Waiting and Dating
Waiting and Dating
Summary: AU. Warrick and Greg meet in an unusual way.
Waiting and Dating
"Thanks again for helping out tonight, man."
Greg set his tray down on the bar and smiled at his friend. "Anytime. It gives me a break from grading papers." He leaned against the bar and nodded toward the other side of the restaurant. "So what's his story?"
Rob knew exactly who Greg was talking about. The few waitresses on staff that night had been swooning over over tall, dark, and handsome all night. "He had a reservation for two an hour ago."
"The person never showed up?"
"Nope."
Greg sighed. "What is the world coming to? If a guy that hot gets stood up, there's no hope for me."
Rob laughed at his friend. "Man, how long has it been since you've been on a date?"
"Way too long." Greg checked his watch. "I better get going. I've got class in the morning." He took off his apron and placed it on the bar. "I'll see you later, man."
XXXXXXXXXX
The bell rang and students started filing out of the classroom. A few hung back to speak with Greg about the test they just got back. The last student was Benjamin Brown. "Hey, Mr G." Most of the students called him Mr. Sanders, the suck-ups called him Greg, and the "popular" kids called him Mr. G. Greg really didn't care what they called him, as long as they understood the material. Benjamin didn't understand the material. Ben was a good kid and seemed to enjoy the demonstrations that had made Greg such a popular teacher, but he wasn't grasping the basics. Greg could tell Ben was more concerned with impressing the girls, practicing with his band, and keeping up with the latest gossip than studying compounds. Ben waved the test in front of Greg. "I can't get a D on this test."
Greg moved to sit on the corner of his desk. He took the offered test and looked at it, before handing it back to Ben. "Looks like you can and did, Benjamin."
"Very funny, Mr. G." Ben didn't smile. "My dad's gonna kill me and you're sitting here cracking jokes."
Greg rolled his eyes. "Your father won't kill you."
"He majored in Chemistry! He'll either kill me or worse...he'll try to help me." Ben grimaced at the thought.
"Well, I think this grade shows that you could use a little help with the material. If your father can help, let him."
"You don't know my dad, Mr. G. The guy doesn't have a social life. If he thinks I need help, he'll just drop everything. We'll have study sessions after school. He'll want to come in to talk to you. Before you know it, he'll start driving me to and from school and calling me "Bennie" in front of my friends. I'll lose major cool points." Ben was panicking. "Do you want that Mr. G? Do you want that?"
Greg sighed. Only a teenager could complain about having a good father. "Alright, I'll let you retake the test."
Ben impulsively hugged Greg. "Thank you, thank you, thank you."
Greg pushed him away. "You can retake this test under one condition."
"Yeah, yeah, there's always a catch."
"Parent-teacher conferences are in three weeks. I want to see your father there."
Ben started packing up his stuff. "Yeah, yeah, I can do that."
"Alright, you can retake the test in two weeks."
Ben dropped a textbook. "Two weeks! I'll never learn all this stuff by then."
Greg grinned. "You will if you come in for tutoring after school everyday until then."
He shook his head. "Damn, you're good." Ben finished putting his textbooks back in his messenger bag.
"You never bet against the house, kid. I've been doing this for years."
Ben tilted his head to the side. "Funny, my dad always says the same thing."
XXXXXXXXXX
Greg had just gone over ionic compounds with Ben, using the quarterback-receiver analogy, and was walking back to his desk.
"You know, you and my dad would be good together." Greg fumbled the textbook he was holding, catching it before it hit the ground. "My gaydar's on fire, Mr. G." Ben spun around in the spin-y stool. "But, yeah, like I was saying, you and my dad would be good together. I mean you both get all geeked out over this stupid stuff." Ben flipped a page in his textbook, making his point.
"This stuff isn't stupid."
"See, there, you sound just like him...but I guess it takes more than chemistry to bring two people together." Ben nearly fell off his lab stool laughing at his own joke. He was holding his gut and wiping a tear from his eye. "Damn, I sound like Old Man Grissom with the lame science jokes." Greg merely stared. The kid was weird. In fact, he kind of reminded Greg of himself when he was fifteen.
"Benjamin."
"But seriously, Mr. G, you should give my dad a shot. He's a good guy, has a job, owns a car, a house. And he's not bad looking, I mean, if you're into 40-something dudes...Hey!" Ben interrupted himself as if a brilliant thought had come to mind. "And you'd be getting me in the deal. I'd be like...your son-in-law or something."
Greg couldn't help correct him. "Step-son."
Ben ignored Greg and continued. "You know, me and the band...we're getting really good. We'll probably get discovered soon. I'm gonna be so rich. I promise to take care of you and Pops when you're both old and decrepit. He's got the looks. He'll have the cash. What else could you want Mr. G?"
Greg was not discussing this with a 15 year old. "Benja--"
Ben's voice was sincere. "All I'm saying is the guy needs to get out more. All he does is work and hang out with me. And you're a nice guy Mr. G."
"Benjamin, I'll see you tomorrow."
XXXXXXXXXX
Greg had just finished working a shift at his old friend's restaurant. Three waitresses had called off, all suffering from a flu going around. "You know it's bad when one of your students tries finding you a date."
"It sounds like he was more worried about his dad than you."
"Yeah." Greg's eyes drifted to the other side of the restaurant. "What kind of chick stands up a guy like that twice?"
"What kind of guy, you mean."
Greg turned to his friend, "What?"
"According to his credit card, his name is Warrick. The reservation was made for John. It looks like your guy has a thing for guys."
"So, Mr. Tall, Dark, and Handsome is into guys? And he got stood up?" Greg shook his head. He took off his apron and untucked his white button-down. "I'm done for the night. Could you whip me up a burger back there?"
"This is an Italian restaurant, Greg."
"Make it happen, Rob." Greg walked away to Warrick's table. He put his hand on the empty chair at the table. "May I sit down?"
"Aren't you working?"
Greg waved his hand in a dismissal. "Not anymore."
"Sure, have a seat." Warrick smiled and Greg's heart beat a little faster. Warrick was even more attractive close up. Behind gold wire-rimmed glasses were a set of pale green eyes. Warrick glanced at his watch. "It looks like my date isn't showing up."
"A guy like you getting stood up? I don't believe it."
Warrick's mouth quirked into a frown. "Believe it. Actually, it was kind of a blind date."
"Kind of a blind date?"
"It's embarrassing. Let's change the subject. What's your name?"
"Greg."
"Warrick."
He reached over the table to shake Warrick's hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you."
XXXXXXXXXX
A week later, Rob was calling his friend. "The eagle has landed. The eagle has landed." Rob started laughing at his own joke.
"You are so lame, man. I'll be over in a bit."
Greg had convinced Rob to call him the next time Warrick showed up and looked to be alone. When he got there, Warrick was sipping wine with a cute blond. Greg walked over to Rob. "What the hell?"
"Sorry, dude. He just showed up. Your guy had been waiting for a half hour. I thought he was getting stood up again."
"Hand me an apron. Tell whoever that I'm working his table now."
Greg put on his apron and walked over to the table. Warrick smiled as soon as he saw him. "Hey Greg. How're you doing?"
"Good. It's nice to see you too Rick. What can I get for you guys?" Greg wrote down their orders and brought them back to the kitchen, before he walked back to the bar to talk to Rob. Actually, the bar was the perfect place to watch Warrick and his date. Greg didn't like what he was seeing. The date was going well. They both were leaning in to talk to each other. They'd laugh once in awhile. Warrick was totally focused on his date.
When their orders came up, Greg walked them over to the table. He gently set Warrick's down in front of him. But as he was setting Blondie's down, his arm bumped against the glass of red wine on the table. It spilled across the table on onto the blond's lap. Greg immediately started apologizing and trying to stop the spill. But the guy threw a fit. He was calling Greg an idiot and demanding that someone pay to replace his pants.
Warrick hissed over the table. "Would you sit down? Fuck, I'll pay for your pants. What were they? Twenty bucks at J.C. Penney." His date gasped and walked out of the restaurant. Greg tried to contain his laugther. Warrick rolled his eyes before standing up. "I better go out and smooth things over." He smiled at Greg and leaned in, placing his hand on Greg's forearm. "I'll see you around Greg."
XXXXXXXXX
Greg was sitting at his desk trying to grade the test that Benjamin had just retaken.
"You missed your chance Mr. G." Benjamin was sitting on a lab table swinging his legs. "Apparently my dad's been doing the online dating thing. Can you believe that? He says he's met someone that he's really into."
"Benjamin, could you please be quiet while I grade this?"
"Sure, Mr. G." Ben was quiet for a full 50 seconds before he spoke again. "I tried telling him to wait for you. I told him I was working on getting him a guy. But, nooooo, he has to go find someone himself. Can you believe parents today? So ungrateful."
"Alright, Benjamin. This isn't going to work. You're going to go home. I'm going to grade this and I'll give it to you at the parent teacher conference, okay?" Greg nodded, not waiting for Ben to respond. "Okay." He started packing up his things.
XXXXXXXXXX
Greg sat at his little table in the gymnasium watching students sullenly walk parents over to various teachers. All of a sudden Benjamin was in front of him. "Mr G. You gotta tell me how I did on that test. My dad's--"
"Bennie, would you wait up. It won't kill you to be seen with your father."
Greg looked up into familiar green eyes. He stood up. "Warrick!"
Warrick had to do a double take. This was the last place he was expecting to see Greg again. "Greg!" Warrick was confused. "I thought you were a waiter?"
"He's a fucking scientist dad. Read the sign." Ben pointed to the little placard the school had made for all the teachers. "Chemistry. See?"
Greg ignored his student. "My friend owns the restaurant. I was just helping him out."
"What'd I get on my test Mr. G?" Ben was ignored once again.
"Putting up with demanding drama queens for a friend. That's very kind of you. How've you been?"
"Hello! Tonight is about me. Me. Benjamin."
Greg glanced at Ben and raised his eyebrows at Warrick. "Alright. Have a seat Mr. Brown."
Warrick took a seat and went into concerned parent mode. "So, how's my son doing in Chemistry, Mr. Sanders?"
"Well, he was struggling for awhile, but here's his most recent test. He's shown great improvement." Greg gave the test to Warrick for him and Benjamin to look over. A-. Ben did a victory dance.
XXXXXXXXXX
The conference was over and Greg was walking toward his car when he was stopped by Warrick. "What are you still doing here?"
"I actually left and came back. Dropped Bennie off at home."
"You know he hates that name."
Warrick smiled. "Why do you think I use it?" Warrick stepped closer and ran his fingers under the lapel of Greg's blazer. "So...Bennie told me you weren't interested in dating his dad."
Greg grinned. "He told me that you were already interested in someone."
"Yeah, I met this waiter..."
The End
Author's Notes: Haven't posted a disclaimer lately. Are they necessary? It's obvious I don't own a thing.
Next on Deck: Christmastime in Sin City - A holiday story in which Greg says no and then yes.
Summary: AU. Warrick and Greg meet in an unusual way.
Waiting and Dating
"Thanks again for helping out tonight, man."
Greg set his tray down on the bar and smiled at his friend. "Anytime. It gives me a break from grading papers." He leaned against the bar and nodded toward the other side of the restaurant. "So what's his story?"
Rob knew exactly who Greg was talking about. The few waitresses on staff that night had been swooning over over tall, dark, and handsome all night. "He had a reservation for two an hour ago."
"The person never showed up?"
"Nope."
Greg sighed. "What is the world coming to? If a guy that hot gets stood up, there's no hope for me."
Rob laughed at his friend. "Man, how long has it been since you've been on a date?"
"Way too long." Greg checked his watch. "I better get going. I've got class in the morning." He took off his apron and placed it on the bar. "I'll see you later, man."
XXXXXXXXXX
The bell rang and students started filing out of the classroom. A few hung back to speak with Greg about the test they just got back. The last student was Benjamin Brown. "Hey, Mr G." Most of the students called him Mr. Sanders, the suck-ups called him Greg, and the "popular" kids called him Mr. G. Greg really didn't care what they called him, as long as they understood the material. Benjamin didn't understand the material. Ben was a good kid and seemed to enjoy the demonstrations that had made Greg such a popular teacher, but he wasn't grasping the basics. Greg could tell Ben was more concerned with impressing the girls, practicing with his band, and keeping up with the latest gossip than studying compounds. Ben waved the test in front of Greg. "I can't get a D on this test."
Greg moved to sit on the corner of his desk. He took the offered test and looked at it, before handing it back to Ben. "Looks like you can and did, Benjamin."
"Very funny, Mr. G." Ben didn't smile. "My dad's gonna kill me and you're sitting here cracking jokes."
Greg rolled his eyes. "Your father won't kill you."
"He majored in Chemistry! He'll either kill me or worse...he'll try to help me." Ben grimaced at the thought.
"Well, I think this grade shows that you could use a little help with the material. If your father can help, let him."
"You don't know my dad, Mr. G. The guy doesn't have a social life. If he thinks I need help, he'll just drop everything. We'll have study sessions after school. He'll want to come in to talk to you. Before you know it, he'll start driving me to and from school and calling me "Bennie" in front of my friends. I'll lose major cool points." Ben was panicking. "Do you want that Mr. G? Do you want that?"
Greg sighed. Only a teenager could complain about having a good father. "Alright, I'll let you retake the test."
Ben impulsively hugged Greg. "Thank you, thank you, thank you."
Greg pushed him away. "You can retake this test under one condition."
"Yeah, yeah, there's always a catch."
"Parent-teacher conferences are in three weeks. I want to see your father there."
Ben started packing up his stuff. "Yeah, yeah, I can do that."
"Alright, you can retake the test in two weeks."
Ben dropped a textbook. "Two weeks! I'll never learn all this stuff by then."
Greg grinned. "You will if you come in for tutoring after school everyday until then."
He shook his head. "Damn, you're good." Ben finished putting his textbooks back in his messenger bag.
"You never bet against the house, kid. I've been doing this for years."
Ben tilted his head to the side. "Funny, my dad always says the same thing."
XXXXXXXXXX
Greg had just gone over ionic compounds with Ben, using the quarterback-receiver analogy, and was walking back to his desk.
"You know, you and my dad would be good together." Greg fumbled the textbook he was holding, catching it before it hit the ground. "My gaydar's on fire, Mr. G." Ben spun around in the spin-y stool. "But, yeah, like I was saying, you and my dad would be good together. I mean you both get all geeked out over this stupid stuff." Ben flipped a page in his textbook, making his point.
"This stuff isn't stupid."
"See, there, you sound just like him...but I guess it takes more than chemistry to bring two people together." Ben nearly fell off his lab stool laughing at his own joke. He was holding his gut and wiping a tear from his eye. "Damn, I sound like Old Man Grissom with the lame science jokes." Greg merely stared. The kid was weird. In fact, he kind of reminded Greg of himself when he was fifteen.
"Benjamin."
"But seriously, Mr. G, you should give my dad a shot. He's a good guy, has a job, owns a car, a house. And he's not bad looking, I mean, if you're into 40-something dudes...Hey!" Ben interrupted himself as if a brilliant thought had come to mind. "And you'd be getting me in the deal. I'd be like...your son-in-law or something."
Greg couldn't help correct him. "Step-son."
Ben ignored Greg and continued. "You know, me and the band...we're getting really good. We'll probably get discovered soon. I'm gonna be so rich. I promise to take care of you and Pops when you're both old and decrepit. He's got the looks. He'll have the cash. What else could you want Mr. G?"
Greg was not discussing this with a 15 year old. "Benja--"
Ben's voice was sincere. "All I'm saying is the guy needs to get out more. All he does is work and hang out with me. And you're a nice guy Mr. G."
"Benjamin, I'll see you tomorrow."
XXXXXXXXXX
Greg had just finished working a shift at his old friend's restaurant. Three waitresses had called off, all suffering from a flu going around. "You know it's bad when one of your students tries finding you a date."
"It sounds like he was more worried about his dad than you."
"Yeah." Greg's eyes drifted to the other side of the restaurant. "What kind of chick stands up a guy like that twice?"
"What kind of guy, you mean."
Greg turned to his friend, "What?"
"According to his credit card, his name is Warrick. The reservation was made for John. It looks like your guy has a thing for guys."
"So, Mr. Tall, Dark, and Handsome is into guys? And he got stood up?" Greg shook his head. He took off his apron and untucked his white button-down. "I'm done for the night. Could you whip me up a burger back there?"
"This is an Italian restaurant, Greg."
"Make it happen, Rob." Greg walked away to Warrick's table. He put his hand on the empty chair at the table. "May I sit down?"
"Aren't you working?"
Greg waved his hand in a dismissal. "Not anymore."
"Sure, have a seat." Warrick smiled and Greg's heart beat a little faster. Warrick was even more attractive close up. Behind gold wire-rimmed glasses were a set of pale green eyes. Warrick glanced at his watch. "It looks like my date isn't showing up."
"A guy like you getting stood up? I don't believe it."
Warrick's mouth quirked into a frown. "Believe it. Actually, it was kind of a blind date."
"Kind of a blind date?"
"It's embarrassing. Let's change the subject. What's your name?"
"Greg."
"Warrick."
He reached over the table to shake Warrick's hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you."
XXXXXXXXXX
A week later, Rob was calling his friend. "The eagle has landed. The eagle has landed." Rob started laughing at his own joke.
"You are so lame, man. I'll be over in a bit."
Greg had convinced Rob to call him the next time Warrick showed up and looked to be alone. When he got there, Warrick was sipping wine with a cute blond. Greg walked over to Rob. "What the hell?"
"Sorry, dude. He just showed up. Your guy had been waiting for a half hour. I thought he was getting stood up again."
"Hand me an apron. Tell whoever that I'm working his table now."
Greg put on his apron and walked over to the table. Warrick smiled as soon as he saw him. "Hey Greg. How're you doing?"
"Good. It's nice to see you too Rick. What can I get for you guys?" Greg wrote down their orders and brought them back to the kitchen, before he walked back to the bar to talk to Rob. Actually, the bar was the perfect place to watch Warrick and his date. Greg didn't like what he was seeing. The date was going well. They both were leaning in to talk to each other. They'd laugh once in awhile. Warrick was totally focused on his date.
When their orders came up, Greg walked them over to the table. He gently set Warrick's down in front of him. But as he was setting Blondie's down, his arm bumped against the glass of red wine on the table. It spilled across the table on onto the blond's lap. Greg immediately started apologizing and trying to stop the spill. But the guy threw a fit. He was calling Greg an idiot and demanding that someone pay to replace his pants.
Warrick hissed over the table. "Would you sit down? Fuck, I'll pay for your pants. What were they? Twenty bucks at J.C. Penney." His date gasped and walked out of the restaurant. Greg tried to contain his laugther. Warrick rolled his eyes before standing up. "I better go out and smooth things over." He smiled at Greg and leaned in, placing his hand on Greg's forearm. "I'll see you around Greg."
XXXXXXXXX
Greg was sitting at his desk trying to grade the test that Benjamin had just retaken.
"You missed your chance Mr. G." Benjamin was sitting on a lab table swinging his legs. "Apparently my dad's been doing the online dating thing. Can you believe that? He says he's met someone that he's really into."
"Benjamin, could you please be quiet while I grade this?"
"Sure, Mr. G." Ben was quiet for a full 50 seconds before he spoke again. "I tried telling him to wait for you. I told him I was working on getting him a guy. But, nooooo, he has to go find someone himself. Can you believe parents today? So ungrateful."
"Alright, Benjamin. This isn't going to work. You're going to go home. I'm going to grade this and I'll give it to you at the parent teacher conference, okay?" Greg nodded, not waiting for Ben to respond. "Okay." He started packing up his things.
XXXXXXXXXX
Greg sat at his little table in the gymnasium watching students sullenly walk parents over to various teachers. All of a sudden Benjamin was in front of him. "Mr G. You gotta tell me how I did on that test. My dad's--"
"Bennie, would you wait up. It won't kill you to be seen with your father."
Greg looked up into familiar green eyes. He stood up. "Warrick!"
Warrick had to do a double take. This was the last place he was expecting to see Greg again. "Greg!" Warrick was confused. "I thought you were a waiter?"
"He's a fucking scientist dad. Read the sign." Ben pointed to the little placard the school had made for all the teachers. "Chemistry. See?"
Greg ignored his student. "My friend owns the restaurant. I was just helping him out."
"What'd I get on my test Mr. G?" Ben was ignored once again.
"Putting up with demanding drama queens for a friend. That's very kind of you. How've you been?"
"Hello! Tonight is about me. Me. Benjamin."
Greg glanced at Ben and raised his eyebrows at Warrick. "Alright. Have a seat Mr. Brown."
Warrick took a seat and went into concerned parent mode. "So, how's my son doing in Chemistry, Mr. Sanders?"
"Well, he was struggling for awhile, but here's his most recent test. He's shown great improvement." Greg gave the test to Warrick for him and Benjamin to look over. A-. Ben did a victory dance.
XXXXXXXXXX
The conference was over and Greg was walking toward his car when he was stopped by Warrick. "What are you still doing here?"
"I actually left and came back. Dropped Bennie off at home."
"You know he hates that name."
Warrick smiled. "Why do you think I use it?" Warrick stepped closer and ran his fingers under the lapel of Greg's blazer. "So...Bennie told me you weren't interested in dating his dad."
Greg grinned. "He told me that you were already interested in someone."
"Yeah, I met this waiter..."
The End
Author's Notes: Haven't posted a disclaimer lately. Are they necessary? It's obvious I don't own a thing.
Next on Deck: Christmastime in Sin City - A holiday story in which Greg says no and then yes.