Disclaimer:  Wolf Films, etc., own them
Pairing:  Undeclared ;-)
Rating:  PG
Summary:  "5 Minute, First Line Challenge" response.
Copyright August, 2003, Cassatt

"You? You don't have a single romantic bone in your body," Lennie said, chuckling around a bite of cheese pizza.

"I do, too," Ed replied, with a huff. How could the man make such an assumption?

Van Buren stared at Ed. He returned her gaze, plastering every iota of cool he owned across his face. "Romantic," she said, "does not mean you write down her number on a post-it."

Lennie chortled. "Yeah, or take her to some hole-in-the-wall Indian place on the subway."

"When the hell have I done that?!" Ed took a hard draw on his straw, getting the last of the thick fruit smoothie to land on his tongue with practiced ease.

"Let's see...." Lennie paused for emphasis. "Uh, two weeks ago?"

Two weeks ago? He'd gone to the restaurant, but not on the subway; they'd taken a cab. But how had his partner even known he'd gone in the first place? He looked hard at him.

Lennie shrugged. "Hey--couldn't help it--I overheard you. Talked about going to Pasand, and going underground."

Geesh, the guy could make assumptions. "Well, whatever," Ed retorted. "What's your idea of romantic?"

"Beer and a basketball game."

Van Buren set down her drink hard enough to catch both men off guard. "No wonder neither of you are in a serious relationship!"

Ed bit the inside of his cheek.

"Lieu," Lennie said with exaggerated patience, "some of us aren't lookin for that. Besides, women put too much stock in romance. Guys don't care that much."

Van Buren chuffed. "Wouldn't hurt the two of you to take a lesson from my husband. Candles and chocolate cake--that man knows how to treat me right."

Swiftly, Ed got up from the table. "'Scuse me." He went outside, pulling out his cell phone along the way. He called the number he knew best. The call was answered in two rings.

"McCoy."

"Hey, it's me," he said. "Listen--do you think I'm romantic?" Ed kept an eye on his coworkers, sitting at the window, eating pizza.

"Romantic? Yes, absolutely," Jack answered.

Ed smiled in relief. "Why?"

"Well, I'd definitely consider breakfast served in bed to be one sign of a romantic heart."

"Okay, thanks." Ed's smile refused to disappear.

"And there was that terrific massage you gave me last weekend. Not to mention the CD you surprised me with."

Ed saw Lennie and Van Buren approach the door. "Thank you. Gotta go. Love you."

"Love you, too," Jack said gently.

Ed ended the call as the other two exited.

"Settin up another date?" Lennie asked with a half-grin.

"Yeah," Ed answered. "There's a Mets game this weekend. Thought I'd treat her to a bag of peanuts while we're there."

Lennie chuckled. The Lieutenant rolled her eyes.

Ed smiled to himself as they started back to the precinct. He thought he might pick up a few extra candles for the bedroom on his way home. Make a reservation at the new high-end place in SoHo. That would be good. Excellent, even. Perfectly... romantic.

End.

Author's Note: I don't usually put in author's notes like this...but ;-).   I often think of Ed's canonical comment to Lennie that he'd never spend "x" amount of money on a woman. In my household, we laugh, and say, "Well, no, Eddie, you wouldn't spend money on a woman, now would you?"

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