Gadget returned to the station soon after losing trail of that suspicious character. He was smiling as usual, greeting people as usual, but the way he felt was anything but. He wasn't even sure it if it was a good or bad thing; the pure excitement, the thrill of this evening alone was almost too much to bear, at least on his own.
"Inspector Gadget!" from down the hallway. "You are late."
The aforementioned turned and cracked a grin. "Sorry, Gene," he said, going to her. Ever since she announced to everyone that's what she preferred to be called, over the rather dehumanizing moniker of G2, Gadget loved to hear the sound of it in his voice. In anyone's, really. Her arms opened with an automatic readiness, and held him tightly, just barely enough to hurt. She was getting better at this, he noted mentally as he pulled away gently. He wouldn't bruise this time.
"Did you have trouble?" she asked.
"Nothing I couldn't handle," he boasted. Then deflated a bit, "I didn't find any leads on the case tonight. I'm convinced I saw that MAD agent outside the coffee shop, and so I engaged in pursuit-"
"Coffee shop?" she interrupted with a cock to her head and a furrow to her brow. "Did the agent try to hide in one of those?"
"No," Gadget laughed softly, and he hesitated before telling her, suddenly realizing it probably hadn't been the best decision. He wanted to be shocked at himself for selfishly going on a date, however quick and unplanned, in the middle of an assignment. But then just thinking about it caused a smile so strong and automatic he knew he couldn't hide from Gene.
"You required a caffeine supplement?" she suggested.
"I did," Gadget nodded, giving her a sidelong glance from beneath his hat brim.
"Something is significant about your visit to this coffee shop," Gene said, and began walking at an easy pace down the hall. Gadget followed, grinning slightly despite his chagrin and made encouraging sounds, prompting her to continue, "You found something there, something unexpected." She looked at him.
"Keep going, Genie!" he prompted. "You're almost there."
"A person," she said with more conviction. "You met someone you know there." Gadget shook his head. "Someone you don't know." Gadget began to shake his head, looked upwards in contemplation, then said, "It was someone I didn't know, but I didn't meet him there."
"Where did you," she began, but shook her head, preferring a different question. "Why was this meeting so significant; do you believe he can help you with your assignment?"
Gadget slowed their walk a bit, because the Chief's door was in sight and wasn't ready for any more ears right then. "Because...it was a date." He paused, but Gene didn't say anything. Besides a slight frown her face didn't even change. "I know, I know...but it was so sudden!" He sighed, "And if I see him again, I might be distracted again. I'm sure I would have caught that agent tonight if I'd have remained focused." The thrilling, warm feeling he got from thinking of the mysterious Damien did not diminish, even with the guilt. His sigh was quick but heart felt.
"It appears he's distracting you right now," said Gene, but with a soft look and a touch to the shoulder, evoking an embarrassed chuckle. "However, next time, I suggest you schedule your dates for a more...appropriate time." They shared a smile.
The two of them had experimented in dating over a year ago. Considering they're both primarily married to their jobs, their dates weren't much longer or better planned than what Gadget had done tonight. It only added to the satisfaction of going to work that he'd see Gene there, and even when she asked for a cessation in that part of their relationship, that excitement to see her every day did not diminish. She wanted to see how she felt about women, a civilian preferably. It bothered her, Gadget could tell, how precious little time they had to devote to such selfish activities as kissing. How tiring to it was to reschedule and postpone, to hope and be disappointed every week.
Most of their colleagues still thought them a couple, however, since the kissing only lessened in intensity afterwards, not so much frequency. Also, since Gene arrived, Gadget spent far less time chit chatting with the Chief. It was always the two G's, as they were called, together physically or via comms, all day. Gadget still had his own assignments, many of which took him out of the country. So far the two of them had gone on a handful of overseas missions together; an experience to put it mildly. And Gene had come over to Gadget's house on several occasions, including when Gadget was out on assignment, to look after Penny and Brain. He already loved her, he knew that the moment they first met eyes; if it were possible to love her even more, it'd be because of how she was with Penny. How she obviously cared about them all.
Gadget chatted with her a little bit, but he didn't neglect his duties for too long. With a parting nod, he went to debrief with Chief Quimby.