Work Text:
The Long Game
Andrea
“We can watch a movie if you want,” Andrea said as she motioned to the couch. The holidays had been pretty horrible, but being with the people she loved did help. At least a little.
Brandon plopped down onto the couch, picked up the remote, and started scrolling through the channels. “Yeah, that sounds great.” He smiled at her as she sat down next to him.
“Just make sure the volume isn’t too loud,” Andrea said softly. “I don’t want to wake up Hannah.”
Brandon flipped through the channels, but his eyes never left hers. She knew what he was thinking. Jesse. The fight he had walked in on was extraordinarily bad, and he had been keeping an extra-close eye on her ever since.
“Do you remember the last time we watched this movie?” Brandon asked with a light laugh. It’s a Wonderful Life was playing quietly in the background, but all she could focus on was the butterflies fluttering around in her stomach.
Andrea grinned as the memory formed in her mind’s eye. “High school,” she sighed. “Seems like a bajillion years ago.”
“You don't look like a bajillion years old,” he countered. “You look beautiful.”
Andrea's heart drummed a steady beat in her chest, and she hoped she didn't blush too hard. He says these things so lightly. He always has.
They both sat in silence for a moment as the movie continued to play behind them. Years may have gone by, but her feelings never fully left her.
***
Brandon
Andrea went from intently watching the movie to jumping up from the couch as though she had suddenly remembered she was on some sort of schedule. “Isn’t it getting kind of late? I know the holidays are on their own timezone or whatever, but…” she hedged, “are you sure you wanna operate on three hours of sleep tomorrow?”
Did I say something incredibly outrageous? She has always been beautiful to me…
Brandon shook his head, “I’m not really tired yet…” He wasn’t sure what to do. He didn’t want to push her, but all he could think about right now was kissing her.
There was so much space between them now. Not just physically, but emotionally she felt a million miles away. Did I scare her off?
Thoughts of high school started to flood his brain. He was always the one to initiate kissing Andrea. Why did he do that? Did he have feelings for her he never really addressed? Had they just been there the whole time?
What could he do to make it stop? Would it feel like pressure with the whole situation with Jesse?
She wasn't even trying to redirect the conversation. “Andrea, listen, I know we've been stuck in a circle lately…”
Andrea was looking at him intently almost as if she wasn’t sure what he would say next. There had been some distance over the last few years, but this felt different. It was like they were both back in West Beverly again where the only thing in their way was the courage to admit their feelings.
“I don’t want to make anything more complicated. I know you have…” He paused for a moment, trying to gauge her reaction. “…a lot going on at the moment.”
Andrea nodded her head, almost giving him permission to continue.
“I just feel like there’s something here.” Brandon said as he stood up trying to close the space between them.
She didn't say anything. Brandon couldn't tell if she was trying to ignore him out of caution or something else. Something heavier.
“And I don't know if I can keep skirting around it.” He looked at the couch armrest. “I have been doing it for years, and I've reached my limit, I think. I want to name it, at least.”
Brandon slowly approached her. He didn’t want to push anything, but he couldn’t just pretend there was nothing between them.
Andrea stood there as he moved closer. She didn’t move away this time, instead she looked at him the same way she did before their first real kiss.
He leaned slightly towards her as if to initiate another kiss, but stopped before he reached her lips.
He waited, wanting to see if she would lean in or pull away.
Andrea seemed frozen in time.
Oh, to hell with it.
Brandon moved, and his lips almost clashed against hers; Andrea didn’t move immediately, but when she did he almost stumbled backward into the cushions. It felt like she was packing seven years into the kiss.
He exhaled against her mouth when they both realized they had to stop. “Talk about a long time coming, huh,” he tried to joke.
There was silence in the air with nothing but their heavy breathing and It’s a Wonderful Life playing quietly in the background. Did I just ruin everything?
“Yeah…” Andrea said with a light laugh to break the tension.
Crap. I hope I didn’t make things harder for her.
***
Andrea
What the hell just happened.
Andrea’s heart was still racing, and a part of her wanted nothing more than to pull him back in for another kiss. Being with him, here, like this, it just felt right. The way it always had.
But everything else—everything else was such a mess. She had just moved back after her (admittedly rushed) marriage had imploded, she wasn't even halfway through her residency while living in Kelly's spare room, and Hannah—she was trying to adjust as well as a six year old kid could.
It's not that she didn't want to do this, but it felt like she was back on that trapeze from that high school nightmare. What's one more callback, right?
The space between them was still non-existent, and they could easily kiss again.
Was that what she wanted?
If she were truly honest with herself that’s all she’s ever wanted since she was sixteen. Being with Brandon was her high school dream that she never fully grew out of.
But he couldn’t feel the same way. Right?
She cleared her throat. “You know what, Brandon? I am feeling a little beat. Maybe we should… pick this up another time? You, me and Hannah?”
***
Brandon
Brandon nodded his head attempting to hide his disappointment. “Yeah, totally.” He began to quickly gather his things so he could leave Andrea alone. He couldn’t help but worry that he completely destroyed their friendship.
Maybe he shouldn’t have kissed her.
He walked over towards the door and smiled at her. It was a broken smile trying desperately to mask his concern, “Have a good night, Andrea.”
Andrea returned his smile with a nod, “You too, Brandon.”
Brandon fell into the door after it closed behind him. He couldn’t stop the thoughts jumbling in his mind.
Did he ruin his relationship with Andrea?
Where was their relationship anyway? Was Dylan right? Did he want to be with her in a way they never had before? They always had this push and pull, but maybe it was finally time to put everything on the line and be honest.
They were basically in each other’s life twentyfour-seven, anyway. What if this—whatever it actually was tore into that?
Was he willing to go there? To live with not going there?
Not even walking out smack dub into ocean air seemed to dispel his confusion. And as a journalist, confusion was his mortal enemy. Or something close to that, but at the time, he was channeling his dramatic side. Because he did share that with his sister, he just routinely chose to ignore it.