Neighbors

Chapter 4 Pay

"So you throw a card game so she can win fifty bucks off you, catch her when she falls off a ladder, check her out all the time and make eyes, and are purposely making her jealous with bimbos you pick up in the bar?" Zelena mocked Killian as they had tea.

"What the fuck are you talking about?" Killian sassed. "Mhmm, you're so into this woman it's not even funny, just tell her," Zelena pressed. "She's seeing a guy," Killian shrugged. "And? How serious is it?" Zelena asked.

"How the hell do I know?" He scoffed.

His sister just glared at him and tilted her head. "Okay I been looking to see if they go into her place together at night," he admitted reluctantly. "There you go and have they slept together?" She asks. 

"Well... I don't know, I got in late last night, so I couldn't peek," He sighed. "There you go then, go over there and tell her that you want to take her out, and that she should ditch the pretty boy," Zelena nudges. 

"Why do you care anyway?" Killian rolled his eyes. "Because you need a woman who actually challenges you, and she's it, and I like her, she's sassy at you," Zelena praised. 

Killian shook his head exasperated, and paced across the hall and knocked on the door. 

He was surprised unpleasantly, by who opened the door. James, half dressed. 

"Uhhh Hi," Killian sighed. "Hi, can I help you?" James asks. "Uhh, I just... owed Regina something..." Killian said disgruntled. "Oh, well umm she's not up yet, so I can tell her," James offered. 

"Thanks," Killian clenched his jaw and turned back on his heels into his apartment. 

"Well thank you for that, Mr. Chiseled photo shop answered the door," Killian snapped at his sister. "Oooh really?" Zelena scowled. "Yes, so that answers that," Killian huffed. 

"Ok well you take people home and it's not a big thing," Zelena stated. "You know for women, it's different, usually..." he shrugged. 

"Oh come on, you two hang out, and you can just wait till he leaves," Zelena encourages. "No, it's not worth it, she's clearly into him," Killian shifts into his jacket. "Where you going? To go sulk?" Zelena asked.

"No, just because it's a weekend, some of us, still have to check in to our businesses, thank you, just lock up when you leave," Killian left his place with a sigh. 

Later in the day, Zelena ran into Regina as she was leaving her place. "Oh hello," Regina smiled. "Hi, my brother was looking for you, to owe you more of that poker money you won," Zelena told her.

"Oh right," Regina smiled widely, just at the mention of Killian. "He's at work, have you seen his bar?" Zelena grinned wickedly, of course trying to get them together more. 

"Oh no not yet," Regina shook her head. "It's just ten blocks," Zelena said. "Oh great, well I'll go over, what's it called?" Regina asked. "Anchored" Zelena informed.

"Curious name for a bar, I like it," Regina mused. "Thanks," she flashed Zelena smile and shuffled out of the corridor.

"These two," Zelena scoffed to herself in amusement. 

Regina made her way the ten blocks and arrived at the bar. It was actually pretty nice, with a lot of blues and grays for the color tones and really classy, yet casual. Anchors of course adorning a lot of the walls for decor. 

She spotted Killian, as he was swaggering around guiding and instructing various staff, one of them being Graham. 

"Oh hey, mixed company," Graham teases to Killian quietly before Killian notices his neighbor. "Oh, hello," Killian brightens a bit seeing her. 

"Hi, umm your sister mentioned you paying me for my win last night," Regina grinned. "Oh, right, I do owe you money," He tilted his head and paid her from his pocket. 

"Thanks," Regina nodded awkwardly.

Regina's POV

Why does he always look so good? 

Killian's POV

Why does she always look so good?

"Uhh so this is a nice bar," Regina commented. "Thanks, it's my... baby.." he looks around at it nodding. "Nicer than I imagined," Regina mused.

"How so? You thought I would own some kind of dive bar?" Killian mocked. "Not really, but this is just nicer I guess than I expected," Regina shrugged.

"So umm, saw your... boyfriend this morning," Killian mentioned. Regina furrowed her brows looking at him, "Oh?" She asks defensively. 

"Yeah he umm is definitely in shape," He said. "Yeah.. he is," Regina nodded. "Yeah.. so.. that escalated quickly," He said. 

"Are you just watching everything I do?" She snarked. "No, I mean I knocked on the door, to pay you, and he was half naked, and there," Killian said.

"Are you jealous or something?" Regina asked. "Please I'm in just as good shape as that, he only has some height on me," Killian scoffed.

"I meant of him being in my place, or with me.." Regina pressed. "Pshh why?" He laughs mockingly. 

"Because you sure seem offended that I have him there, considering your habits," Regina crosses her arms. He copies her with his arm arms, his forearm flexing in the process, "What does that mean?" He jeers. 

"You just seem to be fine bringing home random bed mates or whatever and you're here judging me for dating a guy," Regina scolds. "I am not judging anything, you're the one judging me, I brought home what? Two girls you saw in the past two weeks?" He asked.

"Yeah well I don't care what or who you do," Regina scorned. "Well good, me too," He chides. "Good, have a ... good day," Regina turns on her heels. 

Killian's POV

You're an idiot Killian. 

"You're an idiot Killian.." He hears not is head talking, but Graham. "What?" Killian scoffed. "Please you like the girl, and she likes you," Graham said. 

"Oh please, now you sound like my sister," Killian groaned. "Yeah well your sister and I tend to agree," Graham smiled. "Stay away from her you wolf," Killian rebuked. 

"You know what I mean, and she's right, that girl likes you, and you like her, you're all mad about her boyfriend that she's barely been seeing," Graham said.

"It's like the guy is fucking photo shopped, he's prince bloody charming," Killian huffed. "Yeah and she clearly likes the scruffy rogue type, IE you," Graham tilted his head.

"How do you even know this?" Killian shook his head annoyed at him. "Because I'm pretty good at reading women, and that girl is more than obviously into you, that prince won't last," Graham said. 

"Yeah well I guess we will see," Killian sighed.

Another week passed by and Killian became more frustrated seeing James head into Regina's apartment two more nights in a row. 

Out of sheer frustration, he brings a girl home, who he has no intention of sleeping with, just wants a rise out of Regina. 

Killian tugs the hand of the girl down the hallway, in the timing to see Regina and James at her door. 

"Oh hello, neighbor," Killian grins at her. "Oh hello," Regina snarks, and checks out the woman next to him, with a judgmental glare and an eyebrow raise. 

"Goodnight," Killian dances his brows up escorting his date inside, Regina huffs and turns to James heading into her apartment.