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[veeluvss]

Gentle night

jj x elle on halloween night

sort of set after revelations

1.5k words

Elle smiled at the smell of freshly baked pumpkin pie as she came into the house. She loved having her girlfriend living with her. JJ moved in almost instantly as she’d come from an abusive relationship and needed a fresh start, Elle didn’t mind having her. It made her home feel less lonely. 

JJ still worked at the BAU as a media liaison but Elle had left and moved on to work as a criminal lawyer - well, training for one. After everything that happened, she needed to know that innocent women who were hurt and treated unfairly get some justice and closure. As much as she didn’t want anything to do with the BAU for the way they treated her, she needed her JJ. No matter what, she’d never, ever leave her JJ. 

“Something smells so delicious,” Elle said entering the kitchen. “Oh god! Elle you scared me,” JJ screeched, jumping back. Elle laughed slightly and wrapped her arms around JJ. “Boo,” she whispered in her ear. JJ smiled slightly and wrapped her arms around Elle and kissed her cheek. Elle could feel JJ’s hammering heart beat against her chest and grew worried slightly - she really had scared her. “I missed you, how was your exam?” “It was good, yeah. I think I passed. How was your case?” Elle smiled and made herself a coffee. JJ brushed off talking about the case, it was one of the hardest she’d ever faced and did not want to talk about it. “That’s good. Case was fine. I was thinking maybe tonight, we could have a bath or something then watch a movie with some snacks. I made pumpkin pie which is what you could smell. But we can go to the store and pick up other snacks if you don’t want the pie - we don’t even need to have a bath together, I can leave you alone in there. I know-” Elle cut of JJ’s rambles with a soft kiss. She cupped JJ’s cheeks. “Sweetheart, you are the most cutest ever,” she mumbled, causing JJ to blush. “I’d love to have a bath with you and watch movies with you and eat your amazing pumpkin pie.” JJ’s eyes lit up as she raises her head. “You do?” “I do baby. Are you ready now? I think I need a good soak after today.”

They ended up in the bath, JJ between Elle’s legs and soft music playing. Elle ran her fingers through JJ’s hair as they spoke about their day, their weeks to come and general things. JJ felt so comforted in Elle’s arms. Elle was proving to her what love was. After everything she’d been through in her last relationships, she struggled a lot at first. There was lots of tears, panic attacks and general fear around getting with Elle - being with Elle. Being with anyone again terrified JJ. But Elle was patient, so patient and loving and calm with all of it. JJ felt so lucky in that sense. There was a lot of turmoil around the relationship when Elle left the BAU - she went through a lot of pain but JJ was there for her the way Elle was constantly there for her. It was a constant love cycle, reciprocated and shared between them both and JJ had never felt so secure in a relationship. Yet, she couldn’t open up about what she saw, how she felt - about how horrified she was.

“What are you thinking about my love?” Elle asked, running her knuckles gently down JJ’s cheek. JJ leaned to the side and looked up at Elle. “Just about how much I love you.” Elle smiled and held JJ closer to her. “Tell me baby, tell me how much you love me-” JJ giggled. Elle loved hearing it all. “I love the way you just make me feel so safe,” JJ sighed. “I never would have felt safe enough to sit in a bath, in dim lighting, naked with someone else - not before I met you.” “You’re always so safe with me,” Elle replied, kissing JJ’s temple. “I love how you’re so considerate of my feelings, so gentle with me.” “So gentle because you’re my little muffin,” Elle giggled. JJ blushed and agreed. She loved being protected by Elle. “I love how you’re so calm, even when I annoy you,” she giggled a little and Elle laughed. “Yeah, because you’re so annoying,” she teased. “Peanut you’ve never annoyed me, not once. I’ll always be calm with you.” “I just love you, Elle,” JJ sighed. Elle smiled and grabbed her girl’s chin, lifting up to kiss her. It was a slow, soft kiss and JJ just melted into her girlfriends arms even more. 

They were curled in each other’s arms, watching the old style halloween movies. JJ felt tired, her head on Elle’s chest and her Elle’s fingers in her hair. Elle loved running her fingers through her blonde hair. “You can sleep sweetie,” Elle whispered. “No because I want to watch the film,” JJ replied. She also didn’t want to have nightmares. She hadn’t slept properly since the case. Elle nodded and knew JJ would be asleep any minute. Elle respected her girlfriend more than anyone. She understood how unbelievably strong she was, after everything she’d been through and she was still as pure and sweet as sugar. “I love you baby,” Elle whispered. “I love you baby,” JJ replied, snuggling in further. 

Elle held her girlfriend tightly as JJ let out soft snores and little whimpers in her sleep. She played more and more halloween films, letting the night run away from her. 

However, a knock at the door made Elle curse - she hadn’t prepared for any trick or treaters. She slid out from under JJ and grabbed the box of snacks, JJ’s snacks, from the kitchen and ran to the door. However, she didn’t see little ones in costumes, instead, there was Emily Prentiss. Elle didn’t recognise her, and she grew confused. 

“Hi, you must be Elle. Is JJ here?” Emily asked holding out a hand. “She’s just asleep - sorry- who are you?” “Oh, I’m sorry. I’m Emily Prentiss, I work with JJ.” Elle smirked and crossed her arms, having put the snack box down. “My replacement, huh.” “Well, not exa-” “I’m just teasing. Why do you need JJ? Is everything okay? You guys just got back she can’t go again yet,” Elle said but knew it was quite possible. “Oh no, Hotch gave us some time off after the difficult case. I just came to check up on her, she wasn’t answering her messages that’s all.” Elle grew confused, “difficult case?” “She didn’t tell you?” “No,” Elle sighed and looked over at the sofa where JJ was fast asleep. “Come in, it’s cold out there.” 

She guided Emily to the kitchen, offered her pumpkin pie and a coffee which she gratefully took. “She told me the case was fine, what happened?” Elle probed. “I don’t want to overstep if  she doesn’t want to talk about it-” Emily said. “No, you’re not. You’re talking about it, not her. She’s flat out anyway-” Emily went on to explain the case, how Spencer was kidnapped, how her and Hotch found JJ in the barn around the mutilated bodies and dead dogs. Elle gasped, not even able to imagine the pain JJ is going through in her head. “She didn’t even mention it once?” Emily asked, shocked. “No- she didn’t. We’ve just had a chill night,” Elle sighed. She was annoyed she didn’t pick up on it but then again, knew that with her past, JJ knew how to hide her pain well. 

“Emily?” they heard JJ say in shock. “Oh hey JJ!” Emily replied, turning in her chair. JJ had very clearly just woken up, she was confused and dazed. “What are you doing here?” JJ asked, she walked around the island and into Elle’s open arms. “I came to check up on you - after the case,” “The case was fine, you don’t need to be here,” JJ said, turning away. “JJ,” Elle warned. “It’s okay to be affected by a case. We’re all here for you-” “No! It’s fine. I don’t want to talk about it. Emily you can leave, I’m going to bed.” JJ turned away and ran up the stairs, away from the two brunettes watching her worried. 

“I’ll go talk to her once you’ve gone,” Elle sighed. “I’ll go. I’m sorry if I overstepped,” Emily replied. She got up and Elle walked her to the door. “No, thank you for coming Emily - I appreciate it. JJ never would have expressed her upset if I didn’t know. Come again soon.” 

Elle headed up the stairs to hear JJ crying into her pillow. She didn’t say anything, just slid in behind her girlfriend and pulled her into her arms. “I’ve got you sweetheart,” Elle whispered. JJ rolled over and hid in her chest. “You’re safe now. So, so safe.” Elle held her tighter. 

JJ fell asleep in Elle’s arms, feeling safer. It was a different type of safe, now Elle knew. It was like she really was protecting her from the scary dogs. 

“I love you peanut,” Elle said gently into JJ’s soft snores. “So much.”

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finally got a new fic idea,,, watch this space

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Oh my god! We’re gonna have a girl’s night out!

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”we need more complex female characters”

yall couldn’t even handle HER.

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your camera roll if you were dating van palmer ⋆⭒˚.⋆ (the cute ver. not the accurate diabolical ver. it would rlly be)

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me as a writer

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Same pic

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In this together

CJ RETURNS with his heartbreaking fic on the aftermath of Will’s death, her fathers death.

JJ x Autistic!daughter

2.8k words

CJ woke up that morning to the sound of sirens outside her window. Immediately, she sat up and rushed downstairs, all her fears coming true in one day time nightmare. She arrived downstairs just in time to see her father’s body being carried away on a stretcher. She stood motionless, watching her mother talk to the paramedics, watching the paramedics haul him into the back of the ambulance. She caught her mother’s teary eye as she turned to her. What was going on?

CJ sat in the hospital waiting room. The drip drip drip of the broken water fountain played over in her ears, over the noise of the sirens leaving her house only hours before. The sound of crying babies, ones in pain or worry; CJ couldn’t cry. She sat alone in the corner of the room, watching the injured, heartbroken, lost people fade in and out of the waiting room. Her chest hurt immensely. She gripped her pyjama t-shirt with one hand while the other lay flat on her leg. She was frozen in time.

One by one, the team arrived, Rebecca and Tara first, but CJ didn’t know Rebecca. She didn’t even look up at the two women. They tried to talk to her, but CJ stared straight ahead, watching the white swinging doors, waiting for her mother’s return. More BAU team members arrived. Penelope came rushing straight over to CJ. She bent down in front of the girl, tried to grab her hand, which clutched her t-shirt so tight her knuckles were white, and even waved a hand in front of her face. But CJ’s eyes were fixed on the doors. Even as Tara stood in front of them, she looked through Tara like she was made of glass. It spooked the team. No one knew what to do. Finally, Emily and Rossi arrived together. Emily noticed the team stood around first, but saw Garcia staring over at the timid teenager in the corner.

“She saw it?”

“JJ said she came down as the ambulance was taking him. She didn’t see him collapse,” Tara said, standing by Emily. All three BAU ladies watched the poor girl, frozen from fear, staring at the doors. Then they moved. JJ emerged, horrified. Her eyes were wide, open from the shock of the news. She took in the sight before her: her team, her friends, her daughter.

Speaking felt like vomiting concrete as she said the words she never wanted to say as a wife. “He’s gone,” JJ said. CJ didn’t react. “Will’s dead.” The team were all shocked, heartbroken for their lost friend and their grieving friend. CJ sat, staring at her mom, when her head began to shake; her whole body began to shake with fear of the unknown. She’d never known anyone to die before, no one she was close to and now her own father – she didn’t know what to do. The walls were closing in on her. She pulled her knees to her chest. Her breathing became ragged, and broken breaths escaped her small frame. Suddenly, she wasn’t in the waiting room anymore, she was in hell.

A few days later, the house was full. Connie, the boys, and her mom. It was everyone, and she hated it. Usually, it was just her at home during the day, her and her dad. Mom worked all the time, the boys went to school - it was a routine, a cycle that was broken, and CJ hated it. Now, everyone was in her house and invading her space and her time, and she couldn’t get her school work done like she was supposed to. It was a Wednesday today, which was cereal day oh, and funeral day. She headed downstairs after getting dressed and paused at the bottom. The boys were lying on the sofa, cuddled under a blanket. Henry held onto Michael like his life depended on it. They were both asleep. She could hear noises in the kitchen, so she headed through to see her grandma and mom making breakfast, talking between them. CJ paused. This was all wrong. She felt bile rise up in her throat, but swallowed it down. She felt the stab in her stomach and clutched her t-shirt. Looking at the menu on the wall, it was cereal day. Not whatever her grandma was making.

CJ took a deep breath and walked into the kitchen, announcing herself with a cough. She was independent, she could make her own cereal.

“Good morning, sweetheart,” JJ whispered, wrapping her arms tightly around CJ’s shoulders. CJ froze, like she did every time her mom hugged her like that. It wasn’t her favourite hug position, but it was good enough. CJ hadn’t hugged anyone properly since her dad died. She couldn’t face the feelings it brought up, she didn’t understand them. But everyone around her was hugging. Either one another, a group hug, a long hug, a deep hug, it was everywhere, and CJ didn’t like it. She stood waiting for her mom to let go, but she didn’t. CJ eventually wiggled, her sign that the hug was over, and JJ let go immediately, but landed a kiss on the side of her head first. CJ reached for a cereal bowl, her favourite bowl, but paused when it wasn’t there. She specifically remembered putting it back in its place the night before. She quickly surveyed the kitchen and saw the bowl with a bunch of fruit sitting on the table. She glared at her grandma, it was her fault- she did that. CJ strode over to the bowl, picked it up and emptied the bowl of fruit onto the table before taking it over to the sink to wash it so she could have her cereal.

“Young lady!” Connie said loudly.

“Connie, shush, the boys are asleep,” JJ said suddenly, not noticing what her daughter had done. When she assessed the situation and the look of horror on her mother-in-law’s face, she knew she had to act.

“Cee, baby, what did you do that for?” CJ only presented the bowl to her mom, explaining in her own way how it was being used.

“You could have asked, CJ. I know it's your bowl, but you need to speak to us, okay?” JJ said, sighing heavily. The last thing she needed was her daughter going non-verbal and lashing out, but she also knew that these feelings and this trauma were horrid for all her kids, not just CJ. Her boys could process it in their own way, as could CJ, but she knew it’d be harder for her. She just had to try her best. CJ looked at her mom blankly but nodded. She was trying.

“Her bowl? What does that mean? It belongs to the house. Did she pay for it?” Connie asked. JJ sighed again.

“No, Connie, it’s just the bowl she uses every day and prefers to use over the others - that’s all,” JJ explained. Herself and Will had tried explaining CJ’s autism to Connie many a time for her to never get it, over and over, ask questions, be disrespectful and diminish CJ’s feelings, but JJ didn’t want to have to worry about that now. She watched her daughter make her cereal and go take a seat at the breakfast table.

As she was eating, there was a knock at the door, which made CJ cringe. JJ went to answer it while Connie carried on making breakfast. Connie was making frittatas, but she was doing it all wrong. CJ couldn’t find her voice to tell her she’d missed the hashbrowns. The boys came in after that, both in some sort of PJs and then Aunt Penny and Aunt Em followed them in, with JJ following behind. CJ suddenly felt sick at the number of people around her. She stopped eating as Penelope and Emily came to sit at the table. She hadn’t finished it, but she couldn’t eat with that many people around her. The boys sat down, too, and she pushed the bowl away.

“It’s okay, Cee. It's just us,” Henry said, noticing his sister’s actions. CJ shook her head and pulled her sleeves over her hands. It was too much.

“How are you, honey pie?” Penelope asked CJ, but quickly noticed the vacant stare in her eyes. Penelope sighed and looked at JJ for reassurance, but JJ just shrugged. She was trying her best to help all her kids at this time of tragedy. Connie brought over the food for the boys, but Henry argued. They weren’t right, and if it wasn’t like Dad’s, they didn’t want it. As they got up, CJ got up too and headed to the stairs. The boys went up. CJ knew today was funeral day, but she didn’t know what she was meant to wear. Just as she turned around to go ask her mom, she heard the arguing. CJ hated arguing with every fibre in her body. She covered her ears and sat on the stairs, just waiting for her mom to be done. She just needed her outfit; that was all.

JJ turned away from Connie, the sting of the slap still spreading through her cheek and into her eyes. She wanted to run up the stairs, she wanted to hide under the covers and pray that her husband just came back. She needed him back. But just as she went to run, she was met by her daughter. Sitting on the steps, covering her ears, cowering away from the noise. JJ sat down beside her daughter, her tears moving to the back and letting her mother instincts take over.

“Hey, hey, sweetheart,” JJ whispered. She took hold of CJ’s hands gently and pulled them down. CJ slowly opened her eyes, but they widened when she saw the red mark on her face.

“Hurt?” She said simply, lifting one hand to touch it.

“I’m okay. Shall we just go get ready, hm?” JJ asked, leading CJ to stand up. But CJ didn’t want to get ready. It wasn’t time to get ready. First of all, she hadn’t finished her breakfast, second of all, she hadn’t had her morning kiss of her dad, third of all there were too many people and noises in her house, fourth of all, she didn’t know what to wear to a funeral and fifth her mom had just been slapped. Nothing was okay. Nothing was going okay. She just needed her dad back, then things would be normal.

She didn’t move from the step, and JJ sighed. “Come on, Cee, it’s time to get ready. I’ll help you,” She lifted her daughter to her feet and guided her upstairs. CJ wasn’t talking or even really walking by herself, so JJ led her into her bedroom. But all the smells hit her at once. She hadn’t been in her parents’ bedroom since he died, and this room was full of him. CJ collapsed to her knees.

“NO!” she shouted as JJ touched her back. “Get off me!” She added, quickly moving away from her mom. She couldn’t be in that room. There was his headprint on the pillow. There was his stale water on his bedside table, his reading glasses sat on top of a book he’s never going to finish. His clothes pile lay unwashed in the corner. CJ scrambled to get out.

“Cee, hey,” she heard her mom say, but she pushed past. She pushed right past and charged into her own bedroom, where her dad wasn’t allowed. No one was allowed in unless invited. She gasped for air, but it didn’t come. She threw her books off her desk. She pulled the bedding off her bed. She ripped down her curtains. It was too much, she couldn’t breathe. She couldn’t see. She scrambled for normalcy somewhere. Everything was going wrong. She heard her mom shouting, but she didn’t know what she said. She heard her brother say her name. She felt his hands on her shoulders, but she threw him off. She screamed something incoherent. She scurried under her bed and curled into a ball. The darkness and the security of it were helpful. She felt someone sit behind her, but didn’t care who. Soon enough, her senses came back to work, and she heard the conversation happening at the door.

“Go get ready, Jayje, Penelope and I have this one,” she heard her Aunt Emily say.

“I can’t put that on you both,” JJ said. CJ could hear how tired she was in her voice. Was that her fault? Did she do this?

“You need to go get ready. We don’t mind. Come on,” Penelope said. CJ heard them come into her bedroom and then JJ leave. She rolled over to see the feet of people in her room, unsure who was left. Then she saw the small, black, pointy heels come closer to her bed—a knee, another knee and then Emily’s face.

“You gonna come out, kiddo?” Emily said. CJ shook her head. She was not going to come out, no. Not anytime soon.

“Okay, let me get comfy then,” Emily said and readjusted herself on the floor. She was lying with her back on the ground so she could see under the bed. CJ smiled a little. She liked it when her Aunt Emily was silly like that.

“There's that smile. What's going on, sweet girl?” Emily said, rolling onto her side.

“Everything’s different now,” CJ said quietly.

“It is, yeah,” Emily replied. “It’s going to be different, it’s a big change for everyone, but it will become the new normal soon.”

“I don’t want a new normal.”

“I know it’s hard, honey.”

CJ didn’t respond, just grew more and more reserved. No one understood her and what she was going through.

“Come on out, let’s get ready,” Emily said and reached an arm under the bed. CJ knew her time was running out - she didn’t want to go to the funeral, but she knew she had to. She slid out from under the bed, and Emily helped her to her feet.

“I don’t have anything to wear,” CJ mumbled, pulling her sleeves over her hands and standing in the centre of her now messy room.

“Your mom said she laid something out for you on the bed. It’ll be on the floor.”

“Can't wear clothes from the floor,” CJ said.

“It’s too late to wash them, baby, come on,” Emily said, searching through the duvet for her outfit.

“NO! Can’t wear clothes from the floor,” CJ repeated. Her hands flapped as she got more and more worked up, again. Emily rested her hands on the girl’s shoulders and looked her in the eyes. CJ shut her eyes tightly so she didn’t have to see Emily so close.

“You have to wear this outfit, Cee. It’s for Dad. One last time to show your respect for him, hm?” CJ’s eyes filled with tears—the last time. She only nodded, and Emily took that as her answer.

“The clothes are on your bed, honey. Come out when you’re ready,” Emily kissed CJ’s head and headed out the door, shutting it quietly behind her.

They arrived at the funeral together, the four of them walked down the aisle to take their seats - Henry, CJ, Michael and JJ. Emily did her speech, Garcia did hers, and then it was JJ’s turn. Michael slid over into CJ’s arms as JJ began. She spoke about the notes Will left for her each morning. She spoke about how she let Will down. CJ looked around, her brothers were both crying. She hated seeing her mom sad. She’d lost her dad. Then her mother addressed the three kids.

“I’m so sorry for that,” JJ said, through tears, her voice breaking. Her whole body shook. CJ wanted to run up to the podium and hold her mama until everything was okay again. But she couldn’t move; she was rooted to the spot with her arm around Michael. JJ rejoined them, and Michael curled into her side. She felt her mom’s arm on her, but she moved away. She couldn’t handle the emotion and the touching. She wanted out, and she wanted out now. She got up before anyone else could and ran to the back of the church, out the doors and into the cold air. JJ followed.

CJ knelt on the floor, clutching her chest, aching for breath. JJ didn’t say anything, only knelt beside her daughter and took her into her arms. Neither of them needed to say anything. Both of them knew that words couldn’t justify their emotions. CJ curled into her mom’s arms.

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry, Mama,” CJ said eventually. “I know you’re trying, and I’m sorry. I’m sorry he died.”

“It’s not your fault, sweetheart. I promise.” JJ kissed the top of her head and held her close. “I’ve got you. We’ll get through this together.”

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CRIMINAL MINDS: EVOLUTION 18.03 "Time to Say Goodbye"

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Can we just acknowledge that Lottie is the only person we ever see Nat accept comfort from? Throughout the series, in both timelines, Nat suffers alone and in silence. Travis reaches out to touch her after both Javi and Coach Ben’s deaths, but she walks past him in both instances. When she finds Travis’ body, Misty attempts to comfort her but Nat pushes her away. Whenever Nat breaks down, she turns inward, shutting others out instead of seeking connection. Nowhere is this more evident than in the final moments of 3x09, when she begins to sob and everyone around her vanishes, leaving her utterly alone. It’s a visual metaphor for the profound isolation that defines how Nat experiences pain.

Given the nature of Nat’s home environment, I don’t think she ever learned how to accept tenderness and physical intimacy beyond sex. It’s foreign to her. And, on a deeper level, I think she doesn’t believe she deserves this kind of intimacy and unconditional care.

But, in this moment with Lottie, she finally allows herself to be held. For what might be the first time in her life, she feels safe enough to surrender, to lean into someone else’s care without flinching. She even feels safe enough to regress to a younger version of herself, a form of healing her inner child as she lays her head on Lottie’s lap. We see Nat engage in simple hello or goodbye hugs (or moments of sexual intimacy) with other characters, but Lottie is truly the only character Nat physically embraces in this unguarded, emotionally vulnerable way.

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They should've met

AND KISSED

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‘van is a wolf this’ ‘van is a wolf that’ no, you are all wrong. van will forever be a silly orange cat.

the resemblance is uncanny

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⋆.ೃ࿔.𖥔 ݁Charting her own stars

pirate elle x princess jj !!

-ˏˋ out now on ao3 ˎˊ˗

click here to read!!

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Jj/Aj as snoopy

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meet cute

jjxelle fic

jelle

1.2k

one shot but more parts can be made if you want it, comment for more

The rain was coming down the coffee shop window, and customers filtered in and out of the doors into the store's warmth. Jennifer Jareau stood behind the counter, a wide smile on her face, as she served the coffee buyers. Her team was busy behind her, serving coffee, tea, hot chocolate, and pastries. Her shift was almost over, and she couldn’t wait to get off her feet and home. However, she kept her eye on the weather. One thing about JJ was that she hated getting caught in the rain. She hated showering, she hated swimming - any form of being wet, she couldn’t stand. And this crazy storm had come out of nowhere, she didn’t have a coat or an umbrella.

“Sorry, excuse me?” Elle Greenaway said, waving her hand in front of JJ. She’d been staring outside, simply dreading her walk home. She didn’t even notice the customer in front of her.

“Oh, sorry!” JJ chirped back, quickly tapping at the till. “What can I get for you?” she looked up. She tried not to let her jaw drop as she took in the gorgeous woman in front of her. Her dark hair and piercing dark eyes, with her slender figure. JJ couldn’t help but stare. Elle smiled and put some hair over her shoulder.

“A coffee, please,” she said. JJ nodded quickly and began tapping.

“Is that a latte, a flat white, what’s a coffee to you?”

“All this rubbish,” Elle groaned, more talking to herself than to JJ.

“I can put it through as a latte,” JJ laughed. Elle nodded and pulled out her purse to pay cash.

“Oh, I’m sorry, we have no change today. There is a sign on the door. We’re only taking card payments.” JJ replied, cringing. She hated correcting a customer.

“Really? I don’t have a bank card-” Elle said.

“You don’t- you don’t have a bank card?” JJ was shocked. “Everyone has a bank card these days.”

“Well, I don’t. I can’t pay,” Elle grew red at the thought of wasting the shop and JJ’s time when there was a queue behind her. JJ noticed.

“It’s alright, this one’s on me,” JJ said, smiling. She quickly paid for the coffee herself and winked at Elle, shooting her shot. Elle was taken aback at first, but then realised the kindness JJ had. She smiled back and headed to the end of the counter to collect her free coffee.

JJ finished her shift five minutes later, and the rain was still hammering down outside. Instead of braving it, she took a seat by the window and pulled out her book. However, it wasn’t long before she was interrupted.

“May I sit?” JJ looked up to see the customer from earlier. “I’m sorry. I hate to interrupt a pretty girl reading, but you were too interesting not to.” JJ smiled at the compliment and gestured to the seat opposite her. She closed her book and took a sip of her coffee.

“I’m Elle,” Elle said, extending her hand as she sat down.

“I’m JJ. It’s nice to officially meet you,” JJ smiled and shook Elle’s hand. She felt the warm coarseness and pondered it.

“Thank you for paying for my coffee. I appreciate it.”

“Oh, you know I can’t deny a pretty girl a coffee,” JJ smiled and looked away. She wasn’t used to flirting. Elle blushed. She hadn’t been called pretty in years.

“So, this may be intrusive of me, but I sure know when I get off work, I’m dying to go home. What keeps you?” Elle asked, sitting back in her chair and crossing one leg over the other.

“Oh,” JJ chuckled. Someone had noticed, but no one ever noticed her. “I hate the rain. I have to walk home and forgot my umbrella.”

“Taxi?” Elle asked. “Door-to-door service.”

“Can’t afford a taxi in this city, Elle.”

“You bought my coffee, surely that’d pay for your taxi,” Elle said. JJ sat and thought for a moment. Elle was right. But she wanted to buy her a coffee, she wanted to be kind. She’d rather put someone out of their embarrassment and misery and be out of pocket than see someone upset. JJ eventually shrugged.

“I was just being kind.”

“Well, let me repay the favour,” Elle said. “How about I give you a lift home?”

JJ’s eyes grew wide as she realised Elle was serious. A ride home in a stranger's car? How exhilarating but stupid.

“I don't want to put you in any bother,” JJ said.

“You’re not, JJ. I’m offering.” JJ thought about it, seriously. She looked outside at the rain; it didn’t look like it was stopping anytime soon, and she did have things to do at home and a rehearsal to get to at 5. She decided to take her up on the offer.

“Okay. Okay, yeah,” JJ said, packing her things away.

They got out to the car, with Elle holding her jacket over JJ. Elle’s car was nice. A sports car, JJ didn’t know the specific type, but it was low to the ground and shiny yellow- there wasn’t a dirt mark in sight. JJ told Elle where she lived before settling into the car properly.

“This is nice,” JJ said, running her hand over the leather seat. She felt so out of place in her dirty coffee shop uniform.

“Thank you. Beauty has been with me for years,” Elle said, starting up the car.

“Beauty? Is that her name?”

“From Beauty and the Beast, Belle wears a yellow dress.” Elle smiled and began driving through New York.

“That’s sweet. I’ve never seen that movie,” JJ admitted.

“You’ve never seen Beauty and the Beast? Not even the remake with Emma Watson?”

“Nope. I’m not really a Disney person,” JJ said, fiddling with her hands.

“I can’t believe that,” Elle said, laughing slightly. JJ chuckled. She felt so at ease beside this stranger, it was oddly nice.

“You live in student accom?” Elle asked, pulling up outside the building.

“Yeah. I’m a student,” JJ giggled, taking off her seatbelt.

“What do you study?”

“Musical theatre,” JJ said, smiling softly. She wasn’t quite ready to get out of the car. She had enjoyed her time with Elle.

“Wow! That’s exciting.”

“Yeah. I love it.”

“Wait, you’re studying musical theatre and you’ve never watched a Disney movie?”

“Hey, they do not correlate. And I didn’t say I haven’t watched ANY Disney movie, just not Beauty and the Beast.”

“Okay, okay, fair.” Elle held her hands up and laughed. JJ laughed too. Both women were comfortable and excited together.

“I should go,” JJ muttered quickly, as the laughter died down. She didn’t want to overstay her welcome.

“You don’t have to,” Elle said quietly.

“I have so much work to do, I have a rehearsal tonight and yeah- I’m sorry,” JJ muttered. The rain had stopped, thankfully. She looked over at Elle one last time. “Thank you for bringing me home. I’ll see you around,” JJ said. She slid out of the car and into the red building, leaving Elle alone in the car. Elle grew sad, no longer having company, but knew she’d make JJ’s coffee shop her new regular; she had to see the blonde again.

JJ got up to her apartment and looked down over the street. Elle was just beginning to drive off, and she wished she’d given her number or something. She hoped Elle returned to the coffee shop again, she really liked her.