Hashiriya Swagger

Sideways

Bree's eyes snapped open, she had been laying down in the spare cot for hours and just couldn't sleep.

Rather, she found herself with her eyes glued to Han's back as he slept in his own cot. Breathing peacefully, snoring quietly, like he didn't have a care in the world.

Bree glared at his back as she sat up. She looked around, nobody else had decided to crash at his garage.

Sliding out of bed as quite as she could, Bree tipped to his bedside.

"Han?" She whispered checking to make sure he was sleeping.

Han tried not to smile as opened the eye closest to his pillow just a bit.

"Psst, Han" Bree called but still nothing.

She rubbed her shoulders and looked back at her own bed and frowned. "I'm never gonna live this down" she sighed.

Slowly and carefully, Bree slid into Han's bed, it was a twin, and a tight fit. Her back to his she somehow managed to settle in.

Being next to him was warm, and the rhythm of his breathing was quickly making her eyelids droop. Settling in a bit more her eyes finally closed.

Han waited, with one eye slightly open, listening. It took a while but before long he could hear faint airy snores.

Opening both eyes Han chuckled inwardly and smiled to himself. Her so called careful attempt to sneak over was - in reality - very clumsy.

Once Bree had been asleep for a while, Han turned over in a smooth small motion. Warping a arm over her side he closed what little distance had been there and his his face in her hair.

"Night, Raquel" he whispered hardly able to hide his amusement.

Bree's eyes snapped back open hours later and she rolled over and pointed her finger into Han's chest.

"Close you eyes - let it go" Han said groggy.

Bree poked him again "Its not so simple" she whispered.

Han exhaled a great big sigh "everything's simple, once you except that, anything and everything gets a little easier each day. We make things complicated by thinking about it too much" he replied.

Bree glared at his collar where her line of sight fell.

"Coming over here wasn't complicated. You were alone - You sought company. You spooked yourself -" He laughed lightly " So, I'm going to protect you from your monsters, for tonight. We can go back to being frienemies tomorrow" he said.

"It. IS. Tomorrow Han..." Bree muttered.

"Just go to sleep" Han groaned righting his arm around her. "Let me dream" he sighed.

Bree could tell he was now sleep. "Simple....really..." She thought closing her eyes, she exhaled and focused on his pulse which she felt through his arm.

She shut her eyes tighter as it sunk in for the first time - for real. "Well, old friend" she thought pressing a hand to her heart "I'm terribly sorry about this..."

***

"So you really did it?" Ken asked.

Bree and her crew had been working all morning to clean up her garage and make repairs.

For a job well done Dk was footing the bill , sans having to pay him back.

"Hey Ken! Give her a break stop asking her that already it's been three days!" Kiku barked, slapping him lightly with a rag.

"Cut him some slack, it's still kinda....strange. I mean, ya girl offing somebody? No way" Twinkie said from his place sweeping.

"The guy sent his boys after her, what else was supposed to happen?" Juice asked as he and Rocko painted.

Bree rolled her eyes and glared at everyone. "You guys I'm gonna fire all of you if you don't stop talking about me like I'm not even here" she snapped.

Everyone fell silent and went back to work.

Bree sighed and dropped her mop. Turning sharply she stormed out of the garage, nearly getting run over by Sean's car as he and Han went to pull in the doors.

"Bree?" Sean called after her as she stalked past his car her  sneakers slapping against the ground hard.

Sean looked to Han who sat back down in his own car and  put it in reverse.

Bree was halfway down the street already. Arms crossed as she walked down the vacant block.

"Hey!" Han called rolling down the passenger window.

Bree stopped and watched as Han pulled the car over. "Do I really have to tell you to get in?" He asked.

With a sigh Bree got in the car. The ride was slow a silent for a long time.

Bree had her eyes fixed to the road ahead. "You know, getting a taste of my own medicine....tastes horrible." She said.

"Yeah, Sean told me Kiku and Twinkie have been handing out lectures nearly everyday" Han said.

"I didn't choose this....It just happened - freakishly might I add!" Bree said her voice slightly raising.

"It always is" Han replied.

"But I don't even know how it all got this way..." She sighed.

"We never do" Han said turning to look at Bree briefly.

"Were are we going?" Bree asked looking at him squarely. "Not sure, how about coffee?" Han asked.

He had that carefree smile on his face, and it made Bree both furious and swoon at how smooth the words came out.

She narrowed her eyes at him. "Don't play with me" the words came out without her wanting them to.

Han's smile turned into a smirk as he side glanced at her  "course not - not yet" he said turning his eyes back to the road "I've got a looot of work to do before that" he added under his breath.

Inside of the cafe laughter came from Bree and Han's table. He went on about past shenanigans. While Bree was laughing she hadn't noticed that he had stopped talking.

Han watched her laughed resisting the grin trying to form.

Han took a loud sip from his spiked ice coffee, "I wish I could meet your real friends, seems a shame - that you're stuck with Dk and Morimoto now" Bree said.

Han pushed his drink away and shrugged "I don't consider them my friends. More like colleagues. I wouldn't down grade from. What I had - never settle" he said.

Bree deflated instantly and drop her gaze. "Um, let's get going I got to go back and help with the clean up" she muttered, standing up quickly Bree headed for the door. Han watched her confused but paid and soon followed after.

Han side glanced at Bree as they pulled out of the cafe parking lot.

Back at her garage, Bree stood off in her own corner to paint alone. From the corner of her eye she could see Sean and Han talking. And then just to the right of them Twinkie, Ken and Kiku talking.

Bree pulled out her personal cell phone and dug through her contacts. She dialed and headed for the door.

"I dunno, what's your plan?" She heard Sean faintly.

Bree raised a brow but continued on. "Hey, Nee...." Bree said as the line picked up. Passing Twinkie, Ken and Kiku. Kiku blinked a few times as if on disbelief.

"Bree'ra ?" Neela asked mildly shocked.

"I need to get away" Bree said exiting the  garage.

"No worries I know just the place" Neela replied in a bright tone.

"I'm at the garage" Bree said gratefully.

"I'm on my way"