28. Building of bones

"So, if this were a real date instead of us coming up with an excuse to go make out, what would we be doing?"

Dee's eyes are big in the dark of her bunk. It's mid-shift, but she's been working doubles all week so that she can have rack time alone with Billy. It had taken a major feat of coordination, but the President is currently installed in a rather tedious strategy meeting with Commander Adama and Colonel Tigh, and he and Dee have at least two good hours before anyone comes in here.

They are taking shameless advantage.

He traces a finger over her brow and thinks. "I don't know. Assuming you'd have agreed to go out with a low-level bureaucratic aide like me," she laughs and swats him on the arm, "I'd have totally invited you to somewhere overly expensive trying to impress you."

"I would have hated that."

"Well, that was a first date. I'd like to think that I'd have picked up on your displeasure and dragged you to a hot dog stand or something."

Her lips are warm and quick on his. Absently, he wonders how she always manages to taste the way she does. Even when she's just had a sip of coffee, she still tastes good. And he hates coffee on people's breath.

"I like hot dogs," she murmurs into the side of his jaw, teeth nipping lightly. "They're not pretentious."

"Hey, I was trying to impress you there. Don't beat up on Billy who doesn't know Dee. Or her four different recipes for hotdog casserole."

"Don't knock the casseroles, Kiekeya."

He skims a finger over her neck, liking that she shivers just like that. "I never mock the casserole. My mother would have my head."

Her nibbling proceeded up his jaw and to one of his ears. Gods, she was good at that, he thought, shuddering and curving himself more tightly into her.

"So your mother taught you to respect the casserole?"

"And take pretty women to nice restaurants."

Her other hand was inside his shirt. His jacket and tie were discarded on a chair in the center of the room, and his button up was more button-down at the moment. Dee only had one tank on, and his hand was doing more than a little recon.

"Hmmm," she hummed in his ear. "So we would have gone for a hot dog. What then?"

He sighed and turned his head to kiss her again. Long and slow and hot, before pulling back and smiling. "A walk in the park, maybe. Somewhere quiet, just to talk. I'd ask you about your family."

She sobered for a second there, before softening. He wasn't surprised by it. Grief was almost normal these days. A constant state of being that couldn't change too much. Guilt and sincerity in equal parts kept tongues silent for the most part.

"I'd've asked about yours. And then mocked you for your debate prowess."

He laughs, pulling her back, tightly, to him. Feeling her nearby. Yes, this was still the beginning for them, but that was okay. They were learning each other. And frak if it wasn't fun.

"Well," he whispered into her hair, "I'd have let you."

"Then I'd have asked for a second date."

The only thing he could do was kiss her again.