Prompt by motherbearof03: How about some fluffy romantic Valentines Day Calhola? Question is: does anyone know?
I'm always in for fluff, so here we go. I hope you like it :)
Valentine's Day
Odafin Tutuola was well aware of the weird glances his colleagues threw him as he hummed to himself while shutting off his computer and putting on his coat, ready to leave the office for the day. And admittingly, it wasn't like him to display such a chipper mood at work, but frankly, he didn't care about what they were thinking – he was just happy that his plan for Valentine's Day was working just fine.
Normally, he wasn't one for the big gestures or coming up with romantic stuff, had never been, but this year, he felt ready to try something new. This year, though nobody knew, everything was different.
If someone had told him a year ago that he would be leaving work early to prepare a nice evening for himself and his girlfriend, Rita Calhoun, he would have laughed and ignored them, but now that was his reality. Life sometimes took funny ways and produced unlikely matches, but Fin wasn't one to question that – sometimes, opposites attracted.
Checking his phone and typing a quick 'Okay baby, I'll wait for you at home' as a reply to Rita informing him that she wouldn't be home punctually due to an unexpected meeting and paperwork, he walked over to the break room. That did fit into his time schedule quite well, as he had to buy some ingredients for the dinner and would be able to do so without pressure now.
"Hey Fin, what did you buy those flowers for?"
Fin almost rolled his eyes at Carisi's nosy behaviour when he took the big bouquet of tulips from the vase he'd stored them in since lunch break; surely it hadn't been the smartest move to have the flowers at the precinct, but he doubted that his colleagues would be able to get much information from a bouquet. Rita and him had decided to keep their relationship a secret for now, until they'd figured out if there would be any conflict of interest at work, and somehow they just found it relaxing that nobody knew, that nobody could judge them.
"None of your business, man. I'm gone, see you tomorrow," he replied curtly and walked out of the squad room, smirking to himself.
After a short stint to the grocery store, Fin took a cab to Rita's townhouse on the Upper East Side and let himself in with the keys, being greeted instantly by a meow from Giorgio, her kitten.
"Hey Georgie. You gonna help me cook for our lady? Or are you just hanging around because you know I'll feed you?" Fin asked with a chuckle as the kitten followed him into the kitchen, watching as he put his purchases down and put the flowers in a vase to place on the dining table. Maybe it should have felt weird for him to be so comfortable in a place that he usually would have considered way too fancy for him, unachievable with the salary of a detective, but by now he was spending most of his time here instead of in his own apartment, and it just felt right. Probably only because this was Rita's place, her scent hanging in the air, her personal touch everywhere.
Two hours of cooking and preparing the dining table went by faster than anticipated, and before he knew it, Fin heard the front door being unlocked and Rita's heels clicked on the polished wooden floor. Moving hastily, he lit the candles on the dining table seconds before she appeared in the doorway, her green eyes widening in surprise.
"Oh, wow…"
"Hey baby," Fin said with a satisfied grin, taking in her expression, and stepped closer to kiss her. "Surprise."
"I'm definitely surprised. Did I forget something? Your birthday? My birthday?"
A little bit of excitement was swinging in her voice and her eyes gleamed with curiosity and wonder when she stepped closer, putting her bag down on the kitchen isle before stepping closer to inspect the pots and pans on the stove. Fin chuckled, finding her absolutely adorable, and gently placed his hands on her waist, maneuvering her over to the dining table.
"Stop being so nosy, Counselor. It's Valentine's Day, and I thought we could have a nice evening with food, wine and cuddling on the couch with your favourite movie."
"Valentine's Day? I totally forgot about that… I didn't know we would do something!" Rita exclaimed guiltily when she sunk down on her chair, and Fin leaned down to peck her lips.
"S'okay baby, it was spontaneous. And you being here with me is the best you can give me, seriously."
He could see how her cheeks started to glow a little, causing him to smirk in satisfaction before he turned to the stove and started to prepare two plates with the food he'd cooked.
"Thank you, Fin. It smells amazing. And I'm sure it'll taste good, too."
"All this early praise. Madam, your dinner is served."
They laughed together as he placed the plate in front of her with a mocked bow, put his own plate down and poured the wine. "You're such a dork, Odafin."
"That's what turns you on all the time, baby," he teased skilfully, and their eyes met across the table for a long moment, full of adoration, then they clinked their wine glasses together. "To us."
"To us, and a nice evening that'll once again make me admire how you're still not sick and tired of watching Legally Blonde with me."
Another smirk passed between them, and Fin gently laced their fingers together, running his thumb over her soft skin. "I'll never get tired of spending time with you, baby."
