Fic: What We Want (WIP)

Title: What We Want (Work In Progress?)
Fandom: Murder Call
Characters: Tessa Vance, Steve Hayden
Prompt: 058. Dinner
Word Count: 1260
Rating: G (K)
Summary: A celebratory dinner might be the nudge they need to take the next step forward.
Author’s Note: I think this could be the start of a small series of one-shorts concerning the development of Tessa and Steve's relationship. At this point I'm unsure, but I thought it was a nice one-shot and wanted to post it in case I never get around to finish it. I've got too many one-shots just lying on my computer that I never put up.
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters. They belong to Jennifer Rowe, Hal McElroy and Southern Star. I make no profit out of this.


WHAT WE WANT

It was sudden, impulsive, and completely thrilling. One moment he had come from his meeting with the Superintendent, the next she had suggested they go out to celebrate. He had expected a round of drinks with the gang down at the Stars & Moon pub so when she pulled up in front of a fancy restaurant he had been dumbfounded. Yet when she sent him a single hesitant glance he had quickly assured her it was a great idea.

And here they were, sitting opposite each other like they were prone to do, with the only exception being their setting. No white-board off to the side with crime scene photos and scribbled notes, no desks teeming with yellow-beige folders, newspapers and photos, no looming sense of sobriety. The gloomy office had been replaced by a classy, sophisticated locale with modern shades of red and black, and lamps along the walls turned low to fit the intimate air set off by the small candles on the tables. If she had not been as surprised as him upon entering the restaurant, he would have wondered if she knew the place from beforehand.

Glancing across the table, Steve Hayden perused his partner sitting stock-still in her chair, her shoulders raised just a little and her throat tense. Her beautiful clear blue eyes surveyed the other patrons instead of looking at the menu an elegantly dressed waiter had brought them as they sat down. Did she already know what she wanted, he wondered?

“You been here before?” he asked curiously.

Tessa Vance gave a little start as her chin swung around from peering at a group of people clustered together in a corner. She had the deer-caught-in-headlights look upon her and Steve could not help but give her a wide smirk as he nodded in the general direction of the restaurant.

Blushing a little, Tessa grinned. “No, I haven’t. Well, that’s not quite true. I’ve been in the neighbourhood, but I’ve never been here. Jason took me to the diner across the road once,” she explained when Steve raised his eyebrows slightly.

“Jason, huh? That the guy who threatened to punch me or the guy who wrote you love letters before your first date?” Steve recalled both incidents clearly, each of them highly amusing in hindsight. He grinned widely, feeling his facial muscles stretch a bit uncomfortably.

If she had not been blushing before, Tessa was certainly rosy-cheeked now. “The punch threat guy,” she murmured demurely, embarrassed. She did not say anything else, her silence drawing Steve into a chuckle.

Though he had highly mistrusted the guy at the time and not really understood why Tessa willingly went on dates with him, he could only see the humour in the situation where the burly five-foot-six had glared up at him and swore he was going to smash his face just for talking “sweetly” to Tessa.

Steve’s chuckle eventually was joined by Tessa’s own short giggle. By the sound of laughter, it seemed Tessa allowed herself to relax in her seat. She leaned slightly on an elbow and tucked her hair deftly behind her ear.

“He wouldn’t have done it, you know,” she said smartly.

“What, punch me? The guy was a walking bomb, Tess,” argued Steve, “He would’ve punched someone sooner or later. Where did you dig him up? You never said.”

“Let’s say I wanted to forget about him as quickly as possible,” mumbled Tessa, averting his curious eyes.

A sudden sense of secrecy washed over him and Steve suspected Tessa was holding back on something, particularly to do with the Jason guy. Foreboding entered his mind and Steve was about to ask when Tessa picked up her menu and said, a little high-pitched, “You know what you want yet?”

Hesitating for second, Steve finally conceded and picked up his own menu. He perused the choices before replying, “Steak looks good.” He glanced at one of the other tables where he saw someone was eating a delicious-looking steak. “Wonder what that is?”

Tessa followed his glance before flashing him a smile. “You could always ask, but I’d say it looks like number 23. The one with crusted potatoes and onions.”

Steve gave a sound of agreement before turning the question around at her.

“Oh, I don’t know,” she said undecidedly, in a way Steve had recognised most women grasped when they actually knew what they wanted but was, by some mysterious reason, unwilling to say so outright. Tessa did not look embarrassed, however, only in doubt. She bit her lower lip between her teeth. He thought it was kind of cute and smiled into his menu.

Moments later, when the waiter appeared, it seemed that Tessa had indeed made up her mind about dinner as she recited her choice – chicken and pasta salad – to him without fault. After Steve had told the waiter his choice, she surprised him by adding two glasses of champagne to the order. He must have shown his feelings on his face or somehow because she glanced at him and almost rolled her eyes.

“We are celebrating, you know,” she stated matter-of-factly.

Yeah, he knew that. He had just not …

Steve let his genuine smile spread across his still slightly tight cheeks. “Thanks,” he said honestly. “I—“

“Think nothing of it, Sergeant,” interjected Tessa, grinning. “Come Monday you’ll be able to boss me around to your heart’s desire, so enjoy this pampering while it lasts.”

“Oh?” challenged Steve, unable to stop himself from leaning slightly across the table, resting his chin in his hands. Taken aback, Tessa flustered a little before raising her chin defiantly, accepting his challenge. She leaned in from the other side.

“Don’t imagine for a moment, sir, that you’ll have it easy just because we know each other,” she promised, her eyes sparkling in the candlelight.

“That sounds a lot like a challenge, Constable. Sure you’re up to it?” he asked slowly, teasingly, momentarily mesmerised by the brilliant grin flashing across her face.

“After six years, I think I’ll be able to manage, Sergeant,” said Tessa, defiance and amusement splashed into her face. “I haven’t put up with Thorne for so long and not come out with a trick or two.”

“Then I’m going to look forward to it, Detective Vance,” said Steve, unable to keep his grin from bursting onto his features. “Just beware. When you’re not paying attention …” He left it on a pledging note, drawing it out while locked in a staring contest with her.

Abruptly, the moment was broken as the waiter returned with their glasses and a bottle of champagne. Steve leaned back with a chuckle while Tessa looked embarrassed, her hand reaching up to tuck more curly blonde hair behind her ears as the waiter poured their glasses. When the waiter retreated silently in the wake of their vocal gratitude, Steve looked at Tessa with anticipation in his stomach, only to have another grin latched onto his face at Tessa’s red-cheeked, twinkling smile.

“To your promotion,” cheered Tessa, picking up her glass and raising it into the air. Steve was quick to follow, clinking the edge of her glass, saying, “To my promotion.”

Both eyed the other over the rim of their glasses, both smiling, as they drank the sweet, sparkling champagne. Steve could not deny feeling … excited. And the night had just begun.


***

(To be continued?)