Date Night

They returned from their Australian excursion in the middle of the afternoon on Friday. The two had settled on Saturday evening. Hunter would pick her up himself from her apartment about mid-afternoon so he had plenty of time to cook everything. Yes, he was going to cook dinner. With his kitchen, she had no doubt that he was going to be able to make something amazing.

All the fly time and the time changes took their toll on them. Hunter was keeping his eyes awake with his own pot of coffee in his office. He finished his first pot in under two hours before swapping out for another. Pretty sure he was chewing on just some uncrushed beans in between cups.

Hanson kept his composure in the face of sleep deprivation. His shoulders back, his form firm, even with the bags under his eyes. He was making his way around the office making sure that all the needs of their people were met. They were still dealing with the fallout of The Puppeteer coming back. A lot of people had some questions plus some demands. Nothing outrageous, just hazard pay. Even with the want to sleep, Juliet was giddy. She was hopping around the office as she was getting things done. It attracted some attention. Adam gave her as much crap for it as he could. It struck him as really odd that she didn't react to it.

Hunter seemed to disappear for some of the day. She checked his office a few times within an hour only to find it empty. Where could he have gone?

To the third-floor meeting room, that's where. He was present at the time for the service pitch for the investigation services. This was a company that knew and understood the type of work they had done. They knew about Don DeLeone and their role in his downfall already. This was part of their precheck. Once it was better explained what they were looking for, they quickly were able to come to a solid agreement. The hard part was coming up with a game plan. They explained their standard procedure but this wasn't going to be standard. They had to work with a lot of people and comb through everyone looking at the finest details.

The meeting let out just before 3 p.m. It was late enough in the day that they weren't able to get much more done. It became a "go home early if you want" kind of day. A few people took it as they finished up for the day. Hanson kept to his post until it was his time to head out. He was always one to make sure his time was fully utilized even if he did just spend the last two days flying and working in the field.

Hunter had a lot of the same mentality but he was always the last one to leave. Hanson offered Juliet a ride home but she refused. She was catching up on the things they missed while they were out. Or so she told him. She knew once Hanson was gone that the floor would be empty. Her boss's door was open with the light on still. He was typing away on his computer focused on something important. Her knock on the door was enough to pull him away from it at least for a few moments.

"Come in." He let her know that he was available. She took a chair located near the far corner of the desk taking her time while he finished his thought. He tapped away at the keys before coming to a pause. He seemed stuck enough to just let it go for now. "Good enough. What can I help you with, Juliet?" She sat herself up, "Two things. First, can I get a ride home tonight? Hanson already left."

"I can do that. And the second?"

"Should I bring anything tomorrow?"

"Just yourself."

"Any special attire?"

"Just be comfortable."

She was hoping for more of an answer than that. She also kind of expected it. He was easygoing when it came to his personal life so to invite someone over would be a casual affair for him. She wasn't coming over as a coworker or in a professional manner. This was them going to enjoy a night as a couple.

He continued to thump away at his desk trying to finish his work. He was clearly stuck but it didn't seem to bother him. "Oh well, it's saved so I can finish it later if needed. Ready to go home?" She sat up, "I am! I finished my filings." He patted down his pocket looking for his keys. They jingled as they hit up against him so he was ready to go. They both made their way down to the parking garage getting any of the lights that were left on along the way.

Hunter's driving was always so smooth despite him never really driving when working. Turns were sharp but she was never thrown into the door. Stopping and taking off weren't harsh. It was almost like riding a cloud. Maybe it was him, maybe it was the car. But he always arrived at her place with grace. He always made sure she had the shortest route to the door where he could keep an eye on her until she was inside. Once the door shut he would make sure she made the trek up the stairs before he would drive off.

She had planned to do it! He may have said that she didn't need to bring anything or dress nicely but she was determined to still make a good first date impression. She went through her clothes looking for something that would work with the mood she was trying to set. But what was the mood she was trying to set? What was her end goal for the evening? Did she want to just have a good time with food, drink, and maybe a movie before coming back home? Or maybe, did she want something more? But it was a first date! Would she come off as too eager?

There were so many questions that ran through her head as she tried to make a decision. She always found fault in the clothing that she picked. She even considered going out in the morning for a new outfit. But it being new, would she still be trying too hard? He said something comfortable but where was the line at being too comfortable. She had to figure out this mystery.

On the other hand, Hunter stopped by a local grocery store and started grabbing two sets of ingredients. He had found something simple he was willing to attempt. It would be close to a fajita with steak strips. The hardest part of it was going to be the sauce. There was a store-bought version he could try but this called for it to be made from scratch. He got all the spices he needed, the ingredients, and fresh meat. He made his way back home where he was going to test this out. While Juliet was worried about how she would appear, he was worried about the food. He wanted to make sure that the main attraction was perfect.

He spent the next two hours slowly going through the recipe working through it step by step. He made sure the steak wasn't overcooked while still being able to be cut cleanly. He started on the sauce and made sure that he didn't reduce it too much, keeping the flavor right. His test dish came out alright. He didn't have much of it though. He didn't want to have it as a proper meal and didn't want to have it the next night. The leftovers were stowed away while his real dinner started to cook.

Restwise, Hunter had little trouble falling asleep. Juliet was still fretting about what she was going to do. Did she really not need to bring anything? Where did she expect the night to go? It was a mess. She powered through it making compromises with herself. This would work, this wouldn't work, this might be too suggestive, but would he be interested in this? She must have tossed everything into two piles before going through one of them again to narrow it down.

Morning came anyway. Juliet got a less-than-desirable amount of sleep. She was able to function but she still had a lot to do. She did decide that she would bring something. She had to take a guess at what he might make to find something to pair with it. She took a walk down to her local market to find a nice wine. Knowing him, he was going to pick some fancy meat so it had to be steak. She found a nice dry, red wine that would work well with it. She made sure to spring for the good bottle. Her store was nothing fancy but she never imagined that she would spend $60 on a bottle of wine. It was top shelf for them.

Back to the apartment, she got herself as ready as she could. She showered, did her hair, finally decided on something to wear, and felt like she was finally ready. There was still an hour left before he would come to pick her up, just as she had planned. It would give her time for her hair to dry instead of leaving it wet. Her nerves were clearly starting to get to her. She was pacing around her apartment cleaning anything that she found out of place. Even if she had already handled it. He wasn't coming into her place so why was she cleaning?

In her feverish pacing from one corner to the next, she had made that hour disappear. With only a few times actually sitting down before getting right back up, her place looked almost nothing like it was before. The books were reorganized, and her furniture was shuffled around leaving the old indentations in the carpet. It was a clean mess.

Her phone dinged with the sound of a message. As expected, it was from Hunter. It read, "I'll be there shortly." Meaning that if she walked out now then she would probably meet him at the curb as he pulled in. With the wine in her purse, she made her way down. As she stepped out the front door she could see him turn the corner. And just like she thought, at the curb. She was too quick though. He wanted to get her door for her but she was already in.

The two looked at one another with Juliet cracking first, "I thought you said wear something comfortable." She was in a nice dress, but not so nice that it was considered formal. It had some color to it that drew the eye along the flow of it from heel to face. Hunter on the other hand looked like he was ready for a meeting with his investors again. He had nice slacks, a button-up white shirt ironed to a crisp, with a suit jacket instead of a full jacket. "I knew that if I told you something comfortable that you would still try to wear something nice. So naturally, I had to match."

So even outside of work, he was still thinking things through. He had a plan for almost everything. In this case, he either knew what he was doing or knew how she would react. In either case, she took her seat clutching her purse as they started on the street. She could feel the chilled bottle against her as they rode along. She was hoping that it would continue to stay cold on the ride there long enough to still be enjoyable when they arrived. Hunter kept himself composed as he drove. He made small talk as they went along but kept his focus on his driving. It wasn't until he hit his driveway that he started to relax. "And here we are."

It had been a long time since Juliet was last here. Last time it was as a contractor doing a personal favor for him. This time, it was more personal. She was here to have a lovely dinner with her boyfriend. It still felt weird to refer to him as that, even if it was only in her head. She had only seen him as a professional figure for so long that trying to change her perception of him was proving difficult. His car parked in the attached garage with a low rumble echoing through the place. He once again tried to get to her door but she was too quick. "Ha ha! Have to be quicker than that." She teased him a bit knowing what he was trying to do. She had to have some fun with him otherwise he might be too tense.

She followed him inside looking around the familiar rooms. Nothing had really changed much since the last time she was here. The couch was still sprawling over the living room. The large projector-like TV was off for the moment until Hunter clicked the remote and some soft music started playing. The main entryway looked as though it hadn't even been used. Everything was just as it was. Glad that some things never change.

In his own attempt to lighten the mood, Hunter did remove his suit jacket. His sleeves were rolled up as he started getting the kitchen prepped for the meal. Juliet managed to sneak in behind him pulling the wine from her hiding spot, "Someone like you would have to wine a wine cooler, yes?" He turned around taking a look. She twisted her hips striking a simple pose as she showed off her prized find. He took her offer looking over the label. He spun it around nodding his head, "You, found a good one. It'll work perfectly for what I'm preparing."

Sure enough, he had a wine cooler in his kitchen. It found its place near the top in a comfy spot where it would be just fine until it was needed. That little bit of affirmation was all Juliet needed though. She caught herself grinning from ear to ear before she managed to get herself to calm down. He offered her a seat in the living room and control of the TV while he worked. She would rather wait in the kitchen and help if needed. Plus it was more fun to keep him company.

He got to work with pans and his prepped ingredients on the side. As he pulled things out from the fridge she caught a glimpse of something wrapped up. It would be unusual for someone like him to leave leftovers knowing that he was only cooking for himself. From what she could catch, it looked very similar to what he had already grabbed. Did he practice this earlier to know the recipe?

This little tidbit of information was rather heartwarming. She wouldn't have thought of doing it herself but it's Hunter. He likes to be prepared for anything. Creating the meal ahead of time and fixing any imperfections the second time around would be something he would do. He really does care.

She decided to leave it alone though. She was going to revel in the fact that he did care enough to try it once and leave it there. His hands moved with purpose as he began throwing everything together. She heard the steak hit the skillet with a hot searing sound. She guessed the wine right! She knew there was going to be steak involved.

He sliced it up like he did the night before, thin strips but still enough for substance. He tried a piece of one to make sure it was cooked properly. It was just the right amount of chewy and juicy. He got the vegetables chopped up, thrown into the skillet and threw the skillet into the oven to cook. While that was going he started with the sauce. This was going to be the true test for him. He had it right the night before but there were a few things he wanted to try. Now was the time to give it that shot.

It was like watching a wizard work in the kitchen. He moved with purpose, he got things done and where they needed to be. His prep work from the night before paid off. What took him almost an hour last night only took him half that time this time around. This worked both in and against his favor. He was expecting dinner to be later because of this time difference. But an early meal wasn't bad. His time went off just as he opened the oven. The skillet sizzled and spit as everything on it was piping hot. He grabbed two plates, served from the skillet, and drizzled his homemade sauce on top. Once the sauce hit the new source of heat the smell really took off.

He wiped the sweat from his brow as he turned with a plate in each hand. "And we are ready." He looked rather proud of his creation. The plate was still steaming as he brought it over to the table. He got ahead of her this time pulling out a seat for her. She gladly took it as he got her settled. He whipped back to the kitchen grabbing wine glasses and the bottle she brought with. He was quick with the cork and quicker with the serve. She barely blinked before the glass was in front of her. Did he practice that too?

He took his seat taking a deep breath. "I hope it came out to your liking."

"It smells amazing! It simmers like fajitas."

"It's based on a recipe like fajitas."

He grabbed his fork tinking it against the plate before taking the first bite. He got lost for a moment judging his own creation. He worked it slowly making sure that the texture was correct. The flavor was spot on, and nothing was overcooked. He was rather proud of himself but it wasn't him that he needed to impress. Juliet was looking everything over by moving things around the plate. She seemed to be ooh-ing and aww-ing as she found more and more to it. She took her first bite sending his nerves into overdrive. She seemed to be enjoying it. It was still warm but she champed it. He could hear her feet tapping under the table as she began to enjoy it.

With the tension broken, the two finally started to have a proper conversation. The first step to any new relationship is to learn more about one another. For Juliet, this was a chance to really learn more about her boss. Rather, her boyfriend. For Hunter, this was his chance to come out of his shell a bit to see her as more than just a coworker. They traded stories and shared information. Hunter learned Juliet's favorite color was purple. Juliet learned that Hunter once had to hire a prostitute for a job to gain access to a high-value person they were after. His life seemed to revolve around work but there were a lot of interesting stories with it. She had only known him from the time she started "working" for him so to get this bit of information was fascinating.

Even outside of work, there were things that Hunter shared. He was a world-class marksman. He used to hold the record for the longest dead-target shot in the world. Dead target being a paper target. He learned to shoot in the Army and just pursued it after going reservist. He still had obligations every now and again but being who he was, he got out of most of them. His fieldwork with the Army gave him a lot of freedom. They knew that he was in a whole class of his own. They knew he was a contractor, but they also knew that if they ever needed his services he would not be able to ignore them. He just had to keep himself up to par.

Juliet on the other hand, didn't have that many interesting stories. She had gone to school in the '60s, enjoyed her school life a bit too much, and ended up cursed to the life of a succubus. Or that's what she thought. Hunter had to give it some thought. That was very unusual for that to happen. In fact, it was impossible. He poked and prodded a bit more into her family history that she knew of but everything seemed to be on the level. Being a succubus herself, she really didn't understand much about herself.

Hunter turned into a wealth of knowledge. He knew far too much for just anyone. Was this Hanson's doing? Hanson was always a wealth of knowledge but to be able to give her so much in such a small amount of time was ridiculous. He gave the origin of the original succubus, the changes over the years, and the life cycle. That's why he thought it was strange that she was cursed. His theory changed from being cursed to a recessive gene that finally came forward. Both of her parents were human. Since succubus are rather long loved, it was strange that her parents aged like humans and passed away in time. They always thought it was nice that their daughter never showed her age yet were rather confused by it.

Then he said something that really got her, "So, oddly enough, succubus choose a mate for life." He emphasized this point. "Your parents were married from 20 years old onward but you can't tell me that they had any weird traits about them. One of a succubus's trait is that they absorb energy through sexual acts but they cannot conceive a child this way and are immune to disease." Who knows really? Juliet was an anomaly from the start. But she was what she was, and there were a few things that they would have to work with or around to really make this work.

It was insightful to get that information but it was also really off topic of where they started. They tried to talk about them and it turned into her for far longer than she was comfortable with. But as the food was finished, they moved onto the third glass of wine retiring to the couch. It was still as soul-sucking as it was the first time. She sat down and it just hugged around you, holding you close. It would almost whisper "No, stay," if you thought of trying to stand up. 

The music stopped as Hunter changed the TV over. He flipped through a few settings selecting a new input. "I hope a food coma during a movie sounds good." He moved through with purpose. She didn't even get to see what it was before it faded to a black screen. A few minutes in and she recognized it. It had been on her watch list for some time now but how did he know? She looked over confused at his grin. He already knew, "Hanson may have dropped that tidbit of information."

"I'm going to get him for this. I swore him to secrecy."

There would be a conversation about this but not to the degree that she threatened. For now, she was enjoying her time. She had someone special next to her taking an ordinary moment to an extraordinary level. She would move and fidget as the movie rolled on. Hunter just kept making faces as things were happening. Sooner or later though, Juliet found herself leaning on him by the end of it. She continued to watch the movie until the end credits rolled.

She went to get up asking a question, "What did you think of it?" There was no response. His head was leaned back slightly as his breathing was relaxed. He had fallen asleep part of the way through. When though? She wasn't sure. But she didn't feel like disturbing him. She found her way to the spot she was before, resting herself in the same position. He moved only slightly before settling back into his spot. The large screen eventually shut itself off. The lights from the kitchen gave just enough of a glow that she could still see. But sooner than she expected, her vision went black as she nodded off herself.

Neither really knew what time it was when one of them stirred. Hunter had woken up once quickly realizing that he had fallen asleep. He went to move but felt pinned to the couch by another body. Seeing this, there was only one thing to do. Go right back to where he was closing his eyes again. There was no reason to get up. She was comfortable. The two traded off for who knows how long before once finally disturbed the other.

With a look of reluctance, Hunter checked his watch to see what time it was. He huffed as he got his bearings, "Well, way too late to take you home." He stretched out jostling her just enough to wake her a bit more. "Guess you're stuck here for the evening. Dessert?" He offered food as he just let the situation play.

Compared to their main meal, dessert was very simple. One mug cake each, fresh from the microwave, with pre-packaged icing. Nothing about it was extravagant other than the company they shared it with.

The proper thing for them to do was to call it a night. Hunter did a quick clean-up of the kitchen before escorting his date to the bedroom. Now, one might think that this would mean something more. But for these two, they had already gotten a short nap but had not shaken off the sleep. As soon as Juliet's head hit the pillow she was back in dreamland. Hunter laid on his back in his usual spot with an extra this time. Juliet had rested herself to his side, back facing him. He rested his hand on her hip letting her know he was there. Her breathing had already changed to a restful sleep. With this bit of peace, he wasn't too far behind.

Morning came for the two as the sun beamed through. Hunter rolled enough to disturb Juliet from her slumber. With a stretch and a groan, she opened her eyes. For a second panic set in at the appearance of the unfamiliar bedroom. It all came back quickly allowing her to settle. She rolled back against the mass behind her, "Good, you're still there." Hunter tapped her with his hand, "Where else would I have gone?"

She got herself to where she could look at him. He was still spaced looking up towards the ceiling. She poked him just enough to get his attention, "I really didn't expect to stay the night, but I'm glad I got to." She stretched out again before sinking into the mattress. Her movement forced him to stretch out. He took advantage of this by getting her head under his arm before pulling her to his chest. She was caught off guard by the pull but quickly found herself comfortable once again. Her hand tapped his chest as she pushed herself up, "Nope! Nope. If we do this I'm going to fall back asleep."

It was enough of a jostle that he was up. They both rolled out of bed hitting the cold floor. Hunter looked himself over realizing he had slept in his clothes. He felt grungy now but not much he could do. Juliet had to fix her dress. It had crawled around while she was sleeping. She got herself together as quickly as possible. No need for someone's wandering eyes to see her in less than her best. It didn't seem to bother him though. For being as neat and proper as he usually was, in a casual setting or in private he was rather laid back. Maybe it was just around her.

She still tried to make herself presentable. According to her, the date was not over until she was back home. There was still time to make a good impression. Hunter piped up in the quiet of them rusting around, "If you need to shower, you're free to do so."

"Thank you for the offer."

She stood up walking towards the bathroom when she stopped by the door frame. She leaned against it looking back at Hunter, "You know, you could join me if you wanted to." Her body stood straight up as she twitched hard. Hunter cracked a small laugh, "Collar bite you?" She did what she could to choke herself back but a single tear gave her away, "Nope!" The door shut as he heard her exhale dealing with the collar shock. She didn't intend it that way but she was kind of trying to seduce him. At least to try and get a reaction out of him but it backfired.

She really didn't need to shower though. She just needed to clean her face up. Her makeup was left on all night so she had to tend to her skin. It wasn't meant to stay on that long. Just to look pretty and be removed. She scrubbed enough that she could feel as close to human as she could. She felt fresher at least. She stepped out to find Hunter in a new shirt. It was still a nicer shirt but it was also clean to him. Now she felt underdressed again. She was stuck with the same clothes as last night. Maybe she should have taken that shower.

Hunter made her an offer, "We still have a full day ahead. If you have something you would like to do, I will gladly accompany you, otherwise, I can take you home." They did have to work tomorrow. She did have something that she needed to take care of but her cleaning was done from the frantic pacing. But she couldn't let this opportunity go by either! She was conflicted! She wanted to spend more time with him but she didn't feel presentable. At the same time, he didn't seem to mind that yet he was giving her a way to opt out if she so desired. Why did he have to be so nice?

Should she call it quits here? She really didn't want to but they also agreed to take it slow. It was killing her inside trying to come up with an answer. Her silence had taken too long. Hunter forced a quick decision, "How about you actually shower really quickly and think about it? I can steam your dress while you're in there so it will feel better."

Try as she might, she didn't want to leave yet. The offer was too good to pass up so she agreed. His bathroom was huge though. She hung her dress up on the back of the door like he requested so he could get to it when she was in the shower. The shower itself was something else. The glass walls were frosted. She wasn't sure if she would be able to hide herself in it but she couldn't see out. The overhead rain showerhead was what really got her attention. It wasn't harsh on her body.

The door opened as Hunter stepped in to grab the dress. It was quick but she couldn't see anything. So many thoughts were running through her mind. What would they do today? What did she need to do? Did Hunter need anything? All she really wanted to do was enjoy time with him but how could she go about it? This wasn't her normal and she had no idea what to do. She could only play it by ear. The best thing right now was to relax. Take it in strides. She had time. She let the water run over her, taking the stress away. It helped clear her mind as she could feel the steam lift her spirit.

She lost sense of time for a moment. She heard the door open as Hunter must have popped his head back inside. She caught him as quick as she could, "Oh! Hunter!" It caused him to pause and wait. She popped the door open just a bit, keeping her body off to the side. "Come here really quick." He looked cautious as he approached. What was she going to do? He kept taking it step by step and she kept telling him to get closer. He got within reach and she snagged his collar pulling him in. Her lips met his. It hit him with a shock. She only wanted a little one. "Thank you. That's all I needed." She shut the door again with a giggle. She got his shirt wet but neither one cared. "Or! You could stay and watch~. I promise to put on a good show."

She crossed a line. Her collar bit at her, not hard, but enough that she could feel it. She could hear him pause though. His footsteps were getting further away as he managed to resist her temptation. But was she really joking about it? No one would know. She enjoyed her rinse before she snagged a towel to dry. She wandered around the bathroom looking at whatever she could while her hair dried.

Her dress was hanging on the back of the bathroom door. It looked crisp. He did say he was going to steam it at least. It looked like it was pressed as well. Even if her hair wasn't fully dry, she could at least get some clothing back on.

The steam from the bathroom bellowed out behind her as she emerged. Hunter was nowhere to be seen in the master bedroom. She wandered out to the hallway where she could pinpoint the familiar noise of kitchen utensils. Down the stairs and around the corner from the living room, she found him working away. She could finally see a proper clock and it was a lot earlier than she expected. Not even 9 a.m. But Hunter was already getting busy. He was working on something for breakfast. Looked like eggs and toast.

He whipped out of the kitchen not expecting her to be there but had her plate ready to go. "I was still hoping to catch you in the bedroom. I thought we could eat up there." She didn't say anything. She just started walking backward until she was around the corner. He could hear her feet as she raced up the stairs heading back to the bedroom. This was a very different side of her. She was being very playful. It brought some life into this house that it had long since been missing.

He knocked before entering to find her sitting across the bed. "Aww, you brought me breakfast. How sweet." She did what she could to try and play off that she partially ruined the surprise. He handed her a plate with a simple piece of toast and a seasoned egg on top. The two leaned back and enjoyed the simple meal before the start of their day. "OK Juliet, what did you decide?"

"I would like to continue to spend the day with you but we should probably plan for that instead."

It hurt her to say it but at this point, it was her best option. She was barely prepped for this date as it was. He even looked a little discouraged but also knew that she was right. He really had no plan past the dinner. Going into a second day would just be playing it by ear. While it could be entertaining to see where it could go, he could only agree with her that better planning was the way to go. Nonetheless, the surprise breakfast in bed was a nice touch and a good way to end the date.

They finished up quickly heading to the garage where Hunter helped her into his car. The drive wasn't really quiet. They talked about a few things they would like to do the next time the opportunity came around. Juliet was getting giddy at the idea of some personal time. It became a little too real when she threw out the random idea of a vacation in another country and he didn't bat an eye at it. He only asked where she thought it would be a good place to go. The man had money! The idea of travel wasn't that foreign to him. Mind you, her bank account wasn't looking too bad either. She just didn't want to move from the comfort of her apartment.

She was able to redirect the conversation away from a romantic escape back to something much more reasonable. It was going to stick with her though. There was no way around that. It was just so tempting to run away for a while and see where things could go. It was just the romantic in her trying to escape. She had to keep herself grounded.

Even so, it was still a good time. The two parted ways in front of Juliet's apartment in their usual fashion. Hunter waited until she was inside and on her floor before leaving. Juliet waved as she got to her door even if he couldn't fully see her. The rest of her Sunday was spent thinking over their date. What she may have done wrong, what she could improve. It was a lot of worry for nothing. At the end of it all, she had a great time and was glad she got to enjoy the time.

Hunter spent the ride back doing the same thing. He wondered how he could have improved, where he fell short. He always does this with his jobs though to learn from the mistakes and be better the next time. This felt different though. This wasn't to improve because he needed to. This was because he wanted to. He wanted to put his best foot forward. This was a personal improvement he wanted to make.