Peridot was right. Jasper had never heard of this place. Some dinky little hole in the wall hipster place, that was probably why. Coming to a place like this wasn't exactly convenient for her morning coffee, as it didn't follow her normal path to work. But hey, the coffee wasn't bad, she observed, sipping at her beverage as Peridot slurped at her frappuccino across the table.
'Those have loads of sugar, you know." Jasper pointed out.
"Well, not all of us are bodybuilders that need to be careful of those things." she shot back, taking an extra big gulp.
Jasper cracked a smile. "Hah. So you've noticed I work out. You see something you like, little nerd?"
Peridot scoffed. "Don't call me that. I may be tech support, but who's the nerd stuck in a cubicle tippity tapping on her computer all day writing reports?" she smirked.
"Hrmph. Touché." The buff woman admitted.
"How long have you been with the company anyway?" Peridot prompted.
"A few years, I think. Haven't really been keeping track. Just been cruising through life since high school." She idly sipped at her beverage.
"Were you ever involved in any kind of sports career?" Peridot wasn't quite sure what someone of Jasper's stature might be good at in the athletics department, but there was no denying that she definitely looked build for something in that field. so what had made her want to come sit in a stuffy office anyway?
"Nah. I mean, I used an athletics scholarship to pay for college, but sports were only ever a hobby. I was good at them, sure, but you know, those kinds of careers don't last that long. And they're really damaging to the body. I wouldn't want to mess up this beauty anymore than I had to." she ran a hand through her long, flowing hair, using the curving of her arm to end in a flex.
"Huh. So you did your research. You're smarter than I thought." Peridot pretended not to notice the muscled arm that was displayed before her, but truth be told she struggled to keep her eyes off of it. Someone so big, so intimidating, that could have easily slapped her around and made her afraid, but had instead shown her gentle side in apologizing and paying for the coffee.
"Well, not always." she sipped at her coffee. "There's still some mean part of me that comes out sometimes. I'm trying to get a handle on it. I'm sorry you got caught in one of my fits."
"Ah, you know, the past is in the past!" Peridot laughed awkwardly, having tried to push down that traumatizing memory of when she thought Jasper was going to push her body directly through the floor. "I shouldn't have said something nasty out loud. That was my fault, too."
"No, no, it really wasn't. And I want to make it up to you. I know coffee isn't enough." she stared down at her cup while she rubbed the back of her neck.
Peridot had a sudden bold impulse. "Then let me take you out to dinner."
It took Jasper a moment to process the request. "You?! But I'm the one that's supposed to-"
"Isn't this about what I want?" Peridot replied coyly.
Jasper could swear that Peridot was flirting with her. And if she was, Jasper couldn't say it was unwanted. She already knew she had it bad for Peridot. She'd known from the first time she saw that little geek bend over her desk to fix her computer. She wondered if perhaps Peridot know why she had been called down to her cubicle all those times.
"I suppose so." The larger woman sounded confused at the proposed repayment.
"Good. Then that can be our second date." Peridot said casually.
"Second?" Jasper said thoughtfully. "Does that mean that this- ?"
Peridot placed the palm of her hand on her forehead. "Yes, it is. For someone so smart, you really don't catch on too quickly to romantic advances, do you?"
"It's not that!" The other woman spouted. "I just… I intimidate people, you know? I'm just worried that they're nice to me because they think they have to be. Not because they want to be."
"I agreed to come out to coffee with you." Peridot sighed. "Doesn't that give you the slightest hint that I might want to continue hanging out with you? And calling this a date, is that not an indicator that I might want to advance this relationship thing if you would also be willing?"
She could almost hear the wheels in Jasper's head turning. This woman must have had a one track mind, all business and no play. How had she ever managed to date before this? "Okay, despite how smart you seemed when we first arrived here, let me put things in simpler terms for you. We- you and I- are on a date. A casual one. Your treat. I would like to do this again, in a more high class establishment, usually reserved for those who are seriously involved. My treat."
"I feel like I should be insulted." It was Jasper's turn to sigh. "But I really am that dense when it comes to this… whole thing." she gestured to the air at nothing in particular, and Peridot had no clue what "this whole thing" might actually mean.
She was surprised. Underneath this rough exterior, lay someone who was shy and tentative. "Do you or do you not have an interest in being together?" she gestured to herself, then to Jasper, and repeated the motion a couple of times. "As girlfriends, if you haven't grasped that concept either."
Jasper's face seemed to light up at the suggestion. "You'd really? You? Even after what happened?" she nearly knocked over her drink in her excitement.
"Only if you stop bringing it up." Neither of them mentioned the details of Peridot's work scare thanks to Jasper a few days prior. "Then yes. Will you accompany me on a formal date tomorrow night?"
"Y-Yes! Yeah!" Jasper pounded a fist on the table, and Peridot swept up her cup to prevent it from spilling.
"Good." The smaller woman grinned as she stood up. "I'll text you the address. 7pm. Don't be late or it's over." she left Jasper with her mouth hanging open, nearly skipping out the door as she watched.
Holy shit. Jasper thought. How did she get so lucky?