Vought Tower | Monday Evening

[defenderofdesmoines]

Annie had had work today, and while her spot on Good Morning America had gone really well, honestly -- she was getting better and better at the whole press thing with every interview -- the Make-a-Wish event this afternoon had put her in a fantastic mood. Like. Not if she dwelled on the whole...why of it, of course, but just being there and meeting so many kids whose days all just seemed made when she'd gotten there -- it was the kind of thing that made Annie feel like she was actually making a difference, not just cashing checks.

And, as an added benefit, she'd had enough time to get back to the tower and change into her civilian clothes before going down to -- gasp -- actually meet Diego in the lobby! So he didn't have to ride the elevator with some fucking weirdo she worked with on Valentine's Day, at least! (And instead, Annie just had to hope that whoever viewed the elevator security footage valued their job enough not to try to sell it to tabloids or something!)

Now, she was watching on as Diego did something that they had discussed a couple weeks back, and made this apartment just a little bit more his space, too.

"How many of those do you think it can hold?" she asked, already impressed at how well he was hiding the knives he was stashing in her chandelier. They blended right in, who knew.

[for the guy putting knives in a chandelier, of course, and NFB for distance, natch.]

Comments

[defenderofdesmoines]

"We can totally practice pushing you and seeing what...works?" Annie offered, actually meaning it despite her narrative's prior flirtiness. "'Cause like, I'm a safer audience than Five, I feel like?"

Or at least far, far more likely to be encouraging rather than critical.

[knife_bender]

"You're less of a jerk too," Diego said, pouring champange into the second glass. "That's a big plus as well."

[defenderofdesmoines]

"Oh, high praise," Annie teased, leaning up to press a kiss to his jaw as she selected a glass. "And we know we train well together, even if I can admit I might also be a little more of a distraction than Five, too."

Case in point.

[knife_bender]

"But distractions are good," he insisted. "If I get really used to you distracting me I won't be so distracted out in the field."

That made sense, sure.

[defenderofdesmoines]

"I mean, I feel like that would be more effective if I tried to fight you," Annie pointed out, considering it. "I mean. I'd be gentle, if you wanted to try that."

Because as they both knew, she could pretty much take whatever he threw at her, literally or figuratively.

"Happy Valentine's Day," she added, lifting her glass in a little toast.

[knife_bender]

"Happy Valentine's Day," Diego said, clinking his glass against hers. "I'm glad we figured out how to celebrate without anyone shooting us."

[defenderofdesmoines]

"I mean, I could probably still arrange that," Annie replied, lifting her brows. "We have the cutest stories. But it's nice to be able to tell you I love you without having to flee the scene, too."

Not that she didn't say it several times a day, regularly, but it was kind of special today for a couple reasons.

[knife_bender]

"And as fun as car sex is, the bed is probably more comfortable." Not as cold either!

[defenderofdesmoines]

Annie didn't blush! Which was, like, a feat!

"We should do that again, though," she decided with a sly little smile, taking a sip of her champagne. "Maybe in the summer, though. And I'll keep track of my clothes better."

As fun as that ride home had been, there had been humiliating consequences.

[knife_bender]

Diego grinned. "Come on, it was a little bit funny. Just a little."

[defenderofdesmoines]

"Kind of," Annie admitted, rolling her eyes affectionately. "Not exactly how I wanted to bond with my future in-laws."

[knife_bender]

Ugh, way to make Diego get a dopey grin on his face at the mention of the word 'in-laws'. "But it's a unique icebreaker! More good stories for us to tell."

[defenderofdesmoines]

"Oh yeah, I can't wait to tell our grandkids about how your brother found my Valentine's panties in the back seat," Annie teased, leaning up to kiss that dopey grin (and now she had a matching, if slightly-shyer one, what with 'grandkids' and all.)

[knife_bender]

Oh so they could be exceedingly sappy, even on Valentine's Day. The limit did not exist, apparently.

At least Diego focused on deepening the kiss rather than say something even more disgustingly sweet?

[defenderofdesmoines]

And look how Annie was more than willing to just wind her arms around his neck rather than use her mouth to talk (though they were almost certainly not done being disgustingly sweet with each other. Not on Valentine's Day.)

Of course, that's when a knock came at the door.

"Strawberries," Annie murmured, pulling back just enough to bump her nose against his. "I should probably get that?" Only probably.

[knife_bender]

“Well we did make some poor person make them just for us,” Diego said with a grin.

[defenderofdesmoines]

"You should go track down that cork," Annie decided with a little lift of her brows as she plucked up her champagne to take to the door with her, because she could.

There wasn't a lot of tracking down involved here, and she knew it perfectly well, but, oh no, it would take them to the bedroom, of all things.

[knife_bender]

“Make sure I didn’t put a dent in the headboard?” he asked, already backing up towards the bedroom.

[defenderofdesmoines]

"God, I kind of hope you did," Annie said honestly, heading for the door.

'Cause you know what Annie needed? Reminders of him for her to look at in that bed, for sure.

[knife_bender]

Diego headed into the bedroom and was very pleased to see the cork had left a tiny mark. Good, something to look at and remember later.

He found the cork and tossed it aside before setting down his glass and moving to take his shirt off.

Come on, it was inevitable.

[defenderofdesmoines]

You know what, that was a remarkable show of initiative, that's what that was.

"Any luck?" Annie asked, wandering in a few seconds later with a box that contained a beautiful arrangement of chocolate strawberries that was just gonna have to wait and go right on the vanity because hello, shirtless Diego. "Oh, look how smart you are."

[knife_bender]

"Thinking ahead for once," Diego said. "The cork left a little bit of a mark. Whoops?"

[defenderofdesmoines]

"Really?" Annie asked, delighted as she crossed over to look at the mark. "Um, best Valentine's Day present ever. I get to look at that when I go to sleep, now."

And other times. She did other things in this bed. And maybe she'd just go ahead and peel her shirt off, too, just because it looked like such a good idea.

[knife_bender]

"Now I'm little jealous our headboard at home doesn't have a mark," Diego said, moving closer so he could put his arms around Annie. Now would they actually take off their pants before it became inconvenient?

[defenderofdesmoines]

Unlikely.

"That could be arranged," Annie replied, threading her arms up around his neck and leaning up to kiss him.

Clearly they just needed another excuse for champagne.