A/N: The product of insomnia. Just a fluffy one-shot. I'm trying to figure out how to move along Getting Back to Us. But it's complicated. So here's this instead.
Disclaimer: I don't own the characters.
"I love you." Jane widens her eyes at her own words. They weren't supposed to be spoken this way. In the middle of Maura's living room while some documentary played. Her words were meant to be shared over fine wine and a four course meal at some fancy restaurant she couldn't pronounce after months of dating. But as she watched Maura's face watching the documentary the words stumbled out of her mouth like a drunken man stumbled out of a bar. She wanted to take them back. She wanted to unring the bell that was now ringing so loudly in the large living room.
Maura was looking at her with the most adorably confused expression on her face and she wanted to say the words again, for some reason, even though she knew they probably weren't reciprocated. Then Maura spoke and Jane listened because she always listened. "What do you mean?" And then it's Jane's turn to look confused, probably not adorably either. "In what way?" Maura clarified.
Jane thought the question was stupid. She was completely in love with Maura Isles in a way that a best friend shouldn't be in love with their best friend. But Jane knew Maura was giving her an out. She had been a detective long enough to know that given the chance she would always rather get on the bus than get run over by the bus. "You know, in that 'atta girl kind of way." She reaches a shaky arm to lightly punch Maura's. They both knew it was a lie. If Jane were Pinocchio her nose would have been a foot long. Suddenly she felt stupid. "I gotta go to the bathroom." She doesn't actually. They both knew it. She only took one sip of her beer all night long but she needs something to do. She needs to splash water on her burning, blushing face.
Then Maura grabs her hand. That's when Jane realized the medical examiner was deceptively strong. "Jane." Or maybe it's just the way she says her name makes her weak in comparison.
She pulls her long legs to her chest, wrapping tan arms around them and resting her head on top. Her eyes are shining, brimming with tears and she needs to make sure she doesn't cry.
Maura's eyes furrow in confusion. She swallows down her own nerves and reaches out again. She was tired of this game. She pulled Jane's left arm towards her making the taller woman physically unwind and fall into her chest. Jane was momentarily stunned by the physical contact. She loved the way Maura's body was the complete opposite of hers, all soft and firm. Not jagged and angular. Jane knew the battle was well lost, she had hung the tattered flag of surrender long ago but she still tried to push away. Maura pulled her back this time brushing her lips against Jane's. It was soft, sweet, chaste. Jane needed more, craved more. Maura could see it in her eyes. Maura was grinning. "I love you." The words were almost muffled completely by Jane's lips but she heard them. Boy, did she hear them. They were both grinning into the kiss.
"Date me." Jane breathed onto the soft lips of the doctor now below her. The medical examiner giggled nodding her head. Then it was lips and heat and tongues and hands. Hands were everywhere. They wanted – needed – more. One fatal swoop, one push in the wrong direction and they were both falling landing with a thud on Maura's beige carpet.
Laughter exploded in the large room like a firecracker. Bass slipped around in the kitchen and Jo Friday yipped excitedly. Maura was the first to recover practically dragging Jane to her feet. Jane had half a mind to pull the other woman back to the floor, but she imagined the bedroom was probably a better option for their activities than the living room floor. Unnecessary clothes were discarded as they made their way up the stairs. Belts were loosened and zippers were unzipped. Maura pushed Jane to the bed shutting her bedroom door quietly, they had waited far too long to wait any longer.