Chapter 5- A Wager

He was flirting with her.

Dan sat on the complete opposite of the table from Hatti Digger, plastic spoon in one hand. Hatti leaned forward slightly, incredulous eyebrow raised at the antics of her new boyfriend. The spoon dipped into the cup of chocolate pudding he had cradled in his left hand, then he lifted it for the second time to his lips, running his long tongue across the edges whilst keeping his chocolate gaze fixed on her. With a near silent huff of amusement Hatti sliced a piece of cold chocolate cream pie off the small paper plate in front of her, and slowly brought it to her lips. She ignored the buzz of life surrounding them, though she was sure the two of them made quite a sight, both eating their dessert as seductively as they possibly could. Hatti wasn't sure exactly why it was happening (she sure as heck knew it wasn't going to lead to anything), but she wasn't about to stop… not when she was winning at least.

Licking a splotch of whipped cream off of her fingers caused Dan to lean back, his chin tilted upwards and his arms spread wide as though her were preparing to fly. He still held the spoon, between two long fingers, the pudding cup discarded on the tabletop, "Take me," he exhaled, appearing as submissive as possible. Hatti shook her head, hunching her shoulders in a prolonged shrug, "No thank you." was her simple, amused, reply. He looked at her and laughed.

"What were you guys doing?"

Hatti looked from Dan to Christine Sullivan, the perfect features of her face formed a mixture of confusion and mirth. Hatti hoped her expression didn't show her embarrassment. Had anyone else actually been watching the display? "Just… eating. I wouldn't expect you to understand," Dan said before Hatti could come up with anything good to say. Christine didn't look like she believed him, and also slightly affronted by the hidden implication in his words, but allowed it to drop, "Fine," she rolled her eyes, "Oh yeah, Dan, did you get a chance to look over the Oscarson case?" she enquired, sitting between them. Hatti couldn't help but be mildly annoyed by the intrusion, though she knew part of it was born of the pettiest of jealousies. Those of which she despised. Hatti liked how she herself looked, she liked her hair and her curves and her clear skin in equal measure. But Christine Sullivan had everything, beautiful blonde hair that didn't frizz on rainy days and a tall, curvaceous figure that Hatti had only found on models in magazines she'd seen in the stores but never bought. If she were to have one other complaint about the woman it was her endless cheeriness, something she preferred in moderation.|
Biting the inside of her cheek to silently reprimand herself, Hatti listened to the two talk. "Yeah," Dan hummed, scraping the inside of the tiny plastic cup to retrieve the very last morsels of pudding inside, "What're you thinking?"
"Is Oscarson the large man with the tattoos?" Hatti asked, abruptly aware that she had interrupted before Miss Sullivan could reply to Dan. She hated doing things like that, but couldn't find it in her to apologize without drawing more attention to the slipup. The ADA nodded, "He makes Bull look like a tiny bald-headed mouse." He involuntarily shuddered. "Yeah well, at the rate things are going he'll be in here until tomorrow," Christine let her chin rest on her hand, looking thoughtful. Hatti could imagine the defence strategies running through the woman's head, something that might actually work for a man that had taken out someone's car with a parking meter he'd pulled from the ground. "All the better," Dan spat, furiously stirring air with his spoon, "A guy like that needs time to learn that violence isn't the only answer," he put on a high pitched, lisping voice.

Harry Stone approached the table interrupting the conversation, his tie patterned with "Vase of Flowers" by Jan Davidsz de Heem*. Hatti doubted he knew that, not many people did, and she was certain the tie maker did little research beyond "Oh, pretty flowers". Hatti had always found that picture to be among the few flower related paintings she actually loved (that alongside those of Van Gogh of course!)

"Session's going to start soon folks, better get to your stations," he grinned in that cheesy way of his. Harry had an infectious smile, allowing the corners of Hatti's mouth to upturn ever-so-slightly. She stood up, collecting the small paper plate that had once housed her pie and setting off towards the nearest trash bin. Dan stood up as well, a swift movement that displayed the length of his legs as he jumped to follow her.
"Hey Hatti, do you mind if I move our date from ten to eleven? Seems I'm going to be working later than I thought," he bent towards her when Hatti stopped at the garbage can. "But we had a date," she protested, pushing fists against her hips and putting on a look of anger she didn't feel. Dan entreatingly took one of her hands away from her side and kissed it her knuckles, "Please forgive me my love," he purred, wiping accidental saliva away with his other hand, "I know not what I do."
Hatti couldn't help but snort, "Oh I think you do," she pulled her hand away, "Alright, I will allow you to postpone our rendezvous if I must. I suppose I have some work I should catch up on. Something to do with standing around and guiding criminals back and forth," she twirled a golden curl around her finger.

Dan didn't hesitate to meet her mouth with his.

Christine watched the couple, unable to hear what they were saying but getting the general gist. They were joking back and forth with each other and she knew for a fact that they had been making goo-goo eyes at each other when she'd arrived! When the two kissed she restrained a visible "Aw". It was an odd feeling to have, especially when one half of that couple was Dan Fielding, the man who on several occasions had complimented far too many parts of her anatomy to be proper. Still, she liked Hatti and she thought she might be a good influence on the morally grey attorney. Roz's arrival out of the corner of her eye caught Christine's attention and she called to her, waving a hand. The Bailiff approached the table, "Something you want Christine?" she asked. Used to Roz's brusque behaviour she pointed to Dan and Hatti, Dan's hands getting lost in the poof of hair his girlfriend possessed. Roz's expression was unreadable as she looked at the two. Christine attempted to help her, "Aren't they a cute couple?" she crossed her arms over the lowest point of her ribcage. "Oh yes... adorable," she said sarcastically. Harry reminded both of them of his presence with a comment of his own, "I think they make a good team. They haven't been together long enough for me to judge… Get it?" he elbowed Roz who gave him a warning look. He retreated before limbs could be lost, "D'you know I think she's going to last. At least until they...y'know" Harry added thoughtfully.

"Who didn't do who?"

Both Mac and Bull. The whole gang appeared to have gathered as though they sensed gossip and were drawn to it like a magnet. Christine would later deny the way she leaned towards Harry, "They haven't done that yet?" she nearly yelped. That was odd. She turned to where the couple were standing, only to find them gone. In all likeliness they were waiting for them in the courtroom, confused as to where everyone went.
Harry looked nervous, "I dunno if I should tell you anything." Mac tugged at his tie, "Tell us what sir?" he grinned, his voice taking up the quality it often did when he wanted to get something out of his boss. Harry looked around briefly then leaned in towards the middle of the ragtag group. He whispered, "Dan told me that Hatti wouldn't go out with him unless he agreed not to have sex with her for three months," he then stood to his full height, looking slightly proud to be the bearer of such "scandal".

"What? No way!" Mac looked agog.
"Oh yes way."
"Nu-uh!"
"You'd better believe it!"

The delivery between both Mac and Harry was so smooth one would have thought they'd rehearsed it ahead of time. "Good for her," Christine interjected before more disbelief could be shared, "It's about time someone put Dan in his place."
Bull shifted rocked to the side as he shuffled his feet, "Gee, he must really like her," there was a sharp edge to that sentence that went unnoticed by everyone except Christine. She knew he'd had a bit of a crush on her since day one, though the two had made it into a friendship instead. "I still don't believe it. Are we talking about the same Dan who couldn't last two weeks for a sperm test?"
Harry shrugged, "Maybe he's finally grown up and become a mature responsible adult," he suggested. Silence. "No way!" Mac spluttered, "I bet you he wouldn't last more than a week," he crossed his arms over his chest, a challenge in his eyes, a similar smile twitching beneath his mustache. "Oh come on Mac, I think Dan could last longer than that!"
"How long sir?"
Christine could see where this was going and she didn't much care for it. That wouldn't prevent her from putting her own money in on the secret pool if she were to be asked. "Oh I'd say… a month!" The Judge declared. Mac hummed, "Care to...place a bet on that sir?" he made the international sign for money with his fingers. Harry took the bait, "You're on!"

Two more bets were taken, one from Christine (Two months, giving him the benefit of the doubt) and Bull (That following Thursday- no- the whole three months!-no wait, definitely Thursday- could they come back to him?) until all eyes fell on Roz who had remained completely silent through the whole conversation. "What about you Roz, care to make a friendly wager?" Harry offered, rushing fingers through his short blondish brown hair. Roz didn't respond for a while, then in a voice devoid of emotion she said, "I don't care to make bets on other people's love lives." with that she walked away, hands folded in front of her.

Christine felt the familiar tug of guilt, the feeling that came whenever she insulted Harry for just being a man or accidentally laughed at one of Dan's jokes at someone else's expense. The "pot" thus far only came to about ten dollars, but the principle behind Roz's sudden departure still stung. Mac waved her off, though she could tell he was feeling about the same. Come on this is Dan Fielding, it's not like it's someone who would care! Her mind was quick to remind her.

Maybe not, but if Hatti Digger found out…

Under Dan's instructions Hatti drove to his apartment (from what she understood, though he did not tell her, was that his car was on the fritz), dressed in a plain blue dress that left everything to the imagination and of course she had traded her work shoes for those of a fancier grade (though similarly lacking in heel). She stepped out of her car, adjusting her skirt when an autumnal wind blue beneath it, goose bumps stood out on her pale legs. Hatti had always liked the cold, though the wind ruining her attempt at fully detangled hair was a pain. It was a decent neighborhood, she thought as she approached Dan's apartment building. His place must have cost a pretty penny.
Through the door, following her memory, she entered the elevator. She took a deep relaxing (more than a little tired) breath as the floating feeling consumed her. It stopped with a ding and she exited the enclosed space until she came to the appropriate door.

With a strong hand Hatti knocked thrice on the painted wood, just below the metal numbers and letter painted the common golden color. She fluffed her hair once, not that it needed any help in that regard. The door opened revealing Dan bedecked in the same suit she had seen him in half an hour ago, though he'd apparently changed his tie from a deep blue to a similarly deep purple instead. "Good evening My Dear," he greeted in a syrupy voice, stepping away from the door to allow her entrance. Hatti didn't hesitate to do just that, her gaze sweeping over the unfamiliar room. It was a large space, she thought, with blue walls and off-white carpeting. He had a tall wooden coat rack next to the door, his long overcoat and scarf hanging off of it. Sitting back near the windows on Hatti's immediate left was a sofa, on the wall with the entrance door sat a fireplace with a handsome painting print hung over it. On the farthest wall were two white doors, one in all likeliness leading to his bedroom and the other… kitchen? Bathroom? "Welcome to my humble abode," Dan purred, clearly pleased to find her entranced by his place of residence.

Hatti stepped further into the room, passing a chest of sorts where a selection of alcoholic drinks (those not to her taste) atop it, as well as an ashtray with the old disgustingly scented remains of past cigarettes sat. Hatti had always hated cigarettes, and those weak enough to smoke them. Her father used to smoke a pipe, the smell lingering in his study and giving Hatti terrible headaches that lingered until the semi-fresh air of outside was allowed to enter her lungs. Dan swept towards the left of the two doors and was soon out of sight, only to return not long after with a box of chocolates. "For you," he said, holding the object out with a flourish. Unlike the flowers, Hatti was more than happy to accept this gift. "Thank you," she said, "I wasn't expecting... " she stopped herself. Dan was giving her a look that said So? Hatti smiled, fingering the red ribbon surrounding the box, "Thank you," she repeated for good measure.

Dan looked quite pleased with himself (which was nothing new) as he straightened his tie with lithe fingers, "So, shall we?" he gestured to the door. Hatti nodded, tucking the box underneath her upper arm, one hand flying up to make sure all the buttons of her thick woolen coat remained in the appropriate state for going out. She had just started to walk back the way she came when she was stopped by Dan. "Ah, actually, I should probably make a quick trip to the bathroom first. Mind waiting for me?" he jabbed a thumb towards one of the doors that evidently did not lead to the kitchen. Hatti blinked, "I am perfectly alright with waiting," she replied. Dan nodded once then took up a near jog towards the door, "Go ahead and make yourself comfortable," he waved a hand at the couch before he went officially out of sight.

Hatti let out a soft sigh, cautiously strolling about the room. She eyed the print in its frame, sat on the sofa, then eventually sought out something more interesting. It wasn't as though Dan had been taking that long in the bathroom, it was merely a bout of rabid curiosity that overtook the woman. If anyone were to ask her she would put it down to the long hours at work: standing, that had put her in such a mood.. Or, perhaps a product of excitement caused by a first date with her now official boyfriend. Either way, Hatti approached Dan's bedroom, the door left open a crack from his excursion to get the chocolates. Quietly as possible she pushed through, thankful it didn't creak as she did so. The sight that met her was… unexpected. A large bed with a thick blanket and about six pillows, a short trampoline leaned against the wall, a side table, the front drawer of said side table sitting open. Hatti, feeling more than a little bit like a jerk, walked towards the drawer. She set the chocolates onto the bed, tucking her hands instead into the pockets of her coat. Hm, Jumper cables? Why on earth…!? She was about to turn around when she caught sight of a picture frame, half hidden by a cloth beneath the cables. Hatti looked briefly over her shoulder before brushing aside the cloth just enough to get a better idea of what the faded old picture was.

Two people, a man and a woman somewhere in their later forties and wearing clothes that looked as though they'd been hand mended many times, stood on either side and slightly behind a teenager nearing adulthood. It wasn't hard to figure out who this teenager was. He was overly tall and gawky, with big brown puppy dog eyes and a forced smile. He wore a cheap suit that was a little too wide around the middle for his lean frame, and a water stained tie. The older couple each had one hand on his shoulders, beaming with what could only be absolute pride. Hatti bit her lip, trying hard to avoid getting lipstick on her teeth as she did so, turning away from the drawer. The guilt gnawed hard at her stomach. What was she doing? This was hardly appropriate behavior, she mentally chided herself, what would her father say?! With that thought she started back towards the living room only to find something else entirely. Left of her exit stood two tall sliding closet doors, likely hiding more things she shouldn't find without permission. What caught her attention though was not those doors, but what sat on a small round, wooden table.

Dan finished in the bathroom, having both used the toilet and dabbed on a little more cologne for the occasion, only to find that his date had left! His lips parted in confusion, ready to call for Hatti. Instead he found the door to his bedroom far more open than when he'd left it. No! He strode quickly to his room, rushing through the door to find Hatti immediately next to him. He cringed at the sight. Hatti was leaning forwards, peering into a clear glass tank with a curious look on her face. Inside that tank...was a turtle.
Dan swallowed, a blush crawling across his face. He felt like an idiot. What kind of grown man kept a turtle as a pet? Hatti stood straight, and looked at him with a level of warmth he hadn't been expecting. He wished she would stop that. "I didn't realize you had a pet," she said, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear. Dan nodded mutely, unsure of what to say. "What is its moniker?" That was one thing he liked about her, Hatti delighted in the unnecessary words that made most people look pretentious. She came by it honestly too, she didn't do it to appear smarter or show that she came from "good breeding".
"Ah," Dan scratched the back of his head, again feeling like a fool, "It's... Arnold." It had been a lonely Christmas when he'd bought that turtle.
Dan was fully prepared for Hatti to snort or roll her eyes as she did at most of his over the top life, instead she leaned back towards the tank and asked in a delicate voice:

"How can you tell if it is a male?"

The inner nerd inside Dan came screaming to the forefront of his mind and he eagerly approached her, still blushing but feeling much more at ease with the situation. "Here I'll show you," he pulled open the top and set it aside. One sleeve rolled up Dan's hand descended into the glass tank. Hatti watched as his fingers danced around the turtle, finally taking hold of either side of its shell. The creature looked surprisingly calm as it began flying up and out of its home. Dan held Arnold up for her to see, "This is a Box Turtle so it's actually easier to find the difference between male and female. The male's shell is usually flatter and less domed than the female, and their eyes are more often than not sort of an orange-y color." With gentle grip he flipped the unsuspecting creature onto his back, it snapped at one of Dan's fingers as he ran a pale finger across the creature's plated stomach and ended up pointing to a spot about halfway into the turtle's tail, "And this is the Cloaca, in females it's usually closer to the body and the males is further along the tail. It's how the turtle relieves itself and gets lucky," he quirked an eyebrow, chuckling lightly at his own (sort of a) joke. Hatti tutted, though her gaze remained fixed upon the creature. "Would you like to hold him? He'll probably try to bite you but it doesn't hurt much," he hastened to assure her. Hatti looked hesitant to touch the creature and its shell covered in a few places by a greenish slime.
Slowly two pale hands extended towards his and Dan eased Arnold into them. He watched as she balanced the squirming reptile, trying not to be either bitten or attacked by his long toenails. "Hold both sides of his shell," The Attorney instructed, Hatti adjusted accordingly. Hatti turned towards the tank, perhaps to ensure that, should the creature slip from her grasp, it would not fall to its death. Dan stepped closer to her, looking over her shoulder at his pet. Most of the time he had the creature and its heat lamp hidden in the closet (the empty closet rather than the one that housed his many, many suits, devoid of obvious burnables beyond the walls and doors) because he knew most women would not accept having the creature in the same room while they had sex. Most would have laughed at him, or looked at him funny. Hatti didn't, which intrigued him. In all fairness she wasn't like those other women, she was more modest, her morals appeared (on the surface) to be airtight, and she enjoyed things like Van Gogh and carrying a gun around at work. Still…

Dan became suddenly aware of the proximity between the two of them. She was just the right height for his chin to rest on the top of her head, his arms would wrap around her middle just beneath her breasts. The heavy outerwear she wore hid the soft, rounded lines of her milky white shoulders. Dan inhaled slightly, she'd worn perfume, a heavenly flowery scent that had been put on lightly so that it didn't overwhelm his senses much less her own. Dan felt a curl tickle his chin as he seemed to be leaning closer and closer to her without his mind's permission. Heat consumed him. He recognized the feeling of lust well enough to know that what he was doing was very wrong. With a shaky exhale Dan retreated, nearly tripping over his own feet. He could not, or at least, would not betray Hatti Digger's trust to feed his base urges! Hatti, noticing his quick escape, hastened to set Arnold back into his tank. "Dan?" she asked, brow furrowed. The ADA coughed into his closed fist, "We should uh- we should wash our hands and go," he chose to ignore the squeaky quality his voice had decided to take up. Hatti blinked, but acquiesced with a single bob of her head. Dan allowed her to walk ahead of him, taking a moment to gather his frayed thoughts.

Think cold!

I don't know if you noticed but… this took forever. I apologize. It took me some twelve false starts before inspiration FINALLY took off! *sheesh* Not even sure I like it very much.

*I know little to nothing about "Jan Davidsz de Heem", I merely looked up "Famous flower paintings" and that was one of the choices. I would recommend, however, that you look at it because it is quite lovely.

Two more things:
1- I refuse to believe that Dan doesn't own a turtle. I know it's not realistic but… C'mon it's adorable XD
2- I changed the design of Dan's bedroom from the descriptions they sort of gave in "Rabid". I didn't think it was quite the look I was going for. (Descriptions of Dan's apartment are from my hazy memory as well, sorry about inaccuracies)