A/N: Wow, I can now fully understand why authors beg for reviews! You guys are amazing... and this is my gift to everyone who reviewed my first fic, Goosebumps :). I'm still figuring stuff out, so I'm not sure how to reply directly to you, but this is better right?
This is a really quick one-shot again; and I must really warn: it's very fluffy. So enjoy.
Hypothesis #2
Maura slowly awoke in her bed, stretching as she noted how well-rested she felt. The Saturday morning sun was filtering through her sheer curtains in a beautiful way, and her bed felt so incredibly comfortable just then – warm in all the right places and cool in all the others. An abundant amount of warmth was coming from the body that was currently stretched out next to her.
She smiled as she glanced over at Jane. The sheet was only covering her from the waist down, exposing all of the skin on her upper body. She was sprawled out on her stomach, her head looked as if it had missed the pillow, but in fact the fluffy obstruction had been unceremoniously shoved out of the way. One side of her face was pressed into the mattress, forcing her mouth open in a parody of a snarl. Maura wondered if, when Jane finally lifts her head, there will be a little spot of drool – probably.
Maura rolled over to her side to look at Jane. In the short time that they had been... spending the night... she had learned that Jane stretched out like this when she was truly content and utterly sleepy. It made her happy to see Jane happy and content. She hoped that she was at least partly the cause.
Maura felt great that morning, too. It was relaxing to wake up with Jane on their day off, and her cheery mood only made her want to reach over and touch the peaceful Jane. This thing between them was still so new – she didn't quite have control of her hands yet. She couldn't help the constant urge to be touching Jane.
So she rolled towards the warm body and leaned over her face, placing a kiss on Jane's cheek. Jane didn't stir. Maura traced her hand over Jane's arm that was closest, over her shoulder blade, then down the narrow valley of her spine, diverting to the side to follow the edge of the sheet. The tips of her fingers began a journey back up Jane's side, but stopped hesitantly just past her hip at a noise from the slumbering detective – a snort-ish sound, some kind of quick inhalation that got stuck. Maura glanced up towards Jane's face, which held the hint of a smile, though still asleep.
Maura let her fingers continue their path up Jane's side only to retrace the path back down. Again, just before passing over Jane's hip, there was a noise. This time it much more clearly resembled a choked and stifled whine. It was nearly imperceptible, but Maura caught it.
Suddenly, Maura braced herself and hovered her face very, very close to Jane's. Not so close as to only focus on one feature, but close enough to observe carefully. She allowed her breath to hit Jane's skin, and kept a vigilant stare.
Jane's muscles were relaxed, her breathing even and slow. Maura kept her face near. Watching. Waiting. A tiny muscle in Jane's jaw jumped as her eyelashes barely flickered.
"HA! You're awake, you imp!" Maura said in triumph as she pulled her face away to a more conversational distance.
Jane's eyes jumped open, and a small smile spread across her face. It was more of a half smile, the other half of her mouth still pressed into the sheet. Her sleepy eyes held a glint of mischief as she tried to look up innocently at Maura.
"Wow, I thought it was a good morning when you were running your hand down my back, but it looks like it's a really pretty day." Jane said as she glanced past Maura at the window. She leaned toward Maura, giving her a quick kiss before stretching on her back.
Maura hummed in agreement into Jane's kiss and let her eyes roam as Jane stretched in front of her. She paused in consideration, and then just as the thought crossed her mind, it came out of her mouth. "Jane, are you ticklish?"
Jane narrowed her eyes suspiciously at Maura, and answered assuredly, "No." She stretched her arms above her head, inhaling deeply. Her arms folded under her pillow suggesting confidence and truth in her answer.
If I were Jane I'd say 'bullshit!' Maura wanted to say that Jane was lying, and that it was easy to tell. But she bit it back. "Oh... that's.. too bad. I read somewhere that people who truly are not ticklish lack sensation in certain nerve endings." She chided herself. Those are extreme liberties with that research article!
Jane looked warily at Maura. Her google-speak had been notably vague - for Maura, at least. More importantly she had thrown in the word 'truly.' Why...
Jane made sure she didn't miss a beat. "Oh, really. I must have that."
Maura laughed inwardly. Jane had always had a talent for bluffing – most of the time. But once she spent time noticing, Maura knew all her tells.
Maura let her gaze drop and wander over the expanse of Jane's skin. She reached out and ran her fingers lightly where Jane's ribs were most prominent. "Do you want to do something today?" She tried to watch Jane's breathing and face at the same time.
"Sure." Nothing. Breathing even, face relaxed.
Maura's gaze slid across the taught abdomen in front of her, her hand following. Breath slightly quicker, face still at ease. She drew a circle around her bellybutton and drifted up to the junction of Jane's ribs, right below her sternum. "Any ideas?" Her fingers traced the inside edge of her ribcage moving down, pausing at Jane's side – waiting for an answer, searching her reaction.
"Nope." While Jane's breathing was controlled and even, her voice cracked a little, and she dared not give anything more than a one word response.
Maura hid her smile and feigned ignorance. Her hand resumed its tour, currently moving down Jane's oblique muscles on the side furthest from her. "Oh. Well... I guess we could stay in bed for a while longer..." Her hand reached Jane's protruding hip bone.
"Mmhmmm." Jane's voice was distracted and strangled. Her eyes had been closed, and Maura wished she could search them, but knew she didn't need to. She was close... very close. If they were playing a game of hot or cold - and she basically was, wasn't she? - she must be molten-lava-hot. Wait would that be the hottest temperature? That would convey reaching the final point, and I am at the penultimate... What is the second hottest temperature in existence... Theoretical physics still isn't sure about - Maura ended her own inner debate and proceeded with her mission with fervor.
Her fingers began a quick descent from the peak of Jane's hip to the small valley just inside. Maura watched as her nails scraped the skin. A small muscle group jumped and twitched involuntarily under Maura's touch as Jane gasped, jerking her hands out from under the pillow.
Maura laughed loud, her bright hazel eyes full of mischief and triumph. Jane looked at her with pure hatred, but her mouth twisted in a wry smile. She started to move, but Maura quickly straddled her to prevent any thought of escape or retaliation.
"Maura..." Jane warned.
Maura giggled. "You were very clearly lying when you stated that you are not ticklish. I had to prove my hypothesis." She smiled and tilted her head innocently, her hair falling over her shoulder.
Jane's eyebrows drew together in fear, and her eyes begged for mercy from her position of vulnerability. "I don't think I can survive any more hypotheses."
Maura giggled again, but leaned down to kiss away Jane's fears. Her hands drifted from where they had been weakly holding down Jane's arms down Jane's sides. The pinned woman moaned into the kiss, longing for more contact. Maura's fingertips had teased her with the light, faint touches, and she was eager for something less gentle.
Maura continued down Jane's sides, lightening her touch just above Jane's hips. Again, Jane gasped suddenly and squealed – squealed? - as she grabbed Maura's arms and glared up at her incredulously.
Jane growled, holding Maura's arms still, "Maura, do you really want to start this?"
Maura had been about to giggle at Jane's look and growl – probably compensating for her squeal – but at the threat, her eyes grew fearful. She went for innocent, "Start what?" She batted her eyelashes for good measure.
Jane's tone was still warning, "Oh, I think you know." She had tentatively released Maura's arms, primarily because she still wanted to be touched.
"Mmmm... No, I don't think that I am sure as to what you are referring." Maura said as she slowly ran one hand down the middle of Jane's chest. Her eyes fluttered at the contact, and the stealthy doctor slipped her other hand down to run deftly from Jane's left hip bone to her right.
The muscles reacted as before, jumping and twitching involuntarily under Jane's skin, but her heightened and teased senses had caused her body to be on alert. She shuddered fully at the particular touch and couldn't stop the laugh from escaping her smiling lips.
Cutting off her own laugh, Jane jerked her head straight, eyes wide she barked, "Hey!"
Maura indulged in a low husky laugh. "I guess I'm a bit drunk with power that I've gained with this new information." Her hands were raised by her sides in mock surrender, but she wiggled her fingers to illustrate her point.
With Maura's hands up, Jane noticed her chance. Taking advantage of the vulnerability of Maura's new position, she thrust her hips into the air and knocked Maura to the side once she was thrown off balance. She quickly straddled the startled woman, mirroring their earlier situation.
Jane leaned down, holding Maura's arms, "You were saying... something about power?" She smirked.
Maura knew that look. "Jane..." She warned, sounding so similar to Jane when the roles had been reversed.
Jane looked almost sinister as she said harmlessly, "Tell me, doctor. Are you ticklish?"
A passer-by walking his dog in Maura's neighborhood worried momentarily at the screams coming from the chief medical examiner's house. He paused, his dog cocking its head and listening as well, but he convinced himself that the shrieks and frequent "Jane stop!" shouts were harmless, and continued with a vague eagerness to get back to his wife.
A/N: I'm a new review-addict :) Tell me what you think, but because it just makes my day! And if you're a Tiva fan - look for maybe something soon? But if you're a Tiva fan, then you can imagine how trying to write these two together (naturally) feels like trying to shove two positive ends of a magnet together. Review to alleviate my headache, please! Thanks