Title: Anniversary
Author: shallowness
Fandom: The Mentalist
Rating: Universal
Characters/Pairing: Jason Wylie/Michelle Vega
Summary: One year on.

Disclaimer: Not mine, don't profit.
Author's Note: Diverges from canon at a certain point in 7.10 'Nothing Gold Can Stay'. Double drabble. ER fluff. Fix-it. Denial.

Anniversary: shallowness

"I hope you picked this restaurant because of its reputation," she says, amused.

"What do you mean?" Jason asks, looking up from the screen. Michelle's driving, he's navigating. It's the routine they've fallen into. Besides, only he knows where they're headed as he booked the table.

"For good food, prompt service. A place you can celebrate in," Michelle elaborates. She's teasing, her smile tells him. Even if she weren't, the fact that she was smiling would make him smile too. And on this particular night, of counting up all the days since their first date, smiling is easy.

"Because I swear, Wylie, if you picked it just because of the tablecloths..." Her voice rises, and his smile turns into a grin at her mock indignation. Out of work, he is usually Jason, but sometimes his surname slips out, just like the occasional Spanish phrase, and both are things he'd never ever change about his girlfriend. And yeah, he still gets a thrill of thinking of Michelle Vega as his girlfriend.

"What?" he asks her.

"They'd better be clean tablecloths is all I'm saying."

"Or?"

"Or you're going to—. Wait, do I turn here?"

"No, carry on," Jason says, laughing.

Fin