Chapter Nine || Growth
Halloween approached quickly signalling that the change of seasons was upon them. Holidays had always been something Temperance had swayed away from, something Booth had learned the first year they had worked together. Particularly Christmas with the disappearance of her parents but he had noticed that any holiday that signified any importance to family she often chose to disappear from. Every holiday but Halloween. Halloween didn't have any significance to family or tradition and well it was very fitting that his Bones loved Halloween. Who else worked with dead people everyday and didn't find Halloween to be thrilling, he wasn't sure he could think of anyone.
She had already told him that Wonder Woman was her costume of choice but he hadn't seen her in it yet, Booth being cheeky had chosen to be a squint and was probably looking forward to it far more than he should. He knew he wasn't going to get to see her outfit until the annual Jeffersonian Halloween Party the next and sighed as he flipped through the channels on the tv anxious to just see her in general let alone at a party.
They were doing as well as they could being a couple and navigating their partnership with a new sense of loyalty to one another. Caroline was still making sure it was known to him that she knew they were married and he made sure she knew that she wasn't really helping things by bringing it up constantly. The prosecutor didn't understand the situation anymore than the couple did and he really didn't want to get into it with her why they weren't moving forward with a divorce nor were they telling anyone they were at least dating.
It just sort of boiled down to being an it is what it is scenario and for the moment he was content with that. For the moment all he cared about was the fact he was falling in love with his partner turned wife and he liked that feeling.
Except they hadn't exactly said anything regarding feelings for each other, instead they more so just made out, had sex, and went on dates every week. They hadn't discussed what they were doing and they hadn't mentioned their conversation about how they needed to discuss things. Instead they were just sort of floating.
His phone buzzed with a simple 'see you soon' text signalling she was on her way over. They had taken to not being shy about wanting to spend the night together whether it be sexually or just the company of not sleeping alone. He loved having her by his side all night, breathing in her scent and watching how sleep washed over her so peacefully.
He replied the same words back to her, 'see you soon', three words they tended to use the most when ending a call or over a text. Smiling he quickly picked up laundry he had thrown around and settled back on the couch until he heard the jingle of her key unlocking the door. They had swapped keys a couple weeks ago, knowing it made things easier and also for safety reasons when it was obvious they were always going to find themselves in some sort of danger.
"Evening." He murmured as she immediately straddled his lap and he hummed against her lips in a happy greeting. "I didn't think you were ever going to leave the lab. I thought I'd have to come get you before too long." Booth whined as she removed herself from his lap and settled next to him.
"I was working on a fascinating set of remains sent to me from Brazil. I had planned on leaving earlier but I lost track of time." She smiled her eyes heavy with exhaustion from working and standing for so long. "I saw where you called, I apologize I didn't answer. I didn't have my phone on me until before I left." Temperance sighed as she settled in his arms content to just lay with him on the couch for a while.
"Are you hungry?" He asked motioning to the food in the kitchen. "I ordered Chinese." Booth continued, chuckling when she shook her head and allowed it to fall against his shoulder with a hmph. "You're beautiful, you know that right?" He added.
"I know." She quipped before sitting up just a little bit to look at him. "I do enjoy it when you tell me though." She whispered as he captured her lips in a sweet kiss. "I also enjoy it when you do that." Temperance laughed.
Things felt easy between them, not that they were ever particularly difficult but when she was focusing on their marriage and how her misunderstanding of her own actions things were stressed. Now that they had both decided to just go with it, she had felt herself grow to be happy with Booth. In previous relationships she had been terrified to give herself to someone, to let them be her happiness and her home. She had never given anyone the chance to sweep her off her feet and actually enjoy romance. In fact she had never believed in such a thing.
Not until she had met Booth, grew to know him as her partner and now even more so as her lover and in so many words as her best friend. "Stop staring at me." She pouted watching as his gaze never left hers causing the hair on her arms to raise in anticipation. She laughed as he leaned closer to her, his eyes still on hers and she pushed him away playfully before giving in and allowing him to lay her against the couch as he hovered over her.
"Do I get to know what you are dressing up as yet?" She asked her hands wrapping around his neck as he peppered kisses along hers.
"Nope. You'll see when I get there." He mumbled against her skin and she sighed choosing not to fight him about it in that very moment. Perhaps she could get it out of him before then. "Though I was kind of hoping you'd wear yours tonight." He added and she snickered and shook her head.
"No way, I'll show you mine when you show me yours." Temperance sighed. "Wonder Woman is not meant to be used as your sexual fantasy anyways." She added simply, gasping when he bit down on her neck in response. Squirming underneath him until he was pulling away she cupped his face with her hands. "If I knew the idea of the costume was going to inflict such a response though I would have worn it. Get it out of your system before you have to hide it in front of everyone tomorrow." Sometimes she hated that she was so happy in a relationship and no one knew about it. Not even Angela suspected a thing was happening between them.
"I think I can behave myself. It's me and my costume you have to worry about your reaction with." He teased pushing himself back down against her gently as he played with a strand of hair. "You're going to go wild." Booth added with a playful grin.
"I seriously doubt that." She deadpanned and he growled burying his head into her chest as her laugh filled the apartment.
