Chapter 5: Pete

Pete thinks about it a lot, how HG and Myka would start dating. Or, not so much dating as doin' each other. He knows Mykes well enough to know when she has a crush, and he knows HG has never looked at him the way she looks at Myka, even when she was flirting with him.

There'd be a case, out of town. Pete would have originally have been supposed to accompany Myka as her husband, but something in the Warehouse probably went funky and HG would have had to take his place. She'd get a kick, he knows, out of correcting everyone who thought she was a man because of the name 'Pete Johnson' on all the booking forms, going by Peta for the week. She'd slip an arm around Myka when introducing her as her wife, she'd lead her into rooms with her hand on the small of her back. Myka would smile and look lovingly at HG every time their eyes caught, she would lean into every touch and cradle HG's face to remove a loose eyelash from her cheek, eyes caught in HG's until their tour guide coughed uncomfortably.

They might even get caught in an area they weren't supposed to be in and, rather than blow their cover, Myka would kiss HG furiously with all the pent-up passion she held for her fellow agent. And HG would play along, grabbing handfuls of hair and arse desperately until someone coughed and asked them to take it elsewhere, not bothering to question what they were doing in a restricted area because it was so obvious, HG's hands caught in Myka's shirt, HG's pants unbuttoned.

They wouldn't talk about it.

Then, when they got back to the hotel room, exhausted after chasing down suspects (HG might have to have fallen into some water, wet clothes clinging to her, Myka averting her eyes from HG's now see-through shirt) they'd both eye the bed warily, too tired to protest or feign that someone should take the couch. One of them, probably Myka would say "It'll be fine; we're both girls," as though that was any sort of justification for two grown agents to sleep in the same bed. HG's face would tighten and she would close the bathroom door a little too loudly on her way to the shower.

When HG came back, Myka would have been in the middle of getting dressed. Myka would turn and HG would blush furiously and suggest that she should, after all, sleep on the couch. Myka would blush too, finally realising that her suspicions were right and that HG was flustered by the suggestion of Myka's nudity, by the suggestion of intimacy with Myka. Myka'd still blow off the suggestion with a wave of her hand and start plaiting her hair while HG, clad only in a towel, dug through her bag for something to sleep in.

HG wouldn't bother to go back to the bathroom to change, or try to slip her clothes on under the towel. She'd drop the towel completely, facing slightly away from Myka and tug on some flannel pants. She'd turn; catch Myka staring as she shrugged her pyjama jacket over her shoulder, pulled the edges together and covered her breasts with two flimsy buttons. HG would smile to herself as she turned away to pull her socks on.

They'd get into their own sides of the bed with a book each; HG would give a snort of derision at Myka's Verne and Myka would roll her eyes at HG's Freud.

Myka would give in first, turn off the lamp next to her side of the bed, say a quiet goodnight and roll on her side, away from HG. HG would read a little while longer, glancing over at Myka, able to tell she wasn't asleep yet. She'd give in, put her book down too, turn off her own lamp and lie on her back, hand clenching her locket.

"Goodnight, darling," she'd barely whisper, and Myka wouldn't be able to tell if she was talking to her or Christine.

Myka would remember that kiss earlier in the day and shift uncomfortably, wishing for a little privacy.

Myka's always been a snuggler; Pete knows because of that one time they were under the influence and bronzed Jinks that they don't talk about. It also means he knows what she looks like naked, which makes the rest of this so much easier for him to imagine.

Myka would roll over in the night, fling an arm over HG and hold her tight. HG, not fully asleep, would turn to face Myka, to watch her face in the dim light filtering in through the thin curtain. Myka would awaken under her gaze, eyes flickering to HG's mouth. She would be the one to lean in because HG knows she doesn't deserve the absolution this would bring to her. The kiss would be different to the one they shared earlier that day; that was frantic and for the job. This would be quiet and still and tentative and Myka would sigh a breath of relief when she pulled away.

"I thought I had it all wrong," she would say, scanning HG's eyes. Then HG, slightly stunned and marvellously dishevelled, would lean in to correct her. Then she'd pull back in disbelief that Myka was letting her kiss her, run her fingers over Myka's face. Myka's arm would tighten around HG, moulding their bodies together and giving HG the sense of forgiveness she'd been seeking for years.

HG's done this before, so she would take the lead, unbutton those two flimsy buttons and guide Myka's hand to her chest. Myka hasn't done this before so she would gasp when she finally has a soft bare breast beneath her fingers. Then HG would relinquish all control, watching Myka behind dark eyelashes.

"Change the rules," Myka would mumble between kisses, because she's certain that HG likes being in charge, especially in bed, but she's following Myka's lead because she knows Myka is new to this and she knows the way Myka likes to experience new things. She's being considerate and deferring to the senior agent. There's something else though, something Myka picks up on that makes her think that HG believes she doesn't deserve this. Myka would pull her own singlet off and HG would tentatively reach for her. HG is free of her usual bravado, she's open and honest and Myka is soft, tender and forgiving.

Pete usually doesn't make it past this part, but he makes sure that HG always gets assigned out-of-town cases with Myka when he can manage it.

They're on a case in Italy, HG showing off her perfect pronunciation of the language in that irritating way she does (which is why Pete kind of doesn't mind that Myka claimed HG; the woman would be impossible for him to live with). HG is too busy conveying the information she just received to notice the shift in the terrain but the moment she stumbles Myka steps in and steadies her. HG gives her a thankful smile and keeps talking, but Pete notices that Myka doesn't drop her arm from around HG's waist and HG doesn't move away or dislodge Myka's arm.

There's a mistake at the hotel; only two rooms are booked and Pete takes the key to one room with a grin, walking away from the staccato complaints behind him. They'll be thanking him some day. Hopefully tomorrow morning.

Author's note: was trying not to be too skeezy.

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