InsaneJournal

Who: Garcia and Sebastian Vael.
What: First dates!
When: Backdated to Sunday, 7/28.
Where: A nice restaurant.
Rating: PG-13.
Status: Complete!



Sebastian was actually nervous, which was unusual for him. This was one first date amongst many first dates. It just happened to be with a woman he really liked and respected and had maybe thought about shagging repeatedly. Aside from the respected part, this was nothing new.

He was waiting at the Greek restaurant he’d told Penelope about, a trifle early. No photographers had bothered him yet, which was a good sign. He just hoped they’d leave the woman alone, or this date might end oddly.

Garcia had worn something appropriately snazzy yet quirky, something very her. A camo corset with a black dress underneath, a purple shrug over her bare shoulders, and white fishnets seemed fitting; it was fun without being frumpy, sexy without being scary. She walked up to the restaurant, feeling her heart thudding in her chest.

Quite honestly, he wouldn’t have expected that to work, but it did, and it suited her. Sebastian waved when he saw her pull up, nervous but hopefully not visibly nervous. “Hello, lass!” He kissed her cheek lightly.

“Hey, Bast.” She blushed happily, wrapping her arms around his waist and hugging him gently. “How’re you? How was work without me?” She was so worried about him sometimes she could barf.

“Infinitely dull.” Sebastian grinned, sliding an arm around her waist and ushering her inside. “I didn’t have anyone to talk about the weeping angels with. I watched some of my episodes I had on the computer against last night, and I’m still wondering why.”

“Oh, so I guess I should return the little statue of one I got for your desk, then.” She pretended to look upset.

“They’re bloody terrifying!” Sebastian laughed, holding the door open for her. “It worries me. I keep side-eyeing statues. Thankfully there aren’t any in here.”

“They are. But at the same time, you’re in the States, I think you’re safe here. None of the Doctor’s enemies ever come here, except that one time the Daleks went to New York.” Garcia wrinkled her nose. “Xenophobic aliens.”

“I’ve never been all that intimidated by the Daleks.” Sebastian snorted, pulling her chair out once they got to the table. “I keep telling you, it’s the Cybermen.” He couldn’t entirely stop smiling, though. “You look very nice, by the way.”

She sat down, going pink at his compliment. “Thank you. I’m not necessarily scared of Daleks, I’m just scared of any creature that can cut off feeling. Or humans who’re evil.” She winced, shuddering. “Texas Chainsaw Massacre? Yeah. Terrifying.”

“Feeling is what makes us human.” Sebastian shrugged. “We’re all just bundles of opinions and emotions. It’s what makes us interesting.” He smiled a little. “Was it nice sleeping more today?”

“I’m not really religious, but I always say love is my church.” She’d been raised secularly, but her parents were hippies. It was where she got it from.

His question made her laugh, and she pushed her hair behind her ears. “Well, it’s not that I get to sleep in, it’s that I’m off work way earlier. Hence, me being out with you.” She grinned, glad she’d worn a red lip stain - all of the sexy, none of the rubbing off on his collar or mouth.

“I was dragged to our auld holy Presbyterian church every bloody Sunday.” Sebastian had to laugh as he got the wine list out. “Father hates that I’m not religious, but I just can’t be. It makes no sense to my brains, I’m afraid.”

Garcia smiled. “My parents raised me secular. They don’t trust ‘the man’. I learned that most religions are similar, and they all have lots of beautiful points. Lots of stupid ones too. Really, my parents taught me to try to be the best person I can, and to love everyone like they’re family.” Which was hard to do with the dreams she had; sometimes criminals just gave her the wig.

“Your parents sound like they’re brilliant people.” He meant it; people who could see the good and bad in everyone were rare indeed.

“They really are. I’m pretty sure they’d like you.” She didn’t mean it in a ‘meet the parents’ way, she just meant it in a ‘Sebastian is a good person’ way. Smiling, she scanned the wine list and looked over at him. “I don’t see how anyone couldn’t.”

“Like me?” Sebastian chuckled. “Oh, lass, there are plenty of people who don’t like me. I’m a bit of a bastard when I want to be.”

“Really. Like when?” Garcia was skeptical.

“Oh, dear. Our first date starts with me telling you why I’m an arse?” Sebastian had to be amused. “Um. I have one ex-girlfriend who swears I cheated on her because she saw me feeling up her mate, when in reality I was doing the Heimlich?” What else. “I might have accidentally smashed up a mate’s car trying to outrun a van of paparazzi on the M1, and never paid him for it?”

“Sure, why not? Dates are all about getting to know each other.” Besides, Garcia seriously doubted that Sebastian Vael could be an ass in any way, shape, or form.

“How dare you save a woman’s life.” Garcia grinned, tucking her hair behind her ears. “Could your mate afford another car? Or did you leave him destitute, in the streets?”

“He could afford it, but he called me a bastard and won’t speak to me still.” Sebastian did actually feel rather bad about it. “The girl’s a bit flighty, but still. I don’t like people thinking I’m an arse, actually.”

“Well, you can pay back your mate someday. But the girl? If she won’t listen to reason, that might be a lost cause.” Garcia reached out to squeeze his hand. “I don’t think you’re an ass, I think you’re human. I’m not perfect either, you know.”

“No, you’re not. You prefer Six to Four.” Sebastian jibed, wanting her to smile. The waiter came over at that point to take their drink orders, so he was able to smile angelically, knowing she couldn’t get a word in edgewise until he left.

She giggled, biting back her retort until she could order herself a screwdriver. Once the waiter left, she examined the food, then looked up. “Yes. I’m a monster. Six is adorable, so sue me.”

“I like him too, honestly, but nothing beats the scarf. I even tried to knit myself one when I was a lad. Made a hash of it.” Sebastian grinned, ordering a Guinness.

“I could teach you to knit if you wanted me to.” Bam! Christmas gift already sorted. She had a new project, and Garcia was sure she’d be able to finish it before the holidays.

“I’m unfortunately not sure I’d have time.” Sebastian grimaced. “You know how damned busy the office is now. And while I want to work on this charity for the Vegas victims, it’s eating into my time. Perhaps I ought to get an assistant.”

“Hmm.” Garcia pretended to think about doing it herself, but then she shook her head. “Nope. Not me. I’m enjoying getting sleep. But it’d help if you got someone smart and capable and maybe unattractive.” Winking at him, she squeezed his hand.

“Maybe I’ll find a bloke.” Sebastian laughed.

“I tease, I won’t turn into a jealous monster if we end up making dating a regular thing.” Garcia blushed at the notion of it, at saying that out loud.

“Well, I do appreciate that.” Sebastian smiled, looking down. “I maybe don’t have to say it, but I will - I don’t cheat.” Especially on someone he was fond of.

“I never have either. I’d just rather people be honest with me. If you and I get serious, not that we will or that I’m counting on it, but just if - I’d rather you be honest with me and just dump me, you know? Not you, just talking about guys in general. I wish men would be honest and just tell me that they’d rather sleep with everyone and their grandmother but me.” She’d been cheated on by her college sweetheart, and she wondered if she’d ever get over the bitterness.

“If it ever happens to get there, you have my word that I’ll be honest.” Sebastian felt the urge to take her hand, and did so. “Stupid to lead someone around - I admit I tried to pretty up breakups when I was wee, but I learnt the hard way that lying and pretending all’s well just fuck everything in the end.”

“Honesty’s the best policy. I try to always do the honest thing. I mean, sometimes tact is called for, but even then. If you get a stupid haircut, I’ll say it’s not my favorite, but as long as you like it. And if you don’t, we’ll try to get some gel. Not that I’m saying your haircut is stupid, you’re perfect looking. Just. Examples.” She squeezed his hand, blushing brightly. When the waiter came to drop off their drinks, she’d never been so grateful for vodka in her whole life.

Sebastian couldn’t help but be amused. After the drinks were delivered, he squeezed her hand back, shaking his head. “Calm down, luv. It’s just me.”

“Yes, just you. Bast, I took a job just to ogle you and hang out with you. I didn’t expect you to be awesome and eye candy.” Garcia chuckled to herself, taking a sip of her drink. It was perfect, and she offered him the glass. “Want a sip? I swear, it tastes like undergrad.”

“Does it now.” That amused him even more. “My time at university would have smelt strongly of Macallan.” He took a sip, blinking. “What’s in that besides vodka?”

“Orange juice. That’s it.” Garcia grinned, leaning back. “Macallan? You drank scotch in university? You posh bastard. This is what you drink in college. It’s cheap. I used to make it with orange juice concentrate, that’s how broke I was.” She’d learned to knit because she wanted her own accessories to sell and wear.

“I’m a Scot; all I had to do was go up the bloody road.” Sebastian laughed. “Good whisky isn’t expensive there, or at least not expensive enough to stop me!”

“In college, or university, whichever - you have to drink terrible things. It prepares you for the real world. You have to taste disappointment so you’re ready for your first terrible job or whatever.” Garcia grinned, amused that he liked her go to drink.

“And that’s why I probably grew up a spoilt wee shite.” Sebastian chuckled, looking down. “I freely admit that. I didn’t really want for anything.” He’d had to learn the hard way that not everyone had his upbringing.

“You’re not that wee,” Garcia teased. “But you know it, and that’s honestly a big deal. It means you learned that other people don’t have that life, that you’re lucky.” She squeezed his hand. “Are you close to your father?”

“Sort of?” Sebastian tried to think of how to put it. “We get along all right, but at the same time, he wants me to be more like him.” And he was frankly nothing like his father. “Father’s about as traditional and royalist as you can imagine. That’s not ... it’s a bit old fashioned.”

“And that’s just not you.” Garcia chuckled. “Yeah, I know how that goes. My parents are huge luddites - they don’t even have a TV. My parents still send me a letter every week with a typewriter, they live on a commune upstate.” She was used to the lecture about her carbon footprint that she always got; at this point it was something that just rolled off her shoulders.

“Really?” Sebastian blinked. He broke off as the waiter came to take their orders, resuming afterward. “A literal commune? That’s ... I didn’t even know those existed anymore. That’s rather brilliant, honestly.” He laughed.

“Oh, yeah, they only use green energy, grow their own foods, and make kefir and other probiotic stuff to sell at farmer’s markets. They live up there with a couple other couples and some random college students. They teach bikram yoga too.” It was why Garcia was surprisingly flexible. “They have their own houses, though. Mom always says they’re hippies, not polygamists.”

Sebastian laughed. “Oh, dear. And yet you have a good relationship with them? I ask because you’re one of the most ... techy people I know.” He was genuinely curious.

“We just don’t talk about it. And I drink wheatgrass smoothies every morning. The hippie’s still strong within me, even though I’m super tech.” Garcia smiled brightly. “I did get them to embrace the iPod. How else are they going to have every Dead and Phish album in one place?”

“That is very true.” He said solemnly, smiling. “I’m glad that you have them in your life. And I mean, Father and I get along well enough. And my sister and I are close. She’s very proper, though; she’s married and teaches elementary school.”

“I have older brothers. They’d give you the business, except they know I can handle myself.” Garcia smiled right back, glad that Sebastian had family to be close to at all. So many people didn’t. “Are you the only geek in your family?”

“I’m afraid so.” Sebastian smiled, looking down. “Nina doesn’t have time for that sort of thing, and Father just thinks it’s silly. I don’t care. I think things like Doctor Who keep me young.”

Garcia gasped. “My parents are geeks for science things - they were both high school science teachers, Mom did chem and Dad did biology. So they’re more nerds than geeks. But they were the ones who took me to go get comics every Tuesday, and ... I don’t know. It meant a lot. It was such a rude awakening when people judged me for what I liked in high school. Then in college, I was told I wasn’t a ‘real’ geek because I’m a girl.” That made her roll her eyes. “Like it’s a secret bloody club.”

“Stupid.” Sebastian snorted. “I admit I was a bit shocked when I met my first lass who liked things like video games and Doctor Who, but they were more attractive to me because of it. As mates, not just as sex objects. I did have a mate at university who was a girl, but we didn’t spend much time together because bloody photogs tried to smush us together in the press.”

As if on cue, a flash bulb lit up from outside. Garcia ignored it in favor of sipping her drink. “In Scotland, that makes sense. But here, it’s weird. Must be a slow news day, what with Amanda Bynes finally in treatment.”

“I do my best to try not to pay attention to that rubbish.” Sebastian shook his head. “I mean, some gossip is all right, but that poor girl needed help, not mockery.”

“Just so you know, I’m not scared of anything about me getting out. My criminal record is sealed since I copped a plea out of it.” She looked at her hands, laughing a little. “Am I your first sorta felon you’ve ever dated?”

“Felon?” Sebastian laughed. “Oh, dear. I won’t tell if you won’t?”

“I told you about how I got my job at Stark. Tony vouched for me not doing anything malicious, and they realized that me reading things about celebrities and not selling them wasn’t a big deal. So I got released on the condition I work for Tony. I was so fine with that.” Garcia blushed.

“That rather works well, doesn’t it.” Sebastian sat back. “You must think very highly of him.” He’d never met the man, but it had always been on his list.

“He’s a wonderful person even if he hides it under a few layers of arrogant douchenozzle. He’s our arrogant douchenozzle, you know?” Garcia laughed a little.

“We all know one of those. Or more.” Sebastian chuckled. The waiter arrived with their food not long afterward, and he thanked the man before looking over at Penelope again. “What did you order?”

“I got some souzoukakia,” Garcia laughed. Greek meatballs had been a safe choice - she didn’t think it had too much garlic in it to totally rule out a goodnight kiss. But just in case, she had a toothbrush and toothpaste in her purse. “What did you get?” Garcia realized that she hadn’t moved her hand from his since the time they’d squeezed hands earlier. Well, at least they knew what photo of them was going to be on Skeeter’s page tomorrow.

“Grilled octopus.” Sebastian smiled. “I love it. I didn’t vacation much as a lad, but when we did, we went to the Greek Islands often. Father kept a villa on Crete, back when it was less populated.”

That made Garcia smile. She liked the idea of a young Sebastian swimming until his fingers went pruny, smelling like salt and suntan lotion. “We went to Catalina Island a lot as a kid. I swear, I’m destined to get skin cancer with how much I burned as a kid.” She offered him a bite of the meatballs she’d ordered, holding her fork aloft.

“God and Maker forbid,” Sebastian said fervently, smiling as he accepted a taste of the meatballs. He ate it off her fork, though the flashbulbs did make him blink. “Bloody photogs.”

“I don’t go out in the sun anymore,” she beamed. But those flashbulbs were kind of annoying. “One second,” Garcia murmured. She stood up, leaving her napkin on her seat, moving to the window. She moved to pull the blinds down on all windows on their side of the restaurant, snapping the shades shut so that the photographers wouldn’t be able to get a good angle unless they came in, which she doubted they’d do. After which, she returned to her seat and resumed eating, as if nothing had happened.

“Thank you.” Sebastian chuckled. “I didn’t necessarily want to do that, since now they know something’s going on, but I suppose they did already.” He sighed. “And this is bloody good, if you want a taste. People think octopus is chewy, but not when done right.”

Garcia shrugged. “They knew you were having dinner with a giiiiiirllll,” she teased. “That must be frustrating. If you go on a first date that doesn’t work, it’s still splashed everywhere.” Her nose wrinkled slightly as she thought of how crappy Sebastian’s dating life could be because of paparazzi.

“Oh, it’s good here? I love octopus, but so many places screw it up.” She leaned over to take the bite off of his fork, smiling to herself. She wondered if this was a first date that didn’t work. She really hoped it was going well.

Sebastian watched her try it. “It’s true, but this one’s brilliant, I think.” He liked her smile. “I’m guessing you agree. Why don’t you smile more?” It had just slipped out, and he looked vaguely embarrassed, but well, it was an honest question.

She chewed with her eyes closed, sighing happily. But then he asked her such a sweet question, and she laughed giddily. “You make me nervous is all! I smile all the time, actually.” She was smiling then, and she couldn’t help it. Squeezing his hand, she beamed.

“Well, stop being so bloody nervous, then.” Sebastian teased. “Seriously, lass. I promise you, I like you quite a lot.”

“I’m only nervous because I do like you.” Garcia laughed again, cheeks growing hot. Whenever Sebastian said lass, especially when it was shot her way, she had to shift her weight in her seat. “Not every day a girl goes out with her personal wet dreams sort of cobbled together and oh, bonus! He’s nice, too.” She waved her hands a bit. “I’m used to guys talking to my boobs for three hours until I have to start talking in a weird voice to get him to stop.”

Just to make her laugh, Sebastian did speak to her breasts. “You’re really rather lovely,” he told her breasts, “but given you can’t speak back to me, talking to you is a bit useless.”

Garcia laughed loudly. “I went on a date with a guy once who talked to them so long I gave them little voices, like I was reading a book.” She made her voice go high and squeaky. “I’m a breast! I serve no purpose except to nourish children and acquire cancer!”

Sebastian laughed delightedly, shaking his head. “I admit I’ve done that, but not for a long time. I think I was at uni the last time I did that. It’s for little boys anyway.” There was a lot more to her than an excellent rack.

“Here’s hoping you’re not little,” Garcia murmured under her breath.

“Pardon?” Sebastian hadn’t heard her.

“I was being terribly inappropriate,” Garcia grinned. “You can imagine, I’m sure.”

“I can.” Sebastian couldn’t entirely help but smirk. He did like her sense of humor. “One thing I ought to be honest about, my bonnie lassie, is that I’d prefer to wait on anything too ... much ... until we’ve had a few more dates. I hope you can forgive me.” He looked serious, but he did genuinely worry. He wanted to kiss her at the end of this, but he worried about arsing everything up if they shagged too soon.

“Of course. There’s always frantic self-gratification I can do later. It’s been a few years for me, so I’m used to being chaste.” She chuckled, surprised at the admission. “Five’s my limit though. After that, I insist on at least some below the shirt necking or I’ll pout.”

That got a guffaw, though he managed to suppress most of it. “Frantic self-abuse has gotten many of us through a lonely night.” Sebastian was grinning, shaking his head. “But no, I understand. I just don’t want to rush anything. And there’ll definitely be another date.”

“Really. What about a goodnight kiss?” Garcia chuckled, amused that he liked her sense of humor. It made her want to jump on him, but she could be a good girl for four more dates, right?

“That I can do.” Sebastian raised an eyebrow. “It hasn’t gotten me through any lonely nights, though.”

“Nor I, but there’s a first time for everything,” Garcia purred.

Sebastian chuckled, looking down at his plate. “You are a minx, my lady.” He liked it.

“I can’t help it, I come by it honestly. If my mom walked into the room right now, she’d ask if you were going to give her grandchildren or just children. I am not even kidding.” Garcia laughed again, tucking her hair behind her ears. “I learned from the best.”

Sebastian might actually have blushed at that. “Your mum sounds like a great lady. Despite the lack of technology. Unfortunately, I’m a bit attached to mine, as you might possibly have noticed.”

“Don’t worry, she’s given up on trying to get me to get rid of mine. I kept every video gaming console I’ve ever had, I upgrade my cell phone like, every two months, and don’t get me started on my computers.” She smiled brightly, almost like she was talking about kids. She loved her tech too.

“I had Blu-Ray before anyone else, except perhaps you.” Sebastian joked. “I think my iPhone may be surgically attached to my hip, and while I’m no hacker, I don’t feel entirely complete without a computer close to hand. Laptop, tablet, whichever.”

“Did you jailbreak your iPhone?” Garcia grinned wickedly. “I void warranties and any given ToS is my bitch.” If she could’ve had a slogan on a t-shirt, that would’ve been it.

“Had someone do it for me; alas, I’m not that advanced.” Sebastian grinned right back. “I hope it doesn’t make me an embarrassment to you. And what else do you make your bitch, pray tell?” He winked.

“As if you’re the embarrassment in the date here.” She’d wanted to say relationship, but she didn’t want to shoot herself in the foot if that wasn’t what it was, wasn’t what it was meant to be.

His other comment made her cheeks go red, a laugh bubbling up from her lips. “Oh, I’m the terrible one now, huh?”

“I never said I wasn’t terrible, I just think you’re worse.” Sebastian liked teasing her. She went such a charming shade of red.

“Or better, depending on how you see things,” she quipped. Drinking her screwdriver seemed like a great idea; it wouldn’t help with the blush, but she could always say she was red from the booze. Yes, blame it on the booze, great idea.

Sebastian smirked. “It’s fun to make you pink. It matches your pretty skin tone.” He didn’t want to harass her or anything, but he did like teasing.

“Lots of things make me blush. I go pink when I exercise, too. Physical exertion of any kind, really.” Flirting with him was so simple, the teases just fell from her lips. She bit her lower lip playfully, grinning at him.

Sebastian could tell right here and now that whenever they did go to bed - and he was thinking it would be when at this point - it would be interesting. “Oh, Penelope, I’m glad nothing’s changed.” He meant it; he’d been worried that things would be awkward or strange. Nothing was, so far.

That made her laugh in relief as well. “I’m glad too. You’re still my awesome friend, nothing can take that away. I think the best relationships start this way - friends just sort of feeling things out. No puns intended.” Reaching out, she took his hand and squeezed it. “And even if we decide eh, no go, you’re still my friend.” She was a romantic, but not too much of one to not be a tiny bit of a pessimist.

“I always want to be your friend.” Sebastian squeezed her hand, taking it up and lightly bussing it. “You’re a brilliant person, Penelope.” Just now, they might be exploring something more. “And Nine is even your favourite New Who.”

“That’s how I feel about you, Bast. You’re my friend first, family second, hot bloke third. Promise.” Their fingers threaded together, and Garcia laughed. “I love Nine. He’s angry and he’s hurt and who wouldn’t be after what he’d been through? He had all of the quirk his previous incarnations did, but he was ... so sad, and it made me want to hug him.”

Sebastian smiled genuinely, with less teasing in it than before. “That’s honestly why he’s my favourite, as well. The Doctor can be very silly and happy and whimsical, but it feels dishonest not to accept how angry he has a right to be.” He chuckled. It meant quite a lot, actually, that she understood things like that about him, never mind the Doctor.

“And so lonely,” she murmured. “I mean, can you imagine being alone in all of time and space? Not just for a finite period of time, but for ... all of them? And he’s not allowed to go back and change anything, and knowing that he could, but he mustn’t must just eat away at him.” She smiled and shook her head. “Sometimes I wonder if Nine’s whimsy is because he knows his hearts are going to break if he doesn’t find something to smile about.” Oh crud. She was geek ranting on a date. Watch him flee.

“It might very well be.” Sebastian smiled. “I mean, we all have loneliness and pain to deal with. But knowing that you can, in theory, change bad things, but that if you do, worse things will happen.” He chuckled a little bit. “Is it odd that I’d have loved to watch Nine and Donna Noble interact?”

“I’d have loved them to get married, the Doctor was perfect for her at that point in his life. I cried when Rose got stuck, but I was gutted when Donna forgot.” Garcia smiled. “The beautiful girl who’s always in the right place - I can’t identify with her. But the average girl who’s good at typing? That, I get.”

“I’d say you could be my Donna, but I’m not as cool as the Doctor.” Sebastian grinned.

“Yes you are,” Garcia murmured, sheepishly hanging her head. “There’s very few people I’d work eight hours for after my eight hours of work were over.” He was one of them. And it wasn’t even that he was gorgeous. He had a good heart too.

“And I’m still grateful for it.” Sebastian smiled. He looked down at his plate. “Fancy dessert, or should we be going?” Unfortunately, it was getting a bit late.

“Let’s get going.” Garcia fished for a mint in her purse and popped it into her mouth. “Altoids for dessert work, right?”

“Sure.” Sebastian rose, offering her his arm. “Maybe we can manage to sneak out the back? I’m sure there’s bloody parasites with cameras out front.” He didn’t want Penelope bothered, though he could hold his own.

Garcia held up a hand and tapped a few things on her phone. “Nah, their bosses all texted them that there’s a KimYe sighting at Nobu and they have to get on it asap.” She winked and put her phone back into her purse. “Power to the people, Bast.”

Sebastian laughed. “You’re very handy, you know.” He left enough to pay for the meal and then directed her to the door. “Let me get the cab with you back to your place.” He wouldn’t come in, but he’d at least see her to her door like a gentleman.

“You don’t have to do that,” she murmured, suddenly feeling like she was back in high school. She wanted him to, but he didn’t have to.

“I try to not be a complete cad. I’ll see you to your door.” Unless she adamantly told him no. He wasn’t trying to be rude, just protective.

“Can we snog in the cab?” She was only half-teasing.

“Maybe.” So was he.

They caught a cab relatively quickly, luckily, and Sebastian handed her into the back. She gave the address, and he looked over at her as they slid into traffic. “So,” he said. “I take it that I’m lucky enough to get a second date?”

She moved a little closer to him, taking his hand and nodding. “Yeah. And a third, by the way. I’m fond of you.”

“Already a third? How lucky am I?” Sebastian grinned, wrapping his arm around her. “I’ve had a lovely time, you know.” It had been remarkably stress-free.

“Me too.” She moved so she was leaning against him, her head on his shoulder. “Wow, you smell amazing,” she murmured. Crud, her filter was missing again.

It didn’t bother Sebastian. “Do I? My detergent is rather nice.” He liked the closeness.

“I don’t know if it’s soap or aftershave or you.” She looked up at him, noticing how close he was and feeling her heart thudding in her ears.

“Well, I don’t wear aftershave. It’s tacky.” Sebastian tried to sound sage, wanting her to smile. She looked so nervous for some reason.

She giggled at that, playfully nipping at his jaw. He had stubble, and she had to resist the urge to just climb into his lap and traumatize the cabbie.

He liked that. He could be comfortable with that. Sebastian did kiss her, but gently. Nothing improper, nothing that would get them chucked out of a restaurant. Or a cab.

Sighing contentedly, Garcia reached up to stroke his cheek, gently. It was a bit of a storybook first kiss, and she smiled. He made her feel a bit like a princess.

It didn’t last long, and he managed a faint smile at her when they parted. “I’ve made you happy and stayed a gentleman.” Sebastian murmured. “Will wonders ever cease.”

“Hey, you don’t have to hold to that second part, gorgeous. There’s still time.” She grinned, but it turned into giggles when she heard a guffaw from the cabbie.

“That comes later.” Sebastian had the grace to blush when the cabbie laughed.

Garcia giggled. “I was teasing, but it’s good to know.” She hated that the cab ride was so short.

Indeed, the cabbie arrived outside Penelope’s flat a few minutes later. Sebastian told the man to wait, then got out and escorted Penelope to her door. “I had a brilliant time,” he told her, smiling a little. “And I’ll be ringing for a second date.”

She smiled and looked up at him. “I had a great time too. I’m just ... it’s so much more fun dating a friend.” Tiptoeing up, she gave him another sweet, chaste kiss, cupping his cheek. “You’re wonderful.”

“I could say the same, you know. That you’re wonderful, I mean, not that I’m wonderful.” Sebastian blushed awkwardly. “But, yes. I’ll ring.” He smiled. “You have a good rest of your evening, lass.”

“I will, what with the frantic self-abuse and all.” She gave him another kiss on his chin before unlocking her door. “See you soon, Bast.”

“Indeed.” Sebastian smiled, making sure she got inside with the door closed before going back to the cab.