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Oz knows that Daphne and his mom are on speaking terms. He hears about it through both of them often. He knows it started the night Daphne stayed with him after he was almost drowned.
He’s not mad about it.
Having two of his favorite people be so happy to talk to each other almost every day.
It’s nice.
Except for when he whines to his mom about his feelings for Daphne, and she turns around and asks her if she’ll help set him up on a blind date.
He doesn’t want to date anyone other than Daphne dammit.
He’s made that clear.
And yet, Morgan just dropped him off at the restaurant where he’s supposed to be meeting someone that both Daphne and his mom have approved of.
It’s ridiculous.
“Table for two, under Oz,” says Oz with a sigh as he steps up to the front desk.
“Right this way, Sir, your date just got here a few minutes ago.”
He’s guided to a back room, and his jaw drops when he passes through the doorway because sitting there at the table, looking drop dead gorgeous, is Daphne.
“Daph?” Oz breathes her name as the guy who guided him disappears back through the doorway with a promise of drinks in just a few minutes.
“Hey, Oz,” her voice cracks as she gives him a nervous smile. “I hope this is okay.”
He can’t find the words to express how okay it is, so he goes for clarity.
“I hope my mom didn’t like force you to come or something,” says Oz as he finally steps up to the table, hand on the back of the chair.
“No, I— I wanted to come, I just—“ she cuts herself off with a hollow laugh. “I’m sorry. This was stupid. Of course you wouldn’t want this with me. I’m just your partner. I’ll go, I’m so sorry.”
“Woah, Daph, no,” says Oz quickly as he steps around the table to stop her, kneeling by her chair. “If you want to be here, to take this chance, I want you here. I just didn’t want my mom to have pressured you into something.”
"She wouldn't have had to pressure me into coming, she just would've had to ask," replies Daphne quietly as she looks at him, his hand reaching to take hers, thumb brushing gently over her knuckles. "She doesn't even know I'm here. I just told her that I knew someone, and I would handle everything when she reached out about it."
"Well, then why don't we sit and enjoy the place you picked out, hm? Because this place looks almost as amazing you do," Oz brings her hand up and presses a gentle kiss to her knuckles before standing and moving to sit in his chair.
She smiles as their hands stay locked together, and Oz knows that he's won the best reward of his life.
The woman he loves is finally his to pursue.