Chapter Text
It was not that Cordelia never thought of love, and what came with it. It was the simple fact that she had never found anyone interesting enough— and that who cared about birds— Cordelia was well aware most people did not care about birds in the slightest however that doesn’t mean they’re right for feeling that way, in fact Cordelia believes them to be missing out on so much the world has to offer by sticking their noses up at birding as a “boring” hobby.
She knew it should not be such a big deal breaker, but she cannot fathom why this is such a rare trait for men to have when birds are so majestic and even a president was a birder so you cannot argue it is a hobby only for women, though people do.
Then she met Edwin, he didn’t not care about birds he had asked her about them as they ate together in the empty dining hall, he had memorized facts about birds, but he didn’t appear to be excited about birds. Not in the way she was.
Cordelia could not lie to herself though she was humans after all, she felt things, and Edwin. Edwin was attractive. She was not above admitting that to herself. He was a man around her age, well groomed, that was more than she could say about most men she crossed paths with and it was admirable the way he at the very least memorized facts about birds that she told them.
Whenever she saw him he was sharply dressed, which Cordelia knew was due to his job, but still she appreciated a man who looked good in a suit. He stood with self assurance, his hands resting behind or in front of his back when he stood.
When he stood in a stream of light his eyes shined like amber…
She had been flirting with him when she had asked if he paid attention to how many people watched him while he had sex, the flustered and confused reaction from him was rather satisfactory.
However Cordelia had a feeling that he may have not interrupted it as flirting.
She wondered if perhaps she had used the wrong tone, was her inflection too flat? Not flat enough? She kicked herself for not knowing the answer but then Edwin had gotten that guy—fbi agent? She has since forgotten his name. Whoever he was and Shelia to bring her coffee.
He had understood; Double shot of espresso with oat milk. Cordelia had taken the coffee with a thank you.
There was always a sense of melancholy when a case ended, you grew attached to the ghosts, the people you were told about in beautiful and often gruesome detail, this time however she had found herself feeling melancholic for another reason.
She traveled the world, worked with Interpol and the FBI, local police, she had no idea when the next time she’d work with the FBI would be, they liked to keep to themselves instead of hiring consulting detectives, she only got called in when requested.
Could she really wait until she was on another case with the FBI to see Edwin again? Could she wait that long, and if she waited, how sure could that he would be within the group of agents she was working with?
She wanted to see him do more of his silly impressions that sounded nothing like the people he was referring to. They were long winded and animated and somehow it made him endearing instead of annoying.
Edwin had actually been the one to breach the conversation.
The night was over, the murder of A.B Wynter finally solved, and they were standing outside the White House, Cordelia looking into the trees with her binoculars.
“I would actually love to get your cell phone number—so we can stay in contact. Who knows I might have a question about long neck —“
“I don’t own a cell phone. You made a point to say how odd that was in the car on the way here yesterday morning.”
Cordelia heard no sound for a moment, so she lowered her binoculars and looked over to Edwin.
“Right…”
He replied. He’d been so nervous about even asking her, her phone number he’d forgotten all about the not owning a mobile phone ordeal.
“Why would you need to contact me? The case is over.”
“I don’t know; what if—.”
Edwin scrambled to think of something normal to say. Cordelia tried not to smile in amusement. He was so easy to rile up.
Edwin looked up at her as if he had had a sudden realization.
“What if—there was another murder, or I wanted to forward you an article about birds?”
He mentally sighed at how stupid his own answer was.
“Then you can call my home phone and leave a message.”
She really wasn’t getting what he was trying to say was she? He thought to himself.
“You know most people text nowadays?”
“I am aware of that.”
There was a beat.
“Could I have your home phone number?”
He asked, finally giving in. Sounding a little resigned.
“Yes.”
Cordelia said, raising her binoculars and looking back into the tree line, she heard Edwin let out an audible sigh, if it was a sign of relief or frustration she did not know.
Edwin had called her that Sunday evening. He had thought to himself that most people were home on Sunday evenings, though she didn’t work a typical 9-5 so maybe he was wrong and she wouldn’t be home…But then he had heard her voice
“Cordelia Cupp speaking, who may I ask is calling?”
Why did she answer the phone like this was the 90s he thought to himself.
“Edwin Park, special agent F.B.I.”
He had answered, deciding to match her formal tone.
“Oh, yes. My assistant on the A.B Wynter case. How have you been?”
“How many times do I have to tell you I wasn’t your assistant I was working with you as your partner — as an equal —never mind I’m fine, I thought I’d call.”
There was an awkward beat as Edwin’s stance died in his voice.
“Call to say what?”
Edwin cleared his throat.
“I was calling to see if perhaps you’d like to visit one of the local wooded areas and go birding together.”
“You want to go birding with me? You don’t even know anything about birds.”
“I know about the long jaw—“
“Long claw.”
She corrected him.
“Long claw—.” Edwin sighed. “So maybe I don’t know a lot about birds, however you do, and I enjoyed spending time with you. Some of the best moments on the case together were when you were explaining birds to me like how the hawk—.”
“No need to get sappy. If you want to go birding that badly I suppose we can, but you have to take it seriously, do you have your own binoculars?”
Cordelia said, not caring she had interrupted him. She had agreed to spend time with him and that was all he could ask for at this moment.
“Oh. Good. Yes, I definitely will take it seriously and um no I don’t have my own binoculars….”
Cordelia sighed but Edwin decided to keep pushing through.
“Would tomorrow be convenient for you?”
Edwin could hear Cordelia moving around papers on the other side of the line.
“Biriding in Virginia…We should get out early…How does 4am sound?”
Edwin suddenly wondered if asking her to go birding had been a mistake but if he had asked her for coffee or a drink he was 99.9% sure he would get a no.
“4am…Of course.”
Edwin said, trying to make sense of how he’d force himself to wake up that early.
“We could drive to Shenandoah National Park”
He offered.
“Does your car have 4 wheel drive?”
She asked.
“…it does. Is that important?”
“It is if you want to go off the beaten path.”
Great…Now he was apparently going to be driving his car through thick brush in a national park.
“Right, right of course.”
“It’s where you’ll find the best birds.”
She reasoned to him. Edwin was trying to convince himself to just be glad she had said yes.
“So tomorrow, at 4 am I’ll pick you…”
“Bring bug spray and wear tick resistant clothes.”
“Will do.”
Cordelia gave him her address and they had said goodbye.
Edwin spent the next hour feeling like his head was swimming.
He’d have to wake up at 3am maybe even earlier…Drive all the way to her place and then drive the two of them to a national park, and did she even register this as a first date? Had he made that clear enough?
But Cordelia—from what he heard after asking around was not one to spend time with others.