Kav_100- Details in the Fabric (060: Drink)
Title: Details in the Fabric
Author: scarlet_gryphon
Word Count: ~1,100
Warnings: Hmm. Does extreme fluff count? *grins evilly*
Rating: PG
Prompt: 060: Drink
Timeline: Two months after First Impressions.
Notes: Nate has been transferred to a different department by now (engineering). Also, he's told Brooks his real name as well, since he's come to trust her.
Warmth enveloped Nate as he stepped into the slightly smoky interior of Marson’s Pub, sending a delightful shiver down his back. Marson’s was a favorite of the scientists at the Mountain, and tonight was no different. Nate recognized a few of the engineers sitting at a table near the door, laughing and joking with one another after a hard day’s work. He skirted around them and went towards the bar, half-listening to the conversations flowing around him. Just as he was about to place his order, he happened to look to his left and saw Brooks sitting alone at the end of the bar, nursing a glass of wine.
‘Hey, Ian, how many drinks has Brooks had tonight?’ he asked the bartender, keeping his voice low.
‘Hmm? Oh. Um, that’s her third in two hours. Why?’
‘She’s not that much of a drinker.’ He said, frowning. ‘She told me just last week that one glass is her limit. I’ll be right back.’ Nate left Ian to fill another customer’s order and wandered down to where Brooks was. He watched her for a moment, and then cleared his throat.
‘Brooks?’ he asked, laying a gentle hand on her shoulder. She sighed and then set down her wine glass.
‘What do you want, Kavanagh?’ she asked, stumbling slightly over the multiple syllables of his last name. Nate’s frown deepened. Brooks usually used peoples’ first names exclusively, so the use of his last name made Nate worried.
‘I just wanted to see if you were okay.’ He replied carefully. ‘Are you?’
‘My day has been shit and you’re asking if I’m okay? God, that’s a really stupid question, Nate.’ Her speech held more than the hint of a Greek accent that it usually did, and her words were slurred slightly.
‘I’m sorry. I didn’t know. Tell you what, why don’t I take you home? You’re in no condition to drive, and you look like you’re about to fall off that stool.’ Nate said, his tone firm and brooking no argument. Brooks glowered at him and then slipped off the bar stool. She nearly fell down, but Nate caught her before she could.
‘Right. This proves exactly what I was saying. Come on.’ Nate dug a twenty out of his pocket and threw it on the counter to cover Brooks’ tab before guiding her out of the bar and towards his car, all thoughts of relaxing with a drink gone. ‘How far away is your house?’ he asked when they had gotten in the car.
‘’S on the other side of town.’ Brooks said, slouching in her seat. Nate sighed and then shook his head.
‘My place is closer. We’ll go there.’ Nate told her, and started heading towards his apartment. Brooks didn’t say much else on the ride, and when they arrived at the apartment complex, she seemed to have fallen asleep. ‘Hey, we’re here.’ Nate said as he pulled the car into his allotted spot. ‘I’ve got a futon you can have, or you can take the bed. Your choice.’
‘Mmm?’ Brooks muttered, half-opening her eyes. ‘Whassat? Where are we?’
‘We’re at my apartment. Come on, let’s go in.’ Nate got out and then went around to help Brooks out of the car. She managed to stand up on her own, but he put an arm around her waist, just in case. The scent of her perfume was mixed with the sharper scent of wine, but Nate ignored the wine and focused on the smell of Brooks’ perfume. It was nice; something fresh and clean. He returned his attention to the task at hand- mainly, opening the door, and then directed Brooks up the three flights of stairs to his fourth-floor apartment.
Once he got his apartment door open and Brooks in, he followed her and shut the door behind himself. Brooks had wandered over to the shelf where he kept a few pictures of his family, tracing each of their faces carefully.
‘They’re my parents and brothers.’ He said after getting a mug and filling it with water. ‘Here, drink this. It’ll help lessen the intensity of the effects of the alcohol later on.’
Brooks took the mug and sipped at its contents while Nate directed her to the futon that served as his couch. ‘Thanks.’ She said quietly once she had sat down.
‘Don’t worry about it.’ Nate replied, taking a seat next to her. ‘You would’ve done the same for me.’
Brooks smiled wanly and then leaned against him, making a softly contented noise. Nate held as still as he could, not daring to breathe. Brooks snuggled up against him, almost nuzzling his shoulder. ‘Are you-’ Nate began, but Brooks put a finger against his lips.
‘Shh.’ She murmured, and then gently pulled his head down on a level with her own. Brooks carefully took Nate’s glasses from his face and set them on the nearby coffee table next to her mug, not taking her eyes off of him. He watched her carefully, a slight feeling of apprehension mixed with hopefulness stirring within him.
‘Brooks?’ he breathed, and then shut up when Brooks leaned forwards and kissed him gently. He kissed her back after a moment, one hand cupping the back of her head as he did so. The taste of wine was still on Brooks’ lips, and it was a pleasantly sweet tang. She leaned into the kiss, her hands placed flat against his chest with her fingers splayed slightly.
They broke apart after a while, the need for air superseding the desire to continue kissing. Brooks’ eyes were half-closed in pleasure, her pupils dark and wide beneath her eyelids.
‘What was that for?’ Nate asked softly. ‘Not that I didn’t enjoy it, but still…’
‘Because I’ve been wanting to do that for a long time now.’ Brooks replied, snuggling up against him. ‘I’ve just never found the right time, and now seemed as good a time as any.’
‘Hmm. Well, I’m glad you did.’ He pressed a kiss against the top of her head, enjoying the fresh scent of her shampoo. She sighed and then closed her eyes, one hand curling against his chest. After a while, Nate felt her breathing become regular, signaling the moment that she had fallen asleep. He sighed, and wondered what exactly these new developments might mean, and then decided that he’d worry about it in the morning. He settled back against the back of the futon and shut his eyes, listening to the rhythmic breathing coming from Brooks. Eventually he fell asleep, lulled into comfort by the warmth and weight of the woman by his side.
Author: scarlet_gryphon
Word Count: ~1,100
Warnings: Hmm. Does extreme fluff count? *grins evilly*
Rating: PG
Prompt: 060: Drink
Timeline: Two months after First Impressions.
Notes: Nate has been transferred to a different department by now (engineering). Also, he's told Brooks his real name as well, since he's come to trust her.
Warmth enveloped Nate as he stepped into the slightly smoky interior of Marson’s Pub, sending a delightful shiver down his back. Marson’s was a favorite of the scientists at the Mountain, and tonight was no different. Nate recognized a few of the engineers sitting at a table near the door, laughing and joking with one another after a hard day’s work. He skirted around them and went towards the bar, half-listening to the conversations flowing around him. Just as he was about to place his order, he happened to look to his left and saw Brooks sitting alone at the end of the bar, nursing a glass of wine.
‘Hey, Ian, how many drinks has Brooks had tonight?’ he asked the bartender, keeping his voice low.
‘Hmm? Oh. Um, that’s her third in two hours. Why?’
‘She’s not that much of a drinker.’ He said, frowning. ‘She told me just last week that one glass is her limit. I’ll be right back.’ Nate left Ian to fill another customer’s order and wandered down to where Brooks was. He watched her for a moment, and then cleared his throat.
‘Brooks?’ he asked, laying a gentle hand on her shoulder. She sighed and then set down her wine glass.
‘What do you want, Kavanagh?’ she asked, stumbling slightly over the multiple syllables of his last name. Nate’s frown deepened. Brooks usually used peoples’ first names exclusively, so the use of his last name made Nate worried.
‘I just wanted to see if you were okay.’ He replied carefully. ‘Are you?’
‘My day has been shit and you’re asking if I’m okay? God, that’s a really stupid question, Nate.’ Her speech held more than the hint of a Greek accent that it usually did, and her words were slurred slightly.
‘I’m sorry. I didn’t know. Tell you what, why don’t I take you home? You’re in no condition to drive, and you look like you’re about to fall off that stool.’ Nate said, his tone firm and brooking no argument. Brooks glowered at him and then slipped off the bar stool. She nearly fell down, but Nate caught her before she could.
‘Right. This proves exactly what I was saying. Come on.’ Nate dug a twenty out of his pocket and threw it on the counter to cover Brooks’ tab before guiding her out of the bar and towards his car, all thoughts of relaxing with a drink gone. ‘How far away is your house?’ he asked when they had gotten in the car.
‘’S on the other side of town.’ Brooks said, slouching in her seat. Nate sighed and then shook his head.
‘My place is closer. We’ll go there.’ Nate told her, and started heading towards his apartment. Brooks didn’t say much else on the ride, and when they arrived at the apartment complex, she seemed to have fallen asleep. ‘Hey, we’re here.’ Nate said as he pulled the car into his allotted spot. ‘I’ve got a futon you can have, or you can take the bed. Your choice.’
‘Mmm?’ Brooks muttered, half-opening her eyes. ‘Whassat? Where are we?’
‘We’re at my apartment. Come on, let’s go in.’ Nate got out and then went around to help Brooks out of the car. She managed to stand up on her own, but he put an arm around her waist, just in case. The scent of her perfume was mixed with the sharper scent of wine, but Nate ignored the wine and focused on the smell of Brooks’ perfume. It was nice; something fresh and clean. He returned his attention to the task at hand- mainly, opening the door, and then directed Brooks up the three flights of stairs to his fourth-floor apartment.
Once he got his apartment door open and Brooks in, he followed her and shut the door behind himself. Brooks had wandered over to the shelf where he kept a few pictures of his family, tracing each of their faces carefully.
‘They’re my parents and brothers.’ He said after getting a mug and filling it with water. ‘Here, drink this. It’ll help lessen the intensity of the effects of the alcohol later on.’
Brooks took the mug and sipped at its contents while Nate directed her to the futon that served as his couch. ‘Thanks.’ She said quietly once she had sat down.
‘Don’t worry about it.’ Nate replied, taking a seat next to her. ‘You would’ve done the same for me.’
Brooks smiled wanly and then leaned against him, making a softly contented noise. Nate held as still as he could, not daring to breathe. Brooks snuggled up against him, almost nuzzling his shoulder. ‘Are you-’ Nate began, but Brooks put a finger against his lips.
‘Shh.’ She murmured, and then gently pulled his head down on a level with her own. Brooks carefully took Nate’s glasses from his face and set them on the nearby coffee table next to her mug, not taking her eyes off of him. He watched her carefully, a slight feeling of apprehension mixed with hopefulness stirring within him.
‘Brooks?’ he breathed, and then shut up when Brooks leaned forwards and kissed him gently. He kissed her back after a moment, one hand cupping the back of her head as he did so. The taste of wine was still on Brooks’ lips, and it was a pleasantly sweet tang. She leaned into the kiss, her hands placed flat against his chest with her fingers splayed slightly.
They broke apart after a while, the need for air superseding the desire to continue kissing. Brooks’ eyes were half-closed in pleasure, her pupils dark and wide beneath her eyelids.
‘What was that for?’ Nate asked softly. ‘Not that I didn’t enjoy it, but still…’
‘Because I’ve been wanting to do that for a long time now.’ Brooks replied, snuggling up against him. ‘I’ve just never found the right time, and now seemed as good a time as any.’
‘Hmm. Well, I’m glad you did.’ He pressed a kiss against the top of her head, enjoying the fresh scent of her shampoo. She sighed and then closed her eyes, one hand curling against his chest. After a while, Nate felt her breathing become regular, signaling the moment that she had fallen asleep. He sighed, and wondered what exactly these new developments might mean, and then decided that he’d worry about it in the morning. He settled back against the back of the futon and shut his eyes, listening to the rhythmic breathing coming from Brooks. Eventually he fell asleep, lulled into comfort by the warmth and weight of the woman by his side.