'Melting For You' (Becca Version)

[Alternate Text: An image of a sumptuous, plated dessert; it's a tiny lava cake set beside fresh raspberries with a berry coulis and a dusting of powdered sugar. 'Melting for You' acts as the title in a runny, cursive font that is chocolate brown.] 

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Password: lava

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"I fail to see what is taking so long…"

"It's a very busy night," Silas addresses Ruby's muttered complaint, adding a polished, pink glass pebble to the red spiral she is constructing while stewing. He glances at you because it's your turn now. "Try to be patient."

"It's Valentine's Day, not Christmas; we can't expect miracles," you quip, snagging a sparkly white cube from the strewn about pieces of glass to block Ruby's advancing red structure. Making a game out of a fancy restaurant's decor was met with agreement from three of the five of you. Jane has tried to covertly hide the group's creation, while Becca prefers to watch rather than be culpable. Really, you think Becca enjoys offering you tips and cheering when you conquer a section. "Right, Verner?"

"I can be patient for things that truly matter."

"Us paying for our meal matters," Jane adds with a sigh. "It's a full house tonight."

The truth to her statement is apparent from the snatches of conversation, clanks of utensils, and figures moving around the dining room. It is no question that the five of you requesting a corner table received a faintly confused look from the hostess. There isn't exactly a well-known equivalent to 'Friendsgiving' for Valentine's Day, but Silas suggested a group outing to not let anyone feel left out or alone.

Becca instantly fell in love with the idea, so you weren't about to say no to it, though you had privately been considering a few alternatives.

It's not like you would have acted on them…

It would be too risky considering the holiday.

"[Nickname] (or [Name])?"

A gentle pressure along your shoulder directs your attention to the left to see that Becca is tugging faintly on the hoodie you're borrowing from her. It's acting more like a cape or a shawl than another layer. Unsurprisingly, the corner table is near an air vent, and while it doesn't bother her, you were shuffling and crossing your arms after a few minutes of enduring the chilly breeze.

"Yeah?" you distractedly reply, playing it cool when she catches your eye before shimming closer in the booth. Her leg further brushes up against yours, aligning so your thighs are almost perfectly flush; it has never completely left it since the two of you sit snugly in the corner. "Hm?"

You try not to watch how she carefully tucks a wave of hair behind her ear before leaning closer. It only tickled you once earlier, but she has made the adjustment each time, which has somehow consistently made you feel butterflies. Maybe you should do it instead? It's not like you're a stranger to initiating flirtatious banter, but it seems different tonight. She offers the hint of a smile to you; there isn't any trace of coyness, so you attempt to focus. That's hard though when this close…

Becca adjusting the hoodie so it's more securely around you to keep in warmth absolutely ruins your progress on acting normal. "Bee?" you prompt her in a faint tone, voice coming out a little weakly; hopefully, she thinks that's because of the restaurant's clandestine, candle-lit atmosphere and not because you need to take a breath or seven.

"I was wondering if—"

"There she is," Ruby interjects. "Oh, and she has something in hand other than bills."

Ruby's update on the whereabouts of your server should be earning more of your attention, but you only notice the tips of Becca's fingers on your arm, resting there because she froze up when about to lean in and murmur something. It's as tentative as any of her prior touches, except this time it actually lingers. Finally paying for your meal barely registers in comparison to Becca's fingers retracting away until you adjust to catch her hand. It's a familiar handhold; one that you have formed countless times that instantly rekindles her smile, though it's now the fond, half one reserved for you that makes your insides feel molten. Does she even realize her effect?

"Here are your bills," the server announces before angling towards you. "And for the happy couple."

For the what now…?

Becca's hand minimally tenses up in yours following the server's declaration that also inadvertently puts a label on whatever the two of you are; your fingers lace more tightly with hers to soothe the sudden tension. Ignoring the impulse to look at her is difficult, but you will yourself not to by focusing on the dessert the server is setting down. It's decadent, possibly a lava cake or a souffle, though what catches your eye are the raspberries capping the spires of chocolate because you had noticed these being delivered to tables for two throughout the night. The closeness, borrowed hoodie, and how you two act together must have stood out to the server.

You feel Becca's gaze on the side of your face; her smile is uncertain now, but she quickly breaks eye contact.

"We're just—we aren't, like, together-together, or—"

"Young love is so modest," Ruby deftly interrupts Becca's awkward denial, eyeing the dessert with a measure of calculation. "Is the special, couples-only dessert dark or milk chocolate?"

"Semi-sweet."

"Marvelous," she concludes. "Doesn't that sound lovely, dearest?" Ruby's gaze slides away from the dessert to dart between Silas and Jane to see who is most poised to play along and nab a free treat. This also has the added benefit of sparing you and Becca; you both seem paralyzed, which is a shame given the prior proximity and her light-hearted, running bet with Mrs. Dorran.

Jane blinks at the random term of endearment, while Silas shoots Ruby a knowing look.

"Honeybun, we have dessert at home," Silas deadpans. "It's something special I made."

"But is that something chocolate-related with a berry coulis served a la mode?"

"It's your favorite, so save room for it."

"Very well, light of my life," Ruby relents with a degree of petulance when confronted with Silas's stubborn need to abide by the restaurant's rules. His subtle smile does manage to coax one out of her that brims with mischief. "We will settle this in a more private setting."

Silas good-naturedly rolls his eyes at the blatant insinuation.

You only half-heartedly listen to the continued exchange between the tumultuous ‘couple' in your midst, and the same can be said for Becca, who isn't being very sneaky about peeking over at you when Silas and Ruby trade quips. Despite the lack of concrete eye contact, your hands remain in a secure hold. "Bee," you say her nickname, timing it before she can focus back on the banter. "So, what did you want to ask me earlier?" It's best to move forward; you already plan to offer a third spoon to Ruby so the entire table can share the dessert that is intended for couples.

It will be less awkward.

"Oh," Becca exhales softly, becoming a bit self-conscious now that she has your undivided attention. "I was wondering if you wanted to watch movies with me later? A Valentine's binge?"

You manage to keep the surprise from your face by flashing a grin, but the fact that she wants to do something alone with you on this holiday makes you melt a little. "The Notebook?"

"Among others, and yeah, you can make jokes about some of them, just not Titanic, okay?"

"I don't want you giving me the cold shoulder, so I'll—" Becca using the sleeve of her hoodie to lightly thump your side draws a laugh from you that further dispels the uneasy energy left from the unexpected dessert delivery. She is smiling again too. "Fine, fine, I promise."

The two of you are so caught up in each other that you fail to notice how the table has gone mostly quiet.