"I thought you didn't do karaoke," Brendon said as Stevie connected the machine to the TV.

Stevie sipped her drink. Maybe they'd lost count of what number she was on. Everleigh certainly had. "I am a changed woman."

"Drunk," Jun said. "She means drunk woman."

"I don't think Stevie's ever been drunk in her life," Everleigh said.

"You're one to talk," Maverick said, poking her in the thigh. Maybe she'd draped her legs over him, maybe she hadn't. Maybe she leaned into him a little too much so she stayed upright, maybe she simply liked having him close.

"I've never been drunk either." Everleigh took a sip of her orange juice to prove it. It wasn't something Seira had added champagne to while they looked around like they were teenagers at prom, nope. Just orange juice.

"You just made me walk you to the bathroom."

That was more because Everleigh's bangs needed a trim when they were back in London and she wanted Maverick to hold her hair if she puked. Didn't mean she was going to stop drinking, though. Everleigh had one last hurrah before tucking into job applications.

"Women do that all the time," Stevie countered. An angel among mere mortals. "Doesn't mean we're drunk."

"Thank you, lovely."

"We have the Shrek soundtrack on here," Stevie announced.

"Incredible," Maverick said.

Everleigh moved her legs off him. That was the lead-in to an invite if she knew anything about Stevie. Dewey took that as an invitation to sit on her lap instead of in Stevie's empty spot.

"Who wants to go first—" Stevie looked around but kept looking back to Maverick. "Oh, thanks for volunteering, Maverick!"

Maverick didn't move. "I'm on walk to the bathroom duty, so sorry."

"That's okay," Stevie said. "Jun can take over for now."

"Yeah," Jun said. "That's fine."

The image of Jun standing outside the bathroom, sipping on a Capri Sun waiting to hear if she vomited was enough to send Everleigh giggling into Maverick's shoulder for a moment. Maybe that was his armpit. God only knew at that point.

"Yeah, fine." As if anyone could keep him off the stage—even if it was simply the front of the living room. Maverick slowly pushed himself up from the couch, and in one fail swoop, stole Everleigh's drink from her hand. The lack of surprise on his face when he tasted the non-virgin mimosa told Everleigh her breath smelt like champagne bubbles. Oops. Maybe she should've eaten when Maverick had shoved a plate at her. "What song are you picking?"

Stevie hummed before laughing. "Perfect."

Lit up on the screen, the intro to Do You Want to Build a Snowman began. Maverick stifled a chuckle as Stevie handed him the microphone.

"Out of every song available to you."

"Please give it everything you've got," Stevie requested, sitting down between Brendon and Everleigh. "Don't hold back. Phil Collins on the Tarzan soundtrack power level."

"As you wish."

What Stevie wanted, Stevie got.

And, yeah, Maverick sounded incredible even singing a damn Disney song. Maverick was incredible. He would be a hit with their niece and all her friends when they were older because he knew all the words to those damn Frozen songs. Giving it everything he had meant his eyes closed with the power of his voice—he didn't even need the words on the TV in front of him.

Maybe Everleigh was really drunk, but she definitely fell a little more in love with him each passing moment. And she didn't even like Frozen.

He bowed when he was done, to the sound of drunken clapping. Stevie looked to be on the verge of tears.

"Incredible," she said, "You should be on Disney Channel."

"I hope you voice a Disney princess one day," Maverick said, putting the microphone down on the machine as he made his way back to his seat.

"As if that'd ever happen."

"Stevie is a Disney princess!" Everleigh yelled. So insistent so almost fell off the couch.

"Everleigh!" Stevie yelled. "Can you be my true love's kiss—"

Maverick looked like he was going to sit down, but had to watch for Everleigh's swaying arms before that. A wicked slap if she'd made contact, but if she was a bullet, he was Keanu Reeves. He'd even managed to get Dewey out of her accidental line of fire and cuddled him to his chest for his troubles. "Sha-la-la-la-la-la my oh my—yes, always!"

"Yes," Jun said, shaking his head. "They're both drunk."

"Okay, Everleigh's turn!" Stevie shoved the microphone in her direction.

"Shouldn't the person who went last choose who goes—" Brendon tried. If Everleigh thought she could make it without falling, she probably would've got him a drink for that. (Another reason Maverick had to walk her to the bathroom.) (It was like she was walking on cotton candy.)

"I don't sing!" Everleigh said. "What a shame!"

"You don't need to sing to do karaoke," Stevie said. "That's the whole point."

Deciding to take his girlfriend's side—traitor, they'd won the jellybean challenge together—Brendon said, "I've heard you're a fan of Taylor Swift."

"Bad news outlet," Everleigh said.

"I did hear about blondie karaoke night," Stevie said.

If Maverick could've kept a secret...

Never mind. He wouldn't have been her Maverick if he could've.

"Kingston did do a great cover of the ten minute song," Everleigh deflected.

"Don't try to dodge this," Stevie said. "Help, please."

Maverick looked down at Everleigh, face still buried in Dewey's fur. "I'll go get you another drink. Or two."

Everleigh looked at Stevie. There really wasn't anything she wouldn't do for alcohol, was there? "Is there a short one—"

"Is All Too Well (10 Minute Version) (Taylor's Version) off the table or—"

"You have me until I have to pee again."

Maverick dropped Dewey beside Everleigh again and began his quest to the drinks—Bilbo Baggins in the journey, the destination, and the height. "That's probably, like, two and a half minutes, Stev. Pick your poison."

"Okay, here." It looked like Stevie picked something random. Everleigh respected that. The microphone was thrown in her direction. "Show Maverick who the real artist is."

Frankly, Everleigh was more impressed with herself that she could stand up.

Everleigh had never watched Ducktales as a child. If she was Navi's age, she was certain she'd be in love with Doc McStuffins. (And if she was ever willing to babysit the crotch goblin, she would have that on instead of that damned pig Maverick always put on.) She'd watched too much Doogie Houser, M.D. too young and grew out of cartoons quickly. But she was roommates with a man who, when he was about to panic, and if he felt the walls caving in, immediately put the original Ducktales theme song on because when they sang rewrite history, it hit every time. At least that meant she'd heard it a thousand times and mostly knew the lyrics. A small accomplishment for the times she woke up at four in the morning to the sound of Dewey barking along to Maverick's shower showtunes.

"Boy wonder," Everleigh said. "Obviously, it's your turn. Spouse to spouse."

Good, God, Everleigh needed to sober the hell up. What was she saying?

"Um... sure," Brendon said. Taking the microphone from her a little skeptically. "What song?"

Everleigh didn't give it much thought as she flicked to a random song. "Here. This one." She poked him in the nose for good measure. "Boop. Enjoy."

"Uh—"

Everleigh was already on her way over to weirdo who she promptly took her hard-earned drinks from, put them down on the table next to her, and, before he could protest, promptly wrapped her arm around his neck and pinned him in a headlock as Brendon's song started up—Unwritten, Natasha Bedingfield. Good choice, Everleigh.

Maverick's contagious laughter erupted as one hand reached for her forearm and the other squeezed her hip. "All this for little ol' me?"

"Making me sing—"

Maverick snorted. They really had been spending too much time together, huh? He tapped her forearm a couple times. "I got you two drinks for it. You're welcome."

Fine. Everleigh released him. Took one of her drinks from the table and drank probably too much of it. Kissed his cheek after. "Thank you—"

"You're welcome."

"You fucking spoon."

Maverick led Everleigh by the hips back to the couch while she finished her first drink. The second one was grabbed once Maverick had safely sat her back down, before he joined her.

"I didn't say anything—" Stevie protested as Everleigh brought herself back into the room. Maverick was a little distracting, especially when she was drunk.

"We all know what you were thinking," Jun said.

Everleigh didn't have to know the context to know the argument.

Stevie looked at Brendon like she'd been colourblind and he brought rainbows into her world. (The rest of the world was black and white.) (But they were in screaming colour.)

Brendon smirks. "Looks like you're up next, babe."

"I need time to breathe—" Stevie said, fanning herself. "And another drink."

"You do not need another drink," Jun scolded.

"Maverick!" Stevie waved her hand. "Drink, please!"

"She can have my extra one," Everleigh said.

Maverick looked like he wanted to laugh. "You drank the extra one."

"Oopsies."

"Which one do you want?" Maverick asked, already pushing himself off the couch with a small groan. (Getting old, Meadowlark.)

"Surprise me," Stevie said. "Not Waterboy or You Mean As Friends?."
"Waterboy and You Mean As Friends? Perfect."

Everleigh watched Maverick walk away. Grey sweatpants and all. Sue her. Watched him walk back, too.

"Here," Maverick said, handing Stevie a red glass. "Billy Loomis. Take your time with it, please—"

Stevie ignored him. Might as well have been speaking French. Hit him square in the face when she spat it out, though. Maverick didn't react.

"This is not Billy Loomis, Maverick," Stevie said. "What is this imposter?"

If Everleigh had to place a bet, she'd say grenadine in a glass of Waterboy.

"Maybe you've fried your tastebuds," Maverick said, wiping his face. "Also, gross."

Brendon, like the should-be champ he was, moved quick. Gave Stevie the microphone before she couldn't do anything else to Maverick. She handed him the empty glass and took the stage, Maverick returned to his seat beside Everleigh and Dewey jumped onto his lap to lick up Stevie's backwash from Maverick's face.

Everleigh wrinkled her nose. Boys were gross.

As she sang her heart out to Party in the USA, Stevie skipped around the room. Proving she wasn't upset about his switcheroo. She'd even changed Jay-Z for Maverick, flicked him in the nose for good measure. He missed her when he took a swing to get her away from him, but he swatted all the same, through laughter. Everleigh only egged Stevie on by giving Maverick a flick herself.

"Hold the applause, please," Stevie said as the room cheered for her. "Thank you. I know. Thank you."

"Encore!" (What had Roman said? That Everleigh and Maverick were two halves of the same idiot?) (Yeah.)

Stevie gasped. Dramatically. "I mean, if you insist."

Before Brendon could pick another song for her, Stevie grabbed the controls. Kissed his cheek for consolation, but watch out Windsor, new champ in town.

She grabbed another microphone, a pleased smirk on her face as the lead into You've Got A Friend In Me started playing.

"If only I had someone to sing this one with me..." Stevie trailed off.

It was more of a shock that Maverick didn't immediately shoot out of his seat than it was that he eyed the microphone like it was a frozen dessert.

"I mean..."

Why the hell was he looking at Everleigh?

She shoved him. "Get going."

That was all he needed.

He jumped up eagerly, taking the microphone from Stevie.

It was one thing to say Maverick was in love with music. It was another to say Stevie made that love grow infinitely. Maverick might've lit up in front of a crowd, but with his best friend? He could damn well do anything. The two of them made a Disney song sound like a chart-topper, no matter if toys were meant to be singing it or not.

When they were finished—met with an unsurprising amount of applause—Stevie immediately started another song. No chance for anyone else once those two got a hold of the machine.

She might've loved both of them, but by God, were Stevie and Maverick the same annoying theatre kid.

(Everleigh was a STEM student, she could say that.)

(She was a goddamn know-it-all.)

"God," Jun groaned. "I knew this was coming."

"What is this?" Oh, Bash. The lucky one.

"Defying Gravity."

Everleigh put her head in her hands. "Tell me this is a joke."

"Ten bucks says they're going to sing it twice so they can both do Elphaba's part," Jun said.

"I don't take losing bets." Everleigh dropped her hands into her lap to pet the dog instead of listening to the song for the 10,000,000th time.

"Damn," Jun said. "Maverick would've taken it and he's part of it."

Everleigh laughed. "Sorry to disappoint."

"You'll realize very quickly that any time they're drunk together, they sing this song," Jun said. "Doesn't even have to be karaoke. They'll belt it walking down the street."

"He sings it in the car," Everleigh said. "All the time. Stone cold sober."

"Does he also do the shower—" Jun started.

"Yup."

"Something tells me they've duetted on the phone while doing that too," Jun said. He clicked his tongue a couple times, Dewey ticking on it and rushing over to get pet behind the ears.

"It would be easier to list the songs they haven't duetted on the phone."

Jun considered that as he pet Dewey—like Marlon Brando talking about his daughter's wedding. "Maybe like... 7 Things or something—"

"No, that's one of them," Brendon cut in. "I've heard."

"Were you there for the rendition of Ave Maria?" Everleigh asked. "Kingston woke me up with that one."

"Once or twice," Brendon said. "Stevie went through that Candy Store phase after seeing Heathers. Thought I heard a biotch from Maverick once."

"You two are dating a couple of weirdos," Jun said. Before getting up and grabbing a Capri Sun from the ottoman under Lauren's feet. Fitting.

"He was super excited for Heathers," Everleigh said, turning her attention back to Brendon. "Think the phase with singing different Hello songs when they first picked up was the worst."

"Oh God," Brendon said, "do you remember the Percy Jackson Musical? That was, like two weeks straight."

"The phrase good kid has been banned from the flat," Everleigh said, laughing along with Brendon.

"Stevie has a limit with how many times she can sing Anyway the Wind Blows," Brendon said. "Only once a week."

"Need house rules right inside the door."

Brendon and Everleigh looked over at Stevie and Maverick. Not one person was listening to them go to town on—what was it? Oh, Therapy. Solid.

Brendon might not have won the championship, but he had the better half of the bargain. (Booooo.) Everleigh might not have known a lot about F1 besides what Roman had forced onto her via Rush, but she knew one thing. Nothing was worth a damn to Brendon Ellis if he didn't get to see Stevie Kealoha after that final lap.

"I guess there are worse things to be woken up by," Brendon said. Eyes locked on the first person he'd look for in a crowd.

"Yeah," Everleigh said. Maverick made eye contact with her as he sang. Everleigh flipped him off despite the sentiment. Maverick stuck his up at her in return. "Something like that."

"Stive said she wants to bring Roman to a race next year... or this year, I guess," Brendon said, slowly coming back to earth from his trip to the cosmos. "Assuming he can make it. Something about it being funny to watch a grown man cry."

"Would you think I'm mean if I offered to show you photos of him crying after Brazil?" Everleigh asked. "Because if yes, I don't have them."

Brendon looked like he was trying not to laugh. "Think you're obligated to show them now."

"He might've been past drunk," Everleigh said, pulling her phone out. "But that's beside the point."

Everleigh flicked through a couple photos, her and Brendon laughing at Roman's state of descending into sadness. And that had been after Everleigh helped her sister with the groceries.

"Might have cried harder than Stevie," Brendon said.

"Almost guarantee he did."

"Can't imagine what he would look like if I'd won—"

"You even offer to bring him to a race he'd cry harder than—"

Everleigh's phone vibrated in her hand. Incoming video call from Roman Sahota...

"Speak of the devil," she said. "I'll be back."

"Could scare him."

Now that had her interest. "Might burst into tears if you answer."

"As long as there's no vomiting."

"Probably crying and asking how to get your stepdaughter to sleep."

"Go for it."

Everleigh swiped the bar on her phone, met with Roman's face taking up too much of the screen. Was that a thin all dads did? Crikey. Everleigh fought a snicker as she noticed the zit cream dotted across his face. It would be a thing of beauty when he noticed who was on the phone.

"Took long enough, Leigh. Christ," Roman said, looking down at Navi. Everleigh almost felt bad, he did look panicked. "Okay. What the hell do I do about teething pains? She keeps throwing away the soother and the toys and, like, will she drown if I give her ice or something? Or is that more a choking hazard?"

"Yeah, I would probably advise against the ice," Nurse Ellis said. "Maybe just... a hug or something. Apparently that worked for my mum."

"You—I—That wasn't very medical—" Roman finally looked at his screen. Proper wanker looked damn near ready to pass out or away. "Oh my God."

"Hey."

"Did you actually think that was me?" Everleigh asked. "You're a bonehead."

Roman gave her a look that said don't call me a bonehead in front of Brendon Ellis. As if that would be embarrassing compared to anything that Brendon had witnessed that night.

"I have had her screaming in my ear all day," Roman said.

"Doesn't mean you're not a bonehead."

"Stop interrupting my call with Brendon Ellis," Roman said. "Fuck you."

"Fuck you," Everleigh said. "Nice zit cream."

Roman elected to ignore her. "Hi. Um. Nice to meet you. Big fan. Um. This is Navi. She's teething."

"Big fan of my husband," Brendon said. "And yeah, caught that. Please don't drown her in ice."

"I will do my best," Roman said. He held Navi a little closer to his chest. "Thank you for the advice."

"I saw the..." Brendon trailed off.

Everleigh took a smug sip of her drink from Maverick.

"Brazil aftermath pictures. Sorry I couldn't win it for you."

"I can't believe you showed him those I thought you deleted them."

"He's your husband," Everleigh said. "I'm required to embarrass you."

"I'll remember that."

"I'm not marrying Maverick."

"That bullshit with your tyres was... bullshit," Roman said.

"Eloquent," Everleigh said, laughing into another sip of drink.

Brendon laughed, too. "Thanks, but I probably should've told them to pit me. Was my mistake too."

"You deserved to go all the way." Roman was insistent.

"I don't know, maybe you're my good luck charm."

Everleigh nearly spat her drink all over herself.

"Should go to the race next year," Brendon continued. "Stevie can show you around the paddock."

"I think I would cry harder." At least he was emotionally mature enough to admit it.

"Offer stands," Brendon said. "Have Everleigh call and we can get everything sorted."

"I thought you were being a tease," Roman said. Jaw nearly unhinging. "Are you serious?"

"Better be serious if it gets you away from me," Everleigh said.

"Consider it a late wedding present," Brendon said.

"I didn't get you anything," Roman said.

"Your wedding to my sister, you idiot," Everleigh said.

"Oh," Roman said. Everleigh wanted to swat him. "That one."

"It can also be an unofficial late objection to said wedding," Brendon said.

"Thank you so much—" Roman caught himself. "Wait, not like the objection thing but well—no, wait."

"Thank you, boy wonder, for inviting me to your vroom vroom race because I'm a loser who's in love with you," Everleigh supplied.

"That. Thanks."
"I always thought zroom zroom sounded better," Brendon said. "But no problem."

"I can't believe you just said zroom zroom," Everleigh said. "That's—have I been saying it wrong?"

"Probably," Roman said. "I trust Brendon."

Navi cried. Probably smelled the bullshit.

"Sounds like you're on goblin duty," Everleigh said. "Better say bye to your husband."

"It was incredible meeting you," Roman said. "Well, not meeting—talking to you—um, kick ass this year? It's going to be amazing? I can't wait?"

Brendon laughed. He was nicer than Everleigh—she probably would've hung up on him after she made him pick his jaw up off the floor.

"Thanks, mate," Brendon said. "I'll see you at the next race. Tell mini-me I said hi."

"I think she has your eyes," Roman said.

"I think you're an idiot," Everleigh said. She took her phone back from Brendon. "Bye."

Brendon laughed as Everleigh pocketed her phone again. No more dumbassery for her.

"I'm so sorry you had to witness that," Everleigh said.

Brendon shrugged. "I think the zit cream really brought out the warm tones in his eyes."

*

"Everleigh."

"Mmmm." Everleigh cuddled into her pillow a little more. Didn't even open her eyes. "Five more minutes."

"You said five more minutes half an hour ago, baby."

"That sounds fake to me."

"Uh huh."

Everleigh pulled the covers up a little higher. She had taken the Advil that Maverick had left beside her side of the bed, but that didn't mean she wanted to get up.

"Don't."

Everleigh hummed. "Thanks for five more minutes, babes."

"You can't have five more minutes," Maverick said. "We've got to go."

"No."

"I will never let you forget it if we miss our flight." Maverick laughed. The bed dipped beside Everleigh's hip.

"I've never been late for a flight in my life."

"First time for everything, Meadowlark."

"What if we didn't go to London?"

"The border security would probably probe us wherever we landed," Maverick said. Poked her in the ass cheek to prove a point. Kept his hand there for fun.

Everleigh blindly swatted at him. Still unwilling to open her eyes.

Maverick caught her hand and kissed the back of it. Tugged a little. "Come on, pillow princess. Don't make me tell Stevie we were late to our flight and we need to crash on the MARS couch."

Everleigh looked at him, not rolling over all the way. "Pillow princess?"

Maverick laughed. "Got you to open your eyes didn't it?"

"DNA swab my mouth," Everleigh said. Didn't matter she'd brushed her teeth before going back to bed the first time Maverick had woken her up. "I fucking dare you."

"All right, Meadowlark," Maverick said. "Get up."

"I'm actually still stuck on pillow princess."

Maverick slapped her on the ass for good measure. Eyes widened when Everleigh sat up. And, hey, chasing her boyfriend around their hotel room while their dog happily chased after them was a damn good way to waste time before they left for a 13 hour flight.

Everleigh's hangover was not going to ruin that.

"Oh, God shit!"

Maverick two-stepped around Dewey, Everleigh wasn't so lucky. She nearly rolled her ankle trying to avoid him, which only made him dance around her heels more.

In order to keep her from stepping on the dog, Maverick grabbed her hips. Everleigh jumped at the contact, taking them both down. She barely managed to get a hand behind Maverick's head before he cracked it on the floor.

"Nice catch," Maverick said. Coming from the man she'd landed on top of.

Everleigh dipped her head and pressed her forehead into his chest. The pair of hands on her ass were enough to make her bubbling laughter turn into full laughter. "You too."

Maverick joined in her laughter; the best sound in the world.

"Pillow princess," Everleigh said through laughter. "Cheeky fucker."

Maverick kissed her forehead. "Got you out of bed."

"Mhmm." Everleigh pushed up a little, inching her face a little closer to his. "Are we actually going to be late to our flight?"

Maverick shrugged. "We can have five more minutes."

"Oh, God," Everleigh said. "That means we're already late, doesn't it?"

Maverick laughed. "Not if we leave thirty minutes ago like I asked you to."