[for helen]

[alaspoorwarrick]

I've got sunshine
On a cloudy day.
When it's cold outside,
I've got the month of May.
I tried romantic gestures. Down on bended knee, diamong ring, the whole deal, for Tina. And you know how that worked out: lawyers, judges, custody hearings for a son no one knows I've got. None of it matters here, except now I'll never see my son at all. Guess I

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[poison_lipstick]

Saffron's dress was red, to fit the holiday, and she was well pleased with how the club had been decorated for the occasion. She'd thought that morning to try and scrounge something from the clothes box or elsewhere in the Compound to get the club looking more in the spirit of Valentine's Day, but when she'd woken to find red satin sheets on her bed she'd gone to check the club and found the island had taken care of decorating it as well.

The lessons had gone well, with help from Dick in teaching the guys, and once everyone was gone Saffron made her way downstairs to meet Warrick as he'd asked her to do. She could just make out the sound of music being played as she reached the bottom, which stopped once she stepped into the club, and the sight of Warrick at the piano made her smile brighten noticeably, even if he looked like he'd just been caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

"I think the classes went well," she said conversationally, winding her way through the tables to join him on the stage. She leaned against the side of the piano, reaching one hand out briefly to brush light fingers over his shoulder. "I like this color on you."

[alaspoorwarrick]

People say redheads shouldn't wear red, but that's 'cos they've never seen Helen and Jessica Rabbit, y'know what I'm saying? I smile, kinda nervous since we haven't actually had a date in...ever, then stop her fingers on my shoulder with a kiss. "Thanks, girl. You know you're rocking that dress."

I nod to the glasses and the champagne. "Pour you a glass?" This song's not as polished yet as the one for Cath, and I got the feeling she'll like it a lot better with a half-glass in her. Just half, since we gotta work. One thing the girl's not is good at holding her liquour.

[poison_lipstick]

"Thank you, sugar, I'm glad you like it," Saffron replied, smiling as she pushed away briefly from the piano to give a slow twirl with her arms extended, like she was putting herself on display. It was one of those dresses that could be worn several different ways, and she had a feeling she'd get a lot of use out of it. And knowing Warrick, she'd also spend a fair amount of time getting taken out of it.

She considered the bottle a moment, then decided there was plenty of time between then and the club opening for her to recover from the effects of a glass of champagne. "Sure, I'd love one."

[alaspoorwarrick]

Pushing up from the bench, I snag the bottle between two fingers, pop the cork, and pour two glasses. When I set it back in the bucket, I realize my fingers are shaking 'cos my heart's beating so hard. I quirk a nervous grin at Helen and hand her a stem.

"To a successful partnership, personal and professional?" I ask, holding out the glass for her to toast.

[poison_lipstick]

It wasn't until she took the glass from Warrick that Saffron realized he was nervous, and she chalked it up to his distractingly beautiful eyes that she didn't notice it before. "To a successful partnership," she echoed, tilting her glass against his with a soft clink before taking a sip.

[alaspoorwarrick]

Ducking my head and shaking it at myself, I drink, then give her a smile. "Sorry, girl, don't know what got into me." Aww, yeah, I know a'ight, it's the song and playing it for her. But it's stupider than a perp in custom shoes, 'cos it's Helen. "C'mere a minute," I say and settle on the bench again, holding out my flute for her to take.

[poison_lipstick]

She took his glass with a curious smile and resumed her place right next to him at the keyboard. "Does this mean I'm getting serenaded?" she asked, clearly pleased by the prospect.

[alaspoorwarrick]

Running my fingers over the keys, I shake my head a little, lips quirking. "Singing I don't do much even in private, y'know?" Emphasis on the 'know' to make it light-hearted, I smile and tuck a curl behind her ear. "You asked if I'd play for you, though, and... well, I thought... Hell. Just let me play it before I lose my nerve. Then we can talk, a'ight?"

[poison_lipstick]

"Well, someday I hope I can get you to sing for me, honey," Saffron said with clear fondness, leaning her head just slightly into his hand. "Okay, I'm all ears."

[alaspoorwarrick]

Helen's as different from Cath as I am from Nick, or Brass, or Greg, a'ight, and I know her different, too. I know the girl's taste and her scent, the way her hair's a mess in the morning and her legs tangle all up with mine while she sleeps, how she's in charge 'til I get my dick in her and then she wants everything I've got, including my take-charge and my darker side.

She's bright russets and golds. A little mystery, like a Sarah McLachlan song. A'ight, I know, emo-chick rock, but the woman has pipes on her. That's all in the song, along with the crazy Chinese, and Earth-that-was, silk and yellow spices like curry and saffron.

At least, it's all in the song I wrote, y'know, and I think it's there when I start playing, low tempo, long slides, less of the cool and crisp and sirens from Cath's song and more strip clubs and down and dirty sex.

I keep my head bent over the keys while I play, focused, trying to bring it out like I hear it in my head, and hope...well, I hope she'll hear herself in it.

[poison_lipstick]

Saffron listened attentively, finding it no hardship to focus on Warrick's strong hands, the ones that knew just how to to touch her, as they danced over the keys. There was something about the song that seemed familiar, even though she'd never heard it before - something about the way the notes flowed together and the sound created that reminded her of...her, basically. It was nothing less than beautiful, and her smile as he ended the song was just about a million watts.

"When did you write that?" she asked, clear from her tone that she was impressed, to say the least.

[alaspoorwarrick]

My fingers still over the keys at the end, holding down the last chord for a warm fade, the notes lingering the way a memory of her does when she leaves my bed in the morning. When I look up, she's smiling like a fistful of diamonds.

I duck my head a little and smile, cheek quirking. "Been writing it on and off since you started spending as many nights as not in my bed. Been hearing it since the first time you left it."

[poison_lipstick]

"I love it," Saffron replied, leaning forward to kiss him with her hand braced against his shoulder, and lingered there close to him briefly with their foreheads almost touching. "And you."

She kissed him again before straightening, her smile still bright and fond. "No one's ever written a song for me before."

[alaspoorwarrick]

"You too," I tell her, catching her up in the kiss. I love her, more than I thought I'd ever love anyone besides Cath, but after Tina, I'm shy of the words, y'know? Easy to say 'em, harder to mean 'em, and that's what the song's for.

"You ever date a musician before?" Dating. Is that what we're doing? I don't even know what to call it. Never had to decide before. We've just been messing around, being who we are and doing it together.

[poison_lipstick]

Saffron couldn't remember the last time she'd been on an actual date. Not since Durran, probably. Her line of work hadn't exactly allowed for dating, nor had she any real interest in it. On the island, she supposed going to the screening of Mark's movie with John had qualified as a date, but that was about it.

"Nope, never," she replied with a shake of her head. So this was their first date, Saffron supposed. She found she didn't mind the thought of that at all. "But then, I'm not usually the dating type." She gave him a playful wink. "I reckon you're just special."

[alaspoorwarrick]

Yeah, she isn't the dating type. Believe me, I've noticed. But, y'know, what we've got, it's not about the picket fence and the dog, and most of the time I don't mind. I know it's who she is and I love her for it. And, hell, it's Valentine's Day and she's here with me, no one else, a'ight, so that counts for a lot. Even though I couldn't care less about the holiday, it still says something.

"Awww, well, y'know, if you had dated a musician, I'm sure he'd have written you a song." I reach out and curl my arm around her waist, then snag my champagne flute with my other hand. "Needs a name. What do you think?"