No Hard Feelings

one

"We were drunk and we didn't know what we were doing." She doesn't bother to cast him a glance, and when she speaks, he can tell she's been thinking about this for a while now. "It was an accident and obviously it never should have happened. But it did, and that's all right. We'll just forget it ever happened and we'll be all right." This time, she turns to him. "Right?"

There's a slight furrow to her eyebrows, and he can see her biting her lip, just slightly, like she always does when she's worried about something, and he can't blame her because he's just as uncertain as she must be.

Dexter wishes he can say something reassuring in response, but he draws on a blank. The last time he'd seen Hadley so withdrawn from him had been when they were still going out, and that, to be honest, had been ages ago, and he'd forgotten how she could easily immobilize him with just a stare.

Up until now.

"Had," he says her name carefully. "We can't just... not talk about this."

Hadley shifts and turns to face him, a knot of worry settling between her eyebrows. "We didn't mean for it happen, and it doesn't mean anything, but it's us we're talking about. It's us, so we'll be fine, right?"

"Of course," he tells her, but even as he says the words, he can't shake off the uncertainty churning in the pit of his stomach. He pushes himself up in a sitting position. Then, in a firmer voice, he says, "Of course, we're fine."

"So we'll just forget all this," she says, "right?"

Dexter looks at her for a second before letting his gaze fall back to his hands. "If that's what you want."

Hadley's shoulders visibly relax. She turns away, clutching the white sheet to herself, and makes a move to stand up. "I'll shower first, so cover up or something because I can't seem to find my clothes and I'm taking this blanket with me."

"I think they're downstairs," Dex tells her, unable to stop his lips from quirking up in a mischievous smile despite himself. "You couldn't wait to get them off."

She grabs one of his pillows and hits him in the face, but even so, she isn't nearly fast enough to keep him from seeing the blush spreading across her cheeks. "If I remember correctly, you weren't so patient yourself."

He laughs, grabbing the pillow off his face. "Neither were you. In fact, I remember you accidentally ripping two buttons off my shirt when you--"

"Oh, god."

"--pulled it open and--"

She takes another pillow and swings it at him. He catches it before it can hit him and she lets go, scowling at him. "You've made your point, so please, please, please stop."

"Funny. I recall you telling me not to stop last night when I did that thing with--"

"Oh, for god's sake," she snaps, pulling the blanket so abruptly Dex had to think fast and use the pillow he was holding to cover himself up. He watches as she wraps it around herself, careful not to let it slide off as she stands.

"What's the rush?"

"Can you really blame me for wanting to rid my body of all traces of you as soon as possible?" She turns away and walks towards his bathroom, all blankets and messy blonde hair.

"Sure you don't want to me scrub your back?" he yells after her, but she merely gives him a warning look before slamming the bathroom door close. "I was just being nice. No need to be rude!"

The door opens slightly, just enough for Hadley to stick out her hand and give him the finger.

Dexter laughs. "Love you, too!"