There was no one in the world more charming at interviews that Liz Gillies, or at least that was what Avan thought. She was calm and composed, witty and funny. No question was too hard or too uncomfortable to answer for her, even if it got a little too personal for his liking. She always found a way to curb those questions into funny little anecdotes that worked for her favor. It was quite amusing if you really paid attention.
Avan always liked watching her interviews whether that be as her friend or as her most constant supporter. He loved to see the seemingly coy but incredibly sexy smirk that would tug on her lips when she knows she's answered a question quite cleverly. The young adult always found himself laughing when she recalls a story or anecdote with her many little quirks.
He doesn't know how she does it and only hopes he can be as quick-witted and well-spoken as she could be. Because despite him being one of the most articulate writers of his age, the young man found himself stumbling to find words once the questions zeroed in on him especially in set-ups that required him to sit still and behave.
Sit still. Hands to yourself. Behave. Answer WITHOUT STUTTERING.
It seemed simple enough in concept and it was simple enough if he was just given something to fidget with or a small toy to fiddle. It was easy to do if the set-up wasn't so overwhelmingly crowded with people, or with the many distractions.
Unfortunately for him, today the interview was for some teen magazine that would help them with the publicity of Victorious. The set-up was right in the middle of their set for the asphalt cafe. Too many people. Too many distractions. Too much noise. So many things going on around him. He hated it, but he couldn't do anything but smile as he was asked to sit on the monoblock chair beside Liz.
Luckily, the interviewer started with Liz so it gave him more time to try and calm himself down and try to give his attention fully to the interview.
"Yeah, I think Avan's a really good on-screen boyfriend," Liz answers, subtly brushing her exposed arm against him. "He makes it incredibly easy to flirt. I mean the guy isn't exactly ugly, right?"
The crew laughs and Avan laughs along as if he wasn't paying more attention to the blinking light of the camera recording than to his co-star's answer.
"But in all seriousness, he's a good guy. I feel safe around him which I think is really important especially with all the touchy-feely things we have to do on the show. He's great," Liz looks at him with a smile plastered on her face, signaling him to answer.
Avan feels almost guilty for not being able to keep his attention to the interview.
"I-I'm sorry. What was the question?" he nervously chuckles, looking at Liz with a certain panic in his eyes. "You're so pretty, made me forget the question."
"See? Flirt!" she exclaims to the camera, laughing. "They asked how it's like to work with each other as an on-screen couple."
"Oh!"
"Yeah," she lifts her eyebrows at him. "How is it working with me as an onscreen girlfriend, Avie?"
He grins at her. She knows he didn't like that nickname but she also knew she was the only one that ever got away with calling him that.
"Well," his lips spread out into a thin smile, "Liz is...Liz, she's...she's great! Like you know, she's- I'm sorry. Ha...uh...she's great!"
A concerned expression flashes through Liz's face as she listened to Avan. This wasn't his usual demeanor and his thoughts seemed to be so scattered which was so unlike him. Then, she catches a glimpse of his hands on his lap, tapping relentlessly against each other.
"Avan," she whispers, making sure the camera couldn't catch it. "You okay?"
He blinks back at her, unable to form an answer. As his fingers tapped a staccato against each other, Liz gives in to her last resort. She slips her hand in his, intertwining their fingers and rubbing her thumb against the back of his hand.
He was shocked for a quick second but it didn't last very long before he started to play with her hand in his, wriggling her fingers around. He breathes in deeply, trying to compose himself.
"Sorry about that," he awkwardly breathes, gently cracking her knuckles. "Liz is an absolute God-sent as an onscreen girlfriend. She's creative and witty and is always so open to exploring the relationship between our characters. Liz is a safe space personified, just the most comfortable person to act with. She's also very generous as an actor which makes it so easy to play off her, makes it so easy to fall in love with her. It's a lot of fun. She's a lot of fun."
"Fall in love with her?" the interviewer reiterates with a teasing tone.
"Oh," he chuckles, realizing his slip-up.
Avan looks at Liz with wide eyes and she mirrors his expression, blushing slightly.
"I mean with Jade, Beck with Jade," he clarifies defensively, rubbing his thumb against the palm of her hand before slipping his fingers in between the spaces of hers. "But, I mean, if I'd fall in love with her, who would blame me, right?"
The answers elicits a laugh from the people around them and after it settles down, they go on answering a couple of questions. Avan was surprisingly more composed for the rest of the interview and it didn't take a genius to know it had something to do with Liz's hand in his. He was constantly fiddling with her hand mindlessly, swaying it with hers on his lap and pressing his fingertips against hers, even going as far as unconsciously pressing the back of her hand against his lips at some points.
As the interview wraps up, Liz and Avan thank the interviewer politely before walking towards Avan's trailer hand-in-hand.
"Hey," he speaks up as they entered the small, air-conditioned trailer.
"Yeah?"
"Thank you," he presses her hand against his lips again, kissing it thrice.
"For what?"
"You make me feel so safe."
Liz wasn't going to lie to herself. She melted at his words and so he pulls him by his hand closer to her and wraps her arms around his neck, hugging him tight.
"Thank you really," he mumbles against her shoulder. "I mean it."
"I know you do," she whispers back before pulling away and holding his face in her hands. "Were you having a hard time focusing a while ago?"
"It was a bit overwhelming," he nods. "It's really stupid but it kind of felt like I was a toddler again, not getting enough stimulation but also having so many distraction. Simultaneously. It doesn't make sense. It's dumb."
"Oh, sweet boy," she coos, caressing the apples of his cheeks with her thumbs. "It's not dumb at all. And that's valid, alright? Some things don't make sense but it doesn't make it any less real."
"I just," he shuts his eyes tight. "I need to fidget sometimes. Most of the times. Because I can't think."
"Okay," she nods. "I understand. That's alright that you need to fidget, dear."
Avan has to smile at the endearment.
"It doesn't take away from the fact that you're still the most brilliant, most eloquent man I've ever met in my life."
"You mean that?"
"I mean that."
A grin spreads across his face, brightening him up. He gently takes her hands from his face and transfers them to his neck. Then, he leans in to kiss her right at the middle of her forehead.
"Thank you, darling," he mumbles against her skin. "You're my safe space."
"And your fidget toy too apparently," she jokes, leaning into his lips and playing with the strands of hair at his nape.
He pulls away a little bit before kissing her cheek, "Thank you. Seriously."
"You keep saying that," she chuckles, pinching his cheek. "You're brilliant by yourself, Jogia. All I did was let you play with my hand."
"Yeah but you didn't judge. You don't judge."
"What's there to judge?" She shrugs. "Your handsome face?"
"Stop," he rolls his eyes, chuckling at her flirtatiousness.
"What? Your face is handsome!" Liz points her toes to kiss his cheek, just to tease him, "Handsome boy."
"Okay, you're making me feel like a dog," he laughs.
"You're my little bitch," she chides, rubbing her nose against his.
"I can be your bitch, yeah."
"Stop flirting with me!" she jokes.
"No, thank you," he shakes his head. "I physically can't stop by the way, like I can't stop flirting with you; it's a disease. You're just insanely beautiful. Physiologically, I cannot-"
"Shut the fuck up," she chortles before leaning to kiss him right at the lips.
Almost instantly, Avan moans into her lips, almost like he was waiting for this. It came so naturally and surprisingly wholesomely, and Liz finds it cute so she giggles against his lips as she angles her face to the side. This new position allows for the kiss to get deeper, their lips now locked with each other like two pieces of a puzzle finally finding home.
Avan would keep kissing her forever if he could but alas, he still needed oxygen to keep him alive. So, they both begrudgingly pull away from the kiss but not before Liz could sneak in one final smack against his lips.
With her face still sinfully close against his, Avan could feel her breath fanning his already warm skin; their noses still touching.
"So, Mr. Avan Jogia," she smirks, "tell us what it's like having to kiss me?"
He raises his eyebrows at how flirtatious her tone was. He liked that.
"Well," he moves his head the slightest bit just so he was nuzzling her nose, "it's-"
His answer was cut off by her lips on his once again but it was brief.
"As I was saying, it's something-"
And again, she pecked his lips with hers.
"It's something I-"
Avan almost guffaws as Liz smacks her lips against his for the umpteenth time that day.
"Baby, I can't finish my answer if you keep cutting me off like that," he chuckles.
"How'd you like me to cut you off then?" she bats her eyelashes at him.
"Not at all, if you please."
Liz pouts, knowing he had a complicated love-hate relationship with that pout, "Fine."
"Right. I was saying that kissing you is something I'd like to do on a daily basis from now on."
"Damn," she scrunches her nose playfully. "You're so obsessed with me, Jogia."
This time it was Avan that leaned in for a kiss but just as their lips were a hair's width away, Liz pulls her head back and peals in laughter. He didn't quite get what was so funny but he did like seeing her laugh. It was adorable.
"What?"
She shakes her head, "You look cute with my lip gloss on your lips."
He rolls his eyes, "You're such a flirt."
"Shut the fuck up," she giggles. "You do look cute with my lip gloss on! It makes you look like you just kissed me."
"I did just kiss you!"
"And you're gonna be kissing me again in 3," she leans in to him, her voice getting low and seductive, "2, and 1."
Once again, their lips touch and she smiles into that kiss blissfully feeling his hands settle on the small of her back.
As they pull away, there was only silence and heavy breathing. They didn't quite know what to say until Avan decides to speak up.
"Hey," he whispers, afraid to ruin the moment. "Thank you."
"Again, Avan? Really?" she breathes out a laugh.
He rubs the tip of his nose against hers, "You became my safe space without even trying, and I refuse to take that for granted."
Liz smiles softly up at him and for the lack of a better thing to say or do, she pulls him even closer than he already was to her and wraps him up in an embrace. She breathes him in, relishing in this brilliant boy and all his affection.
"You make me feel so happy," she whispers against his hair. "The least I can do is to make you feel safe."
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once a person becomes your safe space and he becomes a huge part of your happiness, oh honey you're in BIG trouble. major shout out to my safe space, he's a real one <3
Question: Who makes you feel most safe with?
Hope you enjoyed this! Don't be afraid to comment down your thoughts. Lots of love. Be kind, y'all!