Work Text:
There's a steady drizzle falling into the dead of night as Colter Shaw traverses his way back into the woods towards where he'd parked his Airstream. It had been a long day - a long week, actually - but the couple that was once missing was now back home, and the reward for their return had been safely deposited into his checking account.
Colter wants nothing more than to take a hot shower, render aid to the gash on his leg, and climb into bed. But all of his wants go flying out the window when his home on wheels comes into view.
The camper was considerably brighter than the way he'd left it that morning. Which is odd because Colter knows for a fact that the only light he had pressed on before leaving, was the one over the sink.
It was an observation that could only mean one thing. Someone was inside his home.
Immediately, Colter finds himself on edge. He turns off the idling engine, knowing that whoever was inside had already been alerted to his arrival, but that doesn't stop him from wanting to get one step ahead. His pulse increases with every beat of his heart as he opens his glove box, reaching for the gun that had been safely tucked away. Racking the slide with familiar ease, Colter double-checks that there's a bullet sitting in the chamber before allowing for the slide to move back into place.
There were only half a dozen people who knew the location of his spare key, and only a few of those select people were ever welcomed.
But it's as Colter pushes open the driver side door and steps into the sodden Oregon mud that he catches a glimpse of jet black hair.
Reenie .
There's only a small part of him that feels any sort of relief as he lowers his guard slightly. It had only been a few hours since he'd seen her last, but he had just assumed that, after receiving her part of the reward, that she would have headed back home. Apparently, he had been wrong.
Colter finds himself glancing towards the single occupant more than once as he re-enables the safety of the weapon in hand and retrieves the duffle bag from the back floorboard. It wasn't that he doesn't trust Reenie, because he trusts her with every single fiber of his being and then some, but rather, he never quite knew what to expect whenever she was around. She liked, no, loved , to keep him on his toes, which, depending on the situation, could be both a good or bad thing.
"You know breaking and entering is a crime, right?" He says in lieu of greeting as he pulls open the door. Instantly, his nose is engulfed with the scent of something savory with undertones of something sweet as he steps inside, closing the door behind him.
From where she stood behind the stove, Reenie turns her head, smirking. "It's not if you know where the key is."
Colter rolls his eyes as he slides his duffle underneath the table. He's tempted to retort with something snarky, the words right there on the tip of his tongue, but instead he takes a seat and gets to work unlacing his boots. "I don't have to explain to you that that's not how that works."
Her chuckle is light and melodic as she reaches for the beer bottle beside the cook top. Colter watches unabashedly as she takes a long drag of the specialty brew that was in his fridge. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that she was intending on staying the night. Gone were the designer pantsuit and black stilettos she had worn earlier, and in its place a pair of black leggings and an oversized shirt that suspiciously resembles one of his own. She's made herself comfortable, and he's okay with that.
"I should move it."
"You should, but you and I both know you won't."
Colter purses his lips. She's right. Not once in the almost four years of them knowing one another has Colter ever moved his spare key.
"Yeah, well, there's a first time for everything."
The words cause Reenie to pause as she momentarily stops stirring the food that was coming together in the pot in front of her. She chuckles, not even glancing his way once before continuing to stir the ingredients together. "The day that you move that key, Colter Shaw, is the day that hell officially freezes over."
Pulling off his boots, Colter places them back in their designated space underneath the table. But the action only serves as a reminder, as a slight twinge of pain radiates from the gash on his leg. There was not a single doubt in his mind that the two large band-aid's covering the wound needed to be changed, yet instead of moving to two feet and heading towards the medicine cabinet in the bathroom, Colter finds himself rooted to the foam cushions of the table.
At least for another minute. Maybe two.
Colter can count on both hands the number of times that Reenie Greene has invaded his personal space like the way she was doing now. He thinks that that is why watching her move around his space so effortlessly and relaxed is captivating.
Just over the sound of their meal simmering, Colter can hear her hum. The sound is low and catchy, but it's otherwise a tune he isn't familiar with, as he continues watching her pull things out of cabinets and drawers without ever having to ask him where they were.
Thinking back to just a few minutes ago, Colter had just thought that Reenie had made herself comfortable, but now he realizes she had made herself a home.
The thought was almost overwhelming. Had he been the type to someday settle down, Colter could potentially see himself having the whole picture with her. A secluded house that rests against the woods yet isn't too far from the city, a dog sleeping soundly on the front porch alone ng with a couple of kids running around the backyard that's a little bit of him but most like their mother.
But he's never going to be that type of person.
"You okay?" Reenie asks as she quickly gives him a once over.
Physically he was fine. Emotionally however... That was a different story. But Colter had long since accepted that his lifestyle would never allow him to have something that he's always wanted, and he's predominantly made his peace with that.
Left feeling rather frazzled, he stands. He knows that what he could use right now is a breath of fresh air, but he'd have to put back on his boots or lace up his running shoes in order to achieve that. Instead, Colter settles for his next best option.
"I'm fine." He clears away the lump in his throat. "I'm just gonna go clean up before we eat."
Reenie's gaze softens. "Look, if this is about me being here-"
"No, it's not- it's not that. Stay." Not normally one to beg, he throws in the magic word for added measure. "Please."
Not a single word is uttered into existence as they each stare at one another in what felt to be an intense standoff before finally, Colter takes one step forward, knowing Reenie would never be the first one to concede.
After carefully and strategically maneuvering himself behind Reenie and through the tight quarters of the camper, Colter finally makes his way to his bedroom at the front. It only takes a few minutes for him to re-bandage his wound and change into something a little more comfortable, but in the short amount of time that he was focused, Reenie had pulled out a few surprises of her own.
"What's this?" He questions with a strangled chortle as he makes his way back towards the other side of the camper.
The dining table that had been empty only a few minutes ago, was now covered in a variety of different goods and gifts. Colter should have known his friends wouldn't have let the day pass without at least a little fanfare.
"You really didn't think we would forget your birthday, did you?" said Reenie as though it was the most obvious thing in the world. She brushes by him with a smile, sliding into the left side of the booth.
Colter shakes his head with a chuckle, taking a seat across from her. "All this your idea?"
"I mean, I can't take all the credit." She smirks. "But once I knew I was coming down here to save your ass-"
"I didn't need saving."
" To save your ass ," She repeats pointedly, causing him to smile. Okay, so perhaps he did need a little saving. "I ran my idea by Velma and Bobby, and we put the plan into action."
There's a plate of steaming food in front of them, as well as a wine glass filled with a healthy amount of red. But that wasn't what caught his attention. To his left, at the far end of the table, sat three various sized boxes.
"Now the food, cake, and wine are from your truly, but the other two boxes are gifts from Bobby and Velma."
"This is... Incredible." Colter can't recall the last time someone did something this meaningful, this heartfelt for him. "Thank you."
Reenie raises her glass over the center of the table as Colter goes for his own. "To another year."
"To another year."
Their meal was as delicious as it smelled, but part of that had to do with the company they found in each other. Time was irrelevant to them as they talked about Reenie's practice, Russell's possible location, and everything and nothing that could possibly lie in-between.
"So I cancelled the original cake we had ordered for you and ended up ordering your cake from this cute little hole in the wall bakery a couple blocks from the office." She tells him as he breaks the seal on the pink box. "It does however come with one stipulation from Bobby."
"That we save him a corner piece?" It was safe to say that Colter knows his friend too well.
Colter lifts back the lid to reveal the delectable treat inside. He was expecting to see something witty or festive written for the occasion. Instead, he finds his brows rising towards his hairline.
"Reenie?"
"What?"
Colter's gaze bounces between the cake and the woman across from him. He doesn't think what was written on the cake was intentional, in fact, he's certain it was a mistake but it would be a lie for him to say he didn't consider the proposition.
A throaty, slightly strained chuckle falls past his lips as he turns the cake box around.
"What the hell?" said Reenie.
Her shock was palpable and mutual. It was clear to both of them that the cake in front of them wasn't what she had ordered, but the situation was becoming humorous. At least to Colter. Because there, in the center of the heart shaped cake, outlined by black shells of buttercream and a sporadic red rosettes were the words: 'Wanna make out?'
"You know, if you wanted to make out, you could have just asked me."
It only takes a fraction of a second for her mouth to fall agape in further disbelief. It also only takes a second for her barefoot to make contact with his shin.
The move sends a sharp pain up his bone, but he laughs off the discomfort as he reaches for the knife.
"It was supposed to say 'Happy Birthday'." She's sulking, and dammit if he doesn't find himself thinking about how cute it is. Her face is pinched and her mouth twisted into a frown, but Colter can see the humor that dances behind her coffee colored eyes.
Colter feels his brow arch as he offers her the first slice. "But it doesn't, and now you've learned the very important lesson of checking the cake before leaving the bakery."
Reenie's gaze bounces between him and the piece of cake before ultimately taking the plate.
In between bites of the moist cake, they discuss the case that Colter had just wrapped up and about the case that was on his radar. And despite it not being the right cake, the dessert was one of the most appetizing that Colter had had in quite some time.
"You know, I think I've only said thank you once tonight.” They're washing dishes. Or rather, Colter is washing dishes, while Reenie observes from afar.
"Have you?” He can hear the smugness in her voice, but there's a part of him that wants to see her smile. He turns his head to his right, finding her staring at him with a shit-eating grin and something that looks akin to fondness.
Colter shakes his head at her antics but his smile is hard to hide as he looks her in the eyes, giving her an earnest, "Thank you."
“I'm- I'm sorry, Did you say something?”
He rolls his eyes. "Don't get used to it."
"Wouldn't dream of it." Her voice is softer, sleepier, but her smile never wavers. “Thanks for letting me stay here.”
“Always.”
Needless to say, it was a birthday that Colter never forgot.