♜:Shoulder rubs (it’s never too late for you~)

As many times as Hakuba had attended these sort of gala events, he usually didn’t have to present anything, which made it especially important that he bring a date instead of going stag for once. Fortunately, as fate would have it, one Madison Grey had been willing to accompany him to the black tie affair. 

There were a hundred excuses that the detective could have given in justification to having invited the florist, including but certainly not limited to the fact that he just didn’t know that many people in Los Angeles, but the fact of the matter was that he simply wanted to.

As he’d expected, she’d been every bit as charming company one could hope for. It wasn’t the beautiful gown or the the way she’d done her hair, though both were stunning; and it wasn’t that she’d been polite and friendly to everyone he’d introduced her to, though she had; it was that she was absolutely, positively authentic. A breath of fresh air, just as sweet and brilliant and amiable as the flowers that she loved so much. 

And, honestly, he’d known that it was a lot of pressure to accompany him, but she’d been willing to support him, which meant more than he could really express without being far too forward about it. So as he returned to his seat as the applause settled into a lull, and she handed him a glass of water, he offered his most genuine smile sat as close as close as he could get without quite touching. Then, once he was comfortable, he ever so casually slipped an arm around the back of her chair and ran his hand over her bare shoulder, leaning in to kiss her cheek.

“Thank you, again, for coming with me, Miss Grey…" 

[x]