Just A Kiss - Mi/Liz - One part - Complete

[roswellkitkat]

Title: When A Kiss Is More
Author: Roswellkitkat
Pairing: Michael and Liz
Rating: Teen
Summary: In the heat of a moment a kiss is shared but no one wants to admit what it means, if anything.
Category: One part fic in response to livejournal challenge, the prompt was "it was only a kiss"
Disclaimer: The characters are not mine, I’m just borrowing.
Author’s Note: Obviously an AU universe where most the drama from the show is left behind and we have aliens living as normal teens and the normal teens keeping their secret.


Michael and Liz had been studying together for several weeks now and no one knew it. Not even Maria. Michael had made Liz swear to not tell a soul. He just wasn’t the type of guy to ask for help. But with graduation looming before them, he knew he had no choice. And so he had come to Liz and asked her to help him with his schoolwork. And she had accepted. She didn’t mock him or make him feel stupid. She had jumped in with both feet, wanting to see him succeed. Now he knew why Max adored her so. And yet as he watched her twirl a piece of her long brown hair he couldn’t help but get a knot in his stomach.

“You ready for me to check your work?” she asked.

Her voice startled him and he sheepishly shook his head in response and looked back at the algebra problem before him, cursing himself for daydreaming. She watched him for a few moments and then went back to the book she was reading.

“Do your parents know where you’re at?” he asked, scribbling a few numbers down and handing the paper to her.

She put her book down, carefully marking her page and turned to him.

“I had to tell them but I made sure they knew that no one was to know. I’m sorry.”

“It’s ok. I know they’ve given you a hard time about Max.”

She nods and looks over the paper, smiling and handing it back to me.

“You got them all correct.” She says, pride in her eyes at a job well done.

“No shit.” He replies grabbing the paper from her.

“You’ll pass the final with flying colors Michael.”

“You really think so?”

“Definitely. You know the work Michael, you just don’t apply yourself.”

“You sound so sure,”

“I am sure. You want to know what I think?” she says, getting up and stretching.

“Why not?” he replies, a hint of amusement in his voice.

“You want people to think you are dumb. It’s a way to sort of fade into the background. Because if anyone knew how smart you really were…you’d be accountable for the decisions you make. And you don’t want to be accountable.”

“I see; anything else Parker?”

Liz can tell he is teasing her and she feels her cheeks turning red. She looks away from him and begins to gather her belongings.

“I think I should go,” she says quietly.

“I was kidding,” he says, walking to her putting on hand on her shoulder.

She turns to him and notices how serious he has become; the arm on her shoulder suddenly feels hot and heavy. She is holding her breath afraid of doing or saying the wrong thing. But she doesn’t need to worry because that is the moment when Michael leans in and kisses her.

**********

Lying across her bed Liz stares at the ceiling. It has been several hours since Michael kissed her and every time she thinks about it a knot forms in her stomach. She can admit it now…she enjoyed the kiss. And she is jealous of Maria. Maria who is able to kiss Michael whenever she wanted, Maria who had boyfriend who wasn’t afraid of being who he was. And that’s when she ran; pulling away from the warmth that was Michael and ran before he could stop her. Because if he had looked too closely he would have seen everything she felt all over her face.

Over the last few weeks working with Michael had gone from being a chore to something she enjoyed. Michael was sarcastic, but underneath that gruff exterior was a warm interior. He cared, even if he tried hard to show he didn’t. He was smart and made her laugh and on many occasions made her blush. And the best part about being with Michael was he never brought up Max. When she was with Michael, she could forget all about Max, and she liked that.

As she lay there her cell phone rang and she quickly grabbed it, seeing it was Max. She sighed and dropped the phone back onto the bed. Of course it wasn’t going to be Michael and she cursed herself for thinking it would be. Liz and Michael sounded so absurd, where as Max and Liz was the norm, what everyone expected. And yet not once had anyone ever asked what Liz expected. She had been placed into a mold and never once asked if she like the fit.

“Can I come in?” he asks from the window.

Liz sprang up and there he was, standing at her window a somber look on his face. She nodded, moving across her bed to lock her bedroom door. He quickly slid into her bedroom.

“Just in case,” she says tucking an errant hair behind her ear

“I won’t be long.” He replies

“I…ok,”

“I’m sorry about kissing you; I don’t know what I was thinking,”

“You’re sorry?” Liz asks.

“Yes. I know you’re with Max and I’m with Maria and I don’t know what came over me.”

“What if I’m not sorry?”

A slew of emotions cross his face and finally what settles is confusion.

“What do you mean, not sorry?”

“These last few weeks with you Michael, have been really eye opening.”

“What about Max? And Maria?”

“For this moment, with you and me, let’s just forget about them.”

“Are you feeling ok, Liz?”

And the way he asks is like a slap in the face to Liz. And she begins to feel stupid for feeling anything and thinking he would feel the same. And she can feel the tears begin to swell in her eyes and she looks away from Michael.

“I’m fine. Apology accepted.” She mumbles, hoping he will get the hint and just go.

The silence in the room is deafening and she wonders if maybe he has left and she just didn’t hear him. She turns and he is still there, hands deep in his pockets.

“You didn’t want it to be just a kiss, did you?” Michael asks.

“I don’t know what I want.” Liz says honestly, angrily wiping tears away.

“Yes you did. I know you Parker, you had this whole speech planned out for me and I ruined it, didn’t I?”

“You don’t know the first thing about me Michael.”

“If you say so, Liz.”

Not Parker, but Liz. She looks into his eyes and suddenly understands.

“It’s ok. I don’t know what I was thinking either. Listen, let’s just forget about tonight. Well everything but the fact that you are totally passing the algebra final tomorrow.”

He nods and as he gets ready to leave Liz stops and hugs him. At first he is shocked and then he puts his arms around her and hugs back. He can feel that she has begun to cry again and it touches him deep to his core. He gently pulls away and doesn’t look at her as he leaves. Afraid that if he does, he will not be able to stop himself from doing something that will change their friendship forever.

Liz watches him go fresh tears falling from her eyes. She is angry, sad and lost all at once. She can hear her cell phone ringing and ignores it, instead reaching for her journal where she quickly scribbles: Sometimes a kiss is only a kiss.

[majiklmoon]

oh goody goody goody.

Melis, this is soooo good. I lurve it, and I'm so glad you're writing again. You totally rock, babe!

[splatty]

Wow, nicely done! Great portrayal of emotion in such a short piece. Hope this is the beginning of more writing to come from you!