Stay The Night (Chaelisa)

Chapter 31

There’s over a week break between the end of the conference finals and the actual finals - Lisa explains it’s to make room for media days and other events. Roseanne finds out just how much pomp and circumstance goes into the capital-f Finals when she has to sit in on three separate meetings regarding programming, broadcast structuring, and funding for turning Patterson Corp plaza into something called a Fan Experience and so on.

It's a lot.

“Get used to it,” Lisa says with a self-assured laugh when Roseanne comments on the sudden workload. “We kind of have a habit of going to the finals.”

The upside to it all is that Lisa gets the first few days of the break completely free. No practices get scheduled, nor mandatory workouts, and even though Lisa hosts a casual team shootaround a few mornings, she generally takes it easy.

It means that two nights after game seven, Lisa invites Roseanne out to meet up with Jennie and Jisoo at a club on the south side of the city. Roseanne hesitates a moment before agreeing, but the hesitation feels habitual more than anything else.

If she takes a bit of extra time getting ready, it’s out of anticipation more than anxiety.

“This is fun,” Lisa says, perching on the corner of Roseanne’s bed nearest the bathroom. Lisa’s in her incognito outfit – hair messy under a dark baseball hat, thick framed glasses set upon her nose, tight jeans with rips down her strong thighs, a white polo with vertical green and red stripes, her favorite leather jacket. It’s an ensemble Roseanne’s always been attracted to, and it’s nice to look over at her girlfriend and not worry about how delicious Roseanne finds her.

“What? Watching me do my makeup?” Roseanne asks with a short laugh, recapping her lipstick and shooting Lisa a look.

“Well sure, but I meant going out to the club,” she says, leaning back on her hands. It’s an attractive pose that makes Roseanne glance at the clock and wonder if they can afford to linger a bit longer before heading out. “Like together.”

It’s the first time they’ve really done this – gone to a club together to meet up with people instead of just manufacturing ways to run into each other. It’s a distinctly couple thing and though Roseanne still feels a touch nervous, she can’t deny Lisa’s enthusiasm.

“We’ve been out together before,” Roseanne says, trying to be as casual as she can, but laughing when Lisa makes a face at her.

“You know what I mean, don’t be like that.”

Lisa gets up from the bed to join Roseanne in front of the mirror, her hands coming to a rest at Roseanne’s hips as she drops a soft, barely-there kiss to Roseanne’s shoulder. It’s warm and nice and Roseanne’s eyes flutter closed for just a moment.

“You look nice,” Lisa murmurs, drifting up to kiss under Roseanne’s ear.

Roseanne indulges her a moment, watching the picture of them in the mirror as heat coils low in her gut. It’s a feeling she’s always associated with Lisa and yet it still feels new and exciting each time Lisa touches her.

“If you’re trying to start something, we’re never getting out of here.”

Lisa’s laugh is rich and thick as she detaches from Roseanne’s body. It leaves a chill in her wake, but Roseanne refocuses on putting her earrings in and not the way her mouth has gone dry. “I’ll go make us a drink,” Lisa says, catching Roseanne’s eyes in the mirror.

“Nothing stiff,” Roseanne instructs, rolling her eyes at Lisa’s little eyebrow waggle.

“I’m not trying to get you drunk,” Lisa says, waving her off and moving towards the kitchen. “Just loose enough to make out with me in the back of the car.”