Prompt #38
Requested by @Meow-sie1507

Summary: Todd is your best friend, and Dirk starts liking you. When he has to go undercover for a case, you end up going on a fake date with him...

QOTP: Which Dirk character is most like you?

Word Count: 2029

You've been Todd Brotzman's best friend since either of you can remember. You grew up together, and you're more like brother and sister than friends at this point.

So, when he first met Dirk, you met Dirk soon after.

"And this crazy guy just came in through your window?" you'd asked Todd, pointing at Dirk.

Todd shrugged. "Basically."

Dirk was appalled. "I'm not crazy."

"Oh, you have other words for that in England, don't you?" you asked sarcastically. "Bonkers, then."

He sighed. "Maybe a little bit."

You became involved with cases after that, though it was mostly Dirk and Todd going off alone. Dirk claimed the "Universe" said you weren't meant to be apart of it. At least, no more than in little ways. So, you just helped where you could.

Outside of cases, you still hung out with Todd a lot, and Dirk ended up spending more time with you.

He wasn't sure what it was about you, but he really seemed to like you. In what way, though, he was more reluctant to admit.

Finally, though, he had to come to his senses.

"I totally had my money on the creepy puppet guy," you say, referring to their last case. Dirk and Todd had just told you how it ended.

"I did, too," Todd admits. "Those puppets looked like they could literally come to life."

"I'm glad I didn't have to see them," you reply, sitting on Todd's couch next to Dirk.

Sirens light up in Dirk's brain, causing him to panic and only think about how close you are to him at that moment. You and Todd continue talking, but he hardly hears a word.

Finally, you move to go to the kitchen and Dirk calms. Todd gives him a weird look. "You okay?"

"Fine," Dirk says shortly; you're coming back from the kitchen.

Later, after you leave, Todd gets up and goes to the kitchen.

Dirk stays on the couch and sighs. "I have a problem."

Todd seems mildly concerned. "Which is?"

"I like Y/N."

Todd chuckles. "Yeah, I figured."

Dirk sits up, turning to look at him. "You did?"

"Yeah. You make it kind of obvious."

Dirk internally panics. "Do you think she knows?"

Todd laughs. "Oh, no. She's completely oblivious."

Dirk relaxes, laying down on the couch and looking up at the ceiling. "So, what do I do?"

Todd shrugs. "Ask her out?"

"And what if she says no?"

"The world will keep spinning, and you'll still be completely alive."

Dirk sighs. "Well, it won't feel like it."

"Fine, don't ask her out. Just bottle up all of your feelings and never know if they're reciprocated or not."

Dirk thinks for a moment. "Well, she's your best friend. Wouldn't you know if she liked me or not?"

"She didn't exactly tell me she likes you. Personally, though, I think that she does."

"I'll keep that in mind."

In the weeks following, he doesn't ask you out, despite Todd's many nudges at him to do so. Dirk claims he's too busy with the case he just got. Todd, of course, is helping him.

He's in the early stages of the case when the "Universe" decides he needs to follow his first suspect around for a night. Maybe longer, if it comes to it.

He finds his schedule and discovers he's going on a business dinner towards the end of the week.

Todd suggests that you and Dirk go to the restaurant, sit near him, and observe him under the guise that you're on a date.

Dirk knows why he suggested it, but you readily agree. What choice does he have?

When he sees you, he's glad he didn't have one. You're wearing fancy dress, makeup, and your hair is done — not that he didn't think you were pretty without all that because he definitely does. Now, though, he's just realized how deep his crush really is.

Todd notices the look on his face and stifles a laugh. "So, Farrah and I will be waiting outside in the car in case you need us-"

"I know, Todd," Dirk replies, half-exasperated.

Todd sighs. "I know that you know, I just wanted to make sure everyone was clear on everything."

"Crystal," you say.

"Ok, then, let's go; you don't wanna be late for your reservation." He can't keep a grin off his face as he says it.

When you make it to the restaurant, you and Dirk get out, and you wrap your arm around his. He internally panics, but hides it well. He reminds himself you're only doing it because you're undercover.

You enter, quickly spotting your target. Dirk requests the table next to his, so you wait a little bit for it to be ready.

"Got anything yet?" you ask quietly, leaning close to him as casually as possible. His brain goes haywire, so you raise an eyebrow at him.

Finally, he says, "No, not yet."

You lean back, your arm still around his. You have to admit to yourself that you really don't mind it, and you're actually happy that you're on a date with him, even if it is fake.

The hostess calls the fake name Dirk gave them, and you're seated. Dirk pulls out your chair for you, partly to walk around the table to get a closer look at the man he's following, partly for the cover, and partly just because he wanted to.

You thank him, and he goes to sit down. Almost immediately, a waiter is there with free water and to take your drink orders.

When he leaves, you both pick up your menus and peruse the entrées. "What are you getting?" you ask him conversationally.

Dirk looks up. "Oh, um... I don't know." You glance over at the man you're here to follow, trying to listen in on his conversation. Dirk looks back down at his menu, but mutters, "Don't be obvious."

"I wasn't," you mutter back. Then, you talk more loudly. "So, how has your week been? We've both been so busy I feel like I haven't seen you in forever. I've missed you." With a slight hesitation, you reach across the table and lay your hand on his, like you think a girlfriend who hasn't seen her boyfriend in a while would do.

Dirk internally panics, but he gently grabs your hand anyway. "I've missed you, too." He lightly squeezes your hand — why, he doesn't know — then regrettably pulls it away. He sighs. "And I've been doing the usual. Work. Helping my parents move into their new house."

"Oh, how's that going?" you ask, taking a sip of your drink.

"Fairly well. Dad's still a little upset about moving, but he knows that they need to." He's almost shocked at how easy it is for him to carry on this fake conversation on the spot.

At that point, the waiter comes back and asks if you're ready to order. You do, then talk about nothing again when he leaves, still listening in on the man's table.

"So, how has your week been?" Dirk asks.

"Fairly good. I had lunch with Farrah the other day, and we talked about Todd some. He's thinking about getting a cat."

Dirk realizes you're using bits of real life to make up the lies more easily, and wonders if you're telling the truth about Todd wanting a cat. "Is that so?"

"Yeah. He wants to adopt from the shelter, but he's still considering how much it'll cost and all that."

The man starts talking about a deal he wants to make, but he's stingy with the details.

Just when you think he's getting somewhere, a waiter comes by with his and his table's entrées. Dirk continues. "Pets are expensive."

"That they are."

Your waiter comes back with your entrées, so you begin eating, still keeping a close eye on the man's table. They talk less because they're eating, and you do, too.

It gives Dirk time to think about how much he wishes this was a real date.

And, really, it could be — even if it was to spy on someone. But only if you'd said it was. You didn't. He didn't either.

Unbeknownst to him, you were thinking the same thing.

Dirk, still thinking about how much he likes you, decides to start doing something about it. "Did I tell you how pretty you look in that dress?"

The blush that rises to your cheeks isn't fake in the slightest. "Y-You didn't. Thank you. You don't look too bad yourself."

He shrugs a little. He's more dressed up than usual, though, even on a fake date, he just had to wear his yellow jacket.

After that, you start to have a real conversation. You talk about your work, then some hobbies of both of yours. You talk about anything and everything, if only for a short amount of time. If you're being honest, you almost forget the reason you're there at all. Then, you hear the man loudly say that he wants dessert.

You finish your entrées, then opt out of dessert as the man has just finished his. You get your checks at around the same time, then wait to see where the man is going. He turns to the other man next to him and says they should walk to that place he was telling him about. You have no idea what he's talking about, as you weren't paying attention.

Dirk texts Todd and tells him the situation, then you leave after the man. You loop your arm around his again as you're walking out. He quietly says, "Todd said to send him the address when we got there, and he and Farrah would drive over." You nod.

Outside, you keep a slower pace, much like the man's. You follow at a distance, but keep an eye on him.

You continue your conversation from inside, which had moved to your favorite TV shows.

A few minutes later, you're saying, "Dwight's the best," and you punctuate the sentence with a shiver.

"Are you cold?" Dirk asks.

"No, I-"

"Here." He stops and takes off his jacket, then puts it around your shoulders before you can protest.

You slip your arms through the sleeves then resume your casual couple position. By this point, you're both used to it. "I look like a banana now, but at least I'm warm."

Dirk chuckles. "Well, you're a cute banana." You blush again, smiling. Dirk, looking at you, seeing your reaction, decides that it's high time that he tells you how he feels. This night has gone so well already, and he thinks that maybe — just maybe — you might feel the same way. "Y/N," he says.

"Yeah?"

"I... Tonight, I... Look, I found myself wishing that this date were, you know, real — because I like you — as in more than a friend — and I have for a while now, and Todd seemed to think that you liked me, too, but I totally understand if you don't, and that's completely okay, I just wanted to tell you, and I thought now would be a good time to tell you, so I-"

As soon as he said, "I like you," you were waiting for him to stop talking so you could tell him you like him back. However, it seems like he could go on forever, so you interrupt him. "Just shut up and kiss me."

He stops, hesitates a second, then does as you asked.

You wrap your arms around each other, just kissing in the middle of the sidewalk. Other people walk around you, some giving you weird looks, but you don't care. You pull away after a few seconds.

You're both just standing there, quiet, taking the moment in, but then Dirk's eyes widen. He looks down the sidewalk ahead of him, and it's then that you realize. "We lost him."