gave a frustrated sigh, looking down at his hands on her arms. "I just want to go home..."

 

[a_libertine]

Marc pulled her close and kissed the top of her head, and said softly, "You bet."

He pulled the keys to her jeep from his pocket and opened the passenger door for her. Getting in, he drove back to her house. Pulling in he said, "I gotta go to mom'said house. See you tomorrow?"

 

[sandi_grl]

(She had the keys ;P )

They rode in silence the 15 minutes it took to get back to their neighborhood, save for the low music that came over the radio. She held his hand, absently rubbing her thumb back and forth. She wondered what other rules would come up. So far no yelling at him, no opening doors for herself, and no walking off angry... What issues did he have? She could only speculate, having heard and read some of the horror stories when military persons come back from deployment.

He pulled the Jeep into the driveway before turning the engine off. So he wasn't going to stay at her house. It was probably for the best, at least for now. "Sure," she said. Chelsea let go of his hand and placed her palm against his cheek for a short second before trailing her fingers through his hair to the back of his head, pulling him in for a kiss. She lingered for several moments, this was the kiss she wanted earlier, before leaning back and grabbing her keys from him. She smiled softly at him. "Goodnight."


She leaned back against the front door once she was in the house, sighing. The night didn't go quite the way she had hoped, but it could have ended far worse. As she made her way down the hall to her room, Chas opened his door and peaked out. "Why didn't you respond to my text? Where were you?"

Chelsea rolled her eyes at him. "I was at a party and my phone was on silent." She held her phone out for him to see the screen, his text still showing as unread in the dropdown queue. "I'm going to bed. Goodnight," she told him before stepping into her own bedroom and shutting the door, not giving him a chance to say or ask anything else.


---


Rolling over with a groan, she pulled the covers over her head. The curtains were letting in that little annoying sliver of sunlight and it went right on her face. "Thank God it's Sunday..." she mumbled to herself, not wanting to get out of bed. She wasn't hungover, but she was still exhausted from not getting much sleep. Her brain refused to turn off, so it took forever for her to fall asleep and then she tossed and turned the rest of the night.

 

[a_libertine]

To say it was a kiss open changed history was a clear overstatement: to say it was a kiss that changed Marc's life was dead on. Maybe just maybe he was beginning to understand the depth of her feelings for him. As the kiss progressed Marc felt his body reacting as anyone would expect. Blood was pounding in his ears, heart in his throat.

Marc watched as Chelsea walked into her house. It was kind of cute, the stories Rachel told. Kind of scary too. How does anyone live up to that sort of expectation? However one does, Marc resolved to figure it out for her.

His eyes drifted over to his parent's house and he muttered, "One problem at a time."

Turning that was, Marc started up, dreading each step as it fell, propelling him closer and closer to his parent's house. Opening the door he set his duffel by the door and was immediately greeted with, "Great, what the fuck are you doing here? No one asked you to come back."

Marcel looked at his father and replied, "I am not here to see you, could care less. I am here for Mom."

His father, nearly 6'2" and 240 pounds of blue collar and bad attitude bellowed, "She doesn't care either, boy."

Anger flashed across Marc's eyes, "Go fuck yourself old man."

Marc's father threw the half full beer can at his son, who stepped nimbly to the side out of the way. Marc picked up his bag, turned, and left his familial home, swearing to never return.

He woke late in the morning at the long term motel, having rented a room for a week. His eyes popped open at the memory of Chelsea's kiss the night before. Clambered out of bed, Marc dressed then went for a run.

After he showered, then went over to Chas and Chelsea's house. Knocking on the door, it creaked as Chas threw the door open, "Dick breath " he exclaimed.

Marc hugged Chas and replied, "Asshat you smell rank, take a shower. Wait you did, didn't you?"

As they walked into the house Marc saw Chelsea and he peeled off from following Chas into the kitchen. Stepping up he lowered his head and kissed her softly, his tongue scraping across her lips.

Marc heard Chas' shock in, "What the fuck, " and satisfaction from their mother as she said, "About time. "

 

[sandi_grl]

She'd finally rolled out of bed some time between 9:00 and 10:00. Showering, she washed away any of the embarrassment she still felt from the day before. Rachel owed her. She wandered back to her room and changed into her clothes for the day, regular jeans that had a few small rips up either leg, and a plain hunter green t-shirt.

"Dick breath!"

Chelsea's eyebrow shot up curiously as she heard her brother's exclamation. But whatever confusion she had was cleared up when she heard Marc's voice. She finished brushing her hair before strolling out of her room to watch the bromance unfold. She smiled at him when she locked her blue eyes with his. His kissed surprised her, though it was a welcomed surprise. "Hm. Good morning to you too."

Glancing over Marc's shoulder, her brother's and her mother's reactions couldn't be more opposite. Disgust and slight anger. Excitement and a bit of satisfaction.

" Dude, that's my sister! "

" Oh stop, we're all grown ups here," she said with a roll of her eyes.

 

[a_libertine]

Marc turned around to face Chas. "Yeah, she is. And in a lot of ways I saw her as one too, until last night."

He walked over to Chas and put his hands on his friend's shoulders. "No prom? No homecoming? No boyfriends no girlfriends. Ever wonder why?"

Lowering his hands Marc shoulders shrugged, " If she has waited four freaking years for me, then why would I not date her and find out if we can make something work?"

He could see Chas was unconvinced about it. Marc shrugged and continued half jokingly , "I am not you asshat, I am not going to screw her and leave her high and dry. If I do have sex with her, it will because both of us feel something for the other."

He turned and walked back to Chelsea, "I know you are there already, give me some time, I'll come around. Not a complete idiot usually."

 

[sandi_grl]

As her cheeks started to flush again, she wanted to run and hide. Thank God her mom had gone back into the kitchen. She could probably still hear what Marc was saying, the doorway was right there. Chelsea could talk to her mom about anything, however, she didn't want to see her mother hearing the words.

Chas seemed to accept defeat for the time being, not seeming to be very convinced about whatever was going on.

She gave Marc a nervous nervous smile when his attention was put back on her. At lease everything was transparent now, and least for her. He was still a bit of a puzzle... "You're only an idiot when you're hanging out with him," she stated, motioning to her older brother, who still was watching the two of them cautiously.

 

[a_libertine]

Marc reached up and caressed her face and quipped, "Well, I better keep you around then, else heaven only knows what will happen today."

Chas asked, "Have you been home yet?"

Marc nodded once, curtly. "Yeah, went like shit, so I bought a week at the long term motel. They said they would give me credit toward the four week discount if I extended it."

He reached out to Chelsea and said, "That is for the best right now. Besides, asshat would blow a gasket if I were sleeping across the hall from you. "

Chas muttered, "Not like I would if you were sleeping with her."

Marc grinned while looking down at Chelsea, "Good thing I don't kiss and tell like some folks do."

Chas snorted, "Whatever. Rosie..."

Marc laughed and said, "That was only because you wanted her so badly."

Marc looked at Chelsea and said, "I need to go get a cell phone or something. Couldn't really use it in the desert but here I can. So how about all three of us go?"

He turned to Chas, "Unless you want the current bunk buddy of yours to come along."

Chas looked at the two of them and muttered, "Probably a good idea, give me something to focus on other than the 2 of you. "

 

[sandi_grl]

So going home didn't work out so well. That wasn't much of a surprise. Chels fought off making a face at the mention of Rosie. She'd walked in on Marc and Rosie in the kitchen several years ago. The memory made her heart drop temporarily... But she also reminded herself that there was no way he would have seen anything in her at the time. She was starting her Freshmen year of high school, he was going away to basic. She was his best friend's annoying little sister. Not to mention the legality of it all, or dealing with the wrath of their father.

Chas' girlfriend showed up after a short while and they all piled into the 2013 Ford Explorer park next to her Jeep. Granted they were still in the honeymoon phase, Chelsea actually hoped Chas would calm down and stick this one out. She like the brunette so far, particularly because Stephanie would call Chas out on his bullshit.

It didn't take long till the SUV pulled into a parking space at the mall.

 

[a_libertine]

On the way to the mall, Marc sat back with his eyes closed and listened to the banter in the front seat. To his left he felt the calming presence of Chelsea, there was something about her that brought him toward an even keel. He may not ever get there he thought, but for now at least, her presence had a soothing effect on him.

As they got out of the vehicle, Marc took her hand and they started toward the mall after Stephanie and Chas.

The mall was pretty quiet, and it didn't take long for Marc to get a phone, an model newer of the same phone Chelsea used. He poked it into his pocket as they left the stall. He looked around and kicked about the idea of buying some clothes, then decided against it. "Now what? A cooler, beer and a lake?"

 

[sandi_grl]

It was nice not feeling like a third wheel. She'd been out with Chas and Stephanie before, but always felt like she was intruding on a date... Or worse.

Stephanie spun around, seeming excited about the idea of going to the lake. It seemed settled pretty quickly that was the plan for the rest of the day. After a few stops, at Stephanie's place and their house for suits and changes of clothes, and the store for the beer and some food, they pulled up to the 'beach'.

The brunette sauntered over to Chas, having already stripped down to the yellow bikini that stood out against her tan. "Let's go explore," she said with an implying tone. Chelsea rolled her eyes at the two, turning to lay out a towel. Rabbits, those two.

 

[a_libertine]

Marc's throat dried up when he saw Chelsea in a very cute two piece that brought out the blue of her eyes and did amazing things for her body. He had never seen her like this and the experience was a little surreal. Yes he had held her hand, and touched her body. Now she was on display, and the evidence that he liked what he saw stuck straight out from his loins.

Trying to hide his election, Marc laid stomach down on a towel and sipped a beer. "You, uh," he stammered a moment, "You look really nice in that."

 

[sandi_grl]

Her brother and his girlfriend disappeared somewhere off behind some large rocks and trees.

Chelsea sat on her towel, rubbing sun screen into the skin of her arms and legs. She tilted her head to look at Marc, a small smirk playing across her lips. It was cute to see someone who was always so sure of themselves stumble over their words a bit. "Thanks."

She pondered a moment, remember some of the things her friend had told him last night. "Just so you know, I'm not as much of a prude Rachel made me out to be."

 

[a_libertine]

Marc shook his head, "I didn't take it like you were prude." His eyes traveled the length of her tight body and he felt his blood pumping throughout his body.

Looking back to her eyes, "I might be wrong, but, I understood it as you were waiting for me to come back."

 

[sandi_grl]

"I was waiting... And had a little sliver of hope that it could've been you. I just don't screw every guy that makes eyes at me, unlike your dear old friend." Chelsea wasn't quite sure why she felt the need to talk about this right now, or at all really. The fact of her not being a virgin probably wasn't going to change his mind anyway. "The way she said it just rubbed be the wrong way. It was like she was trying to make me out to be the fucking perfect and innocent little church girl when I'm really not."