Title: Almost Charming
Author: Rina (Searider Falcon)
Summary: The surprises for C.C. don't end with the torn up check.
Pairing: Niles/C.C. Babcock
Disclaimer: The Nanny and its characters are all the property of Sony Pictures, High School Sweethearts, and Sternin & Fraser's Ink, Inc. I make no profit from writing and sharing this story.
A/N: Several weeks ago I took drabble requests on my Tumblr to jumpstart my dormant muse. Kate811 wanted something following the tag to The Nose Knows (ugh, such a hardship being asked to write something around THE BEST SCENE EVER…jeez, Kate). Apparently, it turns out that I don't write itty bitty drabbles anymore. Oops?
Something fluttered within her at his refusal to accept the money. Two hundred and fifty dollars might be mere pocket change to her, but C.C. knew what Maxwell paid his household staff. Before she could react to his gesture of goodwill, Niles wrapped his arm around her waist and led her through the last few notes of the song, taking her by surprise once more with a quick spin and a low dip that sent a thrill through her.
She was still laughing when their eyes met as he lifted her back up. He didn't let go and she didn't pull away. Though the next song on the disc started to play, for a long moment, neither moved. Another beat passed and her eyes widened, not with shock or disgust at the possibility, but rather at the startling realization that he looked like he might kiss her. More than that, she actually found herself ready to welcome it.
A look of uncertainty crossed his face when her expression changed. "What?"
She scrambled to find something to say to cover up the disappointment that swept over her. Realizing she obviously misread him, she glanced away and her eyes fell upon the grandfather clock across the room. Blinking as she realized how late it was, she schooled her features into what she hoped appeared to be a neutral expression, yet her voice sounded slightly off to her own ears when she looked back at him.
"Oh, nothing really. It's just that it's almost midnight, Cinderella. I'm waiting to see if you'll turn back into a pumpkin."
He scoffed, "Cinderella didn't turn into a pumpkin, she..."
"…turned back into a maid." She grinned while his eyes narrowed in mock annoyance. The brief moment of awkwardness melted into satisfaction. Rare was the moment that Niles fell for such an obvious set up and she reveled in the small victory. Her gaze swept over his tuxedoed form as she shrugged. "You are shaped rather like a pumpkin, though."
"I'd take that insult far more seriously if it wasn't coming from someone who served as the model for the Venus of Willendorf." He rolled his eyes but still smiled and pulled her tighter into his arms. "I think we can fit a couple more songs in before the witching hour begins."
They fell into a comfortable silence once more as they swayed to the music, allowing C.C. to muse over how unnaturally pleasant the night had been. Though she second-guessed herself the rest of the week for resorting to Niles of all people as an escort, she couldn't remember ever having so much fun at one of these functions as she did that evening. Granted, she'd hesitate to ever admit it to him, but he made the whole affair far less of a chore.
She stifled a chuckle at that. He raised a questioning brow at her tiny snort of amusement, but she just shook her head and encouraged him to keep dancing by stepping a little closer. Telling herself that it was only to prevent him from looking her too closely in the eyes, something that tended to unnerve her, she ignored the obvious start of surprise she felt from Niles when her left arm slid around his neck and her eyes fluttered closed.
After a moment's hesitation, he released a contented sigh. The set of his shoulders relaxed and the weight of his arm around her waist all but melted into her.
C.C tended not to dwell much on her reluctant admittance to a certain physical attraction to Niles; she barely acknowledged it as anything more than an involuntary reaction on her part. Up until recently, her intellectual response to him tended to cancel out her baser desires.
Tonight, though, with their current proximity and with more favorable thoughts already swirling unbidden in her mind, that became more difficult to ignore.
He kept his quips lighter, almost affectionate when directed toward her, and more often than not, they ended up whispering mocking commentary about the proceedings around them instead. They poked fun at the ill-considered outfits of her peers, the feigned gracious modesty of the winners, and the poorly concealed disdain and disappointment of any of the losers. Not spending the entire evening managing her own little performance of keeping sweet for the benefit of a date who hardly knew her made such a difference. Of course, taking home the award for her category helped her attitude too.
The camaraderie didn't end when they left the after-party either. Niles cajoled her into staying awhile longer for nightcaps and a couple more dances once they returned to the mansion. When he brought up her failed relationship with Chandler, it struck her that it was the first time all evening she even thought of that louse, and, for the first time since she received that terse letter which ended the affair, she simply felt nothing but an odd sense of relief. In fact, it actually felt good to make fun of the whole thing and she took a certain satisfaction in knowing that even Niles deemed Chandler unworthy of her attention and affection.
It made her wonder, just what it would be like to be on the same emotional wavelength more often, not at so at odds with one another most of the time?
The soft rattle of keys at the front door shook them both from their reverie. Their eyes locked. In perfect sync, they stepped away from each other and turned toward the door as Maxwell stepped inside.
At first, he took no notice to his two well-dressed employees standing side by side, hands behind their backs as they tried to maintain an air of nonchalance. They watched he hung up his coat and start to head toward the stairs before he chanced to look across the room and spotted them.
"Oh! C.C., I didn't realize you'd still be here. You left rather early. Niles, old man, would you mind terribly making me a little snack since you're still up?" If Maxwell found it odd to find the two of them together at such a late hour, somehow not attempting to create bloodshed while old standards crooned from the stereo, he masked it well as he continued on upstairs.
Niles let out a small huff of exasperation. "Right away, sir."
"Ugh. You'd think he owned the place or something." She shook her head once their boss rounded the landing at the top of the staircase.
They shared twin looks of irritation before it hit them. As one, they both grumbled, "Oh. Right."
C.C. sighed, realized she couldn't delay the end of the evening any longer. At least Niles appeared to be just as perturbed if the scowl on his face gave any indication.
While he turned away to turn off the stereo, C.C. bent down to pick up the remains of the check, intending to dispose of them before Maxwell reappeared and made some haughty comment about the small mess. As she finished, she was surprised to look up and find Niles standing over her, his upturned palm offered to her to help her stand back up.
"Soooo, Dances with Windex…" she began, hating herself a little bit for how reluctant she was to pull her hand away from his.
"Yes, Stands with a Flask?"
She swatted at him. "You didn't turn into a pumpkin after all."
"And you managed not to reveal your secret identity. That new wart cream is doing wonders for you, by the way." Niles nudged her with his elbow. He regarded her for a moment longer, then, his mouth opening as he started to say something else, reconsidered it, and then decided to charge ahead after all. "Perhaps we could do something like this again sometime?"
She smiled at the airy, hopeful lilt of his voice.
"Mmm, maybe if you ask nicely, your fairy godmother will wave her magic toilet brush and grant your wish," she replied with a wink. She wouldn't concede anything more than that out loud.
His eyes twinkled with satisfaction. "Goodnight, Miss Babcock. You might want to stick to the quickest route home. I heard there are storms in the forecast tonight and you'll likely melt in the deluge."
She suppressed a laugh as he started to head down the hallway and went to collect her purse and her award before making her way toward the front door. As she crossed the foyer, she called down the hall, "Hey, Niles?"
"Yes?" He turned back toward her.
"I still owe you one for doing this for me."
He frowned at that and shook his head as he came back into the room and approached her. "No."
"No?"
If tearing up the check surprised her, Niles electing to turn down a freely offered, prime opportunity to hold something over her left her floored.
Almost nose to nose with her now, his eyes bore into hers. She could smell the spicy scent of his cologne and found herself too captivated to move.
He kissed her then. Just the softest brush of his lips on her cheek, lingering only long enough to take her breath away and send a frisson of want through her. Later, she'd remember lack of hesitation on his part, the intensity of his expression in the moment right before he leaned into her and in the seconds after he pulled back, but in that very moment all she knew was heat and hunger.
His voice low and solemn in her ear, he repeated, "No, Miss Babcock, you don't."
With that, he walked away. As he disappeared down the hall, she could hear him humming an old familiar tune she couldn't quite place. She looked at the torn pieces of the check still cupped in her palm and suddenly remembered how to breath again.
Slipping them into her little clutch, she tried to tell herself that she merely wanted to ensure herself of their proper disposal. If they somehow ended up tucked away in the back of her nightstand's top drawer later that night, well...who was to be any wiser to her lapse into sentimentality?