These Things Just Happen (Pam/Karen)
Title: These Things Just Happen
For: femslash100's aroundtheclock
Claim: The Office, Pam Beesly
Prompt: 16:00 / evolution
Pairing: Pam/Karen
Rating: R
Word Count: 145 + 101 + 130 + 124 + 185 + 119 + 152 + 250 + 128 + 149 = 1,483
Spoilers: through 'A Benihana Christmas'
Summary: A few months in a life.
Disclaimer: Not mine. Don't sue.
*
January 3, 2007
Pam never would've thought she'd be friends with Karen, but here she is, sitting on Karen's couch and eating pizza.
"Don't tell Jim I like anchovies," Karen says. "Our relationship's too young for that kind of shock."
Pam tries not to react to the sound of Jim's name. "Your secret's safe with me."
"Is it?"
Pam nods. "I'm good at keeping secrets."
Karen smirks. "Oh, really? About anyone I know?"
"I can't tell you. Otherwise, I wouldn't be good at keeping secrets."
"Okay. But is there any way in? A way to win your trust so I can get dirt on people?"
Pam shrugs. "Maybe. After I get to know you better."
"If you were really good at keeping secrets, you would've said never."
Karen smiles at her, a big silly grin. Pam laughs; for the first time in a long while, she's actually happy.
*
February 14, 2007
The first time Karen kisses her, Pam blushes. They're spending Valentine's Day together for reasons Pam didn't particularly get until this moment, and when she pulls away, Karen looks mortified.
"I'm sorry," she says. "It's just..."
Karen doesn't complete the sentence, and Pam doesn't ask her to.
"Don't be sorry," Pam says. She can still feel heat on her cheeks. "It's just... a thing that happened."
"Totally," Karen says. "Totally. I'm going to go."
"You don't have to."
"Yes." She nods firmly. "I do. You don't hang around after you impulsively kiss--"
Pam presses her lips against Karen's. Karen stays.
*
March 2, 2007
In the past couple of weeks, Pam and Karen have kissed each other more times than Pam is comfortable with. Not that she's really all that upset by the fact that she might be a little bit gay; she just doesn't know how to take chances like this. It feels so new that it's beyond scary, but she can't seem to stop herself. Plus:
"You know..." Pam begins. "Jim."
Jim is still her friend, even if he is being standoffish, even if she's not sure if they can get past Casino Night.
"I know," Karen says. "It's completely messed up. I didn't mean for this to happen."
"I know that. But I can't keep doing this behind his back."
Karen nods. "Yeah. Neither can I," she says before walking away.
*
March 7, 2007
"I broke up with him," Karen blurts out. There's an anxiousness to the way she's looking at Pam, one that spells out that this is not a plea for sympathy, but a way to ask if Pam wants to continue what they put on hold. "I broke up with him," she repeats, more calmly but with the same purpose.
Pam finds it liberating to be with someone who knows what they want while she's free. She doesn't have to second-guess, weigh her options, think. She doesn't have to close a door that can never be opened again, doesn't have to say, "I can't."
So Pam kisses her. Lets Karen take her to the bedroom.
Pam is surprised that it can really be this easy.
*
March 8, 2007
Karen's hand is on one of Pam's breasts, fingertips sliding over her nipple. Pam's body tenses and Karen stops.
Karen opens her mouth as if to say something, then lets out an audible exhalation. Pam waits for her to ask if they should stop, but Karen instead curls her lips into a small smile. "So, are you going to tell me the office secrets now?"
"I never should've trusted you." Pam laughs. "Never."
"Man, I could've told you that."
Pam starts to tell Karen that this is the first time she's had sex in a long time, that she's never had sex with a woman, that she's only had sex with one man. But then Karen's mouth is on hers, kissing her in the way that makes this all feel less insane. Soon, Karen's mouth is moving down Pam's body until her head is between Pam's legs. Her fingers turn to fists around the sheets as the rest of her body relaxes. Karen's tongue slides over the inside of Pam's thigh, and there's no turning back now.
No turning back.
Pam's okay with that.
*
April 7, 2007
Karen wants to celebrate their one-month anniversary, but Pam thinks it seems a little trivial. Pam supposes it's because after years in a relationship, one is not really invested in tiny milestones. But then Pam realizes that this is a pretty big deal, right? Dating a woman after years of assuming that you weren't going to? Being with a new person after ending a long relationship? Finding someone who makes you happy and having the timing actually be right?
Yeah, it's a pretty big deal. They go out to dinner, drink a little too much, have sex on Karen's couch. Which might not be entirely nutty or noteworthy, but it's actually one of the better anniversaries Pam has had.
*
May 1, 2007
"Do we have to report this to Toby?" Karen says. "Because I don't know if a secret relationship will work. Long-term, I mean."
Pam shrugs. "Works fine for Dwight and Angela."
Karen's jaw goes slack before she lets out a laugh. "That's one of the secrets you know?"
Pam covers her face. "I can't believe I said that."
"I can. Because it was only a matter of time before you realized I was worthy of knowing such secrets."
Pam smiles, lowering her hands back to the table. "You do have a certain something."
"Man, Dwight and Angela. That's kind of bizarrely perfect." Karen pauses. Her face goes serious. "Do you want this to be something long-term? Because that's what I want, and if you don't--"
"I want that," Pam says quickly. "But let's not tell Toby right now, okay?"
"Okay," Karen smiles. "I didn't feel like having that conversation today, anyway."
*
June 4, 2007
"I guess we're no Dwight and Angela," Karen whispers into Pam's ear.
Pam catches Jim looking at them, and his eyes quickly dart away. "I can't believe I'm going to say this," Pam replies, "but I really want to be them."
"I saw this movie on TV a few weeks ago," Michael says, standing at the front of the conference room. "It was about some dude who researched how and with who people did it. He researched how people did it and with who they did it... he liked asking people about sex. He created this scale. On one end, there's completely straight people like me. On the other, completely gay people like Oscar." Oscar sighs. "And in the middle, there's Pam and Karen." He gives a nod in their direction. Pam has never seen him look more serious, and it's pretty much freaking her out. "In the spirit of understanding, Pam and Karen are going to tell us about what it's like for them."
Now Pam's really getting freaked out.
"Michael," Toby says. "I have to reiterate that this is entirely inappropriate--"
"Shuuuuuuut it," Michael says. "Biophobe." He gestures at the front of the room. "Karen. Tell us about the things you do."
"Michael--"
"That's not inappropriate. I'm not asking about sex routines, you pervert."
Karen holds up her hand. "What are you asking?"
"About what you go through every day, always so confused about who you want to have sex with."
"Michael--"
"Toby! Come on!"
*
June 7, 2007
Jim doesn't leave the state.
This fact both relieves Pam and scares her. Because she doesn't want Jim to hate her, doesn't want him to feel like he can't be around her, but she also doesn't know if Jim can even pretend to tolerate her while she's dating his ex-girlfriend.
So. That's a problem she never thought she'd have. But she has it. She finds herself not knowing how to talk to Jim, even more so than when he had just come back from Stamford. But, at the end of the third day after he -- and everyone else -- found out about her and Karen, he tells her, "I just want you to be happy. So... I'm not mad."
He sounds like he might actually mean it.
*
July 4, 2007
Pam tells her mother about her relationship with Karen over the phone, then invites herself over to her parents' place for Independence Day. Karen repeatedly asks her if she's ready for this, and Pam says, "If I can deal with Michael, I can handle my totally cool Mom."
Karen quirks an eyebrow. "Your mom is totally cool, huh?"
"Well, about this. I'm not saying she's cool cool."
"Is she really okay with this?"
"Why wouldn't she be?"
Karen gapes. "You know the answer to that."
"Yeah, but... I swear, she's okay with this."
Pam never thought she'd be taking her girlfriend to meet her parents, but here she is, Karen in the passenger seat and a shared Big Gulp in the beverage holder.
"We should've left earlier," Karen says, looking at the traffic in front of them.
Pam nods. Taps her finger against the steering wheel. "It'll be okay."
END
For: femslash100's aroundtheclock
Claim: The Office, Pam Beesly
Prompt: 16:00 / evolution
Pairing: Pam/Karen
Rating: R
Word Count: 145 + 101 + 130 + 124 + 185 + 119 + 152 + 250 + 128 + 149 = 1,483
Spoilers: through 'A Benihana Christmas'
Summary: A few months in a life.
Disclaimer: Not mine. Don't sue.
*
January 3, 2007
Pam never would've thought she'd be friends with Karen, but here she is, sitting on Karen's couch and eating pizza.
"Don't tell Jim I like anchovies," Karen says. "Our relationship's too young for that kind of shock."
Pam tries not to react to the sound of Jim's name. "Your secret's safe with me."
"Is it?"
Pam nods. "I'm good at keeping secrets."
Karen smirks. "Oh, really? About anyone I know?"
"I can't tell you. Otherwise, I wouldn't be good at keeping secrets."
"Okay. But is there any way in? A way to win your trust so I can get dirt on people?"
Pam shrugs. "Maybe. After I get to know you better."
"If you were really good at keeping secrets, you would've said never."
Karen smiles at her, a big silly grin. Pam laughs; for the first time in a long while, she's actually happy.
*
February 14, 2007
The first time Karen kisses her, Pam blushes. They're spending Valentine's Day together for reasons Pam didn't particularly get until this moment, and when she pulls away, Karen looks mortified.
"I'm sorry," she says. "It's just..."
Karen doesn't complete the sentence, and Pam doesn't ask her to.
"Don't be sorry," Pam says. She can still feel heat on her cheeks. "It's just... a thing that happened."
"Totally," Karen says. "Totally. I'm going to go."
"You don't have to."
"Yes." She nods firmly. "I do. You don't hang around after you impulsively kiss--"
Pam presses her lips against Karen's. Karen stays.
*
March 2, 2007
In the past couple of weeks, Pam and Karen have kissed each other more times than Pam is comfortable with. Not that she's really all that upset by the fact that she might be a little bit gay; she just doesn't know how to take chances like this. It feels so new that it's beyond scary, but she can't seem to stop herself. Plus:
"You know..." Pam begins. "Jim."
Jim is still her friend, even if he is being standoffish, even if she's not sure if they can get past Casino Night.
"I know," Karen says. "It's completely messed up. I didn't mean for this to happen."
"I know that. But I can't keep doing this behind his back."
Karen nods. "Yeah. Neither can I," she says before walking away.
*
March 7, 2007
"I broke up with him," Karen blurts out. There's an anxiousness to the way she's looking at Pam, one that spells out that this is not a plea for sympathy, but a way to ask if Pam wants to continue what they put on hold. "I broke up with him," she repeats, more calmly but with the same purpose.
Pam finds it liberating to be with someone who knows what they want while she's free. She doesn't have to second-guess, weigh her options, think. She doesn't have to close a door that can never be opened again, doesn't have to say, "I can't."
So Pam kisses her. Lets Karen take her to the bedroom.
Pam is surprised that it can really be this easy.
*
March 8, 2007
Karen's hand is on one of Pam's breasts, fingertips sliding over her nipple. Pam's body tenses and Karen stops.
Karen opens her mouth as if to say something, then lets out an audible exhalation. Pam waits for her to ask if they should stop, but Karen instead curls her lips into a small smile. "So, are you going to tell me the office secrets now?"
"I never should've trusted you." Pam laughs. "Never."
"Man, I could've told you that."
Pam starts to tell Karen that this is the first time she's had sex in a long time, that she's never had sex with a woman, that she's only had sex with one man. But then Karen's mouth is on hers, kissing her in the way that makes this all feel less insane. Soon, Karen's mouth is moving down Pam's body until her head is between Pam's legs. Her fingers turn to fists around the sheets as the rest of her body relaxes. Karen's tongue slides over the inside of Pam's thigh, and there's no turning back now.
No turning back.
Pam's okay with that.
*
April 7, 2007
Karen wants to celebrate their one-month anniversary, but Pam thinks it seems a little trivial. Pam supposes it's because after years in a relationship, one is not really invested in tiny milestones. But then Pam realizes that this is a pretty big deal, right? Dating a woman after years of assuming that you weren't going to? Being with a new person after ending a long relationship? Finding someone who makes you happy and having the timing actually be right?
Yeah, it's a pretty big deal. They go out to dinner, drink a little too much, have sex on Karen's couch. Which might not be entirely nutty or noteworthy, but it's actually one of the better anniversaries Pam has had.
*
May 1, 2007
"Do we have to report this to Toby?" Karen says. "Because I don't know if a secret relationship will work. Long-term, I mean."
Pam shrugs. "Works fine for Dwight and Angela."
Karen's jaw goes slack before she lets out a laugh. "That's one of the secrets you know?"
Pam covers her face. "I can't believe I said that."
"I can. Because it was only a matter of time before you realized I was worthy of knowing such secrets."
Pam smiles, lowering her hands back to the table. "You do have a certain something."
"Man, Dwight and Angela. That's kind of bizarrely perfect." Karen pauses. Her face goes serious. "Do you want this to be something long-term? Because that's what I want, and if you don't--"
"I want that," Pam says quickly. "But let's not tell Toby right now, okay?"
"Okay," Karen smiles. "I didn't feel like having that conversation today, anyway."
*
June 4, 2007
"I guess we're no Dwight and Angela," Karen whispers into Pam's ear.
Pam catches Jim looking at them, and his eyes quickly dart away. "I can't believe I'm going to say this," Pam replies, "but I really want to be them."
"I saw this movie on TV a few weeks ago," Michael says, standing at the front of the conference room. "It was about some dude who researched how and with who people did it. He researched how people did it and with who they did it... he liked asking people about sex. He created this scale. On one end, there's completely straight people like me. On the other, completely gay people like Oscar." Oscar sighs. "And in the middle, there's Pam and Karen." He gives a nod in their direction. Pam has never seen him look more serious, and it's pretty much freaking her out. "In the spirit of understanding, Pam and Karen are going to tell us about what it's like for them."
Now Pam's really getting freaked out.
"Michael," Toby says. "I have to reiterate that this is entirely inappropriate--"
"Shuuuuuuut it," Michael says. "Biophobe." He gestures at the front of the room. "Karen. Tell us about the things you do."
"Michael--"
"That's not inappropriate. I'm not asking about sex routines, you pervert."
Karen holds up her hand. "What are you asking?"
"About what you go through every day, always so confused about who you want to have sex with."
"Michael--"
"Toby! Come on!"
*
June 7, 2007
Jim doesn't leave the state.
This fact both relieves Pam and scares her. Because she doesn't want Jim to hate her, doesn't want him to feel like he can't be around her, but she also doesn't know if Jim can even pretend to tolerate her while she's dating his ex-girlfriend.
So. That's a problem she never thought she'd have. But she has it. She finds herself not knowing how to talk to Jim, even more so than when he had just come back from Stamford. But, at the end of the third day after he -- and everyone else -- found out about her and Karen, he tells her, "I just want you to be happy. So... I'm not mad."
He sounds like he might actually mean it.
*
July 4, 2007
Pam tells her mother about her relationship with Karen over the phone, then invites herself over to her parents' place for Independence Day. Karen repeatedly asks her if she's ready for this, and Pam says, "If I can deal with Michael, I can handle my totally cool Mom."
Karen quirks an eyebrow. "Your mom is totally cool, huh?"
"Well, about this. I'm not saying she's cool cool."
"Is she really okay with this?"
"Why wouldn't she be?"
Karen gapes. "You know the answer to that."
"Yeah, but... I swear, she's okay with this."
Pam never thought she'd be taking her girlfriend to meet her parents, but here she is, Karen in the passenger seat and a shared Big Gulp in the beverage holder.
"We should've left earlier," Karen says, looking at the traffic in front of them.
Pam nods. Taps her finger against the steering wheel. "It'll be okay."
END