Work Text:
~
Even drunk,
I am caught off guard
By the way I remain
Intoxicated by you.
B.P
~
“You’re going on a one on one session with her again?” Camila rolled her eyes when Beatrice clocked out of their office.
The older girl wore her blazer and then looked at her, “Yeah? I need to relieve stress and you’re not really good with drinking. The last time you and I drank, I couldn’t enjoy it because you got so drunk that I had to carry you home.”
Camila grinned sheepishly, “Well, I tried my best.”
“Exactly,” Beatrice rolled her eyes. “Besides, it’s not like we haven’t drank before. Ava’s harmless.”
“Your definition of harmless is when she blatantly flirts with you and you shrug it off or just roll your eyes at it,” her friend teased. Beatrice shook her head and proceeded to the exit, hailing a cab by the sidewalk. “I’ll see you on Monday, yeah?”
“See ya,” she rode the cab and messaged the other girl.
To: Aves
On my way
From: Aves
Got them drinks. See ya babe~
To: Aves
Stop calling me “babe” you dumbass.
She slid her phone inside her pocket and massaged her temple. It’s been three years since she met Ava and so far, she still hasn't stopped flirting with her. It started when the girl arrived at their company, smiling like nothing mattered in the world.
“People, this is Ava Silva, she will be staying under our wing for the next three months. She’s currently taking her masters and she needs to observe an organization for her to finish her paper,” their president introduced the girl.
Ava introduced herself, “I’m Ava Silva, thank you for looking after me.”
Beatrice automatically disliked her guts.
“Ah, Beatrice, keep Ava under your watch. Make sure her questions are answered, okay?” Beatrice hated the idea of accompanying a student around but she forced herself to smile and nod.
Ava smiled at her, “Thank you in advance.”
As much as Beatrice wanted to grimace, she nodded and allowed the girl to follow her around.
~
“Do you not like it when I’m around?” Ava broke the silence when Beatrice was working on her report for the coming week.
She stopped typing and removed her glasses, “What made you think that?”
The girl shrugged, “You look like you’re always displeased when I greet you good morning or when I say goodbye at the end of the day, you look like you want to tell me to never show myself again. Maybe I’m assuming things but I’ve never met anyone who looks at me like she already decided that she doesn’t like me.”
Beatrice stared at the wall behind Ava, processing what the girl just said. “You flirt too much,” she blurted out.
Ava smirks, “What?”
“You heard me,” Beatrice closed her laptop and relaxed on her chair. “This is a professional place and all you do is flirt with Camila or anyone for that matter. It breaks the atmosphere I created here. No dating of co-workers.”
“I’ve never flirted with anyone,” the girl answered. Ava stood up until she was in front of Beatrice. “I mean, not yet. I still can’t flirt with you, can I?”
Beatrice felt her ears heat up, “What are you trying to say?” she couldn’t hear anything aside from her own heartbeat making a mess out of her chest. She looked away, the presence of the girl suddenly too much for her.
“I haven’t flirted, Beatrice. Not with Camila, not with anyone else here. But if you want, I’ll flirt with you,” Ava leaned down until their heads were on the same level. “But I wouldn’t want to tarnish the atmosphere you worked so hard for.”
Beatrice stood up, unable to bear the sudden closeness, “Go home if you want. I’m done for today.”
She didn’t want to be near Ava. Not when she didn’t trust her own heart around the girl. She didn’t like it. Beatrice didn’t like it one bit.
~
For two days and counting, Ava didn’t show up to work. Beatrice was getting agitated. She kept thinking if she offended the girl for suddenly leaving the other night. But she also thought that if Ava didn’t become too close then it wouldn’t happen. In the end, Beatrice kept trying to convince herself that it wasn’t her fault.
“You look like shit,” Camila pointed out. Her assistant manager was sitting in front of her, eating a burger. “Let me guess, Ava?”
Beatrice looked at her as if she was a deer caught in the headlights. She chuckled nervously, “What do you mean?”
“Come on, Bea. I think we’re more than just co-workers for you to not be honest with me,” the girl said. Camila took a bite from her burger and continued, “Did something happen between the two of you?”
“Happened?! What makes you think that something will happen?” she reacted. Camila raised an eyebrow at her.
“Chill, oldie,” the girl chuckled. “She told the president that she has finals for three days so she’ll be absent until tomorrow. Why? You think you offended her?”
“Please, why would I offend her?” Beatrice looked everywhere just so she wouldn’t meet Camila’s eyes. “It’s not like I did anything,” she whispered.
Camila squinted her eyes, “Sounds to me like you’re guilty. Too bad, the girl’s been crushing on you.”
Beatrice’s head almost caught whiplash when she looked at her friend, “What?”
“You heard me. The girl’s been asking everyone about you. How old you are, where you went for college, if you’re seeing anyone. That’s why everyone kept teasing her. But you know what they say about play girls,” Camila shrugged.
“I’m not even interested,” Beatrice firmly said.
~
Cab stopped in front of the building where Ava resides. Beatrice paid the driver and proceeded to enter the familiar building. The guard didn’t even ask for her ID and the receptionist automatically smiled at her. She gave the woman a smile as she went to the elevators. She pressed the button to Ava’s floor and waited until the doors opened again.
Ava lived alone in an exclusive unit at the heart of the city. Beatrice took a deep breath and rang the doorbell. She waited until she heard the door open. Ava was smiling at her with eyes that looked like crescents. The girl was wearing a muscle shirt with a towel resting on her shoulders.
Beatrice thought that the girl looked too much for her. She could see how sweat dripped from Ava’s chin down to the base of her neck. How her arms were still contracted because of the work out. She could see everything. Beatrice didn’t notice that she was holding her breath until Ava spoke.
“Don’t just stand there. Come in,” the younger girl chuckled and let her inside. Beatrice was once again attacked by the familiar smell that Ava’s home had. It was the fresh musk scent that she grew to love. It was relaxing to smell it. “I just finished working out. You know my house, Bea. I got your favorite. I’ll just shower,” with that, Ava disappeared to her bedroom and Beatrice was once again, alone inside the spacious unit.
She helped herself with a glass of water and settled on the couch in the living room. She let her head rest on the sofa. Beatrice remembered when Ava first flirted with her. Rather, when Ava first made a move on her.
~
After Camila filled her with the things that Ava was doing, Beatrice was restless. The girl was still absent and it bugged Beatrice for some reason. She wanted to see for herself if what her assistant manager said was true.
During lunch break, a knock distubed Beatrice’s nap. Grumpy, she raised her head and said, “Come in.”
Ava’s shy smile was the first thing she saw when the door opened. Beatrice held her breath and tried her best to look as nonchalant as possible. “Uhm, Camila said you were looking for me?”
“I just wondered why you’re not around. I didn’t look for you,” she said. Ava entered her office and walked to where she was. “Why are you here? I thought you had exams?”
“And you even know what I’m doing,” the girl smirked and bit her lip. Beatrice resisted the urge to bite those lips on her own. She shook her head and mentally slapped herself.
She wondered why the girl was too much for her. Was it the way Ava’s lips quirk when she’s about to smile? Was it because when the girl smiles, her eyes disappear? Or was it because when Beatrice speaks, Ava looks at her like she’s the only thing that mattered in the world? She was confused. Beatrice couldn’t find the answer to her hundreds of questions concerning the girl.
“Camila told me,” Beatrice looked away and took a deep breath. “You didn’t tell me you would be absent,” her tone came out softer than she wanted to. It came out a little more concerned like she intended it to be.
Ava smiled and hummed, “I didn’t know you were keeping tabs on me, Manager.” the girl took a step closer and leaned down to whisper in Beatrice's ear, “Don’t worry. Next time, I’ll tell you every single thing I do.”
Beatrice felt the heat run to her cheeks, turning her red. She felt her heart suddenly beating like it was running a marathon.
Put it short, Beatrice lost it. At least, almost.
~
“Bea, are you sure you want to drink?” Ava’s voice woke her up from her nap. The girl just finished showering and the smell of white moss was all Beatrice could smell. Ava’s face was just inches away from her, the concern evident on her face.
Beatrice opened her eyes and uttered an apology for sleeping. “What took you so long anyway?”
Ava chuckled, “Yes. It’s definitely my fault for taking seven minutes while showering.” She ignored the girl’s teasing tone and rolled her eyes instead. “Have you had dinner?”
“Not yet. I came here as soon as I was done with work,” remembering how her day went, her face turned into a scowl. “God, I hate that director so much.” Ava went to the kitchen to get their food and drinks.
When the girl returned, she sat beside Beatrice and touched her lap and squeezed it, “Tell me what happened.”
Beatrice looked at Ava, waiting for a punchline. But none came. Instead, she saw how the girl was genuinely concerned with what happened. She almost got lost in those eyes. Almost. But she still had her self control with her so she told Ava what happened.
She told Ava everything. How her boss told her that she was losing her touch. How her boss told her to find a husband so she could live comfortably as a housewife. How her boss offered her a blind date with his son. Beatrice hated it.
When she was done, she looked at Ava who looked furious, “Hey, Aves.”
“I want to fire that boss of yours,” the girl said through gritted teeth. Beatrice automatically felt better and laughed. Ava grinned at her and opened the bottle of soju, “See, you finally laughed. You look so much prettier when you smile, babe.”
Beatrice rolled her eyes, “God, stop calling me that. Just how many girls have you called babe, huh?”
Ava looked at her and smirked, “Why? Are there a lot of girls whose name is Beatrice Dy for me to call them babe?”
She shook her head. Ignoring how her heart kept rampaging inside her chest. “Come on, drink before mermaids start to swim.”
Ava and her clinked their shot glass before taking the shot. She kept looking at how Ava’s lips part when she takes a shot and how the girl bites her lips after the shot. Beatrice often wondered how it would feel to have those lips against hers.
She shook her head.
Beatrice hated drinking with Ava because of one reason: she is reminded that she definitely wanted Ava.
“If you keep staring, I might think you want to kiss me,” Ava’s smirk was teasing. Yet it was appealing. Once again, it was too much for Beatrice. She grabbed the bottle and drank from it. “Hey, come on. There’s a shot glass for a reason!” the girl told her while laughing.
“Stop flirting with me,” she can’t recall how many times she told Ava those words only for the girl to laugh and flirt with her more.
“Aw, why? Can’t resist me anymore?” Ava answered her. Beatrice rolled her eyes for the thousandth time and pushed Ava’s face away. “You really know how to show affection,” the girl mumbled on her palm.
Beatrice remembered the fifth time Ava flirted with her.
~
It was Ava’s last day as an intern/observer in their company. They decided to hold a goodbye party for her. Beatrice didn’t want to attend but Ava was three steps ahead of her.
“I mean, if you don’t come tonight, I’ll just think that you can’t handle the idea of me not being here everyday. I’ll understand,” the girl said with a sly smile.
Beatrice fumed and said, “I’ll come! I can’t wait to not see your face every single day.”
“Oh? But don’t we have weekends off? Ohhhh, do you look at my picture during the weekend?” the girl teased her. Beatrice crumpled a piece of paper and threw it across the room, at Ava. “It’s really hard to not tease you, Manager Dy. You look too cute when you’re annoyed. Makes me wanna kiss you.”
“Ava Silva,” Beatrice’s voice was so serious that it made the girl raise her hands, as if surrendering.
“Fine. Fine. I won’t tease you anymore. For lunch,” the girl smiled at her.
Beatrice hated the smile. But she also loved it. She was completely confused and she hated it.
“Speaking of lunch. Do you wanna have lunch with me and Camila? You look like you don’t eat,” Ava stood up, grabbing her coat from the chair.
Beatrice thought about it. She forgot to eat breakfast and she didn’t have lunch as well. She looked at the girl who was waiting for her, “Where are you eating?”
“Convenience store. It’s the cheapest,” Ava laughed and opened the door. Beatrice stood up and went to the girl.
Beatrice got two veggie wraps while Ava bought a ramen for herself. Beatrice went to the fast food chain in front of the building to buy her food. While eating, Beatrice looked at Ava’s food and frowned, “You eat that everyday?”
The girl nodded, “Only when I’m craving it. Normally, I eat burgers.”
“Unhealthy.”
Ava smiled, “Want some?”
Beatrice shook her head and offered a bite of her veggie wrap, “Go on. At least eat something healthy today.”
“You do care for me, Manager Dy,” she ignored how the girl teased her and just took a bite herself.
Camila saw everything. She saw how Ava looked at Beatrice in the eye and smiled like they were alone. She saw how Beatrice returned the smile and put the veggie wrap closer to Ava’s lips. She saw how Ava took a bite while Beatrice waited for her to say something. Camila snickered and told herself, “Now this is something I wanna see.”
~
Drinking with the team meant Beatrice had to control herself because almost everyone was a lightweight. At ten in the evening, Camila was already drunk. Her other team members were also at the brink of throwing up. She immediately hailed cabs and paid the drivers enough money to make sure that her team members were safe at home.
“I didn’t think you’d care that much for them,” she was startled by Ava’s voice behind her. Beatrice just finished instructing the driver where Camila lived. She also called Stella, Camila’s girlfriend, to wait outside their house.
She was surprised to see that Ava was still sober, “They’re my team. Regardless of how rowdy they are, I want them safe always.”
The girl hummed and gestured her head towards the pub, “You still wanna drink? I could use a couple of more shots before really calling it a day.”
Beatrice didn’t see anything wrong with drinking with the girl so she nodded and went inside, Ava following behind her.
That night, Beatrice found that Ava had the same, if not higher, alcohol tolerance as hers. That night, Beatrice saw a different side of Ava. A side that neither Camila nor anyone from the team knew. That night, Beatrice admitted to herself that she was crushing on the girl. That night, Ava almost kissed Beatrice. That night, their routine to drink every Friday night began.
~
Eight bottles down and Beatrice was finally feeling hot. She took off her blazer and placed it on the hand rest of the sofa. Ava was in front of her, pouring another shot. She could clearly see how the girl’s eyes looked up to her and turned into crescents. Beatrice could clearly see how Ava’s lips were supple. Beatrice could see how it quirked into the smirk she loves. Beatrice could clearly see Ava.
“I’m bored. Do you have something there that we can do?” she said when Ava was becoming too much for her again.
The girl looked at her and tilted her head, “I only have a karaoke device here. And some playing cards but you don’t know how to play cards so I guess the only option is to sing.”
“I can’t sing,” Beatrice said.
Ava raised an eyebrow, “You can sing. You just don’t because you’re shy.”
“Whatever,” she took a shot and unbuttoned her shirt until the second one was undone. Beatrice didn’t see how Ava had to swallow hard while she did that. “You have a good voice. Why not sing? Come on. If you get a score higher than eighty, I’ll grant you one wish.”
“One wish? Anything I want?” Ava smiled rather dangerously and it made Beatrice squirm. Her heart started to race and suddenly, the atmosphere was hotter than before.
She chuckled nervously, “Fine. Anything.”
Ava was up on her feet and soon, Beatrice was watching the girl as she started to put the numbers for her song. “God knows what I will ask if I get a high score, Beatrice,” Ava smirked.
The song started and Beatrice licked her lips as she watched Ava. Half of her wanted the girl to score more than eighty, just so she’ll find out what the girl wanted. The other half of her wished the girl to fail because she was afraid of what Ava might ask.
Beatrice’s breath hitched when Ava looked at her and bit her lip. She felt one of her chains break apart. She heard it inside her head. It was dangerous. Beatrice wanted to yell. To tell the girl to stop, but with the way Ava held her gaze made her voice disappear.
One by one, the chains Beatrice had inside her snapped as if it was made of paper. She didn’t know which was louder: the voice inside her telling her to just go for it or her own heart beating inside her chest, begging to leave her body. It was too much that Beatrice had to drink the soju bottle empty.
Beatrice stood up with Ava’s eyes still fixed on hers. “Come a little bit closer, babe,” she took a step closer to where the girl was standing, staring at her like nothing else mattered. Not the drinks, not the lights, nothing. All that Ava was seeing was Beatrice.
Since the day they met, all she could think of was Beatrice.
It was fair because since the day Beatrice decided that Ava was too much for her, all she could think about was Ava. Everything she touched, she wished it was Ava. Everywhere she looked, she hoped it was Ava.
Ava. Ava. Ava.
Ava fluttered her lashes, looking Beatrice straight in the eyes before looking at her lips, staring not more than five seconds before meeting her eyes again. Beatrice’s last chain finally snapped. She mentally pictured herself free. All those times she held back to remain as friends? Gone. There was no stopping her. Not when Ava was looking at her with the same intense gaze she had. Inviting her to do exactly what she was about to do.
“Fuck it,” Beatrice cursed under her breathe and cupped Ava’s face so that her lips could be against the girl’s. It felt liberating to finally feel the girl’s lips against hers. Ava dropped the mic (not that it mattered) and pulled her closer.
They kept kissing until Ava was forced to sit on the couch while Beatrice straddled her, “Bea.”
“Shh,” Beatrice shut her up with her lips. It was addicting. She was getting addicted to how it felt to kiss Ava. To have the girl’s tongue dance with hers. Everywhere Ava touched burned.
Eventually, Ava dominated the kiss and pulled Beatrice impossibly closer to her. The girl moaned against Ava’s lips, “Finally.”
~
The next morning, Beatrice woke up with arms wrapped around her waist. She turned around to see Ava still asleep beside her. The marks on the girl’s neck and shoulder reminded Beatrice of how their night went.
“Oh god,” Beatrice sat up, naked. Ava stirred and turned around, her back facing Beatrice. The older girl’s eyes widened when she saw the scratches on Ava’s back. She tried to stand, only to be welcomed by the ache between her legs.
Ava turned around again, awake this time, “Bea. Where are you going? Come here, sleep more.” she pulled Beatrice and hugged her.
“Aves, last night,” she whispered as Ava nuzzled on her neck.
“Was amazing,” Ava kissed her shoulder blade and sighed. “I was losing hope about you. One moment you were asking me to drink with you and then the next, you’re asking me to stop flirting. I didn’t know if you were serious. I was planning to just leave you alone but after last night?” the girl hugged her tighter and continued, “I’m not letting go, Bea. Not when I know you like me too.”
“You,” Beatrice looked at her. “You like me?”
Ava laughed and shook her head, “I never liked anyone as much as I like you, Bea. Hell, I don’t even accept visitors but here you are, visiting every Friday.”
“Oh…”
“So, what do you say?” the girl rested her head on her hand and looked down at Beatrice. “Wanna try this? Us?”
“Isn’t it too much?” Beatrice asked.
“Too much? The only “too much” I know is that I like you too much,” Ava leaned down and kissed her. “Come on, Bea. Say yes so I can finally call you my girlfriend.”
Beatrice thought that it was too much. Ava was too much for her. Too much for her heart. But Beatrice also thought that Ava is the only ‘too much’ she wanted to have.