A/N: Written for the Bonesflashfic challenge on Livejournal. The prompt was 'Pre-series'.
Disclaimer: Sadly, not mine.
First Impressions
Brennan didn't actually introduce Angela to her co-workers. She merely pointed them out to her from across the vast lab. That, to Angela, was one of Brennan's funniest quirks - her ability to be perfectly sociable with her colleagues, but still prefer describing them from afar as opposed to making formal introductions. It was a good thing Angela had the personality she did. She'd found over the few years they'd known each other that she spent half of her time trying to make her friend more people-friendly, and the other half being friendly enough for the both of them.
While Brennan rambled on about the ins and outs of one of the country's best labs - the Jeffersonian, of course - Angela catalogued the small bits of information she'd gotten about the people. It didn't matter so much to Angela what happened at the lab, more so who was doing it.
It was almost the end of her first day before Angela introduced herself to the other member of Brennan's team, the man she'd be working equally close to Brennan with. She wanted to wait until he looked less busy, but she realized it wasn't going to happen any time soon. He seemed to live bent over his microscope, changing slides and jotting down notes. And it wasn't as if that would be the first time someone's first impression of her was 'egomaniac artist'.
She might as well do it sooner, rather than later. Angela ran two hands down her thighs, smoothing her skirt as she approached the workspace she'd only seen him leave a few times all day.
"Hi," she said, leaning onto the table and talking to the head of curls that seemed oblivious to everything around them. "You work with Dr. Brennan, right?" Angela could have used his name, but didn't. It was better not to let the person you were meeting for the first time suspect you had preconceived notions of them.
When he - Hodgins - looked up at her, he seemed almost surprised at being addressed. "Ya. Jack Hodgins," he said after a long pause, holding his hand out for her to shake. She did, but without breaking eye contact; his eyes appeared a startling shade of blue, and she thought it might have just been a trick of light. It wasn't.
"Angela Montenegro," she told him with a smile. "I'm the newest member of the team."
"Cool." Hodgins looked awkward for an instant, then realized he was still shaking Angela's hand and let it go abruptly.
It's like he's never talked to a woman before, she thought, laughing. "So what's your role?" Again, Angela already knew the answer. This time, she was just being friendly.
It was obviously a comfortable topic for Hodgins - he relaxed slightly, and said, "I specialize in mineralogy, botany, and entomology."
"I'm an artist." If there was one way Angela knew how to see what a scientist was really like, it was to put them in this situation. Occasionally, it was cruel and judgmental, but it helped with her almost-always-accurate first impressions.
"Bugs, plants, and slime, basically."
Angela laughed and was rewarded with a grin from Hodgins. As a scientist, she would have to do a little work on him. As a male, she would have to do a lot of work on him. Any guy with those eyes and that grin should not have any problems talking to his new female lab-mate.
"That's cool."
"You'll find it gross soon enough."
"I don't doubt that." Angela held his eyes through the silence, looking for something she didn't find. "I can't wait to actually start working with you, Dr. Hodgins."
"Likewise, Ms. Montenegro."
She flashed him another smile, then turned to walk away.
"Hey, Angela," Hodgins called after her, making her stop and turn. "What would you say if I asked you out to dinner? You know, to get better acquainted."
Obviously, she'd underestimated his charm. "I'd say I'll bring Brennan and make it a team thing." She didn't wait to read his expression as she turned again.
Later, Angela thought over her first impression of him. Nice, obviously intelligent, and kinda cute. For a science geek.