Dinner [Alpha/Whiskey, All Ages]
Title: Dinner
Author: lil_kaylee_frye
Pairings/Characters: Alpha/Whiskey, Topher, Blevins
Rating: All Ages
Word Count: 1,185
Disclaimer: I do not own Dollhouse.
Author's Note: Part of the 'Bad Romance' series.
Alpha sat at his regular dinner table, a plate of untouched pasta sitting in front of him. The delicious aroma of the meal filled his nostrils and his stomach gurgled loudly, urging him to eat, but, every time he went to pick up his fork, his brain reprimanded him, reminding him that he had to wait. His blue eyes darted about his surroundings, searching for a flash of brown hair or a glimpse of that familiar coy smile. He wondered fervently where she was and why her treatment was taking so long, he hoped she was being her best, but, then again, she always was.
His eyes narrowed slightly as Juliet made to sit down on the seat he had unofficially reserved for Whiskey, "No!" he prohibited, his firm voice verging on a growl, "This seat is for Whiskey," he explained with an edge of exasperation to his tone.
Juliet stared at him blankly for a few seconds before, her eyes still wide with surprise at Alpha's conduct of the situation, she nodded minutely and walked off, seating herself instead at a table beside Romeo and Tango. Alpha watched her go, sighing deeply when he could still see no sign of Whiskey. His gaze drifted over the various tables, searching their occupants for her, because, despite how much he liked her, she was never, nor ever could be, as clever as him and so often went to the wrong table.
"Hello, Alpha," a small voice drew him from his musings and he glanced up to see her standing behind her chair, a laden tray in her hands.
"Hello, Whiskey," he beamed at her as he gestured to the chair opposite him, offering her the seat which he had previously denied to another.
"You waited for me," she murmured, as she sat down, noticing the plate of food which he had only just begun attacking hungrily with his fork, "Thank you."
"Of course I did," Alpha replied, swallowing some pasta, "You are my friend."
"You could have made some other friends while I was away on my treatment," Whiskey pointed out and Alpha thought of how he had sharply dismissed Juliet and doubted that her statement had even a glimmer of accuracy to it.
He noticed how she seemed quieter and more distant than usual after she said this. He, instinctively, took a firm, domineering hold on Whiskey's hand, "You are my best friend in the whole world, Whiskey, I could never leave you and, if I did, I would always come back to you." His tone was serious, almost void of the typical serenity a normal Active's would have been thick with.
"That is because I would always be waiting," Whiskey replied with a small smile, even though she didn't fully comprehend the situation and didn't share the same seriousness Alpha seemed to feel for it, "just like you did with me."
A smile played on his lips as he regarded her, and he proceeded to eat his dinner one-handed, the other hand clasped firmly over Whiskey's for the remainder of the meal.
***
Blevins stood in Topher's office, hands shoved in his pockets, as he waited for the programmer to finish patching together Alpha's Imprint for his latest engagement. His 'treatment' was scheduled for seven, just as soon as he should be finished with his dinner.
Alpha's cutting it rather close, Blevins couldn't help but think as he checked his wristwatch and saw that time was depleting rather quickly. He glanced out the large window that encompassed an entire wall of Topher's office and, from the corner of his eye, saw why - Whiskey had returned from her most recent engagement and, apparently, Alpha had wasted time waiting for her return before he began his meal. Blevins cursed softly as he wondered what their client - who had booked Alpha for a lavish romantic engagement - would say should they turn up late and give their excuse as being that they couldn't tear him away from the girl he was attached to in his Doll state and that the relationship he had with her was probably more real than any relationship their programmer could fashion.
"OK, so Valentine's Day's comin' up and some lonely, old crow wants to hire herself a Doll-y toy boy, ain't it always the way?" Topher murmured with an indulgent chuckle as he tapped out something on a keyboard, "Voila!" He held up a wedge, "One charming, handsome - with an accent - date… Oh! Oh! Oh! Code blue! Code blue!"
"Topher, what the hell is a code blue?" Blevins demanded, arching an eyebrow at him questioningly - he was all too aware of Topher's eccentricities and automatically assumed that this was just another one of them.
The genius programmer sighed deeply in exasperation, "Fine, code whatever-colour-symbolizes-that-we-have-two-Actives-holding-hands-and-having-what-one-presumes-to-be-an-intimate-conversation-over-dinner!" Topher corrected, without taking a breath as he gestured emphatically out the large window at the dining area, "How are you not bothered?" he added, when he saw the scene didn't provoke a similar reaction from Blevins.
"Topher, I know," the Handler explained, exhaling deeply, and the programmer's eyes widened in shock.
"For realsies?" he whispered, running an infuriated hand through his blond hair, "How long?"
"Well, Whiskey's been here, what? A month and a half?" Blevins asked and Topher nodded minutely, his mouth hanging slightly agape, "Yeah, well, I'm gonna say a month and a half."
Topher was dumbstruck, but only for a moment, "There's no need for the sarcasm… And, in all that time, you didn't think to mention this new… development!" He demanded, gesturing sharply to Alpha and Whiskey again when Blevins rolled his eyes.
"What? And get myself sent to the Attic for not being able to control my Active? Spend the rest of my existence in a mind-suck? No, thank you!" the Handler retorted, folding his arms defiantly across his chest.
"I'm ready for my treatment," a tranquil voice interjected into their heated discussion and both Blevins and Topher whipped around to see Alpha standing in the doorway, one hand still closed possessively around Whiskey's, who stood, silently, behind the male Active.
"Um… yeah," Topher whispered, stepping forward and forcefully prying Alpha's hand from the female Doll's, "but first you need to let go of Whiskey."
Alpha, reluctantly, consented, "You will wait for me, won't you?" he asked, ignoring the other two men as he turned to address Whiskey.
A corner of her mouth tugged up in a small half-smile as she whispered softly in reply, "Of course."
"Hey, Whiskey, why don't you go paint a picture or something while you wait for Alpha?" Topher suggested, with an edge of condescension to his tone.
Blevins noticed how Alpha fixed the programmer with a hint of a glare at his unruly interruption, while Whiskey, on the other hand, nodded blankly at Topher and placidly walked off.
"If you'll just take a seat," Topher murmured, gesturing to the Imprint chair.
Alpha nodded once and lay back in the chair. The chair descended and his face was submerged in blue light with his feelings for Whiskey buried underneath feelings for another.
Buried, not wiped.