JJ opened her eyes to see the room dimly lit by the rising sun. She looked at the clock to see it was showing 6:32, meaning she fell asleep before she set her alarm, meaning she was late for work. Panic began to set in as she tried to kick off the sheets, only to feel an arm tighten around her waist. Confused, she turned over, seeing a sleeping brunette roll onto her back and groan, removing her arm from the blonde's torso. It slowly began to hit her that it was saturday and she didn't have to be back in her office until monday. She smiled as she looked at how peaceful the normally guarded and tough older woman is with the way she allowed herself to be so vulnerable with the blonde. They might not have slept together last night, but they definitely took a different, nerve-racking route.
The blonde knew that Emily could have easily slipped out while she was sleeping after turning down JJ's offer of sex. She knew Emily must have felt weird and somewhat guilty for saying no, but something must have come up during the night in order to keep her here. There must be something going through the older woman's mind to override her instinct to flee, even though the blonde made it clear that sex wasn't important to her. Or was that not clearly stated as much as she thought?
She looked at how the brunette stayed asleep, face pointing slightly away from her, arms spread out wide, one of them still wrapped around JJ's back, shirt raised up to reveal a sliver of skin with the cream colored sheets almost matching the skin around her waist.
Emily moved again this time shifting so her leg bent and t-shirt rose up even more, giving JJ a better look at the brunette's toned stomach. She bit her lip, scooting down as she gently placed her fingertips to the sliver of pale exposed skin when her lips pressed against the pulse point on the older woman's neck. She flattened out her hand over Emily's stomach, her hand slipping underneath the shirt. He rlps continued to kiss the brunette's neck as she began to squirm, sleepily opening her eyes. JJ chuckled softly as Emily's vision adjusted to her face, then gently kissed the corner of her mouth.
"I guess we slept all night." Emily's voice was raspy as she cleared her throat and smiled up at the blonde before allowing the younger woman to capture her lips in a real kiss. "Well, this is certainly a nice way to wake up." She brought her hand up to hook blonde hair behind an ear as they looked at each other in comfortable silence.
JJ smoothed her thumb over the abs beneath her, smiling. "You stayed."
Emily placed her hand on top of JJ's on her stomach, smiling as her other hand dragged her nails up and down her back gently. "Why would I leave?" The words slipped out before she could stop them, before she could think about them. She never even thought for a second that maybe JJ brought it up because she didn't want her to stay. Although, she couldn't exactly say for sure from the blonde's tone.
"Why did you stay?"
"You didn't tell me to leave." Emily shrugged, looking into JJ's eyes.
"Because I didn't want you to."
"Neither did I, so I stayed." The brunette shrugged again, searching the younger woman's eyes for a reason as to why she asked in the first place. Although, a part of her was glad JJ had asked so that it was now out in the open between the two. It made it so they could go about their day without having to worry why the brunette stayed or if she unknowingly overstayed her welcome.
The two women stayed silent, JJ cuddling in close to the older woman as she nuzzled her face into the crook of Emily's neck, sighing contently. It took her by surprise how immediately comfortable she is with the brunette. Well, she was always comfortable, considering they were friends, and coworkers before that, where they were forced to rely on each other when putting their lives on the line.
There were multiple times when JJ sought out Emily's voice in the field. Not that she didn't feel safe with the other male members of the team, because she did. But, there was something about having the brunette's voice in her ear, talking while walking through a suspected house to see if it is clear. She didn't know why Emily's voice was a comfort. Maybe because they are the only two females on the team that go out in the field, and she secretly draws strength from how unbelievably tough she is. Or maybe it's just because of her feelings toward the older woman. The confusing, overwhelming pull Emily has over her and somehow just having her voice makes her feel safe and protected; comfortable.
She didn't know what to make of with the thoughts running through her head, opting instead to focus on the way Emily's fingers traced up and down her back while the other one intertwined with hers on the older woman's stomach. JJ was starting to drift back to sleep, shifting so her ear was on the brunette's chest, listening to her steady heartbeat as she marveled in the feeling of comfort, safety, happiness.
Emily, on the other hand, glanced down to see blonde hair and feel JJ relax further into her embrace. The voice in the back of her mind told her that she needed to be careful. She could feel herself lowering the walls she spent years building up brick by brick so she could be in control of her heart. She was good at keeping her feelings down, holding them at bay until she knew for certain the other person felt the same way, or if it was safe to completely throw them away without anyone knowing they existed.
But then JJ happened. With her sun-kissed freckles, crystal blue eyes, contagious laugh and warm heart, she was willing to break any rules she made for herself, forgetting the way she normally dealt with her feelings. She was willing to do all of this to see those eyes sparkle and smile show when the blonde looked at her when they were alone; a look that held more meaning than one she would share with a coworker or just a friend. Emily knew as soon as the younger woman kissed her in her office that she was a goner. She wouldn't be able to keep her feelings for JJ a secret knowing the blonde also also felt something toward her. Whatever JJ wanted from her, or whatever they decided to do, Emily would do it without thinking, the younger woman already holding her heart.
Even through her mind and soul, every cell in her body knew she was slowly falling in love with the blonde currently drifting back to sleep in her arms, that little voice in the back of her head nagged and shoved its way into the front, screaming at the top of it's lungs that this was a bad idea. A horrible, career ruining, heart breaking, stomach wrenching, stear staining idea. They could not only lose their jobs, but end their friendship if it went badly, which could change the team dynamic which would change how the team worked and functioned, making everything awkward and it would never be the same. They would never be as great as they were so the serial killers would escape their grasps…
Maybe the voice was right, this was something that shouldn't happen between them, there was too much at risk. She should just untangle herself, tell JJ she needed to leave, and be on her merry way without ever looking back or thinking about this ever again. Then the younger woman looke dup at her with vulnerable eyes and a soft smile, silencing the outrageous voice and drawing her down to meet the blonde's lips in a sensual kiss. She felt JJ squeezing their intertwined fingers as she wiggled herself up closer to Emily's face so they could kiss more easily. But it was broken by JJ giggling from the sound of Emily's stomach rumbling.
"I think we should make some pancakes." The blonde bit her lower lip, feeling her own stomach start to protest the lack of food she has had.
Emily chuckled, looking at the rosy color the younger woman's cheeks had changed to when her stomach growled. She lifted her hand to move a strand of blonde hair out of a delicate face, hooking it behind an ear before gently pecking JJ's lips with hers. "Pancakes sound really good, but only if you make them."
The younger woman rolled her eyes as Emily gave her a smile that said she was trying to be cute. She gave the corner of the older woman's mouth a kiss and then slid off her, running her hand through her hair. Another blush creeped up her neck and face as she stood on one foot and played with the string holding up her sweats. She wasn't sure why, maybe the fact she spent the entire night wrapped in Emily's arms, but she was suddenly hot. From nerves or being shy, or embarrassed from not realizing the shirt she chose to throw on before the brunette arrived had an ice cream stain on it, but her body temperature was suddenly rising, her mind begging her to take off a layer in the summer heat that was seeping through the window, warming the room with the bright sun. "Do you mind if I take off my sweats? It's kinda hot in here…" She cleared her throat, awkwardly still leaning on one leg.
The brunette understood where JJ was coming from, feeling the heat herself with her body tangled in the sheets, left leg poking out of the mess that she managed to free last night without disturbing the blonde as she slept. She shook her head, her hand waving toward the well worn sweats that hugged JJ's hips expertly. "No, not at all. Whatever makes you feel most comfortable."
JJ found it ironic that she asked if she could stirp in front of Emily in her own apartment, and only even fathomed actually slipping out of her pants as long as Emily thought it was okay. Nonetheless, with the older woman's permission, she pushed the fabric down her hips and then stepped out of them, feeling instantly cooler. "Alright. Well, common Miss Lazy, we've got pancakes to make." She raised her hand, fingers spread and arm outstretched, waiting for the older woman to crawl out of the messy bed and take it to hold in her own.
But, instead, she wiggled free of the sheets and shimmied out of her own sweats, smiling when JJ raised an eyebrow at her. She shrugged, now her hand out in front of them. "Now we can both be comfortable." She smiled wider when the blonde took her hand. "Let's go make that food."
Emily followed JJ willingly out into the kitchen, going over to sit down as the blonde shook her head at the older woman's laziness. She would help the younger woman, but her mind was frozen in awe over the fact she actually woke up to the blonde kissing her. And, honestly, she wanted to watch JJ cook. The blonde looked comfortable walking around ash her bare feet patted on the floor, wearing nothing but underwear and a baggy t-shirt that not quite covered her cheeks, but felt just enough room for hints of black lace to poke out when moving around. If she could, she would make the younger woman switch shirts with her, just so she could watch JJ turn and smile at her while donning the brunette's well-worn FBI clothing that was on her own body. Even thinking that someday soon it might happen sent chills down her spine and butterflies fluttering in her stomach.
She watched as the younger woman finished getting the ingredients together before clicking the stove on and turning around to smile at her again. Emily smiled back, and then noticed how quiet it was in the small room. She started to panic, feeling exposed now that the blonde was looking at her intently and she was without pants, even though it was her decision in order to help the younger woman feel more comfortable. JJ was about to say something as something in the corner of Emily's eye caught her attention. There wasn't much in the kitchen, or the apartment for that matter, but the old looking thing stood out to her.
She got up from the makeshift kitchen table thrown together by folding chairs and a card table, Will having taken the actual dining table when he moved out, and walked up to it. It was an old radio from what seemed like the 1950s, all retro with its baby blue color and faded white knobs. She picked it up to examine it as JJ spoke up.
"I found it a year ago, from that bookstore we found that one day on our lunch break." The blonde slowly walked up to Emily, arms folded as she nodded toward the radio. "I dragged Will to it when we first started dating." She laughed, thinking of something in her head. "I showed it to him and he hated it, so I bought it anyway."
Emily turned it over again in her hands. "I love it. Does it work?"
The younger woman shrugged, going back to the now hot stove, pouring batter on the pan. "I never go it to. I was actually going to give it to you if it did, as a birthday gift, but then we decided to go to the spa, so I kept it."
The brunette fiddled with the old machine, taking it apart and adding batteries she found when searching through drawers in the kitchen. "Wait, so you kept my birthday present for yourself?"
JJ flipped the pancake over, not paying attention to what the brunette was doing. "Well, I looked up a place that does radio repairs, and I was going to take it to get it fixed, and then give it to you. I just haven't had time." The room grew quiet again, Emily lost in messing with the machine. As the blonde poured more batter onto the pan, she heard a crackle and then static, turning around to see Emily twisting the knobs, looking for a station. "How?"
Her question was drowned out by Ed Sheeran, his voice wafting through the air from the speaker on the ancient box. The two women looked at each other and smiled, JJ putting down the spatula in her hand when she saw the brunette place the radio on the card table and gracefully moved toward her, pulling her into her embrace when scooping the blonde up in her arms.
"So,honey now! Take me into your loving arms." The blonde blushed as the older woman slowly spun them in a circle, keeping the younger woman close as she gently sang the words to her. "Kiss me under the light of a thousand stars, place your head on my beating heart."
JJ allowed the brunette to spin her out and then back in so now her back was to Emily's front as they swayed. She turned her head and closed her eyes, smiling, feeling how amazing it is to dance barefoot in the kitchen with someone. Will never did anything close to this with her. But with Emily, she felt so light and carefree and that she should expect random, enjoyable, picture worthy moments with the older woman.
"I'm thinking out loud that…" Emily spun her back around so they were facing each other again. "Maybe we found love right where we are." They stopped swaying as JJ moved her face closer to Emily's rubbing their noses together as they shared the same oxygen in the tiny area around them. "And maybe, we found love right where we are…"
And we found love right where we are.
Emily let her voice dorp as the lyrics faded from her lips, the blonde removing the space between them with a simple kiss. It was gentle, and then became more passionate as Emily pushed her lips into JJ's more as the song came to a close. They both left the kiss smiling with doe-eyed looks between the two, rosy cheeks to match their beating hearts.
When the next song started playing, the younger woman remembered what she was originally doing, slipping out of Emily's arms to quickly flip the almost burning pancake. The older woman went back to the make-shift dining table and picked up the old radio, placing it back on the shelf, satisfied with how it looked in the minimally decorated room.
"Well, looks like I should have just give to you after all, handyman." The blonde smiled, pouring the last of the batter on to the pan. She couldn't deny the butterflies in her stomach, but wanted a little more time to figure them out before saying anything to Emily. She needed to come up with a way to get Emily to stay with her a little longer today. "I guess there is no point in making you wait until your birthday now… make sure to take it when you leave."
The brunette frowned. She wanted to leave the radio right where she found it so that the younger woman thought of her every time she walked past it and saw it out of the corner of her eye. Plus, it's been sitting on this shelf for so long, it has become a part of it; this is where it belongs. "Why don't you keep the radio and instead, you take me somewhere I haven't been to in awhile."
"Well…" JJ shoveled the last pancake off the pan and shut off the heat, turning her attention to the coffee machine on the other side of the stove, near where Emily stood. The music filled the previous silence as she walked over into dangerous territory. "I can just do that today."
Emily felt relief wash over her when the younger woman didn't argue with her, and also felt joyful when the younger woman suggested they spend the day together, the thought of being with her longer rather than going home alone sounded much better. But, as soon ass JJ got within arms distance,s he wrapped her arms around the petite body as she saw the blonde bit her lower lip, nervous. She waited until the younger woman started up the machine before closing in on her and wrapping her arms around tighter around JJ. "And, what exactly did you have in mind for today?"
The younger woman smiled as she twisted so she faced the brunette, a mischievous look on her face. "It's a surprise."