Sort Of A Date

Penelope smirked at Arthur.

"You are the one who needs to buy me a drink, you made me drop mine in the garden!"

"I'm sorry I shock you so much" Arthur bent his head down as he whispered, Penelope bit her lip again.

"You need to stop doing that" He looked at her intently.

"Stop doing what?" Penelope scoffed sarcasticially.

"Biting you lip, it's distracting".

Penelope pursed her lips, trying to hide her joy, her face flushed. She knew, whatever mood she was in, Arthur could bring her some type of excitement, this made her heart race again, and the heart doesn't lie.

"You need to stop doing that" Penelope said quietly.

"Doing what?" Arthur took a step closer to her, his head still bent slightly.

"Trying to flirt with me".

"I'm not trying, I'm succeeding" He smirked mischievously, "After all, this is sort of a date now".

"Oh please" Penelope rolled her eyes and crossed her arms, looking away from Arthur.

Arthur laughed, seeing Penelope getting annoyed again.

"Remember, I said I like it when you get annoyed, so try not to get so annoyed with me".

"How am I supposed to do that, you are a very annoying person?" Penelope scowled playfully at Arthur.

Arthur put his hand over his heart, and responded sarcasticially.

"Oh your words shoot through me like a bullet, I am deeply hurt".

Penelope suddenly growled and walked away from Arthur.

"Don't do that either!" He shouted to Penelope.

"Don't do what?!" Penelope swung round to look at Arthur.

"Growl" Arthur purred back.

Penelope pursed her lips again, her face and body now hot, she quickly walked away into the pub. Arthur's feet were firmly planted outside, 'do I follow her?' He shuffled on the spot. Suddenly, Penelope called back to him...

"Are you coming or what?"

Arthur cracked a smile and ran into the pub with Penelope, she giggled when he ran up to her. They decided to both buy each other a drink, and sit on the picnic bench under the chestnut tree. Penelope was nervous, she hadn't had a date since college, and even then it wasn't a proper date, he was miserable and she felt like she was trying to force the conversation with him, she didn't even like him that much! But this was different, she felt a massive connection with Arthur, even though she didn't know him. So she decided to ask some questions, during this 'sort of date'.

"So *cough*, how did you come across this pub?"

Arthur smiled, 'she's awkward, very cute'.

"Well honestly, it was when we came across each other the first time, and you ran off, after I..."

"After you what?"

"Um never mind" Arthur went quiet.

"Tell me" Penelope gently put her hand on his arm, Arthur's breathing hitched, his eyes raised to her own, he hesistated before admitting...

"After I dropped off your equipment to you home", his gaze lowered to her hand on his arm, which then retracted quickly.

"You what, you followed me home?!" Penelope shouted in shock, she stood up rapidly from the bench.

"Penelope please don't leave again" Arthur also stood up, his eyes slightly pained.

"You followed me home!" She still had her voice raised, Arthur walked towards her, she walked backwards, causing him to stop.

"Please Penelope!" His hands grasping the back of his head, begging and panicing.

Penelope stood motionless, she was torn. On one hand, a stranger followed her home, he knew where she lived. On the other hand, he returned her Palaeontology equipment and healed her. Wait!

"How did you heal my hands?"

Arthur's eyes were wide at the sudden unexpected question, he didn't know what to say, so he decided to show her. He sat back down on the table.

"Sit down please" He looked up at Penelope.

"Tell me!" She said stubbornly.

"Penelope" Arthur said firmly.

Something, well she couldn't say what, ran through her, the firmness of his voice shocked her core, but in a good way... She decided to sit back down, looking Arthur in the eyes.

"Well" Penelope growled at him.

Arthur's gaze softened on her, he took her hand that was resting on the tabletop in his, she flinched.

"Please" Arthur implored her.

Penelope, hesitantly, put her hand into Arthur's again, their eyes quickly flicked to each others, there was no denying their connection in this moment. Arthur slowly moved his own hand gently to Penelope's red wrist (where Dan had left a mark), it stung her, so she hissed, but she didn't move.

"I'm sorry, it'll be gone soon" Arthur said softly to her.

He caressed her wrist, almost lovingly, and then wrapped his large hand around her small wrist slowly, his fingertip touched his thumb easily. 'She's got tiny wrists' he smiled slightly at this realisation, then he placed his other hand around his own. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

Penelope felt the warmth of his hands, but for some reason, she didn't feel like moving on this occasion. The warmth grew like last time, her eyes however were fixed on Arthur's face, he was breathing deeply, his eyes still closed. She found herself admiring his face, but he had a stray strand of hair hanging on his forehead. Instinctively, Penelope used her free hand and gently put the hair back into place, accidently grazing his forehead. Although he was in a deep trance, Arthur felt this, a smile formed in the corner of his lips.

After a few more seconds, Arthur's eyes opened. He quickily removed his hands from Penelope's wrist, thinking she was going to be terribly alarmed like last time, but she wasn't. She found herself gazing at her wrist, the redness and stinging sensation was now gone. She swallowed and looked up at Arthur, his eyes were cautious. Her gaze however was the complete opposite of last time, her eyes were soft. Penelope spoke quietly...

"How did you do that?"