The Thing with Webcams

Just a quickie that I forgot I could post here.Cross posted @ the chamber with cast photos.

"Ta-da!" Mena sets the laptop down on the counter top. "So what do you think?"

"Yes. Don't even try to talk them down. I'll pay the full price." Mena has closed deals on a dozen homes for him and his colleagues combined. He trusts her and recommends her to pretty much anyone who's even considering relocating. She's gotten three houses for him in the past year alone.

"Whatever you say boss. I'll let them know and call you when we close." She loved her job. She knew what Tao liked. Rustic but contemporary. Dark, wood floors and bright neutral walls. He was easy, she knew his taste the first time she met him. He did most of his business from out of state which meant they only communicated by phone or webcam. You would think that would make things difficult but Tao was always very accommodating. It actually worked for Mena, she found Tao charming and very handsome. She wasn't sure if she'd be able to do her job as well if she had to see him in person.

"Thanks. Talk to you later." They both waved to their camera and attempted to turn the webcam off.

"The light is still on" Mena frowns in confusion at the black screen.

"Yeah I can still see you." Weird. The video popped up no matter how many times he ended the program.

"Are you serious? How many fingers am I holding up?" She flashed 3 fingers to the camera.

"3" He could still see her clear as day.

"You have got to be kidding me. Why didn't you just let me use Skype? Wouldn't be having these problems." Tao often used Mena as a guinea pig for many of his software projects. They were always excellent applications that he would let her keep free of charge. She didn't mind because they usually ran perfectly. Now though, she was regretting it.

"There is nothing wrong with this program. We beta tested the hell out of it."

"Then why won't this thing cut off."

"Maybe it's your computer. Did you try turning it off and turning it back on" He chuckled.

"Hardy-har. It has to be your software because you're having the same issue. The window won't even minimize. Just admit it, you messed up."

"It's just a glitch. I'll figure it out." He sends a quick text to his assistant: WE WERE WRONG. WE WERE HORRIBLY WRONG

"Well what am I supposed to do?"

"What do you mean?"

"I have work to do on this thing. I don't want you watching me the whole time."

"Oh." He hadn't thought of that. "I won't pay you any attention sweetie. You just type away."

"I don't want to. It's weird."

"Go ahead. I'm gonna shut down. I'm done for the night anyway.

"Thanks. Sorry." She smiled bashfully. "Wait, I'm not sorry. This is your fault anyway." She quickly remembered.

"Ugh. I'm going to bed."

The next few days Tao and Max spent trying to problem solve their software. Without much luck Mena and Tao were stuck on each others screens.

"Do I need to buy a new laptop?" He watched her cross her arms and cock her head.

"No. I'll fix it. And if I can't, I'll buy you a new one." Tao promised her.

~*~*~*~

The days following got weird. They were constantly intruding on each other. Mena has managed to pop in on 2 meetings when she opened her laptop. He would put his finger to his mouth signaling for her to stay quiet. Tao always interrupts Mena's personal conversations with friends and family, so she ends up cutting them short. But worst of all this new connection seemed to make it ok for them to just drop in on each other. For no business related reason. Just to say hello. It was weird.

"Are you getting your hair done?"

"Oh god I almost forgot about this thing." She was still not used to him just being there whenever she opened her laptop up. "Don't you do things that aren't on the computer? You know live in the real world?"

"Where are you going?"

"Don't worry about it. Jeez, now I gotta check my email strictly from my phone?"

"Seriously where are you going?"

"This charity thing. I'm getting an award."

"For what?"

"For being a decent human being I guess. I started a charity a while back. 90% of the profits go directly to impoverished youth. 90% is like a record or something. I'm not impressed, if I could give them 100% I would"

"I never knew you had a charity."

"Well, I do. Would you be quiet so I could get some work done?" He managed to stay quiet for about 5 minutes.

"Your hair looks pretty." He mumbles.

"Thanks?" She didn't realize he would be watching the whole time.

"And congratulations on your award."

"Thanks Tao. I have to go"

"Have fun" He waved.

~*~*~*~

"How'd you sleep?" Mena whispered to her screen when Tao's sleepy face appeared.

"Like you didn't watch me sleep all night" He joked

"Swear I've only been on for about an hour."

"Got a lot to do today?"

"No not really. Gonna laze around, prolly hit the beach." Maybe do some shopping.

"Sounds fun."

"Where are you?"

"Atlanta for a conference" Tao rolled his eyes. He hated conferences.

"Have some fun while you're there"

"I'll try"

~*~*~*~

"Mena" He watches her sleeping face create a frown. Even with their situation she still leaves her laptop open on the desk across from her bed.

"Mena!" He knows it's late, but he's bored and wants to see her.

"What?" She answers without opening her eyes.

"Are you awake?"

"Either the webcam finally shut off or you're being a dick." Mena pulled the covers over her head and groaned.

"Come talk to me" Tao said in a whiny voice.

"No. I'm sleeping"

"No you're not. Come on."

"Tao, really. Don't you have work to do?"

"I'm flying to LA. Keep me company"

"Talk to the people on the plane." She moaned.

"It's just Max and he's sleeping." Tao turned the computer so she could see a sleeping Max drooling on Tao's shoulder.

"So he's allowed to get his beauty rest but I'm not?"

"Mena you're already gorgeous, you don't need beauty rest."

"Kiss ass" She mumbled and she slid out of bed and over to the open laptop. "I'm gonna start covering this thing up again so you can't bother me."

"No you aren't. You always look this good when you wake up?" He took in her ruffled hair and small cami top.

"Yupp. Now what the hell do you want from me?" She yawned into the camera reminding him it was 3am.

"I'll be in Florida next month."

"Coming to check out your new house?" Who buys a house and doesn't set foot in it for 2 months?

"Yes."

"Good. I know you're gonna love it. The camera doesn't do it justice."

"You'll be showing it to me right?"

"Well you have the key and the address. You don't really need me. But if you want me to actually walk you through it then fine."

"Sound more excited"

"I'd love to walk you through your house!" Mena said loudly with a goofy grin. "Better?" She rolled her eyes.

"Believable." Tao shook his head smiling. He knew he was being somewhat unreasonable. He never asked her to walk him through his other houses. There was no point considering he had taken a tour via webcam. But he really wanted to see Mena. They didn't do enough business face to face.

"Why aren't you sleeping?"

"Can't"

"So you're determined to make me suffer with you."

"You're not suffering."

"This is awful."

"Come on Mena, I thought you liked me"

"Wrong. I like sleep. Night Tao." Mena rose from her chair and slowly walked back to her bed.

"Blue panties, cute" Tao smirked. Mena's face was red when she turned back to the screen. She had completely forgotten she wasn't wearing pants. "How did I miss that when you sat down?"

"Covering you up." She grabbed a black tee shirt and tossed it over the laptop covering the screen and camera.

"Oh come on." Tao whined as he started at his now black screen.

~*~*~*~

Sometimes Tao opens his laptop and he can see her fluttering around her bedroom. She might be folding clothes or just lounging around. He doesn't mean to stare but she's beautiful. While she's watching tv he can see her expressions and hear her laughs from across the room. He always has the window with her face next to the window he's working on. Just so he can be there, if she wants to see him or something. He thinks.

~*~*~*~

"What are you over there cooking for me?" Mena looks over her shoulder to see Tao smiling big on her screen.

"Nothing serious. Some veggies and pasta." She takes a seat at the table next to her laptop.

"Sounds good. All I have is leftover pizza." He holds up the proof.

"We're having dinner together." Mena said pondering the domesticity of it all.

"I kind of like it" He grins. They've had this odd relationship for weeks. It's about time they had dinner together.

~*~*~*~

"What are you so focused on?" Mena scrunches her face up at him.

"Work" He shrugs with a smile. At some point during this whole thing Tao started smiling every time he heard her voice. He's not sure when it happened but he's pretty sure it's not going to stop.

"Fixing this flawed application I hope" Who's she kidding? She doesn't want it fixed. She's been enjoying herself.

"Nope. That's on the back burner for now" Forever, he thinks.

"So you're buying me a new laptop then eh?" It sounds like she wants out, just when Tao was coming to terms with it.

"Yeah. Just order it and charge it to my card" He mumbles. Mena can hear the annoyance in his voice.

"No rush" He quirks an eyebrow at her. She might just be enjoying this just as much as he is.

~*~*~*~

At some point they become a weird old cam couple.

"Which tie looks better?" Tao waves 3 ties around.

"Uh, the blue one."

"Why?" Tao makes a disgusted face.

"What?" If you didn't want my opinion, don't ask Mena thinks.

"Why?"

"Because it's not as distracting as the red one. Doesn't take the attention away from the man wearing the tie."

"Thank you." Mena rolls her eyes

"Good luck tonight, you'll do great."

"Thanks babe" As he's headed for the door he realizes he just called her babe. In a non platonic way. He hopes she didn't notice.

~*~*~*~

One day Tao actually forgets that Mena can see him and decides to look at some porn. Without realizing Mena's window in the background he opened up a new window, full screen and turned on some porn.

"What the?" Mena looks over at her computer and sees Tao. Mouth open, eyes half closed and breathing heavy. Curious she moves closer for a better look. He's making little moans that go straight to Mena's core. She can see his right arm moving at a moderate pace. Which is of course when she realizes he's jerking off. She wants to close it, not to stare at him while he's chasing his high. But she can't. She's watching him bite his lip and arch his back. He speeds up, he's close and she should turn away. But fuck. The sounds he's making, deep moans and groans. She feels herself getting hot. His tongue sweeps across his bottom lip, unknowingly teasing her. She stares at his face as he comes. She sincerely wishes he had backed his chair up some so she could actually see.

When he opens his eyes Mena drops to the floor so she isn't caught. She crawls out of the room and takes a cold shower. She spends an hour in bed thinking about how she went all peeping tom on Tao then had the nerve to James Bond her way to the bathroom like a little bitch. Replaying Tao's face in her head stopped her from getting much sleep.

~*~*~*~

"I like your dress" Tao casually comments from under the 3 windows Mena has opened up above him. She minimizes them until she reaches his face.

"You don't think it's too short?" She stands and slowly spins around.

"Where are you going?" The opera, the ballet, out with her friends?

"Dinner."

"No. It's lovely." She looked beautiful in the form fitting gray dress.

"I have a date." Mena announced happily. She didn't particularly like the guy but anything to take her mind off of Tao would do.

"It's too short" She watched as his face dropped to a frown.

"But you just said-"

"Too short"

"Tao... are you jealous?" How is this even possible?

"What? No." Yes. "I'm just saying it's too short for a first date."

"It's not the first date."

"What number date is it?" He asked slowly.

"Third" Tao feels his heart sink.

"You look great. Have fun." He closes his laptop before she can say anything else. He grabs his keys and drives for a while.

~*~*~*~

Mena stumbles into her apartment drunk with the help of her friend Allison.

"Just lay down" Allison tells her.

"I'm fine. I'm fine. I just have to check something."

"Well I have to go babe. Try not to drown or anything tonight"

"Ha ha." Mena said dryly. "Thank you."

"No problem" Allison closed the door and headed back to her house.

Mena sat with her legs crossed on her bed staring at her laptop. She could see Tao in his kitchen eating.

" Isn't it a bit late to be eating?" She laughed as he jumped a foot in the air.

"Jesus Mena you scared the shit outta me." He grabbed his chest dramatically.

"Sorry." She giggled.

"What are you doing up?"

"Don't worry about... Wh-what I'm doing." Mena stumbled over her words.

Tao frowned. "Are you drunk?" He crossed the room to sit directly in front of his laptop. He took in her half lidded eyes and somewhat loopy demeanor.

"A little." Mena smirked and began to lift her shirt over her head.

"Whoa, what are you doing?"

"Just returning the favor" She tossed her t shirt across the room.

"Mena put your shirt back on. You're drunk." He said softly even as he stared at her brown skin against the cream white of her bra.

"But I saw you, so you should see me." She lets a strap slide off her shoulder.

"What are you talking about?"

"I saw you the other day. Jerking off." She giggled as Tao turned bright red with his mouth hanging open. "Yeah you looked a little like that"

"Oh my god Mena, I'm so sorry" He ran his hands over his face. "Fuck. I didn't know you were up."

"Can you make those noises for me again?" She bites her lip and sits up to shimmy out of her shorts. Tao gets a good look at the golden brown skin of her flat stomach.

"No Mena. You'll regret it. Ask me again when you're sober." He shakes his head trying not to look as she adjusts herself in front of the camera.

"How about you have a few drinks. We can regret it later together." Tao doesn't want to regret it, ever. He's already admitted to himself that he has serious feelings for Mena. He's not going to throw his chances away for this.

"Babe. Please put your clothes back on."He shuts his eyes as she unhooks her bra. "Mena."

"Come on Tao, just a peek." She lets her bra join her shirt on the bedroom floor.

"Stop" Tao is having a hard time keeping his eyes closed. All is quiet for a while and he gets curious.

He peeks through his fingers and sees Mena on her back passed out. He can see her long brown legs, panties and just the curve of her breast. Sighing he grabs a piece of paper and scribbles a few things down. He props it up so it will be the first thing she sees on her screen.

She wakes up 9 hours later practically naked with a serious hangover. She snatches the sheet to cover herself and notices her open laptop.

"Take an Advil. Then call me" Mena reads out loud. Shit, shit, shit. Mena thinks. Half naked with the webcam on? What the fuck did I do last night? She doesn't want to call him. God, the embarrassment. She cleans herself up and a few hours later, waits for him to appear on her screen.

~*~*~*~

"How was that date of yours?"

"Fine. I met up with some friends afterwards and had a few drinks. I think I was pretty wasted. I didn't embarrass myself when I got home did I?" Tao is almost relieved that she doesn't remember. Almost.

"Nope." He gives her a tight smile.

"I feel like I did"

"Not when I was around" He lies.

"Thank god." She lets out a sigh of relief. "I think we should handle this. For real." Before she does something stupid.

"Yeah I was just thinking that. Your laptop should be there by tomorrow."

"Really? That was... sudden."

"I figured you were tired of all of this. And it's my fault. I shouldn't have waited so long to resolve it. I'm sorry about that."

"Uh, why are you being so formal with me?" It was making her uncomfortable.

"I'm just trying to fix things Mena." He said shaking his head.

"Ok..."

"Get at me when it gets there." With that he closes his laptop. He didn't like lying to her. He wanted to be done with this. These feelings for her that he knew weren't returned. It was like he was teasing himself every time he opened his laptop up.

~*~*~*~

"Hey Mena I'll be there in about an hour. I don't need you to show me the place, it's fine." He sighed as he left a voice mail on her cell. He's only about 45 mins from his new home. He was glad to be able to finally see the place. When he arrived the first thing he saw was Mena's Audi in the driveway. He contemplated turning around and getting a hotel. But he decided to man up and face his problems. Opening the front door he saw a glow coming from the kitchen.

"Hey! I bought you a housewarming gift." She handed him a bottle of wine wrapped in a red bow. He had only met Mena one time in person. Fucking webcam didn't do her justice. She was wearing a black cocktail dress with her hair falling over her shoulders in waves.

"You didn't get my message?"

"I got it. I ignored it" Typical Mena. "I want you to get the full experience of the house. So I'll be giving you a tour."

"You don't have to do this"

"I want to" Mena takes his hand and begins walking him through his house. She's talking about square footage and how the gardeners come bi weekly unless he says otherwise. He's not really paying attention. How can he with those long legs leading up to her round ass strutting in front of him.

"Master bathroom, walk in closet" She's still holding his hand pulling him along. "And master bedroom" He finally looks up and notices how nice the room is. Crisp colors and a balcony.

"This is perfect Mena. You did a wonderful job" He's really impressed. The place is clean and smells like the ocean. It's already furnished, something Mena took care of, and he could see himself staying for a while.

"Of course I did." She slides her hand from his.

"You need to get settled in. I should get going."

"But you brought me wine. I thought we were celebrating" He reaches for her hand back. "Plus we've talked daily for the past month and a half. You don't want to see me live in person?" And you're wearing that dress

Mena stared at the floor worrying her lip. Hell yeah. If she was honest with herself she's wanted to see him in person for the longest. "I guess I can stay a little bit longer"

With that small statement Tao steps close and lets his hand rest on her waist. He leans in and whispers against her ear "A lot longer?" He's so close Mena is practically inhaling his cologne. She nods her head quickly not trusting her voice. He tilts her head up and places a light kiss to both corners of her mouth. She's gripping at his t- shirt before she can stop herself. Tao's eyes are heavy with lust and his fingers are stroking her neck. He's running his lips against her cheek and jaw but not kissing her and she's about to take things into her own hands. She turns her head to catch his lips and Tao moans at the contact. Mena's lips are soft and very active. She's sucking and licking at his lips immediately.

Tao isn't exactly sure how they made their way to the bed but he's inching Mena's dress up her thighs and he doesn't want to question greatness. His tee shirt gets stuck over his head and he contemplates hulking out because he should be touching her not dealing with this fabric. Mena slides her arms out of her dress then saves Tao from his shirt and their lips connect again.