PROMPT :D - Jane for some reason (you choose), asks Maura if she's in love with her, Maura tries to lie but gets hives. T rated, rizzles endgame.
Something was off about Maura's reaction, but Jane couldn't quite put her finger on it. Still, the gnawing feeling in her gut would not wane.
No congratulations had slipped from Maura's lips. No excitement at the diamond ring Casey had finally given her. No smile. No commentary about the quality or size of the diamond, the setting. Nothing. In fact, Maura had only said something about the ring when Jane purposely failed to mention it.
"Why would I squeal over a colorless crystalline form of pure carbon?
In her head, Jane had angrily replied, "Because that's what best friends do when one of them gets engaged!"
Jane knew it wasn't because Maura was jealous. She wasn't. Maura was decidedly adept at shutting off her emotions, but Jane had learned to read them over the years despite her habits.
Instead the emotions swirled around sadness, almost to the point of despair.
Her best friend and confidante's words continued to echo through her head. How will I survive without my best friend?
A scientific explanation had been given to excuse Maura's tears. She had immediately fled from the room.
But Jane knew something else was wrong and she just had to figure out what it was. Deep down, Jane's instincts told her there was a hint of something else beneath Maura's words and she was hell-bent on finding out the meaning.
The engagement ring had instantly been set back inside the black velvet box, then tossed haphazardly inside her safety lock box. The ring would be fine; Maura obviously would not be.
She spent the next day and a half observing Maura closely. Well, as closely as she could without arousing suspicion. Her actions and words remained the same as before, as if no conversation between them had ever occurred.
Jane was okay with that. For now.
One of the first things Jane noticed was the way Maura smiled differently at her. Brighter somehow. As if it was a smile meant only for her.
The second thing that came to Jane's attention was just how touchy-feely Maura was. Before, Jane had never really noticed how much the two of them touched, but also how much they hated when others touched them.
A light grazing of fingers on the forearm here.
A lingering touch there.
Other subtleties were pushed to the forefront.
How Maura's breathing changed just slightly when Jane was in close proximity, when they were standing side by side, arms touching, while looking at a document together.
How she always pushed healthier eating habits on her, but more in an endearing way, not nagging like her mother did.
But likely the most important observation Jane made was how often she'd look up and catch what could only be described as a longing expression etched into Maura's features. Occasionally it appeared with a dash of lust. Other times accompanied by a soft sigh. But solo or not, when Jane caught her in the act, it never failed for Maura to glance away immediately, a blush flushing across her face, embarrassed at having been caught.
All of the pieces began to fit together in the puzzle of Jane's instincts.
Now she just had to figure out exactly how to subtly interrogate Maura to the point of confession. A blunt question didn't seem fair, in Jane's opinion anyway, even though she knew exactly which question it would be.
It terrified her to ask it, mostly because she knew the response had the potential to change everyone's lives, theirs included.
"Do you want a glass of wine? I think I still have an unopened bottle you left here the other week," Jane offered, standing in her kitchen while Maura settled onto Jane's sofa.
"Sure," Maura replied with a smile over the back of the sofa. "I would love one. Also, thank you for not trying to pair that wine with dinner. It'd have been a horrible choice."
Jane curtsied dramatically and immediately laughter bubbled up inside Maura, escaping carefree and hearty.
Once both women had settled onto the couch, Jane's legs stretched out, resting against the back of the couch, Maura's also stretched out, resting alongside Jane's, a silence fell between them both.
It wasn't uncomfortable. Silence between them rarely was, in fact.
Almost hesitant to disturb the peace, Jane finally asked quietly, "Why don't you like Casey?"
Startled, Maura looked up, eyes wide. "W-What?"
"You don't like him. You never have. Why?" Jane asked. "And I'm not asking to start a fight or make it into something big. I genuinely want to know. Your opinion is the one that matters most to me."
Maura took a sip of her wine and looked down at her glass for several long moments. "He has a tendency to show up unannounced, worm his way back into your heart, have sexual intercourse with you, and then leave again."
"I could say the same thing about Ian," Jane replied pointedly.
Shocked, Maura looked up at Jane, whose expression bordered on cocky. Quietly Maura defended, "Neither Ian nor myself had any expectations beyond surface level, Jane. We've already had this conversation."
"Sorry. I know. I shouldn't have said that."
Maura shrugged, a sad smile tugging at her lips. "It's fine."
The silence that then fell began to grow heavy.
They each took another sip of wine.
Once more it was Jane who spoke. "Why don't you really want me to marry Casey, Maur?"
A blush spread across Maura's cheeks as tears sprung to her eyes, forcing her to look away.
"Maur, c'mon," Jane said quietly, pushing her foot against Maura's thigh, nudging her.
"I don't want you to leave," Maura whispered thickly, leaving the meunspoken, though both knew it was there.
"If," Jane replied softly, "and I do mean if, I were to leave, you will always be my best friend. Always, Maura. Nothing could make me want to trade you for another."
"You don't know the future, Jane," Maura said.
"No, I don't, but I know you and I know me, and I know that our friendship is special, Maur. I'm not the mushy type, you know that, but Iknow we're different."
Jane's words, however, only seemed to add to the despair that had begun to settle in Maura's face and body language. More tears began to gather in Maura's eyes and she stood suddenly, placing her wine glass on the coffee table. "Excuse me, I need to use the restroom."
In the blink of an eye, Jane stood and set her wine glass on the coffee table, reaching out to grab Maura's wrist. "Maur, don't."
Pulling her wrist from Jane's grasp, Maura stood there, her back to Jane.
"Maura." Her best friend's name rolled softly off her tongue. "A-Are you in love with me?"
Jane could see the sudden tension in Maura's shoulders, the classic signs of someone preparing for fight or flight but before an actual decision.
"Why would you ask me that?" Voice low, tension coiled tightly within it.
"Because I want to know."
"I just don't want to lose my best friend, Jane," Maura said softly, back still turned toward the brunette. Before Jane could say anything, Maura had taken half a dozen steps toward the bathroom, right hand coming up to rub over her left clavicle and back across her chest.
The movement did not go unnoticed.
"You just lied," Jane said softly, crossing the room in a flash, spinning Maura around. Pointing at the hives that had started developing on Maura's chest and low on her neck, she whispered, "You have hives." Eyes shot up to meet Maura's.
"Jane, please," Maura pleaded, choking on the words.
"You're in love with me?" Jane breathed out. "Why didn't you tell me?"
"Because you're in love with Casey." Her words were soft, fraught with tears in her voice.
"I'm not," Jane replied quietly, causing Maura's eyes to widen. "I love him, I do. But I'm not in love with him."
Tear-filled eyes searched Jane's, glanced all over her face to gauge sincerity.
Before Maura could speak, Jane whispered, "I'm in love with you though." Tears pricked her eyes, hot like fire. Her left hand rose to mold it gently along Maura's jaw, cupping it.
Maura's eyes fluttered closed at the sensation of Jane's hand against her face. As she took a deep breath, a track of tears from each eye began leaving trails down her cheeks.
"Don't marry him," Maura whispered, reddened eyes opening to meet Jane's dark gaze, though still shining from the recent tears that had gathered there.
"I'm not," Jane said softly, shaking her head. "I'm not."
With those spoken words, Jane cupped Maura's other jaw and leaned in close, lips close enough to feel each other's breath. One glance up, Jane whispered, "One day I think I'll marry you though," and she closed the distance, kissing Maura with every ounce of love and passion she'd been harboring for years.
Leave your feels below. :)