Cordelia motioned for Chad to take a seat on her couch and went to find something to snack on. Dinner would probably be a while yet. Who would have thought that Chad of all people would suddenly show up at her door, begging her to take him back? She sighed and settled on a bag of chips. Not exactly high-class, but Chad wasn't here for the food.

She returned to the living room and sat down, leaving an empty space between herself and Chad. A wry smile hushed across Chad's features and then his gaze dropped to the floor. It appeared that he was very much aware of how slim his chances were.

"I… I've treated my girlfriends badly for a long time," Chad began. "I wouldn’t even see them as people. They were just things to be toyed with for my own amusement. I'm truly and deeply sorry for any discomfort I've caused you. I know I have no right to ask forgiveness and am utterly undeserving of you, but…"

Chad trailed off and chuckled dryly. "I'm still enough of a fool to try, it seems. If you wish to reject me I will respect your decision and I won't contact you again. However, if you would allow me the chance I'd do anything for you. Before I met you I didn't know that it was possible to feel this way about a person. To lose that warmth… it seems unbearable now."

Cordelia listened attentively the whole time. Once Chad was done speaking she sighed and leaned back. It was time for her to come clean.

"Listen. The time I asked about influential figures in your life I already suspected what you were. I wanted to know more about that, but I couldn't be straightforward about it lest I accidentally chase you off."

Chad's eyebrows shot up. "You were… aware? In that case why did you stay, knowing full well what a rotten guy I was?"

Cordelia smiled wryly. "I was curious to learn what made someone like you tick. Not merely in a textbook manner." She shrugged.

"A case study then?" Chad sighed heavily and ran a hand through his hair. "It seems oddly fitting that such is all I was to you."

"Well, it wasn't like they were bad times," Cordelia admitted, rubbing her cheek. "But then you started acting decent all of a sudden. Can you imagine my disappointment?"

"Frankly, no," Chad replied right away. "I thought I was doing what I had to in order to be able to remain by your side. After all that would be the normal thing to do, wouldn't it?"

"I suppose so," Cordelia said. "Though I guess I'm not exactly normal either. I have a tendency to ruin my relationships after a while, pushing past the point where the damage could be repaired. I'm not sure if I'm even able to do otherwise these days. So even if I did give you that chance… it won't last."

Chad emitted another dry chuckle. "So one garbage human with relationships meets another… normally I wouldn't be at all affected by you leaving but… I don't understand how you were able to capture my heart. It's pathetic, I know."

"That seems to be the case," Cordelia chuckled. "I suppose you'll be moving on now, knowing the full story? Not like there's anything for you here."

"I would still try," Chad said, actually meeting her gaze this time. "I love you and I meant it when I said that I'd do anything for you."

"Exchanging one game for another, is it?" Cordelia asked. Instead of seeing how long it took before he caught on she'd see how long he managed to endure her stunts. "I suppose that's not the worst thing that could happen. Would you let me pick your brains once in a while?"

Chad nodded. "But of course. You'll be free to ask as many questions as you like."

That was enough for Cordelia to accept. "Very well. You're free to try if you think you can withstand my occasional efforts to ruin it all."

"If it allows me to stay by your side I'll endure anything," Chad proclaimed. He paused for a moment. "I don't exactly have a good track record, either." He flushed, a nervous chuckle escaping him. "I've never actually fallen for anyone before…"

"Oh, and I'm a psychiatrist," Cordelia said. Might as well bring it up now that they were on a roll.

"I suppose that explains a few things," Chad said. "And I work in… information broking, if that doesn't bother you too much."

Cordelia raised an eyebrow. "My, you're certainly forthcoming. As long as it's nothing overly illegal I imagine we'll be fine."

If it even was possible for this relationship to last.

Chad smiled, wrapping his arms around Cordelia and holding her tight. "You're beautiful."

"And you're hopelessly in love," Cordelia snickered. "For the time being at least." She leaned in for a kiss. Might as well.

Chad eagerly reciprocated. After that they enjoyed a calm evening together. She was more interested in asking Chad about his thought processes than getting into bed with him at the moment. He seemed happy enough to answer her questions, and once in a while he'd make a flirty remark and kiss her.