Don't you see me?
I think I'm falling,
I'm falling for you
She's lying sated in his bed when he returns from the bathroom, her figure illuminated only by the soft light of the moon shining through the open curtains.
She's beautiful.
He smiles at her as he walks back towards his side of the bed, receives a small one in return, and he tries to school the emotions on his face, tries to hide the love that he isn't allowed to feel for her.
They'd started this thing months ago, and she'd been quick to declare a set of rules after the first time he ended up in her bed – no kissing, no staying over, and no falling in love.
They'd broken the first one almost immediately – not that he'd cared – but now he found he was breaking the third.
He was falling in love with Katherine Beckett.
In the months past he'd thought he'd seen signs that maybe the feeling was mutual, maybe she was breaking her own rules, but she still refuses to acknowledge whatever is growing between them, still refuses to stay the night, so he forces himself to remain neutral. He can't allow himself to be optimistic, won't set himself up for the inevitable heartbreak.
So for now he pushes those thoughts to the back of his mind and pulls back the covers, getting into bed beside her. He rolls onto his side and watches her carefully, studies her. She's watching him too, smiling at him, but it's different than usual, less remorseful, more genuine, and it makes his heart beat just a little bit faster.
"Hey," she whispers, breaking the silence of the room.
"Hi," he replies, refrains from reaching out to stroke her cheek. "Do you have to go now?"
He always asks this, gives her an out every time that she has yet to pass up. It hurts him, but not spending the night was a part of their deal and he can't fault her for not falling for him when they had agreed that feelings wouldn't – couldn't– form.
But then she surprises him.
"No," she whispers , almost as though she's shy about speaking the word.
"No?" he questions. He tries to hide the surprise on his face, keep his hopes down, but he's pretty certain he's failing at both.
"No," she replies. "I mean, I have tomorrow off, so I don't really need to go home now, do I?"
She's looking at him, eyes wide, her bottom lip held taut between her teeth, and he wants nothing more than to lean in and pull that lip between his. But, apparently, they need to have this conversation first.
"You're staying the night?" he questions, because she never does this, has always been so insistent on leaving before they can fall asleep.
"If that's okay with you," she says slowly, her tone teasing and eyes wide with mirth.
"But…" he stumbles. "You never stay the night."
"Well I'm tired," she states with a shrug. "So scoot over."
"Yeah, but you never stay the night." She's playing it cool, and he's pretty sure that's what's confusing him the most. Sure, she looks a bit shy, but she's acting as if this isn't a big deal, as if she didn't set rules against exactly this.
"And now I am," she states, rolling away from him before snuggling into his chest and draping his arm over her stomach, forcing him to hold her closer. He doesn't fight it, instead pulling her into to him so that her back is flush with his chest, placing a kiss on the top of her head.
"But what about the rules?" he mumbles into her hair.
"Some rules are meant to be broken."
"Even the one that..." he trails off, not wanting to voice the rest of the sentence.
Even the one that says we can't fall in love.
She links her hand with his and brings it to her mouth, placing a kiss against his palm.
"Even that one," she whispers against it, as though it were a secret
"Okay," he replies, because really, he doesn't know what else to say.
Instead he brings their linked hands back down to rest on her stomach, pulls her closer, and wraps his arm even tighter around her.
They're silent for a while after that, and he's content to just lie there and listen to the steady sounds of her breathing.
"Hey, Kate?" he mumbles eventually.
She hums her response; sleep already beginning to pull her under.
"I think I'm falling in love with you."
"Oh really?" she murmurs, turning over in his arms so that she can place a quick kiss to his lips.
"Really," he whispers, a grin forming on her lips.
She doesn't reply, not with words, but a beautiful smile stretches across her face and her eyes shine with what he can only describe as love. And he thinks maybe, just maybe, what started out as a simple tryst between two partners could turn into something extraordinary.
a/n: thank you to evan and alex for the help and inspiration, ily both x
Prompt: "you never stay the night" "well I'm tired so scoot over" "yeah, but you never stay the night"