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She’s been here for thirty-two minutes already and JJ is only still here because she’s stubborn, not because she thinks her date might actually still show. She’s checked her watch multiple times since arriving, as well as her phone, just in case. She’s met with another no-show. It’s not the first time. There is a reason she doesn’t date. She puts people off. She’s too rigid and uptight in the way she presents herself to strangers. Working for the FBI will do that. She knows it. She tries her best, honestly. It doesn’t surprise her that she’s being stood up but that doesn’t mean it isn’t upsetting. It sucks. JJ sighs into her glass of water and tucks her hair back behind her ear.
The waiter is starting to give her pitying looks and there’s a couple two tables over that have been here longer than her and know she’s waiting for someone. They look at her sadly, too. JJ just wants them to stop. She’s not someone to be pitied. It isn’t like she can hide the fact that she’s supposed to be on a date either though. She’s dressed for one after all. She’s in a mostly new, light blue dress that just about reaches her knees when she’s sitting, she’s fixed her hair, she’s even done her makeup. It’s pretty obvious. It doesn’t make it any easier to deal with those looks though. She absolutely can’t stand them. It’s starting to make her regret even having come in the first place. She hates that she’s made an effort to look nice, because this really shouldn’t have been a surprise anymore. She shakes her head at the thoughts. That’s not true. She couldn’t have known, and she doesn’t regret that she’s tried. She’s not too fond of all the makeup she’s put on (even if it does look fantastic) but it is nice to dress up every so often. Her normal, everyday getup isn’t bad by any means but it’s no dress or suit. She prefers the latter over the former and definitely regrets not wearing one tonight. It would make her feel less annoyed.
She orders a glass of wine when her waiter comes by for the fifth time to ask her if maybe she’d finally like to order something, and JJ considers actually staying to eat. She does some people watching while she waits; first within the restaurant then with the people outside. It’s nice sometimes, to just watch regular people go about their regular lives. JJ even enjoys pretending every so often which is probably one of the few reasons she still keeps trying to date. It’s silly at this point, to think she can have something resembling normal with anyone. The blonde is just trying to have more than work in her life. She takes a deep breath and looks around the restaurant some more. The place is nice, honestly. It’s just fancy enough to be comfortable without feeling posh and stuck-up. She’s never been here before. This isn’t even her neighborhood. She just remembered someone talking about it and it had sounded nice enough that she ended up suggesting it to her date. At least that part isn’t disappointing thus far.
JJ has been here for forty-six minutes now and it is definitely embarrassing that she’s still waiting but she’s too proud to just hide her tail and leave. The couple from earlier is still here, waiting for dessert and JJ sighs into her wine. She will at least stay long enough to enjoy that drink. She starts tuning out her surroundings a little after another sip. She’s tired of the stares and looks and it’s easy enough to ignore them. She’s good at this stuff. She’s halfway through her glass of wine when she decides to check the menu for the seventh time since sitting down. Nothing really strikes her fancy at this point so she closes it again with a huff a minute later.
There have been so many people coming and going that JJ no longer pays any attention to the door. She knows her date won’t show up anymore so there’s really no point. It catches her entirely off guard to hear a familiar voice call out to her before the chair opposite to her gets snatched up and a tall brunette sits down on it. JJ blinks as Emily leaves her jacket hanging over the back of the chair she’s occupying.
“I am so, so sorry I’m late!” Emily says just loud enough for the surrounding tables to hear her clearly, “Traffic was awful. I was stuck in three different traffic jams because people don’t know how to drive, and I couldn’t even text you because my phone died when I left work.”
JJ needs a moment to catch on and she forces a smile once she does. She doesn’t do undercover work often and she’s certainly not been expecting to play pretend tonight. Still, this is better than her alternative. She has no idea how Emily even knows she’s here. She chances a quick glance around and is relieved to see that the looks she’s getting now shift from pity to relief for her. She’s grateful. She’s grateful to Emily for helping her out too. Emily certainly doesn’t have to. There’s no protocol for this kind of scenario.
“Don’t worry about it. I’m glad you could make it. I was going to have to eat without you otherwise,” JJ smiles and Emily looks at her with a perfectly sheepish expression. Her cover is flawless.
Emily pushes her hair out of her face and JJ gets distracted watching the movement. Emily smiles at her again and lowers her voice to a volume that is more intimate and familiar.
“How long have you been sitting here, all alone?”
“Too long,” JJ admits, “You rescued me from my own embarrassment.”
Emily looks at her and takes in her attire and the obvious effort that’s gone into her whole getup tonight and JJ almost squirms. She doesn’t like being scrutinized, though she realizes it’s more than just that this time.
“Date stood you up?” She asks, hazarding a guess.
JJ nods. It is terribly obvious anyway. If the entirety of the restaurant can figure it out, JJ thinks that Emily has likely figured it out before even coming in.
“Well,” Emily starts as she waves over the waiter, “Their loss."
The waiter smiles at her when he arrives and JJ is surprisingly friendly when she orders her wine. She lets JJ order while she checks the menu. They both end up getting the daily special and the waiter leaves again, looking altogether far too pleased. JJ finally remembers where she’s heard about this place before. It was from Emily. That makes sense then. She’s torn out of her sudden revelation when Emily speaks up again.
“You look gorgeous, by the way. Seriously, how could anyone just stand you up like that?”
“I hear I’m off-putting,” JJ shrugs.
It doesn’t bother her that much; it never really has. Sure, it sucks, but she’s used to it. It is, however, nice to hear Emily’s words and she feels a little better about having tried tonight. It helps that Emily herself always looks flawless no matter the situation.
“Anyone I know?”
“No,” JJ says, narrowing her eyes at the suddenly too innocent expression on Emily’s face, “And I’m not giving you a name if you’re thinking about doing something stupid.”
“Me? I’d never. Maybe I wanna thank them.”
“For ditching me on our first date?”
"For giving me the chance to rescue you and see you all dressed up,” Emily grins.
“You’re awful,” JJ says, rolling her eyes.
There’s a hint of a smile on her face though and if Emily’s answering grin is any indication, the brunette has definitely noticed it. JJ doesn’t mind. It really doesn’t matter. It isn’t that JJ is a different person off the clock but she carries herself differently when there’s no agents around, no work to be done. She carries herself lighter. Tonight, she is just Jennifer Jareau. Emily smiles at her and rests her head in her hand.
"I mean it though. You do look gorgeous and whoever stood you up is an idiot.”
JJ shakes her head but thanks her anyway. She doesn’t do dates because things like this happen far too often. She can’t even remember the last time she’s had a second date with anyone. And she’s certainly not interested in dating anyone from work. It isn’t like she doesn’t know how to kick back and relax or have fun but it is difficult to open up about anything when she’s practically married to her job already. That’s the problem with people like her.
“What are you even doing here?”
“I was going home when I saw you looking miserable and about to possibly maim someone. I figured it might be safer for everyone if I came in. Plus, I’m famished.”
“I was not miserable,” JJ argues.
“Keep telling yourself that.”
JJ glares at her but Emily’s smile is bright and beautiful and JJ rolls her eyes to ignore the way that makes her feel. Maybe she’s been a little miserable. But now Emily is here and she no longer feels so bad.
Their food arrives surprisingly quickly and JJ wonders whether that has anything to do with how long she’s been here all alone or if maybe Emily is enough of a regular to get special treatment. Neither would surprise her at this point. In the end it doesn’t actually matter. The food is here and it looks even more delicious than it smells. The daily special is salmon pasta which is just the right kind of not-too-posh dish for a date like this. They start eating together and JJ shakes her head to herself. It’s ridiculously lucky that Emily has walked in when she has and decided to pretend to be her date. She watches her over a forkful of pasta and hides a smile. Emily is all but stuffing her face with the food. It’s not graceful whatsoever but it is cute.
“I’ll be honest,” Emily says after swallowing her latest forkful, “I didn’t think you actually dated.”
“Tonight is a good reminder why I don’t like trying,” the younger agent sighs.
It’s Emily’s turn to shake her head and she takes a sip from her wine to ease the feeling in her throat from eating too much at once.
“I still don’t get it. I really don’t understand how anyone could do this to you, especially on a first date.”
JJ shrugs again. To her, this really doesn’t matter anymore. There’s nothing she can do about it now and, truth be told, Emily is already much better company than her date would have been.
“I bet that doesn’t happen to you, huh?”
She can’t imagine anyone standing up Emily. She’s one of the most beautiful people JJ has ever seen and she doesn’t carry herself in a way that would suggest her occupation; not to the untrained eye anyway. The raven haired woman can fit in anywhere.
“I wouldn’t know,” Emily laughs softly, “I don’t go on dates. It’s hard to find anything in common with people when you’re me. It’s not exactly safe either.”
“I suppose that is fair enough,” JJ concedes before deciding to change the topic, “This food is incredible, by the way.”
“Right? I love this place.”
“I can see why. At least that’s a good consolation tonight.”
Emily smiles again and they eat in relative silence for a little while. They talk about work briefly but Emily steers the conversation away from that again quickly. This is a date, even if it’s just a pretend one, and they are both fully off the clock for a change. Work can wait. There are other things Emily would rather talk about, and JJ finds herself agreeing with the sentiment. Tonight isn’t supposed to be about work. Emily asks about her actual date instead but JJ isn’t terribly keen on talking about her too much. She doesn’t even know that much about her anyway. She does tell her that they met in the park where she goes running and her date’s dog almost ran her over. Emily laughs a little at that and in turn tells her about the cat that isn’t hers.
“How is it your cat but not your cat?” JJ asks, amused.
“Sergio just kind of comes and goes. I feed him but he’s not my cat. He just keeps showing up.”
“That sounds exactly like he’s your cat,” JJ chuckles.
Discussing the pet situation is a nice distraction. She really doesn’t want to talk about her date right now, and Emily looks pretty happy talking about Sergio despite her insistence that it’s not her cat. It puts a smile on JJ’s face that she can’t explain. It’s nice to hear a little more about her personal life. Sometimes she worries that Emily might not have one; a little like her.
“Derek keeps bringing cat food and toys, like he’s trying to encourage him.”
“That’s because you have a cat. You know cats basically choose their humans, right? You’ve been chosen.”
Emily snorts and shakes her head. JJ grins. She likes this, just chatting without it being work-related. She’s having a much better time than she’s been expecting after waiting here for almost an hour. Emily really has saved her evening. Maybe she’s even a little grateful that her date is a no-show. She’s not embarrassed to admit it, not when Emily’s laugh is so genuine.
Emily waves the waiter over again to ask for the bill when they’re done eating. He nods and leaves to get it as JJ reaches for her purse to get her wallet. Emily reaches across the table and covers her hand with a small grin. JJ gives her a look.
“You’re not paying, Emily.”
“It’s my treat. Please?”
“Emily…”
JJ is too distracted by her touch to argue further even though she really wants to. Emily shouldn’t pay after saving her evening. She sighs and smiles gratefully, giving up and letting it go. Emily is stubborn. She squeezes her hand gently and smiles back at JJ. The blonde shakes her head to clear it when Emily turns her attention back to the approaching waiter. She can’t explain the sudden flush on her cheeks from Emily’s touch. The distraction the bill provides is very much appreciated.
“Thank you,” she tells Emily.
Emily shrugs it off with a grin and then gets up. She grabs her jacket and waits for JJ so they can leave together. Once outside, JJ turns to Emily and laughs softly.
“You really don’t need heels, you know? You’re already tall enough without them.”
Emily smirks. JJ barely reaches her shoulder this way and it’s all kinds of cute.
“Maybe I just like being tall.”
“I believe it.”
Emily chuckles.
Now JJ’s not sure what the proper protocol is. Shake hands? Hug? Neither? She honestly has no idea what to do. She doesn’t need to decide, luckily, because Emily does it for her. The brunette smirks at her before kissing JJ’s cheek. JJ hasn’t expected that, at all, and she blinks stupidly which makes Emily laugh quietly.
“Would you maybe wanna do this again sometime?” Emily asks.
“I thought you don’t do dates?”
“With regular people. You’re not regular people.”
Something about that statement amuses JJ. She’s not wrong. JJ forgets all about her wish to not go out with anyone from work because Emily doesn’t seem to count when she thinks about it.
“Alright, but only if you dress for the occasion, and don’t stand me up,” JJ decides with a smile.
“I can definitely promise that. I’m not an idiot. I’d never stand you up.”
“Then you’ve got yourself a date.”
Emily smiles at her brightly and JJ is struck by how much she really enjoys the idea of going on an actual, real date with the slightly older woman. She’s never really thought about it before. She wonders whether Emily has.
“Thank you for tonight,” she tells her again.
“You’re welcome,” Emily smiles back.
The smile makes JJ reach out to cup her cheek and kiss the other. She feels a little more in control, a little more like herself, afterwards and grins when she realizes Emily is actually blushing a little.
“See you tomorrow.”
“Uh-huh… I’ll let you know about the date so you can make sure we’re both available.”
JJ nods and Emily finds her composure with another smirk. JJ laughs and then they both turn to go their separate ways without another word. She has to admit that her evening didn’t turn out so bad in the end, and this is a much better outcome than she thinks her actual date could have provided. She’s finally looking forward to another date again.