Chapter Text
The bustle of the diner slowly picked up as it got closer to the dinner rush. The coffee mingled in the air as you place another pot under the machine, letting the bitter-sweet aroma envelope you. The only sounds that came in clear to you was the slight clinking of mugs on the linoleum counter space. You should have felt overwhelmed, but you found yourself holding your breath for other reasons. Those reasons crept into your thoughts as you wondered if he would come. He always came every night, but what if tonight was different?
It seemed like the news was simply overrun with the coverage of those murders, and still there were no answers.
Nothing to ease the minds of people in Forks, and while you thought about the circumstances of you living alone, what really raptured your mind was how he was there on the front lines.
Your chest constricted as you tried your hardest to steady yourself as you poured the brown liquid into a customer's ceramic mug. And that's when the ding of bells caught your attention. Trying your hardest not to completely crane your neck to the door, but also slowly turning yourself to confirm who had come in.
Police Chief Charlie Swan awkwardly sauntered into the diner. Just for curiosity's sake, you looked from him to the analog clock behind the bar. A smile slowly spread onto your face.
It was 8:30pm exactly and not a hair past. Charlie Swan was as punctual as the sun, knowing when exactly he needed to appear in the sky, rarely ever deviating from the path of his time. He kept order where he could, and this seemed to be one of his non-compromising traits, and you found yourself in awe of him.
Quickly finishing your pour, you rushed to the front.
"Oh, Diane, don't worry, I got him," you chuckled, grabbing two menus and braving yourself as you quickly looked into his eyes, motioning with a slight shoulder shrug for him to follow. This little beginning interaction was your silent dance with him, and it excited you to not know what he was exactly thinking. Taking him to his table, which sat far into the corner of the restaurant, encased with big glass windows. It was such an unusual spot for someone who seemed not to enjoy being watched, but when you tried sitting him somewhere else, he quickly asked for his usual spot. As you began setting the table, you felt a palm softly rest in the small of your back. You didn't want to tense, but the contact was so sudden that your body had no other reaction than to freeze. To savor the small connection.
"Sorry, I-" He began to mutter almost whisper.
"Oh no, I'm sorry! I shouldn't have been blocking you. I'm sure you're tired from your shift, and here I am just holding you back from relaxing," you said with a small laugh to ease the tension.
"That's nice of you to even think of that. You're a pretty good waitress, I can say one of my favorites." He said with no passing thought as he browsed through the menu. You never understood why he did this when he ordered the same thing every day. A steak with fries and A1 sauce for the side, but if you don't bring the sauce out when his food comes, he won't ask for it, but will instead try to eat the steak without it and accomplish in eating half of it and all the fries.
You straightened and felt the blush begin to kiss your cheeks. The look you wore was reminiscent of a deer in headlights. After two beats, he finally looked up from his menu and watched as you stood watching him. And as your eyes met, he quickly backed out and broke the tension with a clearing of his throat.
"I'm sorry, you just caught me off guard. I would have assumed Diane would have been your favorite with her whole seniority status and all." Take out your pen and pad.
"Years don't mean you know more," He rebutted.
"Ill keep that in mind next time I accidentally spill coffee." He let out a little chuckle, and your chest filled with a small light of pride. It surprised you how fast your two fell into this little banter.
"Hmm, so no Bella tonight, or is she coming in later? Just wanna make sure I get her order in before the kitchen gets swamped." Looking up from your pad to him.
"No, sorry to say you're stuck with just me tonight."
"I'm not sorry at all." The words flew out before you could even process the implications of your words. Now it was his turn to have blush creep into his cheeks, and it was beautiful how it lightly colored him from cheeks to the tops of his ears. Charlie was a beautiful man, and the beauty lay in how he presented his masculinity. The way he wore his uniform and groomed himself didn't ask for the approval of others but was just how he existed. It was all him, and there was no mistaking who he was or what he is. That was intriguing to see someone lay so bare and hold themselves solid like oak, not shaking in the wind but staying grounded.
The thickness of the moment hung between you both as the cacophony of mugs clanging against tables and cutlery softly squeaking on the bottom of plates. There were too many sounds for thought, too much thought for this room, for these windows. Did he understand the implications? Did you?