AN: My muse left me stranded exactly one year ago and has yet to return, but literally 2 days ago I found this thing I wrote last year that I never posted, and I swear it was kismet.
Happy St. Valentine's Day.
~ Dizzy
Not that seeing the Sheffields tangled together is a rare display - to CC's chagrin - but the lack of decorum is reprehensible, St. Valentine's Day or not. How Maxwell went from a repressed Englishman who barely gave her a second look whenever she made advances, to someone who happily snogs Nanny Fine in the living room sofa where anyone - that meaning her - can walk in and see it, is beyond her. Of course, if Niles were here, he'd remind her that Maxwell would have rather humped the office's green sofa than go anywhere near her.
As if knowing his witless commentary was required, she feels his presence behind her, and she would blame a certain Tylex stink, if asked how she knew he was close, but the truth is she has developed a sort of sixth sense for him.
"That's about the most disgusting display I've ever seen," she says lightly without turning around, leaning her weight against the living room's doorway, finally catching a glimpse of Niles' face as he leans over her shoulder.
"Hm, haven't looked in a mirror lately, have you?" he replies easily, a wise-ass smirk in his face. Maxwell and Nanny Fine seem blissfully unaware of their presence, or maybe they're just ignoring them. Wouldn't be the first time.
"Careful with that glass shack you're throwing stones from, Doughboy," she mutters, giving him an unamused look, contrast to his own barely repressed joy at their games, "you seem awfully chipper today, considering this is a holiday all about something you've never experienced."
"I've been in love!" he answers defensively, and her lips twitch slightly in an repressed smile. Damn it, focus, CC.
"I was talking about sex," she replies, cackling, and Niles rolls his eyes.
"I'll have you known I plan to get myself thoroughly laid tonight," he says with a smirk, and CC cocks an eyebrow haughtily.
"Oh? Have a hot date?"
Niles huffs. "After staying 20 minutes past the end of my shift to cook them a romantic dinner," he adds, pointing towards the Sheffields, still very much caught up with one another, "I can only hope she's still luke-warm."
"Oh, poor, sweet, never knew the concept of a backbone Niles," she cooes at him, patting his head patronizingly, "honestly, if I were you, I'd put a laxative in her drink."
Niles frowns at her. "My date's?"
"Nanny Fine's, you boob," CC replies, shaking her head as Nanny Fine and Maxwell rub their noses together in the most sickly saccharine way she's ever seen.
"Come on, Babs, ruining their night like that is too mean, even for a hell spawn like you," he replies, shoving at her shoulder slightly.
CC just smirks, pushing her chin up. "You know what they say, in love and war..."
"Hire a Babcock," Niles deadpans quick as a whip, and CC finally turns to face him, toying with the slightly askew knot in his tie.
"Baby, you couldn't afford me," she murmurs, and Niles' shoulder shift in that characteristic way that makes CC prepare for an unfunny zinger that he'll be way too proud of for hours.
"I don't know, poultry comes pretty cheap these days."
There's a dangerous glint to CC's eyes after that, Niles knows it's not wise to remind her of that particular night, and she gives the knot of his tie still in her hand a hard tug, sees Niles choke slightly and she smiles. "Swine," she might as well have declared her undying love, the way her voice lowers and softens around the word.
His smile is teasing and shameless, and CC knows the word that's going to leave his words before he can even open his mouth. "Chi-" so of course, she doesn't let him finish, pushing her lips against his, shoving his body harshly against the other side of the doorway in one move and pressing against him, hearing Niles' gasp of surprise against her mouth. They don't kiss for long, CC pulling back abruptly the minute she feels Niles getting over the surprise and starting to kiss back.
She swats at Niles' chest. "I can't believe you ruined it!" she reproaches, and Niles frowns.
"Me? It was you that kissed me!"
"Oh, please, you were slobbering all over my shoulder," she replies, cleaning an imaginary stain from the shoulder of her elegant suit jacket, and seeing Niles' gaze unwittingly drop from her shoulder to her cleavage, proving her point.
"Was not," he mumbles distractedly, and CC can't help but chuckle.
"You're so weak," she says haughtily, "now you owe me a drink." Niles is about to protest, when she cuts him off, "and by drink I mean, of course, grape juice," she adds, annoyed at Niles' appeased smile. She sorta stopped drinking when she got together with Niles - at least the amount she used to drink - but since they found out she was pregnant, Niles had very insistently made sure that not a drop of alcohol went past her lips.
"Fine, fine. Same place next year, then?" he asks with a wide smile, and CC rolls her eyes at his joyous expression.
"You betcha, baby. Now, what's that about a hot date?"
Niles purses his lips, rocking on his feet slightly. "Well, I didn't want to say, lest you got jealous, but she's as hot as they come."
CC cocks an eyebrow. "Is this going to be another zinger about my hellish origins?"
Niles huffs annoyed. "Maybe."
"How predictable... Watch it, Bell Boy, I didn't marry you for your looks," CC reminds him, lacing her arm through his.
"You're such low hanging fruit, I'm sure I'll think of something appropriately mean to do to you tonight," he replies with a teasing grin, and CC smirks, walking with him towards the main door.
"Promises, promises," she mutters, as Niles opens the door for her, and they exit the house without a word for Maxwell and Fran.
"What the hell was that?!" Maxwell asks, appropriately spooked, once the door is closed behind the other couple.
"What am I, National Geographic? I dunno!" Fran replies, reaching for her glass of wine on the table, pausing just before she takes a sip, "Max, we keep the laxatives on a locked cabinet, right?"