THREE

...::~THREE~::...

"Fancy a drink?"

"Maybe a little one." A little smile touched Grace's lips, then she blurted out something she was sure she'd said before. "I like kissing you, right after you drink. It's tingly."

"Should be in advertisin'," he quipped, making his way into the kitchen. Opening the cupboard, he pulled out a half-full bottle of whiskey, hesitating over the glasses, "wannae share?"

"I think so." She didn't usually drink all that much but it sounded right. "Bruce?" his name had a lilt to it, her hard-fought-against accent surfacing.

The clink of a handful of cubes falling into the glass served as preamble before he cleared his throat. "Angel Grace?" Glancing over his shoulder, he poured a few inches of whiskey into the glass before turning around, leaning against the counter, bracing for the worst. "Somethin' on yer mind, love?"

"Yes." She bit her lip, tilting her head that little bit so she could look him in the eyes, and she adored that she had to, that he was taller than her. A few long moments passed, then she took a breath. "You said all these sweet things, and I know you mean them. You even made a promise… I wanted to say something back, better than I did." She paused, just looking into his eyes as she gathered up courage from somewhere. "You deserve… it's really just…Bruce, I love you. I really do."

He stared at her for a few seconds, letting the words settle while he lifted the glass to his lips, taking a leisurely swallow of the liquor. "Do ye?" His voice came out softer than expected, that glimmer of hope in his brown eyes as they met hers.

Grace nodded, but didn't break eye contact for more than a blink. "I thought you might know, I'm not exactly subtle…" she looked down for a moment, her expression rueful but she shook that off when she looked back up. "But I needed to say it, looking at you. So I'd know. I really do, Bruce. I kind of think I have since you took up for me, when Chas was calling me names. I just, I should've said it before."

"So yeh'd know?" He echoed her words, confused.

"That I meant it. That I wasn't saying it because you did. And I wanted to see your face, and how your voice sounded, everything. So I can always remember."

"Well then," he took another drink and then set the glass on the counter, "that's settled." He chuckled, shaking his head, "Gracie, ye'r somethin' else. All the poesy, all the pictures an' the like… just me bein' clever, aye? Been yours since our eyes met 'cross that room. Love yeh, angel."

Grace inhaled sharp, surprise on her face for a moment before she closed the space between them and slipped her arms around his neck. "And I thought, you could have anyone you wanted. I was so… flustered when you winked at me, because I didn't really think… but you did." Her smile was soft, then she kissed him quick, and whispered the rest after. "You're really mine. I wanted to believe it so bad, Bruce. But you already were."