Title: Perfection

Prompt #: 090

Word Count: 287

Rating: PG

Characters: Hanson/Penhall


Doug went around the apartment one more time, making sure nothing was out of place. Because that's what Tom deserved: perfection. He went over the checklist in his head one more time. "Dinner, check. Movie, check. Ice cream, check. Candles, check. Garbage successfully thrown away, check." Everything seemed to be right.

Doug sat down in one of the chairs at the kitchen table. He glanced at the clock. Only about fifteen minutes to go. He tapped his fingers against the wood impatiently. They hadn't gotten to spend a lot of time with each other since they were assigned to different cases. Doug was looking for some alone time with his boyfriend and so far everything was going smoothly.

Ten more minutes. Doug smiled to himself; he thought Tom would be proud of him for making such an effort to make this special. He loved impressing him. Doug looked at the clock hanging on the wall once more. He hoped he wouldn't have to be late. He sighed and slumped down into the wooden chair.

Tom should have been there by now. Doug was contemplating calling him when the phone rang. Doug got up and sat on the couch, picking up the phone on the side table. "Hello? …Oh, no I understand… Yeah, I'll just talk to you later then," Doug said, trying to sound nonchalant, and hung up.

He sighed heavily and turned the TV on to a football game. The nice dinner he'd prepared was forgotten. All the time he'd spent was for nothing. He put his feet up on the coffee table and threw the phone on the chair next to him, no longer caring if anything was out of place. Because Tom wasn't coming.