Fandom: Roswell
Pairing: Michael Guerin / Liz Parker
Rating: R
Summary: Liz has plans, but she failed to factor in the force that is Michael.
Challenge: Response to the PAC Humor Challenge, at Polar Attraction. Has to be at least 1500 words and must use a minimum of three of the dialogue/plot points given in the challenge summary. Chosen elements at end.
The door was no obstacle. She had a key to their apartment; almost everyone in their acquaintance did, much to Michael’s chagrin. She just hoped that no one else had the bright idea to use his or hers, tonight.
Liz shifted the bag in her arms as her key scraped in the lock. She tried to be as quiet as possible, but could hear very little over the blood pounding in her ears. Seeing that the lights were dim and the apartment was quiet, she let out a sigh of relief. She mentally reviewed her lists and timetable, as she slipped the key back into the pocket of her jeans, and walked toward the small kitchen.
Instead of feeling as nervous as she had expected, Liz felt a giddy sense of excitement. She was being naughty and it was fun. She smiled and danced around the kitchen, unpacking the bag. She didn’t need any music, humming tunelessly, as she popped a few things into the fridge, and nudged it close with her hip. She grabbed a glass from the cabinet over the sink, and added some ice and coke. She took a sip, then placed it on the table, next to the rest of her things.
She was feeling quite satisfied with herself, as she glanced around the kitchen. Smiling broadly, she grabbed up the pillar candles she had brought and walked into the living room.
She had just placed the first one on top of the television, when the sound of a door opening, and movement at the edge of her vision startled her. She spun around quickly, and shrieked. Then she yelped, as one of the candles she had been holding gave into gravity and landed on her foot. She barely resisted the urge to hop up and down on her uninjured foot.
The apartment wasn’t as empty as she had thought and she wasn’t the only one surprised to have company. Michael stood at the edge of the room, near the bathroom door. He had just come from the shower, if his appearance was any indication.
His skin was slightly damp, and he stood before her in nothing but a towel, which he had been using to dry his hair. He had frozen mid-stroke, his hand still on his head, and was staring at her, just as she was staring at him.
Liz almost shrieked in surprise. “What are you doing here?”
“Well, Parker,” Michael spoke slowly, ” I live here. How ’bout you?” He grinned at her obvious discomfort, apparently deciding that tormenting her would be more entertaining than getting angry.
Still, Liz was cautious; Michael’s moods were mercurial and he could be drawing her in. “You’re not supposed to be here. You’re supposed to be at work” – she checked her watch – “for four and half more hours.”
Michael titled his head to the side and looked at her, then shrugged. “Change of plans. Got the night off.”
“But…” Liz sputtered. She tried to review her plans, her lists, but her mind couldn’t seem to get past this new development. She wrinkled her forehead and shifted her eyes from his, to process this thought, only to be reminded of another startling fact – People don’t wear clothes to take a shower, or apparently after a shower, in the privacy of their own home, when they thought they were alone.
Nope.
Shower.
Empty Apartment.
Michael.
Equals naked.
Very naked. And small threadbare towels didn’t cover anything if they were thrown over muscular shoulders, instead of wrapped around trim, tight, male hips.
Liz made a small, high-pitched sound and quickly averted her eyes. She felt all of the color leave her olive-toned skin, to be quickly replaced by a deep, crimson blush.
Michael just smirked at her.
Liz didn’t know what to say, so she just bit her lip and stood there, her eyes edging toward the door, wondering if she could make her escape, since the world didn’t seem inclined to open up and swallow her whole.
Things weren’t going according to her plan. She sighed, and said as much aloud.
Michael’s smirk got bigger and a laugh escaped him, as he lifted his eyebrow, as if to say, “Oh, really?” He placed his hands on his hips, not even bothering to try and control his amusement. “So, tell me about this plan that involves breaking into my apartment, with candles.”
“I didn’t break in, ” Liz huffed, trying to come across as indignant, but only managing to sound flustered, “I used my key.” Without thinking, she pulled the key from her pocket, as if to illustrate that fact.
Michael rolled his eyes. “Yes, because that’s the important part.” Michael snorted, and started to walk toward her.
Liz gave a small eep and backed up, as he advanced.
He just snorted at her and bent over to pick up one of the candles that had rolled against the chair. The towel fluttered to the ground, as he brought the candle up and sniffed it. “Vanilla.”
Liz felt the edges of the television pressing into her back, as he came closer and peered into the kitchen.
“Food. Flowers. Change of clothes,” he checked off, taking inventory of her supplies. “Let me guess, someone planned on getting lucky tonight, huh?”
This was not how this was supposed to go. Michael was supposed to be at work, not here, teasing her about her inability to pull off her supposedly foolproof seduction. Liz wilted, and looked away. Then, she realized that Michael was nosing around her stuff in the kitchen, and was no longer between her and the door. Perhaps, she could still salvage a bit of her pride.
As if sensing her plans, Michael looked up at her, and began stalking toward her. She quickly placed a false smile and her face, and jumped into gear. “I, uh, forgot my…” Quick. Quick. Think. “… Will to live. I gotta go and find that, bye!”
She almost made it. She thought she was safe, until Michael’s deep chuckle against her ear drew her attention to the fact that he was standing directly behind her, his arm braced against the door, over her head.
She turned around to face him, and almost fainted, when he stepped even closer, leaning down to whisper into her hair.
“Leaving so soon? The evening was just starting to look up.”
Michael’s proximity caused Liz to realize that wasn’t the only thing that was starting to look up, and that made her decidedly nervous.
Michael noticed, and dropped his predatory look for a moment. He ran his free hand down her arm, as if to gentle her. She blinked and shivered in response. She worried her bottom lip between her teeth, and stared at him, wide-eyed, wondering what he was going to do next. He was always so unpredictable.
He met her gaze, and then lifted his hand, stroking the pad of his thumb along her bottom lip, gently coaxing it from between her teeth.
She relaxed beneath his touch, and his wicked smile returned.
“Shall we now commence with the copulation?”
“Michael!” Liz reached up and slapped his bare chest.
“Oh, come on, Liz, you brought me flowers, candles, and dinner – like you didn’t expect me to put out.”
In spite of herself, Liz laughed.
“Of course, if you were looking for Maxwell, instead, I hate to be the one to inform you, but he’s off on another wild goose chase this weekend. I’m afraid you’ll have to settle for me.”
Liz grew serious for a moment. “Hey, don’t say that – not even as a joke. I’m not settling. I got exactly what I want.”
“Is that so?” His eyebrow lifted and he leered at her.
She blushed and buried her head against his chest, hiding beneath the fall of her hair. She felt, rather than heard his low chuckle, and he placed a kiss on the top of her head.
He backed away. “How about, I go get dressed, and you finish getting dinner ready. Then we can eat and discuss this plan of yours.”
Liz laughed as Michael winked at her. She softly said, “Happy Birthday, Michael,” just before he got to his room.
“Yeah, yeah. Food, woman.”
Liz smiled and went to the kitchen to finish getting everything ready. Her plan was blown, but that was okay. She would still make sure this was a birthday neither of them would soon forget, and she wasn’t nervous anymore.
*The End*
1) “I, uh, forgot my…will to live. I gotta go and find that, bye!”
2) An intricately planned, plotted, and executed seduction gone terribly awry
11) “Shall we now commence with the copulation?”
14) A long, involved conversation with Michael completely and unselfconsciously nude