Chapter Text
It was about 6 o’clock when Malcolm arrived at his Mother’s estate. As he walked up the steps to the building he noticed Gil’s car was in the driveway. He wondered why his mother would call both of them here so early in the morning. Malcolm knocked on the door and was greeted by Leonard.
“Good Morning Mr. Bright,” Leonard said as he welcomed Malcolm into the home. “Mrs. Whitly and Lieutenant Arroyo are in the main room.” Malcolm thanked Leonard for letting him know before he walked into the family room.
“Good morning Mother,” Malcolm mumbled as his Mother gave him a hug.
“Gil and I were just about to have breakfast with your sister, come join us in the dining room,” Jessica said with a smile as she started to walk to the dining room. Malcolm followed hoping he wouldn’t be getting himself into something he didn’t want to be a part of. As he entered the room he waved at Gil and scared Ainsley by patting her on the head before he took a seat next to her.
“Malcolm, I swear. I will get you back for that.” Ainsley laughed as Malcolm sat down next to her.
“Children enough, we have company,” Jessica noted “So Malcolm have you asked your mystery girlfriend to come to your cousin’s wedding yet?” Jessica asked, gaining the attention of both Gil and Ainsley.
“Yes, Mother. She said she would come with.” Malcolm felt his face beginning to turn red as everyone at the table was staring at him.
“Wait, she is actually real? Who is she, Malcolm?” Ainsley asked, getting very interested in who her brother’s secret lover was. “Ooh, I bet it is the detective you work with, what is her name?”
“Ains her name is Dani and yes. She is my mystery girlfriend.” He sighed giving up. Dani was going to kill him for this later. Malcolm felt Gil staring at him from across the table.
“Well I knew if I asked Gil to set you two up enough it would finally work,” Jessica said as she contently drank her coffee.
“This sudden interest in our wellbeing doesn’t have anything to do with the man sitting across from the table from us does it?” Malcolm asked with a smirk on his face.
“Wait, you and Gil?” Ainsley was shocked. Both Ainsley and Malcolm watched as Jessica’s face got red.
“Well-” Jessica began before Ainsley interrupted again.
“Does he let you wear his turtlenecks?” She asked before turning to Gil, “Do you?” Her question made Gil’s face turn red, causing him to look down at the ground to hide his embarrassment.
“Ainsley, enough,” Jessica said as she took Gil’s hand in hers.
“Well, I need an answer.” Ainsley grinned as she watched Gil answer his phone.
“We will save the answer for another day, for now, it looks like Gil and Malcolm have a case to attend to,” Jessica answered as she watched both Malcolm and Gil get up from the table. “Gil, will I see you for dinner later?” Her question gained a childish chuckle from her two children.
“Yes, I will be back later Jess.” He said with a smile.
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Malcolm and Gil were silent for the first couple minutes of the drive before Gil finally spoke up.
“Alright Malcolm, I am gonna drop you off at Powell’s before I head to the precinct.” He said with a grin on his face.
“Gil, you know I totally lied to my Mother. We aren’t dating and now I have to find a way to get Dani to actually come with.” Malcolm groaned as he rubbed his eyes with the palms of his hands.
“Well that is a shame. I figured if I put you guys on enough stakeouts together something would have sparked between you two.” Gil said as he stopped the car outside of an apartment complex. “I do assume you know which house is hers.”
“Yes, Gil. I have been to her house before.” Malcolm rolled his eyes and got out of the car with a couple of bags. “I will see you at the precinct later.”
“Good luck trying to get her to come with,” Gil answered with a laugh before he drove away.
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Dani was laying on her couch half asleep when she was startled by a knock at her door. She rubbed her eyes and walked over to see who was there. Dani looked out the peephole in her door to see Malcolm standing there with a few bags in his hands, she rolled her eyes at his gesture and opened the door.
“Bright, what are you doing here so early?” Dani asked as he set the bags down on her kitchen counter. She sat back down on her couch and watched him move around in her kitchen.
“I came to make tea and tell you we have a case.” He said with a smile. Dani gave him a look and tilted her head knowing there was more behind why he was actually at her place at 7 am making tea beside a case. “Okay, okay. I may or may not have told my Mother you are my uh…”
“Your uh what?” Dani said as she got up and walked into the kitchen.
“My girlfriend,” Malcolm said as he turned on the stove.
“Is there a reason why I am your girlfriend?” Dani smirked. Malcolm could feel his face start to get red.
“My cousin’s wedding is in a week and my Mother wanted me to bring my girlfriend I have been dating for the past few months.” He implied as he got two mugs out of her cabinet.
“I take it there was no girlfriend?” Dani said with a slight laugh.
“You are right, so will you go with me?”
“Sure, what do we tell Gil? Oh wait, he is going isn’t he?” Dani asked as she felt her neck heat up.
“Yeah, He is my Mother’s date. He was there when I told my Mother my mystery girlfriend was you and I-”
“Bright!! Now Gil is going to think we are actually dating!” Dani said as she put her hands up to rub her face.
“No no, he was my ride here. I explained to him we aren’t actually dating.” Malcolm said, trying to calm down his anxious friend.
“And… What did he say?” Dani said looking up at Malcolm.
“He said it was a shame,” Malcolm said with a chuckle as he turned around to stop the kettle from whistling. Dani was mad at Malcolm but at the same time, he was there making tea in her kitchen at 7 o’clock in the morning. “Well here is your tea.” He handed Dani her mug and followed her out to her living room. They sat down on opposite ends of the couch. Dani sighed as she took a sip of her tea.
“Bright, what are we going to do? Give me the plans so I can go get the dress and supplies I need for the wedding.” She said as she set her mug of tea on the coffee table.
“Well, we will be there for 5 days. It is only upstate, and I assume you are going to drive.” Dani scoffed at his driving comment and nodded her head. “You will need a nice dress for the wedding and the after-party. We will have our own room, it has one bed a balcony, you know the normal type of hotel room, just more fancier I guess.” Dani opened her notes app on her phone to write all of this down. “My tux is just plain so any color dress will match.” He shifted on the couch gaining Dani’s attention. “Do you have any questions for me?”
“Yeah, a lot of questions actually. First, please tell me I won’t have to slug you to get you to sleep every night.” She got a chuckle out of Malcolm as he took a sip from his mug.
“Well, I hope not. I plan on not sleeping these 5 days so I do not harm you in any way. We all know my dreams are pretty epic.” He answered and quoted what Dani once said in the precinct. She rolled her eyes at his response.
“Bright, you need to get some sleep. If you are worried about me, I assure you that I will be fine.” She moved closer to him on the couch to touch his trembling hand. “You will sleep on this trip, I will make sure you have an excellent time.” She said as she looked up from where she had placed her hand. “Even if it means I have to slug you.”
“Well, then you should add some ice packs to that list of yours.” Malcolm chucked gaining another eye roll from Dani as she typed it into her list. “You know, being my girlfriend, you have to act like one.”
“Yeah, I know. We have to hold hands, make flirty comments, act cute together, kiss each other. I know how to be a romantic Bright.”
“You also have to call me Malcolm.” He laughed as he stood up to take their mugs to the sink.
“Well, okay Malcolm. I have to go get dressed for this case. Don’t burn my apartment down while I get ready.” She said as she walked back to her bedroom.
“I won’t try.”
“Wow, very assuring Bright.” Dani laughed in response to his, hopefully, sarcastic reply as she shut her bedroom door.