Work Text:
The past few weeks had been stressful for both you and your boyfriend Jack. First there had been the amount of essays from your second year psychology students you’d had to grade, then you’d gotten the flu and the amount of work you had to do had just piled on. Sure, Jack had made you tea and tried his best to cheer you up, but it was hard when he barely had time to be at home and you had to spend the dreary November days largely by yourself. His work had been hectic as of late and Brennan didn’t hesitate to ask him to work over most days.
Therefore, when you’d gotten on top of your work again, you’d decided an impromptu afternoon trip to Park Washington was the best course of action. The day was beautiful, the crisp autumn air refreshing.
When you’d met up with Jack at the Jeffersonian and hastily greeted his team you’d dragged him to the car park, eager to surprise him and spend the day away together.
You’d had the directions on your phone, careful not to disclose too much as you guided the way to the park. Of course, the ride was only 10 minutes but you wanted to keep the air of suspense.
As soon as the road started to be surrounded with trees he turned towards you for a moment, a tentative smile on his lips.
“We’re going hiking?”
You shook your head.
“Maybe another day! I was thinking we could do a picnic if you want?” You said, suddenly worried that it might’ve been an idea that only pleased you. “I made sandwiches before work today and I have coffee and cookies as well.”
“That sounds perfect, baby.” He pulled up to a parking spot and put the car in park as you reached your destination. “Do you want me to carry anything?”
“Yeah! If you take the blanket I’ll take the basket,” you said and opened the car door to take the basket that was in the backseat. “Do you remember the nice place we were last time?” He nodded. “I think that’s just a few minutes away.”
The two of you started following the gravel path toward the place you were talking about and soon enough the trees started scattering. The opening in the forest was pretty, the afternoon sun streaming in through the trees surrounding it.
There were a few other people there already, mostly families with kids. You looked around until Jack tugged a little on your hand.
“There?” He said, gesturing toward a spot on a small hill to the left.
“Yes, that’s perfect.”
-
You’d just finished your sandwich and Jack was on his second when you felt something tickling your foot. Anxiously, you looked down and saw two or three ants running around up towards your ankle. You swatted them away and cuddled closer to Jack, trying to get some of his body heat.
You closed your eyes, breathing in his scent as he laid is arm around you, pulling you even closer.
Soon enough, though, it became impossible to ignore the continued tickling on your leg.
“I’m pretty sure there’s ants running all over this, Jack,” you mumbled against his shoulder, a little worriedly. You weren’t afraid of insects, per say, but you were also not the biggest fan. “Could we just shake them off really quickly?”
“Of course,” he comforted you, carefully disentangling himself from you as he stood up and moved the basket from the blanket.
You followed his lead, grabbing one corner of the blanket as he grabbed the other,
“If you’re a bug just be careful, okay?” Jack said, looking at the picnic blanket. He looked so cute like this, curls all tousled and a flush on his cheeks. The worried look in his eyes as he warned the eventual bugs didn’t hurt either.
“I didn’t know you were such an advocate for ants, baby,” you said with a smile.
“Maybe I can make an exception for these ones.” He grinned and shook the blanket once. You almost lost your balance with the force of it and his grin grew larger.
When the two of you had rustled it enough times that you were positive any possible insects had fallen off you laid down on your back.
Jack laid down next to you, your shoulders brushing, and you took the hand closest to yours in yours.
“Let’s hope the ants don’t carry a grudge for this.” You said, still looking up at the sky.
He chuckled and you turned your head towards him. He looked so happy and careless like this. You’d known he’d been stressed lately but you nothing could’ve prepared you for the difference his laugh made. You wished you could bottle it up, somehow, and save it for all those days when everything felt just a little hopeless.
“They’ll have a vendetta for three days for sure. Maybe they’ll have time to build a machine to conquer us with,” he joked.
“Oh my god, imagine!”
“That’d be pretty crazy.”
“Yeah it would,” you agreed, nuzzling into his side.