The Mentalist - Cleaning up can be fun

Summary

Teresa Lisbon has learnt a thing or two during her time with Patrick Jane.

First kiss scenario for Jisbon. Triggered by the tumblr prompt by lettersarecolors

Disclaimer

Nope.

Rating T for language and some fluff.

Category Romance/Humor

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"This place is a mess." Lisbon couldn't hide her disgust at the amount of dust and filth that covered every surface, crook and crack in Jane's attic.

"What did you expect?" Jane retorted. "I didn't have time to clean up for the longest time. We were quite busy, as I'm sure you recall."

Lisbon struck out her chin and showed him and old pizza container, held at arm's length.

"Really? You didn't even have the time to throw out your trash?" Her nose crinkled at the smell coming in wafts out of this age old box.

Jane was rolling his eyes in a way that would have made Lisbon proud – if she hadn't been the one at the receiving end. "I'm sorry Lisbon, if I set my priorities on catching a serial killer rather than bringing out the trash. At least I got clean sheets for my bed every month. Have a look." He added with a playful grin.

The blatant reference to his bed made Lisbon blush. She cursed her telltale expression which gave her away every time.

She turned her back to him, to prevent him from reading her like a book. "What, you think cleaning up turns me on?" she said, trying for a light and dry tone. "I thought you've identified turtlenecks as the thing 'flipping my switch'. I don't see you wearing any."

His smile got broader. "You're suggesting I should wear one?"

Lisbon's blush grew even deeper. Taking a deep breath, she said in what was hopefully a stern tone, "Listen, Jane."

Turning, she planted her feet firmly underneath her, put her hands on her hips, and gave him her best glare. "I agreed on helping to clean your old hideout, because god forbid that the usual cleaning stuff - who get paid for this sort of thing, if I may remind you - spots anything top secret about the stuff you've been hiding here. Mocking me won't help me assisting you in your mission for paranoid secrecy."

Jane looked at her, cheeks flushed, hair slightly disheveled, clothes spotted with dust, and thought he'd never seen her more beautiful.

"My mission wasn't paranoid secrecy, as you so delicately put it, but to kill Red John." He was amazed that he could make jokes about it, as feeble as they were. But with every passing day he'd seen this bloody murderer's body fall from 10.000 feet, he got more lighthearted. This was Lisbon's achievement, and hers alone, he realized. "You may argue that my paranoid secrecy isn't necessary anymore, since I shoved him out of an airplane, but old habits die hard, as the saying goes."

Lisbon looked at him in shock, and was unsure of what to say. "I – I'm sorry Jane, I didn't - -" She stumbled upon her words, the mocking tone replaced by sheer embarrassment.

"Don't worry Lisbon." Jane gave her an assuring smile. "I'm fine."

Lisbon looked into his eyes and seemed to decide that he was telling the truth, for she dared asking further.

"How does it feel?" She asked softly.

Jane looked up to her, collecting old snippets from his desk. "What exactly? You need to be more precise, Lisbon."

"I mean – " Lisbon cleared her throat. "You didn't get your revenge. Not exactly, at least."

At her words, Jane turned fully towards her. She could tell by his expression that he was genuinely surprised.

"You're kidding, right?" He asked. "Sure, I didn't get to slice him open like I wanted to, but to give him the final push that made him fall to his death felt pretty good." His voice got this frightening tone she knew so well, but she plunged on.

"But you didn't kill him with your bare hands. That's what you wanted, and you didn't get it."

"Lisbon, I can assure you, as soon as the mushy remains of his body were washed off the street, I got what I wanted all these years. Now help me getting this done, so we can get the hell out of here."

Lisbon nodded once, curtly, and went back to tidying up, head swirling about 'getting what he'd wanted all these years' might mean, exactly.

Jane, meanwhile, was anxious to finish cleaning up. He knew she was asking if he got closure. He did. Scratching off Red John's remains from the street wasn't exactly what he'd had in mind when plotting his revenge, but he could very well live with that.

Speaking of living…

He used Lisbon's distracted state to sneak up on her, having come to the conclusion that it was time to get another thing that he'd wanted for a long time. He stepped directly behind her and cleared his throat.

Lisbon turned to find herself only inches from Jane's body. The sudden presence of his scent and his warmth sent her senses into overdrive. Her heart hammered in her chest as if it wanted to break free of its confines.

Slowly, she dared to look up into his mesmerizing eyes, which were warmly looking back at her. She willed her hands to stay at her side instead of gripping his arms tightly, pulling him towards her and pressing her lips – but no. Not like this. Instead, she whispered with a herculean effort to keep her voice steady:

"We should step back."

"Yes, we should." Patrick Jane grinned down at her. Then, his face got serious. He dipped his head and touched his lips firmly to hers.

Stepping closer to her, he grabbed her almost forcefully, winding his arms around her petite frame. He pulled her towards him and by stepping further into her, pushed her body to the wall, effectively pinning her to the door, and began plundering her mouth in the most passionate and hungry way possible. She responded in like kind, smiling a little to herself.

Patrick Jane never did was he was told.

Good thing Teresa Lisbon had learned a thing or two from him about making people do what she wanted.

A/N: Actually, I think Jane is very keen on keeping his surroundings clean. But for the sake of the story, I let get things a bit messy. ;)