Archive of Our Own ^beta

Amy eventually makes it to Shawn's at the end of the night.

Jake is nursing a beer in the corner of the booth when she walks in, looking around for familiar faces. He spots her immediately – probably because he's been watching the door periodically waiting for her to magically appear, not that he would admit – and perks up at the sight of her. When Amy finally finds him in the crowd, she smiles and walks towards him.

He straightens his shoulders up a bit, before she takes the spot Charles vacated to go dance with a very drunk Terry. He immediately wants to ask about the date and how it went, but he's not going to, so he instead asks her what she wants to drink.

"It's on me," he adds with a shrug.

"What about your crushing debt?" Amy teases.

"Hey, I'll have you known that since I moved to Gina's place I've been doing mildly okay, so I think I can afford to buy a drink or two for my partner, unless she has no interest in free drinks, in which case…"

With a laugh, Amy nods, "well then, since the debt is now mild and not crushing, I will accept."

"Good… so," he clears his throat as inconspicuously as he can. He's buying her a drink, he's done it before, it's no big deal. "What's gonna be?"

"Just some coke for me," she says distractedly, but when he frowns she explains, "I already had one glass of wine, plus, I'm driving."

"You're no fun, Santiago," he jokes, but walks to the bar anyways and orders for her.

Jake tries not to think about buying her a drink or about the fact that some other dude was buying her drinks not an hour ago, while he observes her from the corner of his eye. He also tries not to think about her date with what's his face, or why she's here so

early. He tries not to ponder on the reason why she came in the first place, but if her date had gone well then maybe she wouldn't be here, maybe she'd still be there, wherever, with Mr. Good Listener. But he's not going to ask her that. He will listen if she tells him, but he will not ask.

The bartender hands him Amy's drink, and Jake walks back to the table. The woman in question is checking her phone distractedly, and he can't help but think that she looks lovely in this light.

Damn it, he's going to ask, isn’t he?

"Here you go…" he passes Amy her drink carefully, reminding himself not to spill any on her, because the last time he did that the lady he was with cried. It was horrifying. Also because he doesn't want her to leave just yet. Or be mad at him. Or both.

"Thanks, Jake," she takes the cup from his hand with a smile, and when the tips of her fingers touch the sides of his, Jake tries not to blush like a schoolboy with a crush. He feels like it just the same, but it's not something she needs to know.

"So," he tries to sound nonchalant, as if this question isn't nagging on his mind since the moment Amy left the precinct parking lot to meet up with whatever his name is. "How was… the date? The dating thingy with the person you went on a date with."

Amy gives him a what are you going on about Peralta? look she's mastered, and shrugs.

"It was not a date. It wasn't!" She emphasizes when he smirks. "We were just catching up."

"Well, you must’ve seen him yesterday, because that was some of the fastest catching up I've ever seen." He tries really hard not to sound so satisfied when he adds, "you and I had longer dinners together."

"Yeah well," she shrugs sharply like it's no big deal, but he can tell she's trying not to grimace.

Jake treads the waters carefully, because he doesn't want to annoy her.

"So, when is the second date?" He asks, face partially hidden by his beer cup.

Be cool Jake, be cool.

"There will be no second date," she takes a sip and licks her lips, and his eyes follow the movement, without meaning to.

There is a second of silence where he wants to ask why, hoping that maybe she had some grand realization that she would rather date him instead, which is far-fetched, even for him. However, before he can actually do anything, Amy groans and says, "there was no spark. Zero. Actually, minus 2."

"No spark?" He parrots back like an idiot.

"No spark," she confirms with a laugh that is just a tad sad.

"Why no spark?" He really ought to stop, sure by now she's starting to realize he's desperate, and obsessed.

"In all honesty…" Amy leans closer like she's about to tell him a big secret. Jake follows suit, trying not to enjoy the close proximity so much. She does smell quite fantastic by the way. "He was… well, I suppose he is would be more accurate…"

"What? He's what? Gross looking? Creepy? Did he try to look inside your mouth like that dentist?"

"What? No, Jake… no," she laughs again and this time is real and amused. "He was boring."

"Oh…" he frowns. Boring… huh, boring. "Boring?"

"Boring," Amy nods frantically, like she's gotten something out of her chest and is very happy about it. "So boring."

When he chuckles, she slaps him in the arm. "Don't laugh! I fell asleep one time, while he was talking about pilsners, and I don't even think he noticed. Also it was really hard for me to dodge that second date. I had to pretend I was going undercover!"

"Ames… you lied?! I'm shocked!"

"I had to, Jake! He wanted to take me to a…" she leans over the table and whispers to him, well more like hisses, "jazz brunch."

Jake looks at her wide eyes and curled fists. She's biting her lip, like she's waiting for him to say something. He doesn't – he bursts out laughing.

He laughs so hard he throws his head back, but he's not laughing at her expense, no not at all, he's laughing because… relief! Because you know who is not boring? Jake Peralta! That's who! Well, he’s never been accused of that, at least.

Also, he's laughing because… jazz brunch? Seriously?

"Oh," he wipes out the tears in his eyes, and chuckles a little more when he sees her glaring. "I'm sorry Ames, I'm not laughing at you, I promise. I'm just... jazz brunch? Really?"

"Really, Jake, really."

When he starts to laugh again, she joins in. In the corner of his eye, Jake can see Boyle, watching them fondly. When he mistakenly makes eye contact with his buddy, Charles gives him an encouraging nod.

Jake thinks about it, asking her out and everything, thinks about it all night, but he doesn't actually end up doing it. They talk and talk, long after everyone else has gone home, and then, she drives his slightly tipsy ass home, and he is oh so tempted to do it, just ask her on a romantic stylez date. But he doesn't.

When he lays in bed that night he wonders, would she have said yes, like Charles thinks she would? Or maybe she would let him down gently.

In the end he figures there is only one way to know.

He's going to do it, he's going to ask.

He doesn't actually do it, not right away.

Sometimes he wonders, when other men, or women, look at her – which is quite often, let's be honest, she's probably the most gorgeous human being to ever walk the earth – which one of them will eventually sweep her off her feet and leave him in the cold. It almost makes him want to ask, but she never even realizes she's being flirted with most times, and if she does she does not seem to care, so he cowers away in relief, but that never lasts.

And what’s he to do if someone does sweep her off her feet before he has the chance to try? He’ll do nothing, because he wants her to be happy, even if it’s not with him. He can’t make choices for her and if she finds someone who thinks is right for her, he’ll just have to accept that. The end.

But, it’s not like Jake doesn’t do anything. He actually starts to do little things. Like bring her coffee more often, or show up at her place with dinner and a movie. Amy never turns him down, no matter how annoyed she seems when he shows up unannounced on laundry night.

In a way, Jake figures the’re kind of dating, if you think about it. Then he thinks about it and feels like crap because you can't date someone who doesn't know they're dating you. And besides, it's her choice, whether or not she even wants to date him. It's is her decision and he would never take that away from her.

In the back of his head, Charles whispers: you'll never know if you never ask.

So he decides, finally, he's going to do it.

But then he doesn’t, and this time it’s really not his fault. It’s the FBI’s.

That is not to say he doesn't slip sometimes and almost asks. Like, in the car when he tricks her into going on a clandestine stake out with him. Or in Holt's office when she stands up for him. Or when she, against her Captain explicit orders, goes off on her own and finds the dealer to help him.

The closest he ever comes to actually do it is when they are at the dance competition and her dress is pretty and sparkles and he thinks about her complaining that there was no spark with Mr. Boring, and how there's definitely a spark between the two of them, he knows it, he's felt it. He ends up tripping over his words and telling her she looks like a mermaid instead, and when she looks at him like he's grown a second head, he loses his nerve altogether.

Actually, no scratch that, the closest he actually comes to a romantic confession is when he's teaching her how to dance, and she asks him if he can give her real classes sometime, and he almost blurts out date me please! but then Holt comes up to them and says something and the next thing he knows is that he's being fired and going undercover.

And yes, it's pretty awesome, the mission and all, but then he thinks about being away for months and not telling her how he feels and he thinks about something happening to him and she having to hear from freaking Boyle just how crazy he was about her. And he can't do it. He can't let her find out like this.

So, in the parking lot, with a box of his things in hand, Jake I'm no good with emotions Peralta opens his heart to the only woman he's ever felt this intensely about.

He starts simple, and to the point.

"I kind of wish something could happen between us, romantic stylez.

And I know that it can't right now. Because I'm going on an undercover, super-secret, mission to save the country and everything.

And I'm not asking you to like, wait for me or anything. But I don't know what's going to happen in this assignment and I'd be really mad at myself if I didn't tell you that."

Amy looks at him wide eyed and with lips slightly parted. She looks confused and of fucking course she does, one can just dump all of that heavy information on someone and expect them to be totally chill. Jake understands that, but it doesn't make it any less painfully awkward for him.

So he does the one thing he's good at when things get intense, he makes a joke and runs.

"Okay, so I have to go now, save America and all, bye."

He grimaces when he turns his back to her, he wants to run and go hide, but before he can, there's a dainty warm hand closing around his elbow and pulling him back.

She doesn't actually surprise attack him with a kiss like he thought hopefully for a second, nor does she slaps him – no, it's way smoother than that. Amy maneuvers him to her liking, until they are face to face, then she cups his cheeks with both hands, and slowly, while he watches wide eyed, she touches her lips to his, giving him plenty of time to pull back – newsflash, he doesn't.

It's a bit awkward at first, there's a box of his things between them, and his eyes are still wide open, but then it sinks in that this is Amy, and this is real, this is happening, so Jake does what feels right – he drops the box to circle his arms around her and kisses back big time. And then it becomes mind blowing.

Her tongue is inside his mouth, gliding over his teeth, his eyes are rolling back inside his skull, and his knees are weak. He has half a mind to press her against the side of the squad car, sneaking a hand inside her jacket, but not beneath her shirt, because he needs to keep his cool and they are in the parking lot and God, she tastes like actual heaven and he could kiss her all night and all day, pressed against her, chest to chest and so close together he can actually feel the curves of her body against his body and she's pulling on his hair, and he thinks he hears a groan, but doesn't know where it comes from and her nails scratching his lower back, and over his shirt, are going to drive him insane and...

They are both running out of air, so she pulls back, hair wild and flushed all over.

There's a second or ten where they just stare at each other and he's tempted to make a joke. Santiago, you have been holding out on me. But his heart is beating like mad and he doesn't think he knows any words at the moment.

"Just…" she whispers, gulping, and exhaling, "just come back in one piece and we'll talk about it."

With that, Amy pulls back, and he can look at her properly. She looks so good, flushed, messy, with lips swollen and pupils blown wide. Jake is so tempted to pull her back for more kissing, but Amy is already backing away from him and into the precinct.

Once she's out of sight completely, Jake gives himself a moment to actually exhale and touch his bottom lip – the one she nipped on – before taking in a deep breath and bending down to gather his scattered things.

On his way to the bar where he's supposed to be recruited by the mob, Jake allows himself to think about what she meant when she said they will talk about it once he comes back. Could it mean she'll wait for him? That she feels the same? That she wants this too? Was she waiting for him to make a move?

He doesn't want to have too many expectations, because that has never worked for him before, especially when it comes to emotions and all, but he can't help the new confidence boost he feels, thinking that maybe he'll have something more to come back to.

And something to dream about for a while.

Being undercover is not as fun as he thought it would be.

It's actually pretty boring and very terrifying at times.

At first they don't trust him, so they give him the most boring and harmless jobs they have available. He manages to gain some respect as he moves up and that's when shit gets scary.

In all his years as a cop, he's seen it all, but he usually seen it all afterwards. Being present during the act was almost never part of his job, not when it comes to torture and murder anyways, but now it's a routine. Some nights he lies awake and wonders how he will ever sleep again. Other nights he passes out cold from exhaustion, both physically and mentally. He has yet to commit a serious crime himself and for that he is grateful. But still, only being in the vicinity when one occurs and not be able to do anything about it, and having to go against his cop instincts it's pretty brutal.

Halfway through the mission Jake feels like maybe he should quit. He's running out of energy for this, but he knows Holt is counting on him so he doesn't.

But really, he's getting slightly depressed about three months in.

It's Friday night and he is out with the bosses, at some Italian restaurant again, when he spots Amy, five tables away with some very good looking dude.

His heart drops at the sight. It's not like they are together, it was just a kiss. She didn't even say she would wait for him, it's not her fault that that's how he saw things.

From her place in the restaurant, Amy makes eye contact with him. Takes her a second to register who it is she's looking at, and when she does her mouth breaks into a smile, which drops the very next second.

His hands are sweating, and Amy frowns. Realization draws on her face a second later and it's like she knows exactly what he's thinking.

He can't stay. He can't… he needs…

"Air," he tells Freddy. "I need to smoke. I'll be right back."

Jake makes his way out of the restaurant without looking back. He doesn't go far though, leaning against the wall, pulling out a cigarette. He hates these things, they taste nasty and make him gag. But the guys gave him weird looks the first time he refused one so, he was a smoker now.

Oh, the things he does for the job…

It takes Amy a minute to find him outside. The cigarette is lit but he has yet to touch it, doesn't know if he will.

"You smoke now?" She asks.

"Mob Jake does… occasionally," he shrugs.

There is an uncomfortable moment of silence where he knows he has no right to be upset and no time to be sad about this.

"That's Leo," Amy tells him, clearing her throat slightly. It's slightly chilly outside, which means is freezing cold for Amy and she doesn't have a jacket over her nice blue blouse. He has to fight the urge to offer her his ridiculous green suit jacket.

She looks as pretty as he remembers. "My brother Leo, I've told you about him before, I think. The one who lives in San Francisco and works at the city hall."

Jake blinks. Oh.

Brother.

Oh.

Okay.

He turns his head towards her, dropping his cigarette.

"You don't owe me any explanations Ames," he tells her truthfully.

She hugs herself and says, "I know, but I felt like you needed to know that I was not on a date – am not. Not at the moment, or any moment really. With anybody."

He doesn't know exactly who makes the first move, all Jake knows is that they're kissing like they haven't seen each other in forever – which they haven't actually – and the world is just a little brighter.

Amy ends up pressed against the brick wall, with her hands in his hair. At first, he tries to be super respectful, and keep his on her waist or something, but things heat up quickly and Amy gives absolutely no fucks for what is decent and proper as she explore his back and chest. Her pulling on his hair while ravishing his mouth fuels his desire even further. Her hands and lips are like gasoline to his fire. Soon they are both lost in each other, too close and not close enough.

He slides one hand down her back to palm her ass and squeeze, making her moan in his mouth. It drives him up the wall, so he grabs her thigh to lift her leg and hook around his hip.

Pressed against the juncture of her thigh, he's hard and throbbing, and not because it's been a while for him, but because she is intoxicating, addicting. The feeling is raw and unlike anything he's ever felt before. When he moves his lips and teeth to her neck, Amy gasps and clutches onto to him for dear life.

She flexes her leg to pull him near, pressing their centers closer as well, and the friction is maddening. His hands stop messing up her hair and drop to her chest. At first he just hovers, breathing on her neck and waiting for permission, which she quickly grants, by pressing it against his palms with an arch of her back.

"I missed you," he whispers huskily. "I missed you so much, Ames."

"I miss you too… Jake…"

Her mouth seeks his again and they resume their ravishing of one another.

In the back of his mind Jake knows this is crazy. They're in an alley, a public place, outside a restaurant, with half of New York mob bosses inside. He's working undercover for fucks sakes. He's not supposed to be engaging in lewd make out sessions with his partner in a cold and dark alley. But then her short nails scratch the skin of his back and to hell with the world, he's wanted this forever.

He'll have her right here if she lets him.

That’s when a damn cat jumps over the trash can and brings them both back to reality with a startle.

Amy pulls back from the embrace and away from him. He wants to bring her back in but he doesn't.

"Oh my God," she gasps. "This was a mistake."

It's like a punch to the stomach, and it must show on his face, because she hurries back and grabs him by the lapels of his ridiculous green suit.

"Not like that, Jake, God…" she takes a deep breath. “You're undercover, you can't be seen with me. If any of the morons inside walked in on us…"

"They're probably drunk Amy," he tries to smooth out the situation even though he knows she's right, they can't be seen together under any circumstances.

"I'm going to go," she pulls away again.

Jake wants to tell her, please don't, but he knows it's for the best. He can't be trusted with her right now.

"Are you… how are you? Are you… are you safe?" Amy asks. Her eyes wide with real fear and concern.

A wave of affection takes over him.

Jake comes closer, pushes her hair behind her ear and cups his hand over her jaw gently.

"Better now."

He gives her one last, lingering kiss, before letting her go back inside.

Jake gives himself a moment out there in the cold, and when he comes back inside Amy is rushing her – very confused – brother off their table. Now that he has time to actually look, is easy to spot the resemblance between Amy and the man she's dragging out of the restaurant.

They exchange one last look before she leaves for good, leaving him as well.

He doesn't like to watch her leave, but he can't deny that, at this moment, his heart is full, and his motivations are once again strong.

He can do this. He will do this.

He does it, finish the assignment and helps get the mob bosses arrested, that is.

It takes three more agonizing months, but he does it anyways. When he enters the FBI truck and sees Holt Jake almost cries, thinking about how he is free, finally. Well, not quite, exactly, the FBI still has him hidden for a few days for debriefing purposes, and for three days Jake is not allowed visitors, but after giving them all he has, they finally release him, so he's free.

Free to go back to work. Free to go home.

Free to see Amy.

He did nothing but think about her these last few months, in his spare time of course. In the rougher nights, those nights were he would come back to his shitty temporary apartment with blood stains on his shirt, Jake would close his eyes and remember her face when she saw him across the restaurant. He remembers that first second where recognition gave room to joy, before the confusion took over.

When he had to sit around and watch something bad happening, and not being able to stop it even though he wanted to, Jake thought about Amy asking him if he was safe, if he was okay.

When the nights got so lonely, he thought about the way she kissed him and how perfectly her body fit against his and how soft and warm her skin is and how firm her breasts felt in his hands… he would reach inside his boxers without shame, wondering if she was doing the same thing. He wished so many times she was.

And now he gets to see her, finally, for the first time in three months. Gosh, he's nervous.

Jake walks into the precinct with sweaty palms, which he rubs on his jeans – he doesn't want them to be gross in the eventuality they actually touch Amy.

He's welcomed by his friends with joy. Boyle cries a bit and Rosa punches him on the arm. He's happy to see them, and Terry and Gina, but his eyes never really stray far from Amy. He wonders if she is as nervous as he is. He wonders if they can get away with going somewhere to be alone.

Once the crowd scatters, and only Amy remains, he wonders if it's okay to kiss her right here in the bullpen.

Probably not. She's very professional.

So instead he says, "hey."

When she says "hi" back, Jake is realizes she is nervous too.

"Do you uh… can we go somewhere? And… talk?" He just can't wait anymore. He needs at least a hug.

"Sure, uh, yeah," Amy shuffles around for a second, before nodding to herself and leading him to, what he thinks is, the evidence lockup.

On the corner of his eye Jake can see Boyle, biting on his lip, trying to hold back a smile. Jake thinks he can see tears in his friend's face but he just ignores it. He'll deal with Boyle later.

Jake closes the door behind him, you know, for privacy, in case Boyle decides to stalk them – he won’t put it past him friend, unfortunately. He turns around slowly, in part because he’s afraid to tangle his legs and stumble, yes he is that nervous, but specially because even though he thought about this moment a thousand times, Jake still doesn’t know what to say.

Jake turns around, the heel of his shoe barely touch the ground, before there is a rush of air. A pair of arms wrap tightly around his neck. He gets a mouthful of soft, silky, hair, but that hardly matters when the faint smell of her perfume invades his senses. Is this lavender? He doesn’t know, it might be something else, it might be just the Magical Amy Scent, who cares? That’s not important now. The important thing is that he has yet to return her hug.

“I’m sorry,” Amy jumps away a second before he can make his arms work. “I didn’t think… I’m sorry.”

“No! Don’t be sorry!” Jake wraps his fingers around her wrist gently, and tugs her close with urgency. “I was just surprised. Please, let’s try that again!”

Amy allows him to drag her back into the embrace, but does so with a guarded smile on her face. Jake sinks into the comfort of her arms and the smell of her hair. He makes a mental note to ask Amy later, which shampoo she uses, because even though he can’t identify it, he loves it.

He’s unsure how long they stay that way, arms wrapped around each other, but it feels both like forever and not long enough. Amy is the first to pull back, again, much to Jake’s dismay. She puts some distance between them, but doesn’t totally leave the embrace, keeping her hands on his shoulders.

“Hey,” Jake starts, a smile spreading across his face. He’s just so happy to see her.

“Hey,” Amy answers, an adorable blush beginning to color her cheeks. “Congrats on the bust… it was one hell of a case.”

“Thanks, Ames,” he says sincerely. “I have to ask you something.”

“Okay…” says Amy, with some hesitancy.

“Did you arrest a perp named Joe Uterus?”

Amy laughs, simultaneously sighing in relief. Jake really did miss her laugh. Gosh, he missed everything about her. He’s so pathetic.

“Yes! I should’ve told immediately. Perp name hall of fame, right?”

She looks so adorable, with a smile so large it brings out her cute little dimples, he just can’t help himself. Jake is pretty sure he is staring at her like a loser – that he is for sure – and making heart eyes at her. Amy blushes furiously once she realizes the way he’s staring at her, and looks away.

“Hey,” Jake puts a finger under her chin to direct her eyes back to him. “So, Joe Uterus? What did he do?”

“Killed a bunch of stray dogs,” Amy grimaces.

“Oh, name is funnier than the story.”

There’s an awkward pause after that.

Jake thinks he’s been stalling for too long. There are things they need to discuss, and this might not be the place, or the time, but screw it, he’s been waiting six months. So he starts.

“I know we left things kind of… unresolved, in that alley, and I would like to apologize for that, because you deserve better than me pressing you up against some filthy wall next to a trashcan…”

“Jake,” Amy interrupts, shaking her head. “I don’t care about the where, only the who.”

It takes him by surprise, the way she says it, like this is something she’s thought about before. But more than anything, it’s so meaningful to him, because he’s never been the who before, only a who, which sounds totally lame, but somehow, it’s the most romantic thing anyone has ever said to him like what?

“Ames…”

There’s a lump on his throat, and his heart is beating like crazy. He can hear Amy’s accelerated breathing. His hand, still planted on her hip, slides around to her back, pressing gently to pull her closer. She comes, willingly, until her chest is pressed against his. Their lips meet in the middle, both reaching for the other at the same time, their bodies colliding in passion.

His hand slides gently between her shoulder blades, and the other stays at her hip. Amy’s arm wrap around Jake’s neck, and her free hand reaches up to cup his jaw. The kiss is tender, sweet but far from chaste. When they pull away, their eyes stay closed, foreheads touching for a moment, lips still parted.

Jake’s heart is full in a way it has never been before.

“I really like you,” he whispers after what it feels like a lifetime. He will gladly stay here forever, by the way.

“I like you too,” Amy tells him with a smile that melts his entire heart and makes his knees turn to jelly.

For a moment he thinks he will fall, but he does nothing to stop it - all he does is smile goofily. Amy seems to like that because when she kisses him again is with an urgency that both hurts and exhilarates him at the same time. She moves forward, pushing him backwards until he feels the solid metal of one of the shelves against his jacket.

As she presses him further unto the furniture, his hand slides down her back to gather the firm flesh of her backside in his palm, squeezing her closer to him in the process. Amy lets out a small whine that travels down south, making his cock harden faster than he thought physically possible. Amy pulls away to gasp against his lips and Jake takes the opportunity to suck and bite the lovely skin of her neck.

She has such wonderful caramel colored skin…

“Jake…” she whispers, her voice broken and distracted by his ministrations. “Mmm, Jake… we shouldn’t be doing this at work…”

Jake knows that the Miss Most Appropriated in her would try and do the right thing, even while grinding down on his thigh, and although he would like nothing more than to push her to a dark corner where the cameras can’t see them and finish what they started in that alley, he promised himself that the first time they make love will be in a proper bed and under the right circumstances. Because that’s what it will be. At this point it makes no sense to deny what’s obvious to him. He’s in deep shit, and he doesn’t even care.

So he pulls back and gives her a little room to breathe.

“I really, really like you, no joke,” he tells her while she catches her breath.

Amy smiles, kisses the tip of his long nose before repeating her words from before the kiss. Then her face changes suddenly, like she just realized something important enough to make her pull back.

“But… what if start dating and it make things weird at work?” Amy inquires, keeping her voice low.

His heart kind of stops for a second, but then he tells himself this is a valid question. No problem, that doesn’t mean she won’t want to date, it only means she’s concerned, and that is totally understandable. She just told you she liked you too, and hugged you and kissed you, so don’t freak out yet Jacob!

“So let’ just… keep it light and breezy. See where it goes,” Jake suggests to Amy, trying not to sound too desperate, even though he really hopes she’ll agree.

When she finally says “totally” he squeals internally.

“So… how do we keep it light and breezy?” Amy asks, then immediately answers her own question, “I know! A comprehensive set of rules!”

“How am I attracted to you?” he muses out loud, more as a joke than anything else. He knows exactly how. “Doesn’t matter, I am. Go.”

After they make up the rules, and have an agreement about keeping them – even the dreaded no sex rule, but okay, he understands, it even helps to deflate his erection, which is good because he can’t walk around the precinct like that – Jake and Amy both return to the bullpen. If they stay absent too long people, besides Charles, will notice, and breaking the “no telling anyone” rule so soon it’s bad luck. Before they go, however, Jake steals another hug, and a quick kiss, making Amy giggle and also roll her eyes.

Reinstated at his desk, Jake tries to hold back the huge grin that threatens to cover his whole face, and manages… some. He’s back at the job he loves, with the friends he loves and the woman he’s in love with – and has a date with tonight by the way. With his heart and mind at ease, Jake goes back to work, stopping only to get coffee and make eyes at Amy from across their desks.

Life is good.

Because he can’t exactly say no to a celebratory beer with the squad, Jake makes reservations at a later time than he would’ve liked. Amy understands, as she tells him, with a soft smile, but it doesn’t make him fidget any less during their time at the bar. He feels a little bad, when he excuses himself, saying he’s tired and says goodbye to everyone, running home to get ready for his big date.

After he showers and dresses in his best – clean – clothes, Jake runs around his apartment tidying it up a bit. Not that he expects Amy to come here after their date, after all that was one of the rules, no sex, but still, better safe than sorry. He thinks about putting condoms in the bedside table, but decides against it. He’s not expecting to get laid and doesn’t want Amy to think he was planning anything. So they stay at the bathroom cabinet where they belong, and Jake leaves for his date.

He gets there ten minutes before Amy, because he knows she’ll appreciate it. And also because he’s really nervous, too nervous to even be late.

Jake is sitting at their table, his right leg bouncing underneath it, when he spots Amy arriving, right on time. He watches as she gives her coat to the same lady who took his, mesmerized by the sight that’s revealed to him. She’s wearing a simple red dress, no patterns or lacy or nothing. The fabric looks soft, and the neckline is a respectful height, not showing much of anything, but her wonderful legs. He watches as she checks the skirt of her dress for wrinkles, and makes her way into the restaurant in her simple, but tall, black heels.

Her eyes find his in the lowlight of the restaurant, and Jake jumps to his feet, rubbing his sweaty hands over his jeans. When she’s close, Jake pulls the chair out for her, something he’s not really used to doing much, and Amy chuckles.

Once they’re both seated though, things get awkward.

Amy suggest getting drunk to undercut some of the tension they’re feeling, and four drinks in each, they’re laughing and talking like they always do at the bar with the squad. Only difference is that they’re alone… and their fingers are touching slightly… and Amy’s is so flirty with him, feeding him off her plate, her eyes at half-mast.

And sure, the plan is to follow the rules, through and through, but when they’re both making out hard at the back of the cab, they’re not thinking about rules, or what ifs, or anything other than the feel of each other’s skin or mouth. Jake mumbles his address to the cab driver, while Amy scratches his neck with her teeth, then yells at him to hurry up.

He tosses an unknown amount to the cab driver, and hopes it’s enough and not too much at the same time, before Amy presses a sloppy kiss behind his earlobe and he forgets how they got to his apartment in the first place.

Inside his tiny home, Jake has moment of clarity – only a moment – but it’s enough to pull back from a very heated kiss to ask Amy if this is really what she wants. The worst thing for him at this point would be for her to wake up tomorrow and realize she’s made a horrible mistake. They’re both tipsy and giddy, and Jake knows how handsy Four Drink Amy can be, and honestly he won’t be shocked if she wakes up in the morning calling the whole thing off because they broke the most vital of all rules.

That’s pretty much enough for him to pull back and away from her eager mouth.

“Are you sure? We don’t have to. Maybe we should slow down.”

Amy – who until that very moment was trying to leave several love bites on his neck – freezes. Jake braces himself for the inevitable next step, where she nods frantically, apologizes and leaves in a hurry. Tomorrow will be awkward, but he’ll eventually – hopefully – make a joke and she’ll laugh and they’ll be okay.

Well, in reality, none of that really happens.

Instead of going on Panicked Santiago Mode, Amy moves her hand off his shoulder and into his hair, running her nails over his scalp slightly and making Jake hiss under his breath.

“I disagree,” her voice it’s nothing but a whisper, for his ears only. “I don’t think we’re moving too fast, Jake. I think we’ve waited long enough as it is.”

This is so not what he thought she’d say, and even though it’s much, much, better than what he expected, Jake does not allow himself to feel relief, not just yet.

“You’re drunk Santiago,” he tries to play the moment off as a joke, but Amy doesn’t go along for the ride, instead she keeps a serious face, her brown eyes searching in the depths of his soul and it’s really disconcerting.

“I’m not nearly drunk enough to be confused about what I want,” she tells him truthfully, her tone a mixture of determination and arousal. “What do you want, Jake?”

He doesn’t really have to think about it too much. Jake has wanted many things during his life, for his dad to come back home, to become a cop, to eat every candy in the world at least once, to get out of his crushing debt without really having to save money, to own every copy ever that ever existed of all the Die Hard movies – even Die Hard five, yeah – to solve every crime ever, to win the Halloween heist every year, and many others. However, he does not remember wanting anything as bad as he wants Amy Santiago. And if he’s really honest about it, Jake would admit that in so many different ways, he’s always wanted Amy Santiago.

At first he wanted to annoy her, embarrass her, frustrate her until she was flustered and her cheeks were a lovely shade of red. Then he wanted to make her loosen up a bit, smile, laugh until her pretty nose wrinkled. He wanted her attention, wanted her laugh, wanted her time and respect. Now, more than anything, he wants her affection and her heart – her body too, he won’t even try to lie about that, but that’s not the most important thing he wants.

There are other things he wants too, mainly for her not to regret this, but right now, he just wants her.

And now he realizes he can just tell her, no hiding anymore.

“I want you. Always have, Ames, always.”

The kiss that follows is one of pure and unaltered desperation. Years and years of pent up feelings coming to surface all at once, and Jake wonders if it will be like this every time, if every kiss will feel this incredible – something tells him it will.

He trades places with Amy, pressing her against the door while they kiss. The next few minutes pass as a hush of push and pull, clothes being yanked and removed without care. Amy runs her thumb gently against his cheek before dropping to her knees and unzipping his pants.

Lord almighty, he’s wanted this so bad.

 For so long, all he had were dreams, dreams of her and all they could be. In reality it all seemed too far away for him to reach, and now he only has to move his hand up and into her silky hair and she’s there, and real and sweet baby Jesus… she’s taking him into her mouth and doing fantastic things with her tongue and… is that a little bit of teeth? Goodness gracious he is not going to last a second more is he?

“Ames! Amy… oh my God, you gotta slow down!” he says, but at the same time his head rolls back and bangs against the door and he doesn’t even care because her other hand is reaching for his balls and… yep. He’s going to implode.

Jake gently pushes her off by grabbing at her shoulders. From her position on the floor, Amy smirks at him, looking very satisfied with herself.

“If you don’t stop now this is going to end waaay too soon. Like, in a second or two, and I’ll be really embarrassed. It only takes me a couple of minutes to recharge, but still, premature ejaculation kind of kills the mood, don’t you think?”

Amy giggles and takes his offered hand in order to stand up. After she’s back on her full height, Jake grabs her by the waist and kisses her with all the passion he can muster – which is a hell of a lot by the way. When they finally break apart, both of them out of breath and trembling slightly, Amy steps out of her shoes, without taking her eyes off him. Jake has no idea why, but that is a major turn on for him, and he can feel his cock twitching. Anticipation is killing him slowly.

“Get naked Peralta,” it’s all she says before she turns around and starts for the bedroom.

The new apartment, the one Charles found him – and unpacked some things for him – it’s smaller than Gina’s old place. The distance from the front door to the bedroom is like… two steps, because the bedroom is in the living room and the kitchen as well, and it’s works for him for that exact reason. He’s a messy person, and if he has a smaller apartment then that means it’s less rooms for him to mess. Also because he doesn’t have to take his eyes off Amy when she pulls away and he can watch as she pulls off his bedcovers.

After that, he undresses quickly, almost tripping while trying to get his pants off. Amy watches by the bed, still fully dressed. He wonders how he’s the only one naked here, how come all the clothes flying around earlier were just his.

She’s still wearing her red dress, no shoes though, and her hair is a little messy on the account of him tugging on the silky locks when she was down on her knees just a second ago. Jake gulps, somewhat shy in his nakedness, especially while she’s fully clothed and looking at him with eyes so hot he wonders if they’ll set him on fire at some point.

Amy doesn’t move until he’s right in front of her. She gives his a chaste kiss, just a peck that lingers on but never fully turns into anything more, then she turns around and moves her hair out of the way so he can see the zipper of her dress. Jake understands what she wants immediately, and it’s eager to comply of course, even if his hands are trembling a little.

He opens the dress slowly, dropping kisses down the exposed skin and listening attentively to her small gasps. Once the dress is fully open, Jake bends to nuzzle her neck, and pushing the fabric down her shoulders. He can see the goosebumps spreading through her skin as the dress falls to the floor.

After kicking the red material away from her feet, Amy turns around to face him fully, wearing black lace only. Without breaking eye contact, she reaches behind her back to open her bra, torturously slow, holding the cups against her chest as she slides the straps down her arms.

At first, he thought she was just being shy, but the little smirk on her lips tells him she’s very aware of what’s she’s doing, and how crazy it’s driving him – she must’ve noticed his fast breathing, trembling hands and parted lips.

Amy Santiago is smooth.

She is the smoothest smoothie who has ever smoothed. He’s pretty sure of that.

Torture ends when she lets her bra fall to the floor, but he doesn’t have the time to fully appreciate the sight of her bare breasts because as soon as her hands are free she takes his and covers the exposed skin with them. His breath hitches even further, and his fingers flex involuntarily.

Without her heels Amy is slightly shorter than him, the tip of her forehead touches his nose, so she has to look up at him slightly, with eyes that are so dark and beautiful it makes his heart skip a beat.

“Kiss me,” she says.

Jake is only eager to comply, kissing her with open mouth and willing tongue, tasting her and massaging her breasts while she digs her nails into his shoulder and scalp. He stops his attentions on her chest to grab her by the ass and lift her feet off the floor. She immediately wraps her legs around his waist, crushing his hard on against the soaked fabric of her underwear. He literally is going to implode, really. He is.

Not being able to take to no more, Jake drops her unceremoniously on the bed, making Amy squeak as her body bounces on the mattress.

“Uh, shit sorry!” he crawls on top of her checking to make sure he did not hurt her in any way.

“Jake,” Amy takes his face in her hands. “I’m fine. Actually… that was super-hot.”

“Really?” his voice changes from apologetic to smug. “Well then, my lady I’ll have you know that there’s plenty more of that hotness coming right up.”

“Yeah?” she bites her lower lip, suppressing a smirk of her own.

“Oh yeah,” using his sexiest moves, Jake starts to kiss down her body slowly.

Her skin is soft and smells faintly of… well, some moisturizer and perfume probably, something sweet and fruity that he can’t identify. Jake doesn’t know the taste or the smell of too many fruits, on the account that he doesn’t eat them very often, but yeah, something sweet that totally screams Amy, so he likes it a lot.

He covers her with kisses, some sweet, some rough, leaving marks and saliva all over her, before he gets to his destination. When Jake drops a kiss over the fabric of her underwear Amy almost bucks off the bed. She’s writhing and trembling, a light sweat starting to break on her forehead. Her back is arched, one hand firmly planted on the wall behind his bed and the other grasping his sheets.

Gods be good, he can no longer wait to taste her. He wonders if her pussy is as sweet as the inside of her mouth. He decides not to wonder for too long, taking off her black lacy underwear.

“So…?” he slides the panties down her legs and holds it in front of his face for better examination. “Were you planning on seducing me all along? Because if so… you totally nailed it.”

Amy laughs, and kicks him slightly on the side. “I was not planning exactly. I intended to fully commit to the rule and not break it, but…”

“But…?” he encourages.

“But I’m still me Jake! I’m always prepared!”

“You’re so consistent,” he tells her with a goofy smile, which makes Amy smile as well.

“Thank you.”

“Huh,” Jake tosses her underwear over his shoulder and crawls over her, his lips hovering close to hers but never touching. “Are you sure it’s just that though? So you had no intentions of getting into my pants?”

“Oh, make no mistake, Peralta,” she says, grabbing a fistful of his hair in a tight grip. “I had every intention of getting into your pants, eventually. Just not tonight. When I left home, I was committed to the rule, but now…”

“We can still stop,” he tells her honestly, cupping her face in his hands, and looking deeply into her eyes. God she’s amazing. “We can get dressed, watch a movie, eat junk food...”

“Is that what you want?” her voice is small, unsure, and he wonders how she can’t see she’s everything he wants.

“I want you, it really doesn’t matter how or where,” he tells her sincerely. “The who is all that matters, right? Oh, that sounded funny because The Who is a band. Get it? The Who is all that ma-”

Amy makes good use of the hold she’s got on his hair and pulls him closer for a searing kiss that leaves him breathless.

Jokes aside, it’s true. Doesn’t even matter if all they do tonight is watch crappy movies, as long as with her he knows it will be great. Still, when Amy pulls back to look at his with warm brown eyes, intent on undoing him, part of Jake is glad they’re taking this step forward together.

Her hand on his hair tightens once again as she brings him down for a kiss. This kiss is something sweeter, deeper, and more intimate than the ones they’ve shared before. When the kiss ends they’re both out of breath for a reason neither of them can bring themselves to analyze at the moment, but it’s a good feeling. A voice in the back of Jake’s head tells him they’ll be okay. So he dives back for another kiss, and another, and another… he kisses her cheeks and neck, down her chest, her nipples and her stomach. He dips his tongue inside her navel and watches her throw her head back and whisper his name.

He doesn’t torture her for too long, he too wants to move things along, and so he does. Diving in between her thighs eagerly, he groans at the taste of her. Sweet and strong, just as he thought it’d be. Amy grabs him by the hair with both hands and moves him as he pleases and he goes willingly.

Going down on a woman was something he always liked very much, but this must be the best he’s ever had. Her responses to his actions almost make him come on spot. The way she moves her hips into his face, yanks on his hair and moans his name, it’s enough to make Jake grind his hips against the mattress, desperate for some friction.

When she climaxes it’s with a throaty moan that makes his toes curl. He keeps going until she comes back from her high, and until she pulls him away from her sensitive skin by the hair.

She kisses him deeply, licking her juices from his lips, then pulls back to look him in the eyes. They stay this way for ten seconds or so, just looking into each other’s eyes and listening to their breathing. Amy seems to be searching for something on his face, and once she finds it, she kisses him again, wrapping her arms and legs around him tightly.

“You have a condom?” she moves from his mouth to his neck, then taking his earlobe in between her teeth.

God… what was the question again?

Yeah, protection, yeah. Good call, yeah. Responsible.

Jake’s mind races. Where could he have a condom? He came back from being undercover only a day ago, and despite his last encounter with Amy, he refused to get his hopes up that high. He hasn’t been back for long, and Charles did him a huge favor by getting him a place and unpacking some of his things, but he doesn’t think his buddy went as far as buying him condoms and putting them in the bedside table. Still, he looks just to be sure, this is Charles after all. There are the ones in the bathroom but they’re probably expired, they were from waaaay before he went undercover, truth be told, he doesn’t know how long they’ve been there. And really, what’s more embarrassing? Having no condoms, or having expired condoms?

Aaand… no condoms.

“Well, I don’t have any,” he tells Amy.

“Really?”

“Uh, see, I just got back and I wasn’t having any sex while undercover so it’s been a while and also I didn’t want to hope… too much.”

“No sex at all?”

“No sex at all. I was, well, I was waiting for you I guess.”

Amy gives him a smile that is bright and so contagious that a second later Jake is smiling too.

“It’s a good thing I’m very consistent then,” she smirks.

“What?”

“Get me my purse, Jake. Right there by the door.”

Astonished, he obeys, staggering towards the door and bending to fetch her purse. Amy whistles when he bends over and Jake turns around quickly, bowing when she applauds him. He hurries back to the bed, handing her the small purse, and bouncing back on his knees eagerly while she looks inside. When she finds the condom, Amy yells a ha! making him smile.

“So you were hell-bent on seducing me!” he gloats. “Amy Santiago you dog you!”

“Maybe.”

Amy pushes him until his back is against the mattress and she’s leaning over him, rolling the condom down his cock. He shivers from the contact, hoping she doesn’t linger, or else he might come and it will be embarrassing.

Thankfully, Amy seems to be in a hurry as well, because soon after the condom is secure around him, she straddles his thighs and welcomes him into her hot, wet, body.

The descent is slowly, her wet center engulfs his manhood completely with little resistance. Once she’s finally settled fully on him, Amy stays still, letting her body stretch and adjust to his size.

“It’s been a while for me too,” she tells him, her voice strained.

He’s so glad she needs a moment, because he might need two moments, maybe three. Her body is perfectly tight and so, so warm, he feels lightheaded, which is pathetic because he’s never been so overwhelmed during sex, especially in the very beginning. But his body reacts differently to her, just like his heart does. It contorts with the effort to hold back his release and it shivers with the slightest movement of her hips as she adjusts herself some more.

His hands find purchase on her thighs and hips, and he hopes he’s not holding on tight enough o bruise, in his desperation to keep from finishing so soon. It’s a good thing she seems to understand his predicament, because Amy stays still for as long as he needs to control himself, and only moves once he’s finally opened his eyes.

Her movements are contained and hesitant at first. It takes a couple of seconds for her to find a rhythm she likes, but boy oh boy, once she does, it’s madness. She moves up and down on his, grinds her hips against his, places her hands on his chest and moans his name, while he lies back, mesmerized, and takes it.

Finally, tired of being a passive lover, Jake sits up, changing the angle of penetration and he can already tell the results of his actions, because Amy grabs at him so tight and gasps her approval in his ear. After that, they move together to accomplish their shared goal to reach climax, racing each other to the finish line.

Through it all he cannot seem to take his hands off her, always touching, squeezing and feeling a new place in her body. His mouth is no better, sucking bruises on her breasts and collarbone, but keeping the assault to her neck less aggressive, because even in throes of passion, he knows she will absolutely kick his ass if he marks her where people can see on work.

Amy’s busy with her own exploration of his body, and the more they touch and feel, the louder they become. And sure, he’s made dozens of jokes about Amy’s sex life, and the titles of her sex tapes, but nothing could ever prepare him for just how filthy her mouth could be during sex.

Not even Four Drink Amy could prepare him for phrases like oh God yes! Jake! Please, harder! Your cock feels so good, so good inside me! Or even the way she says oh fuck! Fuck yes! after a particular hard thrust. He knows he’s no better though, growling like a wild animal when she scratches her nails down his back, or repeatedly calling her name when she starts to contract around him.

She comes first, so hard and loud, and he doesn’t even have to touch her clit to get her there, and later he’ll feel soooo smug about it, but at the moment all he can think of is how good it feels to feel her losing control around him, which in turn makes him lose control. It takes some effort to keep his eyes open while he finishes, groaning her name and spilling his seed inside the condom, but he manages it because he wants to watch her with her head thrown back and her flushed chest exposed to him. What a delightful sight that is.

They tumble down on the mattress on their backs, both breathing hard and still sweating. When a chilly breeze invades his apartment, thanks to the partially open window, Jake notices when Amy shivers, never been one to deal well with cold temperatures, so he – with great effort – disposes of the condom, discarding it on the nearby trashcan, and pulls the sheets over their bodies.

Amy grabs onto to it, tucking it under her armpits and over her chest protectively. He hopes it’s just because of the cold, and that she’s not starting to regret what just happened. It might kill him if she does. They stay silent for what it feels like an eternity, at least until the sweat cools off their bodies and their breaths normalize.

Finally, he can take no more of this, and says the first thing that pops into his brain.

“So… we broke a rule.”

He still has his eyes on the ceiling, a slightly dazed expression on his face, when he feels Amy turn her head to look at him.

“Yeah. I hope it wasn’t a mistake,” she says softly.

Not being the best in dealing with emotions, on account of the psychological scars his dad left in him – not the point – Jake does what Jake does best, he makes a joke.

“I hope it wasn’t a mistake, title of your sextape.” Immediately, he gasps, and corrects himself. “Title of our sextape!”

It takes a second or two, but laughter bubbles out of Amy until she’s full on giggling, her shoulders shaking and everything. Just like that, they’re back on track, turning to face each other and laughing together at his stupid joke.

They take turns between laughing, sleeping and sex timez – as Jake likes to call it – until about four in the morning, when they finally succumb to exhaustion, knowing it’s going to be a hard day of work, but not really caring because they’re both out of their minds happy.

Before he falls into the best few hours of sleep he’s had a long while, Jake wraps his arms tighter around Amy, pulling her head deeper into his chest and smelling her hair, wishing to keep her this close for as long as she’ll let him. He’ll keep her forever if she’s down with that, but that’s a conversation for another time, and right now all the matters is the who, not the how, the why or the when.

Not the band, by the way. Not that the band is not great but that’s so not the point.

And that’s the last thought that Jake has before he falls asleep surrounded by Amy Santiago and all the happiness she brings him.