A/N: Holy cow, I just realized I haven't updated this in a really *really* long time. My apologies, everyone. Thank you to everyone who's read/favourited/reviewed. I cannot thank you enough. The bunnies lately have been quite warm and fuzzy so here's another fluff-fest with an ooey gooey Jello centre (and RJ is long out of the picture). Ugh, I want to write angst again. Why can't I, why? *cough* Okay, uh, well, enjoy!
Disclaimer: I'm still stuck on a Jello dance high. So all I'm going to say is, I don't own anything and leave it at that. Oh, wait, I lied. It's True is not real. I'd be surprised if it did exist, because personally, I'd think it would be a crappy game.
Autumn Sunset
Lisbon sighed as she made her way up to the top of the staircase. Van Pelt had insisted the team come over to her new place, claiming that they didn't spend enough time together. Ten hours a day (usually more), five days a week and the occasional weekends, was apparently not enough for the red-headed agent. It wasn't that Lisbon hated the idea of bonding with the team outside of work. It was more that she found these types of social gatherings as another unnecessary occasion for her to be completely out of her element. Carrying a bottle of wine and a wheel of brie, she hesitated a moment in front of apartment 1854. The idea of turning back around and heading home was becoming more and more tempting to her with each passing second. She figured no one would even have to know…
"Lisbon!"
She groaned inwardly, watching her plans for slipping away without incident, vanishing into thin air. She turned, spotting Jane bounding towards her.
"To be honest, I didn't think you'd come."
"Some psychic you turned out to be."
He had that look in his eyes, the one he got when he was being challenged, as he flexed his fingers.
"I'm going to say that in that pretty bag of yours, you brought a bottle of your best Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, '97 or '99 and…" he paused to sniff the air, "cheese."
Her eyes narrowed at him as she resisted the urge to slap that smug smirk right of his face.
"What kind of cheese?" she challenged.
She could see the glimmer in his bright blue irises. When was she ever going to learn, never to give Patrick Jane ammunition to annoy her. Lucky for her, she was saved by the door. Standing in front of them was a giddy Van Pelt, dressed in a paisley blouse and jeans.
"I'm so glad both of you made it! You're just in time, we were about to start It's True."
Lisbon could only gape speechlessly at Van Pelt as their perky hostess whisked away the wine and cheese from her grasp.
"It's True?" Lisbon mouthed to Jane.
He simply shrugged his shoulders as he walked in to join Cho and Rigsby. Both men had already begun digging into a rather large party platter on the coffee table. Lisbon sighed. She should have escaped while she had the chance.
"Okay my turn!"
Van Pelt grabbed the die, rolling a pair of threes. She moved her token, a rabbit with a top hat, six spaces. Cho drew the card.
"Reveal something your mother would be horrified to know."
The red headed agent took a minute to think before answering.
"I got three tattoos in college," she replied.
Rigsby nearly choked on a pretzel.
"Where are they are?" asked Jane.
"You tell me," Van Pelt replied saucily.
Jane simply raised his brows and let out a whistle. Rigsby actually choked on his pretzel.
"Are you okay?"
Van Pelt looked visibly concerned as she handed him a glass of water.
"He's fine," Cho answered for a beet faced Rigsby. "Boss, you're up."
Picking up the die, he handed them over to a very reluctant Lisbon.
"How about Jane goes for me."
"Oh c'mon, where's the fun in that?" Jane smirked.
"How is sharing deep personal secrets fun?" she demanded.
"It just is," Jane paused. "I'm actually finding this game very educational."
"Of course you do."
She glared at him, her face pinched with annoyance.
"Just roll the dice. It's not going to kill you."
"Fine."
Two. Pushing what she thought was the sorriest excuse of a ferret forward a few inches, she frowned as Jane retrieved a card from the deck.
"The person reading this must describe the current player with just one word."
The room became completely still as Jane stared at Lisbon. His gaze was unnerving and after an uncomfortably long period of time, he sat back with a smile.
"Perfect."
His voice was barely audible. No one else dared to say a word. Lisbon rolled her eyes as she threw the dice at him.
"Funny," she snorted. "Your turn."
The other three agents let out a collective breath. Jane smirked as he tossed a seven.
"Oh, lucky number!" he exclaimed excitedly.
He bounced his squirrel in a Superman cape closer to the finish line. Van Pelt eagerly grabbed a card.
"Name your biggest regret..."
Her voice trailed off lamely as the smile faltered on her face. Another awkward silence befell the group, this one lasting much longer than the first.
The rest of the afternoon went by relatively hiccup-free after the board game incident had passed. In fact, Lisbon finally allowed herself to relax, enjoying the company of her colleagues more than she expected to. Rigsby had even managed to put together a few coherent sentences together when talking to Van Pelt and the pair looked rather comfortable with each other. Lisbon felt a tiny grin tug at her lips. They were a good match. She couldn't deny it, though she would keep a close eye on the couple. Cho was animated as well, surprising everyone when he did a very admirable impression of Elvis. And Jane was, well, Jane. He had handled himself as he always did, with a smile on his face and a witty remark ready at hand. During the course of the evening, he had brushed off Van Pelt's numerous attempts at an apology. But Lisbon did notice, he was a tad withdrawn, more so than usual and not at all up to his normal happy go-lucky self. He spent most of the evening glued to her side, finding any excuse to touch her whenever he could, a hand on her knee, an arm around her shoulders. His fingers brushed hers when he helped her open the bottle of wine. And if she was perfectly honest with herself, she didn't mind the close contact, which had to be the most startling realization of all. After a rousing round of charades, where the ladies pummelled the boys, Lisbon reluctantly stood up.
"As much as I'd love to watch you guys humiliate yourselves, I have to call it a night."
"Me too," added Jane.
"But it's only eight."
Van Pelt looked utterly crushed. Truth was, despite her prior reservations, Lisbon didn't want to leave.
"We've got a meeting with the AAG tomorrow morning," she explained.
"Is that a euphemism for something?" Cho deadpanned.
Jane simply smirked at the amused look on Lisbon's face.
"I hope that's the wine talking or you'll be stuck on stakeout for the next month," she threatened over her shoulder, before turning back to Van Pelt. "Thanks for inviting us over."
"Yes, thank you," added Jane. "I really had a great time."
Van Pelt's face brightened at Jane's compliment.
"Good, I'm glad. And I'm really sorry about..." she paused and recovered with a smile. "I'm glad you had a great time."
Jane beamed.
"We should do this again, perhaps BBQ and Twister at my place?"
"Count me in."
"I think I've reached my quota of embarrassment for a while," Lisbon replied dryly.
"Don't mind Miss Party Pooper over here, it's just way past her curfew," Jane quipped, ignoring the hairy eyeball being shot his way by the woman beside him. "Have a good night, Grace. See you later, boys!"
The pair left the apartment complex after a chorus of goodbyes. As they walked side by side, Lisbon didn't even try to distance herself from Jane who was purposely rubbing his arm against hers as they walked. The chilly fall air hit her immediately, as she tugged the leather jacket she was sporting closer to her body for warmth. She was half way down the front steps when she realized Jane was no longer beside her. Without needing to turn around, she could already feel his unsettling gaze on her.
"What?" she demanded.
"Your hair is extra shiny and glittery under the sun. It's nice."
"Thanks," she said slowly. "I think."
"You're welcome."
He skipped down the stairs until he was standing next to her.
"I'm not perfect, you know," she found herself admitting.
He cast a sideways glance at her and smiled.
"Nobody's perfect."
Eying him from beneath her lashes, she frowned as he continued to watch her intently.
"Stop doing that."
"Stop doing what?" he questioned innocently.
She glared at him but said nothing more as she turned her attention beyond the darkening horizon.
"We should go," she said finally.
"We should," he agreed.
"Long night going over case files."
"Yes, long night."
"I hate Mondays."
"Hmm."
The pair remained where they were, content in the stillness, watching the sun dip further behind the tall buildings of the city skyline.
"You're pretty damn close."
He didn't startle her, but his voice sent a current tingling down her spine. Against her better judgement, she turned to face him and found herself taken in by cornflower blue.
"Are you drunk off of one glass of wine?" she asked, adding a playful slap on his shoulder to hide the nervousness that crept into her voice.
He chuckled and shook his head.
"No, earlier, you said that you weren't perfect," he paused and leaned in towards her. "You're pretty damn close."
A warm blush coloured her cheeks, thankfully hidden by the dim light of dusk. Her vocal chords had decided on the last second to fail her when she tried to speak.
"We should go," he whispered, repeating her earlier comment.
Numbly, she accepted his outstretched hand and they descended the rest of the steps. His touch lingered against her skin a heartbeat longer than necessary before he released her and headed towards his vehicle.
"Jane."
He turned around, brilliant smile in place. She couldn't remember the last time anyone had ever smiled like that at her. And before she knew what she as doing, her lips were on his. Secretly, she had fantasized about a moment like this for quite some time now. It wasn't what she had imagined it to be. A whispery touch. Over before neither was sure it had actually happened. He rested his forehead against hers, his eyes still closed. She could feel his warm breath fighting with the brisk autumn breeze against her cheek.
"I'm not perfect."
His voice was firm, earnest. Reaching up, Lisbon cupped his face with both her hands. He opened his eyes and she stared longingly at him. Blue and green, set against a breath taking deep magenta backdrop.
"You're my kind of perfect."
Fin for now, Jello forever