[for man_without_fear]

[aheroliveshere]

 "Here are the last of the files on the Palmer case, Mrs. Vargas called and rescheduled, and Joe Nguyen dropped off another case of mangos in lieu of an actual check."

Karen shifted his empty coffee cup to carefully set down the tower of folders at his right elbow.

"And.. that's it.  I'm done for the day."

Comments

[man_without_fear]

Matt's desk might be a sea of paperwork, but it's an organized chaos and he knows exactly where everything is and where it all goes. He sorts through it efficiently, putting things away, stocking files in neat piles for later and setting everything to rights for when he returns.

He scribbles something on a post-it and sticks it to the top of a stack of folders then bangs them on the desk to line them up and holds them out towards her. "Can you put these back on Foggy's desk?"

The note on top reads 'Back Atcha'. The files are a small stack that have bounced back and forth between the two for awhile in a case of 'Not it!' or hot potato.

Sometimes the ten year old isn't on the inside.

[aheroliveshere]

"Got it." She takes them and sorts through them by habit, a wry smile on her lips. Lawyers.

She disappears into the other office and drops the stack in Foggy's inbox. She tucks her hair behind her ears, smooths her dress and tries not to think too hard about drinks and dinner. She's still grinning when she reemerges into the tiny area they call reception.

She settles into her chair, and pulls up tomorrow's calendar. She has some stuff she should work on typing up over the weekend, but she can always come in on Sunday afternoon and bang that out.

[man_without_fear]

Matt doesn't take too long before his desk is organized to the point that he can call it a day.

He didn't bring a change of clothes, but he takes some time to straighten himself out. He combs his hair, takes off his tie and reties it, take it off, puts it back on, hesitates, and finally leaves the thing in a desk drawer.

Work is done, this is a date, he can totally separate the two.

That's what he tells himself as he stands, tilting his neck and cracking it each way; loosening up. Deep breath, he straightens up his collar a bit leaving the top button undone, grabs his cane and steps out of his office with a smile.

"Ready?"

[aheroliveshere]

"Yes! Uh... hang on just a sec." Now it's his turn to catch her off guard. She scrambles a little, closing the file she'd been reading and putting it in her own inbox, shutting down her computer, smoothing her hair and dress for the umpteenth time. "Okay. Ready."

She grabs her purse out of the bottom drawer of her desk and joins him. Another moment's awkwardness before she laughs at herself. "Are we officially off the clock?"

[man_without_fear]

He stands by and waits, bemused smile on as he listens to her do her own scrambling and fussing.

When she joins him Matt considers her question a moment, reaching to feel his watch again, nodding thoughtfully to himself before declaring, "We are."

[aheroliveshere]

"Which means, we're officially on a date now?"

[man_without_fear]

"Officially. Yes," he answers, maintaining composure for a moment before breaking into a smile.

[aheroliveshere]

Karen slips her arm through his and leans her shoulder into him, just enough.

"I dunno. I'm not quite feeling it yet. What do you think?"

[man_without_fear]

He accepts her arm and chuckles warmly.

"Hm, maybe if we actually get out of the office?" he suggests. They have been here a whole lot lately.

[aheroliveshere]

"That. Sounds like a really good place to start."

Once they're down to street level, she takes an easy pace. No rush. Just -- y'know, spending time together. After work. On a date.

"It's just a few blocks. I hope you don't mind walking."

[man_without_fear]

He walks with her casually, reflecting a moment on how at-ease she makes him feel.

Giving her a pleased smile and shaking his head he replies, "Not at all." He's happy to walk along with her.

[aheroliveshere]

She makes it half a block before her hand drifts down his arm and slips into his.

"How's that?"

Her voice is so quiet, like she's afraid someone might overhear.

[man_without_fear]

He squeezes her hand and he can feel the flutter of her pulse through her skin matching the rate of her heartbeat already in his ears.

"Starting to feel more like a date," he says warmly.

[aheroliveshere]

"Yeah," she answers, a shy smile bubbling up. "I think you're right."

She returns the grip and then laces her fingers through his, lightly. Her heart rate does more than flutter as she explores that simple touch.

[man_without_fear]

Matt's cane taps out in front of him as they walk and he goes along that way with her for awhile before reminding her with a gentle tease, "You are leading the way there, right?"

The restaurant was her choosing, after all, and he just wants to make sure they haven't passed it in the moment.

[aheroliveshere]

"Yes, I am. It's just one more block." She beams at him, color rising in her cheeks again. Damn it, is she going to be like this all evening? Seriously, Karen, get your shit together.

"I'd be surprised if you couldn't smell it by now." She draws in a deep breath, and sighs. "Do you like spicy food?"

[man_without_fear]

He nods, properly mollified and keeping a grin in check as he acts chagrined, "Okay, just making sure."

He gives her hand another squeeze to let her know he's teasing, then lifts his head.

"I think I do smell it." In truth he's aware of all of the restaurants in a wide radius around them. He can also smell dry cleaners and the bodega, dinner cooking in the surrounding apartments, and stale cigarettes for sale at the newstand on the corner.

To her question he gives a skeptical and wary expression, "How spicy?"

[aheroliveshere]

"Well," she says, squeezing back, her thumb stroking the outside of his, "I hear they do a good spicy curry. And I like a little heat." The words twist in her mouth and she bites her lip.

[man_without_fear]

"Do you?" Matt grins and mulls it over before he relents.

"I'll give it a try, but you have to promise not to laugh if I cry."

[aheroliveshere]

She smiles so broadly her nose wrinkles. At this rate, she's not going to last until dessert before she does something she'll regret.

"I promise, it's not that bad. Nothing you can't wash down with a beer or two."

[man_without_fear]

He lifts an eyebrow at her, the gesture asking, 'Getting me drunk too, are you Karen?'

"I'll trust you on that," he replies with a smirk.

[aheroliveshere]

"Okay, then."

His trust means the world to her. Even on something so small.

"We're here." She pulls on the door and a bell rings to announce their presence. A moment later, they're being seated. It's not a terribly fancy place. Paper napkins wrapped around silverware and the chopsticks are disposable. There's even a television playing over the bar. But the food smells good and the place seems to be fairly full.

[man_without_fear]

Matt settles into his chair, his hands folding on the table top.

He takes in the restaurant, the smells, the sounds, the tastes on the air of passing dishes and the warm atmosphere.

It's full, but not crowded, comfortable and inviting like only some places can be.

Nodding to himself he says to her, "Good choice."

[aheroliveshere]

Karen opens her mouth to speak and is interrupted by an older woman with a thick Irish accent*.

"Oh look at the two of you, don't you make such a pretty picture. Here's a menu for you, miss. And for you, sir." A braille menu is put down in front of Matt. "I told my husband we'd need these sooner or later. He like to fought me half way to hell and back saying it wasn't worth the expense, so you'd best become a regular so we can prove him wrong, aye? Right, then, can I get you two something to drink? Glass of wine perhaps or a beer?"


[ooc: * The part of Connie the restaurant manager is based on a real person, though Connie's husband Gino is Sicilian and runs an Italian restaurant here in town, not a Thai place. No real Dublin accents were harmed in the making of this cameo. ]

[man_without_fear]

Matt accepts the menu, giving the woman a genuine smile. "Well I appreciate your effort. Based on first impressions alone I think I'm going to like this place." And come back again.

He tilts his head at Karen, not sure what her choice might be. "Beer is fine with me... " But if she preferred wine he might be willing to go for that instead.