#ds miller

[crowlixcx]

Broadchurch | S3EP8 | Alec Hardy’s Wettest Moments (Part 93)

[saltcirclesigil]

Dinner With Hardy & Miller

This isn’t romantic, not at all— you were unsure what to do on Valentine’s Day, leaving you to accept impromptu dinner plans with your coworkers. Gn!Reader

Masterlist | Ao3 | Bio 🪽་

This story is part of the Dinner With x series!

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Working overtime isn’t much of an inconvenience for you. If the last few years have taught anything it’s that maybe romance isn’t for you. Perhaps someday a person will come along and sweep you off your feet, but you didn’t count on it. It didn’t mean you wouldn’t feel lonely from time to time, though. Working in a lab full of bodies that never respond to your questions is…a little sad if you thought about it for too long. You grab a cotton swab before moving to your latest autopsy patient, humming softly to yourself.

To your surprise, your lab door opens mid-job. Walking in? Hardy and Miller. Your face lights up when you see Miller— she’s always been a kind soul to you— compared to her partner who you consider to be water damage personified. You nod respectfully before setting your tools down for a hand shake.

“Good evening, DS Miller. DI Hardy.”

Hardy nods back. “Doctor.” Both accept your hand and move to examining your work. The lab lights flicker.

“What brings you here, detectives?” You inquire curiously.

Miller casts you a warm, almost maternal smile. “We—“

“Need to fix that blasted light…” Hardy murmurs to the ceiling. Miller gives him a bump against the arm, Hardy now swinging back to look at you.

“We are here to invite you to dinner. At my house. It doesn’t feel right to be alone on Valentine’s Day.”

You get thrown off-guard by the invitation. You were friendly with the two, more so Miller than Hardy, but never would you have expected something so kind as a dinner invite. Hardy tucks his hands in his pockets with a sigh, rocking back and forth. This was obviously Miller’s idea.

“She wants us to sound dreadfully single. And that she’s sure you’re not the bar-to-shag kind.” Hardy dismisses, turning away from Miller’s accusatory stare.

“Well you’re right,” you smile. “I’d love to go. Shall I bring anything?”

“No, no need.” Miller holds out her phone. “I’ll message you my address.” You beam in response, smile fading at Alec's awkward regard of your existence. You wondered if he hated you, but you remind yourself of him treating Miller the same way- wielding a special tolerance for her 'mundane' dinner parties. You wave goodbye upon their exit.

___

By 8 P.M. you found yourself at the steps of Miller's house, a bouquet of grocery store flowers in hand. Everyone likes flowers, right? You knock twice and listen for the response of whoever gets the door. Distantly, you hear Miller shout:

"Hardy, get the door!"

A tired sigh followed as the knob turned, revealing a stiffly standing Alec.

"I uh, thank you for being on time." He utters like painful small talk. "What are those?" He asks, eyes shifting to the bouquet.

"Flowers?" You hold them out, to which he reluctantly receives. He whips around, waiting for you to enter before locking the door shut.

"Miller, your guest is here!" Alec announces, setting the bouquet carelessly on the counter. Miller is in the process of cooking, reading the label on the back of a pasta box.

"Oi, don't place it on the counter like that! Our guest brought those, you can put them in a vase for me. Look in that cabinet over there for one." Miller commands. She catches you standing at the doorframe and drops the box to greet you.

"How're you doing, love?" She rubs your arm. "Pardon...him. He's not used to having real friends."

You laugh, wondering if its true. "Thank you again, Miller, for inviting me."

"Oh, darling, just Ellie here. No need for formalities." She gives your arm a final pat and moves back to the kitchen. Alec finishes placing the bouquet in a vase far too big for what you brought. Her house is modest, you think to yourself. The wallpaper is moderately attractive and the photos of her children hang on top of it. As you eye it all you hear a disapproving sound from Ellie, a soft: "Go have a real conversation for once" towards Alec.

You watched the man shuffle to your vicinity, sliding across the counter with him a mug of tea. That thousand metre stare never accompanied a voice at all.

“I’m sorry if I’ve become a nuisance,” you murmur to Alec.

“Not at all.” He replies swiftly. You watch him swivel over to the microwave to reheat his tea. “I was in the centre of a case before this, now we celebrate being single.” The sarcasm would ooze out of his mouth if it could.

___

The three of you sit in a triangular shape, Ellie at the head of the table with you and Alec on either side of her. Alec raises his head to make eye contact with you, looking away when you awkwardly smile in response. A pot of pasta and sauce rest on the center of the table, waiting to be scooped into the mismatched ceramic bowls beside each person.

Ellie picks up the bowl in front of you and serves you a healthy portion, repeating the same for Alec and herself. “The children broke the matching dishware,” she laughs dryly. “Least all the spoons are the same.”

You see Alec pushing around the pasta in his bowl. You’ve never seen the man eat, and you started to wonder if that would keep up even today. Ellie dug in quick, making you comfortable enough to start eating too. The food is…alright, much like the atmosphere. You talk softly to Ellie about work, home, family.

“There’s no pressure to see someone new, or anyone at all. Coming from a mum, it’s better you find happiness for yourself first. And if part of that happiness is a person, then go for it.” Ellie nods, her gaze shifting to Alec on occasion.

Out of curiosity, you decide to ask: “Does anyone make you happy Ale—”

“Hardy” He corrects.

“Hardy.”

That’s when he puts a spoonful of food in his mouth— To avoid conversation. Though all bites get swallowed as he recognizes your question’s inevitability. The spoon drops with a clink, delayed by a napkin to the lips, and finally an adjustment of glasses. You open your mouth, about to tell him he doesn’t have to answer, when he does:

“My daughter.” It’s the first time you see a genuine love radiate from his cold demeanor. You smile, not expecting something so wholesome. The room suddenly feels less heavy, and more like a family dinner.

“Where’s your daughter now?” You tilt your head aside curiously in between bites of food.

“She’s with her mum. But she’ll be off to visit me soon.” He mumbles. As you tilted your head you could swear he was smiling. He shoveled a weak spoonful of pasta and a sip of wine in his mouth before you could tell.

Conversation flowed smoothly from that point, Ellie joining in and talking about her sons, and you about your favorite people.

“Are you finished, love? I can take your plate.” Ellie gestures to your finished bowl. You nod graciously as she clears the table. You get up and help, and are surprised with a small container of leftovers to take home.

Both of them walked you to your car, Ellie gives you a hug while Hardy gives a timid wave. Ellie walks off, but Alec stays behind with you.

“Is something wrong, Detective?” You say, concerned. Alec turns around and meets your gaze.

“I know what you think. What you ask Miller. I don’t hate you.” He shifts his weight from one foot to another, then turning back around to enter the house.

If you see this, I love you <3

Thank you for reading, Any support means the world to me!

[phantomlemon348]

I tried drawing Ellie and Alec again..

[lemon-broski]

Alec Hardy going shopping: Millah! We're going shoppin.

Ellie: Where're we going?

Alec: Miller.

Ellie: Yeah, I'm here, where're we going?

Alec: Miller, I just bloody said.

Ellie: No you bloody didn't, I have no bloody idea where we're, ohh-

Ellie: D'you know what that says?

Alec: Yeah, your name with 2 i's, c'mon.

[cbartonscoffee]

As a police shows lover I think it's criminal I hadn't known Broadchurch existed until recently. Because, David Tennant AND police stuff??? It's glorious. And also, it's a damn good police show, and Olivia Colman kills it, and DTs and OCs chemistry is off the charts.

[superwholockednico]

Did I mention I'm upset that DI hardy didn't go to the damn pub with DS Miller at the end of broadchurch.

Come on. Go on a damn friend date. Or date.

[glazedrainwater]

OLIVIA COLMAN as ELLIE MILLER in BROADCHURCH 1x03 — Episode #1.3

[tsunesama]

hey so-