Love, in Progress

Tall scoundrel

To be honest, Tinsley knew it was a bad idea from the second Holly brought it up. Somehow, he got the feeling that Miss Norris extending the invitation to Ricky's party wasn't an offer, but rather a command. He was expected to be there, and he knew that's exactly how Ricky wanted it.

Despite all of that, he was in fact walking up the hill to the Goldsworth residence- not that he was pleased to be back. He was even dressed to the nines for the party, because Holly, "wouldn't let him go out looking like he'd just crawled out of a dustbin".

Tinsley had offered his arm to Holly to help her get up the hill, as he could imagine that walking up quite a steep hill in heels wouldn't be the easiest task. 

Ricky looked out into the small wave of people arriving, most from cars, some on foot. He scanned the crowd for a particular tall scoundrel-from-the-Windy City. Upon catching sight of said detective, a smile lit up his face.

"Fran you're a miracle worker"
"No problem Goldie-locks"
"New nickname?"
"Fresh in" Fran smiled.

She walked away and over to Miss Horsely, who had previously been clinging off of Tinsley. That last observation brought a slight damper on his mood, he really hoped Holly wasn't interested in Tinsley in that manner. The room was full now, and it seemed the party had begun.

However, he was brought to quite a sudden halt when he properly locked eyes with the detective. Oh, Ricky thought, trying to force down any audible noise he might make from excitement- Tinsley looked incredible in a fitted suit. He noticed it was a different one to the other two he usually wore on rotation. And he had properly styled his hair (for once) and was clean-shaven. Ricky had seen his fair share of attractive men- including the one he saw in the mirror- but damn.

"Well detective" he said, strolling over, a glass in hand, "I was right to put my faith in you- you do clean up nicely!" Ricky smirked, extending his hand for a handshake. Tinsley sighed, but then shook his hand,

"Don't flatter yourself, Goldsworth. But I do have to ask how you pulled off that trick with the case file- which one of your friends did it? I was probably only out of the house for ten minutes before you called me, the first time."
"Firstly, we're on a first name basis- so just call me Ricky, and secondly, I've got eyes everywhere Tin Tin, these ones just so happened to be stationed outside of your apartment".

Tinsley didn't respond for a moment, so Ricky took the opportunity to fill the silence between them. "For a detective, you're not very observant- well, at least you're not when you're angry."

Tinsley continued to be silent- he was pretty pissed off, but he had asked for an answer. It was just one he didn't like. And he didn't like it because it was true. Charles Cecil Tinsley had a temper. It wasn't on display often, as he tended to have be quite docile in nature. But when it was, he became a nasty and easily agitated bastard.

Tinsley sighed, "You win. You win, Ricky"
"You talkin' to me?" the smaller man replied with a smirk.
"I don't exactly see anybody else here called Ricky though do I?"
"Smartass" Ricky scoffed.
"Dumbass"
"Shut it, long legs"
"I'm still taller than you though" Tinsley retorted with a smirk. Ricky punched him in the arm playfully, and despite being pretty quick witted, the detective didn't have much more to say other than, "Ouch! You bitch, that hurt!"

Ricky smiled and laughed at this, taking a glass of champagne from a waiter and offering it to Tinsley, who took it. "What should we be toasting to then, Ricky?"

"To good health" Ricky replied with a winning smile, lifting his glass.