'Melting For You' (Beckett 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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"I fail to see what is taking so long…"

"It's a very busy night," Sofia addresses Reese's muttered complaint, adding a polished, pink glass pebble to the red spiral he is constructing while stewing. She 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 Reese'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. James has tried to covertly hide the group's creation, while Beckett prefers to watch rather than be culpable. Really, you think Beckett 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," James adds with a sigh. "It's a full house tonight."

The truth to his 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 Sofia suggested a group outing to not let anyone feel left out or alone.

Beckett 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 Beckett is tugging faintly on the hoodie you're borrowing from him. 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 him, you were shuffling and crossing your arms after a few minutes of enduring the chilly breeze.

"Yeah?" you distractedly reply, playing it cool when he catches your eye before shimming closer in the booth. His 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 he carefully tucks a wave of hair behind his ear before leaning closer. It only tickled you once earlier, but he 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. He 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…

Beckett adjusting the hoodie so it's more securely around you to keep in warmth absolutely ruins your progress on acting normal. "Bee?" you prompt him in a faint tone, voice coming out a little weakly; hopefully, he 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," Reese interjects. "Oh, and she has something in hand other than bills."

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

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

For the what now…?

Beckett'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 his to soothe the sudden tension. Ignoring the impulse to look at him 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 Beckett's gaze on the side of your face; his smile is uncertain now, but he quickly breaks eye contact.

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

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

"Semi-sweet."

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

James blinks at the random term of endearment, while Sofia shoots Reese a knowing look.

"Honeybun, we have dessert at home," Sofia 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," Reese relents with a degree of petulance when confronted with Sofia's stubborn need to abide by the restaurant's rules. Her subtle smile does manage to coax one out of him that brims with mischief. "We will settle this in a more private setting."

Sofia good-naturedly rolls her 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 Beckett, who isn't being very sneaky about peeking over at you when Sofia and Reese trade quips. Despite the lack of concrete eye contact, your hands remain in a secure hold. "Bee," you say his nickname, timing it before he 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 Reese so the entire table can share the dessert that is intended for couples.

It will be less awkward.

"Oh," Beckett exhales softly, becoming a bit self-conscious now that he 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 he 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—" Beckett using the sleeve of his hoodie to lightly thump your side draws a laugh from you that further dispels the uneasy energy left from the unexpected dessert delivery. He 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.