Chapter Text
By the time she’s finally got Michael to sleep, JJ finds Emily curled up in their bed, a battered paperback clutched in her hands and horn-rimmed glasses perched on her nose. In the faint light from the bedside table lamp, the places where her dark hair are shot through with silver are glowing, and JJ finds herself pausing in the doorway to admire the tableau. It’s still fairly new to her, though in many ways it isn’t. Best part of twenty years of her life have been spent watching Emily from across a room, and yet, it still has the ability to take her breath away.
Pulling her hair up into a messy bun to sleep in, JJ starts her night routine, positioning herself in front of the mirror to watch Emily out of the corner of her eye as she does so. She’s fully ensconced in her book, her eyes barely leaving the page in front of her. A more insecure, younger JJ might have felt a little indignant at that, the fact Emily has barely paid her mind since she walked back into the room, but after all they’ve done to get to this place in their lives, JJ finds she doesn’t mind. She doesn’t need a constant reminder that Emily is hers; it’s apparent in all the things they do for each other. Even now, she sees it in the glass of water placed on JJ’s end table, the little strip of aspirin next to it. The wildflowers on the window sill, which Emily brought home after being called out on a case in the middle of their last date night. Even the t-shirt Emily is currently wearing to bed, which is an old one of JJ’s.
Besides, Emily does close the book when JJ sinks into the bed, next to her. Her finger is between the pages, making it clear she isn’t quite done, but JJ has her full attention as she leans across to press a gentle kiss against her lips. She tastes like toothpaste - the same toothpaste that JJ herself uses, the same brand the kids use. The domesticity of it all is, sometimes, overwhelming.
“How’s he doing?” Emily says, opening her book up again, placing her palm over the page. She’s still holding JJ’s gaze, but it’s clear from her face that she wants to go back to reading. It’s cute, that schoolgirl type innocence and excitement worn on the face of a woman who sees some of the worst things the world has to offer.
It’s cuter, still, that the book she’s reading is for the virtual book club she, Derek and Penelope have started. That the anxiousness to get it read is in part out of excitement for getting to talk to her closest friends about it.
“He’s fine. Still a little hot, but his temp’s below 100. I think sleep will do him a world of good.”
Emily grimaces, “mmm… poor kid. Do you think he’ll go to school tomorrow?”
“Doubt it. I’ll have to see if Will can pick him up from here in the morning.”
Emily nods, thoughtfully, “if only your boss was willing to accommodate you spending the day here with him if Will can’t.”
“Oh really? And what would she want in return for such generosity?” JJ asks, a slow smile spreading across her face.
Pretending to think about it, Emily eventually shrugs, a sly look in her dark eyes, and returns her attention to her book, “I’m sure we can figure something out.”
Chuckling, JJ leans in to press her lips against Emily’s, smiling against her mouth, before resting her head gently on her shoulder, content to lie there whilst Emily turns the page.