Happy Birthday (for freshoffthefarm)

[fakes_death]

Annie was thirty and convinced that she was too old for birthday celebrations. Webb planned on changing her attitude on that just a little bit. He made dinner reservations at the little Italian place without valet parking that they liked

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[freshoffthefarm]

It was the best way to celebrate her birthday, as far as she was concerned. No big parties, no trips to Paris (though she wouldn't have said no), and no clubbing. As far as she was concerned, she was really too old for that now, anyway.

After ordering, she settled back in her chair and gave Webb a small smile. "You always know just how to make things incredibly appealing, don't you? Dinner here is..." She looked around the restaurant. "It's perfect."

Fixing her gaze back on him, it said everything her words hadn't about how she felt about the location and the company.

[fakes_death]

"It's a talent," Clay said with a small smile of his own, "Celebrations don't have to be spectacles. They just need to be special for the people involved."

He sipped his scotch and returned Annie's look over the rim of his glass. As far as he was concerned, the evening was turning out just perfect.

[freshoffthefarm]

"And this is the kind of celebration that feels incredibly special. So thank you."

Sometimes, especially when it was just the two of them like this, in public, she was a little at a loss for words. There was so much they needed to talk about, but now wasn't the time. Not on her birthday.

"Not that I didn't love Paris last year courtesy of Joan and the rest of the Agency, but this feels a little more personal."

[fakes_death]

"You're welcome, and that really wasn't a celebration so much as a work trip that ended with a six-thousand dollar bag." Which he still hadn't seen her use.

Clay was pushing all thoughts of everything they needed to talk about out of his mind for the time being. None of that would make for a happy birthday for Annie and since he was so good at ruining the mood of evenings, he decided to keep their relationship issues out of mind for the time being.

"Personal was really what I was going for. I'm glad I succeeded."