A/N: First line provided by akamarykate as part of a drabble meme I reblogged on tumblr. This 'drabble' turned out longer than planned, but I can't really complain. I love these two so much! Also, friendly reminder that I haven't seen most of seasons 3 & 4, so don't know the details of the Erica nonsense, but I referenced it so...
Toni is mesmerized by Hobson's hands as he fidgets with his newspaper and stutters out an explanation. "I - I don't wa-" he lets out a frustrated huff and tightens his grip around the paper, "Y-You'll think I'm crazy."
"I don't think you're crazy, Hobson," Toni tilts her head slightly, eyes still glued to his hands, "a little odd, sure. But not crazy."
"It's just that - that I haven't told a lot of people a-and, except for Marissa, th-they've all -" he twists the paper nervously, and if it weren't for her superior hearing, the crinkling sounds might make him impossible to understand as his voice lowers to a whisper, "I mean, the last person I told was Erica and -"
Her head snaps up at the mention of his former girlfriend, "I don't scare as easily as your little Blondie."
And Toni refers to Erica with such derision that Gary can't help the grin that spreads across his face.
The air between them thickens as their eyes lock onto each other. It's that something that they had tried so hard to resist at first, and though they can't quite describe the feeling, they've since come to learn that it can't be ignored.
Toni takes a small step closer, breathes deep, and smiles.
"Tell me," she whispers.
"You're sure you want to know?"
"Hobson."
"Alright," he clears his throat and averts his eyes, "it's the newspaper."
"I gathered as much, Hobson," she sighs and Gary doesn't need to look at Toni to know that she's rolling her eyes, "you're not exactly subtle about your obsession. What about it?"
"I get tomorrow's, today."
Silence.
Gary braces himself for ridicule, accusations, and insults. So when he receives no audible response, he finally braves returning his gaze to the woman before him. Toni is biting back a smile, and in any other circumstance, he would be tempted to steal it in a kiss.
"You get tomorrow's newspaper?" She asks, a single eyebrow raised, "That's the big secret?"
He simply nods, his fingers twitching over his precious paper.
"Most people in the city get the newspaper, Hobson," Toni's words are laced with equal parts amusement and exasperation as she crosses her arms over her chest.
"No, To- Brigatti, that's not-" Gary takes a deep breath in an attempt to compose himself, his grip on the paper loosening slightly, "I mean, I get tomorrow's newspaper, today. It comes to me a day early."
"So you get an advanced copy?" Toni inquires, fingers drumming pensively against her arm, "You have connections over at the paper or something? They swear you to secrecy?"
"No," he sighs, "look, just... Let me explain before you say anything, okay?"
Toni narrows her eyes at that, but nevertheless, she acquiesces, gesturing for him to continue.
Relief washes over him, but it's soon lost as the nerves resettle in his gut.
"I get tomorrow's newspaper," there's a foreign professionalism in his features as he speaks, and Toni knows that, to Gary, this is deadly serious, "today. Before it's written. Before some of these things even happen. I see these horrible things: accidents, crimes... I have to stop them, Toni," her name slips off his tongue with such ease that he doesn't bother correcting himself this time. He suspects that by the end of this conversation, he won't be allowed to use that name ever again.
But Gary trusts Toni. He cares for her.
"I have to stop them, Toni," he repeats, and there's a hint of wetness in his eyes as he continues, his voice as steady as his nerves allow, "I'm out there saving lives, you see? I don't know exactly how it works or why I was chosen, but Cat brings the paper, and I have to - I'm saving lives, Toni."
There's a sense of desperation emanating off of him as he awaits her reply.
Toni doesn't answer right away. She bites her cheek, furrows her brow, and scans him with her eyes. A hoard of conflicting thoughts race through her mind, and while the stillness only surrounds them for a minute or two, it feels far longer. To both of them.
"Toni?" his voice cracks.
"Okay."
"Okay?"
"Yeah," and that's it. That's all she says, a playful smile creeping up her lips.
It takes Gary a little longer to process what that means than it likely should. Her reaction is not at all what he had been expecting, in fact, it's the exact opposite. Toni doesn't even seem perturbed by his secret in the slightest. She looks... happy. With the paper held to his heart and the weight of Toni's stunning smile, Gary can't help the flutter in his chest. Nor can he stop the mischief that causes him to echo their previous interactions.
"Just... okay?"
The recognition is instant, the underlying message making Toni's heart jump, "You're pushing it, Hobson."
Their gazes shift to one another's lips, heat rising in their bellies.
They don't kiss.
The uncertainty lingers.
For Gary, it's fear. Somehow, his brain isn't quite as convinced as his heart. He wonders if perhaps he's imagining this entire conversation. Okay. Somehow, Gary feels brave. It's almost as though his heart is determined to prove to his brain that it truly is okay.
"So you're not gonna yell, call me a liar, maybe throw something at me, and leave?"
For Toni, it's uncharted territory. Almost dangerous.
"I should," she concedes, "That's probably exactly what I should do."
His heart sinks then, the bravery fading.
And the disappointment must show, because Toni reaches forward, settling a comforting hand on his bicep before she adds, "But I know when you're lying, Hobson, and for some reason, I believe you."
"You're not leaving," it's a statement, not a question.
Toni allows him a moment to absorb the acceptance, before deciding words aren't enough. She closes the remaining space between them, her hand slinking up his arm and into his hair. Dark, beautiful eyes search his green eyes briefly, and then Toni pulls him down for a kiss. It's a simple, tender caress of the lips. And it's enough. To reassure him, it's enough.
But it isn't enough. They both crave more, and it's that desire that causes Gary to release the paper - now crushed between their bodies - from one of his hands. His free hand slips around to support Toni's lower back as he deepens the kiss into something that is more hungry and desperate than it is tender.
"Hell," Toni breathes as they part for air, "maybe I'm the crazy one."
"Maybe we both are," he chuckles, and it's so strange, that a word he had feared only moments ago could escape him with such levity.
Toni's hand sweeps out of his hair to stroke his cheek, and as she feels his flushed skin, she discovers just how contagious Gary's dopey grin is.
"What now?" his words vibrate against her fingers.
"Now," Toni starts, her hand travelling down to his chest, stopping only when it reaches the hand that remains wrapped around the paper, "you show me."
"What?" he exhales.
It's curious, that her request surprises him. Toni simply taps her fingers against his warm hand in response, her gaze never straying from his.
"I-I'm not sure that's such a good idea."
"So we can share a bed, but not a newspaper?" Toni drawls, staring at him in that terribly effective way she does whenever she's being lied to. And the look is just as potent on Gary's hesitance as it is his deception.
"I-" Gary swallows, scanning her body as certain images of Toni and him and bed intrude his mind. It's only when he raises his gaze to see her smirk that realization dawns on him. "Hey, wait a minute! We haven't - we haven't shared a bed -"
"Yet," she adds, biting her lip.
"The one time we almost did you made me sleep on the cou-" he freezes, eyes wide, "What did you say?"
"You heard me, Gary," Toni's use of his name is so rare that it sends a shiver through him, providing just the distraction she needs. Toni envelopes his hand with one of hers, while the other rises to rest on the newspaper, "Now, let me see this magical paper of yours."
"But-"
"Look, Hobson," she cuts him off, and he doesn't miss the fact that Toni has reverted to using his last name, "it's one thing for me to believe you're telling the truth. It's a whole other thing for me to know. I'm a detective," she squeezes his hand, "I need evidence."
It's an act of trust, even greater than sharing his secret, when he relinquishes the paper. Her appreciation of the gesture is silent, but clear. Carefully, she unfolds the wrinkled newspaper and begins to examine it as she moves to sit on the couch. Each page is afforded equal diligence.
Gary follows and sits next to her. He says nothing, simply observes her concentration, his mind still reeling.
A few minutes more of nothing but breathing and papers shuffling and then, "okay, it's real. Now tell me how this works."
And so he does. They spend about an hour discussing it. Toni has questions. Many, many questions. Gary does his best to answer them all. He's still in awe of her acceptance, her interest. Different revelations come out about rooftops and theft and murder.
Toni hugs him when she discovers just how many times he had saved her. She clings to him more forcefully than that day on the roof.
At one point, Gary swears he feels a teardrop soak his shoulder, but he says nothing.
Curiosity satisfied for the time being, Toni asks him whether there's anything in the paper that requires his attention now. When Gary shakes his head and explains that as far as he knows, he's done for the day, a wicked grin takes over her features.
"Good," she says, lacing her fingers with his as she stands, "because you and I have an appointment."
"We do?" he asks, dumbfounded as Toni pulls him to stand with her.
She simply hums and nods her head toward the bed.
A blush paints his cheeks at the implication and she squeezes his hand, chuckling softly.
He stills as Toni tugs him gently. Her brows furrow at his hesitance, but he answers before she can say anything.
"One more thing," and though his voice is stern, his reddened cheeks take away from the severity of his words, "you can't tell anyone. About the paper, I mean."
"You're kidding, right?" she rolls her eyes, and it's more out of affection than irritation, "Hobson, if anyone at the precinct knew about this, they'd put us both in strait jackets." When all he does is shrug in agreement, Toni pulls him flush against her and husks, "Now shut up and kiss me."
A/N: Thanks for reading, please consider leaving a little review :)