Valerie opened the note, in the slightly messy script of a man not accustomed to writing in pen was the perfect response: The blue chews are better. She laughed it was just like him not to appreciate her gift.
Valerie slipped the note in her back pocket, catching the way John watched her with a slight smile lighting up his otherwise guarded face. It wasn't often that you received a hand written note these days and she was not about to just throw it in the bin.
She made her way back to her desk to finish up for the day hopefully get home at a reasonable hour, which hadn't happened much lately. She was constantly finding herself distracted by the way that John watched her when he thought that nobody was looking. It sent shivers down her spine remembering the way his brown eyes followed her as she moved through the precinct.
John couldn't help but smile as he stealthily watched Valerie make her way back to her desk, it had been a while but he believed that what had just transpired between them fell under the category of "flirting" and he couldn't wait for it to continue. Now he just had to come up with a way to ensure that it did.
Dorian looked up from the paperwork that he was working on from their most recent case. Noticing John's smile he smirked, "What's got you so happy John?" he asked, already guessing the answer.
"Nothing, how much of the report have you finished?" John responded quickly drawing the DRN's attentions away from his mood and back to the work that needed to be done.
Dorian smiled but let John change the subject, he would bring it up again when there were fewer people around, and John had no way of escaping the conversation. He did however catch John glancing a few too many times in the direction of the beautiful Detective Stahl.
Valerie arrived the next morning to find a note on her desk, with a blue energy chew taped to it. She smiled and glanced around, the precinct was close to empty, the captain was in her office diligently typing away at her computer and a few MX's were silently standing in wait for their next orders. John was nowhere to be seen, but he had left after her the night before and it wasn't unlike him to be one of the last ones in for the morning shift.
Valerie picked up the paper and read: In case you've never tried one, I wouldn't want you to miss out. She laughed and put the note next to her computer. A few minutes later Dorian walked through the precinct doors, smiling he greeted Valerie, "How was your night Detective Stahl?"
"Good, I caught the end of the game!" she replied. "How are your new living quarters?"
Dorian laughed, "much better, thank you for asking." He made his way passed her and started to pull up files on the computer by John's desk.
Valerie turned back to her own computer, not failing to see the blue energy chew waiting next to it.
John arrived to see Dorian already working near his desk, but Valerie was not occupying her own. He did however notice that her coat was draped over the back of her chair and the note he had left the night before had been moved from the center to a spot next to her computer. He made his way over to Dorian who glanced over with a smile, "Hello John, how has your morning been so far?" the DRN asked.
Grunting John sat down, "What are you working on?"
"I was just finishing some paperwork from the case that we closed last night, you had a few spelling errors including the name of the victim. And a minute ago we got a noise complaint from a residence where we frequently have to separate domestic disputes. The captain has assigned us to check it out." Dorian summarized.
"Alright, next time start with the call not my spelling errors," John growled as he stood and started making his way towards the doors to the precinct.
Dorian followed, "Okay, but you asked what I was doing, not about the call that had just come in, I was trying to answer your question because I hold you in high regard and did not want to seem rude by ignoring your inquiry."
John was only half listening to Dorian, as he was making his way to the doors Valerie emerged from the break room with a glass of water in her hand. When she spotted John she smiled and waved, her returned the gesture awkwardly. They passed just as she was reaching her desk, "Thank you for the energy chew," Valerie said smiling.
John glanced to her desk, seeing the chew still in its wrapper he glanced back at her, "let me know what you think once you've tried it." Smiling he continued out of the precinct.
Dorian followed John, "May I drive today?" he asked, already fully knowing the answer.
John glanced over his shoulder, "No," was the only thing he said, however he still had a small smile lingering on his face from the encounter with Valerie. They got into the car, John on the driver's side, and Dorian entered the coordinates into the car's navigation system. John pulled the car out of the lot still thinking about his brief conversation with Valerie.
Dorian noticing the smile still evident on Johns face asked, "What has you so happy Detective?"
"Nothing," John grunted not making eye contact with the DRN.
"From your response I have two theories as to what could be causing your good mood," Dorian responded. "The first is that you are happy to be partnered with me and therefore are glad that we are driving to a call together and having this conversation."
John laughed, "The second theory has to be better than that."
"It is," Dorian replied with a smile, "my second theory, which I do find more likely, is that your good mood directly relates to the brief encounter that you just had with Detective Stahl as we were exiting the precinct. The only other reason is that you are happy to be going to a call about domestic violence, and I don't find it likely that you would like a domestic violence case.
While Dorian was talking the smile had vanished from John's face and he only grumbled that he was not happy about domestic violence.