Chapter Text
“Good to see Rana and Kate finally made up,” Alya said, plonking a cup of coffee on the counter for Zee. “Though if you and Rana weren’t already married I’d be telling you to watch you back bro,” she added, bumping her brother playfully on the arm, “because the pair of them looked well cosy at The Rovers just now.”
Zee could barely contain his anger at the mention of Kate’s name. He turned his back to his sister so she wouldn’t see the rage on his face as he swallowed his feelings.
They were out in public together, he thought grimly. And they weren’t exactly being subtle about their relationship if Alya had noticed something.
Oblivious to his turmoil, Alya fiddled idly with a stack of papers Zee was working on, struggling to read his handwriting which scrawled out a list of ingredients, or possibly a menu...
“I’m just glad they’re over their lover’s tiff,” she added distractedly, squinting at the page.
“Shut up Alya,” Zee shot back angrily. “It’s Kate that’s the lesbian, not Rana, and they’re just friends so why don’t you keep your opinions to yourself.”
“Yeah, I know Zee”, Alya stammered, taken aback by her brother’s outburst. “It’s called a joke, look it up,” she said, dumping the papers back on the desk. “I guess you woke up in a bad mood this morning,” she said, eying him cautiously. “I’ll leave you to it, shall I”.
*********
Left to himself, Zee struggled to control the violent anger that threatened to engulf him or the images that played in his mind.
He thought about Kate and Rana kissing, like he’d caught them doing in his living room. He thought about them flirting with each other; about them holding hands and touching each other in public.
How could they do this to him?
Rana and he had made a deal, and she was putting it all in jeopardy. She’d promised that they’d keep it secret, that no one else would know. She’d promised him a year – here they were, barely a month in, and already she could barely keep her hands to herself. Everyone would notice. Everyone would be laughing at him.
He wasn’t going to let her make a mug out of him. They had a deal.
Zee picked up his phone and scrolled through to his recent call list, hitting dial on a number he no longer had saved in his contact list.
The tone rang and rang before clicking on the other end.
“It’s me,” he said, not waiting for a reply. “We need to talk because things have changed and I think you’d like to know the score”.
**********************
Rana and Kate toddled tipsily down the cobbled street, clutching each other’s arms for support as they giggled their way to Kate’s front door.
“Do you want to come up for a nightcap,” Kate offered with a twinkle in her eye. “I think Alya said she was going out tonight and Craig has a shift down the station,” she said, twisting her key in the lock.
The door lurched open, sending Kate with it, and the pair erupted into another fit of giggles as the smaller woman tried to help Kate back to her feet.
“I’m not sure about a nightcap, but I think I’d better had come up,” Rana said flirtily. “Someone better make sure you get to bed okay... I think you’re a bit drunk Kate Connor.”
“I think you’re right,” Kate replied, her eyes flitting to Rana's lips. “You better get me to bed.”
Rana resisted the urge to kiss the brunette there and then, instead pushing her through the door and closing it behind them as they came together in a tangled heap on the staircase.
“Now where’s that bed?” she gasped.
*************
Rana woke to the sound of pans banging in the kitchen and the pounding of blood in her temples. She and Kate had gotten a bit carried away the night before, emboldened by a couple of bottles of Toyah’s finest house red, and Rana had fallen asleep in Kate’s bed after a night of lovemaking.
Kate was snoring softly next to her, her dark brown hair fanned across the pillow and her mascara smudged beneath her eyes. She looked adorable, and Rana couldn’t resist planting a kiss on her bare shoulder.
“Mornin’” Kate mumbled in response, not bothering to open her eyes. “Oh god, my head... Still, I finally managed to get you to spend the night,” she said coyly.
“Shhhh, we’re not the only ones home,” Rana said nodding to the door, she gathered the sheets around her as she sat up. “Zee will be wondering where I am,” she said in panic, looking around for her phone.
“Babe, he’s not your keeper anymore,” Kate said groggily, rolling onto her back. “You don’t need to report to him. Relax — I’ll go make sure the coast is clear.”
Kate grabbed a pair of pyjama bottoms and jumper off the floor and planted a kiss on Rana’s lips. “You wait here and I’ll see who’s about”.
Carefully, so not to reveal her bedfellow, Kate creaked the door to her bedroom open and slipped through it into the kitchen. Alya was washing her breakfast dishes up in the sink.
“Hiya,” Kate breezed, making for the kettle.
“Good night?” Alya asked with a smirk.
Kate blushed instantly. “Er, yeah. It was alright, just had a quiet one down The Rovers.”
“A quiet one, eh? I’d hate to hear a wild one then,” Alya said, enjoying the look of pure panic on Kate’s face.
“I don’t know what you mean,” Kate said, grabbing the tea bags from the bench and a mug from the shelf.
Alya tutted, glancing at the mug. “Now that’s not very nice, is it? The least you could do is make a cup for your guest too.”
Kate spilled boiling water everywhere.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about Alya,” Kate said, starting to worrying about the direction the conversation was headed in.
Kate's mind raced: Alya had heard her and Rana the night before — but clearly her housemate hadn’t put two and two together, otherwise she’d probably be wearing her drink instead of pouring one.
“Relax,” Alya said, picking up here keys off the coffee table. “You’re an adult and you’re entitled to your secrets... I’m off to work, so your ‘friend’ can come out now. Just, next time, try and keep it down will you? It’s hard to look you in the eye when I’ve heard your name said in the throes of passion,” she joked.
Kate smiled tightly. “Sorry. We’ll keep it down next time.”
“Nice jumper by the way,” Alya said as she headed out the door. “Rana has one just like it.”