I posted this a while on AO3 (Archive Of Our Own) and only just realised that I didn't post it on here as well! I'd forget my head if it wasn't screwed on. So apologies if some of you have read this before. Just a oneshot, a bit of a tease and a bit of fun - hope you enjoy!
For anyone following 'An Unfinished Song', there will be an update to that soon :).
Disclaimer - I own nothing.
'Maura...'
Jane turned to where Maura had been standing just a few seconds before. She was preparing to plead that she had tried but that this really wasn't her thing, and that she was really tired, and that they had been here for an hour and already seen everything that there was to see twice over. But Maura was no longer there. She had moved away, back towards a sculpture that she had been admiring earlier, and either hadn't heard Jane speak or had chosen not to take any notice. Deciding that she didn't like being ignored in favour of a pile of paperclips - which was essentially what the sculpture was - Jane sighed grumpily as she followed her friend across the gleaming wooden floor, self-consciously smoothing over the waist of her dress as she walked. The art gallery was heaving with people, all beautiful clothes and shiny hair and perfect make up and perfect smiles. All holding champagne flutes and talking, and generally looking as if they belonged there. Which, of course, they did.
She did not.
She had known, before they had even arrived, that she wouldn't be able to make head or tail of the art installation that they were here to see. And even with Maura's enthusiastic explanations, the meaning and the beauty - if, indeed, there was any - had gone straight over her head. The sleeveless, midnight-blue dress that she had bought in desperation that lunchtime felt awkward, wrong somehow, even though a glance in the shiny glass doors at the entrance to the gallery had told her that, actually, it looked pretty damn good. Fitted to the waist, with a slightly flared skirt and a silky lining that fell perfectly to just above her knees, it wasn't her usual style. But she had been swayed by the price tag (fifty percent off) and the colour. Maura had once told her that that shade of blue looked beautiful on her, and it had been that compliment, from God knows how long ago, that had been at the back of her mind as she handed over her already-strained credit card. But she had no such excuse for the matching stilettos that felt like they were tearing her feet to shreds, since she couldn't ever remember Maura telling her that hobbling on bleeding feet was a good look for her.
Maybe this was what they meant by 'no pain, no gain'.
The gain, in this case, had been the delighted look on Maura's face when Jane had agreed to come with her to the opening of the installation in one of the city's most prominent galleries. The artist was an old friend of Maura's mother but, with Constance out of town and unable to make it, Maura had felt obliged to go in her place. As always, Maura had invited Jane, saying that she would far rather have Jane's company than anyone else's. And, after she had hesitated and grumbled and moaned as much as was expected of her, Jane had said yes.
She would never really have said no...since the thought of Maura spending a Friday evening with anyone else made her prickle with envy. Whether that was an appropriate thought to have was a question that she generally preferred not to ask herself.
'Maura, uh...' She finally caught up with her friend, and helped herself to another glass of champagne from a passing waiter. 'Thank you...are we going soon?'
'Why?' Maura questioned as she took a sip of her own drink, and handed Jane a mini bruschetta from a tray of canapés. 'Are you bored?'
'Not bored, exactly, just...' Jane winced as she shifted her weight onto her right foot - marginally less painful, for some reason, than her left. 'These shoes are killing me'.
Maura laughed.
'You're bored'.
'And I think...' Jane popped the bruschetta into her mouth before running a hand over the top of her hips again, peering down at the side of the dress. Chewing quickly, she swallowed before continuing. 'Something's not right with this. Feel's like the lining's come adrift, or something'.
'Jane, the dress looks fine'. Maura paused, moving to one side to allow an older couple to pass behind her. 'More than fine. You look gorgeous. And I'm very grateful that you made such an effort for tonight'.
'Maura...'
'Just a bit longer, I promise. I think Emily's going to make a speech, and we can't really leave before then'.
Jane sighed again, trying to ignore the pleasant warm feeling that Maura's compliment had left in her tummy. Glancing around to see if any more canapés were within grabbing distance - that bruschetta had been really good, if a bit on the small side - she resigned herself to at least another half hour of discomfort. And, as they were accosted by yet another one of Constance's 'friends', she began to think that Maura would, at the very least, owe her a few more compliments and a foot massage.
That pleasant train of thought sustained her for barely ten minutes before she shifted again, and felt a definite pull on the lining of her dress around the waist. Damn, damn, damn. Maybe it had snagged on the tiny side zip...or got caught in the elastic of her panties...whatever. She couldn't sort it out here.
Not wanting to draw attention to herself by interrupting Maura's conversation, she laid a hand gently on the other woman's arm, murmuring that she would be back in a couple of minutes. But, halfway to the bathrooms, she heard the click of heels behind her, and Maura's voice calling her name.
'Jane! Wait for me!'
Half-amused, half-exasperated, Jane turned around to see Maura's bright smile bearing down on her. Not for the first time that evening, she noticed how the light plum-coloured fabric of Maura's dress clung to all the right curves, how it brought out the lighter flecks in her hazel eyes, how it went perfectly with her honey-blonde hair, and...
Enough, Rizzoli. Quit ogling your best friend.
'Maura, I just have to go sort my dress out. And rest my feet a minute. I'm sure I can manage'.
'Oh, I'm sure you can'. Maura tapped her tiny shoulder bag. 'But I have Band-Aids for your feet, and pins if you need them for the dress. And actually I have to pee'.
Jane raised her eyebrows as she resumed weaving her way through to the bathrooms, this time with Maura right behind her.
'Thanks for sharing. And I don't think I need pins. It's just got caught, that's all'.
When she pushed open the door to the ladies', Jane was relieved to find that there was no queue. In fact, by some miracle, the cubicles were all empty and, basking in the relative privacy, she wasted no time in reaching down and removing her shoes.
'Ahhhh'. An expression of pure bliss crossed her face as she closed her eyes and wiggled her toes, as if checking that they were still intact and still functioning. The polished tiles felt cool against her feet and, as she sank down into a cushioned chair in the corner of the plush bathroom, she decided that, if she could get away with it, she would just stop here for however much longer Maura wanted to stay.
'You shouldn't leave those off for too long, otherwise your feet will swell and you'll never get them back on'.
Jane lazily opened her eyes to see Maura standing in front of her, bag open on the side of the marble-effect sink and obviously waiting for her to do something.
'I thought you needed to...?' She inclined her head towards the cubicles.
Maura thought for a few seconds. 'I do. But don't you want a Band-Aid for that blister? I have clear ones, it won't show'.
Jane looked at her friend in frank amazement. 'What kind of woman carries a first aid kit to an art show?' She shook her head. Maybe she didn't want to know the answer to that. 'Never mind. I can Band-Aid my own feet though, Maur. Thanks'.
'Oh, I don't have a whole first aid kit'. Maura disappeared into a cubicle. 'Just those. And headache pills...I hate champagne headaches, don't you?'
'Yeah', Jane muttered under her breath. 'I get them all the time'.
Although now she thought about it, she had probably had three glasses already, and Maura wasn't far behind. If she wasn't careful, she would indeed have a champagne headache in the morning.
'Better slow down a bit if we're staying for much longer, otherwise we'll both be peeing bubbles'.
'That's impossible, Jane'. Maura's authoritative voice came from behind the closed door. 'The carbon dioxide that causes the bubbles in the first place doesn't...'
'Joke, Maura'.
'Oh'.
Jane rolled her eyes, smiling fondly at the wash basin. Only Maura could take a comment like that seriously.
Reaching over for her friend's bag, she felt around inside until her fingers closed over the Band-Aids. There were two. Peering down at her feet, she made a quick decision as to which of the many sore spots needed the most TLC, and, wincing, applied the plasters just as Maura came back out to wash her hands.
'Better?'
'Hmmm'.
'What about the dress?'
Oh, crap. The dress.
Gingerly, Jane stood up and lifted the outer fabric of the skirt up to her waist, revealing the lining that was sewn in at the narrow band that ran just above her navel. It had indeed caught on the side zip...and Jane swore out loud as she saw a ragged tear in the stitching that held it in place. No wonder it had felt wrong.
'Jane!'
Jane thought that Maura was admonishing her for her choice of swear words, but her eyes widened as her friend reached into her bag again and pulled out a small paper packet of pins and needles, much like the ones that were provided in hotel rooms.
'You really should be more careful'.
'Me?' Jane spluttered indignantly. 'How is this my fault? All I've done is wear the damn thing...what are you doing with those?'
'Pinning you back together'.
'Maura...' But Jane didn't get any further. In fact, she couldn't do anything except gulp, and take a few deep breaths, as Maura knelt down in front of her with the pins and reached up under the lining of the dress.
She really, really hoped that Maura couldn't hear her heart thumping as cool fingers brushed against the inside of her thigh, moving upwards over her panties to her abdomen. As they grazed over her hip bone, she felt a slight tremble start in her hands, and she had to clench her fists to stop it spreading any further. Willing herself to think of something else - baseball, her mother, anything - she squeezed her eyes shut briefly to try and block out thoughts of what else Maura could be doing with her fingers.
But closing her eyes just made it worse.
'Are you ok, Jane?'
Jane's eyes popped open in horror, and she looked down to see Maura gazing up at her with an expression that made Jane's breath catch in her throat. Innocent concern was mixed with a dancing amusement in those hazel eyes, while raised eyebrows and the hint of a smirk playing around her lips told Jane that she knew fine well what she was doing.
'Yeah'. Jane's voice came out even huskier than usual, and she groaned inwardly. 'Just...do you have to...?
'I can't pin it on the outside of the lining, it'll show through the fabric'.
'Oh'.
'Stand still'.
Easier said than done.
Jane's whole body was now humming, and she had to concentrate very, very hard on not moving. On not tangling her fingers in the soft hair that was level with her thighs. On not telling Maura to move her fingers just a little bit further over. On not shifting her legs further apart - because if she did, the arousal that was now throbbing through her would be obvious. On not...
'Ow!'
Concern now made way for exasperation as Maura pulled her hand slightly away from Jane's body.
'I told you to stand still'.
'I am standing still! Look, can you please hurry up before someone else comes in and sees us like this?'
Maura chuckled, and the sound sent shockwaves all the way through Jane's stomach and down to her core - sensations that just intensified with Maura's next words.
'Considering where I've got my hands - and my pins - I wouldn't have thought that you would want me to rush things'.
Jesus Christ.
She wasn't sure whether to be relieved or disappointed when Maura finally, slowly, withdrew her hand, letting the dress fall back into place as she stood up.
'There'. Her voice was soft. 'That should hold until we get home'.
We?
Jane blinked. Maura was standing close. Very close. It would be so easy...
'Thanks'. She cleared her throat. 'Uh...how much longer are you wanting to stay?'
She held her breath as Maura's eyes flicked down to her mouth. She knew that licking her lips was the worst thing that she could do at that point, but suddenly they felt so dry that she couldn't help it, and a slow smile spread across Maura's face.
'Oh, not long'.
She moved even closer, her breath warm on Jane's cheek, and Jane felt the world grind to a shuddering halt as soft, warm lips brushed the side of her mouth.
More. She wanted more.
Turning her head a little, she caught Maura's lips very lightly with her own before the other woman pulled away. A dozen thoughts ran through Jane's mind in the space of a couple of seconds. What the hell? Why...why not....and then the door to the bathrooms opened and the privacy was shattered.
Maura, Jane thought, must have ears like a cat to have heard footsteps approaching the bathroom. Or was that the wrong animal? Whatever. She couldn't think straight.
'How long is not long?'
There it was. That smile again.
'Not long'. A pause, heavy with meaning despite the interruption and the chattering that now filled the small space... and then a tingle shot down Jane's spine as Maura very deliberately brushed against her as she reached over to pick up her bag.
'You know, I could have mended that properly if you'd taken it off...but I guess I'll just have to finish the job later'.
And, as she forced her feet back into the stilettos and followed Maura out of the bathroom, Jane knew that she had not just been talking about the dress.