Work Text:
Everything was thawing out in Washington. After the cold spells winter was giving way again to those beautiful green fields that filled the parks of Washington DC.
Cognito Inc controlled the weather at some times of the year. Maybe that was the bad thing about working for a company like that, when you went outside you knew which things were true and which were not, you couldn't always enjoy nature to your heart's content. But for now, Brett was just going to enjoy watching the flowers bloom and the lovely sound of birds singing again. Once again, Brett loved all the seasons of the year. Each one had that something that made it special.
He grabbed Reagan's little hand, who was at his side, and made her run with him across the meadow into the Floral Park. He didn't want her to get tired so he didn't try hard, he just wanted her to follow him.
"Brett! Wait!" Reagan shouted at him. Not in a scolding or insulting way, just that he should be careful not to make her fall. Something, of course, he wasn't going to do.
"Reagss we're coming!" assured Brett. It was only a few feet. Reagan still didn't understand why he had swerved the car and pulled into the park parking lot. It was close to the obelisk and only a couple of streets from the White House. Surely they had passed it many times on the way to work or on the way home, she didn't understand what was so special about it now.
She found herself running aimlessly through the greenery, trying to keep her feet from getting tangled while she was grabbing his hand. With him, though, she always trusted.
Now that she thought about it, everything looked so cliché and cheesy, the scene was like those couple movies where everything looked happy and rosy, so fake. Ah, if only those romantic series and movies didn't have subliminal messages aimed at increasing the birth rates that were dropping year after year. Or whatever.
She would have kept thinking of movie clichés if only her feet weren't bumped in the ground and she was about to fall off.
"BRETT!!!" she yell for help. That was it, she would hit the grass if he didn't catch her in time.
Brett became distressed and grabbed her taking her in his arms. He kept her from falling but now he was the one on the ground. His back hit the grass and he had her wrapped in his arms. His hair was a bit disheveled and he blinked a couple of times to stand up, the sun's glare was in front of him and had made him squint when he fell.
He released her from his grip and was now standing as he offered his hand to help her. "Forgive me Reagan! Maybe I was too excited," Brett apologized fixing his hair with his free hand.
Reagan grabbed it and carefully stood back up next to him. She wiped some dirt off her pants and looked around. She didn't see anything special about the place, sure she would have been to this park many times before, but she wasn't going to judge Brett. "Don't worry. My legs are shorter and it was my fault we fell. Anyway, I wouldn't want to ask but.... Why are we here?"
Brett shrugged and looked down at the ground for a moment before looking back up into her face. "I just wanted us to see nature," he smiled uncertainly. Maybe it would look stupid to her. "When you're at work sometimes you don't have time to appreciate the simple things in life," he continued.
Reagan noticed that Brett was feeling slightly nervous about what he said. She was afraid he would be offended for wasting her time like that, she didn't want to make him think that. "Oh..." she said almost in a whisper stuffing her hands in the pockets of her lab coat, turning to look at the trees around her. "It's a nice place," she mentioned. And she wasn't lying so as not to make him feel bad, the cherry trees, the flowers, the lake in front and the Thomas Jefferson memorial at the far end of the lake made for a beautiful postcard-worthy landscape.
She approached him and gently took his hand to reassure him. "Okay Brett, let's walk this way," she gave him a warm smile and he gaved one too. They knew very well how to make each other feel better in case one of them felt insecure for whatever reason.
They walked along the fence that separated them from the lake appreciating the breeze bumping against them and the sound of birds as they passed. There were also passersby passing by but those didn't matter, just the two of them.
Brett looked at her and gave her a playful smile. "Have I told you how beautiful you look with your hair down?" he says with a slight blush on his cheeks.
Reagan reacts to his compliment and nudges him. "Ohh of course you haven't. In fact that's the first time you've ever said that," she says with sarcasm complicit in his game. She knows he says it every chance he gets and sees her like this. Well, at work and in public he waits for the moment when they are alone to let her know in a personal way.
"You're lucky it's warm enough to loose the ponytail," she says smiling, gesturing with her index finger as if clarifying an idea. She had also taken off her lab coat because it annoyed her for that same reason. Brett carried it on his arm.
She was sorry for how unkempt her hair might be when she let it down, she had it a little above her shoulder, but not that short. Still, Brett wasn't complaining.
Brett chuckled at her comment. "Excuses, excuses."
They kept walking for a few yards until they looked back at the main road in the distance. Surely they would have circled the entire park, it wasn't that big anyway.
"OH MY GOD. THERE THEY ARE," Brett squealed excitedly. They had arrived at the botanical garden, the Floral Library.
He quickly pulled out his cell phone and reached for the camera to snap a few pictures. Flowers of different kinds were arranged between sections, they were beautiful. Reagan knew Brett collected photos of interesting places, animals and nature in general. Flowers were there too. It seemed like a rather adorable hobby on his part.
Reagan waited patiently for Brett to finish taking pictures and soon he was coming up in front of her checking his cell phone.
"I got lots of good ones!" he mentioned energetically.
Reagan smiled at him glad to see him happy. She had enjoyed that impromptu, short date so far. Her attention then turned to the clouds. There were a few gray clouds, spring was also bringing rain, for now, there would be a little more sunshine before it started to rain.
Without saying a word, they both knew it was time to get back to the car and walked there without much hurry.
What Reagan didn't expect was that Brett after a few steps decided to sit down on the grass. Reagan without much objection decided to do the same and sat down next to him cross-legged. She thought they would be leaving by now but she didn't mind staying another while either.
Brett stretched out his legs and propped himself up with his arms on either side. "We should have a picnic around here sometime," he suggested.
She surveyed the place. There were several daisies scattered about. "I like that idea."
Brett smiled and looked down. He hadn't noticed those little flowers.
Reagan was distracted by some ducks on the lake; a mother duck and her ducklings and for that reason it caught her off guard to feel something on her head, she frowned, tiny petals were falling in front of her.
She touched her hand. It was... An crown of flowers?"
"Hey, you look so much better!!!" joked Brett.
"Oh my," she said playfully with a giggle. "I'm a queen now? That's a lot of power!"
Brett chuckled under his breath. He loved how she followed him in his witticisms. That's why they hit it off so well.
He remembered she having a similar wreath at her mother's wedding, when they were still friends and Brett wasn't sure of his feelings. He didn't know which way he could say he liked the way Reagan looked that time, but now he knew how; gorgeous.
Weddings... He wondered when they would have one of their own. The time would come eventually and it made him very happy, although maybe it wouldn't take such a celebration to already let her know every day that he loved her. But of course, it thrilled him. He couldn't choose anyone else but Reagan.
She liked these gestures of affection that he always showed her. She also had her own ways of showing her feelings for him. Spending time with him already meant a lot to her.
They sat and talked for a while, sharing laughs and the occasional corny compliment. That is until Reagan felt a drop fall on her face.
"Oh damn, now if we have to go. "
Brett didn't object and stood once again off the floor. Reagan turned her back to him and crouched down. "What are you doing Rea-Rea?" he asked curiously. Yes, those affectionate nicknames were already customary. She turned around and grabbed his arm.
"I'll show you in the car," she mentioned denoting mystery. Brett smiled and they headed for the vehicle.
Once inside Brett watched her hand closely. She had a clenched fist.
"Now, about what you were talking... " he began with a smile. "Brett, I made you one too! " she said excitedly. She opened her hand and a makeshift crown of flowers was in his view. The roots were messing up and soon there was the co-driver's seat strewn with daisy flowers.
"Fuck! I'm no good at this," she cursed throwing the remainder from her hand to which Brett chuckled.
"Thanks Reagan," he said softly.
"Sarcasm?" she asked raising her eyebrow.
"No, no!!! It's really nice of you to try," he said starting the car.
She was looking out the window as they pulled out of the parking lot when Brett gave her a kiss on the cheek. "I love you," he said affectionately taking her hand after grabbing the lever.
"I love you, too " Reagan arranged her hair and smiled sidelong at him. She was still wearing the wreath he had made.
"I know," he replied tightening her grip.