Chapter Text
I took a deep breath as I looked in the mirror. I wore plain black slacks and a white long sleeve and dark red vest over it that matched with high heels.
I never liked high heels. No. They didn't like it when I wore high heels.
I was 5' 6 and if I did I would be taller than them. They don't like it
I wave goodbye to the maids at the manor and start walking towards our meeting place, humming a familiar tune as I did. It wasn't a popular song, nor a popular genre. Anything that wasn't classical was shunned to the background.
Heavy metal was not really considered lady-like.
I walked in the cafe, opening my coat slightly to embrace the warmth of the cafe. It was at least -3° C outside and I forgot my scarf. I was 10 minutes early but I didn't care. I didn't know what I was expecting but it certainly wasn't this.
He was already here. Dressed in a dark blue coat in a plain dark red dress shirt, his hair up in its usual bun but his signature ribbon isn't there. I slowly walk towards him. He stood up and gave me a smile that any woman would have a hard time resisting.
I'm immune to charming smiles on handsome faces by now.
"Good morning officer. You shouldn't be this early." He pulls the chair and helped me sit down, not letting the smile fall from his face. I sense a few pairs of jealous eyes on us but I didn't care.
He never sent that smile to anyone else. Just to me
A waitress soon hands us a menu. I didn't have breakfast yet but that was normal now. I whisper my order to the waitress, not having any energy to say my order out loud.
"I should be the one saying that, Kieran. Don't you know that you're supposed to make a lady wait for 5 minutes to keep her thinking about you?" I say looking up from the menu. His eyebrow raised, a half amused half confused look on his face. The waitress soon comes back for our order, not letting him reply immediately.
"I know that you have a horrible dating history but by that comment I assume it's worse than I thought" I look up to meet his eyes. I've seen them plenty of times but sometimes I still freeze on the spot.
Just like that night.
Letting out a sigh, I just give him a nod not wanting to endulge further in the topic. The waitress was back with my order and...2 black coffees?
"Are these yours? You're going to have a heart attack at this rate" I hesitantly ask pointing to the 2 cups in front of me. He just let out a chuckle and pulled it towards him. It wasn't flirtatious or even mocking. Just a casual laugh on a date.
"What seems to be the matter officer? If I didn't know any better I would say that you didn't want to be here with me." He let out another chuckle, again no hidden meaning in his words
"Well you do know better. I'm just tired, really" I breathe into my palm and rubbing it afterwards. Why didn't I buy a drink earlier? It's cold now in here too. It has been for a few weeks now. It's not because of the snow though.
It's because of that hollow empty feeling that grows larger everyday despite the destruction of the Phantom Scythe
He noticed my behavior and passed me one of the black Coffee he ordered earlier. My eyebrow rose, he looked as if thought nothing of it. I tired to keep a straight face as I spoke slowly
"Are you sure I'm the unusual one here White? You're giving me your Coffee. You'd rather go to war than let me have your Coffee." By the time I finished talking, I couldn't stop the smile from coming to my face. The first genuine one in a few weeks
"Oh I nicely give you one of my precious coffees and now you're doubting my actions. That is just plain mean of you. If you don't want it I'll take it back" He moved his hand towards his chest and wipes a fake tear from his face before reaching out to get the cup back. I quickly pick it up and place it to my lips. He had a horrified look on his face but soon just pouted as he took a sip from his cup. God, I hate how dramatic he can be sometimes.
But I honestly missed it
Ending the whole argument over Coffee, he smiles and just talks to me. A few quips and teases but overall just talking. He tells a few stories and in turn I do too. A smile crept up on my face as I make no effort to hold back my laughter from a joke that he tells me. This feels weird.
... He doesn't lie to me
Maybe its because he already knows that I can detect them, maybe its because he's thinking of a different meaning. It can't be though.
He already knows me from all the nights we spent at the cave, from all the times we broke the law and both our our moral code to save each other, from all the arguments leading to massive drifts in our partnership fixed by no small amount of understanding, from all the little moments of vulnerability they had with each other.
He knows me better than anyone... and I do with him
Yet were here. On a date pretending that were normal and nothing has happened.
"You know Lauren, I really do like you" I nearly choke on the drink and look up at him. Not a hint of playfulness can be seen. He was completely serious. I wasn't sure what expression I had on my face but it looks like he's analyzing every single of my facial muscles to know what I was thinking
"My daily routine got ruined when we ended the deal you know" a bit of playfulness was on his voice but he was completely serious. "But it wasn't the routine that I missed, or the snacks you bring over. I missed you" completely honest.
My mind wanders back to when we ended the deal, my chest had felt unusually heavy and the happiness I felt when I would catch a glimpse of him on patrol. I also remembered all the times I felt jealousy and sadness when another woman was holding his hand, or even so much as talk to him, knowing I can never be casual or intimate with him because of the deal.
I like him.
I felt a smile on my face but I couldn't say anything because of that sudden realization. He never needed me to answer to know what I ment. He started to tell stories again, I did too only this time, not holding back anything; be it embarrassing or personal we both told each other everything.
I could get used to this...
He's just... He's just Kieran White talking to Lauren Sinclair. No fake stories about heroic deed, comment on her eyes, just two people getting to know each other. Nothing more, nothing less. Maybe something more though but that's not important right now.
Its not cold now.
Not anymore.