Prompt: "It's our wedding anniversary."

A/N: I know it's been a really long time. Hopefully a few of you are still hanging around. I hope this makes sense as it's formatted. I couldn't get the block quotes, different characters, or even extra spaces to stay so I did the best I could with the text conversation. If anyone has any suggestions to improve the format, I'm open! Enjoy!


Lena's phone lit up with a text from Stef, the buzz distracting her from her paperwork. She swiped to open it.

S Can't make it tonight. Mandatory training. I already asked Cptn if I could make it up. She said no. I'm sorry.

Lena's heart sank. She sent back a reply and then added another for good measure.

L - But it's our wedding anniversary.

L - Our first wedding anniversary.

She watched the little gray dots blink on her screen while Stef wrote her reply.

S - I know. I'm sorry love. There's nothing I can do.

Lena dropped back against her office chair as disappointment settled over her.

L - It's fine. I'll just cancel our dinner reservation.

S - Maybe they can reschedule for later this month.

L - I'll ask.

Lena set her phone on the desk and sighed. There was no way they were getting another reservation any time soon. She had made their reservations at Addison's almost four months ago and she'd been lucky to get a table on the date of their anniversary then. Her phone buzzed against the hard wood of her desk.

S - I know it's a long shot but maybe we'll get lucky.

L - Maybe

S - I'm sorry Lena. I know you really wanted to go there.

Guilt crept in over Lena's annoyance. Getting mad at Stef wasn't fair, even if it was easy.

L - It's not your fault. We'll just go somewhere else this weekend.

S - As long as I get to spend an evening looking at your gorgeous face I'll be happy.

Lena smiled down at her wife's reply. Stef could charm the pants off of her when she wanted to. Which she had, of course. Many times. Lena started her reply with a smiley face and a heart-eye emoji.

L - I'll call around after work and find somewhere.

S - Thanks love.

S - I'll see you when I get home tonight. Love you.

L - I love you too.

Lena set her phone aside and settled back into her work. Her lingering disappointment colored the rest of her day. Without their dinner plans to look forward to, time seemed to drag on. By the time she was able to head home, she had resigned herself to the evening ahead. At least she wouldn't have to cook since they'd left money for pizza with the kids.

When she got home, the house was quiet. There were no backpacks or shoes by the front door, no tv or music playing, no bickering. The quiet was unsettling. A flutter of concern blossomed in her belly as she set down her keys and purse before heading to the kitchen. Instead of teenagers, she was met with a vase full of flowers on the kitchen table — bright pink daisies, orange and crimson lilies, enormous sunflowers intermixed with leafy greens, bunched together in a stunning display. She gasped at their beauty before crossing to pick up the card that stood open before them. The message was scrawled in Mariana's neat handwriting.

Happy Anniversary, Moms! You only get one first anniversary so make the most of it.

We love you!

M, C, J, J, B

P.S. There's a note on the fridge of where we'll all be tonight

A warmth swelled in Lena's chest while she smiled down at the card, her worry already melted away. Her kids really were the best. She set down the card and turned around. Sure enough, on the fridge was a list of where all the kids were. There were even numbers listed, which Lena was happily surprised to see. She sat down on a stool, feeling appreciative but also still a bit disappointed. It was her anniversary. Her kids had made a beautiful gesture. But instead of celebrating, she was now going to be spending the evening alone. She drummed a little pattern on the wood table, her chin resting in her other hand. She really wasn't sure what to do with herself. When was the last time she'd had the house entirely to herself? She couldn't remember. The cash she'd left for pizza was on the table in front of her and she absent-mindedly thumbed through the corners of the bills. Was there a twenty missing? She sighed to herself, somewhere between amused and annoyed, sure that one of the kids had taken it. Just as she picked up the remaining cash to put it back in her wallet, she changed her mind. This was her anniversary and if she had to spend it by herself, she might as well spend it doing what she wanted— which included not cooking for once.

With that, it was decided. Lena ordered herself a pizza with spinach and artichokes since no one was around to whine about it. While she waited for it to arrive, she went upstairs to change into her favorite pajamas - one of Stef's old t-shirts that was just baggy enough to be cozy and a pair of gray sweats so worn that they were as soft as butter. She took off her makeup, piled her hair on top of her head, picked a book from her ever-growing To-Read pile, and headed back downstairs just as the delivery driver pulled up. Lena settled on the couch in the living room with her book, her pizza, her laptop, and a glass of wine. As she sipped and nibbled, she alternated between her book and her computer, keeping herself busy with nothing of importance — a true rarity in her chaotic life. Her phone was, of course, nearby but it remained mercifully silent. The passing of the evening showed only in the growing number of pages turned in her book and the setting sun.

Not ten minutes after Lena had laid her head back on the couch, the click of the front door pulled her from a light doze. Stef's voice floated in not long after. "Lena?"

"In here," Lena called back as she stretched to put her book on the coffee table.

When Stef rounded the corner, she was in her uniform slacks and a black V-neck undershirt. Her work braid was undone and her gold hair fell in waves around her face. It was a sight Lena had seen a million times and yet there was still a flutter deep in her chest, just like the first time they'd met. The bouquet of roses in Stef's hand just made the flutter even stronger.

"Happy anniversary, my love," Stef said, offering the flowers with a quick kiss before she settled down beside her wife.

"Happy anniversary." Grinning, Lena took the roses and buried her nose in them, humming in delight as she inhaled their sweet fragrance. "Thank you." She looked back up at Stef whose face was bright with a lopsided grin. "They're beautiful."

"Not even half as beautiful as you." Stef took Lena's face in her hands and brought her in for another slower, deeper kiss. The space between them smoldered by the end and they lingered in the embrace for a moment; Stef's thumb caressed Lena's cheek while their foreheads came to rest together.

Stef tilted her head up, leaving barely an inch between them. "Sorry about tonight."

Lena gave a tender smile. Her free hand squeezed Stef's knee. "It's okay." And it was. She'd been disappointed earlier but now that Stef was home, she was reminded of her priorities. They would have a lifetime of anniversaries to celebrate. This, the two of them together, was what mattered. Lena pressed a gentle kiss to Stef's lips to reassure her. She then took another sniff of her roses before setting them on the coffee table. "I made reservations for us this weekend." Lena refilled her wine glass as she spoke. She took a drink before handing it to her wife, who thanked her while they nestled in beside each other. Their hands found one another, fingers entwining out of habit.

"Yeah? Where?" Stef took a long drink of wine then handed the glass back to Lena.

"La Cucina." They continued to pass the wine glass back and forth in a comfortable rhythm as they continued their conversation.

"Do we have a standing reservation with them at this point?" Stef teased, dodging the swat aimed at her shoulder. La Cucina was their usual dinner date spot because it was close by, in budget but nice enough to feel romantic, and they could always get a reservation on short notice. Both women had been excited about getting to try somewhere new and swanky. And totally out of their price range.

"Do you know how hard it is to get a reservation less than 48 hours in advance?" Lena shot Stef a look, eyes narrow, mouth pursed ever so slightly. A smirk lifted the corner of Stef's mouth as she was reminded of just how cute Lena was when her feathers were ruffled. "Besides," Lena continued, "I had already made us reservations somewhere else." She was teasing, though her words were just pointed enough to make it clear that Stef wasn't allowed to complain. But any feeling of guilt Stef might have felt vanished before it could appear when her wife leaned over her lap to grab the wine glass out of Stef's free hand. Her reach across positioned her long neck right in front of Stef's mouth. The warm, sweet scent of her perfume washed over Stef, enticing her toward the exposed spot while her heart rate ticked a notch higher. Both were acutely aware of Lena's breasts brushing against Stef's arm with only a t-shirt between them. Stef wasn't sure if Lena was purposely dragging out the movement or not, but seeing as both of her own hands were occupied, she took advantage of the position using the only body part available to her. She pressed a kiss to hollow at the base of her wife's neck, making Lena's breath hitch. Stef made a slow path up the length of her neck and Lena shivered beneath her warm breath. Just as Stef was settling into the soft underside of her chin, Lena pulled away, slipping back into her seat and taking the wine glass with her.

Stef's mouth hung open for a split second before she could cover up her disappointment. On purpose, indeed. "Tease."

Lena raised her eyebrows at the accusation from over the wine glass. "How was your training?" she asked after a drink that took far too long, her tone purposefully casual.

"Fine." Stef leaned back into the couch, going along with whatever game Lena was playing. Though the steady pulse in her body was much harder to ignore than it had been a minute ago. "Typical bureaucratic crap." She peeked over at Lena whose head rested back on top of the couch, exposing that gorgeous, long neck again. Swallowing, she dragged her eyes away in an attempt to ignore it.

"What about you, love?" Stef lifted their folded hands to kiss the back of her wife's. "How was your evening?"

"It was nice, actually. Peaceful." She wore a lazy smile and hummed her appreciation.

"Enjoyed your time alone, hmm?"

Lena's eyes cracked open. "How did you know I was alone?"

Lena never missed anything. "Just a guess." Stef shrugged but her eyes slipped down to her lap while she concealed a sheepish smile.

Lena sat up, her eyes narrowing in suspicion. "Really?" she prodded, unconvinced.

Stef rolled her eyes, caught in her lie so easily. "When I found out I was working late, I texted the kids and told them to find somewhere else to be tonight."

"Oh you did, did you?"

"Mhmm."

"How presumptuous." As she took another drink of wine, Lena feigned disdain with the highest of arched brows. Only when Stef winked did her charade dissolve into a grin so goofy only Stef could have coaxed it out of her. "If only it were always so easy to get them out of the house," she said with a sigh, still grinning.

"Yeah, well, threatening them with bodily harm didn't hurt, either," Stef said with an offhanded chuckle.

Lena's smile was replaced with a scowl. "Really, Stef?"

"What?"

"Was that necessary?" Her tone was scolding but she couldn't quite keep the amusement from her eyes. She may not have been thrilled about the method but she wasn't exactly upset about having the time alone.

"Absolutely. And effective." Stef wriggled her eyebrows. "I had to make sure we had the house to ourselves."

Lena's resolve began to weaken but she wasn't quite ready to let Stef off the hook so she straightened her spine and lifted her nose up in the air. "You sure were confident about getting laid tonight after canceling on me."

Stef flashed a cocky smile. "We both know you can't resist me."

Lena's jaw dropped, incredulous. That confidence Stef exuded had always been such a turn on and she couldn't deny that she was defenseless against it. Though, she certainly didn't have to admit it. When Stef turned to face her, there was a roguish flash in her eyes that made Lena's heart beat faster. As her wife took the glass of wine, threw back the remaining dregs and set it aside with a clink, Lena knew she was in trouble.

Stef unlaced their fingers for the first time since she had come home. She took Lena's hand in both of hers, bringing it to her lips. The back, the palm, the soft inside of her wrist; Stef brushed each spot with feather light kisses. As she watched, Lena's body ached with the tenderness of each kiss. Stef moved her left hand to Lena's shoulder and dragged it up to the back of her neck. Met with no resistance, she pulled her wife closer with the gentlest urging and Lena's stomach fluttered as she leaned in, her lips slightly parted in anticipation.

"See?" The single word rushed against Lena's chin and she couldn't contain the little whimper of disappointment when Stef remained just out of reach. Stef smirked, proud as she let her gaze fluttered down from Lena's dark, desperate eyes to her mouth where her teeth now pulled at her lower lip. She glided her thumb along those oh-so-kissable lips, gently tugging the lower one free so she could claim it when she was ready. "I'm irresistible." The sultry rasp in her voice drove Lena past her breaking point.

"Shut up and kiss me, Foster," Lena demanded, but she had no intention of waiting. She grabbed Stef's shirt and pulled her in, crashing their mouths together while desire licked its way up her spine. Their kisses, sweet with wine and hot with desire, grew deeper and more urgent until they were both dizzy with want. Needing a break to catch her breath, Stef wandered down Lena's neck to the soft bit of flesh peeking out from above her neckline, trying to slow them down but it wasn't long before Lena dragged her back up, her fingers tangled in blonde hair.

"You know you still owe me dinner," Lena breathed against Stef's kiss-bruised lips, refusing to give up what little leverage she still had.

Stef's voice was rough as she panted to answer. "I thought we already had reservations."

One of Stef's strong hands gripped the delicate skin beneath Lena's shirt at the small of her back. Lena's body tingled and she leaned in harder until their bodies were pressed hard against each other. "I mean at Addison's."

"It's gonna be a while," Stef warned.

"I can wait." Lena's head tipped back, exposing the full length of her neck, which Stef took full advantage of.

"Can't I just make it up to you now?" Mischief danced in her eyes while she slipped her hands down to her wife's hips, beneath the waistband of her pajama pants.

"I guess you can give it a shot." Lena gave a blasé shrug, though the way her hand gripped Stef's thigh belied her facade.

"Yeah?" She cocked an eyebrow and then in one swift motion, pulled Lena's hips toward her, pressing her down along the length of the couch beneath her, eliciting a surprised and excited gasp. "Why don't I give it a couple?" she growled before capturing her lips once more.