So What's It Gonna Be? (King)

[Mia Keystone]

Mia never looked at her phone when she texted. The technopath was lying in bed, Slipknot blasting, her phone in one hand as she stared up at the roof.

The number was one that, if she'd ever had to actually type it out, would have been worn out of her keypad by now.

It's almost Christmas, mom wants to know if you're coming over so she can cook another million things.

You out or in, btw?

Her Jonah was never one to go out on a saturday but he'd told her enough about how collage was going to know that the inner workings of a motor was not all he was being educated in.

[Jonah King]

After five consecutive Saturdays spent out and about with his friends at college, Jonah was very much in need of some time to himself – he’d had a busy week, and the others forgave him when he told them that he just needed to stay in for a night. He was writing out some notes for his coursework when something caught his eye: his phone was glowing.

He reached over and picked it up, smiling when he saw Mia’s name on the screen.

That would be great, if it’s still OK for me to stay.

Jonah hadn’t even bothered to ask his parents if they wanted him to join them at Christmas – he would send them an e-mail the next time he was at his computer, and tell them that he was spending it with the Keystones. For a moment he felt a pang, but his phone buzzed in his hand and he looked down at it.

Yep, I’m in. Needed a night away from crowds. Want to do something?

[Mia Keystone]

Depends. Do you want the spare room to be set up?

Hint hint. It wasn't like she hadn't told Ollie, and had Ollie give her the longest "duh" in human history in reply. Turns out he'd won ten bucks from his dad on a bet about which year they'd finally realise they were gonna date. They'd made it three years ago.

Her family were terrible terrible people.

It had to come from somewhere, after all. Mia smirked to herself and managed to even make herself blush with the replies that came to mind. The blush was mostly because a few of them were horribly mushy. Ewwwww, feelings.

What I want to do is probably illegal in several states, she settled on, avoiding anything too explicit. But that aside, I have Serenity to watch, and you graduating is no excuse to break tradition.

Lots of people had movies they watched every Christmas. Mia's just had space ships and guns and a man called Jane and Jonah had willingly watched it with her three years in a row. Plus all the other times she wanted to watch it. Which was a lot.

[Jonah King]

Jonah’s hand stilled at the question, thumb resting on the keypad of his phone. In actual fact, it had been something he had been thinking about recently – the idea of sleeping next to anyone was a new one for him. But there would be only one way to find out what it would be like, so he gave a small smirk and replied:

Depends. Can you put up with sharing with me?

Mia had once told Jonah that she hated sharing a bed with anyone if the bed in question was anything smaller than king-size. Hopefully she would be willing to waive her rule for him.

Or get a bigger bed.

Her next text made him grin – and even though there was nobody else to see it, he couldn’t help but feel a little embarrassed. But after a moment Jonah shrugged to himself, and texted back.

Do you want to come over? It’s not the same as your place, but I’d never get into Hammel after 6pm.

It would be easier for Mia to get a night pass (or even just sneak out) than it ever would be for Jonah to get in – and even though everyone knew about them, the ramifications of his being caught in her dorm room after dark would be big.

[Mia Keystone]

Mia paused for a moment. She hadn't exactly thought through that whole bed thing, it had more been an innuendo, as were most things she said to King these days. But, well, yeah... he was a big guy, and she had a medium bed, and it wasn't really a.... she didn't really... had never really believed in... cuddling. But it would be fine. She could just sleep on the floor and get up early and get back into bed and he would never. ever. know. Or something.

As long as you don't hog my doona she settled with, the entire thought process taking only around 1.23 seconds.

Oh crap, what if she ended up attacking him in her sleep? Ollie had said that she had a habit of kicking out and, he swore this was true, putting her pillow in a headlock. She might kill him in his sleep. She might kill him in her sleep....

Or snore the slightly paranoid technopath added quickly, then rolled out of bed and reached for her coat and scarf and, well, more clothes.

Be there in ten she sent as she started piling on the layers. Snacks are your job.