Act or Not
Act or Not
Summary: Warrick has a way with words.
Act or Not
Warrick has a way with words. It's one of his many talents. I remember going to bars and clubs with him and Nick. Warrick would approach anyone, guy or girl. He'd whisper a few choice words in their ear and they would turn to him as if they'd just met Prince Charming.
I also remember the first time Warrick asked me out on a date. He came knocking at my door after shift, and I was expecting him. Nick had let Warrick's plan slip during work. Warrick should have known Nick could never keep such a big secret from me. The guy's a pushover. As soon as shift was over I raced home, showered, changed, sprayed on too much cologne and waited. Waited to hear what Warrick had been whispering in everyone else's ear.
When I opened the front door, he gave me that smile that still gives me butterflies all these years later. It's the smile that says he's just happy to see me. It's the smile that I was slowly growing addicted to way back then, before we ever dated, when were simply friends.
"Hey, Greg. I just wanted to ask you...talk to you about something. Can I come in?"
I played it cool. "Sure." We both sat on the sofa, and I waited and waited some more. Warrick was looking at the pictures on the coffee table, the mantle, the walls, as if he hadn't seen them before. "You wanted to talk to me about something?"
"Uh...yeah, I was wondering, no, I was thinking...we've been friends for awhile...we...uh, we get along pretty well, right? Well, I was thinking--" Obviously Prince Charming had lost his charm, and I lost my patience.
"Nick told me you wanted to ask me out on a date. If that's what you're trying to do, then the answer is 'yes.'"
Warrick sighed in relief. "Thank God. You know, I actually wrote down what I wanted to say." Warrick shook his head and chuckled. "I can't believe I wrote it down. I can't believe I forgot it."
"I've seen you do this a hundred times Rick. What made this time so different?"
"You're my friend. I already care about you. I could never lie to you. You're unpredictable. You know me. I wanted you to say yes. I'm not your type. We work together. It's you." Warrick finally stopped and took a breath. "That's what made this time so different. You. Just you."
I'll admit it, after that, I must have looked at him as if I just met Prince Charming. Warrick really does have a way with words. I still joke that all the stumbling and stuttering was all part of his act. It was all building up to that line. After all this time, I'm not sure if it was an act or not. Whenever it comes up, Warrick will shake his head and laugh, or he'll shut me up with a kiss. Act or not, I've never regretted falling.
The End
Author's Notes: Fair Warning: I'm not a huge fan of this one, but it was hanging around on my desktop for awhile. This was written for csi50. My table is here.