Title: Shutter

Rating: K

Author: Desi

Summary: "Even when her lover's blue eyes were closed, Gabriela could see herself see the way Leslie saw her." Shawson AU one-shot, inspired by a black-and-white photograph of Monica Raymund, taken by Lauren German (shown to the left).

The click of Leslie's camera was the first thing that roused her from her deep sleep. Shifting languidly in bed, Gabriela groaned sleepily. A white sheet just barely covered her naked breasts and she was sure her hair was unruly. The entire length of her left leg was exposed up to the curve of her ass.

"Leslie." The exhausted Latina tried her hardest to sound put out, but it just didn't.

The slightest whisper of a chuckle was her response, followed by another shuttered click.

"Yes?"

"Stop that."

Another shutter.

"Stop what?"

"I'm not an exhibit, Shay."

"But you are art."

A sleepy chuckle from her girlfriend. "Aren't you a smooth talker today. What's the occasion?"

Shay finally ceased, lowering her hands to her lap, camera in tow. "I need a reason to compliment you?"

Rolling over, Gabriela rubbed her sleepy eyes before looking at her girlfriend and smiling. "Of course not."

Her blonde lover smiled and lay back down, snuggling into the Latina. Raising her arms, she brought the camera up and playfully demanded of Gabriela Dawson to "smile like you love me". And she did.

"Mm." Gabby pulled Leslie's hair to the side and nuzzled her nose into her neck. "I do love you."

"You better. Not every gets a ride on the Leslie train."

Dawson's laughter rang out in the loft. "Someone's cocky."

"Reassured, is more like it." Turning her head slightly, Shay waggled her eyebrows.

"Yeah?" Dawson shifted her leg to straddle Shay, the white sheet falling down her back, just barely covering her ass. "I think I need a little reassurance."

"Oh yeah?"

"Mhm." Dawson confirmed, and dissolved into a fit of giggles as Leslie flipped them over.

"I've got your reassurance, woman."

Molly's, Chicago, Friday, 9:56PM

"Look at you two." Hermann observed. "You can't keep your hands off of each other."

Shay looked at her best friend, Severide and his new girlfriend. Hopefully this one stuck. She liked Erin. "Yeah, I don't know where Kelly starts and Erin ends."

"Isn't that the pot calling the kettle clingy?" Severide joked, nodding his head at Gabriela and Leslie. Shay was sitting in a tall, high backed wooden chair, a beer in one hand. And Dawson half-sat, half-stood against her, the Latina's back to her front.

Gasping theatrically, Leslie put a hand over her heart. "Clingy? Me?" She kissed Dawson's cheek and pouted, childishly. "I'm not clingy, right, babe?"

"Aww." Dawson patted her cheek, condescendingly. "A little."

The table shared a laugh at Shay's expense.

"Okay, you know what, I'm going to get another beer. Laugh it up." Shay chuckled, excusing herself. "Anybody want anything?"

"Another scotch." Hermann replied.

"And another beer for me." Erin added.

The laughter and chatter enveloped Gabriela like a warm embrace. This was her life. And she loved it. But even in the small moments when Leslie wasn't close to her, physically, she felt as if she wasn't whole.

And then she heard a shuttered click. And then another. Looking over, Gabriela spotted Leslie, a Nikon camera up to her right eye, snapping photographs. Gabriela smiled. It was Leslie's passion. Something she was amazing at. Everyone could partake. And Leslie... well, she simply enjoyed being able to keep these memories at a standstill in frames.

For the next three hours, Shay took a few photos every now and then as she and her friends had the time of their lives. Eventually, though, the physical fun would end. They paid their tabs, leaving a healthy tip for their fellow firefighter and friend, Otis, and headed out of the bar.

They wrapped their coats around them to ward off the harsh, Chicago winter and started to go separate ways. Walking down the street towards Dawson's car, Leslie stopped Gabriela in her tracks.

"Wait, that's the perfect spot."

Gabby turned to her partner and girlfriend and watched as she pulled the Nikon up to her eye-level.

"Aw, come on, Les. It's cold."

"One shot."

The Latina gestured for Shay to get on with it. Looking directly at the camera, she neither smiled, not frowned. She remained, what Shay deemed, as 'first face', or expressionless, with her hands in the low pockets of her coat. Leslie took the shot and as Dawson turned to start walking away, she stole another one.

"You're perfect."

"Oh, hush." Dawson smiled. She looped her arm into Leslie and stuffed her hands back in her pockets. "Let's take a hot bath when we get home."

Half-joking, Leslie started to power walk, pulling a laughing Gabriela with her.

After their hot bubble bath with scented soothing oils, Dawson retired to bed, but Leslie stayed up, heading to the comfort of her 'bat cave', as her girlfriend called it. The walk-in closet of the guest bedroom, had been turned into a dark room of sorts for her photography development.

She was careful, as always, to take her time with the film.

Flashback

"Why do you like film over digital?" Gabriela asked, hopping up onto a spare counter in the dark room. She was eating a bag of white cheddar popcorn and childishly swinging her legs. Leslie grinned at her, pushing off of the table she was on to stand between her girlfriend's legs.

"Film is patient." Leslie replied, her thumbs stroking the jean-clad inner thighs. "And I have a greater appreciation for things that make me take my time."

The bag of popcorn lowered and Dawson's chewing slowed to a stop before she swallowed harshly.

"Do you want me to kiss you right now?" Shay asked, her hands moving further up Dawson's thighs.

Gabriela nodded.

"Patience." Leslie replied, turning away and headed back to the table of chemicals.

End of flashback

Shay smiled at the memory, using her printing tongs to lift a photo from its previously wet home. She hung it on a drying line. Repeating this process a few times, until every photograph from her latest film batch was finished, Shay sat on the burgundy settee in the corner to rest before she was to safely condense her darkroom chemicals.

After the fourth time Shay had fallen asleep in a chair, and later complained about her aching back, Gabriela had demanded that she put the small chaise lounge in the room for her late nights.

Sighing, the blonde stood back up and started the long cleanup process.

Taking the photographs with her to study which ones should be reprinted and redeveloped, she retired to the living room, so as not to disturb her sleeping brunette.

Upon waking, the first thing Gabriela noticed was the lack of a warm body beside her own. The room, a bit chilly, seemed almost empty, even with their overwhelming collection of clothes, furniture and other knickknacks.

The darkroom, thought Gabriela. She pushed their heavy winter blanket off of herself and her skin immediately chilled with goosebumps, despite the heat on full-blast. She yawned, stretched and then slipped out of bed. Pulling her honey-highlighted hair into a bun, the first thing Dawson did was head for the bathroom to pee, brush her teeth and wash her face.

Eventually, she made her way down the corridor towards the guest room. She deduced that Leslie wasn't there, so the Latina made her way towards the living room. And there she saw, her lover, sprawled out on the couch. Photographs were spread out on the coffee table; some in color, whilst most were black and white.

Walking closer, Gabby stood over Shay and gently lifted the two photograph that were on her chest. One was bright and vibrant in color, showcasing tanned skin, white sheets, beautifully sunlit hair. It was the portrait that Shay took while Gabriela was sleeping. She slipped that image behind the other and was shocked at the contrast in color and style. While dark in color, it seemed to somehow hold a lot more depth than the first.

It was the one the sleeping blonde had taken outside of Molly's, Gabby's head up, but looking away with her hands in her pockets. At first glance, she looked melancholy, but with a closer observation, she could tell she was deep in thought in that moment. Undoubtedly, thinking about Leslie.

But more-so, Gabriela looked beautiful with the dark light around her. Peaceful. She stood out. And it hit Dawson that Leslie took these photos for a reason. So that even when her lover's blue eyes were closed, Gabriela could see herself the way Leslie saw her.

Every day.

Fin.