And Other Unavoidable Cliches

by Julian Lee

Fandom: CSI:Miami

Pairing: Adell Sevilla/Calleigh

Rating: G

Summary: Reponse to the "On the outside" 5 minute challenge

And Other Unavoidable Cliches

by Julian Lee

On the outside, she's tough as nails, is Adell Sevilla. Tougher. Tough enough to evade stupid cliches like "Tough as nails."

Calleigh can't help it. It's the way she thinks sometimes.

She watches Detective Sevilla when she can. When no one's watching. Though someone is always watching.

Speed was the first to notice. Well, no, probably not. Horatio, most likely, was the first to notice. Speed was the first to say anything.

"Calleigh, can I ask you something?" Speed leans on the counter and crosses his arms.

Calleigh doesn't look up from her little array of bullets. She wants to start singing that song she knew as a kid: "One of these things is not like the others..." Instead she says, "What do you need?"

"Do you and Detective Sevilla have...a thing?"

She looks up now, blinking fast. "Do we..." Her head shakes in quick denial. "A thing. No. We do not have a 'thing,' Tim."

"Okay." Speed scratches the back of his neck. "It's just...I've noticed you watching her at scenes. And today--" The toe of his shoe scuffs abashedly against the floor. "Today I noticed her watching back."

This is new. Calleigh carefully sets down her bullet and faces Speed. "She was watching me?"

"You didn't notice?"

"No, I didn't." And now, unaccountably, she's irritated with herself for this. Adell Sevilla was watching *her,* watching her, apparently, the way she often watches Adell Sevilla, and she didn't notice.

"So, um." Speed stares with overacted indifference into space. "I think you should."

"Should...what?" Calleigh's missed a step in the conversation somewhere.

Speed clears his throat uncomfortably. "You know. You and the detective should. Have a thing."

Calleigh grins at him then, blindingly. "You know what, Speed? You are absolutely right."

Because maybe all those nails are on the outside only.

*