Unexpected

Skylar does find the restroom, listening as the music changes to a familiar beat.

 She locks herself in the one of the stalls, then pulls her phone out of her pocket, trying to see if she's had any messages or missed calls from Riker.

 None, and she put her phone back in her pocket, using the restroom then washing her hands.

 She feels a bit more aware, looking at herself in the mirror.

 Her face is flushed, eyes bloodshot, and there's a thick layer of mixed colored glitter in her hair. Skylar groans, and tries to brush some of it out, but it's of no use.

 Sighing, she decides to walk back out of the restroom, already having decided that she's going to uber home.

 Hands on her hips and waist stop her though, and she's spun around, the world tilting to it's side in dangerous speed. She puts her hands on the person's chest-a guy sporting a leather jacket-and wills the nausea away.

 "There you are!" the man says, kissing along my neck, and I try to recoil from him, knowing that this is a random stranger.

 "Let me go." I say, and he laughs, his face obscured by the darkness.

 "Don't be like that. I can be better than your boyfriend." he insists, licking at her jaw. Skylar shudders in disgust and leans back until he's forced to let her go, snagging her by her belt loop, and holding on.

 "Let me go!" Skylar repeats, and he yanks her forward, her body pressing against his. He smells like old fruits and chewed up mint gum, and he's grinding against her, his movements too rough and fast.

 Skylar, angry that she was ditched and can't be well enough to be left alone, balls up her fist, and strikes him down on the jaw. It meets contact, and the guy stumbles back on his ass, holding on to the side of his face.

 "You psycho bitch! No wonder your boyfriend left you here!" He spits up, struggling to get off the ground. 

 "Don't fucking touch me." Skylar snarls, and just as she turns around and is about to bolt, her face smashes against a broad and solid chest.

 "That was fucking hot." a familiar voice says, and Skylar looks up to see green eyes staring down at her with an intense gaze of excitement and fury.

 "Riker?" Skylar says, confused, because even she was sure that he had left the club.

 "Sorry that took so long ladybug. The business didn't want to be tended to." he laughs darkly, before setting Skylar aside, and stalking the guy that had come on to her.

 The guy is taller than Skylar, but Riker's a whole head taller than him, and he's tensed, as if excited to maul this guy down.

 Apologies come out from the stranger's mouth, but they're directed at Riker instead of Skylar. Riker must have noticed that too because his fist lashes out and hits the guy square in the face.

 A sick crunch is heard, and the guy topples backwards, Riker dragging him away by the ankles.

 "I promise to be back sooner than later, just wait right here for me." he calls out over his shoulder, as he disappears around the corner, unconscious man in tow.

 Skylar is so stunned that she actually listens, holding on to the railing because her balance hasn't returned just yet.

 True to his word, Riker makes his way back, looping his arm around her waist and pulling her close as he helps her walk. Skylar notices the blood on his knuckles and the side of his face, his facial features at ease.

 "You're a horrible date." Skylar yells at him, as they passed the dancing crowd and the loud music.

 "That's the alcohol talking." Riker replied, and Skylar shook her head.

 "You ditched me for an hour, and I almost got manhandled by some random guy!" she replied, smacking his chest with each word.

 "I'm sorry, let me make it up to you-"

 "Take me home." Skylar interrupts, freezing whatever it was that Riker was going to say. After a beat, he nods, and then carries her in his arms as they head back out into the humid night.

 Skylar doesn't like that she likes being in his arms. She doesn't like that Riker smells good, like mint and something else, or how he chuckles when he jostles her and glitter drops to the floor, still plenty tangled in her hair.

 When they finally make it to the car, Riker is sliding in the back, Skylar on his lap, as he gives the driver directions.

 Skylar is slowly starting to sober, and she leans back against Riker, feeling him reach back behind him as he snags Skylar's book and places it back on her lap. She holds on to it instantly, not wanting to show him how grateful she is to him.

 Instead, she focuses on his steady heartbeat against her back, the way his hands touch the skin of her arms, making her even more sleepy. She shouldn't feel this safe, and she should feel angry instead.

 But Skylar was always a weird one.

 They pull up to the apartment's parking lot, and Skylar is reaching for the door handle. Riker stops her though, threading his hand with hers.

 "What-"

 "The child safety lock is still on." Riker reminds her gently, and the driver is opening the door for them.

 Skylar moves, but to her surprise, Riker is still holding on to her, still carrying her.

 "You can put me down now." Skylar insists, but Riker giver her sly grin, before ordering the driver who simply nods, and gets back in the car, driving off. "I didn't say you could sleep over." Skylar says with narrowed eyes.

 "You are simply too drunk and must be looked after. What if you got sick, and vomited in your sleep while you were lying on your back? I'd never forgive myself, ladybug." he replies.

 "Stop calling me that." Skylar says instead, and Riker chuckles, the sound deep and throaty. Without another word, he starts to walk along into the main entrance, re-tracing his steps from the first time he had followed Skylar back to her home.

 Once there at the front door, Skylar digs into her pocket, and pulls out her keys, unlocking the door and pushing it open. It's only when they're both inside does Riker let her go, closing and locking the door behind him.

 Ollie, the sleeping furball, cracks an eye open, stretching at he jumps down from the couch, wanting to greet Skylar. His eyes land on Riker, and Skylar winces, waiting for the gentle cat to hiss at him.

 To her surprise, he doesn't, rubbing along Riker's legs. Riker kneels down to scratch under Ollie's chin, loud purrs coming from the cat.

 "Weird. Usually, Ollie hates people." Skylar comments, and she walks to her restroom, in desperate need to wash out her mouth and drink water.

 Riker is too enthralled with Ollie to notice, so Skylar brushes her teeth and takes off her makeup, changing into her comfier clothes. The real problem is going to be her hair though, glitter sparkling through.

 Skylar bites back a groan and heads back out to the living room where Riker should be with Ollie.

 He isn't there, and Ollie is back on the couch, asleep. Skylar has hope that Riker went back home but she can't also help but feel the tiny ping of disappointment.

 Too tired to say anything else, she switches off the light, and wishes Ollie a good night sleep, heading over to her room-and then freezing when she sees Riker laying on the right side of the bed, facing her.

 Her face goes red, and she marches over, yanking the blanket off of him, and then letting out a surprised cry.

 Riker is sleeping in his boxers only, his clothes folded neatly on Skylar's dresser, his body thick with muscle. Scars from past wounds litter on his body, a stamp of a tattoo on his left pec that she can't see because he's pulling the blankets up over himself.

 At first, Skylar thinks he's just playing a trick, because there's no way he fell asleep that fast. But when she waves her hand over his face, he doesn't even flinch, soft snores escaping him.

 Sighing, she reaches to grab her pillow and a blanket off her bed, and as she turns, he wraps both of his arms around her waist, pulling her back.

 Struggling to be freed, his hold only tightens as he pulls her close to his chest, the snores going back in tune without a hitch.

 At this point, sleep has left Skylar. She's wide awake, her body strangely comforted by the warmth and muscle that is Riker.

 What the hell is wrong with my life right now, Skylar thinks, as she slowly pulls free from him, switching off the light, and then scampering out of the room.

 At least the couch is made more comfortable by Ollie laying on her.