april still hadn’t quite figured out why she’d finally agreed to go on a real date with him, something outside of on call room hookups and snacks and shared glances across the emergency room. none of it was exactly romantic but it was enough. she was still struggling to balance out her life since she’d given birth to grace, and teetering back and forth with jackson on their custody agreement. honestly, she wasn’t quite sure if this was something completely serious between them, but she’d already learned that it was better to go with the flow and try to stop freaking out over every little thing. better for the both of them, honestly. the secrecy had worked itself out, though, they’d gotten good at it and sometimes the shushing and hands over each other’s mouth and subtle nudges were fun. she had to thank god that jackson had grace for the night ( even if really, it was entirely planned that day ) and knowing that most of their friends and coworkers were at the hospital for the night, so they could relax and act normal for once together. april arrived exactly one minute before their agreed time, a flushed smile on her cheeks to see him already there. “hey! sorry if i’m late. uh, thank you. you look very sharp.” what did people say now on dates, anyways? “i’m starving.”
she is RADIANT in her approach. flickered eyes to phone inform him she is early - making him decidedly earlier, something he'd usually regard as a faux pas were he meeting any other girl. yet, with april kepner, queen of punctuality and efficiency, he could cool those nerves, if the smile on her face was anything to go by. it was precisely because it was april kepner that he'd made such an effort; usually he'd make up for any missteps with his flawless charm, but despite this technically being their first date, he's sure she's immune to his charm by now. instead he focused on being better than usual. not only was he shooting for a second date to break his string of firsts-- he was genuinely invested in having a good time with april. sure, they were decidedly casual, but if they were going to bother with an actual date, he was set on making it one she'd remember. andrew lets his grin widen, reaching out to grasp her hand gently. "you, late? as if." - playful short retort - "let's get you a menu" followed by a soft tug, and he's leading her to a table.
despite her being a decade his senior, he feels almost like they're freshman on their first date at a real restaurant. trying to put together suitable date conversations for her, torn between wanting to be the gentleman he knows she'd adore, or the casual they'd distinctly agreed upon. should he ask about her surgery he caught on the OR board, or about her childhood? nerves flare for a moment as they sit, thoughts careless in the rising need to say something, lest it become awkward. "how's grace?" though, maybe what he blurts is more awkward. he never really brought the baby up, just listened when april mentioned her. bated breath and focused eyes study for her response.
