Post by Charlotte Shimizu on Apr 18, 2024 7:18:32 GMT
Rini and Charlie finally got backstage, but Charlie barely noticed her friend, or Nat leaning on the wall, breathing hard but still looking pleased. Hannah was with Nat, making sure the newest member of their cadre was alright, even though Medical had already done so when pulling the women out of the wreckage created by the Iron Maiden match. Some part of her knew that Shea would be nearby, but none of that really mattered. Her eyes searched, and found, the person she was looking for.
Ignoring the various aches and protests of a body so recently abused, Charlie dashed across the small room and flung her arms around Pax’s neck. She knew she was babbling something about her success, but it didn’t register fully in her brain what she was saying. All she could feel was her feet leaving the ground, and the strength of his arms as he lifted her up.
As her toes brushed the floor again, Charlie pulled back just enough to look up at him. She knew her smile was far more foolish than his, since his was soft and proud; proud of her win.
It was reflex, she tried to tell herself later, to lean up and kiss him. But in the moment, the fact that he was proud of her accomplishment was everything she wanted. She couldn’t, or wouldn’t, stop herself from savoring the feel of his arms tightening around her, his hair under her hands, or his lips against hers.
A bark of laughter broke the spell, making Charlie jerk away and plant her feet fully on the floor. Her face burned but she couldn’t look away from Pax to find whoever had interrupted her brief dream. Pax looked as disappointed as she felt, but was it because she’d kissed him? Or because she’d stopped?
Cursing herself for such a drastic lapse in judgment and cursing the necessity, she pulled away from the circle of Pax’s arms. Her eyes flicked around the room; the nearest faces were the smirking Nat, beaming Rini and scornful Hannah.
Charlie fled, internally railing about making her friendship with Pax weird.
Pax stood there in stunned silence, even as Charlotte fled away from him. His mind warred with itself, between the confusion over what had just occurred and the fleeting sensations he fought to memorize. The feel of her body pressed into his, the taste of her lips. The way his scalp still tingled from her fingers in his hair.
But then of course he realized just how many people were around when it happened. Her friends Natasha and Rini. The producers backstage. Various members of the crew. Shit, even her little sister, Hannah, was right there. He felt his cheeks start to burn and he cast his eyes down to the floor as he tried to ignore the pounding in his heart.
“I… uh…” His pulse pounded in his ears as he shifted his weight from one foot to the other. He was having trouble picking out the faces that were all staring at him. The variety of reactions were impossible to place as his mind raced over what had just happened.
She’d kissed him. Not only that, he’d kissed her back. That wasn’t so surprising. It wasn’t like he hadn’t thought about it since… well for a while. But he didn’t freeze up. She went in for a hug and a kiss and he responded. He felt his smile curving up slightly. He would have locked up. Gotten distracted. Too nervous to do anything about it.
But then she ran off. What did that mean? Did he do something wrong? Hey stupid, go after her! He gulped slightly and glanced around the room. “Uhh… I sho… I gotta… uh. Bye.” He turned and darted from the room, hoping that he was headed in the right way.
Ignoring the various aches and protests of a body so recently abused, Charlie dashed across the small room and flung her arms around Pax’s neck. She knew she was babbling something about her success, but it didn’t register fully in her brain what she was saying. All she could feel was her feet leaving the ground, and the strength of his arms as he lifted her up.
As her toes brushed the floor again, Charlie pulled back just enough to look up at him. She knew her smile was far more foolish than his, since his was soft and proud; proud of her win.
It was reflex, she tried to tell herself later, to lean up and kiss him. But in the moment, the fact that he was proud of her accomplishment was everything she wanted. She couldn’t, or wouldn’t, stop herself from savoring the feel of his arms tightening around her, his hair under her hands, or his lips against hers.
A bark of laughter broke the spell, making Charlie jerk away and plant her feet fully on the floor. Her face burned but she couldn’t look away from Pax to find whoever had interrupted her brief dream. Pax looked as disappointed as she felt, but was it because she’d kissed him? Or because she’d stopped?
Cursing herself for such a drastic lapse in judgment and cursing the necessity, she pulled away from the circle of Pax’s arms. Her eyes flicked around the room; the nearest faces were the smirking Nat, beaming Rini and scornful Hannah.
Charlie fled, internally railing about making her friendship with Pax weird.
Pax stood there in stunned silence, even as Charlotte fled away from him. His mind warred with itself, between the confusion over what had just occurred and the fleeting sensations he fought to memorize. The feel of her body pressed into his, the taste of her lips. The way his scalp still tingled from her fingers in his hair.
But then of course he realized just how many people were around when it happened. Her friends Natasha and Rini. The producers backstage. Various members of the crew. Shit, even her little sister, Hannah, was right there. He felt his cheeks start to burn and he cast his eyes down to the floor as he tried to ignore the pounding in his heart.
“I… uh…” His pulse pounded in his ears as he shifted his weight from one foot to the other. He was having trouble picking out the faces that were all staring at him. The variety of reactions were impossible to place as his mind raced over what had just happened.
She’d kissed him. Not only that, he’d kissed her back. That wasn’t so surprising. It wasn’t like he hadn’t thought about it since… well for a while. But he didn’t freeze up. She went in for a hug and a kiss and he responded. He felt his smile curving up slightly. He would have locked up. Gotten distracted. Too nervous to do anything about it.
But then she ran off. What did that mean? Did he do something wrong? Hey stupid, go after her! He gulped slightly and glanced around the room. “Uhh… I sho… I gotta… uh. Bye.” He turned and darted from the room, hoping that he was headed in the right way.
Well howdy there pardner.