FicWad

Warnings: General lack of plot, excessive fluffiness, and slash, of the f/f variety.

Summary: When Julia first moved, Crissie was her first new friend. Eight months later, the two are closer than close, and the only secret yet to be shared is that of their sexuality. ...In short, it's a cutesy hook-up story based on a conversation I envisioned in my head between two girls.

Notes: This short was actually written in mid-January of 2003. As with most of my writing, I've proofread the story and have done some mild editing. However, as is also true of most of my writing, I haven't had it edited or beta'd by another person.



BETWEEN FRIENDS

--by: lira-chan--



Julia sat outside the door to her friend Crissie's house, idly swinging on the porch swing. She and Crissie had made plans together for a "study session" for Friday night, but Julia had also been making plans of her own. It was now Friday afternoon, and she was waiting outside her friend's door, reluctant to knock just yet. As soon as she knocked, she would have to put her plan into motion, and she wasn't sure if she was ready.

Crissie was Julia's best and closest friend. She had been the first friend Julia made when she moved to Maryland at the beginning of the school year, and the school year was now almost over. Since they had first met, Julia and Crissie's friendship had grown immensely. Crissie had even introduced Julia to half of her new friends, when they had first met. Julia knew that if she had to move again, she wouldn't be able to bear it, because she wouldn't be able to leave Crissie. She hadn't had a best friend before, but now Crissie meant everything to her.

That was part of the reason why Julia was still unsure about putting her plan in action. She had thought about it for quite a while, but if she somehow offended Crissie it would kill her. Julia probably should have told Crissie - and all of her other friends, for that matter - what she would tell Crissie now when she had first met them all, but now it was too late. If she had made a mistake, then she would just have to pay for it. She only hoped that the price would not be too high.

Gathering her courage, Julia left the swing and headed towards the door with determination. Knocking sharply, Julia waited for Crissie to come open the door. Soon her knock was answered; the door was pushed open, and Crissie stepped out. Julia saw that she wore hip-huggers and a close-fitting light green tee, yet she still managed to look somehow innocent. Julia blinked. Crissie's long brown hair was tied up, and her brown eyes sparkled mischievously. Grabbing Julia by the hand, she dragged her friend through the door and into the house.

As she was dragged, Julia watched Crissie's hair bob with her steps, instantly reminded of her own, shorter hair. Her own black tresses had been cut stylishly short, and angled so as to frame her face. Crissie and Julia had toyed with the idea of streaking Julia's hair, but had given it up in the end. They had been unable to decide what color to use. While Julia had been thinking, Crissie had managed to force her up the stairs to her room. Releasing Julia at last, she opened the door and led Julia inside.

Remembering her plans, Julia managed to close the door behind her, locking it when Crissie wasn't paying attention. Crissie flopped down on her bed, beckoning for Julia to do the same. Julia sat herself with less careless abandon, waiting for Crissie to speak. Crissie happily obliged.

"So, which first," Crissie asked, "Dinner or studying?"

"Dinner, I suppose," Julia suggested, wondering if she could put her plan into effect before they ate. She knew she wouldn't be able to carry her plan out right away if they were to study first.

"In that case, let me call the pizza place," Crissie said, reaching for the phone by her bed. As Crissie dialed, Julia sat idle, looking around Crissie's room. She half-listened as Crissie conversed with the people at the restaurant, so she knew when Crissie would be done.

Crissie hung up the phone, and then turned to Julia once more. "The pizza will be here in about half an hour, so I guess we have to find something to do until then," Crissie informed her. "Do you want to actually begin studying, or should we put that off until after we eat?"

"After we eat!" Julia said, smiling widely. "I couldn't possibly study on an empty stomach!"

Crissie laughed, and Julia joined her. Once they had recollected their wits, Julia spoke again. "Actually, I'd prefer if we talked until the pizza arrives. There's something I really should tell you."

"Fine with me," Crissie said simply. "What is it that you have to tell me?"

Julia took a deep breath. It was the moment she had been dreading all along, and the easiest thing would probably be to just spit it out. Summoning all of the strength and courage she could muster, Julia began. "Crissie... We've only been friends for about eight months, but it seems to me as if it's been half of forever. You're my best friend, so if anything important ever happened to me, you'd be one of the first to know. Therefore, you should know that I think- I mean, I know... that I'm not straight. That's right, I'm gay. Lesbian, whatever. I don't personally like the term, but you could say dyke as well. To put it simply, I'm a girl who just so happens to prefer other girls over guys, romantically speaking."

When Julia was done, Crissie was silent. Finally, she spoke. "Julia, you AREN'T just figuring this out, are you?" she asked.

"No," Julia confessed, although she was a bit thrown off by the question. "To be completely honest, I've already known for quite a few years. I've never had a girl friend, but that doesn't mean I've never thought about it."

Once again, Crissie didn't speak right away. "In that case," she finally said, her voice sounding strangely small. "How come you never told me? We're best friends, Julia!"

"But I am telling you," Julia explained, her voice almost pleading. "I'm sorry it took me so long, but you're the first person here that I've told. And if you mean why didn't I tell you when I first met you, then that's simple. If you had been in my position, just meeting someone, would YOU have told them that you were a lesbian? Would you have entrusted them with that information so quickly? I wouldn't, and I didn't."

"Julia, you could have told me," Crissie protested. "I know you know what great friends we are. You should have just said something at the start."

"At the start?" Julia exclaimed, incredulous. "At the START we weren't great friends. At the START I didn't want to offend the first person that I met, lest I NEVER make any friends. For all I had known, you could have been homophobic, and hated me instantly. I wanted a fair chance. And, actually, for all I know you ARE homophobic, and by now you're thoroughly disgusted with me."

"No, I'm not," Crissie said, her voice deadly quiet, and edged with something that felt similar to bitterness, except it hit the other way around. "It's just... I sort of wish I had known all along. It feels sort of like being betrayed. We still would have been best friends because I'm not offended at all. Maybe we would have been better friends because of it."

"You don't know that," Julia said back, not liking the sound of Crissie's voice. She didn't even realize that her own voice was starting to sound similar. "It still could have made a difference, and that difference might not have been for the better. Just be glad that we're such good friends, and try to forgive me for not telling you sooner. We're already plenty close."

"That wasn't what I meant," Crissie protested, her voice still startlingly soft, but beginning to take on a different tone. "I was just thinking... maybe I have something to say as well. I don't know."

"What is it?" Julia asked, thrown off, but still very curious despite that.

"Well..." Crissie said slowly. Hadn't it ever occurred to you that we two never talk about guys? You probably wouldn't have noticed, because you know that you don't like them, so you wouldn't bring it up. But wouldn't you think that it was strange that I never brought it up? Wouldn't you think it odd that in all the time I've known you, I've never had a boyfriend?"

"Of course not," Julia scoffed. "And you can't possibly be saying..."

"I don't KNOW what I'm saying," Crissie interrupted, cutting her off. "It's just that you make me think about it, because we two are so alike. Why don't you think about it? We two are so similar, and you aren't straight. Do you think I am? Or might we two be more similar than I would have first thought?"

"Crissie, you can't possibly be thinking that!" Julia protested. Crissie would be straight, just look at her clothing. Julia had always suspected that she was underhandedly trying to attract the attention of guys... But maybe she wasn't. Maybe Crissie just liked her close-fitting clothes.

"But I am thinking that!" Crissie shot back, somehow managing to grasp each of Julia's hands in one of her own. "Maybe I don't know. Maybe I haven't known for years, like you. But I'm still thinking JUST that."

Having finished, Crissie looked up into Julia's face, her eyes almost pleading. She blinked once, and then lunged forward, to envelope Julia in a tight hug, releasing Julia's hands as she went. Resting her head just below Julia's chin, Crissie squeezed Julia, almost clutching at her. Julia, on the other hand, had been taken completely off-guard, and had been unable to react. She had never realized how much taller than Crissie she was, but now she saw that Crissie was a full head shorter.

With a shuddering sigh, Crissie finally released Julia, but remained holding her at arms length and looking up into her face. Still sitting on the bed, Crissie would be unable to stand up on her toes to close the height gap. Instead, she levered herself upwards on her knees, gently pressing her lips to Julia's and wrapping her arms back around her friend. Julia wasn't exactly surprised to have Crissie kissing her, or to feel Crissie stroking her hair, which had been so carefully cut. Julia kissed Crissie back, passionately, just then realizing how much she cared for Crissie, and not just as a friend. Julia discovered that she wanted to play with Crissie's soft, long hair as well. Carefully, she removed Crissie's hair tie, and tossed it behind her on the bed. She combed her fingers gently through Crissie's hair.

Julia's hands clenched up in surprise, somehow avoiding pulling Crissie's hair and hurting her, as Julia felt Crissie's tongue against her lip. Crissie's hands still stroked Julia's hair, in time with the movement of Crissie's tongue, as she attempted to ease Julia's mouth open. Julia's lips complied, more out of surprise than obedience, but then Crissie's tongue was in Julia's mouth, and she was too shocked to think about that further. Now Crissie's tongue was stroking Julia's own, beginning a sort of pattern. Julia's tongue began to stir within her mouth, and she felt Crissie's lips move against her own. Despite having known about her preferences for so long, Julia had never actually kissed a girl before. In her opinion, it was heaven- their combined mouths were pleasantly warm, and possessing a flavor unlike anything else. Finally, however, Crissie did withdraw her tongue, and draw back.

Julia's eyes fluttered open slowly, and she saw Crissie sitting back, her eyes half-lidded and a bemused smile upon her slightly kiss-bruised lips. Making Julia want to be kissing her again. As Julia leaned forward, Crissie pressed a finger to her lips.

"Believe me now?" Crissie asked.

That shocked Julia, who had been thinking about how nice it would be to kiss those lovely red lips of Crissie's- "Y-yes," she finally managed to spit out. Crissie laughed. Julia lunged at her, feigning anger at being laughed at and drawing Crissie to her chest, slumping down to rest her chin on Crissie's shoulder as she held her.

Julia loosened her arms a bit, snaking them around instead to the sides of Crissie's green tee, beginning to ease it over Crissie's stomach. Meeting no protests, Julia inched the shirt up higher, planting a kiss on Crissie's forehead before removing the shirt entirely. Crissie wriggled within Julia's arms, turning to face her, and deftly removing Julia's own shirt with some speed. Their lips met again, parting temporarily, tongues entering the kiss once more. Somehow, both of them managed to wriggle out of their pants before breaking the kiss.

Their faces still close, Crissie murmured into Julia's ear. "Julie-dear, the delivery man is coming soon," she breathed. "What shall we do?"

"Let him come," Julia replied softly.

"But Julie," Crissie continued. "He'll leave when someone doesn't answer the door-"

"Let him leave," Julia suggested carelessly. "After all, there are things besides pizza to eat."

Crissie nipped Julia's lip, softly, scolding her. "Naughty, naughty," she said. "What a dirty mind you possess!"

Julia laughed, nipping back foolishly. "You know that you do as well!" she protested.

Crissie kissed her softly. "I give in, you're right," she laughed. "No pizza delivery boy is removing us now!"

Julia laughed as well, pulling Crissie with her down onto the bed, kissing Crissie's eyelids gently, and then trailing kisses down across Crissie's neck. If the delivery boy did come, they knew not when; being too lost within themselves, and each other.