"Invitations (1/4)" - Hobbs/Raydor Fic
Title: Invitations (1/4)
Co-author: Immas13
Pairing: Hobbs/Raydor
Rating: T
Word Count: 1,784 words
Disclaimer: Not our characters or television show.
A/N: Many thanks to redrockcan and sharon_ray for their beta and suggestions.
Summary: Sharon is forced to openly come to terms with her relationship with Andrea, who is growing tired of their secretive romance.
They were laying in the dark, but neither of them were asleep. Sharon knew that her partner’s mind was working overtime, though Sharon just thought it was due to work-related stress. Things between them had been strained in the past few months. The conversations between them were diminishing, time was growing between visits, however Sharon had hoped that tonight would be the end of the growing tension. Sharon knew that wasn’t the case after feeling her lover’s feet gently kicking at the covers; her lover’s body was usually so pliant and relaxed after they made love but tonight Sharon could feel the tension radiating from the blonde’s form.
They hadn’t seen each other in over three weeks outside of work and Sharon could tell that it was starting to take its toll on her. While they’d had their share of disagreements in the time that they’d been together, both women had always been able to put aside the conflicts at hand especially since their time together was always so limited. Sharon never imagined what would happen once her partner rolled towards her.
“I can’t do this anymore Sharon.” The blonde propped herself up on her elbow looking over at Sharon under the blankets. Things weren’t working and she needed to say it out loud. She loved Sharon, that much she knew, but she couldn’t hide the stress of sneaking around anymore.
“You can’t do what?” Sharon ran her fingertips across her lover’s arm and leaned down to kiss her shoulder. Sharon hoped that the affectionate gesture would ease her; she could sense where this was going and she dreaded it. Sharon smiled trailing her lips down the blonde’s collarbone towards her neck. She pulled away as she felt the blonde stiffen under her touch. “What’s wrong?”
“I can’t do the sneaking around anymore; I don’t want this to be a secret Sharon.” The blonde reached for her hand locking her fingers with Sharon’s looking into her eyes. “Please.”
“You know we can’t do that.” Sharon pulled her hand away dismissing the topic. Sharon wasn’t a cold woman contrary to belief, but her relationship wasn’t something she was willing to openly share. How could she? For the first time since her separation, Sharon was being asked to make a serious romantic commitment; she was terrified. Her few lover affairs over the last two decades had fizzled out before either person had felt obligated to bring up the topic of long term commitment. Last time she’d said “I do,” she’d ended up with a broken heart. Not to mention a seriously complicated post-marital arrangement.
“Why? We technically don’t even work together so I don’t want to hear you say it’s against any rules. We could do it slowly, Rusty already knows, maybe we could tell people one at a time,” she continued, pressing the issue.
“Andrea...” Sharon’s voice had a warning to it, however Andrea kept on.
“Damn it Sharon! I don’t want to be your closeted play thing,” Andrea said. She never got to see Sharon unless they were at work or if Rusty had a sleepover with his friends. It was getting old waiting by her phone for ‘green light’ to come over.
Sharon cringed at the harshness of Andrea’s words. “That’s not fair and you know it. That’s not what this is.” True, she wasn’t one to overly emote in her speech or tone, but surely Andrea had to know how much she cared about her from her touch, her kisses? She would never use Andrea, she wasn’t the sort of woman who could take a lover so easily and then toss them aside. But dealing with this, coming to terms with her sexual identity later on in her life; Sharon wasn’t adjusting easily. She was used to being in control of any given situation, and since coming out to herself a few years ago, she’d never felt more out of control in her life.
“Isn’t it? When we’re here it’s only because Rusty is gone. I can’t even come over for a friendly dinner, despite the fact that he knows about us. I hate how you’re unwilling to be seen with me in public as anything more than an occasional co-worker. I mean, we can’t even go out for a casual coffee outside of work because you’re afraid that people will see us and jump to the correct conclusions.” Sharon could feel the tension between them growing once again.
“I do not treat you that way,” Sharon stated flatly.
“You do,” Andrea retorted.
“Can we not fight about this? We just had a fantastic night. We don’t get them very often and I’d like-”
“You just said it, we don’t get this very often,” Andrea repeated, sighing, “Look, I know how tough coming out to others can be, I’ve been there. Granted it was a really long time ago, but I remember what it was like. I love being with you, but Sharon I can’t keep living this secret with you. I could understand, if we started taking baby steps, but you’re unwilling to do even that,” Andrea’s voice seemed desperate and it caused Sharon to reach out and hold the blonde’s shoulder.
“It’s not just that - this is new to us. We see each at work all the time, our offices coordinate on a nearly daily basis. I’m not willing to become workplace gossip, are you?And then God forbid if we separated, then where would we be?” Sharon cringed as soon as the words left her mouth and she saw the hurt reflected in Andrea’s eyes.
“So now we’re breaking up before we could even put a name to what’s between us?” Andrea asked in a small voice. She looked over at Sharon, it was an honest question and Sharon shut her eyes hoping to find a way to end this conflict.
“That’s not what I’m saying at all. I don’t view what we have lightly but Andrea this is sensitive, and I don’t want anyone to judge or be included in how we deal with our rela-”
“Our what? Our relationship? Is that what you were going to say because a relationship involves two people Sharon. Not one person sitting around always waiting on the other person to call when it’s most convenient or when they are in the mood.” Sharon knew she was only digging herself a deeper hole. She sighed, deep down she knew that Andrea’s patience for Sharon’s insistence that they keep things private would wear out; Andrea was not a woman who was comfortable with hiding who she was, or with keeping secrets.
She wanted so badly to go back to enjoying the easy and electrifying intimacy between them, and to leave this disagreement behind. Sharon tried to smile reassuringly at her lover, even though this wasn’t a conversation that she wanted to have. She leaned in to kiss Andrea’s lips and chin. In the past, their bodies had always mended the hurt that their words (or lack thereof) had caused, Sharon trailed her lips across Andrea’s elegant jaw, hoping that this would be the case tonight as well. She felt Andrea tense in response, and wiggle away from her, actively resisting Sharon’s touch.
“Sharon I’m serious.” Andrea clearly wasn’t finding Sharon’s distraction as appealing as Sharon was. She grasped Sharon’s hand, tangling their fingers together.
Sharon saw the conviction and dedication in Andrea’s eyes and nodded her head in reluctant agreement.
“I know,” she sighed; she knew deep down that not dealing with her own fears and anxieties about coming out was hurting Andrea. Sharon moved her head over to check the time. “It’s 1:00am, so can we talk about it in the morning? Andrea I promise to you I will listen to what you have to say, I will take your feelings into consideration on all accounts.”
“There is nothing wrong with what we’re doing Sharon. By hiding this I feel like it’s something dirty. And that is the last word that I want to associate with what we have between us.” Andrea explained.
This was...she couldn’t quite name it but she knew in her heart that this was something deeply important to her. She couldn’t ascribe a name to how Andrea made her feel, but she could experience the joy and the freedom that her feelings inspired when Andrea’s hands were on her body. When their limbs were intertwined, hips chasing teasing touches, backs arched with pleasure; she felt alive. It was the same thrill that she got when she watched Andrea triumphantly argue a case, or when something sparked her dry sense of humour and her laughter reached all the way up to her blue eyes.
Andrea’s hands found their way to Sharon’s jaw, holding it gently. “I want this to be more, I want you, unconditionally.”
Unconditionally, the conviction in Andrea’s tone sent shivers racing up Sharon’s spine. Sharon rolled off of Andrea, giving her space on the bed. Normally they fell asleep, limbs tangled, but the tension radiating from Andrea’s form indicated that it would not be welcome tonight.
It had been difficult for Andrea to finally let every bit of resentment and frustration out, but it had been necessary. She was at the point in her life where a continuous string of late-night affairs was no longer exciting, but tiring. She meant it when she said that she wanted Sharon unconditionally; she was ready to settle down, to make a home with this infuriating, difficult, but deeply adored woman.
The clicking sound of front door opening, then closing, caused both women to freeze. Sharon sat up in the bed listening carefully, she inched towards the nightstand which housed her gun and bullets, just incase. She lived in a secure building in a safe neighbourhood, surely there was no way that an unwelcome guest would have made it past the security? She heard the shuffling of a bag and shoes; Rusty was at an overnight camping retreat with his classmates, so it couldn’t possibly be him.
“Mom?” Sharon blanched. Her eldest child, Conner was shuffling around in her living room at 1:00am.
“Oh my God,” Andrea whispered. She scrambled to find her clothing in the dark, but it was no use.
Before Sharon even had the chance to think of how uncomfortable this was going to be to explain why there was someone in her bed. Not even the fact that it was Andrea Hobbs in her bed, gloriously naked at 1:00am, there was a light knock at her door.
“Mom?” She could tell by the sound of his voice that Conner had been crying and that he needed her. “Are you awake? I really need to talk… “
Co-author: Immas13
Pairing: Hobbs/Raydor
Rating: T
Word Count: 1,784 words
Disclaimer: Not our characters or television show.
A/N: Many thanks to redrockcan and sharon_ray for their beta and suggestions.
Summary: Sharon is forced to openly come to terms with her relationship with Andrea, who is growing tired of their secretive romance.
They were laying in the dark, but neither of them were asleep. Sharon knew that her partner’s mind was working overtime, though Sharon just thought it was due to work-related stress. Things between them had been strained in the past few months. The conversations between them were diminishing, time was growing between visits, however Sharon had hoped that tonight would be the end of the growing tension. Sharon knew that wasn’t the case after feeling her lover’s feet gently kicking at the covers; her lover’s body was usually so pliant and relaxed after they made love but tonight Sharon could feel the tension radiating from the blonde’s form.
They hadn’t seen each other in over three weeks outside of work and Sharon could tell that it was starting to take its toll on her. While they’d had their share of disagreements in the time that they’d been together, both women had always been able to put aside the conflicts at hand especially since their time together was always so limited. Sharon never imagined what would happen once her partner rolled towards her.
“I can’t do this anymore Sharon.” The blonde propped herself up on her elbow looking over at Sharon under the blankets. Things weren’t working and she needed to say it out loud. She loved Sharon, that much she knew, but she couldn’t hide the stress of sneaking around anymore.
“You can’t do what?” Sharon ran her fingertips across her lover’s arm and leaned down to kiss her shoulder. Sharon hoped that the affectionate gesture would ease her; she could sense where this was going and she dreaded it. Sharon smiled trailing her lips down the blonde’s collarbone towards her neck. She pulled away as she felt the blonde stiffen under her touch. “What’s wrong?”
“I can’t do the sneaking around anymore; I don’t want this to be a secret Sharon.” The blonde reached for her hand locking her fingers with Sharon’s looking into her eyes. “Please.”
“You know we can’t do that.” Sharon pulled her hand away dismissing the topic. Sharon wasn’t a cold woman contrary to belief, but her relationship wasn’t something she was willing to openly share. How could she? For the first time since her separation, Sharon was being asked to make a serious romantic commitment; she was terrified. Her few lover affairs over the last two decades had fizzled out before either person had felt obligated to bring up the topic of long term commitment. Last time she’d said “I do,” she’d ended up with a broken heart. Not to mention a seriously complicated post-marital arrangement.
“Why? We technically don’t even work together so I don’t want to hear you say it’s against any rules. We could do it slowly, Rusty already knows, maybe we could tell people one at a time,” she continued, pressing the issue.
“Andrea...” Sharon’s voice had a warning to it, however Andrea kept on.
“Damn it Sharon! I don’t want to be your closeted play thing,” Andrea said. She never got to see Sharon unless they were at work or if Rusty had a sleepover with his friends. It was getting old waiting by her phone for ‘green light’ to come over.
Sharon cringed at the harshness of Andrea’s words. “That’s not fair and you know it. That’s not what this is.” True, she wasn’t one to overly emote in her speech or tone, but surely Andrea had to know how much she cared about her from her touch, her kisses? She would never use Andrea, she wasn’t the sort of woman who could take a lover so easily and then toss them aside. But dealing with this, coming to terms with her sexual identity later on in her life; Sharon wasn’t adjusting easily. She was used to being in control of any given situation, and since coming out to herself a few years ago, she’d never felt more out of control in her life.
“Isn’t it? When we’re here it’s only because Rusty is gone. I can’t even come over for a friendly dinner, despite the fact that he knows about us. I hate how you’re unwilling to be seen with me in public as anything more than an occasional co-worker. I mean, we can’t even go out for a casual coffee outside of work because you’re afraid that people will see us and jump to the correct conclusions.” Sharon could feel the tension between them growing once again.
“I do not treat you that way,” Sharon stated flatly.
“You do,” Andrea retorted.
“Can we not fight about this? We just had a fantastic night. We don’t get them very often and I’d like-”
“You just said it, we don’t get this very often,” Andrea repeated, sighing, “Look, I know how tough coming out to others can be, I’ve been there. Granted it was a really long time ago, but I remember what it was like. I love being with you, but Sharon I can’t keep living this secret with you. I could understand, if we started taking baby steps, but you’re unwilling to do even that,” Andrea’s voice seemed desperate and it caused Sharon to reach out and hold the blonde’s shoulder.
“It’s not just that - this is new to us. We see each at work all the time, our offices coordinate on a nearly daily basis. I’m not willing to become workplace gossip, are you?And then God forbid if we separated, then where would we be?” Sharon cringed as soon as the words left her mouth and she saw the hurt reflected in Andrea’s eyes.
“So now we’re breaking up before we could even put a name to what’s between us?” Andrea asked in a small voice. She looked over at Sharon, it was an honest question and Sharon shut her eyes hoping to find a way to end this conflict.
“That’s not what I’m saying at all. I don’t view what we have lightly but Andrea this is sensitive, and I don’t want anyone to judge or be included in how we deal with our rela-”
“Our what? Our relationship? Is that what you were going to say because a relationship involves two people Sharon. Not one person sitting around always waiting on the other person to call when it’s most convenient or when they are in the mood.” Sharon knew she was only digging herself a deeper hole. She sighed, deep down she knew that Andrea’s patience for Sharon’s insistence that they keep things private would wear out; Andrea was not a woman who was comfortable with hiding who she was, or with keeping secrets.
She wanted so badly to go back to enjoying the easy and electrifying intimacy between them, and to leave this disagreement behind. Sharon tried to smile reassuringly at her lover, even though this wasn’t a conversation that she wanted to have. She leaned in to kiss Andrea’s lips and chin. In the past, their bodies had always mended the hurt that their words (or lack thereof) had caused, Sharon trailed her lips across Andrea’s elegant jaw, hoping that this would be the case tonight as well. She felt Andrea tense in response, and wiggle away from her, actively resisting Sharon’s touch.
“Sharon I’m serious.” Andrea clearly wasn’t finding Sharon’s distraction as appealing as Sharon was. She grasped Sharon’s hand, tangling their fingers together.
Sharon saw the conviction and dedication in Andrea’s eyes and nodded her head in reluctant agreement.
“I know,” she sighed; she knew deep down that not dealing with her own fears and anxieties about coming out was hurting Andrea. Sharon moved her head over to check the time. “It’s 1:00am, so can we talk about it in the morning? Andrea I promise to you I will listen to what you have to say, I will take your feelings into consideration on all accounts.”
“There is nothing wrong with what we’re doing Sharon. By hiding this I feel like it’s something dirty. And that is the last word that I want to associate with what we have between us.” Andrea explained.
This was...she couldn’t quite name it but she knew in her heart that this was something deeply important to her. She couldn’t ascribe a name to how Andrea made her feel, but she could experience the joy and the freedom that her feelings inspired when Andrea’s hands were on her body. When their limbs were intertwined, hips chasing teasing touches, backs arched with pleasure; she felt alive. It was the same thrill that she got when she watched Andrea triumphantly argue a case, or when something sparked her dry sense of humour and her laughter reached all the way up to her blue eyes.
Andrea’s hands found their way to Sharon’s jaw, holding it gently. “I want this to be more, I want you, unconditionally.”
Unconditionally, the conviction in Andrea’s tone sent shivers racing up Sharon’s spine. Sharon rolled off of Andrea, giving her space on the bed. Normally they fell asleep, limbs tangled, but the tension radiating from Andrea’s form indicated that it would not be welcome tonight.
It had been difficult for Andrea to finally let every bit of resentment and frustration out, but it had been necessary. She was at the point in her life where a continuous string of late-night affairs was no longer exciting, but tiring. She meant it when she said that she wanted Sharon unconditionally; she was ready to settle down, to make a home with this infuriating, difficult, but deeply adored woman.
The clicking sound of front door opening, then closing, caused both women to freeze. Sharon sat up in the bed listening carefully, she inched towards the nightstand which housed her gun and bullets, just incase. She lived in a secure building in a safe neighbourhood, surely there was no way that an unwelcome guest would have made it past the security? She heard the shuffling of a bag and shoes; Rusty was at an overnight camping retreat with his classmates, so it couldn’t possibly be him.
“Mom?” Sharon blanched. Her eldest child, Conner was shuffling around in her living room at 1:00am.
“Oh my God,” Andrea whispered. She scrambled to find her clothing in the dark, but it was no use.
Before Sharon even had the chance to think of how uncomfortable this was going to be to explain why there was someone in her bed. Not even the fact that it was Andrea Hobbs in her bed, gloriously naked at 1:00am, there was a light knock at her door.
“Mom?” She could tell by the sound of his voice that Conner had been crying and that he needed her. “Are you awake? I really need to talk… “