"I want to thank you for letting me on that case week last week, Greg" Anderson said through a mouthful of hot coffee currently burning his mouth – after swallowing and flapping around a bit in the pain caused by the boiling beverage, he continued. "It really gave me a motivational boost to get back in the Forensics game, you know?" He proceeded to take another sip of coffee and repeat the earlier actions.
Greg sat across from him in the bustling London café the pair were 'enjoying' each other's company in, an amused expression sculpting his face.
"It's not a problem, Andy…or is it Phil now?" Anderson scowled, Lestrade continued; "Just remember it was only a one off thing this time. But, yes. It was nice to have your face back annoying people at crime scenes."
"Oh, very funny. Thinking of becoming a stand-up comedian or something?"
Lestrade shrugged in good humour. "It's a possibility,"
"Or maybe you should just become a serial tweeter from the amount of time you seem to spend on that stupid website." Anderson finished with a huff and extravagant gesticulation towards the notification having just popped up on Greg's phone which lay face up on the table. Lestrade quickly reached for the phone and turned it over but not before taking a quick glance at the person causing the notification and allowing a smile to ripple across his face.
"You're only jealous because I have more followers than you."
"That is not tr-…"Anderson tailed off to silence, eyebrows drawing together to form a childish frown. "Besides!" He continued quickly, keen not to linger on the point of his failure at gaining lots of members for 'Anderson's Army'; "I don't see how you've got so many, you must have had some help. And, from my reckoning, it's got something to do with those continual direct messages that you keep smirking at."
At this final comment, Greg's cheeks flared up into an uncharacteristic blush and quickly reached for his mug to raise it to his lips as though that would provide some sort of cover for his face.
"And from that silence, I do believe I'm somewhat correct." Anderson stated with a proud grin, straightening his non-existent tie. "Just call me the next freak, why don't you."
"You're already a freak, Andy."
"Rude."
"Truth." Greg shot back, clearing his throat and regaining his stride after having been knocked sideways by Anderson's supposed 'revelation'. "Have you ever thought that you may have a lack of members for 'Anderson's Army' simply because people don't want to be part of your little freak show of a club?"
Anderson sat back in his chair, eyebrows drawn together again but this time in intense contemplation, as though he was actually considering Greg's proposition.
"Maybe you should just call it 'Phil's Pillocks'." Greg laughed heartily at his own joke, slapping his thigh as he continued to laugh although Anderson failed to see the funny-side and remained with a sour expression upon his face.
"Again with the supposedly humorous comments, really, Greg?"
"Really." Lestrade replied before taking a sip of his coffee and settling back into his seat with a satisfied sigh. "You know, it's not just your face that I've not just missed."
There was a pause.
"…What else have you missed?" Anderson asked, sitting up just a bit, his joined hands resting against the top of the table.
There was another pause. Anderson continued to look at Lestrade who leisurely sipped at his drink before slowly setting it down on the table, the clinking sound of the china connecting with the table initiating his next line.
"…Winding you up." Lestrade finally finished with a grin, retrieving his mug again and draining the last drabs of his drink before returning his cup to the table once more and rising from his seat. "Had you there, didn't I? You thought I was going to say something deep and meaningful." He chuckled, shrugging his jacket on over his broad shoulders.
"'Course not." Anderson huffed, staying seated and continuing to clutch at his half-drunk cup of coffee.
"Well, this catch up has all been very nice but…places to go, people to see. Busy, busy, busy."
Anderson frowned, pushing up the sleeve of his jacket and rotated his wrist to look upon his watch. "You're going back to work at four thirty on a Saturday? Since when did you ever do that?"
Lestrade cleared his throat, stealing a quick glance at his phone which caused him to smile again before smoothing down the sleeves of his jacket. "Who said anything about going back to the office?"
"I presumed that seeing as your life outside of work is almost non-existent that it would most likely be that."
"Well, it looks like you're wrong, Andy-pandy. Maybe stick to the forensics in the future as opposed to the detecting." Greg chuckled again, hands now moving to smooth down his hair before extending one towards Anderson. "Until next time, eh?"
Anderson reached to grasp hold of Greg's hand, pulling a face at the gel lingering upon Greg's hand after touching his hair…far more gel than usual.
"It better be soon. Perhaps our next meet up will be our trip to Knebworth Gardens which you still owe me."
"Come on, Anderson, I thought that was just a joke. We're not five years old."
"You promised me and therefore I'm keeping you to it. And that's final." Anderson stated with a satisfied nod to which Greg just rolled his eyes.
The pair finally released hands and Greg parted with one final farewell nod.
"Have fun!" Anderson turned to call after him once Greg was almost engulfed by the coffee shop queue and swept out the door.
"Oh, I'm sure I will." Greg responded with another grin before disappearing from the shop and out of Anderson's sight.