Japanese Mini Blinds by Leyla Harrison Disclaimer: Carter and Kerry are the creation and therefore property of some big corporation. They don't belong to me. Rating: strong PG-13 for a little innuendo and a few bad words. Timeline: This story takes place when Kerry and Carter are still roommates -- so, sometime during mid to late season 5. Spoilers: This story is 100% spoiler free. Isn't that refreshing? Note: This is the fourth in a series of what will be five separate challenge stories. Each one is part of the series, but can stand alone. This is Challenge Story #4. All right, all right. Calm down. Let me explain. Over in the X-Files fanfic world where I used to write regularly (I've since defected and come over to the ER side), there are things known as fanfic challenges. A fic writer lets others know that they are willing to write a challenge story, and several people provide "elements" that must be included in the story. The fic writer can then write about anything they want, with any plot and any characters, as long as all of the elements appear somewhere in the story. So my lovely editor and friend Shannon challenged me to a story. One story turned into five (her decision and my acceptance) to keep me from getting writer's block, and to keep her (and you) entertained. This is what she asked for. (In other words, it's all her fault. ) A short vignette containing Kerry/Carter UST (unresolved sexual tension), containing the following elements: 1) Carter and Kerry put up blinds in the bathroom. 2) Someone makes a "Peeping Tom" comment. 3) The shower curtain rod gets broken. 4) Carter accidentally starts the shower on himself. 5) The directions in the box of blinds are in Japanese. 6) Kerry proves that she is better at putting "Tab A" into "Slot B" than Carter is. Start time: Tuesday, October 3, 2000, 5:00pm Finish time: Tuesday, October 3, 2000, 11:45pm. (took a break in the middle for a few hours) And now, on with the story. *** "So what the hell is wrong with you today?" I ask Carter. He's got a scowl on his face. "Nothing." "Come on, tell me. We're trapped in a small room -- " "We're not trapped," he corrects me irritably. "All we have to do is open the door and walk out." "Try to lighten up a little, will you?" I ask. "You were the one who offered to help me with these." I hold up the long, narrow boxes. "I don't see why you need new blinds in the bathroom," he says. "I'll tell you why," I offer, "if you tell me why you're so pissed off today." He takes one of the boxes. "I'm allowed to be in a bad mood, you know." "Of course you are." He opens the box and slides the blinds out, handing them to me. He takes a look at the instructions. "Damn," he mutters. "What is it?" I ask, peering over at the small piece of paper. "They're in Japanese." He turns the paper over. "Not even an English translation." "Well," I say hopefully, "how hard can it be?" I slip the piece of paper out of his hands and he takes the blinds from me, climbing up on the edge of the tub in his sock-clad feet. "Are you sure you got the right size?" he asks. "These look like they're too big." I shake my head. "I measured. They're the right size." I peruse the directions. "We need to set up the brackets first." Carter glances down at me. "You've done this before?" I shake my head. He's been holding the blinds against the window and now he lowers them, balancing one foot on the edge of the tub and the other on the inside ledge. "Carter, you're going to slip. You should take your socks off," I tell him. "You read the directions." I shrug my shoulders at him, casually. "Kerry, they're in Japanese!" he exclaims. "Yes, and?" "You read Japanese?" he asks, incredulously. "I'm a little rusty," I confess, trying to downplay it. "All right," he says, climbing down and standing in the bathtub, appearing to be in a slightly better mood. "Tell me. How many languages do you speak?" I count them off on my hands. "English, obviously. Some Japanese. A few African dialects. And French." He lets out a low whistle. "Amazing. One more thing I never knew about you. I'll tell you, Kerry, you're a regular woman of mystery." He climbs back up, balancing himself on the side of the tub and the inside ledge. "Carter, seriously, you're going to slip." "I'm not," he says stubbornly. The words are barely out of his mouth when his feet do, of course, slip. He grabs for something, the only thing: the shower curtain rod. His hands wrap around it and it comes crashing down. The curtain follows, billowing out like a sail on a windy day and coming to rest over his legs and abdomen. Carter has landed in the tub with a thump, his back up against the faucets. "Carter!" I exclaim, panicked, and I bend over him. He blinks, dazed, and tries to get his bearings. "Don’t move yet, let me assess you," I caution. "You might have broken something." "I'm fine. But the faucet did a number on my back. That'll leave a mark in the morning." He reaches one hand behind him to gently touch his back where it's pressed up against the faucet. A torrent of water from the shower rains down on him at that moment, and I squeal and back away. Carter just sits there, his face impassive, as the water streams down over his body, plastering his hair and clothing. "Oh, Carter," I giggle. "God, I'm sorry. You just look so -- " "Wet?" he calls over the water. I nod, the laughter uncontrollable. "Good thing you backed away when you did," he says, "otherwise you'd have gotten soaked too." I try to ignore the double entendre and smother my giggles, reaching behind him to turn the faucets off. My shirt sleeves get soaked in the process. The water slows and then stops altogether. "I can finish putting the blinds up by myself, Carter," I tell him, helping him stand up. "No, no," he protests. "Just let me get into some dry clothes and I'll be back." He steps out of the tub and walks out of the room and down the hall, leaving little wet footprints as he goes. He throws his head over his shoulder and smiles at me. "You know," he calls, "I'm in a much better mood now." **** When Carter gets back, I've already put up the brackets on the window frame. Sure, it was with a little difficulty, but they're up. He checks out my handiwork. "Not bad," he tells me. "For a woman, right?" I ask sarcastically. "Thank you," I hand him the directions. "Read me step 3." He crumples the paper up and tosses it into the sink. "Kerry, first of all, I can't read Japanese, and secondly, all we have to do now is climb up and put the blinds in the brackets. I think we can handle that without instructions." He's barefoot now, in sweats and a t-shirt, his hair still damp. He climbs into the bathtub, using more caution this time. "All right, hand me the blinds." I hand them over. He tries unsuccessfully to get them locked into their position in the brackets. "Let me give it a shot," I suggest. "No, wait, I've almost got it." "Carter, I just think you need to move them down a little, push them into the brackets from the bottom -- " He turns to look at me. "Kerry, I think I can get tab A into slot B," he says. Was that a suggestive tone in his voice? I raise an eyebrow. "I'm sure that you can, Carter. I wasn't trying to insult your, well, your manhood." He considers this for a moment, then climbs down and out of the tub. "All right. Go ahead. Be my guest. I can't wait to see this." My eyes twinkling, I climb into the tub carefully, and he hands me the blinds. Bracing my feet carefully, I reach up as far as I can, and then I use my crutch at just the right angle to push the blinds into the brackets. There is an audible snap. I repeat the process on the other side. "Care to help me out of the tub?" I ask. "You cheated," he says, offering me a hand. "You never mentioned anything about the use of any supporting devices." "Maybe a supporting device would help you next time," I tease. He smiles. "I don't need any devices, Kerry. And any time you would like me to prove it to you, just let me know." "All right," I say, desperate to change the subject. "Let me take a look at your back. I want to make sure you didn't hurt yourself." "Okay," he says, turning around. "You'll, uh, have to pull your shirt up." He surprises me by pulling it over his head and off. I stare for a moment. "Kerry?" "Yes, of course." I gently touch his back, trying not to get lost in the feel of his skin and his muscles under my fingers. He makes a noise, and I draw back. "Did that hurt?" I ask softly. "No," he says simply. Oh. All I can think is that I'm glad he has his back to me and can't see the look on my face. I touch his lower back, and he tenses up a little. "That hurts a bit," he says. "You'll have some bruises tomorrow," I tell him. "You can put your shirt back on. Maybe put some ice on it, so it doesn't swell up." He turns around, giving me a view of his chest as he pulls the t-shirt back over his head. His eyes are dark, focused. I swallow. We regard each other in silence. Carter finally clears his throat. "We'd better close those blinds now." "Yes," I say. "Wouldn't want anyone peeping in." "No," I agree. "I don't want any Peeping Toms." "Not when you already have a Peeping John inside." I take a moment to let his words sink in. I watch his face. It says, uh-huh, you heard me right. "I was thinking," I say, desperately trying to change the subject, "of putting blinds up in the living room next week." "Really," he says, and I nod. "Yes, I think it would be a good idea." I'm grasping at words now. "Kerry?" "Yes?" "Close the blinds." I step closer to the tub, and he moves aside to let me pass. I twist the rod and the blinds close. "All closed." "Looks good," he says. I turn around and he's right in front of me. "Carter? What is it?" "I just want to look at you for a minute," he says, and I stand there, very still. "You know what?" "What?" He leans forward. His lips touch mine and I feel a spark of electricity, a jolt. He loops and arm around my waist, casually, comfortably. I lean into him and kiss him back, threading my fingers through the damp tendrils of his hair. When we break the kiss, I lean back, still in his arms. "The blinds look good," I tell him, unsure as to what to say next. "What blinds?" Carter asks. I smile and he kisses me again. END / Japanese Mini Blinds