Peace when you are done

The Walk

Baz POV

I open the oven door and slide in the baking sheet.

What I want, Fiona had said. What I want.

I want to hear him laugh. I want to wake up next to him in the morning and cook him breakfast. I want lips and limbs and sighs.

What I have is an oven full of non-expert scones, a dozen roses cut from Daphne's garden, and a completely hopeless, lovesick heart.

Penelope POV

I come out the front door for some fresh air. I spotted Baz cutting flowers and trying to bake. Whatever is going on, I've meddled enough. I'm staying out of it, and right now that means staying out of the house all together. Those two will work things out, or they won't. This is not another problem that Penelope Bunce is going to jump in to fix. I will go for a walk instead.

I have a text from Agatha on my phone. Agatha finally texts me, and of course it's about a bloke. She wants to know if it's okay if she texts Shepard. Apparently before she left with her mum and dad, he gave her his mobile number! She won't text him if I don't want her to, she says. Like she knows that he'd choose her over me, like I don't stand a chance against her.

"Hey Penelope."

And here he is, standing there with his hands in his pockets, handsome- I suppose.

"Hello, Shepard," I reply coolly.

"Going somewhere?"

"For a walk around the neighborhood." I huff. Why does he care where I'm going? Probably wants to ask me to put in a good word with Agatha.

"Mind if I join you?"

I think maybe I do mind.

"Agatha tells me that you gave her your number."

Shepard purses his lips. They're nice lips, I suppose.

"Penelope, is there something going on between you and Agatha?'

Between Agatha and I? Of all his ridiculous notions...

"No, why would you even ask that?" I'm blatantly glaring at him now.

"It's obvious that she's incredibly important to you. You got your friends to come to America just to save her. As soon as you got her back, you were holding hands with her even as you were fighting the vampires."

What. An. Idiot.

"You ask all these questions. You try to find out everything about us. And the most obvious answers are right in front of you."

Maybe it's not fair for me to yell at Shepard right now. Maybe it's really Simon and Baz and the whole World of Mages I should yell at. But Shepard is here, and I'm angry, and somehow I think he can take it.

"If you must know, I went to America to visit my boyfriend who dumped me as soon as I showed up at his house. In front of his new girlfriend. He said I'm a tornado and that I don't listen and that I didn't pay enough attention to him."

"Damn, Penny, I didn't know."

I'm not done.

"We saved Agatha because Agatha is our friend. Friendship and loyalty mean something in our world. We aren't in it to post people's secrets on the Internet or to steal other people's girlfriends."

Shepard is cool as a cucumber.

"You know I'm not going to post anything about you. And I thought you said Agatha is not your girlfriend."

"She's not! But if you thought that she might be then why did you give her your number?!?"

"I gave her my number because a beautiful, charming woman was flirting with me."

"Great! Great! Well, it's nice to see where we stand. Where I stand. I hope you two are very happy together."

It's getting cooler out. My fury had been keeping me warm, but those last words take all the wind and fire out of me. I pull my arms around myself and shiver.

Shepard takes off his jacket and hands it over.

"Penelope, are you upset that I gave Agatha my number?"

I take the jacket. "Obviously, I am upset."

"Why? Is there something you need to tell me?" He looks amused.

"No, there is nothing I need to tell you. Your actions have told me everything. I thought that there might be something between us, but clearly, you have made your choice."

Shepard moves to stand squarely in front of me. "Penelope, this is important. You are not in a competition with your friend. I thought you wouldn't be interested in me because I can't speak magic. I also thought for a brief period of time that you were with Baz. Then maybe Agatha."

His jacket is warm. It smells like him. He smells nice, I suppose. He's still talking. With his nice lips.

"I'm not going to wait around for you to decide that I'm good enough for you. If you don't respect me because I can't speak magic, that's on you."

I feel my eyes narrow.

"I don't know what exactly there is between us because we haven't even been on a date yet. You are definitely a tornado. I'm a storm chaser. A guy who can't appreciate you, who can't appreciate your intelligence and wit, who can't appreciate that you have a whole amazing life that doesn't revolve around him? He is not worth your time or your tears."

And then he just looks at me. Waiting for me to say something.

"So, we're going on a date then?" I ask impatiently.

"Are you asking me out, Penelope Bunce?" Shepard says with a smirk.

"You called me Penny before. And yes. Would you like to join me on a walk?"