[date night - for elena]

[historyhappens]

They'd made a deal, and whilst it was a strange way to arrange a date, Dakin didn't mind. It had worked after all, and here he was, meeting her in the lobby of her building ready for an evening out. What they were doing was still up in the air. His date was simple and he hoped romantic enough to win her approval. He'd ordered dinner from a local cafe, packing it away along with a bottle of nice wine that Bubba had insisted he take when he said the word date. Never to throw away an advantage, he'd accepted it happily, only stopping to pick up a flower, a single gerbera like the ones he'd sent her just a few weeks before.

He'd said to dress casually, and so he was, a pair of jeans and a button down shirt. To be honest, Dakin couldn't remember the last date he'd had and he was nervous, actually nervous. It was a strange feeling.

Comments

[historyhappens]

Dramatic is what he knows, and grinning goofily up at her Dakin wonders if it's perhaps what she knows too, only likely not in this mad overdone state. They're still learning that, and he enjoys it.

"You're in luck," he decides not to move much, but to grab the blanket and spread it out where they are. On a rise at the edge of the beach, the city with it's lights just coming on their backdrop. "Mostly because I didn't cook, I might add."

[lookedafter]

She moves to help spread out the blanket, using the basket to weigh down one end before sitting at the other, her legs crossed in front of her as she leans back on one hand.

"Oh, I can't cook either, so maybe we should just avoid doing that in the future at all costs," she agrees. She leans forward and tries to peek into the basket itself.

[historyhappens]

"Probably the best bet, I'd say," he's a wise enough bloke to not make any sort of joke about women who can't cook. Mostly because he likes this woman and is fairly sure that would rush the end of the date.

"Nothing too fancy," it isn't really. There's cheese, crackers, something called tapas that he'd looked strangely at but purchased anyway. Little meatballs and bits of rice and cheese fried. Apparently it's a ll the rage, or so he's been told, the little containers still warm and the bottle of red and two plastic cups nestled in beside them. "If it's bollocks, blame the guy at the deli."

[lookedafter]

"Oh wow," she murmurs, looking down at the spread in front of them as he uncovers each item, each dish smelling and looking better than the last. She hadn't realized how hungry she was during the excitement of getting ready for their date; now, her stomach growls audibly and she flushes, reaching out to quickly snag a piece of cheese.

"It looks great," she promises, arranging her lean so that she's pivoted in his direction, long brown hair falling forward over her shoulder.

[historyhappens]

"Yeah?" He's rather chuffed, the food nothing like he's used to. Dakin has to admit that it all smells rather brilliant, sneaking a piece of cheese for himself and clinking it against hers as a random sort of toast before popping it into his mouth.

"Good. I'm glad," he pulls out the wine, pouring them each a glass. The cups aren't exactly the classiest, but he doesn't really care about that. Passing, he has to gloat somewhat, "I feel the scorecard should reflect my success so far."

[lookedafter]

"You think so, huh?" Elena considers this with a tilt of her head, taking the cup of wine from him and investigating its contents with a small expression of amusement. The whole thing has this understated vibe to it, romance subtle rather than her feeling like she's being smacked in the head with it - which, honestly, she likes and prefers.

"What else do you use to gauge your success?" she asks, taking a small sip.

[historyhappens]

"Smiles," he answers honestly, pulling things off the top of his head. "The way you flick your hair, and the fact you like the food."

The way she's leaning toward him as well, he thinks as he takes advantage of that lean to kiss her cheek. "Also the fact that you're teasing me. I believe the adage is we tease the people we like and ignore those we don't?"

[lookedafter]

"Liking the food is definitely a good sign," she agrees, the edge of her mouth quirking into a half-smile.

"Really? You're positive it's not the other way around?" She's still teasing, though, and as his lips brush her cheek, she turns, tilting her head to bring herself directly facing him, her brown eyes searching his.

[historyhappens]

"Oscar Wilde would say it's otherwise," he murmurs, his hand moving, his fingers combing through her hair. Dakin smiles as he rubs a thumb over her temple, "I tend to think that he knows what he's talking about."

[lookedafter]

"I didn't get around to reading a lot of Oscar Wilde in high school," Elena confesses, tilting her head slightly into the trailing touch of his fingertips, her smile reflective and relaxed.

"You might have to tell me more about it sometime."

[historyhappens]

"Tell you about it? No, it's not something I can tell you about. It's something I can share with you however," Dakin offers it as a promise, almost eager in the way he says it. It's one of his loves, something that he would love her to appreciate as well. "Maybe another date even."

[lookedafter]

"Maybe? You mean you're only partly curious about going on another? Or is it a bad idea to talk about another date while we're only just on our first?" Elena muses out loud, biting the side of her lip.

She shrugs and takes another sip of wine, reaching down for some cheese from the spread.

[historyhappens]

"I'm trying to downplay my excitement to not seem so needy," Dakin grinned as he leaned toward the food, spiking a meatball of a toothpick. It was surprisingly sweet and yet spicy, not a combination he was used to. "Alright. I think the deli guy is my new best friend."

[lookedafter]

She reached out with a grin, doing the same with a toothpick of her own, and almost melted visibly around her own bite, her eyes closing in momentary bliss. "Oh, my God," she murmured, chewing and swallowing slowly. "I think I might want to marry him if he'll make these for me every day."

[historyhappens]

Dakin coughs, evenas he stabs another. Chivalry is one thing, having another of these delicious things is entirely another "I'm not sure you're his type."

[lookedafter]

"Really? How come?" she asks, around another mouthful of meatball, pushing it to the inside of her cheek to talk as she covers her mouth with her hand to be polite.

[historyhappens]

It's a cute gesture, smiling as he gesticulates with his fork and food. "More that I think I was his type. He asked me out. On a date, that is."

[lookedafter]

"He did?" She claps her hand against her mouth to hide a smile this time, laughing softly.

"What did you say?"

[historyhappens]

"That I was flattered but already had a better offer," Dakin nudges her, trying to not look offended, "why wouldn't a bloke fancy me? I'm a good catch, thank you."

[lookedafter]

"Oh, you are," she agrees, struggling to keep a straight face. "I guess it just turns out that Bubba can see it too."

She turns her gaze away to hide her smile, tucking some hair behind her ear, and takes another sip of wine. She's been sipping more wine than eating food, though, and it's starting to go to her head, appear in the natural flush that rises on her cheeks.

[historyhappens]

"Bubba?" He snorts out a laugh not wanting to think of Bubba in any way other than as his boss. "You, Miss Gilbert, are an evil woman, putting horrid thoughts into a man's head."

[lookedafter]

"Sounds like I'm not putting any thoughts into his head that aren't already there," she teases, nudging his shoulder with her own.

[historyhappens]

"Incorrigable," Dakin decides, his tone implying he's wondering what he's done to deserve this torment. His grin says otherwise, as does the arm that slips easily around her waist pulling her that much closer. The sky is darker now, even the long day of summer finally turning to dusk. "Has anyone told you that before?"

[lookedafter]

"Maybe once or twice," Elena says, with a soft giggle. It's easy to feel as though she's gone back in time, back to the days where she could just relax on the beach with a cute boy as if her life is normal, where everything seemed simpler.

"But you can say it again if you want," she adds, lifting her gaze to his face.

[historyhappens]

"Incorrigible," Dakin repeats, smiling contentedly. This isn't something he'd imagined wanting, somehow having constructed a future in his mind where women fawned over his brooding genius. Brooding genius be damned, he thought as he kissed her again, this time with more purpose.