047. Heart
Booth pulls the little package out of his pocket as they near his car. He'd planned on giving it to her the moment she arrived in her office, but the little bit of conversation he'd overheard as she and Angela had approached had been—distracting, to say the least. Not to mention the discussion which followed.
"Bones, wait." She's already made her way around the passenger side of the black SUV, staring expectantly at him when she realizes that the door is still locked.
"What?" Her brow wrinkles as he follows her around the side of the car, a look of annoyance creeping into her eyes when she catches sight of the little red bag in his hand were his keys ought to be. "I thought we had a case."
"We do." He waits for her to take the package from his outstretched hand, feeling strangely foolish. Booth has never been a man to doubt himself, but all bets are off when it comes to matters regarding Temperance Brennan. "But, you know, it's Valentine's Day, and I…got you a little somethin'."
Brennan tears the red tissue paper off the bag of candy hearts and looks up to roll her eyes at Booth. He shrugs sheepishly, having expected nothing less from his partner. Truthfully, he isn't sure why he's even bothered, knowing that she won't put any stock in the holiday, much less in sugared three-word endearments. But in light of recent events, he feels the need to defend the right to give her meaningless gifts.
"You know," says Brennan, in that voice that means he's about to be disillusioned, "the human heart looks nothing like this. It's completely asymmetrical, and much more elongated."
"And Jesus wasn't actually born on Christmas Eve." Booth sighs. "It's symbolism, Bones. You're a writer. Can't you appreciate that?"
"It's scientifically incorrect!" she argues, tearing open the bag anyway.
"You're a holiday killer, Bones," says Booth.
"You're just bitter because Valentine's Day is a celebration of sexual exploits, and you haven't had sex since you broke up with Cam." Perfectly matter-of-fact.
Booth chokes, masking his reaction with an unconvincing cough. "That's none of your business."
Brennan shrugs and pulls out a white candy heart, holding it like a piece of delicate evidence between two fingers. Let's Kiss, says the heart. "Happy Valentine's Day, Booth." She puts it in her mouth and chews.