A/N: Someone put a headcannon on tumblr and I asked them if I could write it into a fic and then this happened.
Disclaimer: Don't own. No money. ETC.
Coffee in hand Maura made her way back up to her bedroom where warmth came as a promise with a possible side of backrubs. Or so she hoped. Jo Friday followed her every step of the way staring at her with big brown eyes. She knew the pup didn't have to be let out. (Jo finally mastered the doggy door two months ago.) Maura surmised she just wanted some attention, and she couldn't blame her for it. Jane had been on stakeout duty for past few days and hadn't been around much, but the night before they finally closed the case. So she and Jo walked up the stairs together and when Maura toed open the door Jo bolted inside. Maura laughed softly as she watched the little mutt dig into the covers.
"How'd you get in here?" Jane's voice was muffled by the blankets, but a little dog bark followed. "Oooh, I smell coffee."
Maura smiled at the lump on the bed. She shook her head laughing lightly in amusement. "I have your coffee."
Jane poked her head out from under the covers. "Better not be decaf."
Maura set both of the mugs on her nightstand. Gently, she pried one side of the blanket fort up high enough so she could slip in. Jo Friday was already curled up behind Jane's knees. "It's not."
Jane yawned and watched Maura get comfortable a smile on her face. "You look good in my shirt." She tugged at the collar. "And we both have the day off." Maura scooted closer as Jane's eyes dipped to her lips before meeting her eyes again. "I think – god, your feet are freezing!" Jane jerked backwards the second Maura's ice cold feet touched her shins. Jo Friday sneezed and made a disgruntled noise before walking over Jane's hip. She walked in circles right between Jane's and Maura's faces before finally settling down right in the middle of the two women.
"We should get her a sweater." Maura said absently scratching Jo's back.
"We are not getting her a sweater." Jane rested her hand on Maura's hip, fingers tracing patterns over her skin.
"It's getting colder."
"This isn't her first Boston winter, she's fine."
"You know," Maura started. "This will be our first Christmas together as a couple."
"If you're thinking about matching holiday sweaters and a Santa hat for Bass, you can forget it because it's not happening."
"I wasn't, but now that you mention it…"
"No."
Maura laughed, but Jane knew even as she said it if Maura wanted it, it would happen. And there were a lot of reasons. But it wasn't just about being 'whipped' as she'd heard Frankie whisper to Frost one day when they thought she wasn't listening.
It was about that smile – that special Maura smile that made her insides melt because wow – and it was about making her happy, allowing her to be happy or dorky or sad or ramble on about things at odd times. And Maura did the same for her, always, in little inconspicuous ways. It was the way Maura helped her with the buttons on her shirt on days when the ache in her palms was a little too much to bear and the pain killers hadn't kicked in yet. Like coffee in the morning, and not nagging her when the Red Sox were on, and making sure she ate when she was in the middle of a tough case and being there when she came home from a tough case.
It was all about the little stuff.
And maybe she was whipped, and maybe Frost and Korsak would get a Christmas card in the mail and they would all be wearing matching sweaters in December, and – "Geez, how are you so cold?" Jane hissed between her teeth. Maura's hand had slipped during her mental rant against her lower back right underneath her tank top.
Maura gave her The Look – the one she'd been on the receiving end of for a while but only recently figured out what it meant. And the only word in her mind was 'yes.' "You know what would help warm me up?"
Jane swallowed hard. She couldn't help the way her eyes moved with Maura, how they dipped to the open collar of her top, how she catalogued the way Maura licked her lips as she moved closer. Goosebumps rose across her skin as that cold hand made its way from her back to her hip and up her side. She was point zero two seconds from kicking Jo Friday off the island. "Hmm?"
"You helping me rake the yard."
"Yea – wait, what?"
The hand against her side vacated the premises. "You promised, Jane." Maura sighed.
"What?"
"The leaves are getting out of hand."
"But it's my day off!"
"You promised."
"I arrested someone last night." Jane defended. "For murder!"
"He was asleep when you banged down the door. With a hangover. In his boxers. He gave himself up without a fight."
"But I did bang down the door!" The detective defended.
"Jane."
Jane groaned in frustration, scrunching her eyes shut tight. "Don't look at me like that."
"Like what?" Maura chuckled.
"Like that!" She waved in Maura's direction still with her eyes screwed shut.
"You don't even know how I'm looking at you because your eyes are closed."
"I don't need to see, I can feel it."
Maura quirked an eyebrow and grinned mischievously. "Can you feel this?"
"Maura!" Jane practically squealed. She fell to the floor with a loud thump, taking all of the blankets with her. Maura couldn't help the giggle that slipped past her lips as she watched the person she loved most try to untangle herself from the mess of blankets. She stood and grabbed her coffee from the nightstand.
Jo Friday peered over the edge of the bed watching, head tilted to the side as her human made strange noises trying to escape her cotton and down blanket prison. Her tail began to wag as she looked back at Maura and then towards the lump on the floor again before letting out a small yap.
Finally, Jane emerged victorious from the fight with the blankets and Maura's giggle turned into a full blown laugh. Here was her girlfriend-best friend, fearless homicide detective that she was draped in blankets wearing crooked boxers and a twisted tank-top, hair sticking up and out at odd angles. Jane glared playfully.
"I'll be outside, darling." Maura said sweetly before turning towards her closet to get some clothes. Only Jane knew what it really meant – if you don't want to sleep on the couch tonight, you'll be outside rake in hand in twenty minutes or less. She sighed in defeat.
Jane turned towards Jo Friday. "Are you just going to let her talk to me like that?" But all the little dog did was roll onto her side giving Jane full access to her belly. Jane rolled her eyes and but started to pet her. "You don't fight fair, Maura." All she heard was laughter in return.
…
Jane yawned as she stepped out onto Maura's back porch. She rubbed her hands together and let out a breath. Noon or not it was too early for this.
Immediately her eyes were drawn to the woman standing in the middle of the yard. She was carefully and methodically (the only way Maura knew how to do anything) raking the leaves nearest her into one very pristine pile. And Jane felt her heart beat excitedly in her chest because this woman chose her. She had no idea why it was hitting her then, didn't know why it made her knees weak, but she couldn't remember the last time she was this genuinely happy for seemingly no reason. It was in these odd moments – moments of playful banter, and shared chores, and when they sat on opposite ends of the couch with their feet touching – that reinforced that feeling. She loved this woman, and this woman loved her, and damn did it feel good.
As she was contemplating this Jo Friday popped right through the doggy door with a sneeze before running off to investigate the grounds for security threats. Jane's gaze was immediately drawn back to Maura.
Maura and her perfect pile of leaves.
A crooked grin fell to the detective's lips.
…
Jane was all about the stealth approach. Two brothers, being a detective, and a couple of failed Halloween adventures had taught her fast and quiet was always the way to go (if there was a choice in the matter.)
Maura never saw it coming.
One minute the medical examiner was standing, rake in hand working diligently to pile the leaves into a nice orderly pile and the next her feet were nowhere and everywhere all at once. Strong lean arms wrapped around her middle as they went airborne. And then it was nothing but leaves and dirt and grass and Jane's deep laughter in her ear for the next several moments.
She wanted to scold. She wanted to turn around and swat Jane on the arm. She probably had grass stains on her pants and twigs in her hair no doubt. Not to mention her hard work for the last half-hour was completely and utterly demolished in one fail swoop (or tackle as it were.)
But she turned, and that was it.
Jane was grinning, a wide smile full of perfect teeth and dimples and bright brown eyes. How could she be mad when Jane was looking at her like that? When she was laughing so freely and openly? She couldn't help but join in.
Jo Friday barked from across the yard and ran towards them mouth hanging open, tongue sticking out, tail wagging furiously behind her. Maura could hear the way the leaves broke underneath little paws as she got closer. She turned to face Jane and kissed the corner of upturned lips.
"Hi." Jane breathed. To her left she could hear Jo rolling around in the leaves, snorting and breathing heavy like it was her most favorite thing.
"Hi." Maura smiled back and Jane's stomach did summer saults and other gymnastic feats while she got lost in hazel green eyes – almost fall colors of their own.
It was remarkable really that Jane didn't notice where Maura's hand was going. Or what she was doing with it. But then again she was always a lousy detective when it came to Maura, if all those missed hints and misread signals were any indication. Maura's nose brushed hers softly. She could almost kiss her if she would just move a little…
Jane's eyes shot open. Maura laughed in her ear before quickly scrambling to her feet. "Maura!" Jane shouted laughter hanging in her voice. She stumbled to her feet digging a fistful of leaves and twigs from underneath her shirt and bra before chasing after a giggling Maura.
A/N: And then it ended in couch cuddles and hot chocolate.
Thanks for reading!
Headcannon: Maura very carefully raking up all the autumn leaves in the back yard, then Jane sneaking up behind her and tackling into the pile and Maura is really annoyed at first but Jane is grinning and Jo is buried somewhere in the pile rustling around like crazy so irritation turns into giggles and leaves stuffed down Jane's shirt and chasing each other around the garden