Work Text:
"Something's different," Derek had been on about this lately, coming into her lair at least twice a day for the last week and a half.
And while Penelope didn't necessarily disagree, she was honestly just happy JJ was finally smiling again.
Though the timing was a little odd. It had been months. Months! And suddenly, out the blue, JJ was radiant. She was positively beaming. Beautiful!
Not that JJ wasn't always beautiful, but she was extra beautiful lately, in a way that spoke to how she felt about herself.
No, after the her breakup with Will, JJ's make-up was still done precisely, her exercise routine was maintained (maybe even increased), and her clothes remained impeccable. She was the face of the BAU, after all.
But she had become a little hard-edged, a little short. Her sarcasm was more caustic than witty, and that naieve sweetness had seemingly vanished.
Penelope knew she just needed time, a little space. But that sparkle in JJ's eyes had died and Penelope wondered what it would take to bring it back.
Eventually, there were little things, here and there, that hinted at healing.
Suddenly, JJ wasn't in at exactly the ass crack of dawn, but a more reasonable 7:55 a.m.
Her travel mug of coffee was replaced by a paper cup from the little shop down the street.
A simple silver chain.
A random bag of Cheetos appearing on her desk.
Slowly, JJ's smile came back.
Penelope recalls one day when JJ was in a particularly chipper mood that she had visited the liason in her office. Emily was in there already and they seemed to be deep in conversation.
In French, of course, because Emily spoke so many languages she sometimes forgot what English was and JJ because... well, Pen wasn't really sure why she would speak to Emily in French. She said it was something about maintaining the skill, but Spencer also spoke French and she never conversed with him in it.
She supposed it was probably because she didn't want corrected every other word. Emily was certainly much gentler in that regard.
But!
They were conversing in low tones, heads bent close to one another, each word measured and spoken like a confession.
Pen just attributed it to being the nature of the language.
Emily had a sly grin on her face as she flicked a WallE toy on JJ's desk back and forth with her finger, and JJ was blushing. Absolutely, one hundred percent, blushing!
Pen quickly lowered her hand poised to knock at the frame of JJ's office and scurried away.
So, yes, Penelope agreed that something was going on, but she wasn't able to parse out what, exactly.
And things only got weirder from there.
Suddenly JJ wasn't as quick to text back, wasn't available for as many girls nights, asked Pen to babysit Henry once in a while. That was perhaps the strangest thing of all, since Emily usually watched Henry when his dad wasn't available.
Penelope had thought perhaps Emily and JJ had had a falling out, but when she asked her about it, JJ glanced at the tiny WallE on her desk before telling her that everything was fine and could they plan for a girls night next Friday while Will had Henry for the weekend? Barring a case, of course.
Which led to Penelope asking about the WallE toy. It wasn't odd to see a random figure show up that JJ discovered in her purse from Henry. No, that wasn't uncommon at all. What was uncommon was how long this particular one had stayed.
And again, JJ ducked the question, making some vague comment about how this particular one was broken and she had replaced it so Henry wouldn't notice. But Penelope did not find the toy in question to be in disrepair. Rather, it looked brand new, and very well cared for.
Not only that, but sometimes WallE changed.
Sometimes the toy would be holding a tiny plant, like in the movie. Other times a twinkie, or a pen.
Once Penelope walked into JJ's office to find the tiny toy clad in a purple dress wearing a tiara and JJ sputtering with laughter.
Another time, when Penelope entered the office to find it empty, WallE was holding a note that said "can't wait for tonight."
It clicked for her, then.
JJ, little miss Pennsylvania Petite, pride and joy of the BAU, was seeing someone.
And honestly, not just any someone.
"Pen!" JJ gasped, snatching the note from her hand. "You're-you're early!"
That handwriting was awfully familiar.
Penelope turned her gaze from a flustered JJ to the small child's toy and back again. Honestly, she should have realized this sooner, when she'd caught JJ giggling over WallE dressed as a princess. Only one person she knew was so vocal about their opinions regarding the profile of a princess.
JJ's blush creeped higher, her ears tinting pink.
Oh, she was gonna give her so much hell for this.
But then, JJ's eyes flicked to the tiny toy sitting on her desk before meeting Penelope's gaze. An achingly tender smile crossed her face as she handed the note back to her.
"We missed our chance once," JJ whispers. "I'm really happy, Pen."
And that was all she needed. She felt an answering smile on her own lips as she crushed JJ in a hug.
"I feel like I'm interrupting something. Should I come back?" Emily stood in the doorway, thumb hooked over her shoulder to the bullpen, when something caught her attention, her eyes nearly bugging at the note in Penelope's hand. "Oh."
"Yeah, oh," Pen huffed, somewhere between exasperated and giddy.
"Please--"
"It's OK," she offers, "but Derek isn't dumb. He'll figure it out. He's already been in my lair, bouncing theories off me."
Emily gulps and Penelope takes pity on her, throwing her a wink.
"I'll keep him distracted as long as I can."
JJ brushes her fingers along Emily's, Em capturing them and bringing them to her lips.
JJ mouths "thank you" at her as she makes her exit, and it takes everthing she has not to whoop, scream with joy for her friends.
She's daydreaming about her maid of honor speech when Derek bursts through her door, startling her from her reverie.
"Knock, much?" There's no heat behind it, but Derek can tell she was thrown off balance, presses a kiss to her cheek in apology.
"Sorry, baby girl." And he begins to posit ideas while Penelope files her nails.
"And she pulled a bag of Cheetos out of her purse. Emily doesn't even like Cheetos!"
Derek was a lot of things: smart, handsome, determined, tenacious.
Oblivous.
It didn't surprise her that he was still after this.
What surpised her, however, was how long it had taken Derek to figure it out.
"Cheetos!" He practically shouts it this time and Penelope quirks a brow at him.
"You don't think... nah. Nuh-uh. No."
And she waits.
"It can't-- are you serious?"
And waits some more.
"JJ and Princess?"
Penelope hums.
"Jayje."
"Yep."
"And Emily."
"Mhmm."
"You're joking."
"Nope."
"Damn. Prentiss always told me she could pull. But Jennifer Jareau?" Derek lets out a low whistle.
Penelope turns to go back to work as Derek's arms wrap around her from behind, his face pressed to hers.
"How long have you known?"
"Long enough," she grins.
The chuckle that leaves Derek's throat is warm, delicious and silky.
"Just one thing," he says.
And while Penelope and Derek are nothing more than friends, nothing less than pieces of one another's souls, Penelope can never deny him anything.
She offers a hum in question when he smacks another kiss to her cheek.
"I call best man."