Title: Touch
Author: Carina Scott
Disclaimer: I don't own, please don't sue.
Pairing: Warrick/Gil
Archive: yes, just let me know where.
Rating: FRM
Spoilers: All seasons (to be safe)
Category: Established Relationship
Summary: Gil reflects about his beard.
Feedback: Always welcome and appreciated.
Author's Note: This is for Karen, based off of a brief conversation we had about beards. Enjoy!
Note: part of the parenthood 'verse series
Word Count: 550

For most of my adult life, I have always been clean shaven. I always felt that growing a beard would make me look older. So I steered clear of it for years, much to Catherine’s annoyance. She had always commented that I would look nice with a beard, but I had brushed it off.
 
It wasn’t until I had been dating Warrick for a while that a random comment made me change my mind. WE were sitting around on one of our rare nights off together, cuddled up on the couch, watching movies. We were in the middle of the movie, “The Rock,” when Warrick made his comment.
 
“Damn.”
 
“What?”
 
“Nothing.”
 
“What?” I asked again in annoyance. I knew Warrick wanted to say something, but he was trying not to.
 
“Sean Connery is….” Warrick trailed off.
 
“Sean Connery is what?” I prompted.
 
“Hot. Sean Connery is hot.”
 
“Excuse me? I know you are not holding me in your arms calling another man hot,” I commented, relishing in the embarrassment that was evident on Warrick’s face.
 
“No! Well, um, yeah?”
 
With a mock pout, I got up off the couch and sat in the chair across from Warrick.
 
“Come on Gil. Please don’t tell me you’re mad?”
 
I wasn’t, but I rarely got to see Warrick so flustered. “You tell me out of the blue that some other man is ‘hot’ and you expect me to stay cuddled up with you.”
 
“Well, it’s not Sean Connery that’s hot. At least not before the beard.”
 
“So now you find the beard sexy. Great, now you are choosing hair over me,” I continued to bait Warrick.
 
“Yes, I think beards are sexy. They add a certain something to men with them. I bet you would look incredibly sexy with one.”
 
“Nice try Ricky. You can’t butter me up by trying to pour on the charm.”
 
“Well, what can I do?” Warrick asked me suggestively.
 
Happy that the conversation was going exactly were I wanted, I continued to play along. “Oh, so you want to know what you can do to convince me huh? You think you’re up for the challenge?” I knew the pun was terrible, but I was in a playful mood.
 
“I think I can handle anything you throw my way, baby.”
 
“Really? It might get a little hard. Are you sure you want to try?”
 
“I’m game if you are.”
 
“Well, by all means, lead the way,” I say gesturing towards the bedroom.
 
Warrick made good on his promise. He convinced me repeatedly all night long just how great an idea growing a beard would be.
 
2 weeks later, having let the beard grow out, I went to the barbershop to have it trimmed and groomed. Returning to work later that night, Catherine was ecstatic.
 
“Finally, you took my advice. Looking good, Gil.”
 
“Thanks Cath. I guess it just took convincing from the right person,” I smirked as Catherine walked off, missing the cat-that-got-the-cream look Warrick was sporting as he came up the hall.
 
Until now I have never been happier with my decision to grow the beard. As I look down on my sleeping angel, one hand thrown casually over her face, the other curled in my beard, I am certain of one thing. Barring divine intervention or a mishap, nothing will ever make me get rid of my beard.
 
THE END