"Are you sure this is what you want to pick for date night, Freddie?" Daphne whined. "We went to the museum's trap exhibit the last time you got to choose what we did!"
"It'll be fun, I promise! Besides, we went to see the new Dusk film last week and you said yourself it wasn't that great! Just give this a chance. You'll see!" he said as he grasped her hand and led her through the expansive house.
Fred did have a point. Ever since Baylor Hotner had been arrested for masquerading as the Crybaby Clown and wreaking havoc on Crystal Cove, all of Hollywood had understandably turned their backs on him, removing any trace of his presence - including the lead role in the Dusk series. This ultimately dismantled the franchise and caused the producers to scramble to find a replacement in an effort to recover some of the production costs, but it did not pan out as they had hoped. Despite being a diehard fan, even Daphne struggled to come up with something that she liked about it.
They stopped at a door marked "Enter at Own Risk", Fred glancing wistfully at the sign before opening the door and mumbling something about not needing it any more. It had originally been put there to prevent Mayor Jones from becoming ensnared in one of Fred's elaborate traps, spewing a cacophony of alliterative exclamations. However, since Mayor Jones was imprisoned on the basis of multiple charges that included kidnapping and assault, it was no longer a concern. It seemed that everyone in Crystal Cove was a criminal lately...
Fred flicked on the light switch before throwing his arm out in front of Daphne. "What are you-" she exclaimed. He reached up and pressed a small button tucked away in the doorframe that hadn't been noticeable at first, before proceeding to descend the staircase.
"I outfitted the workshop with a security system. I put a twenty millimeter photoelectric sensor on the second step in case someone tried to get in. Good thing I was here, otherwise you would've been caught in that beaut!" he pointed up to the lofted ceiling, where a net was poised to drop down onto the next unsuspecting visitor. "You can come down now, I've disarmed it." he said, noticing Daphne's tentative demeanor.
As Daphne ventured further into the workshop, she began to see how truly large the house was. Nets covered the majority of the back wall, surrounded by shelves containing bins of various sizes that were labelled and categorized with immense detail. Displays of the gun prototypes that had made appearances in various mysteries were featured on the walls, Fred having further refined them or scrapped the idea altogether. A large table sat in the center, large pieces of metal, springs and screws strewn across the surface. Daphne grimaced at the sight, knowing that it would be the rest of her Friday night. "Now, I know you probably wanted to jump right into a complex one like a Krolmeister 6382 with a bolt action trigger, but I thought we could keep it relatively simple since this will be your first time trapping. I present to you, a bear trap!"
While most girls typically get flowers or chocolate from their boyfriends, Daphne was getting a contraption meant to debilitate a large mammal, becoming slightly frustrated at the thought. How on Earth could someone think that this was an appropriate let alone romantic gift? Sometimes she couldn't help but think Fred would never get the hint about what she'd like, something that didn't have to do with traps. What was wrong with a small pendant necklace or going to a restaurant? Hell, even Shaggy had the idea of making dinner together when he and Velma were dating! However, as this stream of thought ran through her mind, Daphne could see the excitement building in his eyes. As he started explaining how the mechanism came together, he became more animated with his gestures, exuding characteristics mildly reminiscent of a mad scientist. She smiled lightly, being reminded that his boyish charm was one of his features that initially drew her to him. Maybe it wouldn't be that bad of a date night activity...
"... and that's how you build it. Did you catch all of that?" he asked, not noticing that she had completely spaced out for the past five minutes.
"Uh, I sure did, Freddie! I think I'll need a lot of help, but I'm sure it will come out great in the end!" she blurted, deciding in the moment to commit to the project.
The construction of the trap began smoothly, thanks to Fred's experience. He didn't hesitate to explain the functions of the various parts, sometimes forgetting to acknowledge that Daphne didn't understand most of the jargon. Although Daphne had protested in the beginning, when she started to see the trap take shape she couldn't help but admit that she got why Fred became so excited when it came to traps. Perhaps not to the point of an obsession, but it was enjoyable nonetheless. Her heart fluttered each time his hands guided hers, their faces in close proximity as he reached around her small frame and gently instructed her. She also discovered the art of conveniently "forgetting" how to do tasks she performed just minutes before to receive more guidance, Fred completely oblivious to her intentions and helping anyway.
Now that they were nearing the end and adding the finishing touches, Fred sat at the corner of the table opposite to her while Daphne screwed in the last few pieces, claiming that he wanted to give her the honour of putting the final part in its place.
Having been momentarily distracted by the project in front of her, Daphne finally noticed that Fred had been silent for quite some time. Without looking up from the table, she softly called for him in an effort to keep the conversation going. "Freddie? What are you thinking about?"
"How beautiful you are."
Daphne's head snapped up as soon as the words had left his mouth and was surprised at what she saw. She hadn't seen this expression on his face before. One that was filled with love, completed by the dopey smile that spread across his chiselled features. He had said it plainly, as if it were a fact or piece of information that was common knowledge, not knowing the impact it would have on his girlfriend. Daphne stared at him, a blend of emotions coursing through her all at once. She blushed furiously before quietly replying "really?"
"Well, I… I-" he began to stammer, an embarrassed look washing over his face. "Ithoughtyoulookednice". Fred sputtered finally.
"Aw, Freddie!" Daphne squealed while launching herself at him, holding his face and giving him a deep but tender kiss. She felt his arms wrap around her waist and draw her closer, only intensifying the feelings that she had for him in that moment. Pulling back from the kiss, she looked over at the now completed bear trap with a wide smile on her face. "I think I'm done now, should we take it for a test run?"
"I thought you'd never ask." Fred replied with a smile that matched hers.
After they had proved that the bear trap was functional (evidenced by the chunks of watermelon that now decorated Fred's kitchen) and gaining Fred's seal of approval, the night had come to an end. Fred drove her home, Daphne resting her head on his shoulder and holding his free hand as the van travelled down the road, watching the streetlights flash by as they momentarily lit the inside of the cabin. Finally reaching Blake Manor and pulling into the long driveway, Fred helped Daphne out of the van before walking around to the rear doors and grabbing the bear trap. After walking her to the front door, Fred handed the trap to Daphne only for her to take hold of his orange ascot to pull him in for one last kiss, both grasping onto the metal mechanism. "Thank you for tonight, Freddie. It was magical." she said softly before giving him another quick peck on the lips.
"Sure, no problem Daph…" he trailed off, watching her step inside the massive estate, the tall door closing behind her.
Clutching the bear trap with both arms, Daphne had started to make her way to her room when her mother stopped her. "Daphne, what is… that that you're holding?" she asked, slightly horrified.
"Date night!" Daphne stated happily with a bright smile on her face, before going into her bedroom and leaving a very confused mother behind.