Trent's POV

People always tell me I'm too blunt for my own good. It doesn't make any sense to me though; what's the point in beating around the bush when you can just be upfront about things?

For a long time, I thought I was the one who had this mentality.

But the of course, I met her.

She's something else, that Karen.

I don't really know why, but when I see her I want to reach out and take her hand. I feel like it would be nice…and I want to kiss her.

But liking someone is so far beyond my spectrum of behavior that I can't even begin to try it, especially with someone as bold as her.

No, I tell myself. Stick with what you know.

Don't stray from that path.

Yet, why do I keep finding myself drawn to her anyways?

Karen's POV

"They're staring again," Rick muttered to me out of the side of his mouth. Hearing that had me snickering, although I did my best to hide it.

"Well what do you expect?" I told him. "They're just waiting for you to pop a proposal out or something."

This got a sigh out of Rick, and another snicker from me. We'd been childhood friends, and so when we'd gotten older playtimes had turned into 'hanging out'. That meant every morning he'd sit outside the Supermarket with me and we'd talk about whatever, but ever since we'd started this ritual when we were thirteen the town talked of nothing but how we were bound to get together.

Definitely not happening.

Rick's been my friend for as long as I can remember, and while that means I know everything about him it also means I know all his bad points too.

Between all the guys in town, I'd pick him out over all but one…that doctor.

Now there's a real man for you.

Sure, he can be a cold and robotic at times, but the fact of the matter is that he's mature enough to have decent conversations with you. That, and like me he doesn't believe in beating around the bush when you can just come out and say whatever it is that's ailing you.

That's why I chose to finally confess to him, although he didn't take it as well as I had thought he would. On the contrary, he paled and didn't talk to me at all afterwards.

Rick interrupts my thoughts with a light cough before whispering low, "So…are you going to the Clinic again today then, Karen?"

Rather than answer him, I shoot him a grin and he just smiles as he sits back and looks up at the sky.

We sit in silence for the remainder of our time together before he gets up. As he passes me, he whispers, "Good luck."

Trent's POV

The door chimes, signaling that there's a customer waiting. While I sit at my desk and sort through papers, I hear Elli saying something happily to the customer before sending them my way.

I don't look up, but when I hear the door click shut as the customer closes it, I find myself staring into her eyes.

"Hey, Trent," she greets me casually, going up to my desk and leaning against it.

Her attire isn't as conservative; unlike most of the girls in town, she seems to be very carefree about showing more of her skin.

Not that I mind.

As she leans forward she smirks, as if she's glad at the way I'm so obviously staring at her.

"Something catch your eye, Trent?" she teases, and I look away quickly feeling my cheeks heat up. It's so very unlike me to be thrown off by anyone, but she always manages to do it somehow.

When I don't answer, she stands back and says low, "I was serious, you know. About what I said last time."

I pretend to ignore her, but it's no use. She walks around the desk and grabs the lapels of my coat, pulling me closer as she says fiercely, "Give me an answer alright, dammit! Don't make me wait!"

There's no helping my next action; rather than push her away I pull her in roughly for a kiss, crashing her lips against mine as I snake my arms around her waist.

She responds immediately to my touch, and I nearly lose control of myself as I realize how soft she is. When she bites my lip, my eyes snap open and I quickly pull away with a blush.

"Y-you'll have to excuse me. I don't…I don't know, Karen."

"Ah, that's right," she says, a teasing but happy grin on her face as she leans even closer to me. "I forgot! You think you're incapable of love, right? Well, let me ask you this then, Doctor. Did you enjoy that kiss?"

Karen's POV

I watch as his face gets entirely red and he pouts and twiddles his thumbs.

"M-maybe," he admits, and I want to laugh at how much he's acting like a little kid right now. I thought that mature guys were the best, but this by far takes the cake; to see him reduced to this and know it's my work has me wanting to smile.

Besides that, I'm no longer worried about whether or not my affections will be rebuffed; he made his own feelings for me quite obvious with such a bruising, passionate kiss.

Sidling up to him, I grin lazily and reach up to push my hands through his black, silky hair.

"You know, for someone so blunt you're also not being very honest with yourself," I tell him. "Why don't you just submit to me already?"

Rather than choosing to answer me, I find my lips preoccupied once more as he kisses me again, this time pushing me onto his desk as his needy lips eagerly ravish my own.

"Can you accept me then?" he asks, a worried look on his face as he pulls away. "Can you accept the fact that I'm not at all like you thought I was?"

His words cause me to smile gently at him, and I raise my hand to softly touch his cheek with my fingers as I say, "I like this side of you."

My confirmation seems to make him all the more bold, and he comes in again for another kiss.

When I leave his office an hour later, I carefully clutch at my vest, trying to hide the beginnings of a purple hickey.

Seems my life is about to get a lot more exciting than I ever planned.

So it took awhile, and personally I feel like it's not one of my best but here it is! I decided to put it up because I already rewrote it like five times and this so far was the best result XD I hope you enjoyed it more than I did!

Anyways, feel free to keep leaving requests, although I can't promise quick updates on this story because I've got two main stories I'm working on now, and this has always been more of a side project for me because it's just one shots and not a full on plot story XD

Well, thanks for reading, and be sure to leave your thoughts! Also, as a side note, I'll be putting up a story on Spirited Away soon, so look forward to that too if you like that movie!