Show Me the Stars - Jennifer Jareau x Reader

eight | penne

JJ cooked penne pasta for lunch and let you sit at the counter as she did so. However, she got lonely standing by the stove all alone and made you come over.

You joined her across the kitchen with a gentle smile and a kiss. "Y/N, I'm so happy to have you as my girlfriend,"

"And I feel the same about you, Jennifer Jareau." She smiled at her full name. "You're wonderful. And I love you." You kissed her again, imbuing her with more passion this time.

"I love you, too, sweetheart," JJ replied. As you kissed once more, her free hand began to run down your side. You pulled yourself away from her, her touch reminding you too much of Levi. "Oh, I—I'm sorry, my love, I didn't mean to hurt you,"

"I know," you breath. You leaned against the counter and tried to breath deep. "I know you didn't, it's okay,"

"No, it's not okay. I hurt you, and I'm sorry. I'm, really, I'm so sorry,"

"Jayje, stop apologizing, it's fine. You didn't realize. It's not your fault." JJ looked over at you, her eyes engulfed in a painful guilt.

"I went too far. I'll try my best not to do that again, okay?"

"It happens. It's fine." Your breathing was heavier. JJ shut the stove off and drained the pasta in a colander in the sink. She helped you to sit down at the counter again. "Really, JJ, I'm okay,"

"If you need to be left alone, I understand that,"

"Don't leave me, please,"

"Then I won't. I'm just so sorry,"

"Please stop apologizing. I don't blame you for anything. It's really okay, I'll be fine."

She went to go finish making lunch and kept looking over at you. At some point — you weren't paying too much attention to her actions — JJ set a glass of ice water in front of you. When finally she finished preparing the food she sat beside you and started to eat. You looked down at the bowl and picked at the pasta with your fork.

"Are you not hungry, babe?" She put her hand on your back gently. "Is this alright?"

"It's fine. And no, I don't really—I'm not hungry. Sorry,"

"Hey, it's fine." Her hand ran up and down your back. "You should eat, though, baby, you've barely eaten anything. I'm trying to let you do things when you're ready, but you really have to eat, love. Even just a little,"

"Sorry," you whispered.

"No, love, what're you sorry for?" Her tone was so comforting, so understanding. She kept rubbing your back as tears pooled in your eyes. "Why are you apologizing, love?"

"I feel bad for making you take care of me, and for being so difficult..."

"Hey, you're not being difficult. And you're not a burden or a problem or anything like that. I'm taking care of you because I love you. Not because I feel like I have to. You're not 'making me' do anything. I love you,"

"I love you too, Jay." You stuck your fork in a single piece of penne and examined it. Your eyes ran over each detail.

"It's okay, love." Her hand was still on your back. "I promise you'll feel at least a little better after you eat something. Please, sweetheart?"

You stared into the bowl as you ate the pasta off your fork. "It's good," you said quietly.

"I'm proud of you,"

"Please, I ate one noodle," you scoffed and laughed with a twinge of hurt.

"Yeah, and that's a hell of a lot better than before. Let's have more, honey, okay?"

JJ guided you through most of the pasta in your bowl. She constantly praised you and encouraged you to eat more. When you were three-quarters of the way through, you looked at her and shook your head, about to cry again.

"Y/N, that's so good. Good job. How're you feeling now, love?" She rubbed your back again.

"Alright, I guess. It was good pasta," you said. JJ smiled. "Can we...um..."

"Go ahead, love, I want to know what you want." Her hand was still on your back and you turned to see her comforting expression. "It's alright, love,"

"I just wanna sit with you," you murmured. "You make me feel really safe,"

JJ smiled, the care she held for you evident in her face. Her heart fluttered. "I'm glad, love. Do you want to sit with me on the couch?" You nodded. JJ smiled gently and grabbed your bowl. "Alright. I'm gonna clean up a little from lunch, and I'll join you in a minute."

You headed over to the couch and watched JJ clean and put dishes in the sink, filling them with water so they'd be easier to wash later. She dried her hands and joined you on the couch.

"You did good, baby. I'm proud of you. Do you want to watch TV?"

"Sure," you said. JJ didn't want to get too touchy, so she didn't scare you again. She was so worried. But now you scooched closer to her and almost leaned against her. "Is this okay? I'm sorry if—"

"What have I said about apologies, baby? I'll let you take the lead. I'm okay with whatever you want to do. But I don't want to go too far and hurt, or—or upset you,"

"Can I ask something?" you said in a very meek voice.

"Anything,"

"Will you please play with my hair?"

You watched the smile form on JJ's lips and she nodded. "Lemme try this," she said.

She sat against the armrest of the couch, her body turned towards you, and crossed her legs like a grade school student. She put a pillow in her lap and pat it. "Head here," she explained. You smiled a bit and laid with your head on the pillow. "Is this alright for you, love?"

"Mhm. Thank you, Jay,"

"Mhm. Anything in particular you wanna watch?"

"No. Preferably something funny," you said.

"Alright. How I Met Your Mother?"

"I said something funny, JJ," you teased. This made both of you laugh.

"The slander!" she joked. "Alright, fine, how about Arrested Development?"