First Date

January 9th, 1995

Tonight was the night that Liam was looking forward to for a while, so much so that he's physically shaking with excitement: he's about to go on his first date with Griff.

After the hustle of moving Goliath and his clan to the clocktower above the police station, the two have finally settled on when they'll have their first date and they've had their time to prepare.

Liam was currently holding a basket in his hands as it had to do with the first part of the date they're going on. And he was patting his pocket in the cardigan he wore for tonight, which had something inside it, which he planned on using to end their first date.

He was watching the sun setting over the horizon from his penthouse as he told Griff to be at home for Stone Sleep so that they could start their date right away.

Once it set, Griff's statue started cracking before the shell splintered apart and Griff stretched and yawned with his wings spread out.

Once he was done, he turned around and smiled upon laying eyes on Liam.

"Hello, handsome." He greeted his boyfriend, jumping off his perch and giving him a kiss on the lips. He then noticed the basket in his hands, "And what's this?"

"I figured we could start our date with a picnic in Central Park." Liam said, holding the basket up. "And we can end our date with something I won't spoil back here. Trust me, you'll enjoy it."

"Well then, let's get started." Griff had a huge grin before he sweeped Liam off his feet and carried him in his arms before he jumped off the ledge and glided his way into Central Park.

Liam told him to land by some rocks at the lake and he did just that, on a flat rock that overlooked the lake, while also being surrounded by trees that obscured anyone walking past them.

Liam opened up the basket and pulled out a picnic blanket that he laid out on the rock. The two then sat down.

"I was able to get some of the usual romantic foods because I wanted to experience this date to the fullest." Liam told Griff as he pulled out the various foods, which were all in various food boxes. Among them were a couple of baguettes, mozzarella slices, slices of salmon, chocolate covered strawberries, homemade brownies and a couple of wine glasses with a bottle of red wine.

"I must say, you really went all out." Griff said as Liam pulled out a bread knife and a wine cork opener.

"Like I said, I want to experience this date to the fullest." Liam reminded him as he opened the wine and poured in both glasses.

"Cheers to our relationship." He then said, handing Griff his glass and both clinking their glasses before taking their first sips. It was sweeter than other red wines, and less sour, which they found to be very pleasant.

They then started digging in with the food.

The pair slowly ate their food. Liam was very specific with the food, which linked with what he had in his pocket, but even with the purpose behind the foods, they were still delicious.

The salmon with the mozzarella on slices of baguette was truly a delicious combo with the salty salmon that melts in the mouth with the smooth mozzarella and the fresh and crackling baguette.

Eventually, the two moved onto the desserts and they were with each other by feeding the other a chocolate covered strawberry or a brownie.

Once they were done with their food and had a few glasses of wine, they closed the wine back up, put the blanket back in the basket and the same for the food boxes so that they can throw it away in the garbage later.

"So… what's your first surprise?" Liam asked upon closing the basket up. Griff looked sheepish and nervous, looking everywhere but Liam.

"Would you like to dance with me?" He asked.

Liam was a bit surprised by this. He never knew Griff to be one to dance, yet here he was, asking him to dance. He couldn't resist such an opportunity.

"I sure do, my handsome gargoyle." He seductively replied, walking up to Griff and placed both of Griff's hands onto his hips, right above his butt.

Liam was glad that he knew how to dance from his time in high school when he went to the prom, his mother having taught him how to dance just in case as he went stag.

Griff looked relieved and pleased as Liam wrapped his hands around Griff's waist and pressed against his chest, allowing Griff to wrap his wings around Liam.

The two swayed and spun slowly to a rhythm that Griff was humming. At some point in the dance, Liam's hands lowered and stopped on Griff's butt, which he rubbed and squeezed, making Griff's voice hitch slightly before he got back in tune.

Liam closed his eyes as he rested against Griff's chest with a smile. To think that this was all once a dream to Liam before he and Griff confessed their love for each other.

Eventually, they twirled with each other and giggled as they did so.

After five minutes of dancing together with various songs that Griff hummed, songs that he heard from his time with the London Clan, they parted, looked into each other's eyes lovingly and kissed each other until they needed to breathe.

"Who'd have thought you'd be a romantic?" Liam asked Griff.

"I can be romantic, I've just rarely had moments to showcase that." Griff pointed out. "Which leads me to my second surprise, which I've been wanting to ask you ever since we've become a couple."

"And what's that?" Liam asked, tilting his head with curiosity.

"Well, firstly, this is something that I asked your parents' permission for, which they granted, and there's no other way to say it, but… would you be willing to partake in rituals so that we can become mates?" Griff asked, sounding nervous.

Liam couldn't believe his ears. Being boyfriends with Griff was good enough already, but to become mates, essentially husbands by human standards. This is just a dream come true and something that will make his second surprise all the more enjoyable.

"Without question. What do we need to do?" Liam replied, making Griff look like he was told that he'll get the greatest birthday present in the world.

"We simply need to do lots of flying and feats of strength." Griff explained, surprising Liam by how these rituals weren't so complex.

"Why don't we start with strength first?" Liam suggested and Griff nodded.

They found some large rocks that were considered immovable by human standards. Griff first grabbed the largest of them and, straining hard, he lifted it with his bare hands and over his head before flexing his arms, which made Liam make deep panting as he stared at his flexing biceps.

Once Griff was done, he put the rock down and Liam decided to grab a rock himself. The one he grabbed wasn't as big as the one Griff used, but it was big enough to be considered impressive to lift for a human. And much to his surprise, he lifted it with relative ease. He did struggle a bit, but nowhere near as much as he expected. He flexed as well and even threw it up in the air before catching it.

Once he was done, he put the rock back where he picked it up.

"Now onto the flying." Griff said as Liam grabbed the basket and went into Griff's arms.

They climbed up a tree and Griff jumped off so that he could glide in the air.

He ascended higher up in the sky and once he reached as high as the Empire State Building, he started doing all the various manoeuvres and would glide all the way back and forth throughout Manhattan.

The whole time, Liam smiled in absolute joy. By sunrise, they'll be mates and he couldn't wait to experience this new part of his life with Griff.

Eventually, after a long while of flying, Griff headed back to the penthouse and landed on the balcony.

"We've done it. From this point on, we're now mates." Griff said with a smile, which Liam reciprocated with a kiss and with stroking his mohawk, a very intimate gesture between mates.

"And the date's still not over yet." Liam said suggestively before patting Griff's butt and led him inside the penthouse, placing the basket on a table.

"So what's this final surprise of tonight?" Griff asked, placing a hand on his hip. Liam turned slowly and made a seductive smile.

"There's a reason I chose those particular foods for our date." Liam told him as he walked right up to Griff. "They happen to be aphrodisiacs."

Griff heard of the word before, but he never fully understood it.

"And what does that mean?" He asked. Liam replied by placing both his hands on Griff's butt and grinded his crotch against Griff's, which caused the gargoyle to groan.

"It stimulates a certain drive. Tell me if you've felt different after having the food and wine." Liam answered, tilting his head.

"I have. I've felt a certain desire all night." Griff nodded.

"Then why don't we partake in it? And I've got the only thing we need to use." Liam said, reaching into his pocket and pulled out a small bottle with a clear gel inside it.

"Let's get to bed and give each other a night we'll never forget." Griff growled with desire and the two made their way to Liam's bedroom.

For the next hour, roars and screams of ecstasy and euphoria rang throughout the penthouse.

Liam and Griff panted heavily as they laid in bed, the blanket and duvet covering them from their stomachs down, both drenched in sweat and their clothes thrown without care on the floor around the bed.

"Wow… you learn quickly." Liam panted as he reached for Griff's hand, which he grabbed and Griff squeezed back.

"So did you. I'm now completely ruined. I don't think I can ever do that with a female from this point on." Griff replied, turning his head to look at his mate.

"And you never will, since we're together for the rest of our lives." Liam reminded him as he faced Griff. "I think I'm gonna be sore for a day or two."

"That means I've done a good job. For now, let's just cuddle and bask in our joy." Griff suggested.

"I like the sound of that." Liam grinned and nudged himself closer to Griff until they made physical contact with each other and Liam nuzzled against Griff's chest.

"I love you, my gryphon." Liam said lazily.

"I love you, too, my handsome human." Griff replied just as lazily and they fell into silence, knowing that they'll be on more dates and times in bed after this.

Well, Liam and Griff are now mates.

This chapter will stand in for the fact that Long Way to Morning won't be retold, since I can't figure out how Liam and Griff would be in that episode.