Title: Provocateur
Author: wildwordwomyn
Word Count: 344
Rating: G
Fandom/Pairing: Person of Interest gen (pre-slash) drabble starring Reese/Finch
Disclaimers/Warnings: No spoilers. No own. Not real.
Author's Notes: Eventually I'll write something longer. Really!
Summary: It's an ordinary night until John, in spite of himself, does something extraordinary.
"Finch? You there?" he asks in a quiet voice after turning on his ear piece.
The older man might not be. It's 3 o'clock in the morning and if he is sleeping he really should leave the genius alone. But Finch is haunted by as many ghosts as he is. He's taking a calculated risk that Finch is wide awake.
"How can I help you, Mr. Reese?" Finch answers, sounding just as wary and alert as if it it's noon and they're working a number.
John doesn't know how to say, hell, doesn't know if he can say that having that voice in his ear calms him. It's a reminder that someone is looking out for him. That someone is on the other end of that call, period. He wishes he wasn't so afraid of possible rejection if he did try telling the other man that being needed keeps him from walking off a pier. Finch has probably guessed by now, of course, and he's probably told him in more ways than one, but knowing that he expects John to stick around helps ease the pain.
"I like your voice," he says flirtatiously in reply. He doesn't mean to. Although it's not a lie. It's just not something he ever wanted to share. Especially with the object of his...whatever Finch is…
"Mr. Reese, is there a reason you called me in the middle of the night when you should be sleeping?" John smiles at how exasperated his tone is. If he can't get information about the man, a negative reaction works just as well.
"Why aren't you asleep?" he queries, evading Finch's question easily. "Do we have another number?"
He hears Finch take a deep breath and can't help the grin that settles onto his lips.
"I'll contact you when another comes up, Mr. Reese. Until then, goodnight."
"Sweet dreams, Harold..." John doesn't even attempt to hide a chuckle at being the one who disconnects first.
When he sobers up he wonders if Finch realizes through the teasing that he was actually being sincere...
The End