Pleased to meet you... again

Nineteen

"Hey." Xander tapped Casey's shoulder.

"Oh look everyone, it's my knight in shining armor."

"Case can we talk."

"I don't know can we after you fucking abandoned me."

"I didn't abandon you."

"Whatever. I hate you." Casey tried to push the brunette away but stumbled and fell. Some of her group were laughing.

"Just disappear." Xander shouted at the group who dispersed. They kneeled down. "I'm sorry I made you feel that way."

"Well you found out I had an STI and just moved out."

"What? I didn't know that. I heard you say I wasn't right for you and it hurt. I'd let myself get close and care and everytime I did you'd say something or do something and it would hurt like hell. But it turns out I can't help myself, here I am again. Come on, let me take you home."

"Will you come home? I miss you."

"Come on." Xander helped Casey to her feet and steadied her against them. While they walked. "I didn't know about the situation. I'm sorry, Case."

"It gave me the final push I needed to end it. But my Dads are so disappointed in me."

"Why? You did nothing wrong."

"It's caused friction between him and his business partner."

"But surely the fact that Hunter gave you an infection."

"I didn't tell him that. I feel so disgusted in myself. I knew and you told me he was playing around." Casey started to cry.

"Hey" Xander pulled the blonde closer. "Your mom you should say to your mom."

"My mom thinks I'm an idiot for not choosing you. She's like this weird spirit thing sometimes. She's absolutely convinced that we're soul bound. Says that we're Cassie and Alex." Casey laughed. "You know from that show."

Xander smiled. "I knew there was a reason I liked your mom."

Casey smiled. "I've really missed you. You make me smile. I've not been smiling much. How's Holly?"

"Holly's good. We're not seeing each other again."

Casey let a smile escape.

Xander noticed, "so I guess for the first time since we met we're both single."

"As a Pringle!" Casey laughed.

When they got back to the accommodation. Casey went to the bathroom while Xamder made hot chocolate and poured the blonde a large glass of water from the fridge.

"Here." They handed the blonde the tumbler. "I know you'll probably not want it, but just sip it." They handed over a few aspirin. "These might stop the morning hangover."

They sat on the sofa slightly facing each other.
"I came to watch you play last week."

"I thought soccer wasn't your thing."

"I just wanted to see that you were okay. You didn't say you were that good, you're really fast."

"Hurricane Hopkins. Pleased to meet you." Xander joked, holding out their hand.

"Well pleased to meet you." Casey took it before moving her hand round and interlocking their fingers. She smiled. "Thank you. For bringing home. I was pretty rude to you. I'm sorry."

"It's okay."

"No. No it's not. I have been trying to figure out how to deal with the way I feel about you and I was trying so hard to hate you. Blame you for leaving and building all these walls up."

"I'd never abandon you. I've tried and as I said in the bar. Here I am again, I may just have to accept that you might never be in my life in the way that I'd like. But I don't think I want to go through life without you in it in some manner. Even if I'm just your friend."

"I am pretty wasted but maybe it's allowing me to be more honest. But I didn't think you'd want me now that I'm damaged."

"You're not damaged but you are drunk. So I'm going to protect myself a bit. Because there is every chance you'll forget this in the morning and my sensitive soul can only deal with so much rejection from Casey Hollinger."

"I will feel the same in the morning. The same as I have been since you almost poured your coffee over me at the freshers fayre. I'll probably just not be brave enough to say it. But Xan, I've never wanted to be only your friend. Will you stay?"

"Yeah if you want. I can sleep in my old bed if you have a blanket."

"I mean stay with me. I want to be wrapped in you. There's nowhere in the world I feel safer than I do when you hold me."

Xander thought about it. They knew that come the cold light of day that Casey would probably reject them again. But the appeal of holding the blonde while they slept together was too strong to resist. "Yeah beautiful, I'll stay."

Casey smiled, "I love you."

"Yeah, tell me again when you're sober."

"Do you love me?"

"I think you know I do."

Casey gave Xander a shout to let them know she was decent. She slinked into the furthest part of the single. The soccer player removed thier shoes and put their feet up.

"You can't sleep like that."

"I've only got underwear on under the shirt."

"Boxers and bra, are fine by me."

Xander stood up and stripped their clothes off with their back to the blonde. Turning quickly they noticed Casey take in thier body. They blushed as they climbed into bed. "Is this okay?" They asked as they pulled Casey onto their shoulder and felt the blonde lay thier arm over their abdomen.

"Yeah. So when you flying home?"

"I'm not. I'm going on the bus. I couldn't afford the flight."

"Can I come? I'm not wanting to go home."

"Yeah, but you'll have to face your Dad sometime."

"I know but I'd rather be with you. Your mom won't mind."

"No, but it's quite a trip and I leave tomorrow evening."

"Okay, give me phone over. What's the itinerary see if I can get a ticket."

Xander reached to the bedside cabinet behind them and handed the blonde her phone.

Casey laughed as she tried to type, "here you do it. I can't seem to type so well."

"You sure you don't want to wait to the morning incase you change your mind."

"I'm not going to change my mind babe. I want to spend Christmas with you." She kissed Xander on the cheek.

By the time the soccer player had booked all the tickets which included changing one of her own for a later bus, they heard Casey snoring on her shoulder. They shuffled down and rested on the pillow. They were the happiest they'd been in a very long time as they drifted off the sent a prayer to the universe that Casey wouldn't change her mind when she woke.