Battlefield | R | Grey's Anatomy
Title: Battlefield
Prompt: Their first huge fight (with a happy ending).
Fandom: Callie/Addison, Grey’s Anatomy
Requested by: kris_me
Rating: R
Word Count: 1664
Disclaimer: Not mine. Wish they were. Please don't sue.
Author's Note: Woah. This was hard to write! Addison may or may not be a mirror image of me in this story…*whistles innocently* Special thanks to Emma for kicking me in the ass when I was stalling and for the great ideas.
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Addison looked at the note scribbled on a post-it on the counter beside the mail. “Dinner w/ friends. Won’t be late. Love you - C.” She frowned, her stomach grumbling loudly. She threw her briefcase with a little more force than necessary onto the kitchen table.
“It’s not like I’m hungry or need to eat dinner or anything,” Addison growled, pulling out the leftover lasagna from two nights ago that had served as her lunch for the days that followed. She was getting sick of lasagna.
Several hours later, Addison was emerging from the shower, half expecting to see Callie bustling about somewhere in their shared apartment. The place was empty. She checked her cell phone and frowned to see that there were no messages.
“So much for not being late,” Addison said to no one.
It wasn’t until she was readying herself for bed after another several hours of paperwork that she heard the key slide into the lock. She listened as Callie loudly banged around the living room, presumably dropping her leather jacket across the sofa and kicking her shoes off wherever she decided to stop.
Addison took a deep breath.
“Hey you,” Callie said, her smile wide as she emerged in the doorway. “Sorry I’m late. We got a little caught up at the restaurant.”
“You must’ve gotten really caught up, huh?”
“Yea, well it was a little crazy. It was just supposed to be three of us and then more people showed up.”
“Who went?”
“Oh…it was me, Sloan, and Arizona. And then a few other people from Peds and Plastics met up with us.”
Addison’s teeth sunk into her lower lip as her blood ran cold. “You went out to dinner with your ex-girlfriend and your ex-boyfriend.”
Callie laughed as she pulled her low-cut black shirt over her head. She smelled it, crinkled her nose, and tossed it at the hamper. “Mark was never my boyfriend.”
“Oh, pardon me. Your fuck buddy then.”
“Addison, you know we’re friends. You know I love you, not either of them.”
Addison nodded. “And where did you all go for your platonic friends’ night out?”
Callie was quiet for a moment, as if deliberating whether or not to answer. “We went to Hooters.”
“Hooters.”
“Yup.” Callie wriggled her hips as she pulled down her jeans. She kicked them aside and stood, hands on her hips, clad in her bra and panties.
“Of all the restaurants in Seattle, you went to Hooters with two people who’ve seen you naked?”
“They have good wings, Ads.”
“Yea. Wings. And half-naked, objectified women.”
“They’re not objectified. Some find it empowering.”
Addison let out an angry laugh. “Right, empowering to display your tits in t-shirts that are too small and show your asses in shorts that are nothing but glorified panties. I totally see how that can be empowering.”
“It’s really not that bad. The women who work there choose to do it. They’re not being forced.”
Addison rolled her eyes. “Whatever. I’m glad you had a good time with your exes and your busty waiters and your wings.” She shifted down the bed and pulled the comforter up to her eyes, her heart pounding relentlessly. Her eyes stung with furious tears.
She felt the bed shift as Callie sat beside her, leaning over her. “C’mon, baby. Don’t be a grump. It was just a night out with my friends. I’ve been looking forward to coming home to you all evening…”
“Did the half-naked women and your exes get you in the mood? I’m not fucking you when you’re thinking of other people.”
Callie let out a frustrated groan. “What the hell is your problem, Addison? I’m not allowed to go out with my friends every once in a blue moon?”
“You can do what you want. You’re a grown woman.”
“Apparently I can’t if you’re getting all pissy about it.”
Addison said nothing.
“It was one night. One night. We lost track of time playing pool. I wasn’t checking out other women. I wasn’t cheating on you. I wasn’t doing anything wrong. I was in a crowded place, for God’s sake! If you don’t believe me, there are about twelve different people you can call to verify that I was wiping the floor with Mark at pool and that’s it.”
Addison remained silent.
“So that’s it? I get the cold shoulder now?”
Addison shrugged.
“What’s it going to take for you to realize that I’m in this relationship? If I didn’t want to be with you, I wouldn’t be. Simple.”
“So why are you? If I’m such a crazy, irrational partner, why are you here and not living it up with your friends?”
“Stop putting words in my mouth. I didn’t say any of that!”
“Maybe you didn’t, but your actions certainly did.”
“What am I supposed to do here, Addison? I didn’t do anything wrong and yet you’re treating me as if I did. Am I supposed to sleep on the couch? Get on my knees and beg for your forgiveness? Screw it.” Callie turned her back to Addison, undid her bra, and quickly drew an oversized t-shirt over her head. “Not this time, Addison. This is your issue. When you can figure out what’s going on in your head, you let me know.”
Callie snapped the light switch off, crossed the room, and settled herself onto her side of the bed. She tugged at the covers, pulling some of them over to her side from where they were bunched in Addison’s arms, and turned her back to Addison.
It took Callie the better part of an hour to fall asleep. Addison could tell the moment it happened: her lover’s heavy, frustrated breaths slowed to a relaxed cadence. She watched, in the darkness of the room, the rise and fall of Callie’s shoulders while she slept.
Addison spent most of the night staring at the ceiling. They didn’t fight often; more often than not, their similar dispositions and philosophies allowed for generally smooth sailing in their relationship.
It wasn’t until Addison’s insecurities and doubts surfaced that they hit roadblocks.
She couldn’t help but be jealous of Arizona, who was younger and prettier and more upbeat. She couldn’t help but be jealous of Mark, whose cocky attitude and bedroom prowess were things she’d only ever hope to achieve. She couldn’t help but assume, even after all of these months of happiness, that something better was waiting around the corner.
When Addison finally fell into a restless sleep, dreams of dark holes and unheard cries plagued her. She woke up to the alarm in a sweat, her chest heaving for air.
As her arm reached to the nightstand to turn off the alarm, she felt Callie stir beside her. Sometime during the night, she had curled herself around Addison’s waist.
Callie blinked sleepily and stared up at her. “Hey,” she said timidly.
Addison gave a half-smile. “Hi.”
“Can we be okay now?”
Addison sighed, suddenly fully awake despite having slept for no more than two hours. “You have to understand, Cal…I’m nervous about not being good enough. There are so many better options out there.”
“So you think that one night at Hooters with a few exes means I’m going to cheat on you and leave you?”
Addison shrugged helplessly.
Callie sat up, the gentleness quickly evaporating from her soft features. “I’m not a cheater, Addison. You are.”
Addison felt the force of her words like a punch in her gut. She opened her mouth to speak but no words came.
“I’m sorry,” Callie said, reaching for Addison’s hand. Addison pulled it away. “I shouldn’t have said that.”
“No. By all means, speak your mind. I got my share in last night.”
“I don’t think you’re going to cheat on me.”
“That’s not what it sounded like.”
“You don’t think I’m going to cheat on you either.”
“No?”
“No.” Callie took Addison’s hand and held it tightly, not allowing her to pull it back. “I think you know deep down that I’m not going anywhere and that I’m going to be faithful to you, and that scares the hell out of you.”
Addison looked away.
“Conversations are generally more productive when both people are talking, babe.”
“What do you want me to say? That it made me feel like crap that you went out with your exes to a place that I don’t approve of?”
“Yes, Addison. That’s exactly what I want you to say. The passive aggressive thing is kind of tearing me apart here. I can’t help you to feel better when you don’t give me any kind of clue as to what’s going on in your head.”
“Well…there you have it. I was jealous and I felt insecure and I felt left out.”
Callie looked slightly taken aback. “Left out?”
“Well, I have a stomach too, you know. I had all these plans to come home and whisk you off to some nice restaurant when I got out of work, and you were gone. I didn’t even get an invite.”
“I didn’t think you’d want to come given the company I was keeping.”
“How am I supposed to learn to trust them or like them if you never let me be around you when they’re with you?”
“All right…if you’re serious, I’ll invite you next time.”
“Well, I don’t want to go if it’s imposing on you.”
“Addison.”
“Sorry.” Addison’s shoulders dropped. “This is exhausting.”
“Yea, it is.”
“I’m sorry for being like this and for taking it out on you.”
“I’m sorry for not inviting you.” Callie kissed her on the forehead. “Is this where the corny music is supposed to play and we get all cliché and kissy and whatever?”
“How about we skip ahead to the kissy part?”
Callie grinned. “I think I can manage that.”
“I’m still mad at you,” Addison said, leaning forward.
“I’m still mad at you too.”
They kissed and, after several minutes, forgot what they were fighting about.
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