Bathroom Etiquette
Title: Bathroom Etiquette
Author: Diane
Pairings: Lucas/Taylor and also featuring Nathan/Haley
Rating: Teen Rated
Disclaimer: Nope, I don’t own a thing!
Spoilers/Warnings: This is set during the “missing” college years between Seasons 4 and 5 so everything up to and including the beginning of Season 5 to be on the safe side, and it’s a sequel to my recent fic, ‘Not Even Close’.
Summary: Haley shouted as she pounded on the bathroom door with her fist. She frowned when instead of receiving an answer, she heard her best friend’s laughter along with his guest’s. Great! It didn’t look as if she was going to be getting in there any time soon.
Author’s Notes: This has been written especially for Dawnie and the other girlies I know who asked for more L/T fic. No naughtiness this time, I’m afraid, but I might just turn this into a mini-series and if I do, I think it’s safe to say it’ll include a little spice.
“C’mon, Luke, hurry up!” Haley shouted as she pounded on the bathroom door with her fist. She frowned when instead of receiving an answer, she heard her best friend’s laughter along with his guest’s. Great! It didn’t look as if she was going to be getting in there any time soon.
“They still in there,” Nathan asked. He was leaning against their bedroom door with Jamie in his arms.
“No, I’m just standing here for fun. What do you think?”
“I think Momma’s in a bad mood this morning,” he told Jamie, a smirk tugging at his lips.
Slamming her palm against the door once more, she turned to her husband. “Do you blame me? I’m going to be late for class because of him and what’s-her-name.”
“Speaking of, do you know who he brought home with him?”
Haley shook her head. “No. I didn’t hear him come in last night.”
“Yeah, me either.”
“This is ridiculous!” she shouted, thwacking the door again which startled Jamie who started crying. “Oh, I’m sorry, baby,” she said, rushing over to him and taking him from Nathan. Cuddling him close to her body, she peppered his chubby little cheeks with kisses. “Momma’s just mad at Uncle Lucas.”
Nathan took Haley’s place at the bathroom door and knocked as hard as he could. “Luke! C’mon, man; Haley’s gonna be late for class if you don’t get your ass out of there.” Receiving no response, he was about to knock again when the door suddenly opened and Lucas appeared with just a towel wrapped around his waist. “About damn time!”
“Yeah, like you two can talk,” he reminded his brother. “I’ve lost count of the number of times it’s been me standing out here knocking like crazy.”
Nathan was just about to open his mouth when the last person he expected to see came into view. “What the…”
“Taylor!” Haley exclaimed when she suddenly saw her sister clad in her best friend’s robe exit the bathroom. “Wha… what are you doing here?”
“I’m doing my boyfriend,” she quipped. “Or at least I was until we were rudely interrupted.”
“B-boyfriend?”
“Uh… yeah, I’ve been meaning to talk to you, Hales,” Lucas said sheepishly. “Taylor and I… we’re, uh… we’re dating.”
“Since when?”
“Since my visit four months ago,” Taylor informed her. “We didn’t want to say anything until we were sure we wanted to give this a try, you know, what with the long distance thing.”
Haley’s mouth dropped open and looking past the couple, she saw the surprise etched upon her husband’s face which she knew mirrored her own. Her mind was a whirl and she had no idea what to say. She’d known all about Luke and Taylor’s hook-up when her sister had turned up on their doorstep unannounced. The sounds coming from his room that weekend had left no doubt as to what they’d been getting up to in there, but she was having trouble believing that their time together had turned into something more.
“I know this is a shock but…”
“You can say that again,” Nathan mumbled. “Look, we can talk about this later. Hales, you’re going to be really late if you don’t get moving now?”
“There’s nothing to talk about,” Lucas said. “Maybe we could’ve told you earlier but we don’t need your permission.”
Haley nodded. “You’re right, you don’t.” Pressing a kiss onto the top of Jamie’s head, she handed him back to Nathan. “If you’re both finished in there I need to get ready for class.”
“Haley-Bop…”
“I haven’t got time for this now, Tay.” Giving her sister what she hoped was a reassuring smile, she said, “Let’s talk when I get home, okay? The boys have practice so we’ll have the place to ourselves.”
The blonde nodded her agreement. “Sounds good. I’ll bring the beer.”
Haley laughed, tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear. “I’d prefer some ice cream…”
“Okay, I’ll pick some up for you.”
“Are we good, Hales?” Lucas asked.
“Yeah, of course we are. I just… wasn’t expecting it, that’s all. If you’re both happy, then I am, too.”
He smiled at her. “Thanks. What about you, Nate?” he asked, turning to his brother.
“Hey, if Haley’s happy, then I’m cool.”
Grabbing her boyfriend’s hand, Taylor pulled him in the direction of his room. “See you later, guys. Oh, and we’ll try and keep the noise down.”
“Somehow I doubt that,” Nathan called out as Luke’s door slammed shut and they heard the sound of loud laughter emanating from behind it. “You really okay about this, Hales?”
“I don’t know… I’m worried that he might be on the rebound and the last thing I want is for either him or Tay to get hurt but… they’re both adults so if they’re willing to give this a chance, who are we to say they shouldn’t?”
“Yeah,” he agreed before adding, “We definitely need to set down some ground rules though for appropriate bathroom behaviour.”
Haley laughed at that. “I’ll bring that up when I talk to her later. I don’t know how this is going to work with her being so far away at college but… I guess she’ll let me know when she’s ready.”
“Talking about college…” he said, holding up his wrist so she could see the time on his watch.
“Crap!” Pressing a kiss onto his lips and ruffling Jamie’s sandy-blonde hair, she hurried into the bathroom and closed the bathroom door behind her.
“Hey, you need a hand in there?” He chuckled when he got no answer. Bouncing his son in his arms, he said, “C’mon, little man, let’s get you some breakfast.”
As he made his way to the kitchen, he realised that things were about to get even crazier in the Scott household.
Fin