Date Night [Closed to Corry]

[willcabot]

Stretching up onto the balls of his feet, Will reached up brushing his hands against the ceiling of his boat before pulling himself up. Swinging into his bedroom, he kept himself distracted and hummed under his breath as he tried to not overthink his choices for the evening. It was a strange feeling, being nervous; it wasn’t one he usually liked but well, for Corry? For Corry he could learn to live with it.

Unhooking the towel from his waist, he dropped it to the floor before stepping into his trousers. Couldn’t possibly think about wearing underwear, it wouldn’t be like him at all and it really would ruin the line of the suit. Picking out a shirt that would no doubt compliment rather than clash- he had learnt his lessons from the Hawaiian prints of his youth- with Corrine’s well, everything, Will dressed for the occasion before picking up something he’d kept for a while. A pair of cuff links he’d worn when he’d been spotted at the same premier as Corry, he’d been technically her date for the evening they just hadn’t been spotted together but it was still his bed that he’d found her in later wearing nothing but jewellery.

Spraying on the minimum of cologne, he looked himself over before cracking a half smile.

“You’re ridiculous old man,” Will murmured, as he ruffled a hand through his hair. At least by changing on the boat he didn’t have Alex hovering over him and asking him twenty questions although Will was starting to suspect Alex was harbouring his own crush on someone which Will would have to investigate soon. “Get it together Cabot. Not like you haven’t done this hundreds of times before.”

He hadn’t though. Not really. There was only one other person in his life he’d actually been on a date (or rather dates) with and that had ended disastrously. He’d been out with women, he’d been seen with women, he’d taken women to bed but dating? That was usually out of his area of expertise. And he really didn’t want to mess this one, in particular, up.

Grabbing the keys to his car, Will slid into the seat before driving at breakneck speed to Corry’s. Pulling up alongside her house, he buzzed through to the entrance before driving along her driveway to park in front of her house. Knocking on the door, he pushed his hands in his pocket and waited for her to answer.

Comments

[starsfallen]

"Oh, so is that what the ring rumors were about?" It's a flutter of relief perhaps, or maybe of disappointment, but all good gossip comes from a grain of truth and here lies an explanation. "Marriage to a tribe of sirens. That, my dear Will Cabot, is a player. You better step it up." She can't help but laugh. "Little Alex Cabot, he always did have the debonair potential in him."

Once Will has taken his seat and the final candles are lit, she lifts the silver lid off the platter. She's ordered them roasted quail, golden brown and dressed with apricots and pairs. Sweet and savory with a side of yams and roasted vegetables. "Dinner is served!"

Corry has never heard him talk about his senator father in reference to business. He was as much a Siren Cove runaway as she in their days of globe-trotting affairs. It suits him and whatever doubts he may have, she can see him shining and brilliant, charming a dozen cameras in his face. "Be good to the press and they'll be good to you." She tears off an end of the fresh bread the chef provided. "If you ever need tips, I used to be the world's favorite media darling." She beams as she bites into the bread, but it fades into thought lines. "Which you know. And I know I never lost my talent. But once you've fallen from favor the mountain is that much higher to climb."

Theres a bottle of sparkling cider on the table and she pops the cork with much pizazz, pouring the drink into his glass and finding herself much more at ease with the very idea of this 'date'.

"Will honey, you'll be in my private balcony with select partners and benefactors. Maybe you'll even get a seat with your name on it. Maybe I'll give ~you~ a private tour."

[willcabot]

"I don't need to marry a whole tribe of sirens, just one in particular would do. And no, I don't think that was what that rumour was about." He looked up at Corry with a soft, bemused smile as she laughed. His brother, the player, was not really something he associated Alex. Out of all of them it was Will, up until Henry's death, that had never seemed likely to settle down. "I did visit a jewellery shop and... I bought you that necklace."

After looking at cases of rings and debating with his brothers whether the woman he was still chasing after all these years would prefer diamonds or pearls, or something traditional or something modern. Whether or not their mother could be parted with a family heirloom or not.

"This looks incredibly Corry," Will replied, his hand reaching out to brush against hers. He's glad that the drink adorning the table is non-alcoholic, at how far they've both come since then. Will smiled, rubbing his thumb against her wrist as he toyed the idea with her teaching him media skills. "I doubt we'd get much done with you as my teacher or at least not the type of things we should put on camera at least."

Will laughed softly at the idea of a private tour. He'd genuinely like that even if Corry would get too involved with telling him all the ins and outs of the theatre and was less likely to be distracted by kisses behind the curtains and gentle caresses in the upper galley.

"I would love a private tour, I like it when you talk theatre. It's when you always seem genuinely happy."

[starsfallen]

"One in particular? Whatever happened to that badboy playboy, Mr. Cabot? All mature and professionally focused now. It's kind of hot." She smiles as he mentions the necklace, drawing her fingers across it, and there's a flush to her cheeks again. "This necklace? I'd say you made the right pick."

His hand is warm against her, his thumb igniting her nerves, and she lets out a deep sigh that lets out any lingering anxiety but still allows the fluttering to stay. A sly smile reaches her face. "You say that like we've never put anything on camera we shouldn't have. Besides, I think you'd like me as your teacher." She takes his hand in hers, raising it to her lips and giving his fingers a soft kiss.

His next words catch her off guard. About theatre and seeming genuinely happy. Maybe he knows her better than she realizes. Because she's often wondered lately, how much of herself in her celebrity days really was genuinely happy and how much was the grand superficial act and siren facade. For so long they were indistinguishable. But the theatre - her happiness there is an undeniable truth.

"I can take you for a behind the scenes construction tour if you'd like too. The building isn't safe yet. But the contractors should be settling in any day to get started now."

[willcabot]

"He grew up sadly. Or maybe I didn't, maybe I was just waiting for her to figure it out." Will replied. He'd done the relationship thing for a little while in Australia, hadn't exactly worked out for him then but then he'd never always 100% been thinking about her but had always had Corry in the back of his mind. "There were a couple of others. Alex made me take them back, never really had the best taste in jewellery."

And the ring. He'd definitely had to use his powers of persuasion to convince Will he was reacting a little rashly.

"Exactly. One video is acceptable, two or more is just careless isn't it?" Will asked, smiling when she raises his hands to kiss his fingers. Turning his hand to brush against her cheek softly, he rubbed her jaw with his thumb as he smiled at her. She had no idea really, how beautiful she looked when she was genuinely happy.

"You and me in somewhere that's not technically safe... that sounds like a disaster waiting to happen. I can wait, I can always wait for you. So, just let me know when I can come and I'll be there."