Hotch looked at the phone like it would bite him.
The man was sitting at a cafe near to the BAU building wanting a break from his team. After JJ left the team, Garcia and Morgan had a complaint that it was unfair for JJ to be fired and she must have a second chance. Morgan shouted at Reid blaming him and Reid almost pinched him when the older agent called Lola bitch. On the other hand, Garcia kept her distance from Reid knowing that Bastiana Wolf would be neart to destroy her.
Prentiss and Rossi kept their mouth shut knowing that if Hotch didn't fire JJ, the blonde woman could have faced a different fate. For example, JJ could be in jail or lose her badge because Bastiana Wolf can destroy her. Reid hasn't talked about what happened with JJ and only his brother and his brother-in-law know.
He took a sip from his coffee, still looking at his phone.
She wanted to call her, wanted to hear her voice and her laugh. He wants to see her again, even Reid will kill him if he finds out.
He likes her a lot.
And then, Aaron watches the doors and he forgets all about his coffee. And whining Morgan. And Garcia. And his god damn coffee.
Because Bastiana just walked into the cafe, in a little dress that makes his lips hover above his glass without touching it as he watches her in one hell of a dress that screams all kinds of hot and Bastiana and even more kinds of forbidden wrong.
The dress is tight, but not too tight. It complements her curves in all the right places. The fabric is a deep blue, a low v line moves from the straps over her shoulders over her chest. The lines of the dress showing just enough cleavage, as the fabric moves over the curves of her breasts, thighs and then stops right above her moves into her new pair of heels, her hair is flowing loosely, and her skin is smelling of something sweet and soap.
Walking through the cafe toward the cashier, Hotch feels more irritation building up, now aimed at men for even looking at Bastiana. Comments and wolf-whistles. Forget irritation, he feels pissed.
Unknowing to him, Bastiana had a good day. She took the day off, wanting to spend her day without worried for clients or cases even her brothers. Amy and Travis handle her cases and it is forbidden to call her even if her world is going to hell. It was her personal day and for that, Chanel, Armani, Versace, Prada's bags were hanging from her hands and dropped by a spa, for manicure and pedicure and haircut.
It was a stressful day for her from the moment she woke up by a phone call.
After the call, Bastiana has broken two plates, four glasses and a vase which was a gift by Logan. Decided that if she goes to work, will shout and snape at everyone, so to took a day off it was best for everyone.
"Where the fuck are you?"
Bastiana listened to her brother, Mike Ross, say annoyed over the phone.
"Why you care?"
"I wanted your help!"Mike reminded her.
She chuckled."You want my help?"
"You promised-.."
Bastiana frowned. Why was he bringing that up? "Well, excuse me for wanting a day off after a stressful day.."
She stopped talking abruptly. She did not want to go there, not now, not in such a public place.
"I'm sorry," her brother amended. "I just miss you is all and I thought ..."
Bastiana blew out a sigh. "I miss you too… Look, I'll try to come over for the case, all right?"
"All right," he replied excitedly. Bastiana knew her 'try' was already taken as she'd most definitely be there. "Have a nice day."
"I will," she finished, trying to keep the grudging tone out of her voice.
She hung up quickly, eager to get her shopping done and to get back home.
"Hey," a voice startled her from behind.
Bastiana whirled around to see Spencer's boss, Aaron, standing by the door as well. A smile quickly overtook her face. He looked different then he had a few days ago. Then, he had been clad in a business suit, today he was in jeans and a grey t-shirt. She decided he looked good either way.
He was smiling at her.
"Aaron, hi," she greeted. "You drink here often?"
He shook his head. "No, I was just dropping some cases off at the office when I had a desire for a cup of coffee."
He chuckled lightly. "Good to know."
She liked the way his face softened when he smiled and laughed… She mentally shook herself out of that thought. Aaron Hotchner was too good looking for her own good. She realized she had to watch herself.
"Shops are broken."Aaron blurted quickly.
"Oh," she said in surprise, wondering how he knew and then realizing. "You heard me on the phone."
He nodded. "I saw you, so I thought I'd say hi. I waited until you were off the phone…"
He trailed off and she could see the question on his face as he took in the features of her face intently.
"I had a stressful day." she put forth.
"Oh, uh…" Aaron stuttered out. He was blushing again. She had a feeling that Aaron Hotchner didn't blush all that often. She wondered what it was about her that had him so obviously out of his comfort zone.
She put her hand on his forearm, hoping to settle his uneasy nerves. But he just stared down at her hand as if her touch had scolded him. She removed it and decided to move the conversation back to the mutual territory.
"How your work is doing?" she asked moving on to a table.
He grimaced, following her. "Dealing with dead bodies and blood.."
"Oh yes," she acknowledged. "That's right, you're an FBI agent. Must be exciting."
He frowned briefly and then simply said. "It has its moments."
She nodded. And then they stood there awkwardly. "Well…" she began. "I want to thank you."
"A few days early you gave me a brilliant idea for a case" she offered when he looked at her quizzically.
"I know that. Your brother talked about it."He looks at her blankly for a minute,
"You gossip about me with my brother."She asks disgustedly. "That is not polite. Bad Agent"
He shakes his head at her. "Your brothers are pride for you"
She nodded. And then they stood there awkwardly. "Well…" she began. "I have to go to the office."
Looking into his own basket, he nodded. "I guess I'm done here…" he started awkwardly. "It was nice seeing you, Bastiana."
"Same, Aaron," she replied, giving him a bright smile.
She gave him a little wave of her hand and turned away. It wasn't until she'd got out of the cafe that she realized she'd been holding her breath. She had no idea why Aaron Hotchner affected her this way.
Hotch watched her quickly retreat, mentally kicking himself. Could he be any more awkward around the young woman?
When he'd looked toward the door and seen Bastiana standing there, looking beautiful in that dress, he hadn't been able to resist, he'd instantly wanted to say hi.
Sighing, he headed towards his car. Saying 'hi' had been the easy part, everything that came after had been the painful part. He had no idea what it was about Bastiana Wolf that turned him upside down. Maybe it was her easy smile or the fact that caught him off guard. He wasn't sure.
Standing at the door od the cafe, he caught sight of her small frame moving from one street to another. As if she knew she was being watched she looked up and her blue eyes met his own. She gave him a grin and a wave and a sudden feeling of… warmth shot through him.
He turned back his coffee and walking toward his car. He had to convince his heart to slow down.
Crap! he suddenly realized. I've got a crush on Reid's sister.
Neal had to pause in the doorway when he saw the scene taking place before him. Lola was seated on the ratty old couch, chuckling into the lip of her tea as Logan cowered in the corner, arms up to protect himself while Dana wailed on him with a pillow.
"WELL THAT'S JUST YOUR OPINION, AND IT'S WRONG!" She shrieked as she continued to pummel the hero with one of the pillows that were usually left on the couch for whoever ended up crashing on it when they stayed in this particular safe house.
"YOU SAID TO BE HONEST! STOP HITTING ME!" Logan yelled right back, though he was clearly trying not to laugh at the same time.
Neal cleared her throat then, making Dana pause her assault and all eyes turn to him. "Mind explaining as to why you are trying to bludgeon our future brother-in-law to death with a pillow?" he drawled, an unimpressed expression gracing his face.
"He said the dress I was looking at wasn't my color," Dana said, tone clipped and eyes still full of fire.
"It isn't," Logan says before flashing across the room to stand by Neal. "She showed me the catalog and said to be honest."
Heaving a sigh and pinching the bridge of his nose, Neal resists the urge to walk right back out and go to his own condo than stay at Reid's condo for the night. "I'm staying out of this. The two of you," he says, pointing and gesturing between Dana and Logan "figure this out on your own. I'm too tired to play referee."
Walking off he hears Dana start to argue with Logan that she would look stunning in whatever dress she was talking about while Dana flounders and tries to agree and say that he just meant she would look better in the red or black version, not the navy blue one she had initially pointed at.
Neal decided to head into the library to see if he could find a good book to read. As far as he knew everyone else was out for the day. Bastiana had gone into the office, Sonny and Dodds were off at their teams, Reid had disappeared that morning with Temperance Brennan. Since he thought everyone was out, Neal got rather a shock when he found his little brother sitting at one of the desks in the library, parchment littering the desktop, and his brown head held in his arms.
"Spencer?" Neal placed a gentle hand on his brother's shoulder, unsure if there was anything seriously wrong with his younger brother.
"Hey." Reid looked up and smiled at his brother.
"What's wrong?" Neal asked as he slid into the seat beside his brother.
"Wedding vows," Reid answered, gesturing to the parchment strewn all over the desktop.
"Ah, I see," Neal chuckled, suddenly understanding his brother's problem. Writing his wedding vows had been the hardest thing involved in getting married to Dana, and even now he still wasn't sure he'd done what he felt for her justice in the words he'd managed to write.
"How did you do it?" Reid pleaded. "How do I do this without sounding like an idiot?"
"I'm not sure you do," Neal admitted. "I couldn't find any way to write my vows without sounding like a bloody lovesick moron."
"I can't imagine you as a lovesick moron," Reid smirked. While he'd always known how much his brother loved his family, Neal just like Bastiana had never been one to be overly expressive with his emotions.
"Weddings tend to do that to people," Neal said wisely.
"But how exactly did you do it?" Reid asked. "How did you write down what Dana meant to you? I mean I love Lola, but I have no clue how to write that as vows. I hardly think saying I love her will suffice."
"I struggled for weeks with my vows," Neal told his son. "I had no idea how to express what I felt for Dana. I looked through books for ideas, but all of them seemed too over the top and dramatic."
"So what did you do?" Reid pressed.
"One night when I couldn't sleep I just lay watching Dana, and I thought of all the ways she changed my life. I thought about what my life was like before her, and what it was like once she was in it, "Neal replied. "I got enough from that to cobble some mush together."
"But it's not the same for me," Reid sighed. "Before Dana things were different for you, but it's not as if I had an experience like that. I was just an ordinary man until Lola walked into my life and I fell in love."
"I know," Neal nodded. "Dana changed my entire life, and that was the big inspiration when I wrote my vows. I think you're just going to have to write down what Lola means to you and what you'd do for her. I'm sure she'll love whatever you come up with as long as it comes from the heart."
"But what if I can't?" Reid asked, running his hand through his brown hair. "What if I can't turn my feelings into words?"
"Luckily you're not me," Neal replied with a rueful smile. "You've got more than enough of Dana in you that expressing your emotions comes significantly easier to you than it ever has to me. Write down all your feelings for Lola, and then try to sort them into some semblance of order."
"And what if I write my vows, but can't say them?" Reid asked, voicing his other worry. "It's one thing telling Lola I love her or admitting into my family. But can I really stand up in front of all those people and pour my heart out?"
"And you think that was easy for me?" Neal raised an eyebrow at his brother. "I was a mess before I had to say my vows. I was terrified in case I opened my mouth and nothing came out."
"How did you do it?"
"I looked at Dana and pretended we were alone." Neal paused and smiled at the memory. "I forgot all about everyone watching, and I poured my heart out to Dana."
''I can do that," Reid said confidently. "I can tell Lola how I feel about her."
"That's all you need to do," Neal said. "Just think about Lola, and you'll be okay."
"Thanks, brother," Reid smiled.
"I'm not sure I've done anything," Neal replied as he stood up. To be honest he doubted he'd helped Spencer at all.
"You have, you've given me the confidence to know I'll find something to say," Spencer told his brother.
"As long as I've been a help. While we're on do you need any more advice?".
"Nope, I think that's it."
"No honeymoon tips?" Neal smirked. "Now that was something I had no problem with."
"I bet it wasn't," Reid laughed. "And no, I don't need tips in that department. Lola and I are great in that department."
"Good," Neal nodded. "I'll leave you to it. Good luck."
As soon as Neal walked oy of the library shouts attacked his ears, making his headache emerge again. Figures.
I'm sorry I lost my temper. I was shot in the back by a moron.
I'm sorry
Apology not accepted, moron
Spencer and Neal laughed.
''What the fuck is going on?''Neal asked.
''In four days is a ball hold by the Bar'' Reid retorted.''It is a charity event and all the money is orphanages and single mothers. Dana looks for a dress wanting to match with your suit.''
''You tell her that I will not go with her'' Neal said pointing his finger at Spencer.
''I love my life-'Spencer started before Neal interrupted his rant.
''I don't want to be there'' Neal admitted.
''Why?''
''You freaking kidding me?''Neal questioned.''We cannot live a normal life until Pink Panthers gone from our lives if someone sees me with her..''
''You are an idiot'' Reid said setting his pencil down on the desk as he approached him.''We will protect her, Neal. Just because you are afraid that does not mean that Dana must live in the shadows, she wants to show you around to all the firm and after what happened with ...''
The lean frame of one Neal Caffrey and he was furious. Normally blue eyes were nearly black with rage and the murderous look on his face would have sent Reid running for the hills had it not been directed at the redhead bitch who works near to their younger brother. When he finds out it's by accident. He happened at the end of their conversation which apparently had discussed with Mike. This fact was confirmed when he confronted Dana. He might have been a little childish walking off when he found out but seriously? Mike knew that someone had hurt Dana and no one of them told him.
Someone made his wife cry. He made every effort to make her happy and finding out that Dana was crying almost devastated him.
''Fine'' Neal replied, smiling up at Spencer.
Employees past, trying not to show their growing interest, but at the same time, they tried desperately to slow down their pace in order to hear the two name partners arguing in the corridor. Fighting between those two was normal. It was an everyday occurrence in which all the lawyers, secretaries, as well as many of the Wolf-Wilson other inhabitants, knew.
Bastiana Wolf and Cody Wilson were fighting over the charity ball
"You want me to do what?"
"I cannot understand why you are acting like that," Wilson says with such a fake innocence that it's almost ridiculous.
"Have I told you how much I hate you?"
Wilson laughed. "Wolf, was that a joke? Are you feeling okay?"
"I want you to know, from the bottom of my cold, stone heart, I hate you. I hate you so very very much sometimes it surprises even me."
"Are you finished?"
"No, actually, I'm not." Bastiana's dry sense of humor always caught Wilson a little by surprise.
Suddenly, Amy came running into the room, her eyes wide. It took a mere second for them to take in the sight of all of the auros, all in one piece, and visibly relax.
"Why is it quiet?" She asked as he leaned back against the wall, her voice low.
"You're worried when it's quiet?" Travis questioned as he crossed his arms in amusement.
"You're not?" Amy frowned."With those two?"
"Good point."
"I am not going to do that"
"It was not a request ."He says to Bastiana."It is an order."
Bastiana only hummed non-committally
"He orders her around?" someone whispered from the crowd of spectators.
Bastiana glared at the man who shares her firm with. Cody Wilson is 43 years old and ridiculously good looking for his age. Honestly offensively so. He has unruly dark hair, deep blue eyes, alabaster skin framed in long inky eyelashes, and his suit might actually almost be as well cut and expensive. Wilson was the snake in the grass, the hidden threat that struck with lethal accuracy, and deadly efficiency. Despite knowing this though, Bastiana wasn't afraid. As utterly insane as it sounded, she just wasn't. Something in her gut told her that side of Cody wouldn't be turned on her. It was in the way the other man looked at her.
They fight a lot but at the end of the day, they have each other backs. But now, Bastiana wants to kill him.
''I will cut your dick'' Bastiana's voice was filled with relief and joy.
"This can't be happening again," someone whimpered from the crowd of onlookers.
"We've got to get out of here!" someone else cried.
"I don't have a car!" sobbed another. "I'll never make it out on time!"
"She's going to kill us!"
"I never thought I'd have to look into the eyes of the devil again!"
Bastiana growled at him, ''You can't force me ''
"You want to see me." He smirked before winking at Amy, who gasped.
"You are out of your mind?"
Wilson laughed.
"Give one good reason and I will!"She said, and Wilson grinned in return.
"Oh really?."Willson asked absent-mindedly.''Maybe you need a good fuck''
Amy came into the office just in time to see Bastiana throw the vase at Wilson.
"Bastiana!" she shouted "What on earth do you think you are doing?
''I don't need someone to fuck me'' Bastiana says with a laugh. ''And I masturbate because I'm the only one whose standards are too high to fuck me''
He let out a shaky laugh.
"Wolf. You're the managing partner of this firm; you can't go. All of the elderly men look forward to dancing with you so much; you wouldn't want to disappoint them, would you? And not just the elderly men. Don't make me turn this into order, B. You will be at the formal next week and you will dance with your brothers and have a good time. Are we understood?"
"No" Bastiana cruelly replied.
''Bastiana''
Bastiana was quiet for a while before she snuggled more into Cody's body. "Okay."
"Weird." An associate said, but everybody was too focused on them to shush him.
''Seriously?! Did I hit my head on something or did this witch just agree with me?!'' Wilson thought.
''Why-what-t''
They all watched is a shock as their boss stumbling over his own words but he cannot say anything as the woman left the room with Amy after her.
''You cannot kill him'' Amy's tone turned a little self-deprecating
''Damn. There goes my plan it rips his spleen through his back''
Bastiana didn't have to see Amy's face to know that there was a sly smile there. The lawyer was into her office to find Travis reclining indolently in a chair.
"I'm not in the mood," Bastiana said with a tone while raising her eyebrow. She walked up and poured herself a drink before sitting across from Travis.
"Come on." Travis mourned." I can't go there without you on my side."
She was not a Seer. She did not get visions of the future, she had never given a prophecy, but she did see more than most other witches. Or perhaps you could say that she saw deeper.
But going to Bar charity event is will not have a happy end
"You have a date!"Bastiana winked and threw a feather boa onto her friend. Travis went still momentarily. He wanted to ask Amy to be his date since he found out about the ball but did know-how, he was shy when it comes to thanking God, Bastiana, and Dana had to help him.
"I want you there"
Bastiana ran her fingers through her hair.
"To do what?"She snarled at him
Travis raised an eyebrow, intrigued."Dance, talk, meet someone, and have sex."
She sighed, sounding greatly put upon, and turned to face him."I don't have a date."
"Like you need one," He said firmly.
Bastiana can sense the perturbed eye-rolling even over her file." Amy said that you have a list with my future suitors.''
Travis reaches for the list of names " Maximillion pegasus."
"Still greaving after his late wife.''Bastiana mused aloud.
"Christian Grey."
"Too young for me."She said exasperatedly.
Travis winces. He can see where this is going. " Hank Voight''."
"Gay and married to Antonio Dawson. Next?"She replied.
"Dr. Temperance Brennan."
."Oh, you want to date another me. This gets better and better. Go on."
"Jessica Pearson."
"I thought you'd know about Pearson,"
"No, I don't think so."
"I set her up with Captain Olivia Benson. Anyone else?"
"Zigfried von Schroer—" Travis stumbles on the pronunciation.
"Yes, it's horrendous and has too many consonants. He is at the same age as Kaiba Seto, which means he could be my son."Bastiana replied with a touch of smug satisfaction."
''I ran out of names, woman''
Bastiana chuckles quietly in return'' I don't understand why you are trying to set me up with someone''
He continued, "Look, Bastiana. I'm just saying: Everyone should get a chance to find genuine love."
Angrily, she answered her, "Absolutely not."
''Why can not understand that I am just happy being alone?''She began to laugh then clapped the man on the shoulders.''CAN YOU SEE HOW HAPPY I AM''?
Travis turned to stare at her. "Yes. And you just spit some of your joy in my eye.''
She held back a sneer and just raised a disbelieving eyebrow.
''You will come with me to pick out my dress."
Travis held his hands up in surrender. "Nah uh. That is definitely out of the question. You are such a girl when it comes to picking out clothes. I am never going shopping with you again."
Bastiana glared at him. Or at least it was her version of a glare. To anyone else, her face was a blank mask, emotionless and indifferent. But Newt could see the slightly narrowed pupils, the tiniest of curves on one side of her lips portraying her annoyance.
''I've known a great number of clever and strong men. I've outlived them all. You know why?''She asked nonchalantly."Love is.."
"Poison. A sweet poison, yes, but it will kill you all the same" Travis answered.
"You're quoting me,? I could get used to this..." Bastiana commented.
"Not unless you start saying something worth repeating more often," Travis replied.
"I am fabulous,"B astiana said, trying her best to sound peppy.
Travis chuckled. "You used to tell Temperance that she must move on for the Agent but I can see that you are not following your own advice."
Bastiana could feel Travis's eyes worrying into the back of her head as she ignores him.
Travis shook his head."B?"
"I miss him." She admitted softly, smoothing back her hair as she admitted to herself that she actually didn't care if she seemed pathetic, as long as he was listening."When he wad with me I used to tease him. I used to make fun of him I know that but without him, there is not a feeling so same and I feel so lonely there is me to blame because his path and my path was different but my love for him is same."she said, her forehead pressed against his chest.
He took her chin between his thumb and forefinger, forcing her to look at him. "You are not alone. You have me and Amy and your brothers and sisters."
He bent his head to kiss her forehead.
It had been an extremely long day for Bastiana Wolf and he was looking forward to going back to her condo for a good night's rest when the phone rang. She sighed heavily and shrugged her coat back on, knowing that she would have to put off his rendezvous with her bed for at least another hour. She picked up the receiver. "Wolf."
''It's Sonny''
''What did he do now?''
The voice on the other side has an epiphany." Wha- What?No?"
"I am Sonny "
''What did you do?'' she asked, feeling concerned about her brother.
The two of them spoke for 20 minutes before she hung up.
Unknowing to her, a man was walking through the corridors of Wolf-Wilson, the entire floor was empty, save for one managing partner. He smiles to find the lamp in Bastiana's office still on, he walked in, intending to switch it off. To his surprise, the found the woman herself, sitting at her desk, with a glass half full of an amber liquid. She seemed so lost in thought that she didn't even notice him standing right in front of her
''I will kill them''Bastiana mutters under this breath while he chuckles softly."I will kill them and Amy will help me to hide their bodies. I don't understand why I put up with them..''
''Did you remember to pick out the kids as I told you?" Harvey asked Bastiana smiled at that
"Yep, the youngest one is turning to be a real pain in the ass," Bastiana said.
Harvey takes a better look at the woman. He always thought Bastiana as an epitome of fashion from their first meeting, always dress to impress wearing expensive clothes with a bit trace of makeup. But today it was like that woman was gone, in front of him was sitting a woman without makeup and wore only a black yoga pant with a red top, dark circles forming from exhaustion under his eyes. Be a name partner was exhausting and had a lot of work and responsibilities.
Ignoring the woman, Harvey stood in front of the windows, staring down at the street and observing the people passing by.
"Nice office," Harvey commented. "And a nice view."
"What are you doing here?" She demanded to know. She could feel her heart beating faster and her hands starting to get sweaty.''My brother?''
He spots the concern in the voice of an almost rolled his eyes. Harvey knows how tiring and stressful it is to be the older sibling is, always try to help them, and get them out of troubles. Hearing stories by Dana, all the siblings in the Ross clan were predictable causing troubles to each other but they all loved each other in their own ways, no matter how hid or twisted was.
''Mike is fine,'' Har vey replied.
"Then why are you here?" Bastiana asked exasperated. "What reason could you possibly have?"
"You own me a dinner," Harvey proclaimed and held up a box of homemade food, a bottle of whiskey. She just looked at him with a stony expression.'''I am a persistent man''
''You don't take a no for an answer'' Bastiana is grouchy and isn't even sure why.
Harvey grins.''I don't know the meaning of this word.''
Bastiana laughed.''Harvey Specter not knowing something. It makes me want to throw a parade.''
Harvey bit back comments about parades and glitter and marching and just nodded. But Bastiana's next conversational gambit surprised him.
'I prefer vodka'' She mumbled and right at this moment she didn't look like the cocky and arrogant lawyer Harvey knew but like someone who had dived headfirst in a situation she now didn't know how to deal with.
''Next time'' Harvey replied.
Bastiana turned back to him.''Who said that will be next time?''
He laughed.''Me''
''You are full of yourself.''She commented,'' Now give me food.''
The conversation grew more sporadic after that as the two of them focused on the food and Bastiana found herself enjoying the fact that there was no part of it that she had to order takeout food or eat pretzel or call her brothers for food and she felt a tiny swell of pity for whatever lowest ranking private would get stuck with the dishes.
When they were finished the serves brought plates of chocolate cake covered in mashed strawberries. The whole thing was drizzled with a golden sauce Bastiana vaguely remembered tasting when she was younger but couldn't recall if it was caramel or butterscotch but was delicious.
She tried to be discreet about licking the last of the chocolate off her fork but she saw Harvey glance at her and his smile went wicked. He had half a strawberry left on his place, oozing over with sauce and he picked it up, holding it out to her with an expression that practically screamed "I dare you."
Judging from the way he was grinning at her, she realized she was probably giving him a dirty look. She leaned close to his hand, taking the berry in her teeth but her tongue flicked out to catch a drop of sauce off the tip of his thumb, and on impulse, she let her lips linger, rolling the remains of the strawberry in her mouth.
By the widening of his eyes, she realized she'd shocked him and she drew back.
''You are an idiot!'' she says, and it's not even a question, just an acknowledgment.
"What," he presses because he wants -needs- to pick a fight. Needs to release all this tension. It's probably not wise, but he's never been into doing the wise thing anyway.
She looked back at him, running her eyes over his tanned face. Ignoring his question, she asked one of her own. "Why do you do that?"
Tilting his head, Harvey raised an eyebrow. "Wolf, I'm not a mind-reader."
Huffing, Bastiana crossed her arms. "A woman tries to mess with you and then you act like you can find your own dick."
Leaning back in his chair, Harvey seemed to ponder her question. He raised the glass to his lips, taking a small sip, his eyes running across her face. "When you have a beautiful woman around you.!" he stated.
She wasn't expecting that. "You think I am beautiful?"
"Yes!" he replied.
"Good."She challenges."I am not in the mood to kill someone"
Harvey just shrugs.
"I am thinking"
Bastiana rolls her eyes."You are able to do that?"
Harvey gave her a grim smile before running a hand through his hair.
"Wanna play 20 questions?" Harvey asked innocently.
Bastiana's eyes bulged.
"WHAT?" She yelped.
"You, Harvey Specter, actually think that I, Bastiana Wolf, am going to play 20 questions with you? Are you insane?" She shouted.
"I assure you, Wolf, that you have no reason to doubt my state of sanity…you on the other hand…" Harvey smirked.
She glared.
"Come on! What's so horrible about playing 20 questions with me?" He sighed.
She gave him her best "DUH!" look.
"Are you seriously asking that question?"
"No Wolf, I'm faking. I just pretended to speak but actually used a very complex little bit of magic to implant my words into that ignorant little head of yours." Harvey exclaimed sarcastically.
She gave him a weird look.
"Forget it." He said quickly, giving a careless wave of his hand.
"Now answer the question already! Why won't you play 20 questions with me?" He drawled.
"And I thought you were supposed to be smart," Harvey muttered.
"Fine, fine!" She shouted, after seeing Harvey's death glare.
"But only on one condition." She said sternly.
"What?" He asked.
She smiled.
"I start!"
He rolled his eyes.
"Fine with me." He said. "Shoot."
"Okay…umm…" She mumbled, tapping her pencil thoughtfully onto the rock beneath her.
"Uhh, …what's yours…favorite color?" She finally asked.
Harvey stared.
"Are you serious? You could ask me any single question that pops into that bushy little head of yours and you want to know my favorite color is?" He exclaimed in disbelief.
"My questions, I decide. Answer." Bastiana stated simply.
He continued to shake his head in bewilderment.
"Green and black." He finally muttered.
"Ah! For the blackness of your heart and the evil little Slytherin in you, I presume!" Bastiana smirked.
"Actually, no." Harvey retorted coldly." Nice Harry Potter`s reference."
"What for then?" Bastians asked sweetly.
He sneered.
"Nuh-uh, Wolf! You already asked your question. My turn!" He said, very much enjoying the look of frustration on Bastiana's face.
"Ask away then." She snapped, a bit too angrily for her liking I might add.
Harvey pretended to think, giving a poor imitation of Bastiana's pencil tapping and concentrated expression.
She rolled her eyes.
"Umm…what's your favorite color?" He smirked.
Bastiana's jaw dropped.
"I thought you just said that was a stupid question!" She shouted
"So?" He asked innocently.
"So, why are you asking it then?" She exclaimed crossly.
"Because I feel like it." He answered simply.
Bastiana shook her head.
"If I live to be a thousand years old I will never, for the life of me come to understand the workings of a men's brain," She mumbled.
"Quit the musings Wolf and answer already." He snapped.
"Fine." He sighed.
"Black." She muttered, still shaking her head numbly.
"And why is that?" Harvey asked naively.
Bastiana instantly perked right back up.
"Oh no, you don't! I asked first! What are the reasons behind your colors?" she demanded, savoring the put-out expression on Harvey's face.
He hastily ran a hand through his hair.
He seems to do that a lot. Bastiana noted curiously. Huh…I had never noticed. Maybe it's some kind of nervous tick or something. Actually, it couldn't be a nervous tick because he seems to do it whenever he's frustrated too. Hmm…is there such a thing as a frustrated/nervous tick? A nervous tick…no…frusvous…no…nerated…umm…
"Hellooo? Earth to Wolf! Wolf? WOLF!"
"What?" Bastiana shouted confusedly.
"Really Wolf you can be so clever sometimes. I just adore the vocabulary you use. So expressive." Harvey sneered, eyes filled with retained laughter.
Bastiana tried to glare but the effect was kind of ruined by her blushing complexion.
Damn your cheeks! Why must you always blush at the most inconvenient times!
"Off daydreaming about me my dear little wolfy?" Harvey drawled.
Bastiana rolled her eyes with a look clearly stating, "In your dreams!"
"If you want, I could make your fantasies reality." He smirked, cocking an eyebrow suggestively.
She scoffed.
"You wish Specter. Now, what were we talking about?" She answered coolly, quickly recovering her cool demeanor.
"You were just about to tell me why you had chosen black actually." He replied.
"Oh no, you don't! I wasn't that out of it! Now tell me why you chose green and black already or I get to ask you a free question!" Bastiana shouted, smiling triumphantly at Harvey's nod of defeat.
"Fine." He sighed.
"Well, green is because when I was little and my mother was wearing a short green eye. It was beautiful on her and wore it at every celebration, so every birthday or Christmas the first thing I would see was the green grass beneath me. It just always brings back good memories I guess." He finished lamely with a shrug.
Wow. Bastiana thought in surprise. A lawyer can be human
She cleared her throat uneasily.
"And black?" She tried hesitantly.
"Black is simply because I love nighttime. Always have and always will." He said plainly.
Bastiana looked down at her shoes and smiled.
"What are you smiling about?" He asked curiously.
"Oh, nothing." She mumbled hastily.
"Umm…your turn." She was quick to change the subject as Harvey was still eyeing her skeptically.
He shook his head.
"Fine. Why black then?" He demanded.
"Black is because I adore nighttime too. It's just so much more peaceful than the daytime. I love the moon, the shadows, and the kind of deserted tranquility about it. No one's there to judge you, you can be yourself in the darkness. It's just me and the stars." She said quietly, never quite meeting Harvey's eyes as she spoke.
She finally chanced a look at him and was shocked to see he was practically grinning! Harvey-smirking-bastard-Specter was grinning!
It wasn't a big grin mind you. Just a teeny tiny ghost of a grin actually. But hey! It was there!
As quickly as it had come it was gone, for as soon as Harvey realized what he was doing he wiped that little lopsided smile of his right off and replaced it with his trademark smirk, eyes gleaming with superiority and indifference once more.
Oh well, …it was there. Bastiana sighed.
"Your turn Wolf." He snapped coldly, although Bastiana couldn't help but note the slight shake in his normally steady voice.
"Okay," Bastiana said, scrunching up her brow in thought.
"What's yours…favorite animal?" She asked after a few moments of reflex ion.
He shook his head.
"You really do have a knack for lame questions don't you Wolf?"
She glowered.
"I don't ask you to judge my question I ask you to answer them." She snapped.
Harvey rolled his eyes.
"Okay." He sighed.
"I guess it would have to be dragons." He shrugged after a while.
"Fair enough, although I must admit I always thought it would be a snake." Bastiana put in thoughtfully.
"So sorry to disappoint you." He sneered.
"Don't worry, I'll live."She grinned.
"Too bad." Harvey leered.
Bastiana glared before sighing, "Your turn."
''Why Wolf?''He asked after a pause of thought.
Bastiana's jaw dropped.
''What?''
''I know that your real last name is Ross, Mike kept his real last name while your other brothers took the name of their adopted parents but you, you chose your name'' He said simply.
Bastian's heart jumps as she watches his gaze fall to the name over her door.
''Life is a lone wolf, scratching out a living with teeth and claws and a heart of stone'' She stands and walks to the window, pretending to inspect the weather.''I have been alone for 23 years, fighting to survive and to live.''
Harvey walks over and stood next to her on the window.
''What?''Harvey asks.''Not a partner or lover?''
''What about you, man whore?''
"Man whore is extreme. Do I love women? Yes. Do I have a great track record with commitment? Not really."
Bastiana grins. "I think that is the actual, literal definition of a man whore. You are clearly in denial."
"Thinking I'm not the only one."
She arches an eyebrow. ''What?''
''Bastiana Wolf, the eternal bachelorette''
''You won't have to be somewhere else?''Bastiana suggests, wanting desperately to change the subject. She grabs the vodka and heads to the desk, pulling out one of the chairs and sitting.
Harvey opens his mouth to make a comment but...
Ring! Ring! Ring!
The first three times Bastiana's phone had rung out in his pocket, the woman had looked at the caller ID before rejecting the call abruptly and shoving her phone back in her inside jacket pocket with a sigh. Harvey watched her carefully out of the corner of his eye from his seat and cursing the person who cut them off. Bastiana's expression, Harvey noticed, was one of guilt. Her face was scrunched up in an almost sulky expression. Harvey couldn't help but snigger.
''Who is?''He asks and Bastiana glared at him.
Harvey looked down and shook his head, was the feeling jealous? Harvey casually leaned back in the seat, trying to remain inconspicuous.
The woman hesitated, looking from Bastiana to the phone and then back again. She clenched her fists.
"We are done" Her tone was so cold it could turn the river to ice. It even had his men shivering in their boots.''Get the hell out of my office.''
"Wolf." Harvey gasped. But she already ran down the office.
She ran down the stairs. She could hear Harvey calling out her name.
She can't do this.
Not now.
She ran down towards the corridor, standing in the middle. Looking both ways, back and forth. No sign of Harvey.
Out of blue, Bastiana was thrown against the wall in a heartbeat. Harvey had advanced on her so quickly she almost didn't see the man before he had a hand on her throat. There was no pressure on the hand though.
"Stay the hell away from me!" She shouted at him, fixing the terrifying eyes on him. Harvey felt the bottom drop out of his stomach. Fuck. He should have seen it coming, he really should have seen it coming. He had been trying to deny the obvious from the outset.
"You hide something!"Harvey snapped at her.
"I don't know what you are talking about."
Bastiana hissed, feeling anger rise in her throat." Stay back."
Harvey sidled closer, so close Bastiana could feel his body heat, the puff of his breath on the back of her neck. "Mmn, I'd like to see you make me," he purred; an atrocious line, one that made Bastiana grimace in simple distaste.
"Alright. That's it," she said, feeling himself snap a little. "You're being an absolute pain the arse, Specter..."
She merely made an aggravated, startled sound as Harvey pressed against her, his lips warm and soft against woman's own, smelling of gunpowder and tasting of caramel, the sharp undertones of alcohol, utterly gorgeous.
Harvey pushed Bastiana back against the wall as his kiss deepened as he heard her moan he ground himself more into her. He was just getting off on hearing her moans and whimpers. Something about it just seems to make his blood move faster and his heart beat faster. His arms went around her waist as he pulled her hips harder into his as she grounded into him some more.
He flicked his tongue out over her lips to taste her apricot taste. Something about it drove him to wilder then he is ever been before.
Bastiana couldn't 't help but grind against him helplessly. Everything Harvey was doing to her seems to turn her on.
A sharp, livid push; Harvey stumbled back, looking very shocked. Bastiana took a moment to catch her breath, blood rushing in all the wrong places, making her soon-to-be livid tirade about Harvey's professionalism not really passable.
She tried anyway.
"Undesirable sexual contact and innuendo are how you greet my anger?!" Bastiana asked incredulously, straightening her shirt, biting her lip slightly in a way that Harvey swallow sharply.
Bastiana blinked, Harvey, refusing to move from his personal space. "If I must," he purred, recovering nicely from being pushed away from a kiss for precisely the first time in his life.
"You arrogant little prick'' She hissed through clenched teeth.
Bastiana flounced away, still muttering under her breath, her shiny hair swinging back and forth as if mocking him.
Harvey vowed to destroy her
Harvey walked down the corridor of Pearson Specter Litt feeling particularly proud of himself after such a big win. He had just come out of Louis' office after throwing it in his face that he had completely wiped the floor with the prosecution in the big case that nobody (including Jessica) thought was winnable. He had a smirk on his face as he passed Donna's desk only to find she wasn't there - which brought a very small frown to his face - but nevertheless, he continued to stride down to his office unable to hide the satisfaction on his face.
He sat in his desk waiting for Donna while the memories from the last night flood his kiss, the fire in her eyes, and the rejection.
He does not know why but he found himself fond of Bastiana. She had thrown things in his face where he had other people literally shot for once, and fuck still would snap somebody's neck for. She was the one woman that never seemed to fall for any of his charms that normally had other woman begging for a just some of his attention. Not Bastiana.
On the other hand, she turned him down for the second time. Him! Harvey Specter the best closer in the city or maybe it has some connection with the phonecalls. Hesitation and registration were over her face while avoiding the calls, maybe an ex-lover?
His thought cut off by a laugh.
Did you eat all the powdered donuts?
No
Then what's that on your pants?
Cocaine
Dana and Mike smiled at each other across the room.
Harvey watched the conversation silently.
It was strange seeing his former puppy and his ex-girlfriend interacting. Not just because they look alike, but because they fell into their own way of communication. It's something that only comes from years of knowing each other and growing up together, which makes you move and think in sync.
God, how he misses the kid, and he would not admit it to anybody, not even Donna. But it is Donna, so maybe she already knows that he misses Mike even before the emotion registers in his brain. How he misses the morning banter, the random appearances of Mike on his penthouse, the battle of movie quotes. How he ruins a $300 shirt by rolling it up to his arms when he works.
Harvey suddenly stopped his train of thought. Seriously, he's not mooning on his ex-associate just now.
'Shit, I have to get back to work. It's way too early for this'
He booted his laptop on and started the day. He started off his rhythm by reading the documents Donna laid out for her and researching several possible precedents or backgrounds. He was already on the third file when Donna walked into his office. He ignores her, trying to finish up his work, if Donna needs anything, she can get it herself. The redhead said nothing, just kept on staring at her boss. Harvey hit the save button before looking up to her.
"Yes?"
"Jessica wants to see you in her office."
'God, it's way too early for a Monday.'
Harvey nodded and closed the lid of his laptop before straightening himself and making his way to Jessica's office. He wonders if Jessica is going to tell him the secret on keeping a law firm afloat after being battered and beaten, but it's way too early to break in the scotch. Clearly, that conversation needs alcohol with it. Nearing the managing partner's office, he can't help but pause as he heard laughter. The laughter which is coming from said office. Baffled at the foreign sound, he took a peek and saw Jessica laughing while talking on her phone.
The voice on the other side said something
to Jessica, making the latter laugh, a thing his former boss never does. Intrigued, he opened the glass door not bothering to knock. He's a named partner, damn it.
"You wanted to see me, Jessica?"
The managing partner sobered up when she saw Harvey, though her smile is still present. This Monday is beginning to be the weirdest Monday this firm has ever seen.
"Harvey, just the man I wanted to see this morning." Jessica started before motioning for the door "Be a dear and close the door."
Specter raised an eyebrow at the pleasant request. Jessica doesn't so pleasant. She does commanding, threatening, maiming but never pleasant. The male lawyer feels like he is in an episode of the twilight zone. Harvey mentally shrugged and shutter the door.
"You're in an awfully good mood." Harvey said, "Did you kill a puppy on your way here?"
The person in the phone giggled at the comment making Jessica smile.
''I will see you later with Olivia for shopping. Bye, bye Bastiana'' Jessica hung up the phone, making Harvey froze.
''Bastiana'' Harvey asked hotly and way too fast before adding a mental 'That bitch!'
Jessica smirked before replying.
''Any problem?''
''You want her to bring her here'' Harvey murmured
"Yes,"Jessica assured him, forcing her voice into blase neutrality.
"I don't care," Harvey said evenly, "because she's an evil, mercenary bitch. You can't trust her. Having her here puts all of us in danger." He didn't add that it mattered because Jessica had done it behind his back, without even mentioning it.
Jessica shrugged. "Lots of evil, mercenary bitches in this business. She's got the best reputation for-"
Harvey cut her off. "Yes, she's got a great reputation. For turning into anything anybody wants her to be and stealing anything she can get away with. For leaving a trail of bodies behind her. And somehow, everybody still loves her at the end. Sounds just like someone you want on your team."
Jessica didn't try to hide her smile. "Harvey," she said, her voice placating, " You have a thing for her..''
"Have you completely taken leave of your senses?!" He hissed. He stood defiant.
"What?"Jessica asked incredulously. "I never saw you that happy before. I never even saw you respond well to an insult or contradiction before I saw you with Bastiana"
She sounded crazy right now. She thought that a relationship between Wolf and his was plausible? Seriously, Wolf and Harvey couldn't be further from that. Their relationship was sort of like cat and mouse, in which the cat and mouse switched roles.
Harvey ignores her.
''You are jealous of her?''
His brow crinkled in irritation at her seemingly innocent question. He was not jealous. No matter what Jessica said. Only maybe he was. Of Logan, Dana and his siblings spending all her time with Mike. Hanging out t his place when Mike should be at his and… Okay so he was jealous but no one needed to know.
"She is the one who you banged, "Harvey said through still gritted teeth.
''Is not your fucking business,'' Jessica answers, grinning.
''I want you to make peace with her'' said Jessica with a smirk.
''Come on, Jessica. You banged her. The least you could do is take him to lunch. ''Harvey squeaked, his face red not to burst out laughing
''That is not funny. ''
'''Wait a second, you want me to make peace with her because you banged him. ''. He asked her, obviously feeling confused.
''Harvey... I want you to go ahead and say 'banged' to my face one more time. ''
''I'm not going to but not because I'm scared of you. ''Harvey answers, too quickly to be reassuring, then shakes his head
''Whatever lets you sleep at night, white boy. ''said Jessica before Harvey leaves the office.
Harvey storms down the corridor. The anger brooding in his vein thinking frantically, 'I need a room which has a dummy Bastiana! I need a room which has a dummy Bastiana!'
Hatred rose in him.
His next confrontation was unlikely to be a stroll in Central Park, either. His back stiffened unconsciously as he strode toward his office. If he was lucky, Donna would take an extended lunch for once, and he could pack up the important things before she got back.
She was there, waiting for him.
"I want flowers" he demanded. She looked up at him slightly startled at his approach which Harvey thought was strange as she should have seen him coming.
"What?"
"Flowers. Now," Harvey says again, clearing his throat, squirming as Donna stares at him in disbelief. "What? Are you deaf suddenly?"
"No, but I may be dead." Donna made a show of checking her pulse, and Harvey rolled his eyes
"You're hilarious."
"For who?"She asked cordially, unable to control the smile crossing her face. Harvey sighed exasperatedly.
"Wolf," He said almost whining. Donna's smile turned into a smirk when she realized that Harvey was going to begin making his case. This day was just turning into a ball of fun early.
"Someone turned down the great Harvey Specter," She said, eyes dancing with humor.
That's the bad thing about best friends, Harvey scowled. They know everything and aren't above rubbing it in your face for their own amusement.
"Just order the stupid flowers, Donna."