As Simple As This

He had gotten his first pair of glasses when he was twelve. They were cheap, but they had helped him see the whiteboard without having to sit in the front row of the classroom and get a headache from trying to read the words written there. They had lasted a week before another boy in the foster home had stolen them and snapped them in half. Jacob had simply learned to do without until Bud had picked him up in New York.

That was how he managed to walk out of a room and simply forget them every once and awhile. He had been getting ready for a date night that had been put off three times already because of Liz's work emergencies, and even an elementary school teacher could have enough of that. He had booked them a reservation at a nice restaurant and had told her he wasn't taking no for an answer. Of course, it had been his meeting that had run late - all because a mother that hadn't bothered to pay attention to her child's study habits had decided that it was his teacher's fault when the report card came in - and left him scurrying as soon as he got home. He might be able to make it down the stairs without his glasses, but driving would be an entirely different matter. "Babe, have you seen where I put my glasses?"

"Say what?" Liz's voice drifted in from the bedroom.

"My glasses," he called back, tugging his sports coat on and crossing into their room. He stopped in the doorway and squinted at her.

Liz was sitting on her side of the bed, already dressed and ready to go, but as best as he could tell her lips were twitching up at the corners, like she was desperately trying to avoid the grin that threatened. On her nose sat his glasses. Finally the grin won out and she laughed. "So, is this what the world looks like when you aren't wearing them? How do you walk around like that?"

"Well, it's easier in smaller spaces," he chuckled and held his hand out for them, but apparently his wife was in a teasing mood.

"I don't know. I kind of like them. Maybe I'll just keep them."

Tom flashed a smile of his own. "You're going to make us late for dinner."

"Mm. Pretty sure that's your fault this time, babe," she answered and stood, moving to the mirror.

He followed, wrapping his arms around her from behind. "They look good on you."

"How can you tell?"

He rolled his eyes dramatically. "I'm not that blind."

His wife grinned and turned in his arms, tipping up on her toes to press a kiss. His glasses on her nose knocked into him and they both laughed, Liz plucking them off and placing them where they belonged. "Definitely better," she said and kissed his lips. "You finally ready?"

"You're not going to let me live this down, are you?"

"Nope. You driving?"

"Probably a good idea since you don't know where we're going."

"I'm so tired of secrets by the end of the work day," she sighed and he kissed her forehead.

"This one you'll like. Promise."

"Not that you could keep it from me anyway," she teased as they started down the stairs.

A smile tugged his lips and as he followed her down he couldn't help but acknowledge how unbelievably lucky he was. He loved this woman more than he would have ever thought possible.

"Tom? I know I've been joking, but if we don't go we really will be late," she called from the foot of the stairs.

"Coming," he said after a moment, shaking himself free of his thoughts. He hit the bottom stair and took her hand in his, raising it to his lips and pressing a kiss to it. "You look gorgeous. Love you."

Liz gave a short laugh. "Love you too. You really need this, don't you?"

It was everything he could do to keep his cover some days. Liz came home bruised and beaten from her job and there wasn't a thing he could do about it. He rarely saw her, with Reddington trying to put a wedge between them and often succeeding. Tonight was going to be different though. Tonight it was just them. Covers didn't matter and Reddington had no place there. "You have no idea."

She grinned and kissed his cheek, obviously enjoying it just as much as he was. "Then let's go."

He followed her out the door and down the steps towards the car. Just a few years ago he never would have imagined that he would want something as simple as this. He could have been anyone, but only Tom Keen had Elizabeth Keen at his side, and he wouldn't give her up for the world.

Notes: I opened up a document to write a emotional roller coaster piece for Jacob and this came up instead. There was this lovely interview I read once where JB and Ryan were talking about that Tom's glasses had to be real, because what person has not tried on their SO's glasses before :P

I love their romance when they're cute and flirty and so very domestic. Well, to be honest, I love their romance at pretty much any point that's not chained to the bottom of a boat, but hey. They got me in that first scene together and I haven't let go of the ship since.