John rubbed his face with his hand while the other dropped the keys on the table. Suffice to say, it's been a long day. The point of quitting the Marines to become a police detective was so he could have easier work days. Boy was he wrong.
"Hey babe," Clarice smiles at him as she emerges from their bedroom.
A smile forms on John's lips, his features softening as he returns the greeting, this was a nice surprise. He thought he was going to be coming home to an empty house today. "I thought you had your work gala today?"
"Well..."
John arches a brow as Clarice trails off. He's heard that tone of voice before. It's the same tone she's used when she brought home Zingo instead of orange juice. And the time she broke the TV when she threw the console at it after losing a game, that was the exact same tone she's used then too. "What did you do?"
"Nothing!"
John crosses his arms across his chest, trying to put a stern expression on his face. But looking at Clarice scoff in indignation, he's pretty sure the only look on his face right no was one of amusement. Suddenly the long day at work was no longer his concern as he tries to figure out what his girlfriend has done. "Oh really?"
"Really."
John slowly looks around the apartment. Zingo was sleeping peacefully on her bed, doesn't seem likely she would be doing that if Clarice went for another "orange juice" run. And so far, nothing seemed out of place or irreparably broken. "So you didn't go buy Zingo a sibling or broke another furniture?"
"Hey! You love Zingo as much as I do and breaking the TV gave you a reason to update the entertainment system which you have been wanting to do for so long. I was just looking out for you."
Clarice earns a laugh from John as he took slow strides towards her. Back when they were just friends, when he was just Lorna's childhood friend back from the Marines and she was just Marcos' old street friend moving into town, seeing her was the best part of his day. Her smart-ass sarcastic comments endearing, bringing colour to his days. Clarice Fong just had a way of brightening the air around her, eliciting smiles and laughter from the ever so serious big John. She just made him more relaxed, happier somehow in way he couldn't quite explain.
It was complicated (isn't it always?). And then it wasn't (she had a way of simplifying things). So now he gets to come home to her. To their home.
When John reached Clarice, he gently holds her face in his hands, a thumb brushing through the birthmark under her eye. Striking green eyes close as Clarice leans into his warm touch, breath hitching as his trail leave her skin tingling. For such a big guy trice her size, there wasn't anyone who had a gentler touch.
"I guess I should thank you for looking out for me then."
Clarice smirks, jutting out her chin towards him. "Yeah you should."
John smiles, his lips finding hers instinctively. She tastes sweet, the smell of her passion-fruit lip balm familiar. Her hands tangle themselves in his hair, his hands moving down to her waist allowing him to deepen their kiss as she goes on her tippy toes.
Moments like this are what John lives for. When the world dissolves around them and nothing else mattered. It was just the two of them. There was no case files, no crimes and no notification to be made to the next of kin. If he could just pause time here. If he could just have this feeling every minute of every day. But of course that's not how it works.
"So are you going to tell me why you're not at your company gala?" It wasn't like he didn't want her with him. Coming home to her was exactly what he needed today. But he can't ignore the fact that she's been talking about this gala for weeks now. She even dragged Lorna shopping with Aurora in her pram just so they can find the perfect dresses for the occasion. So if she was home either something went terribly wrong or...
Clarice shrugged, "Marcos mentioned you had a hard day at work when I called Lorna."
The small smile that tugs at the corner of John's lips doesn't quite encompass his entire reaction. His heart swells with love and pride. He didn't think it was possible for him to love Clarice anymore than he did. But she was always proving him wrong, so of course he does. He knows how much she was looking forward to this event but instead of going she decided to come home... to him.
How he managed to have this amazing woman as his girlfriend, to love him as she does, he'll never know. But he's thankful nonetheless. Maybe he saved a country in his past life? Or a very important person who's now looking out for him like a fairy-godmother. Yeah, that's got to be it.
"So come on Proudstar, go freshen up and come join me in the couch for a date night in." Clarice places a small kiss on his lips before she walked to their kitchen, opening up the fridge and pulling out plastic bags. "I ordered Thai from that place you like on the way back from work. I'll heat it up so it's warm when you finish. And for dessert I bought those healthy frozen yogurt you insist on buying over ice cream."
"You bought frozen yogurt instead of ice cream?"
"Just this once! Don't get used to it! Next time I'm buying triple chocolate fudge no matter how many times you say how unhealthy and full of sugar it is."
Anyone with eyes can see just how in love John was at the woman he was looking at. As if she was the one who hung all the starts and the moon. But he says it anyway because he needs her to know, even if words aren't sufficient to describe the way he feels about her. "I love you."
Clarice freezes, she's used to hearing this from him of course but he was looking at her that way and it still unnerves her, made the butterflies in her stomach multiply and her heart race against their cages. A beat later she smiles, relaxing into his words.
"I know. Everyone does." She winks, her hand flipping her soft lilac hair back. "Now go before I get too hungry and finish everything without you."
"Yes ma'am." John kisses the top of her head when he passes her as she moves towards their bedroom. "Thank you."
xx