Daniel used his key and unlocked Sam's front door. He was over an hour late and Sam was supposed to be cooking dinner for him. He frowned as he walked down the hall, hoping that it was salvageable and that she would forgive him. His confusion grew as he entered the kitchen to find her stood at the cooker, stirring some sauce in a pan.
"Ok. I was sure I was late."
Sam turned and looked at the sheepish grin on his face and smiled. "And you are. But I kind of figured this was going to happen...so I told you to get here two hours early."
Daniel smiled broadly at her. "You know me too well." He approached her slowly, taking the time to really look at her. "And I love you for it."
Sam laughed softly and placed a gentle kiss on the end of his nose. "If I were you, I'd save all admissions of undying love until *after* you've tasted my cooking."
Daniel scrunched his nose up. "That bad?" He kissed her lips softly and then wrapped his arms round her as she returned her attention to the sauce. He rested his chin on her shoulder and breathed in the smell of the cooking. "Smells ok."
Sam chuckled at the teasing tone in his voice. "As I said...reserve judgement."
"Ok. Wine?"
"Sure. There's a bottle of white in the fridge and there should be a bottle of red on the counter. I wasn't sure what type of mood you'd be in so I got both."
Daniel shook his head in amazement as he crossed the kitchen. Sam knew him so well it was like walking into a relationship 5 years in. Of course, he could argue that was the case. After 7 years as one of his closest friends, she should know him by now. But it still caught him off guard. Their transition from friends to lovers had been easy. Almost too easy. But then, she was always the one he went to when he needed comfort, or someone to listen, or to share his thoughts with. She had always been the one who'd been there for him. They already had a solid relationship. This was just taking it to the next level. He poured himself a glass of red wine, which earnt him a raised eyebrow from Sam and a glass of white for her.
As they ate their meal, they contented themselves with discussion of the days events and shared details of what they'd been working on that day. Sam watched Daniel eat and smiled. They'd done this a thousand times. Shared a meal. Talked about each other's work. But this time was different. This time, Sam knew that when the meal was over and the dishes had been washed. They'd move to the lounge and curl up together on the couch. What they watched would be irrelevant as they'd be content to just hold and caress each other in a way they never could before.
"What are you thinking?"
"Huh?" Sam snapped back to the moment as Daniel's amused tones reached her sub-conscious. "Oh nothing. You know...just thinking back over all we've been through together. All we've shared."
Daniel pushed his plate away and took a sip of his wine. "Sam. We know each other well enough already, to know what the other is thinking. Still adjusting?"
"Yeah. It just seems...weird. Well I'm not sure if weird is the right word but...this should feel strange, but it doesn't. It's almost like we've been in this relationship for years without knowing it."
"In a way I guess we have. I mean most couples have to take the time to get to know each other, find out what the other one likes and dislikes, gain each other's trust...take the time to feel comfortable around each other. In a sense, we've bypassed that stage. We're already friends. We already trust each other. We already know each other very well and feel comfortable around each other. That's why this doesn't feel like a new relationship. It's just a natural progression." Daniel smiled as he took her hand across the table. "It feels right even if it's going to take some getting used to. But I don't intend on going anywhere anytime soon."
Sam leaned over and kissed him softly. "Stay?"
Daniel nodded and rose from his chair, taking the dirty dishes with him when he walked into the kitchen.
"Ok. I was sure I was late."
Sam turned and looked at the sheepish grin on his face and smiled. "And you are. But I kind of figured this was going to happen...so I told you to get here two hours early."
Daniel smiled broadly at her. "You know me too well." He approached her slowly, taking the time to really look at her. "And I love you for it."
Sam laughed softly and placed a gentle kiss on the end of his nose. "If I were you, I'd save all admissions of undying love until *after* you've tasted my cooking."
Daniel scrunched his nose up. "That bad?" He kissed her lips softly and then wrapped his arms round her as she returned her attention to the sauce. He rested his chin on her shoulder and breathed in the smell of the cooking. "Smells ok."
Sam chuckled at the teasing tone in his voice. "As I said...reserve judgement."
"Ok. Wine?"
"Sure. There's a bottle of white in the fridge and there should be a bottle of red on the counter. I wasn't sure what type of mood you'd be in so I got both."
Daniel shook his head in amazement as he crossed the kitchen. Sam knew him so well it was like walking into a relationship 5 years in. Of course, he could argue that was the case. After 7 years as one of his closest friends, she should know him by now. But it still caught him off guard. Their transition from friends to lovers had been easy. Almost too easy. But then, she was always the one he went to when he needed comfort, or someone to listen, or to share his thoughts with. She had always been the one who'd been there for him. They already had a solid relationship. This was just taking it to the next level. He poured himself a glass of red wine, which earnt him a raised eyebrow from Sam and a glass of white for her.
As they ate their meal, they contented themselves with discussion of the days events and shared details of what they'd been working on that day. Sam watched Daniel eat and smiled. They'd done this a thousand times. Shared a meal. Talked about each other's work. But this time was different. This time, Sam knew that when the meal was over and the dishes had been washed. They'd move to the lounge and curl up together on the couch. What they watched would be irrelevant as they'd be content to just hold and caress each other in a way they never could before.
"What are you thinking?"
"Huh?" Sam snapped back to the moment as Daniel's amused tones reached her sub-conscious. "Oh nothing. You know...just thinking back over all we've been through together. All we've shared."
Daniel pushed his plate away and took a sip of his wine. "Sam. We know each other well enough already, to know what the other is thinking. Still adjusting?"
"Yeah. It just seems...weird. Well I'm not sure if weird is the right word but...this should feel strange, but it doesn't. It's almost like we've been in this relationship for years without knowing it."
"In a way I guess we have. I mean most couples have to take the time to get to know each other, find out what the other one likes and dislikes, gain each other's trust...take the time to feel comfortable around each other. In a sense, we've bypassed that stage. We're already friends. We already trust each other. We already know each other very well and feel comfortable around each other. That's why this doesn't feel like a new relationship. It's just a natural progression." Daniel smiled as he took her hand across the table. "It feels right even if it's going to take some getting used to. But I don't intend on going anywhere anytime soon."
Sam leaned over and kissed him softly. "Stay?"
Daniel nodded and rose from his chair, taking the dirty dishes with him when he walked into the kitchen.
