Chapter Text
Due to the chilled January weather, the MIB was dealing with a heavy decrease in illegal alien activity. Seemed that even extraterrestrials didn’t like to commit their illegal operations in the cold. But the London department stilled remained vigilant knowing that the action was going to pick back up very soon.
“Honestly.” Bee snarled bitterly as she muted the news broadcast being displayed above her desk in her office. “We get an inch worth of snow up here and people are shouting Armageddon. There are places that have it way worse than us I’m sure.”
“How do you think I feel?” Pawny hopped up to Bees desk. “I’ve never seen snow before, but at least we can all be miserable together. And may I say Bee how lovely you’re looking today?”
Bee shot a sideways glance to Em, rolling her eyes then turning back to Pawny. “If you think you can get sweets out of me with flattery.,” She paused. ”Damn…it worked.” Pawny watched excitedly as Bee opened a side cabinet of her desk. Inside held an assortment of little helpers to make the hard days of being the London's head much easier. The cabinet was filled with varieties of different candy such as licorice, M&M’s, and variety of gum flavors. Bee placed an espresso cup filled with marshmallows on her desk next to Pawny who gazed at them completely mesmerized. Bee and Em watched in amusement as the tiny alien began to devour the sticky treats
.
“Even aliens can fall victim to sweets.” Em laughed.
“So, for the New Year’s party. I was thinking You could get ready at my place; I’ll have a car come to get us. Plus, I’d like to run through my speech with you just to make sure it sounds right." Both women were alerted by the chiming of the bronze analog clock that sat on Bee’s desk, indicating the end of their shift. “Coming Pawny?”
The little alien had just finished his marshmallow treats before he answered. “Would it be a problem if I stayed?”
Bee chuckled. “Help yourself to the marshmallows, but I better not come back on Monday to a mess in here.”
“Anything fun planned for the weekend?” Bee asked her friend as they began to gather their things.
M shook her head. “Just meeting with H for a nightcap. I’ll get up early tomorrow to get ahead on a few more things. Then I’ll meet up with you tomorrow.”
B smiled, linking arms with her friend as they made their way to the main floor of the department. “Do you ever sleep in?”
M looking smug squinted her eyes. “You’d be surprised. You’re welcome to join us if you’d like.”
Bee pushed her heavy framed glasses back into the bridge of her nose. “Thanks, Luv, that would be lovely.”
Along with B and M, many other agents were making ready to leave for the night. It wouldn’t be long now until agents would be reporting in to start their night shifts. The women descended down to the train with great speed to beat the night rush. "Evening, M"Ladies." H greeted the women when they reached the train terminal.
"Evening Sir," M replied, motioning to Bee. “I invited Bee to join us.”
The way their gaze met one another, the way they could just steal a moment between them while everything else moved at its normal intended speed. It didn’t take B long to catch on to the electricity between her fellow agents that even she could feel. If she were right about what she thought she was, there wasn't anything wrong with helping it along... right? “Oh, you know what…I need to go over a case file with Cee."
“Oh well, we can wait for you.” H offered politely; M nodded in agreement.
B knew that she would have to increase her efforts. “No, go on. We’ll all catch up tomorrow night…go I’ll see you later.” She then raced back up to the main floor as H and M looked on curiously, but ultimately agreed to take their bosses offer and continue their evening with just the two of them.
“What are you doing back?” Vee asked Bee when he rose from his desk in surprise to see his partner still in the office. “Did you forget something.”
Bee smiled as she pulled a strand of her hair back behind her ear. “No, just covering my tracks.”
Vee shot his boss a confused glance. “What are you talking about?”
B only gives her partner a tight squeeze around his arm. “I’m not spreading rumors around the office.” Bee has always had good intuition and if she was right about what she was assuming that she was going to make certain to keep her lips sealed until she had been confirmed correct in her theory.
Vee shrugged, allowing himself to be content with Bee’s response and chose not to pry. “Whatever you say, boss.”
The sight of the snow-covered city blocks made M feel right at home when she and H arrived back in New York. Light flurried fell from the night sky. Due to the cold, both agents were glad to be out of their suits for the evening. The train had provided them with privacy to change into weather appropriate and functional clothing. It’s good to get out of the suit every once in a while, it would remind that the people in them are still people underneath the glasses and the ties. H would never admit this to his partner, but he often thought that she looked smaller without her suit on. Kinda made him wonder if she thought about the same thing in regards to him. But he ultimately chose not to ask, seeing how the question was rather odd and the last thing he wanted was to sound like an idiot in front of her.
I always love this time of year.” M sighed, her warm breath became visible in the chilled air.
H chuckled. “This cold would be any introverts best friend.”
“Har har,” M spoke sarcastically nudging his massive body with her tiny one. Unsurprisingly the action didn’t knock him off balance even a little bit. “I managed on my own perfectly fine.” Her voice became faint when she thought back to how long she had been on her own. That decision hadn’t been hard for her. She hadn’t always been the best at getting close to people and she had been busy trying to prove that MIB wasn’t just cultivated in her mind and she wasn’t crazy. Looking back on it all and now that she’s with MIB there were times when she would recall her loneliness, the times when she remembered lying awake at night wondering how she fitted into the universe, if she was meant to exist in it at all or if she were just a mistake. She shook her head trying to focus on where she is now. “Besides I’m a pro with dealing with the cold. Must have been totally different for someone from Melbourne.”
H’s head did a slight tilt when his shoulders rose. “Had only been pictures of snow.”
The chilled night air began to suddenly pick up as the night carried on. M buried her face deep in the collar of her coat, bracing against H to make sure she didn’t get swept away by the strong breeze. “Thanks.” M breathed after her partner guided both of them through the front door of their destination. Inside where it was much warmer.
The pub was filled with its usual busy Friday night crowd. All the patrons turned their eyes on the pair and every expression lit up. “Hey!” The patron all simultaneously greeted them warmly. H and M both greeted the crowd with a nervous wave.
M whispered up to her partner through her wide smile. “We need to find a new place to spend our Friday nights.”
H nodded as he continued to smile while they made their way to their usual booth in the back and away from the busy crowd. “Was really hoping no one would remember us from last time.”
“Can’t imagine these people would forget the guy who bought drinks for the whole place.” M giggled into her hands. Her partner slumped in his seat in embarrassment.
“I’m very generous when I’ve been drinking.”
M snorted. “Friendly is a word for it.”
M and H had been partners for close to seven months now. And in that time, they had become much better acquainted with one another, mutual respect had grown between them which strengthened their friendship. M had found herself able to stand many of H’s…. more carefree traits which he often dialed back on her request when they were together. Despite her first impressions and events that followed to say otherwise H had proved to her that he wasn’t a dimwit. The truth is that H loved how excited M would get whenever she came across something new and interesting.
The way she absorbed information like a sponge and could organize it into her brain like a carefully categorized library. The way she would speak with such enthusiasm about any topic that would be needed for their fieldwork, it was actually adorable and…incredibly sexy. H found M remarkable and had grown more of a spine to tell her. He had found the right words to use so that the comment wouldn’t come off as corny, but rather kind and respectful.
“For New Years in the past, all I ever did was stay home.” She tried not to make it sound as sad as it did.
H looked surprised to hear that. “Really. You wouldn’t even go out for a drink?” M shook her head in response. “Well, you’ll be in good company tomorrow night.”
“I’ve been meaning to ask you about the party. What does it entail exactly?”
“It’s a yearly event planned by all the MIB branches. It’s a nice way for all of us to be together in one room.” His tone didn’t sound very enthusiastic when he talked about it.
“I’m guessing you’re not a fan?”
H sighed deeply, looking over the drink in his hand. “I’ve only ever gone as a favor to T. A party that big was never my idea of a good way to break in the New Year. But it’s got an open bar so that’ll help.”
It was hard to argue with that logic. And it would ensure that H wouldn’t be able to buy drinks for everyone.
“Guess so.” It was hard to imagine why H wouldn’t be so keen on just about any form of party, particularly a New Years celebration.
“Plus having you there will make it more fun.” M covered her mouth when she faked a cough to distract H from her blushing. “Will you need a lift there?”
“Thanks, but I’ll be getting ready at Bees. She’s having a car come for us.”
His face lit up with intrigue. ‘Fancy.”
The rest of the night continued into its late hours, but neither H or M minded, they just filled the night with laughter and drinking. It wasn’t until M had checked her watch again to see how the hours had slipped away from them. It was going to be a long night tomorrow so both agreed that it would be best to call it for the evening. It was nice to walk out into the brisk air. It made M’s senses come alive., made her think of the countless snowmen she had built outside her family’s apartment, how the house had been filled with sweet memories and good times that she did admit that she missed at times. M learned against H as they walked into the streets, she felt safe in his embrace that shielded her from the cold.
“Any New Years resolutions?” She finally asks, being genially curious about what his answer would be. She could see him thinking about his answer, indicating that he hadn’t thought much about it until now. “Relax.” M nudged into the shoulder of his green canvas jacket. “You don’t need to have one. It’s kinda lame to think about ways to improve yourself only once a year.”
“Never thought about it that way before. Goosebumps formed over H’s skin when M clung tighter to him as the wind picked up, tickling her bare skin.
“I use to think that I didn’t fit into the universe. But when I found you…MIB I knew that my purpose was to be part of it. That was my promise to myself every year….to try my hardest to be there.” H couldn’t help but find that comment ridiculous. How could M think that she was so insignificant to the world? Maybe he should do more to prove to her that she was wrong. “What?” She asked him when she saw H just staring at her when they finally reached the entrance to her apartment building.
H paused for a moment then shook his head as he took a step forward. “Nothing.” M didn’t fight him when H leaned in and pressed his lips against her forehead. “I’m just lucky to have you.” It suddenly felt as though all feeling in her body had been dialed up to eleven and that gentle kiss was rushing fire through her body. If H hadn’t been securing his hand against her back, she may have fallen back onto the apartment entrance stars. Which would have been more than embarrassing. She could have blamed the alcohol for the fall, M is quite small compared to her partner, he would most likely believe that to be a possibility. Then again, he’s also smart enough to know that she isn’t the type to drink very heavily. “So, He trailed off for a few seconds. “about tomorrow?”
M couldn’t be more grateful that he couldn’t see the redness in her face. All he could see was how beautiful she looked with the city lights outlining her features in a heavenly glow. “I’ll call you.” She promised before making her way up the stairs of the buildings front entrance. Her door key was still warm from being kept in her palm. She found that her gaze had been locked on that key for a long while, her sensations still buzzing from the kiss. She spun back on her heels to look at her partner again who was still looking right at her. M’s smile grew when their eyes met and her stomach dropped. “What is it?” Neither moved right away. They just let the snow fall around them. M slowly descended the steps, resting on the second to last step so that she could be eye level with H. she didn’t hesitate to place a kiss on his cheek. It was gentle and sweet, just as his had been to her. When she pulled away and they locked eyes M could have sworn that she saw H blushing.
“I’m just glad I have you too.” It felt good to say it out loud, to have him know it. After ascending the stairs again, she looked back again only once more. “Goodnight, Henry.” She shouldn’t have used his name, shouldn’t have said it out loud, it just slipped out, but she knew that he wouldn’t lecture her about it. Her heart then skipped a beat when she faintly heard her partner reply.
“Night, Molly.”
M didn’t know it but H’s watchful gaze hadn’t left her even when she ascended the stairs to her floor. He watched her bedroom window, patiently counting the seconds until her bedroom window was lit up, putting him at ease and assuring him that his partner is safe and warm inside her own home. He didn’t know why he continued to stare at the window even after it had turned dark again signaling that M must have gone to bed. The cold air and the brisk wind didn’t seem to bother him, maybe he just wanted to hold on to the warm reassurance of M’s safety, that warmth that made his body feel content and at peace. If he could have stayed on that sidewalk all night, but the long hours of the day were weighing down on his ability to stay conscious, which was a clear indicator that it was time to go home and get some sleep. But his thoughts kept on the kiss she had given him. Something so simple that had made his knees so weak. He had received far more pleasurable gestures from a handful of wanted and unwanted company, but the way it felt when it’s her…only her it felt more real than anything he had experienced in the past. She felt real..... and it felt like the greatest thing in the world.