A Different Time, A Different Place

Do you want eggs?

[A/N: So... I don't know what happened, you guys. I've kind of been wanting to write this story for a while now, but I'm already struggling to keep up with the other two stories I'm writing, so it's completely stupid starting another one, but... hey. That's how it is. Let's just see where this one's going, shall we?

Dedicating this first chapter to @tk_ouat because you kinda asked for it, so just so you know, it's all your fault 🙈

Hope you'll enjoy!]

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The sunlight fell through the half closed curtains, some pidgeon was cooing on the roof, and in the distance, someone was working a jackhammer. Or... maybe the jackhammer was just inside his head. That last whiskey had definitely been one too many. And maybe the one before that too. And then... oh God!

He barely dared to open his eyes, but he couldn't stay lying in bed all day either. Especially because... if the sad little bit that had remained of his memories from last night could be believed, this wasn't his bed.

So in the end, very, very carefully, he opened his eyes, just to look straight into another pair of brown ones, looking at him curiously before a long wet tongue ran right across his face and he jerked up in shock with an almost embarrassing shriek.

„Lola!", he heard a deep, raspy voice right next to him, „Leave him alone! Sorry about that..."

„Oh, uhm... no... no problem, I was just... didn't expect that", he cleared his throat, then finally plucked up the courage to turn around and look at her.

She was lying on her back underneath the sheets, her long dark hair spilling across her pillow, her hands covering her face. No wonder, she must have drunk at least as much as him last night.

„So, uhm", she groaned, then let her hands drop with a sigh, staring at the ceiling while pulling the cover higher up under her chin to make sure to cover herself – as if he hadn't seen all of it before, „we actually did that."

„Yep!", he said, nodding solemnly, „Yep, we did... we very much did."

„Right... That, uhm... that's a shocker", she chuckled uncomfortably and sat up, tucking her hair behind her ear, „Who could have seen THAT coming..."

„Yeah, right? NOT me... that's for sure."

„So what now, uhm... wait, shall I make you breakfast or something? I should probably make you breakfast", she bowed down to grab her t-shirt from the floor and he briefly looked the other way as she got out of bed, fishing for her panties, „Or... eggs!! You want eggs? I can make you eggs!"

„Uhm, it's fine! Really! I think I'll just... go, I have to pick up the kids anyway. I'll grab something on the way."

„Oh... okay, yeah, sure!", she replied while tying her hair up in a bun, then putting on her glasses. Get a hold of yourself, Lana, she scolded herself, this is not your first ONS, for crying out loud?! Just the first one with a former colleague of seven years...

A moment of distraction that he used to finally climb out from under the sheets as well and start collecting his clothes, using his jeans and shirt to cover his private parts.

„Uhm... have you seen my... my boxers?"

„Oh... oh yes! I think I... might have thrown them... last night...", she walked over to the other corner of the room and gingerly picked them up from the floor, bringing them over. It felt indescribably awkward, touching his underwear, which was ridiculous: she didn't remember much, but she knew for a fact that she had touched much, MUCH more delicate parts of his last night...

„Thank you", he mumbled, blushing, finally able to get dressed.

„You can shower... if you want? The bathroom is..."

„Oh yeah, I know, thanks! I'll... I'll just shower at home."

He knew he must be smelling disgusting, reeking of alcohol, cigarette smoke... and sex, and he probably shouldn't be picking up his kids like that, but then again... he just needed to get out of here as soon as possible. The shame, the embarrassment... he couldn't deal with it any longer.

He just wanted to forget that this had ever happened. Him and her... that just couldn't be a thing. Had never been, would never be. Period. And he could see in the way she so desperately avoided any eye contact with him that she was feeling exactly the same.

„Alright, then...", he said while almost running down the stairs and simultaneously ordering an Uber, „I guess I'll see you when I see you."

„Yep! See you in... Paris, probably."

„Oh fuck, right, I mean... yes", he tried to smile politely and to ignore the fact that they would be at a convention in Paris with a bunch of their colleagues next month. Where was another COVID wave that rendered cross-Atlantic travel impossible when one needed one....

Was it too much to ask to simply go back to not seeing each other for another year or two? It had worked out so well for them before! He had almost forgotten all about her. Well... almost.

„So... bye then", she opened the door for him, and for a split second they stood there, unsure of what to do, before they opted for the most awkward hug in human history. Then he hurried out the door.

After she had closed it again, she kept looking after him for a few silent seconds, trying to grasp what had happened. And she only had one word for it while running her hand through her hair.

„FUCK!!", she yelled into the ground.

How could she have been so stupid?! Messing up a perfectly fine friendship like that, and for what? For a night of fun that she could barely remember. Though deep in her bones she could feel that it must have been lots and lots of fun, at least...

The doorbell ripped her out of her daydream, and instantly her heart went back into overdrive. Shit!! Had he been standing there all along? Had he heard her yelling just now?? At least he smiled awkwardly when she opened the door for him.

„Hey, what..."

„Sorry, I... forgot something."

„Really, what did you forget?"

„My... well, my thing."

„What thing?"

„Well, you know, my..."

„You had nothing on you, I think... you have your phone, right? Keys?"

„Screw this...", he finally mumbled, briefly pulling her closer to give her a sweet kiss goodbye.

Then he turned around and walked down to his waiting Uber with fast paced steps, too embarrassed to look at her once more.