time to talk [dated to 1/13/2016]

[puckandpie]

It's that quiet time of night, the last half hour or so after Derek's already booted out the last of the stragglers and the few employees left over are all silently cleaning up so we can head out as quickly as possible. We don't need that many hands for closing, to be honest, just one or two in the front to take care of the tables and floors and me in the back to clean up the kitchen. So I'm really not surprised at all when I push open the kitchen door to find only Derek finishing up with the bar in front.

I already have my coat on -- the leather one Derek got me for Christmas because it fits me so, so well -- and am looking forward to the quiet walk home. After hours and hours of forcing smiles and chipper conversation, it'll be nice to not have to pretend for awhile.

Derek's back is to me and I let myself watch him for only a moment or two before heading for the door. I know he can both hear and smell me so, as much as I'd maybe like to, it's not like I can just sneak out.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Mr. Hale," I say, hoping there's enough of a teasing lilt still left in my voice as I reach for the door.

Comments

[puckandpie]

'I want it to be you,' I narrowly manage not to say. It's right at the tip of my tongue, but after everything we've shared this morning, I'm too afraid to ruin it by either making a fool of myself or pushing Derek into an uncomfortable rejection.

He squeezes the back of my neck and I know Derek is just a tactile sort of guy and that the way his hand drags down my back doesn't really mean anything. But goodness, do I want it to. I want to reach over and take his hand, hold it the way Simon used to hold mine so easily. I think I miss that part, most of all. Just the way he'd hold my hand out in public without a care.

Luckily, the moment snaps a second later when Derek raises his hand to his stomach, patting it with a smile. "There's that burger place not too far from here," I point out, hoping my smile doesn't falter too much. "Guess you burn off a lot of calories running around without a care in the world."

[triskehale]

“Guess I must,” Derek says with a laugh. “Shifting takes up a lot of energy. I’m always starving afterward.”

He knows exactly which burger place Bitty is referring to, and Derek tosses a jovial arm around his shoulders, pulling him for a brief squeeze before letting go. It’s just been such a good day, and he can only hope that it was of some help to Bitty. He deserves to be happy. “Come on, lunch is on me.”