The Rings in the Heart
Chapter 1 - My milkshake brings all the Booths to the yard
Disclaimers: BONES is not mine. Just playing in their yard, because they're messing with my head. Abject apologies to Kelis.
A/N: So I've finished some creative decision-making about this story – it will be a sequel, because the chance to embark on the tale of a longer term experiment was irresistible to my inner scientist. The setting is a couple of weeks following the conclusion of 'The Tequila in the Anthropologist'; a divergent post 100th fic that goes where no member of the actual BONES writing team have ever been signed off to go before. There is also a case, with a solid scientific foundation.
The challenge to me as the author is to deliver an in-character piece that explores how B&B will evolve post the dam breaking. The challenge to you as the reader is to tell me whether or not you buy it.
Royal Diner – midday
Booth and Brennan were sat at their usual table in the back corner of the diner, waiting for Angela to join them for lunch. They sat together on the same side of the table, a recent change of seating preference, with their chairs close enough that their limbs brushed together frequently. Brennan was sipping on a tall glass of water, while Booth was savouring a chocolate milkshake. Brennan shook her head with a small smile on her face.
"Do you know how many calories are in that milkshake, Booth?" she asked.
"No, I don't," he replied, raising his glass in salute to her, taking a mouthful and smiling like a little kid in milkshake nirvana. "Besides, I need to keep my strength up for you Bones" he added with a suggestive waggle of the eyebrows.
"Approximately six hundred and ninety calories. I have observed that your response to that milkshake is almost identical to that of Parker" Brennan offered. "Without the innuendo of course..." she added quickly.
Booth chuckled appreciatively.
"He's a chip off the old block, Bones."
Brennan brightened a little. She knew this one.
"Parker has inherited some of your behavioural traits," she translated.
"Alriiiight. You got it!" Booth held out his knuckles so she could bump them. Brennan was still a little unsure about navigating the complex and confusing rituals of mutual celebration in modern urban culture. She glanced at Booth for a look of reassurance and presented her own knuckles, smiling when Booth grinned in delight. He bumped his knuckles against hers.
Brennan glanced at Booth, a flash of consternation crossing her face. Booth bumped his shoulder into hers in a silent nod to his observation of her discomfort.
"What's on your mind Bones? he probed.
"I would appreciate it if the practice of 'knuckling' could remain one of 'our things' for the time being. My colleagues at the Jeffersonian would repeatedly distract me from my work with requests for this form of validation."
"It's a deal. Wanna' spit on your palm and shake on it?" teased Booth.
"That would be unhygienic Booth. We are about to eat" she replied.
Booth shook his head. 'Baby steps, big guy,' he counselled himself, taking another swig of his milkshake and leaving frothy traces at the corners of his mouth.
The appearance of milkshake particulates around her favourite pair of lips was an opportunity too good to pass up. Temperance Brennan captured Booths' jaw in her hand, positioned his head at the optimal angle. She looked into his eyes and lowered her eyelids in a seductive manner, as she used a finger from her free hand to wipe way the excess from each corner of his mouth. Returning her direct gaze to his, she placed the frothy finger in her mouth impudently. Booth gave a low growl of frustration.
"Unfair, Bones! I so want to kiss you right now," he confessed as she freed his jaw.
"I suppose that you could categorise my actions as foreplay Booth, which incidentally burns approximately 130 calories per hour. I am simply assisting you avoid becoming fat from the consumption of high calorie milkshakes," she informed him.
A mischievous grin appeared on her face and she leaned in toward his ear, lowering her voice. "The actual act of coitus burns considerably more energy than foreplay, up to 385 calories per hour. I could calculate the requirements to burn off that milkshake in whatever combination of activities you prefer."
"Evil scientist!" reprimanded Booth, as he moved in toward her ear and murmured. "Do you know how incredibly hot it is when you use science like that Bones?"
.
Their attempt to burn a few extra calories before lunch was interrupted by a scraping noise from one of the chairs across the table as Angela Montenegro took a seat.
"Whatever you two are talking about, makes me think that you two were seriously considering skipping lunch" drawled Angela suggestively, as Booth and Brennan put on their game faces and sat up to face her.
Brennan clasped her hands together on the table in front of her to control her response. "We were talking about milkshakes Angela." Booth nodded in agreement and made an adjustment to his already straight tie.
"Oh yeah! The type that 'brings all the boys to the yard', right? Scoffed Angela.
"I don't know what that means Ange" replied Brennan.
"I know Sweetie, but I'd bet that Booth knows exactly what that means" said Angela raising an eyebrow and nodding.
"Classy, Angela. Real classy," deflected Booth.
"So am I going to have to go and get the crowbar from my van to pry you two apart, or are we going to order lunch?" asked Angela.
"I would like to order lunch, and Booth apparently needs to maintain his strength, so he should eat something as well" commented Brennan.
"I'll bet he does, Sweetie" Angela murmured loud enough for Booth to hear but not loud enough to distract Brennan from whatever she was studying on the menu. The artist gave a low dirty chuckle as Booth ducked his head to look at his own menu.
Angela actually had a point.
"After considering my options, I will order a vanilla milkshake," pronounced Brennan.
"Good for you, Bren" said Angela. 'Milkshake' had most definitely become a code for sex.
Booth grimaced and whispered "Hey!" out of the corner of his mouth at Brennan, who had a smile teasing the corner of her own mouth. He poked a finger at a spot on her ribcage that he knew was sensitive, and after Brennan squirmed, giving a low chuckle; he received a retaliatory smack to his fingers.
"Ah. Young love!" mocked Angela wistfully.
.
A/N: So how am I doing so far?