A/N- This resulted from total boredom on a flight. Probably totally off by tonight, but fun for now.
Flynn watched as Provenza poured a second packet of sugar into his coffee.
"You know all that refined sugar crap is bad for your health, right?"
Provenza shot him a dark look. "Given my age, and the fact that I've been doing this my whole career, I'll thank you to keep your opinions to yourself. It hasn't killed me yet."
Flynn raised his hands in surrender. "Okay, okay. But why do you have to add so much sugar? Why not just one or two packets?"
"How else am I going to make it through the day? By going on a cleanse?"
Flynn frowned at the jab, even as his partner continued.
"The coffee here has been and apparently always will be like ex-wives."
"What?"
"Lukewarm and bitter. It needs every teaspoon I pour into it."
Flynn sighed. If the past was any indication, they were about to launch into a detailed history of Heather, Liz, and Sharon.
"Maybe we can convince the Captain that the machine here needs to be replaced. God knows she drinks enough of the stuff. I don't know how she stands it. I don't know how she stands you, for that matter."
For the second time in as many minutes, Flynn found himself completely confused.
"What?"
Provenza sighed aggrievedly. "You and the Captain, Flynn. I don't know how she can bear to spend so much of her time in your presence. I have a hard time just spending my daily eight hours with you."
Flynn snorted in amusement. "I could say the same of you. You think I'm bad, but if only you could see yourself from my perspective."
They stood quietly for a few moments, reveling in the calm.
"But really, Flynn, what is going on with you and her?" He held up a hand to silence his friend. "I don't want to know the dirty details, I just want to know if anything is going to change around here." Flynn didn't say anything, and Provenza took it as a denial. "You've been taking her out to places since last fall. Some of it I understand: the wedding, the ballet. But then..." He trailed off, waving his hand through the air.
Flynn sighed. He didn't want to define whatever it was that he and Sharon had. True, they had been going out to dinner fairly frequently, and they had both been to each others' residences, and met the respective families, but they hadn't done anything else. God, they hadn't even discussed defining themselves.
"I don't know. We don't really talk about that." He could see where Provenza's mind was headed and cut him off. "We haven't done anything, but... I don't know."
"For God's sake, Flynn. I would have thought you of all people would know how to handle a woman. Granted, she's a Spitfire- or maybe a B-47- but she's a woman!"
Flynn rolled his eyes. "Really? I didn't notice."
Provenza glanced around to make sure they were alone, then hissed, "And she divorced Jack!"
Flynn couldn't contain his annoyance. "That wasn't about me! That was for the kid! Jack didn't want her adopting him, so she divorced him!"
Provenza gestured for Flynn to lower his voice.
"What?!"
"You know what!" Suddenly, he pointed to Flynn's ear. "Grab your ear!"
"Huh?"
"Grab your ear! I don't want you passed out on the floor again!"
For once, Flynn did as he was told and merely glared at his friend while he tried to calm himself.
After a few minutes, Provenza decided it was safe to broach the subject again. "But you and Sharon."
"There's nothing to tell," Flynn said tiredly. "I don't think anything is gonna change. You know her and the damn rulebook. She'd die before break policy."
"She's been toeing the line the last few months."
"Yeah, but she wouldn't cross it."
"You're sure?"
Flynn raised his eyebrows, letting go of his earlobe. "Yeah. Look, I like her. I think she might like me, but I don't know for sure, and I don't want to put pressure on her by asking." He send Provenza a pointed look. "If you really want to slap a label on me, try 'it's complicated.' Okay?"
Provenza nodded. He topped off his coffee and headed off the door back to the murder room. He paused, halfway into the hall and glanced back at Flynn, leaning against the counter. "Hey, Flynn."
"Yeah?"
"Thanks."
Flynn smiled. "Sure. Anything to get out of another lecture about your ex-wives."