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howdoyoudefineit(Set one week after Derek and Stiles's bbq.)
At the pack barbecue, Al and Melissa settled on the following weekend to grab that dinner. He wasn't working, she had an afternoon shift at the hospital, it all seemed to work out. Melissa had picked out a place she knew and liked (and assured him they did brownie a la mode), he was going to pick her up at seven...
They had both, very carefully, and by some strange, silent agreement, avoided the use of the word 'date.'
Al really couldn't kid himself, however, as he got ready to head out. Not much, anyway...he knew Melissa well, they'd been friends for years. The four of them, the McCalls and the Stilinskis, and later Melissa and the Stilinskis. They had been closer than just friends, or even family...after Melissa kicked Rafe out, the three of them had pretty much worked to raise their kids together. Scott and Stiles were brothers to each other, and Melissa had been in so deep with Claudia it sometimes felt like they were extensions of each other.
It was the only other thing, besides Stiles, that had pulled him through after Claudia had died.
Which was how he ended up getting out of the shower, nearly ready to shave, and found himself standing there at the bathroom sink, staring at the gold band sitting on the edge beside his watch and his cell phone (a habit he'd picked up after Stiles had opened his eyes to everything, not even leaving it long enough to shower in case his son needed him), thinking about Melissa and Claudia and the eight years he'd been wearing it.
A solid gold bandage on a wound that would never heal. It couldn't, not really. Amputees had phantom pain, knocked out adult teeth didn't grow back in...there were certain parts of you that left a hole or a space when you lost them.
Reaching out, Al picked up his wedding ring and stared at it, clutched between his fingers. He thought about the day Claudia had slipped it on his finger, every day since then it had been there on his hand, a familiar glittering reminder that he was complete...a constant, glittering beacon memorializing the fact that, for a few brief and blissful years, someone had loved him.
And for a while now...before Darrow, even before learning about the supernatural, it was slowly becoming a reminder that he was alone. That he hurt, and at the worst possible times. That he was empty, hollowed out, and that he was deathly afraid of the day that Stiles would look at him and see that Al didn't have enough of himself left to be the father that he needed.
It didn't matter who it was. What mattered was that he find out whether or not he had it in him. Whoever it was, whenever it happened...he had to be more than this.
Still wearing just the towel wrapped around his waist, Al walked out of the bathroom and into his bedroom. In the back of his closet, he kept a small gun safe for his sidearm, and his first investment after arriving had been a new one for his Beacon Hills weapon, and now the one that the Darrow PD had issued him.
Opening it up, he hesitated for a long moment, then with a sigh, he lifted the ring to his lips, kissed it, then set it in the safe beside his weapon from home.
It was better this way. Better he choose to take it off now, while it still reminded him of Claudia, and not when her memory had been eclipsed by his own misplaced guilt. His son, and his wedding ring, were all he had left of her, and he wasn't about to let either one become tainted by the sorrow and regret that nipped at his heels every single day.
Oddly, getting ready after that was easier. He was still so unsure, but the tension underlining his nervousness was gone, and the hesitation that tempered his excitement was strangely absent. His ring finger didn't itch, and despite the fact that this was a strange, nebulous "Not A Date Except It Probably Was" outing, Al had far fewer expectations...and a lot more hope because of it.
Reaching High Gate Terrace at five after seven thanks to a pit stop he made, striking what he hoped was a good balance in jeans, boots, and a buttondown black shirt, he knocked on her door and waited for her to answer.
When she did, he greeted her with a smile...and a single red carnation in hand, courtesy of his pit stop on the way to her building.
"I had a fresh stab of guilt and self-loathing over the whole brownies and cookies incident." he quipped with a grin as he offered her the flower. "It's really been eating me up all week...haven't been sleeping, haven't been eating, it's been ugly, lemme tell you..."
At the pack barbecue, Al and Melissa settled on the following weekend to grab that dinner. He wasn't working, she had an afternoon shift at the hospital, it all seemed to work out. Melissa had picked out a place she knew and liked (and assured him they did brownie a la mode), he was going to pick her up at seven...
They had both, very carefully, and by some strange, silent agreement, avoided the use of the word 'date.'
Al really couldn't kid himself, however, as he got ready to head out. Not much, anyway...he knew Melissa well, they'd been friends for years. The four of them, the McCalls and the Stilinskis, and later Melissa and the Stilinskis. They had been closer than just friends, or even family...after Melissa kicked Rafe out, the three of them had pretty much worked to raise their kids together. Scott and Stiles were brothers to each other, and Melissa had been in so deep with Claudia it sometimes felt like they were extensions of each other.
It was the only other thing, besides Stiles, that had pulled him through after Claudia had died.
Which was how he ended up getting out of the shower, nearly ready to shave, and found himself standing there at the bathroom sink, staring at the gold band sitting on the edge beside his watch and his cell phone (a habit he'd picked up after Stiles had opened his eyes to everything, not even leaving it long enough to shower in case his son needed him), thinking about Melissa and Claudia and the eight years he'd been wearing it.
A solid gold bandage on a wound that would never heal. It couldn't, not really. Amputees had phantom pain, knocked out adult teeth didn't grow back in...there were certain parts of you that left a hole or a space when you lost them.
Reaching out, Al picked up his wedding ring and stared at it, clutched between his fingers. He thought about the day Claudia had slipped it on his finger, every day since then it had been there on his hand, a familiar glittering reminder that he was complete...a constant, glittering beacon memorializing the fact that, for a few brief and blissful years, someone had loved him.
And for a while now...before Darrow, even before learning about the supernatural, it was slowly becoming a reminder that he was alone. That he hurt, and at the worst possible times. That he was empty, hollowed out, and that he was deathly afraid of the day that Stiles would look at him and see that Al didn't have enough of himself left to be the father that he needed.
It didn't matter who it was. What mattered was that he find out whether or not he had it in him. Whoever it was, whenever it happened...he had to be more than this.
Still wearing just the towel wrapped around his waist, Al walked out of the bathroom and into his bedroom. In the back of his closet, he kept a small gun safe for his sidearm, and his first investment after arriving had been a new one for his Beacon Hills weapon, and now the one that the Darrow PD had issued him.
Opening it up, he hesitated for a long moment, then with a sigh, he lifted the ring to his lips, kissed it, then set it in the safe beside his weapon from home.
It was better this way. Better he choose to take it off now, while it still reminded him of Claudia, and not when her memory had been eclipsed by his own misplaced guilt. His son, and his wedding ring, were all he had left of her, and he wasn't about to let either one become tainted by the sorrow and regret that nipped at his heels every single day.
Oddly, getting ready after that was easier. He was still so unsure, but the tension underlining his nervousness was gone, and the hesitation that tempered his excitement was strangely absent. His ring finger didn't itch, and despite the fact that this was a strange, nebulous "Not A Date Except It Probably Was" outing, Al had far fewer expectations...and a lot more hope because of it.
Reaching High Gate Terrace at five after seven thanks to a pit stop he made, striking what he hoped was a good balance in jeans, boots, and a buttondown black shirt, he knocked on her door and waited for her to answer.
When she did, he greeted her with a smile...and a single red carnation in hand, courtesy of his pit stop on the way to her building.
"I had a fresh stab of guilt and self-loathing over the whole brownies and cookies incident." he quipped with a grin as he offered her the flower. "It's really been eating me up all week...haven't been sleeping, haven't been eating, it's been ugly, lemme tell you..."
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Date: 2014-04-21 10:55 pm (UTC)it wasn't that she wasn't looking forward to dinner with him because she was. It was always a fun event filled with laughter and conversation. It was just that, at one time, it had involved two boys and his wife. Now years later it was just the two of them and she was trying her best not to look too closely at the flutter of nerves in the pit of her stomach.
After struggling with what to wear, she settled on casual but what she hoped was cute. A pair of jeans, a vintage looking t-shirt and a jacket over top (no hat) with her hair down and even just a touch of make up. It wasn't too dressy like she was expecting something but it was nice enough.
He definitely looked nice. Very nice, actually.
"So you thought sucking up to me with a flower would ease your conscience, huh?" She retorted playfully as she reached for the carnation. "Smooth move, Sheriff. Very nicely done because it works."
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Date: 2014-04-22 07:51 pm (UTC)He trailed off with a laugh, taking her in. She looked...well, she looked cute as hell. Well, maybe more than just cute, she definitely looked--
Hell, who was he kidding? She looked good enough to eat. Cute and flirty and never quite escaped being a little bit breathtaking with that elegant bone structure and long neck...
"So, uh...ready to go? Or...do you need a minute?" he asked, scratching the back of his neck and trying not to feel flustered. "Or...should I stop talking now so you can answer?"
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Date: 2014-04-23 09:45 am (UTC)But the brief amusement slipped away as she almost looked confused for a moment then, studying him as he stumbled over his words like he was suddenly nervous. She opened her mouth, closed it and smiled instead as she tried to wrap her mind around it. She told herself it was just her imagination because there was no way Al would be nervous or flustered with her.
Unless it was a date...
"I'm ready to go." She nodded finally, smiling again. "If you are."
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Date: 2014-04-23 06:14 pm (UTC)Chuckling at her expression as she moved ahead of him, he ushered her along with a hand at the small of her back, catching wind of some perfume she was wearing...light, sweet, the kind that made you want to lean in for a better whiff and then some.
...and he really needed to knock that off, because this wasn't officially a date yet, not as far as he knew. It was...a new beginning. Yeah, that felt right.
And new beginnings didn't grant him the right to cop a feel.
Drawing a deep breath, Al shook his head as they fell into step, side by side. "Cab's waiting downstairs...and I know you said reservations weren't necessary at the Italian place you picked, but I made 'em anyway. Y'know, so we wouldn't be stuck at the bar all night, waiting for a table to open up."
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Date: 2014-04-24 03:14 pm (UTC)"Probably a smart idea." She told him, glancing over. "I've always been horrible at making reservations. Shocking, I know." But sometimes just keeping them was hard enough with an unpredictable job like her own. A fact of life that she knew Al would understand with his own job.
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Date: 2014-04-25 05:01 am (UTC)As they walked towards the elevator, Al fell silent as he tried to think of something else to say...but the silence was surprisingly comfortable. Then again, it usually was with them, they'd known each other long enough for that. Reminded once again that he had no reason to be tense, he flashed her a broad smile as they did reach the elevator. Hitting the down button, he rolled his shoulders, nodding almost to himself.
"You know? I think we need to bowl for who buys dinner more often." he admitted honestly. "Night out's just what the doctor ordered...I've been looking forward to this, I can't lie."
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Date: 2014-04-28 08:56 pm (UTC)Stepping ahead of him onto the elevator, she turned and waited for him to press the button before looking over at him with a smile. "We could, it was fun." She nodded before tilting her head to the side. "Though you know you don't need to, right? You can just call and tell me that you want to go out some time. These nights are good for me too."
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Date: 2014-04-29 04:04 am (UTC)"And I will, I promise." he added hastily, offering her a lopsided smile. "Just...call, I mean."
The elevator door pinged open then, and Al ushered her out ahead of him, letting the hand against her back stay there for a moment longer that it really needed to as they exited the building.
"Ideally, y'know...maybe nights like this can be a regular thing."
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Date: 2014-04-29 02:54 pm (UTC)"Yeah?" She arched a brow at him about the whole going out for dinner becoming a regular thing. "That sounds like it would be kind of nice."
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Date: 2014-04-29 03:28 pm (UTC)Walking around to the other side, he ducked in beside her, giving the cabbie the address of the restaurant before settling back in his seat, silent for barely a moment before he heard himself qualifying his previous remark.
"We both have pretty crazy schedules, but we can always make time for a break, you know? Even if it's a dinner break on my beat, o-or you give me a call at the hospital if you can't get away for dinner. I'll bring takeout...let you regale me with the ER horror stories of the evening. It'll be fun."
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Date: 2014-04-29 08:57 pm (UTC)Melissa tried not to get all flustered or giddy but she couldn't help it as she ducked her head down to slide into the backseat of the cab. She got a hold of herself then, telling herself not to jump to any sort of conclusion as she settled back and then looked over at him when he joined her.
"That would be nice. Then I wouldn't have to call Scott all the time." Not that her son seemed to mind but it would be nice to have an excuse to call Al to come see her whenever it was possible for him.
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Date: 2014-04-30 01:14 am (UTC)And that was, quite possibly, the biggest concern about handling this properly: making sure the kids were good with it. He didn't want to be the cause of any tension between Scott and Stiles just because he had his eye on a--
Christ, I forgot what a jackass I can be when I catch sight of a woman. he thought to himself ruefully, inwardly shaking himself from his thoughts as he gave Melissa his full attention.
"So," he began, shifting to stretch his arm along the back of the seat, leaving his hand to rest just behind her shoulder as he twisted to face her, "how's work at the hospital been treating you? Good?"
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Date: 2014-04-30 06:23 am (UTC)But she understood the concern. It was the same concern she'd had any time she had considered dating someone in the past. This certainly was a trickier situation though because there wasn't just Scott to consider but also Stiles and the relationship they had as a whole with each other. All of four of them.
The brush of his hand against her shoulder brought her back to reality though as she shrugged. "It's been fine. A little less exciting than back home but I've been told that could change any time." She smiled. "How is the station?"
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Date: 2014-05-10 09:28 pm (UTC)And those locals...the ones who were slightly less than harmless...Al shoved those thoughts aside. He wasn't going to think about the stuff that creeped him out tonight. He was just going to enjoy his evening...and down the line, see if he could change his assignment to cover the area where the high school was. Or the hospital...just to keep a better eye on things.
"So...Scott's a little oblivious lately?" He asked, picking up Melissa's previous remark. "School trouble? Or has he...moved on from Allison since he got here?"
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Date: 2014-05-14 04:27 am (UTC)"New girl." She answered then with a small smile. "They're playing the 'just friends' game right now but I think he likes her. Or would like there to be more. I've met her too, she's a great girl." She nodded. "She was one of the first people I met when I arrived."
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Date: 2014-05-14 06:06 pm (UTC)Those two were over the 'just friends' bit, however, and had been for a while. The mention of that particular little relationship hurdle drew Al's focus, however, because that was where he seemed to be. Yes, they were friends, but tonight...well, tonight, maybe they weren't. Or didn't have to be.
When did this get so hard?
"The 'just friends' game? Oh, that's fun." he replied with friendly sarcasm. "Trying to behave, when all you want to do is..." He trailed off, his eyes finding their way to Melissa's face. Melissa, with those big, warm eyes and soft, elegant lips...and that long neck begging to be touched, tasted...
"So," he continued after a pause he hoped wasn't too telling, lowering his gaze as discreetly as he could, "when he comes to you for advice on how to...push his luck, 'cause you know he will...what're you going to tell him?"
His eyes lifted then, meeting hers expectantly, listening...and for a moment, he was torn between hoping she knew he wasn't just talking about Scott and praying she stayed oblivious until he felt less like a scared kid about the whole damn thing.
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Date: 2014-05-14 07:27 pm (UTC)She wasn't oblivious to the real question though, her stomach clenching and coming alive with flutters once more as she drew in a subtle breath and then let it out. "Well, I'd tell my son to be respectful and careful...but if he wants to, make a move." She smirked softly, meeting Al's gaze again.
"What would you tell Stiles?"
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Date: 2014-05-14 10:26 pm (UTC)He blinked, and it passed...and he wondered if she did it on purpose. With a little smile, he thought about it for a moment, then answered honestly.
On both accounts.
"I'd tell him...you have to go for what you want." he replied, watching her as he spoke. "That you have to do what feels right, and...it'll feel right if it's something both people want. It'll all...feel right."
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Date: 2014-05-15 06:59 pm (UTC)Then she cleared her throat, looking away with the same smile resting on her lips.
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Date: 2014-05-23 10:49 pm (UTC)The analogy and double talk were sort of starting to fall apart on him.
Lowering his gaze, Al smiled and shook his head. "Not so sure anymore...mostly because I'm not sure who's giving advice to who."
He paused, taking a deep breath...then let it all out in a rush. Because as bad as he wanted this, as careful as he wanted to be...there was careful and there was cowardly, and everything seemed to be drawing him further and further into the reality of what this was, and what was happening.
"So I'm gonna take my own advice here, and I'm gonna go for what I want...except I can't, not really, 'cause both of us have our kids to consider. That said? You and me are going out to dinner to settle a friendly bowling bet...a payout, that's it. We'll talk, we'll joke, we'll have a lot of fun. But when you're taking a sip of wine, I'm going to be watching. And when you get your brownie a la mode I'm going to take merciless advantage of you getting a little crazy around chocolate and brush at crumbs that aren't there just so I have an excuse to touch you...and when I take you back home tonight, I'm probably going to try and kiss you. Now you have the right to slug me at any given moment any of this is happening if you don't want it to happen, and we'll still be friends in the morning. But if we get to the end of the night, and you've let me do all that...if you let me kiss you..."
He trailed off, finally looking her in the eye again as the cab finally pulled up to the restaurant.
"Then I'll probably kiss you for a while. But it's, uh...it's just a friendly dinner. It's not a date, not yet...not until we talk to the boys. Do you understand, Melissa?"
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Date: 2014-05-23 11:03 pm (UTC)This wasn't just some random guy in her life. They did have their sons to think about since this, whatever it was so far, would ultimately affect them all.
Still, it was something they could worry about in the morning or later on whenever they decided to talk to the boys. Once they were sure there was something to talk about. Which she was sure there was but she wasn't thinking on it too hard as she watched his lips moving.
Then she nodded slowly. "I do." She murmured, closing the distance between them with a little lean so she could press her mouth to his in a light kiss.
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Date: 2014-05-27 09:07 pm (UTC)It was amazing.
Reaching up, his hand settled against the curve of that long, elegant neck, eyes shutting as he kissed her back after only a moment's hesitation. It was a gentle press of lips, almost chaste, but he held onto it, warm skin and soft mouth and the scent of her perfume mingling with the taste of her, fresh and vaguely sweet.
When they finally parted, his heart was racing like a teenager, and he felt flush, giddy...a little like flying.
Grinning wordlessly, he rolled his lips together as he nodded, discreetly licking them to gather the last taste of her as he shifted to duck out of the cab and jogged around to open her door for her. Offering his hand, he pulled her out, promising himself he would wait until the end of the night to kiss her himself, because he was a goddamn gentleman.
Except he pulled her close, rested his forehead against hers...and stole one last, lightning quick kiss with a wicked smirk before tugging her back so he could shut the door, move around to pay the cabbie, and turn back, extending his hand for hers to walk her into the restaurant.
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Date: 2014-05-28 09:02 pm (UTC)She was a touch breathless and flushed when they parted, and she was sure that her heart was going to jump out of her chest as she sat there smiling at him. She had almost missed the fact that they were parked and that the cabbie was waiting for them to get out.
Turning, she started for her door before waiting once she realized he wanted to be a gentleman. It was enough to make her smile all the more as he opened the door and took her hand to help her slide out. Straightening, she wanted to tell him how cute he was when he was being so sweet but then he was pulling her close and making her heart race again. The kiss stunned her further into silence but only for a second as she let out a soft laugh.
"Clearly I need to win at bowling more often." She decided out loud as she took his hand.
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Date: 2014-05-29 07:21 pm (UTC)Winking at her as they reached the front, Al gave his name to the hostess, who led them to their table: a cozy, round little booth in the corner, illuminated by a candle in the low ambient lighting of the restaurant. Helping Melissa into the booth before sat down beside her, he no longer worried about the space between them. They were sort of past that now, and it was...well, it was actually a good thing. He could relax now that it was...out there, and they could maybe talk about it.
Whatever it was. Because clearly there was something.
"So...maybe we should talk about this? Just a little?" he asked, sliding a menu over to her as the hostess dropped them and a wine list on the table. "It's a little early to be planning anything, but...our sons are best friends, I guess we can technically call this a date, and we're both a little rusty. We should probably proceed with a modicum of caution, you know?"
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Date: 2014-06-04 05:28 pm (UTC)She continued to mull it over as the hostess led them to their table. Flashing a small smile, she slid in with his help, scooting over till she was comfortable and he could sit close to her. It really wouldn't make sense to keep too much distance considering it was a date and they had already kissed.
But he was right about proceeding with a modicum of caution. "I was thinking the same thing." She confirmed with a little nod. "I may be rusty but I do remember how easy it is to get swept up in everything and...I don't want to hurt the boys or you." Or herself. "But I can't deny that I...might have wanted this for a little while now."
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Date: 2014-06-23 08:45 pm (UTC)"Right?" he replied with a broader smile as he opened his menu. "After the Nemeton thing, and...Stiles bringing me into the loop, it was like...like a wall fell away between us. And...and all this other stuff sort of crept in." He paused, sighing a little as he turned his attention to his menu, scanning it for a moment without really seeing it as he collected his thoughts.
"So...we'll be careful then. Go slow." he offered, finally starting to register enough of the menu to quickly pick out the beef tortellini before he let his gaze lift to meet hers again, letting the menu sag away in his grip. "No strings, no expectations...that way if it doesn't work out, at least we can step away with the air clear for everyone involved."