A/N: I haven't written for this fandom in years, literally, but I have recently reconnected with my love of Criminal Minds (not that I ever stopped watching). Anyway, this story came to mind when I saw this beautiful video by JJxPrentiss on tumblr: http : / www . youtube . com / watch ? v = Ythdibpd5xg (remove the spaces). It's very heavily influenced and inspired by the video, and the name of this piece is taken from the Mandy Moore song by the same name which is the music track to the vid.
I hope you all enjoy it. :) Warning: there's a hint of mature content, folks. ;)
Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds or the characters.
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It started with a smile. Just one little smile. A smile and a joke. Not even a joke. It had simply been friendly teasing like they'd always done, except then there'd been a slight pause and a special glint to JJ's eyes, and Emily had grinned, and JJ…JJ had shaken her head and grinned back.
That was all it had taken.
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It wasn't like things had suddenly sprung up out of nowhere, she supposed. They'd always had a bit of a flirtatious undertone when it had been just the two of them, but she'd never really thought anything of it. Not until that smile.
And then, suddenly, it was all she could think about. Every small touch, every moment of eye contact, every micro-expression was all analyzed over and over in her mind every night.
It was a side effect of being a profiler, no doubt.
She even began second guessing herself. When she reached out to pat JJ comfortingly on the arm after a rough day, and when she sought her face out in a crowd, what were her motivations? Was each touch necessary? Was each interaction case related? Did she volunteer to go interview the parents of the latest victim earlier with JJ because she thought she might be able to help and find something that might break the case, or because she was going with JJ?
The truth was, she wasn't sure anymore.
What she was sure of was that the hours spent awake at night thinking about JJ and JJ-related things were not doing her any good. She was going to have to sort this out eventually.
It was there in the air around them when they sat down to go over a case file. Electricity was practically rippling around them.
JJ wanted Emily's opinion, and all Emily could think was "Why?"
Her logical brain told her it was because of her profiling skills, because of her years of experience, because she had an insight that JJ valued.
Her emotional brain, however, wondered why they were just talking and joking around, the files forgotten on the table as they laughed together.
(She knew why her heart raced when their hands brushed when JJ passed her a piece of paper.)
(She could guess why JJ bit her lower lip as her eyes darted to their hands.)
Emily was starting to think that maybe they'd both have to sort this out.
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There it was again. That smile. The one that spoke of mischief and laughter and excitement and fun. The one that came accompanied by a glint in stunning blue eyes.
It was begging her to lean forward, to capture those beautiful pink lips in a searing kiss. It was tempting her to break all of her self-imposed rules and regulations about not dating colleagues.
Most importantly, there was no doubting that it was aimed solely at her.
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The fight hadn't really been about anything in particular. It was simply pent up frustrations of a different kind being expressed in an unproductive manner. The tension between them had been palpable all day.
For a few days, actually.
Ever since that moment the other day. The one where Emily had almost leaned in. The one where JJ's eyes had held hers for far too long. The one where they'd been in each other's personal space and neither had made an effort to move until the moment had lasted far too long, and neither of them could properly deny that it had happened.
Their fight hadn't been a fight, so much as a disagreement, but it had left Emily feeling in a sour mood. She always felt in a sour mood when she left work without saying goodbye to JJ. It was stupid, admittedly, but she was through pretending she didn't feel what she felt.
Now if only she could figure out how to properly express what she felt without screwing everything up.
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The knock at the door was unexpected, and yet, when she peered through the peep hole she wasn't surprised at what she saw.
She leaned her head against the door and took a deep breath, steadying herself, then pulled the door open, biting back the smile she wasn't sure would be appropriate given their last interaction.
JJ's lips were pressed firmly together, but her eyes were questioning as she looked up into Emily's face, as if she'd been prepared to say something, but now couldn't quite manage it. Her arms were crossed protectively in front of her, her jacket draped over one of them.
They stared at each other for a moment, and it was as if Emily could see everything in JJ's eyes. Everything she'd been wondering about, everything she'd been questioning, everything she'd been longing for. It was all there.
"Hey," JJ finally said, her voice a bit gravelly.
Emily stepped back as an unspoken invitation for JJ to enter her apartment, and JJ had a little pursed-lip smile as she stepped across the threshold.
They stood in Emily's entrance hall for a moment, just looking nervously at each other, and then years of enforced manners kicked in. "Let me get your coat," she offered, stepping forward.
She wasn't prepared for the sensations that ran through her when her hand brushed JJ's forearm.
The air between them sizzled, and then JJ's lips were pressed to hers, her jacket carelessly discarded on the floor as Emily's back slammed against the wall.
JJ's hands moved to Emily's shirt, tugging at it until it was untucked. Emily's hands automatically came up to cup JJ's face, holding her in place, holding her close.
JJ's hand was sliding up under her shirt, just brushing along the skin of Emily's stomach before they broke apart, both gasping for breath.
JJ left her hand where it was as they stared at each other, panting.
"JJ –" Emily breathed, but JJ's lips meeting hers cut her off.
"You were a bit harsh on me earlier," JJ murmured against her lips.
"I had some unresolved tension issues I was dealing with," Emily replied, smiling through their kisses as JJ's fingers traced up her stomach.
No more words were exchanged for a while as JJ set Emily's body on fire with her touch. Every time their lips met it felt like electricity was running down her spine. When JJ's tongue swiped into her mouth with promises of much more to come, she actually shivered in excitement.
"So how's that unresolved tension now?" JJ gasped as they broke apart just long enough for her to tug Emily's top over her head.
Emily grinned as she turned them around so that she could pin JJ to the wall in a searing kiss. "Getting resolved rather nicely," she murmured into the kiss.
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The next few hours were a blur of sensations. JJ's body was surprisingly light as it pressed down on hers, her skin smooth and soft as their bodies brushed together.
JJ's lips and fingers danced along her bare skin, mapping it carefully, and Emily could only return the favor.
JJ's skin was sweet against her tongue, verging towards a hint of salty as they worked up a sweat.
Emily's mind swam with each intoxicating touch as her eyes drank in everything JJ had to offer.
Each kiss, each caress, each stroke brought them impossibly closer, and yet Emily found herself thinking that she'd never be able to get close enough.
She ran her fingers down the smooth expanse of JJ's bare back, feeling the pressure of JJ's thigh between her legs as she did so, and a small gasp escaped her lips, only to get swallowed by JJ's as she came in for another kiss.
"JJ –" she half moaned, half gasped as JJ's lips and tongue traced a trail down her jaw line and across her collarbone as JJ's fingers teased her inner thigh.
"Shh," JJ soothed against her lips, moving back for a kiss before continuing licking, kissing, and nipping her way down Emily's chest. "We'll think tomorrow," she murmured against Emily's breast, flicking her tongue out to caress her already erect nipple. "Tonight, let's just feel."
Emily couldn't have protested if she'd wanted to, as JJ's fingers began to slowly circle her clit. She nodded her agreement into JJ's shoulder, biting down on the soft skin there when JJ pushed a finger slowly inside of her. Her leg bent automatically and pressed up between JJ's legs where she felt an exquisite wetness waiting for her.
JJ moaned against the skin of Emily's breast before sucking it into her mouth, making Emily's back arch and her eyes flutter closed. She forced her eyes back open as JJ added a second finger and her tender thrusts picked up in both speed and intensity. She didn't want to miss a moment of her night with JJ, and there was no more exquisite sight than the woman currently on top of her, blue eyes gazing up at her as her lips worked at her nipple and her fingers thrust in and out.
JJ was right. There was no need to think tonight. Especially not when she was getting what she'd wanted for so long. As JJ's thumb found her clit and her lips came back up and captured Emily's, Emily gave up on thought altogether, choosing instead to do just what JJ had suggested and simply feel.
She let JJ unravel her and piece her back together one kiss, one touch at a time, and then she flipped them over and did the same to JJ.
As she made love to JJ, watching her let her guard down completely as ecstasy took over, she kept her eyes open, and one last complete coherent thought floated through her head before she gave back in to the sheer feel of things: Jennifer Jareau naked, thin sheen of sweat coating her lightly tanned skin, lips slightly parted in a silent moan, blue eyes blazing into her, was the sexiest sight she'd ever seen.
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It was another smile that told her instantly that things would be okay. Maybe not at the bureau. Maybe not even within the team, though she doubted that. But between her and JJ, everything would be fine.
It wasn't the smile that JJ beamed up at her, brighter than the sun, the morning after their first night together (though that alleviated a whole host of anxieties).
It wasn't any of the numerous smiles that JJ shot across the table over breakfast a little later that morning (though each and every one made Emily's heart flutter).
It wasn't even the adorable smile accompanied by a shy lip bite that JJ sent her way when she first arrived at work the next day after a mere hour apart from each other.
No, it was the comforting smile that JJ offered her on their way to the next case as she took the seat across from her on the airplane. It was the smile that told her they could do their jobs and do…whatever it was they were doing outside of work, too. It was a beautiful smile accompanied by JJ reaching out and taking her hand, just like Emily remembered doing once before for JJ.
It was that smile that morphed into a smirk as Morgan cracked a joke to ease the tension on the plane that let Emily know that what had started with another smile was growing into love.
She squeezed JJ's hand, relishing the feel of it in her own, and smiled back.
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A/N: I hope you liked it. :) It's just a oneshot, but I'd appreciate if you took the time to click that little button and leave a review anyway. Thanks for your time. :)