Merry Christmas, Detectives

02}}Last Minute Shopping

"So what did you get Newland?"

Klocke froze. Christmas wasn't something he had ever really celebrated, at least not since he was a small child. Aside from asking Ana out on an actual date, he hadn't really thought to get her anything.

Shit. Would she be expecting a gift? He rubbed a hand over his face, suppressing a sigh. There were numerous reasons he hadn't dated much, and a love of simplicity was one of them. This was new and unfamiliar territory for him.

I should probably get her something...

But what could he possibly get her? Jewelry? She didn't really wear much, though if he decided to go that route he was very familiar with her taste. Still, that seemed... Too easy. Maybe something useful? Did she even need anything?

He thought of the tattoo she had on her hip, which he had only ever seen once. And even then not all of it. Granted, their relationship with one another had been a little different at the time.

"You didn't get her anything?" Haiden looked almost incredulous, though her tone was still relatively polite.

Klocke quirked a brow at his partner, offering a half shrug. It hadn't occurred to me.

"Okay, then. Let's go." And she stood from the table and headed for the front door. She paused just inside the kitchen entryway to look at him over her shoulder. "Do you wanna go shopping?"

He couldn't help but raise both brows at this. "Shopping," he repeated, his brain for some reason refusing to process the idea. "Now?"

"It'll be fun! We could go the the mall, or to Walmart -- I was just there, that's where I found the tie. Or, if you want, we could find you both a present." Her smile was bright and innocent, so at first Klocke didn't know what she meant by that last part.

It took him a second to catch on, and he gave her a flat look. With her easy-going, bubbly, and innocent demeanor, it was often easy to forget that her mind was far from unfamiliar with the gutter.

She raised both hands in pacification. "Or not. Just an idea. But still, something to think about if you change your mind. And you're both consenting adults, so there's really no reason not to..."

Klocke ignored her obvious hinting and leaned to the side so he could see the clock on the mantle in the living room. His date with Ana was still hours away, so there was plenty of time to find her something. And maybe a little wandering around town would help him think of where he was going to take her to eat. Even if he didn't get her a Christmas present, the location of the date would still count for something. Hopefully.

He blew out a sigh. What could it hurt? "Fine."

Haiden practically squealed with glee at his agreement, doing a little happy dance in the middle of the kitchen entryway.

He just shook his head and got up to grab his jacket.

{ { o } }

Klocke felt ridiculous. How did I let her talk me into this?

Oh, he didn't mind Christmas shopping. That was fine. He had no problem with that.

Except Haiden had -- through some trick (or divine intervention, he certainly wouldn't put it past her) -- convinced him to wear the tie.

"Don't give me that look," Haiden said, though he wasn't looking at her, and his expression was as blank as always.

There's no look, he didn't reply, keeping his gaze focused straight ahead. Haiden had successfully dragged him into the entertainment section of Walmart. This particular aisle sported movies, all organized based on genre. A few he recognized, though he hadn't seen a good ninety-nine-point-nine percent of them.