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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..."
no subject
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.
no subject
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.
no subject
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.
no subject
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?"
no subject
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."
no subject
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."