Who: Ava and Ozzy. What: They sort of have feelings for each other. Which she shows by having sex with Beth. And he shows by kissing Quebec. They're complicated people.
Ava liked Ozzy. She really did. He was sort of a fantastic human being, and way too nice for her. Plus, in case nobody had noticed, he was really attractive. So, yes, she liked him. Which was why she'd slept with Beth. Okay, in reality, alcohol was why she slept with Beth...the first time. Lots of alcohol. But she hadn't left it at one time, because that would be healthy and rational and reasonable and Ava was none of those things. She preferred to make wrong choices. Remember Paul? And the floor? And the really badly timed sex that ended in her getting knocked up and Alpha making a fetus souffle? Yeah...Ava liked fucking things up. It was practically a hobby. After all, why go for something actually might make you happy, when you can give in to self-destructive tendencies instead?
But she was starting to realize that maybe that wasn't the way to go about things. Which was why she walked into the room she was currently sharing with Ozzy and started speaking before she could censor herself. "Just so you know, I'm not a lesbian." Okay, not the best starter. "Obviously not. I was pregnant...from sex with Paul. Who is a man. I like men. I don't even have untapped bisexual tendencies. I just have this thing where I do stupid things to screw up the good things in my life because I'm a terribly maladjusted human being. Not that Beth is stupid just...the whole not a lesbian thing. So...yeah. Do you understand what I mean?"
Hi, how are you?
Ozzy just stared at her while she babbled, stopping in the middle of brushing his teeth. When she was done, he nodded, and held up a finger. One moment. Retreating, he spat out his toothpaste, rinsing his mouth before he came back. Much easier to talk now.
"I think I get it. You are not a lesbian."
Okay, maybe she should have let him finish brushing his teeth first, but it was easier to talk uninterrupted when he had something in his mouth. She waited while he spat out toothpaste and spoke, and...okay, that was sort of the point, but not really.
"Yes," she said. "And no...not at all. I mean, I'm not, but that wasn't the point. The point was...Beth was easy. Not like...she's not a slut. I didn't mean it like that. It was just...easy because...there weren't feelings there. I mean, I like Beth. She's awesome. But I don't have feelings for her." God, this all made such better sense in her head. "Not like...it was uncomplicated. No strings. No pesky emotions. And I needed that right then. And it was easier than putting myself out there with someone I do have feelings for. That would be you, by the way, in case you're wondering. So...yes...I have feelings for you, and I feel bad about sleeping with Beth, because I would have preferred to have been...playing scrabble with you. Or any inane bullshit, as long as it's with you. I would rather do boring things with you than have sex with other people! Is that clearer?"
Oz was stunned, his heart beating loud in his ears. What was it about dead people that made women decide Ozzy was a good idea? He didn't completely understand it, and he knew this was going to end badly for someone, but ... wow, Ava was pretty.
"Completely," he said finally, feeling stupid. Oh, God, he'd been staring, hadn't he? He was such an idiot. "I... I'm sorry, I'm terrible at this, I never know what to say, but I would really ... really like to kiss you right now."
"And this isn't...a new thing," Ava said. "I've liked you...had feelings for you, since we aren't third graders here...since the trip out in the vans...but I was pregnant and you were looking after Lima, so it didn't seem like the right time...and then I...Alpha...did what he did...and it really didn't seem like the right time. And now I'm starting to think there will never be a right time, so...yeah. Yeah, I'd really like that."
And that sounded like a fantastic plan, so she walked up to him, stood on her tiptoes, and kissed him.
It was a long way down. Oz was nearly a foot taller, and someone was going to hurt or get a crick in their neck if they kept standing like this. This wouldn't happen with Quebec---come on, stop that. That wasn't fair. So he reached down and just picked her up instead.
She had missed this part of it with Beth. Ava could kick ass, but there was something she loved about a guy being able to just pick her up if necessary. To take control of the situation like that. She wrapped her legs around his waist to hold herself up and ran a hand through his hair as she kept kissing him. Yeah, that was easier.
Ozzy backed up, clumsily falling down onto the couch. His grip on Ava was firm and protective, holding her close to him. More than anything, he wanted to look after her, make sure that Alpha would never get to her again. That men like Paul would never get to her again.
Even as he was kissing her, he thought of Quebec. He knew---he knew---that that wasn't fair. Ava was here, right now, and he kissed her harder when he felt that pang of guilt. Ava was beautiful, troubled and embittered but adorable in an awkward sort of way. And she could kick his ass.
He had to stop being torn and just ... enjoy this. Quebec could take care of herself.