A/N: Unbeta'd. All mistakes are mine. This is it (I think) for this part of the story though I'll probably add some oneshot type chapters within this AU every now and then. Hope you enjoy
Fridays and Saturdays you close early, giving your close knit and hard working staff more weekend hours free to relax and enjoy themselves. It's nice, you think, for those with social lives. You've been closed for thirty minutes and your shift manager has finally left, leaving you alone in your office to go over the days books but for the first time since the day you opened the patisserie you're doing it with a smile on your face.
It had only taken an hour for you to finish up your daily review and you'd happily gone on your way, making it home in time to shower and change before heading out to meet Cosima.
She'd called on Wednesday morning apologizing for running out the day before and immediately offering to make it up to you. "You can come to my place," she'd offered. "Then you know I won't have anywhere to run off to."
You'd agreed, having no reasons not to, and that's where you find yourself now, standing cautiously outside her door hands wringing in front of you as you build up the courage to knock.
"Shit."
Your forehead creases as you hear Cosima swear somewhere inside, your knocking apparently more of a surprise than you'd thought. You glance at your watch and note that you're precisely on time.
The door opens and you look down to see a slightly flustered Cosima looking up at you, dreadlocks up in a bun and glasses slightly askew. "Hey," she offers. "Sorry. I'm, not used to company."
"Oh, it's okay. I'm not exactly a…" you pause, trying to think of the proper term. "Social butterfly either."
You laugh awkwardly as you take in your surroundings. It's a cozy studio type layout with the kitchen/entry/living area separated by a large open doorway from the bedroom. It suits her, you think, somehow. You barely know her, know nothing about her really, but this is most definitely her space.
"Can I?" She reaches out, gesturing towards your jacket that's stuck halfway down your arms and you tug it the rest of the way off, muttering a thank you when she takes it and lays it over the back of a chair.
"You have a lovely home," you say with a smile. "It's, um, very… you."
"Thanks," she replies, eyeing you carefully before breaking into a smile. "Um, so, I figured we could order Chinese. If you're cool with that. I didn't know what you liked so I, I waited."
"That would be fine, great."
The awkwardness in the room is something you could do without, but you're not sure how to alleviate it and instead settle for standing silently while Cosima rummages through some papers on her desk.
"Aha, okay, so-" She holds up the menu triumphantly before unfolding it and laying it on her desk, gesturing for you to join her. "I've tried everything on here at least once. We could order a couple of entrees, some sides, go from there?"
She looks up at you as you approach her side, invading her personal space as you lean down, one arm bracing yourself on her desk, to look at the menu. You scan it quickly and decide not to decide, after all, her taste in food is important to you. "Why don't you pick your favorites," you suggest, looking down your shoulder to meet her eyes. "You like my croissants so much, I trust your taste."
"Wow. Pressure. Okay."
She's grinning. You smile back.
She narrows her eyes and grabs her phone and you notice it only takes one press of a button for her to call out. She's got them on speed dial. She walks to the other end of the room while she orders and you busy yourself looking over the books on one of her shelves.
Science. It's all science. There are books on anatomy and physiology, biology, chemistry, forensics, anything even remotely pertaining to a scientific field is shelved somewhere in this room. You shake your head in disbelief; she's a complete nerd. And you love it.
"Hey Delphine…"
You turn around to find Cosima leaning against her desk, a joint dangling betwixt her thumb and forefinger. Your jaw drops. You're speechless.
"Oh, god," she panics at the look on your face. "Delphine. Totally just a suggestion, you don't have- I shouldn't have offered."
"No," you try and stop her but you can't really get a word in. "No, no, no. It's okay, it's okay, really."
She stops rambling to look at you all doe eyed and apologetic.
"I just," you take a moment to think, making sure you don't say anything to offend her. "Wasn't expecting it."
"Oh. Oh…"
"Thank you, but um, none for me. Uh, you go ahead, though. I don't mind."
"Oh, no, it's cool. Totally cool. I'll just…" She nods towards her room and waves the joint at you, quickly disappearing, you assume, to replace it with the rest of her stash.
You're smiling when she reappears, the apprehension in her face vanishing at the sight. "Totally sorry," she offers again.
You laugh. "Next time."
"Yeah?"
"Oui. Munchies and all."
Cosima laughs, full and hearty and you're pretty sure it's the greatest thing you've ever heard.
It takes about 20 minutes for your food to arrive and you spend it making small talk, Cosima tells you about her studies and you tell her how you ended up in Minnesota. It's all going well until you ask about her family.
"Oh, um, I'm from San Fran so, parents are still there," she offers, reaching across to steal a bite of the Kung Pao Chicken in front of you.
"No siblings?"
"I'm um, my parents couldn't uh, couldn't have kids so, they did in vitro for me. I guess one was enough."
You can tell she's uncomfortable so you let the subject drop, deciding to go back to the safety of food instead.
"This is really good," you mumble around a mouthful of Szechwan Beef, pointing at the container with your chopsticks.
She laughs and reaches up to wipe some sauce from the corner of your mouth. You blush but refuse to shy away form the contact, willing yourself not to react but failing miserably when she unconsciously brings her thumb to her own mouth and licks it clean.
You swallow hard.
"You okay?"
You realize you're staring.
"Do I have something," she gestures at her own face, imploring you with her eyes.
"Non," you shake your head. "Sorry, I, uh, zoned out."
You finish the rest of your meal in an awkward but somehow comfortable silence, glancing at each other and sharing slight smiles like schoolgirls flirting during class.
"Thank you," you offer, eyes following Cosima as she gathers your trash and throws it in a bin. "I had a great time."
She turns to you, a look of surprise mixed with disappointment flashing across her face. "Oh, yeah, me too. Do you, um, have an early morning?"
"No."
You shake your head, confusion settling into your features.
"Oh, sorry, I just assumed, if you have to go-"
"I don't have to go."
You interrupt her, reaching out to still one of her wildly gesturing hands as you do, gripping her forearm lightly. You both seem to realize your proximity at the same time though neither of you makes a move to change it.
It's the first time you really notice how much shorter she is than you, standing there, looking down at her looking up at you.
Her eyes leave yours and you follow their direction. She's looking at where your hand is on her arm, your thumb idly stroking the skin just below the sleeve of her sweater. You stop.
Cosima's eyes flick back to your face and you meet them with your own, your mouth open, unable to find any words befitting of the moment. But you don't need them. Her lips are on yours in an instant, soft and enticing, and you react instantly, eyes fluttering shut as you return the kiss.
Your arms slip around her waist, hers around your neck, and any thoughts you might have had stirring are wiped from your mind with the flick of her tongue against your lips.
Tuesday's not your favorite day anymore.
