Holiday Fic: Dec 25th: Giving Gifts
For DTEKK-JWJ , who prompted: J/L (with bonus team!fic if possible) Christmas, "Giving Gifts"
I hope you guys enjoy it! Merry Christmas (or Happy Holidays!)) everyone.
xxx
Title: Giving Gifts
Rating: K
Genre/Paring: Jane/Lisbon friendship/romance
Summary: Sometimes a secret Santa gift exchnage just isn't suffient. Sometimes a little something else is needed.
xxx
“Very well Lisbon, I will observe the societal convention. To please you,” Jane said, making very sure that his smile was internal.
Lisbon scowled at him. “Not to please me, you idiot. This is what people do, Jane.”
Jane nodded, “And I said I would participate, Lisbon. Happily. I have no problem buying a gift for a member of the team. Though I don’t think it’ll promote team bonding as much as you do.”
Lisbon blinked. Then she recovered, “Jane, I do not think…”
This time he did let his smile show. She was so very predictable after all, “Yes you do.”
She scowled again. “There’s no talking to you when you’re like this.”
“Yet you often try anyway,” Jane couldn’t resist pointing out.
“Oh, go to hell,” she muttered, swivelling away from him on her heels and storming off.
“When are we picking names out of a hat?” Jane called after her. After all, it was a necessary step to any Secret Santa.
“Tomorrow,” Lisbon yelled back.
The team was going to have a successful Secret Santa if it killed her. She’d make sure of it. It hadn’t been the easiest year, and they needed this.
Even Jane would have to cooperate.
xxx
To Lisbon’s pleasure, and in spite of his initial teasing, Jane did cooperate. He didn’t even reveal who everyone else was getting gifts for (something Lisbon was sure he knew).
So when the Friday before Christmas rolled around, things were all set for the team’s gift exchange.
Lisbon watched in amusement as Cho unwrapped a heating pad from Rigsby. The taller Agent assured him that it was for the days when his back was acting up. Cho’s face was a mixture of appreciation for the thoughtfulness and irritation at the implication that the pad might be necessary. (Rigsby definitely looked pleased with himself.)
Cho in turn handed a gift to his boss. He’d bought her a lovely bottle of wine for the holidays.
“Another re-gift?” Lisbon teased him, as she opened it.
Cho smiled at her. “No. This one I bought just for you. The guy at the store said the vintage was good. I remembered how much you liked the cabernet we had after a case at the place, all those years ago.”
Lisbon felt her smile widen. “Thanks, Kimball,” she said softly.
“You’re welcome, Boss,” he replied with a smirk.
Lisbon returned it (ignoring Jane’s intrigued look), before handing her gift to Rigsby.
Rigsby seemed quite pleased with his festive tie, immediately exchanging it with the basic black one he was wearing. Lisbon had already bought a couple of the ties for her brothers, and for some reason thought of Rigsby. So she’d bought him one as well.
“Thanks Boss,” Rigsby said with a grin.
“I thought you’d like it,” Lisbon admitted, smirking at the bright tie he was now wearing.
The reindeer dancing across it made Van Pelt laugh.
“It suits you, Wayne,” she said, before passing her gift to Jane.
“I knew you were my Secret Santa,” the consultant informed her with a grin.
“I know,” Van Pelt admitted. “And I’m sure you know what I bought you as well.”
Jane nodded. “I’m sure that the sweater you picked out is lovely Grace,” he told her. “I hope you won’t be offended if I don’t wear it to work.”
The redhead shrugged. “I thought you might like it on your time off, whatever it is you do.”
Jane just shrugged. “We’ll see. It was very thoughtful. Here,” he told her, handing her his gift.
Van Pelt took it warily. (Lisbon couldn’t say she blamed the junior agent for being suspicious. Jane’s last gift to a member of the team had been breathing after all.”
But Van Pelt’s gift turned out to be completely innocuous. A bottle of high end hand lotion, to be exact. She immediately opened the cap to smell it. “Sunflowers,” she breathed contentedly.
“It seemed appropriate,” Jane admitted, though he didn’t elaborate.
“Thanks Jane,” Van Pelt said with a smile, obviously pleased.
Jane just nodded.
The team hung around for a little while longer chatting, but it wasn’t too long after the gift exchange that they all dispersed for their respective Christmas plans.
Well, not quite all of them.
Lisbon was still around, and she was pretty sure Jane was too.
At least she hadn’t seen him leave.
She just had a few things she wanted to finish up before leaving for the night. She’d just finished her final check-in with Wainwright. Now it was time to pack up for the holidays.
Lisbon walked into her office, only to see Jane alreay in it, standing in front of her desk. “What are you doing in here?” she demanded. She was sure she’d left the door locked.
He turned around quickly, a momentary flash of panic on his face at being caught.
“Jane?” she asked striding towards him, suspicions aroused when he didn’t reply.
He stepped silently to the side.
That was when she saw it, the shiny red package sitting on her desk.
Lisbon looked up at him, her mouth curving into a smile. “You got me a present?” she asked softly.
He shrugged, obviously annoyed at being caught.
“Because it’s a societal convention?” she asked with a smirk, remembering an earlier conversation.
Jane shook his head slowly, “No.”
That response caught her off guard. “Oh,” Lisbon said stupidly.
To her relief, she obviously wasn’t the only one feeling awkward, Jane shuffled slightly, “I was just going to leave it on your desk…” he explained.
His explanation made Lisbon smile. “But I caught you.”
“I thought your meeting would be longer,” Jane groused.
“Ah.”
Then he smiled slightly, “Also, you’ve installed a better lock on your door.”
“Yes,” she admitted. It had been a very deliberate choice on her part. She hadn’t thought it would keep him out, but she had thought it might make him think twice about breaking in if he just wanted a pencil.
“That made things difficult,” Jane informed her.
Now it was Lisbon’s turn to smile, “That was the point.”
“Not too difficult of course,” Jane was quick to clarify, obviously defending his honour.
“Of course,” Lisbon said dryly.
“So,” Jane said after a moment.
“So,” Lisbon repeated, stepping closer, deciding not to make it easy for him.
Jane sighed and handed her the box. “Merry Christmas, Teresa,” he said gently.
Lisbon bit her lip. “You didn’t have to...”
“I know,” he assured her.
She stared at the package in her hands. “Should I open it now?”
Jane shrugged.
But Lisbon thought he looked hopeful. “I’ll open it now,” she decided.
“Your choice,” he murmured eagerly.
Lisbon walked over to him and picked up the box. Then she gently tore at the shiny red paper. She unwrapped the present to find a square white box. She glanced at him briefly in suspicion (who knows what he might take it into his head to buy her) before removing the lid. Then she bit her lip.
He watched her eagerly. “Go on,” he told her. “Try it on.”
She slowly removed her new scarf from the box, dropping all the packaging on her desk as she did so. Then she draped it around her neck, snuggling against it. She stilled almost immediately. “Jane?” she asked.
“Yes, Lisbon?” he murmured, still watching her, enjoing the way the forest green scarf with silver accents contrasted nicely with her hair. She had such pretty hair.
“This is cashmere,” she told him.
Jane nodded, “Good eye, or maybe neck; I’m impressed.”
Lisbon ignored his comment, “I’m pretty sure that means you went over the twenty-five dollar Secret Santa limit we set.”
“It’s not a Secret Santa gift,” Jane reminded her.
Lisbon resisted the urge to laugh, “Jane...”
“Don’t worry about it,” he said quickly.
“I...” Lisbon wasn’t sure what to say. It was a beautiful scarf. It felt so soft against her skin. And the nights were getting chilly.
“Just this once Teresa, just enjoy it,” Jane practically pleaded.
Lisbon met his eyes for a moment, trying to read him. Finally she nodded, “Okay.”
Her reaction surprised him. “Okay?” he double-checked, obviously pleased.
Lisbon smirked, “But only because I like it so much.”
Jane paused, temporarily shocked. Then he chuckled. “Of course.”
Lisbon smiled. “You didn’t need to get me a present,” she assured him again.
Jane shrugged. “I just happened to see it,” he murmured.
Lisbon smiled. “Liar.”
Her comment seemed to surprise him. He didn’t reply. “Merry Christmas, Teresa,” he said softly. “I’ll let you get ready to go.”
“Okay,” she agreed easily with an indulgent smile, watching him leave her office..
xxx
Jane walked back out to his couch, both annoyed and pleased that she’d caught him delivering his gift. Pleased because he’d managed to convince her to keep it, but annoyed because she’d snuck up on him. He hadn’t been prepared.
Still, he didn’t think he’d done too badly all things considered.
Jane smiled to himself, remembering how the scarf had looked around her neck. Green really was her colour, he decided, dropping onto his couch.
A second later he was sitting up, digging in the cushions behind him. There was something impeding his rest.
It only took him a moment to produce a small green package.
Which could only come from one person.
Jane looked up when he heard her footsteps.
He held up the gift.
Lisbon shrugged, her new scarf still prominently displayed around her neck. “Yeah, you breaking into my office was definitely convenient in the sense that it gave me time to hide your own gift.”
“Glad I could be of service,” Jane murmured, staring at his box.
“Go ahead, open it,” Lisbon said awkwardly.
A moment later Jane had the packaging on the floor.
His enthusiasm made Lisbon smile. Then she bit her lip apprehensively when he opened the lid of the actual box.
Jane stared at its contents. He gingerly removed a silver pocket-watch on a chain.
Lisbon suddenly felt the need to explain her choice. “You don’t wear a watch around your wrist,” she reminded him. “And I don’t know, it just seemed to suit you better.”
“It’s lovely, Teresa,” he said, cutting off her explanation. Then he placed it in his vest pocket, ensuring the chain through his buttonhole was clearly visible. Then he removed the watch from his pocket again. “This is old.”
“1920s,” she told him. “They’re not really making contemporary pocket-watches.”
Jane met her eyes. “I think someone else went over the $25 limit.”
“Like you said,” Lisbon murmured. “Not a Secret Santa gift.”
Jane beamed at her. “True enough.”
Lisbon glanced at him, again examining his watch in pleasure. She reached up to feel the scarf around her neck for about the sixth time. Then she made an impulsive decision, “What are you doing right now?”
Jane looked up, obviously surprised by the question, “What did you have in mind?”
“Dessert at Carmella’s?” Lisbon asked.
Jane smiled then made a big show of removing his new watch. “Turns out I might have the time,” he assured her.
“Thanks ever so much,” Lisbon murmured.
Jane smiled, “I really do like my watch.”
Lisbon blushed crimson before muttering her thanks.
Jane’s smile widened, and he offered her an arm to escort her from the building.
She took it. “I like my scarf,” she said after a moment.
Jane nodded.
“You know,” Lisbon muttered. “You’re welcome to sleep on my couch if you want afterwards.”
Jane considered her offer, before realizing that he did want. He wanted it very much. “Thank you Teresa,” he said again.
He received another murmured ‘you’re welcome’ for his pains.
Then he heard her sigh, snuggling into her scarf a little more as the draft from the elevator hit them.
“Merry Christmas, Patrick,” she said softly.
“Merry Christmas, Teresa,” Jane replied.
He watched her again out of the corner of his eye, pleased to notice that she was still fingering the scarf. Then he looked down at his own watch chain.
Jane smiled to himself as they headed out for desert. He supposed some societal conventions weren’t all bad.
xxxx
The end