#ree.fics

“That’s it.” Kim announced to Roman as soon as they got back into the squad car. Her head hit the back of her seat with a gentle thud, her neck aching. “I officially hate Valentine’s day.”

Sean Roman can be a good partner, sometimes. He can also be a really infuriating one.

Unfortunately, today, he chose to be an infuriating one.

“Not even married and already out of the honeymoon period, huh?” He snarked and maybe, maybe, he was just trying to be funny, lighten up her mood but if so, he really failed to read the room. Kim glowered at him warningly.

“I take it that Ruzek doesn’t have any plans for the two of you then?” Roman failed to take the warning.

“That’s so not the point. Did you not just witness the same stupid idiocy that I did? This holiday makes everyone go crazy.” Kim sat up straighter, staring at her partner incredulously. Infuriatingly, Roman just laughed at her in response.

“No plans then. No wonder you’ve been in a bad mood all day. And this is an easy day, just a day filled with easy jobs, that’s it. If you had plans, you’d be able to see that and appreciate this day. Everyone knows the only women who bitch on this day is those without a date. Or in your case, a fiance who’s true love is his work instead.” Kim wondered if she could get away with murder. Maybe if she pretended that her and Roman was having an affair, she might be able say it was an act of passion? After all, it is the day of love.

“It’s not Adam’s fault Intelligence has a big case.” Kim, instead, chose to bite back at her partner. Something she regretted as soon as the words left her mouth as she realised that she basically confirmed what Roman thought; that she and her fiance have no plans, and it’s really upset her.

“I don’t know. If he really loved you…” Roman trailed off, but his words still cut deep. Before their work got busy they did have tentative plans to go out, but with everything getting so busy, they never got chance to finish making the plans, so Kim understood, but waking up alone, just reminded her that this was not how she imagined being engaged.

Work can’t be helped, but Kim couldn’t help but wonder if she should read more into Adam’s actions, or lack thereof. After all, he’s barely texted her these past few days and has been radio silent all day—not even responding to her text.

“Oh, don’t be so moody. It’s not his fault,” Roman then said, seeing her frown. Kim was surprised that he was actually agreeing with her but then he continued talking and those hopes were dashed.

“After all, you’re fiance number three. Not especially special, right?”

Yeah, if Kim thought she could get away with it, she might have actually killed him. Some partner, picking at her wound that’s only started to heal.

By the end of her shift, Kim was beyond bone tired and beyond done with the whole holiday. Valentine’s day had always been one of her favourite, even on the days she didn’t have a boyfriend for it. She was the person who, in high school, would get chocolates for her best friends—not that her high school boyfriend particularly liked her doing so. But this might as well sealed in her forever hatred of the day.

It was not how she imagined her first valentine’s day as an engaged woman—she would’ve thought only, but with the way the wedding planning was going, it’s shaping up to look like she’ll spend a couple of years engaged.

The journey home only served to remind her, over and over, just how tired she was, Kim had struggled to keep her focus on the road and already, she was dreading her shift the next day. And Adam would get in late again which meant she was going to bed, alone, again, and she really can’t sleep well without him.

Opening up the front door was a struggle, or at least Kim thought it was being. She struggled to get the key in the door, her hands not feeling like they were very strongly wrapped around the metal, but when she finally managed to insert it, she found that the door was already unlocked.

That was a surprise. Adam must’ve gotten off at a decent time, she thought. Or maybe he’s just stopping by to shower before heading back in, a part of her mind whispered traitorously at her. He’s done that before.

Those thoughts, however, was quickly squashed and instead replaced with confusion as soon as she opened the door. The lights were off, only the lamps on and candles lighting the room.

Candles?

That was the first thing that confused Kim. The next was the trail of rose petals leading into the apartment. She put down her bag, taking off her coat and just leaving it by the door, wasting no time following the trail.

She still felt confused, having expected to come home to the apartment exactly how she left it in the morning, but as she went further into the apartment, it was slowly replaced with a nervous sort of anticipation. Her mind was trying, hard, not to think too ahead, not to theorise of what was going on, but it couldn’t stop her body from ignoring what she was trying not to put into words.

The petals led her into the bedroom, and Kim thought that was where the trail would end, but it didn’t. The bedroom was similarly lit up like the apartment, but the trail continued to lead into the bathroom.

There, Adam was. He was leaning up against the sink, a soft smile on his face—there was some traces of smugness in it, but Kim didn’t mind. The bath had been drawn, all bubbled up with scented candles nearby.

“Adam,” Kim said, looking between him and the work he had done, the first, genuine smile she had pulled in ages breaking out on her face.

“Happy Valentine’s day, darlin’,” He greeted her, before leaning forward to give her a kiss. It was a small one, simple, short, but perfect. Kim restrained herself from deepening it, even though he was oh so kissable in that moment, because she still had things to say—and it’s really hard to talk when you’re kissing and when she kisses him, she really prefers to stay on task.

“What’s all this?” Kim said, stepping toward him as he leant back, getting into his space. Something he was all too willing for her to do, if the way he wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her tighter to him was any indication.

“What does it look like? I’m spoiling my very, very hard-working fiancee,” Adam responded, lifting up her head with one hand so that could puncture every word with a kiss on a different part of her face.

“You’re not the only one with a hard working fiance. I thought you’d still be at work.” Kim told him while snaking her arms around him, relishing in feeling his warmth against her.

“We’re engaged, you’re more important than work.” Adam shrugged, and maybe it is just that simple, and maybe she should’ve just left it at that, but she just couldn’t, not entirely.

“Hm. You didn’t reply to my text.” Feeling him, having him in her arms and her in his, seeing him be the romantic doofus she loves, it washes away all the irritability she was feeling all day, took away the her Adam withdrawal but it doesn’t take away all the hurt she felt.

To Adam’s credit, he did look a little shamed. “I know, darlin’. I was trying to finish up everything I had to do at work so that I could guarantee Voight would let me go home on time. I mean, I cleared it with him—well, Al—but you know the man. And by the time I realised you had messaged me, it was getting to the time to clock out so I thought… I’m sorry.”

That mollified Kim a little bit more.

“Is that why you left so early today?” She didn’t think she would be bringing up that, not wanting to sound so desperate when she knows, she knows, how demanding their work can be, but with what he had just said, she felt emboldened.

“Yeah. You’ve been working so much I didn’t want to wake you before your alarm. Plus you looked very adorable, I couldn’t even think about disturbing you.” At that, Adam kissed her again, briefly on the lips, then on her jaw, before kissing her neck. Kim decided to let go of the hurt, he’s not perfect but he tried and she loves him so damn much.

“Now, enough chatting. You’ve got a bath to soak in, before it gets cold. I didn’t time it this well just for you to distract me.” Adam pulled back, and Kim couldn’t help but pout at the sudden lack of contact.

“I don’t want the bath, I want you.” She pouted, only to have Adam shake his head.

“Later, darlin’. C’mon, let me spoil you.” Adam was undeterred. It was sweet, if not a bit frustrating, and when he started to help her undress, Kim knew it wasn’t for sexy time reasons.

“Adam,” Kim whined. “Look, I appreciate all this, I do, but we’ve barely seen each other recently and we might not get another evening like this, so please. Can we have sex? I’ve missed you and I need you—and if it’s between a bath or you, I choose you.”

Kim’s body ached, her over-worked muscles would’ve probably appreciated the soak, but Kim’s need for Adam, for just to rejoice in having physical contact with the love of her life, that was what she really wanted and their time was so precious. And sex with Adam, while it could be quite the workout, also always made her feel so boneless and relaxed afterwards, which her muscles would’ve also appreciated.

“Kim. You don’t have to choose. No, look—so I was going to tell you this after, but since you’re so bloody stubborn, here. We’ve both got the day off tomorrow, so if you want, we can spend the whole day in bed. But right now, you need to relax.”

Kim frowned. “No we don’t?”

“Yes, we do. I’ve sorted it, don’t worry. I’ll tell you more later, I promise, but can you just please, please, just let me look after you. Shut off that beautiful mind of yours, okay, baby,” Adam stroked back some of her hair he had released from her ponytail and it was just a simple action but it just hit home what was happening: here, she had the man she loves, her fiance with her, time to relax and just be with him, everything she’s wanted for days, everything she spent all day moping about… and she was trying to ruin it, ruin this wonderful surprise Adam had prepared for her.

So she did what he asked, and she just let herself be.