Into The Ring (Phenomenal: 2)

2 ~ Oh Darling

 "Miffy, kitty-cat!"

Miffy launched into Clarssia's arms as soon as Damien opened the door to his apartment and she dropped onto the sofa, hugging the cat tightly as Miffy meowed at her. Damien's two dogs appeared a moment later to join in the fuss, the tiny Chihuahua trailing along behind the huge Doberman as they all piled onto the sofa and left no room for Damien.

He instead was banished to the kitchen to make drinks and pour out a snack for the animals – a cunning trick that got the dogs out of the way so he could sit down once he's made tea.

"So when did you actually get back?"

"A few hours ago, dropped off our stuff, took a nap – the others are probably still asleep, I went to annoy you," Clarissa said, picking up her tea.

Damien hid his sudden smile behind the rim of his mug and pushed Deacon's nose away.

"So you enjoyed the holiday."

"I did."

"Yeah, I only got about a thousand Instagram updates from you a day."

"I was just keeping people up to date, so they knew I didn't fall and die on the slopes somewhere."

"So you did go skiing?"

Clarissa looked at him. "Of course I went skiing," she said and he poked her right in the cheeks.

"Scottish people really can't tan, can they," he said with a grin and Clarissa smacked his hand.

"You're one to talk, Mr. So-Pale-Light-Reflects," she said.

"I can tan," he said and she laughed.

"Yeeeah, you can burn."

"Oh, you mean like you on the second week. That was an attractive nose you had."

"Why did you have to like that photo?!"

"Because you looked like a clown – I didn't know someone's nose could clash with their hair."

"Back just a few hours and you're bulling me, rude," Clarissa said as Damien picked up his phone and hunted for the particular week in question where all the photos made her looked like Rudolf, sniggering away as he went through them.

"Stop that! Why can't you look at the nice ones?" Clarissa cried, scrabbling to steal the phone.

"Because I know what you look like nice," Damien said, holding it out of reach, "This is much more entertaining."

"Damien!"

"Also in the nice ones, that guy – what was his name – Josh is always in them – that gets boring to look at."

Clarissa's hand caught his wrist just as he said that and she stopped, leant over him, then she looked down as he looked up at her.

The silence stretched for a moment, then he smiled slightly. "Did you take the time to heal?"

Clarissa sat back in her seat, sitting on her heels and folding her hands on her lap. "Yeah," she said, looking down, "I did."

Damien crossed his legs and draped an arm over the back of the sofa, tossing his phone over to her. She nearly dropped it, fumbling and snatching it out of the air before looking at him.

"So tell me about him," he said.

Clarissa stared at him. "Seriously?"

"Of course, I'm your best friend right; I can handle a little girlie gossip every now and then – just don't go into too much mushy details. I don't need to see you drooling over his clothes or six pack."

Clarissa laughed slightly, glancing down at the phone. "He doesn't have a six pack actually."

"Do I want to know how you know that?" Damien asked, raising an eyebrow.

"There was a pool at the lodge, and a hot tub and boys aren't in the habit of covering up their torsos when swimming," Clarissa replied.

"Well, least I know I have the better body."

"Vanity isn't an attractive trait."

"Yeah but you'll forgive me for it because it's me. So go on, besides being not quite as hot as me, what was Josh like?"

"He was very nice. He was also there with friends and we got talking at the bar during the first week. He happened to have also recently ended a relationship so we had something in common."

"Where's he from?"

"London."

Damien raised an eyebrow. "Local boy, huh? So that means you could meet up with him again?"

"I could."

"Did you get his number?"

"We exchanged contacts at the end of the holiday?"

"Are you going to see him again?"

"Wooow, Damien," she said with a grin, dropping her cheek in her palm and looking at him, "What's with the 20 Questions?"

Damien sneered. "What can I say, I'm nosy. So was he a rebound?"

Clarissa kicked him. "Do I look like a rebound type of girl?" she said, "you're working towards finding out if I slept with him or not, aren't you? Damn, you really are into girlie conversations. I barely got back and you want to know about my sex life, tsk tsk."

"Like I said, I'm nosy," Damien said, leaning over and catching her around the waist, dragging her forwards. "And I admit, I felt kind of threatened every time I saw a new photo of him with his arms around you."

Clarissa laughed. "Wow, big man for admitting that."

"I can be all sorts of things when needed."

Clarissa smirked at him. "And how about you? Meet any lovely ladies to spend the Christmas season with?"

"Hmm, let's think," Damien said, dropping his head back starting to count them off on his fingers as he recalled them, silently mouthing names as he went.

By the eighth name, Clarissa was no longer smiling and instead gaping at his hand in horror until he grinned at her.

"I'm joking," he said, giving her an exaggerated eye-roll, "How easy do you think I am?"

"I was being serious," Clarissa snapped, smacking his hand.

He smiled. "Nah, didn't spend Christmas with anyone but family. My holidays weren't nearly so interesting. Oh, did you bring me any presents?"

Clarissa gave him a very pointed look. "Aren't you happy enough just seeing me?"

"Yeah, yeah, you're grand and all but I want presents," Damien said and she poked him in the side, making him giggle like an idiot.

"Fine, I might have got you a present or two," Clarissa said, rolling her eyes.

"Great, because I go you some as well, for Christmas mind you," Damien said. Clarissa looked up in surprise.

"You got me a present?" she said, sitting up with a smile.

"I can be nice," he said.

"Yay! Present exchange time," Clarissa said, planting Missy on his lap before she jumped over the back of the sofa and ran out of his apartment to collect the gifts she had bought, wrapped and carted all the way back from the alps.

"Hey!" Damien called, turning just in time to see her vanish around the corner and heard her bound out of the door. He flopped back against the sofa, Miffy pawing at his chest and let out a disgruntled sigh. "You didn't answer my question about that Josh guy," he muttered, glancing towards his phone where Clarissa's Instagram page glowed on the screen.

~~~~~

Next up: ...... urrr, Monday?

Music By: Oh Darling by plug in Stereo (feat. Cady Groves)

Awwww, I like seeing these two back together lol