Chapter Text
I’ll owe you big time. Please please pleeeeaaaase
Ellie sent off the text, sending hopeful prayers off to whichever supernatural being oversaw the goodwill in tense sibling relationships.
Ellie’s phone vibrated with Lucy’s return text, and upon reading it her nervous brow furrowed into a scowl.
Can’t tonight.
Shit. Shit fucking shit bollocks arsehole.
Ellie’s phone buzzed again. Ask your detective boyfriend to mind him.
Ellie knew that Lucy said this only to rile her up, unknown to the fact that there was actual truth behind the tease.
Well, Lucy, it’s my detective boyfriend I’d like to go see, as it happens.
It had been two weeks since she and Alec had last shared a meal outside of eating lunch together in his office. As much as she liked these little rendezvouses (especially the quick kisses she could steal behind a closed door), she was desperate for a few uninterrupted hours with the man.
Ha bloody ha. I’ll ask Olly.
She knew that would get Lucy riled up in return. Although Ellie had had her fair share of fallings out with Olly, she was more than willing to put that behind her for a Fredless night. And she hoped considering Olly was prone to going on about a second (third, fourth?) attempt at a London journalism career, he would be keen to get his hands on some savings to turn that dream into a reality. Although she knew he likely would not be shy about charging his aunt an exorbitant child-minding rate to achieve his goal.
Like mother, like son.
Olly picked up on the third ring.
“Hey, Aunt Ellie.” At half past ten on a Friday he still sounded a little groggy. Ellie rolled her eyes – she knew he had taken being sacked from his last job fairly hard, but he’d been back in Broadchurch for nearly a month, and she thought it was about time his pity party wrapped up.
“Hi Olly, love,” Ellie put on the sweetest tone she could muster. “I was wondering if you’d be up to minding Fred for the night? A little sleepover, compensated of coursed. Would really help me out.”
“Oh, uh, maybe. It’d be overnight then?”
“If you could – I’d drop him off at around six tonight and pick him up at, say, nine tomorrow morning?”
I know you haven’t got any Friday night plans, dear, she wanted so badly to say.
“Yeah, I guess I could do that.”
“Oh thank you Olly, that is really such a help!”
“Still fighting with mum then?”
“What makes you say that?”
“Because I know she’s not up to anything tonight and I don’t think I’m your first choice, am I.”
Ellie sighed, “Something like that. You know us, always something going on.”
“Well I’m always happy to help, ‘cause as you know I’m really looking to build a little nest egg to get ahead on London rent. I’m sure I could head there right now and get something sorted but if you’re going to do London you want to do London right, you know? I learned there that as a writer it’s important to have that kind of home base that –”
Ellie pulled the phone away from her ear and placed it on her desk, Olly’s tinny voice still rambling from the speaker. She’d let him say what he needed to hear, knowing that his speech was primarily for his benefit, but she had work to do.
At lunch Ellie surreptitiously made her way over to Alec’s office and gave the door a soft knock.
“Hmm, yup,” she heard Alec’s grunt of admittance.
He looked as weary and bedraggled as usual, despite the workload not actually being too much this week, but his mouth split into a grin (wide by Alec’s standards, and subtle by anyone else’s) as he saw who was coming through his door.
Ellie closed the door behind her and mirrored his grin. “Got good news.”
“Oh?”
“Tom’s at a mate’s and Fred’s going to sleep over at Olly’s. I’m free as a bird.”
“Good news indeed.” Alec’s smile got a little wider.
“So,” Ellie said, dropping herself onto the couch across from Alec’s desk, “your place or mine?”
“Lady’s choice,” Alec offered.
“Mine.”
“Yours it is.”
“No, yours, actually.”
“Mine it is, then. What should I cook for you?”
“I’ll leave that up to you. Something quick though. I’ve got to bring Fred to Olly’s, and I should like my dinner promptly on arrival.” Ellie stuck up her chin to round out her entitled charade.
“Your wish is my command.”
“Oh if only it was really that way around here. But alas, your command is my command. Ever so unfair, don’t you think?”
“I think I like our situation just fine.” Alec’s retort worked on many levels. “And with that established, I command you to retrieve me the Buckley file.”
Ellie shot him an unamused look, but got up from her seat nonetheless.
“Knob.”
Fred had been delighted to find out that he would be spending the night with his “cool” older cousin (Fred’s words, definitely not Ellie’s). It had taken a lot out of her not to break the speed limit on her way to Alec’s place, even considering her new outlook on motor vehicles’ lack of safety and the scourge that reckless driving could be on a community (although where would you be without a certain reckless driver, you may never know…).
But soon enough she was sat across the table from Alec Hardy who had traded his suit and tie for a jumper and an apron.
Ellie now stared intently at Alec’s backside as he went to fill up her bowl with a second helping of pasta.
What I wouldn’t give to get into those pants tonight. Ellie briefly choked on her wine, somewhat shocked by her own inner monologue.
Alec turned to face her, “Okay there?”
“Yup, yup, all good,” Ellie blotted her chin with her napkin. “Just got distracted.”
He turned back around, and Ellie focused on drinking her wine as to not repeat her performance.
Out of her view, Alec hid a couple extra meatballs amongst the noodles and topped it off with far more parmesan cheese than any reasonable human would serve.
“Mmm, looks perfect.”
Bellies full and dishes in the sink, Ellie refilled both of their wine glasses and carried them to the sitting room where Alec had set up their chosen film. Ellie sat down on the couch and motioned for him to join him next to her.
“One more thing,” Alec said, darting back into the kitchen.
“What’s up?”
“Just a little something,” Alec said quietly as he reappeared, a candle and match in hand.
What a sweet, sweet man. Sure, it was probably the smallest candle that she had ever seen and he was carrying it balanced on an ugly chipped plate, but it was still sweet nonetheless.
“Setting the mood I see,” Ellie snuggled close to him as he sat next to her and finished lighting the candle that was now sat on the coffee table in front of them, flickering happily on its modest pedestal.
“My mood was set the minute you walked into that door,” he spoke the words into the top of her head, savouring the smell of her hair and the closeness of everything they were.
“Alright Mr. Casanova, let’s get this show on the road.” Ellie picked up the remote and pressed play, alighting the screen with the opening credits to Catch Me If You Can.
Alec couldn’t think of any place he’d rather be. On screen Leonardo DiCaprio was flirting with a braces-clad Amy Adams, but in his living room Ellie’s head was resting against his chest while he held her tight into him with an arm around her shoulder. For the past five minutes he had taken to gently moving his fingers up and down her arm, a small gesture that kept both of their attention a little more focused on the reality of where they sat rather than losing themselves in what was admittedly a very engrossing film.
Ellie, too, was having similar thoughts. How long had it been since she had been held like this? Held in sweetness and in gentleness. Every so often she would squeeze his thigh where her hand had settled, reminding both of them that they were in fact here right now.
But Ellie was torn. While she was ever so happy sat where she was and she could tell that Alec was enjoying the movie, she had seen this film before and knew exactly how many more scenes she would have to sit through before she could kiss him again without interruption.
Alec, too, was in the midst of a dilemma. He hadn’t felt this perfectly relaxed in a long time and he knew this was one of Ellie’s favourite films (and he could sure see why). But wouldn’t it be so nice to just pull her in even closer?
A whisper of “this is very nice” was the course of action he landed on.
“Mmm, it is, isn’t it.” Ellie brought her hand from his knee to his chest and pushed herself up slightly to look away from the television and into his eyes which were looking right back down at her.
She saw something glinting deep in his dark gaze, an emotion she was sure she was feeling too. An emotion she wasn’t quite sure she’d felt with anyone else before, and if she had then it had since been too long and too clouded with other experiences that it was too unfamiliar to be worth remembering. If she could, she would dive into those eyes and never come back up, swim in the tenderness, strength, fragility, and warmth that she’d find there. If there was ever a moment where all things in the world could feel right, she was sure of it now.
Oh, she realized. I’m going to get lucky tonight.