A/N: This is a piece of pure cliche ESN - if you don't know what I'm talking about, look up the E/S Template. I wrote it on Valentine's Day when the fluffy bunnies were attacking me, so I am wholly not responsible for what came over me. Mal, if you're reading this, run away. Now. I just needed a little break from the heaviness that is CTL, so I decided to rework this piece a bit. I just needed a little Viking love. Thanks again to Kristin for beta-ing and, for encouraging me. I'd also like to thank everyone over at the Wiki and at Northman's Steam Room. Y'all inspire me!

Oh yeah, Charlaine Harris owns the characters, I just like to play in her sandbox.

Chapter 1

It was Valentine's Day. I hated Valentine's Day. Well, I didn't actually hate Valentine's Day, but this year I did. It had been nearly four months since I saved Eric and Felipe from rape, torture, and certain death, at the hands of Sigebert. Nearly four months since Eric came to deliver Felipe's offer of protection and, nothing since. I almost spent Christmas alone. I blushed thinking about Preston even now. I can't believe I did that! I started to wonder if Preston was really what he said he was. For the hundredth time I thought about asking Sam if he knew anything about the Weres of the Deer Killer Pack in Baton Rouge, but then I imagined him asking me why and how I knew of them. No way was I going to go there with Sam! New Year's Eve rolled around and, if it weren't for Claudine dragging me to Hooligan's, I would have been alone then too.

At first I kept checking the bond and, I could tell that Eric was a mass of simmering anger. No doubt the details of the takeover and, "being overseen", were grating on him. After a while, particularly after life resumed into what passed for normal in the supe world, I realized that Eric was not going to come around for that talk after all. So, I started to ignore the bond. I mean I couldn't ignore it completely, but given the situation I was able to sort of push what I was feeling from Eric into a back corner and ignore it. Kind of like filtering out the voices when my shields are up.

Suffice to say, I was expecting to spend Valentine's Day as alone as I had been. I was scheduled, hell I actually volunteered, to work the late shift. I figured if I had no plans, I could at least make sure Holly had the night off to spend with Hoyt.

It was a fairly busy night, what with some couples deciding beer and pool was romantic enough for Valentine's Day, and all the lonely souls who just wanted to drown their loneliness in a vat of alcohol. I knew how they felt. I didn't even try to cut Jane Bodehouse off. I figured if anyone needed to tie one on this night, of all nights, it was her. She was known as the town drunk and, well, that sort of drives men off if you know what I mean.

So imagine my surprise when a previously missing Viking sauntered in carrying several dozen roses and a box of chocolates. I was in the middle of taking an order, but my pen fell out of my hand and my mouth fell open. I stood there like a dumb ox, as the woman at the table (who had her back to the door) started asking me if I was alright. I may have nodded to her, I'm not sure.

Every eye was on Eric as he walked, no swaggered, over in all his sexy glory, literally swept me off my feet, planted a heart-stopping kiss on me and said, "happy Valentine's Day lover."

When he set me down, and I caught my breath, I realized the entire place had gone silent, as if awaiting my reaction. I slapped my crazy smile on my face, grabbed Eric by the hand and dragged him to the back. I heard the buzz of regular conversation pick up again as we left the room.

I pushed Eric into the hallway, and then shut the door behind us.

"What the hell was that?" I fumed at him.

Eric looked genuinely confused. "Pam told me that on Valentine's Day a man is supposed to bring flowers and chocolates and, to sweep his woman off her feet. Is this not correct?"

I was dumbfounded. Although I wasn't sure what shocked me more. The fact that he solicited Valentine's Day advice from Pam or, that he honestly believed that after all this time ignoring me, it was acceptable behavior.

"Four months! Four months Eric and not a word from you! Then you just waltz in here like Casanova, plant one on me, and think everything is okay!" Oh I was in a lather at this point. I took a deep breath, preparing to continue my verbal assault.

"Casanova was an ass," he interjected.

For a shocked moment I just stared at him, and then I burst out laughing. And just like that, my anger dissipated.

"You knew Casanova? Why am I not surprised?"

"I no longer surprise you? I am going to have to work on that lover," he purred at me and, in an instant, he had me up against the door to Sam's office, his lips crushing mine.

I felt a jolt between my legs, but I pushed him back, straightened myself and walked to the door. Before I stepped through, I looked at him and said, "Don't think this means you're off the hook Eric Northman. You have a lot of explaining to do."

Eric followed me in a few minutes later, sat at the bar, and ordered a True Blood. He spent the rest of my shift making polite conversation with Sam, and tormenting ...

[EDITED]

************NOTE***********

SORRY FOLKS, A VERY SAD, SMALL MINDED PERSON, WITH WHAT APPEARS TO BE A VERY EMPTY AND BORING LIFE, HAS TAKEN IT UPON THEMSELVES TO GO AFTER ALL STORIES THAT THEY BELIEVE ARE INAPPROPRIATE FOR THIS SITE AND REPORT THEM SO THAT THEY WILL BE TAKEN DOWN.

FLOWERS AND CHOCOLATE WILL REMAIN HERE ON FFN. I WILL BE EDITING THE CHAPTERS, SO AS NOT TO BE OFFENDING THE THOUGHT POLICE, AND BECAUSE I DO NOT WISH FOR ALL THE LOVELY WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT THAT HAVE BEEN OFFERED HERE OVER THE YEARS TO BE DELETED BECAUSE THE OWNERS OF THE SITE REMOVE EVERYTHING WHOLESALE, WITHOUT CHECKING ANYTHING OR WARNING TO THE AUTHORS. AFTER THE CUT THERE WILL BE ELLIPSES ... WHICH INDICATES THE REST OF THE CHAPTER HAS BEEN [EDITED] OUT, BECAUSE I'M NOT GOING TO TRY AND GUESS WHAT OFFENDS THESE NINNIES ON ANY GIVEN DAY.

HOWEVER, ALL MY STORIES WILL REMAIN IN THEIR FULL UNCENSORED FORM AT ARCHIVE OF OUR OWN. SEE MY PROFILE FOR MORE INFORMATION.