Simpatico by Patrick Councilor
Niles held her hand as they strolled along the sidewalk of the city streets. Daphne looked over and caught him, not only staring at her and not looking where he was going, but smiling like a little boy on his way to Disneyland.
She stopped walking, causing him to do the same.
"What is it?" he asked.
"Does there have to be anything?" she asked in response.
"Well… I was just asking because you stopped so abruptly…"
"Kiss me Niles."
"Of course." Without a moment's delay, he stepped forward, wrapped his arms around her torso and planted a soft kiss upon her lips.
She smiled when she drew back. "Niles, your blushing."
"What?! I am not."
"You are so. You're turning three shades of red. What is this? I'm not embarrassing you, am I?" she asked with a heart-warming smile.
"No, it's just…"
"Just what?" she asked, cutting him off, which seemed a little awkward to interrupt someone to ask them to continue.
He grinned at that. "I was just saying that in my past relationships, there wasn't much public affection displayed. With Maris there were always these unspoken rules and with Mel, there were these very outspoken rules that she continued to go over as if I would someday…"
"What? What is it? Why did you stop?"
"I just don't want to talk about them anymore."
She reached out and took him by the tie and started to lead him toward her as she back stepped toward the business building that they were next to. "Come here Doctor Niles Crane."
He moved quickly toward her, wrapping his arms around her. "Be careful. I don't want you to take a fall."
They moved together… closely… as if they were dancing the tango. He slowed her pace to ensure her back softly met the building's edge.
"We're not so much in public, now are we?" she said with her beautiful breath against his face.
"No… no, we're not."
Her lips inched toward his.
His, even slower toward hers.
It would be a kiss to savor. It was as if no one was within miles of them. He put his hand on her cheek. "My God, I love you."
"You say that like you sincerely took the day off just to tell me that."
"And I've always meant it." He feathered a smile from the corner of his mouth.
She caught something in his eyes. There was something on his mind. Something he wanted to tell her.
"I love you so much Niles. I dream of you when I'm sleeping next to you."
His smile grew. "Daphne, there's something I want to talk to you about."
Just then, a clap of thunder startled them both and the heavens opened up and poured on them.
"Oh my," Niles called out.
Daphne started laughing.
Niles took his jacket off and put it over Daphne where she held it above her head. "Niles, come in out of the rain. Come here with me."
But he just stood there with the rain running down his face as he froze in time to just stare at the love of his life.
"Niles Crane, don't be doffed. Get in here with me to stay dry."
"It's just that I want to take a moment to look at you."
"Niles, you can look at me at any time, but not in a down pour. Come here before you catch your death of a cold."
"You look so beautiful."
"Niles, my hair is getting wet, me mascara is bound to be running now… I look a bit rough by now."
"No. No, Daphne, you are beautiful no matter what. I love you."
"Come here, don't be foolish. Let me warm you."
Niles stepped forward and embraced her with a generous hug as she held his jacket over them both. Being warmed by her body was like being warmed by an angel on earth. Yes, that's what it was to him.
"You silly sod, you'll catch a cold."
He kissed her cheek softly. "Would you nurse be back to health?"
"Not if you don't start listening. Standing in the rain like a fool."
"Yes, but a fool in love."
She repeated his grin and gently kissed him back.
"Not a very good day to walk to breakfast, is it?" he asked.
"Niles, it's Seattle. We get rain here all the time and we very well can't just park in front of the restaurant, can we? We'll be fine."
"Boulder dash," he exclaimed and waved down a taxi.
"Oh, alright."
When the cab pulled up, Niles took out his handkerchief to take the door handle and open the door for her.
Once inside and the door shutting the rain out, Niles commented to her. "Change of plans." He turned to the driver. "The Space Needle please."
"The Space Needle?" Daphne echoed once the taxi was in motion.
"Yes," Niles answered.
"Is it safe… I mean, during a storm?"
"Boulder…"
"Dash," Daphne finished his remark.
He smiled at her and leaned in for a kiss. "You know me all too well."
Her eyes sparkled as she smiled at him. "I don't know."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"That means, you're full of wonderful surprises at times. It doesn't sound like you… heading for the Space Needle during a storm."
"Well, sometimes you inspire me. I can be quite the risk-taker. One day in prep school I drank some milk on its very own expiration date."
She laughed and put her hand on his chest. "Oh, I so love you Niles."
Leaning in, he stole another kiss, not that he needed to steal one. They were always free for him and always available.
"You're still not telling me something."
Niles looked her way. "What do you mean by that?"
"I can tell."
"What, you've had a vision?"
"No silly, it's called women's intuition."
