Prompt: Flirting (conscious or unconscious; with glances or touches; banter)
Derek had always been a flirt. He knew how to talk to women, how to smile, and joke and make them giggle. He had no trouble finding dates anywhere, no trouble getting girls to come over for booty calls and leave feeling not the least bit upset. His sisters said it was a gift he had.
Everything was different with Penelope Garcia, though, and it had been from the moment he met her. His flirting with her was always more intense, more intimate, more real. He meant the things he said to her, even if he wouldn't admit it to himself.
He never realized how much he and Penelope flirted until other people pointed it out—Strauss, JJ, Prentiss, and finally Penelope's own boyfriend.
He'd tried to cool it after Kevin mentioned it, but then he'd nearly died when the bomb went off and he wanted, no needed, Garcia to know exactly how he felt about her.
He couldn't keep it inside any longer and he didn't want to.
He wanted to talk to her anytime he wanted, touch her anytime he wanted.
The flirting increased, glances, and touches, anytime he could get near her he did. He knew she was still with Kevin, but for the first time in his life, he was in love and he wasn't going to let her go without a fight.
After three months of increasing his attention towards Penelope, she and Kevin broke up. He waited in the wings, giving her time, waiting for her to be ready.
"Do you now why I broke up with Kevin?" she asked a few weeks after, sitting practically on his lap as they watched a movie.
"No," he said, "You never told me."
"Kevin thought….he thought you were interested in me. He asked me to stop spending time with you. He gave me an ultimatum and I choose you. Did I make a mistake?" She turned toward him and waited expectantly.
His hand lifted, cupping her cheek, his thumb sliding over her lips, "No, you didn't make a mistake." Then he leaned forward, kissing her softly, before pulling back, "No mistake at all."
Penelope smiled widely as he brought their lips together once again.
Their flirting had started as a game, a joke, then developed into and friendship and finally into love.
And now….now Derek didn't have to hide it anymore. He could flirt with his girl, touch her, and love her every day of his life.
That was exactly what he planned to do.