WAIGE - VALENTINE'S DAY - One Shot
Happy Valentine's day everyone, I wished Walter would have done something for Paige for this occasion but at the same time her interactions with Ralph were cute so here is for the Waige part :)
Walter POV.
After the events of today, and tonight, Sylvester and I both agreed as the grown ups we are that we should go back to the no chess game rule. There was just no place on earth where we could have a chess confrontation that would end well.
So after picking up all the pieces, putting them in a safe place of the garage and promising that neither of us would touch it unless there was an absolute emergency like today's case, Sylvester went home and I found myself alone in the middle of all these Valentine's day decorations.
I don't even know why we put that up, the only couple in the garage was Toby and Happy and Happy didn't really seem in the mood to celebrate love tonight. Cabe had a girlfriend too but he rarely brought her to the garage and Paige… well since Tim wasn't around I guess she was just spending the night with Ralph.
As for me, the only girl with whom I would have accepted to consider celebrating this stupid tradition didn't feel the same way for me so… today ended up like every other day, with my lonely self thinking about how things could have been different if only I did one thing in the other way.
And watching at the chocolate box I bought for Paige, knowing she liked these chocolate with liquor inside, and that she didn't even touched, I decided that I could go check on Ralph and her. After all, I told Ralph to go to his mom but he came to me first right? So a combinaison of advices from his mother who had social skills and from me who understood what he could feel about dating a girl could actually be a good thing for him. Besides, from what I heard, Paige and Ralph were going to practice dancing and since Ralph told me that I should have taken his mom dancing, maybe I could have the opportunity to do that too. Okay the circumstances were not exactly the best and maybe she would find it awkward but today wasn't meant to be spent alone and after all we agreed to start things over and be friends.
So without thinking more, I grabbed my jacket, the box of chocolates and left the garage and all these stupid decorations.
A few minutes later, I was at Paige's door. I was about to knock but I paused for a moment when I heard the music coming from Paige's apartment. I smiled, picturing her and Ralph dancing and was starting to have second thoughts, thinking that maybe it was best if I let them have some mother and son bonding time.
I was actually going to go back to my place when a pizza guy came towards Paige door and knocked. I heard Ralph exclaiming « Yes that's finally the pizzas! Dancing made me starve! » and before I could unfroze and think about exiting the building, Paige opened the door.
Paige POV.
We were having a great time with Ralph, I couldn't imagine that the two of us could actually have fun dancing but we did. He was a fast learner and it made my heart melt to see my little boy all grown up and ready to take a girl to dance. I told me about the dilemma he had because two girls asked him out but that he didn't followed Walter's advice to take both of them because he learnt better from me. I was glad that my son was emotionally mature enough to understand these kind of things, and thought that I would need to have a talk with Walter about that. Would he really take two girls dancing and alternate because it was more efficient?
Anyway, this night was about my boy and I, and our meal was at our door now. So what was my surprise when opening the door to the deliver guy, I spotted my second favorite genius head behind him.
« Walter? What are you doing here? »
« Oh, hi Paige. Well I was… alone at the garage and I saw that you… um didn't see the chocolate I bought for you so… Anyway this was stupid of me, you're spending time with Ralph, I'll see you tomorrow. »
« Okay Walter, first I think that Ralph would be more than happy to spend the rest of the evening with both of us and second of all, come in right now with this box of chocolates because these are actually my favorites. »
He nodded and I knew that he knew. This was exactly the kind of nice gesture Walter would do without even understanding how sweet it was.
« Ma'am would you mind taking your pizzas? I have other delivers to do. »
I totally forgot this guy was here. I took the boxes from his hands and paid him in exchange and made a sign for Walter to follow me so we both entered inside.
« Walter! I didn't know you were coming! »
« Well I… » he started, but I cut him short.
« I invited him to our little session. God knows he could use some more dance skills. »
Walter shot me an offended glare but I just giggled. In fact the last time, and only time, we danced together wasn't that bad. Actually it was heaven head spinning.
« Great, you can take my place from now, I think I got it and I didn't know dancing was this exhausting. »
I smiled at my son and put back the music, taking Walter by the hand, obviously surprising him.
« Oh, right now? »
« Sure, there is no time for a good dance. »
I could tell he was a little confused but he rapidly got the rhythm and brought a hand to my lower back while he grabbed mine with the other. We were really close and I could smell his manly perfume, driving me crazy every time I got to close to him. At some point, he leaned into me and I my heart bumped out of my chest at what I thought he was doing but he just whispered into my ear
« Isn't this… weird? Since it's… valentine's day you know and you're with… you have a boyfriend you know… »
« Walter could you do me a favor? »
« Anything. »
« Don't mention him tonight please? »
Walter moved back a little, but still holding my hand, giving me an interrogative look.
« I just… I'm just realizing I'm actually spending the night with the two people I love the most, don't ruin that okay? »
Walter eyes were now full of these emotions I can't always decrypt. But if I had to guess, I would say that there is some love inside, and I thought my legs just might crumble below me from this stare he was giving me. He must have felt I was a little destabilized because his grip tighten on me and he brought me close again. I closed my eyes and buried my head into the crook of his neck, letting the rhythm of music cradle us.
« Happy valentine's day Paige. » said Walter in a voice that send shivers down my spine.
Ralph POV.
I was now eating my pizza, observing my mom and Walter interact. That was probably a good exemple of how I should be with my date at this ball. I mean they looked so comfortable with each other, it was just the exact scene I pictured every night since I understood things between them were more than just a professional co-workers relationship. It made me happy that my mom seemed happy, it changed from all these Valentine's days she spent alone, crying because of my dad the first years they were separated, or for Walter last year.
I told him that he should have taken my mom dancing a while ago, and now I was glad it was finally happening, and I knew that it wasn't going to be the last dance between them.