farmers market.
emily has her alarm set for 7:30am. but at 5am, the softest little voice calls through the monitor, pulling her from the deepest sleep she’s had in days. the only day she doesn’t have to wake up early. the only morning she can sleep in—
and aria, sweet little aria, has decided otherwise. emily blinks, groggy, barely registering the glow of the numbers on the clock before she hears it again.
“emmy? eeeeemmmmmmmy.”
it’s so gentle. so soft. not whiny. not demanding. just—checking in. like all aria is really saying is emmy, i’m up, it’s still dark out, are you still here?
emily exhales, running a hand over her face. she can’t be mad. she wants to be. god, she wants to sink back into the pillows, bury her face in the blankets, let just one morning be a morning where she isn’t needed this early— but then aria’s voice rasps through the house again, still thick with sleep.
“eeeemmmmmy, i up..”
emily freezes. because jesus, her voice. it’s so small, so sweet, the way it always is when she first wakes up—raspy and soft, words curling like warm honey in the quiet morning air. just like emily’s own voice is when she first wakes up. and just like that— the annoyance is gone.
completely.
because that’s her baby. her tiny, innocent, sweet baby, awake before the sun, checking if emily is still here. so, no — she can’t be mad. she won’t be. emily sighs, blinking herself awake, pushing back the blankets as she swings her legs over the side of the bed. her body is heavy with exhaustion, but she forces herself up, padding toward aria’s room, her heels dragging against the cold hardwood.
the second she opens the door, she’s met with wide, sleepy brown eyes blinking up at her from the crib. aria is sitting up, her small hands resting against the mattress, her hair a mess of soft, tousled curls. she’s not crying. not fussing. just waiting. emily’s heart clenches.
“hi, bug,” she murmurs, voice thick with sleep, rubbing a hand over her face as she steps forward, letting out another breath that she hopes wakes her body up just a bit more.
aria lifts her arms immediately, and emily doesn’t hesitate. she scoops her up, pressing a sleepy kiss to her temple before resting her cheek against aria’s head. aria melts into her, her tiny body warm and soft, arms curling loosely around emily’s shoulders. like she’s been waiting all night, even in her sleep, to be back in emily’s arms.
emily rocks her slightly, barely even thinking about it before whispering, “you know it’s still really early, right?”
aria hums against her chest, like she knows , but also—like she doesn’t care. what two year old does? emily huffs out a quiet, fond laugh.
“okay, fine,” she mutters, pressing another kiss to aria’s hair. “but if we’re gonna be up, we’re doing it my way.”
she grabs a few toys from the shelf—nothing loud, nothing with too many pieces—and heads back toward her bedroom, aria tucked securely in her arms. they settle back into bed, emily crawling under the covers with aria curled beside her, tiny hands gripping the stuffed rabbit she is rarely seen without. aria’s body is small but solid, warm against emily’s side, already wiggling slightly like she’s too awake for this. emily groans dramatically into her pillow.
“what if,” she mumbles, half into the mattress, eyes already half-closed, “we just entertained ourselves for a moment while emmy closes her eyes for at least fifteen more minutes…”
aria doesn’t respond. but emily feels her shift, feels the way her tiny hands start exploring the stuffed rabbit’s ears, the way she leans into emily’s warmth, content just being close. emily smiles against the pillow. maybe fifteen minutes isn’t a dream after all, because a few minutes of silence and aria’s soft breaths calmly against her? emily is teetering on the edge of sleep. that lustful, hazy warmth pulling her under, where her body knows it needs the rest and is so close to taking it - but she’s still aware. aware of the tiny body beside her, of the small movements, the shifting, the wiggles of a toddler who is awake but content. aria is quiet—for now.
which is a miracle, however emily curses herself currently considering that one of the toys she grabbed was way too crinkly, a poor decision that she immediately regrets. because aria loves crinkly things - she always has. loves to squeeze them just to hear the sound, loves to flop them down repeatedly, like it’s a personal experiment on how much noise she can make.
emily groans softly, half-burying her face in the pillow.
“aria,” she mumbles, voice still thick with sleep, “that’s so loud.”
aria pauses. considers this. then—she squeezes it one more time.
emily exhales through her nose. “okay, that’s enough.”
aria seems to agree because she abandons the crinkly toy before emily can try fishing it out of her hands with her eyes still closed. the toddlers attention goes to something better—something she adores. her books. the few board books emily grabbed, tucked into the pile beside them. aria’s tiny fingers search, grabbing one, bringing it into her lap, her body still pressed against emily’s side.
emily, still barely hanging onto the edge of sleep, feels her shift, feels her lean slightly against her head. and then— a pat. tiny, soft fingers gently patting emily’s head. not enough to wake her fully, not enough to disturb, just—there. like aria is checking on her, like she’s making sure emily knows she’s here. emily notices, of course she does, but she’s too deep in the warmth of sleep to react, so she lets it happen.
and aria—aria does something that makes emily’s heart ache in the best way possible. she starts reading to her. soft, quiet, the way emily reads to her at night .
except this isn’t the version of goodnight moon that emily reads. no—this is the aria version . the toddler version. the version that is jumbled and mumbled, filled with poor pronunciations and lisps, a string of words that technically don’t make sense but in aria’s world, they do. emily, eyes closed, listening, feels her smile grow with every word.
“night night… sergy.”
sergio. emily, and now aria’s cat. the one who is probably passed out somewhere, completely unaware that he’s been bid goodnight.
“night night… teebeee.”
the television.
“night night… nanas.”
…bananas?
“night night… pappy.”
her pacifier, the one currently wobbling between her lips as she speaks.
“night night… bwush.”
brush? …toothbrush? hairbrush? who knows.
“night night… b’ankie.”
blanket.
aria sighs, a small, sleepy huff as she wiggles closer to emily, burrowing herself deeper into the mattress, deeper into emily’s side.
then, quieter than before—
“night night, emmy .”
emily’s heart breaks in the softest, sweetest way. she should say it back, but she’s already slipping, falling, sinking into the most peaceful sleep she’s had in weeks. and that type of sleep is rare. usually, once aria is up at 5am, she is up. no negotiations. no delays.
she is ready to be taken downstairs, ready for emily to serve her the most exquisite sippy cup filled with milk, ready for emily to sit beside her on the couch, coffee in hand, the two of them tucked under a blanket, warmth shared between them.
saturdays meant no work for emily, and that meant emily was all aria’s.
after a couple of episodes of blue’s clues, aria would start planning the day in the only way a two-year-old could—chaotically and with unwavering determination. would they go outside? should they color? should they put on all of emily’s shoes just to see if any of them fit aria’s tiny feet — surely they will this week! but today— today, something blessed emily.
aria, after reading emily to sleep with the most nonsensical, heart-melting version of goodnight moon, didn’t immediately demand that they start their day. instead, she was content, quiet, calm.playing with a few more of her board books as emily drifted back to sleep. she stayed there, next to emily, warm and soft, every once in a while shifting or turning a page, but never whining, never pushing for emily to wake up.
and then—sergio decided to join them. his usual morning routine involved slinking around the kitchen, meowing dramatically for food before emily could even blink, but this morning? apparently, he too had decided that sleep was the most precious thing in the world.
so, with a single, lazy stretch, he hopped onto the bed, curling himself right against emily’s side, tail flicking slightly before settling into stillness. it was quiet, peaceful. aria didn’t even know about their plans today—about going to the farmers market with jj—because if she did, she would already be asking to go.
probably right now. at 5:15am. before the birds even started chirping. but she didn’t know, and for once, the world seemed to be on emily’s side.
when emily wakes up again, it’s 7:30am.
her alarm flutters softly from her phone, quiet tones pulling her from sleep, the kind of wake-up that doesn’t feel jarring, but natural. she blinks herself awake, groggy but grateful, stretching slightly and then—she notices.
aria. fast asleep. sprawled across her, her tiny body curved in a way that shouldn’t be comfortable, but is. her little turned-up nose pointing slightly in the air, her back arched just enough that her small frame bends over emily’s stomach. two board books clutched tightly to her chest. sergio, curled into emily’s side, his tail flicking slightly in his sleep, the end tapping aria’s foot. probably in his mind saying, turn the noise off, emily. we’re all fucking sleeping finally.
emily swallows a laugh, biting her lip, barely moving as she shifts her head slightly, and then she feels it. something by her neck. first, something hard. she reaches, her fingers grazing against smooth plastic - aria’s pacifier, probably fell out of her mouth sometime in the night, rolling down emily’s chest, settling right at the crook of her neck. but then—the next thing she feels is soft.emily barely turns, her heart already tightening—and when she sees it, she has to bite her lip harder.
aria, at some point in the night, had tucked her rabbit—the one that never leaves her, the one she clutches to her chest at bedtime, the one she insists makes things real—right next to emily’s head. like it belonged there. like aria decided that maybe emmy needed bunny cuddles more than she did right now. emily blinks, staring at it for a moment longer than she should. her chest aches—in the kind of way that feels full, in the kind of way that makes her throat tight, in the kind of way that makes her want to never move from this bed again. aria shifts slightly in her sleep, letting out the tiniest sigh, burrowing herself deeper into emily’s stomach. sergio flicks his tail again, lazily, grumpily, like he knows emily is awake but doesn’t want to acknowledge it. and emily—emily lets herself stay there like this for ten, maybe fifteen more minutes.
just laying there, looking at aria. the early morning sunlight filters through the curtains, spilling warm golden streaks across the bed, casting soft shadows on aria’s tiny, delicate features.
and god, she’s beautiful . emily traces the light over her soft, round cheeks, still flushed faintly with sleep. her tiny, upturned nose, barely twitching as she breathes, her lips slightly parted, her slow, steady inhales barely making a sound. her lashes—so long—fan against her cheeks, a deep, dark contrast against the golden glow of her skin. her curls, messy from sleep, splay across emily’s chest, wild and free, soft ringlets curling into the fabric of emily’s shirt. her tiny fingers are still curled tightly around her board books, as if she couldn’t risk letting them go even in sleep.
emily’s heart hurts with how much she loves her.
she swallows against the ache in her throat, blinking slowly, memorizing this moment. she knows she should get up. should start the morning. should have already started it.
she glances at the time.
7:54. shit . they need to leave by 8:30.
emily curses herself silently for waiting this long, for letting the time slip away, but—how could she have moved? how could she have left this? it felt wrong to rush past it, to not sit in it , to not appreciate the rare quiet of a morning where aria wasn’t climbing her like a jungle gym.
mornings like this didn’t happen often. so she let herself have it, for about…ten moe seconds. but now, they really do have to get up.
emily sighs, rubbing a gentle hand over aria’s small belly, her fingers pressing just lightly into the soft fabric of her pajamas. aria stirs, barely . her tiny brows twitch, her lips pout slightly as she shifts against emily’s stomach, but she doesn’t wake up fully. emily smiles, moving her hand up, brushing her knuckles gently along aria’s cheek. aria huffs in her sleep, her lips parting slightly, pushing her face deeper into the warmth of emily’s shirt.
emily chuckles softly. she brushes her fingers along aria’s curls, whispering, “baby, it’s time to wake up.”
aria stirs again, her lashes fluttering, her tiny fingers loosening around her books. emily rubs her thumb across her cheek, softer this time.
“c’mon, bug,” she murmurs, her voice still heavy with sleep. “gotta wake up.”
aria inhales deeply, her whole body stretching out like a cat, her little arms extending above her head before collapsing back down against emily’s stomach.
she huffs again, sinking deeper into the mattress, her face scrunching up and her lips pursing out like waking up is the worst thing that’s ever happened to her. emily grins, because it’s the cutest thing. aria blinks, finally, her big brown eyes peering up at emily, still hazy with sleep. emily strokes her hair, voice low, gentle, because she knows aria hates loudness when she first wakes up. unless , of course, she’s the one creating it. then it’s a different story .
“good morning, baby,” emily whispers, pressing a quick kiss to her forehead. aria blinks slowly, her mouth opening in the tiniest, sleepiest little sigh - and emily melts as she strokes her back, soothing.
“guess what..?” she murmurs.
aria hums sleepily, still pressed against emily’s chest.
“we’re going to the farmers market today, and jj is going to meet us there,” she tells her, voice still soft.
aria blinks again. processing. trying to wake up fully. and then emily sees it. the moment the words register. the shift. the tiny flicker of realization . aria’s little face lights up - soft, pure delight. her sleepy eyes widen just slightly, her lips parting in silent excitement. emily grins, brushing a curl from her face.
“yeah, that sounds good to you..?”
aria’s eyes widen, her little body jolts forward, hands pressing into whatever emily can only assume is her spleen.
“jayje?”
emily grunts, the sudden pressure making her whole body tense as she tries not to laugh through the pain. because jesus, this kid has more strength than should be physically possible. sergio, nestled against emily’s side, jumps at the sudden movement, his tail flicking wildly as he lifts his head, glaring hard at both of them, as if to say what the actual hell was that ? aria, completely unbothered by emily struggling for air, looks up at her expectantly, eyes still wide with excitement. emily exhales, recovering, blinking rapidly as she nods.
“yeah, baby,” she murmurs, still catching her breath. “we’re going with jj.”
aria beams .
her tiny legs kick slightly as she shifts, wiggling forward like she’s ready to go right now. sergio huffs dramatically, standing up and stalking off the bed, his tail still flicking as if he’s personally offended by the absolute chaos that just disturbed his sleep. emily shakes her head, still laughing as she presses a quick kiss to aria’s curls.
“okay, okay,” she mutters, sitting up, adjusting aria on her hip. “let’s get ready, you need clothes kiddo.”
as emily walks down the hall to aria’s room, she glances at the pile of laundry she placed in the rocking chair the night before.
damn it.
she gets onto herself mentally here and there for not automatically hanging up clothes as soon as they come out of the dryer, but god, aria somehow collects laundry like it’s her actual job. random socks. tiny leggings. how did this even get here? but it’s clean, so it’s fine. right ?
emily sighs, shaking her head as she steps into aria’s room, setting her down on the rug. aria immediately shifts toward her toys, already crawling away, but emily lets her—for now. she moves toward the rocking chair, shifting through the pile of tiny clothes, grabbing a little pair of leggings, a georgetown sweatshirt —toddler-sized, of course, because when emily had gone back a few months ago for some papers the bau needed for her transfer, she had to get it for aria.
it was a requirement.
she grabs a fresh diaper from the table nearby, tossing it onto the floor beside her as she lowers herself down, settling onto her knees.
“alright, bug,” she calls, voice teasing, “c’mere.”
aria, completely ignoring her, is already reaching for a stuffed bear, clearly prioritizing playtime over anything else. emily huffs out a laugh, shakes her head, and before aria can escape completely, she reaches forward, grabs her by the ankles—and drags her back toward her.
aria squeals. a high-pitched, ear-shattering noise that should not be possible for someone so small . emily laughs, despite the fact that she’s positive their neighbors just heard that.
“jesus, aria,” she mutters, flipping her onto her back with ease, tapping her tiny belly through her pajama shirt. “you’re gonna break the sound barrier one day.”
aria just giggles, wiggling wildly, her little legs kicking in the air. and then—the hard part. because maybe aria wasn’t a wiggle worm at 5am, but she certainly is now, and they have twenty-eight minutes before they need to be out the door. emily exhales, already preparing for battle, holding up the leggings like she’s about to wrestle a bear.
“alright, let’s play a game,” emily mutters, grabbing one of aria’s feet before she can kick it away.
aria, grinning, knows what’s coming.
“what color is emmy’s shirt?” emily asks, already maneuvering one tiny leg into the leggings before aria can fight back.
aria blinks, thinking.
“boo.”
“good,” emily says, nodding, the old faded blue college tshirt she still sleeps in because its worn and soft, clinging to her frame - and now? she’s got one leg in, and that’s progress .
she grabs for the other one—aria twists, nearly flipping onto her stomach in the process.
“oh, no you don’t,” emily huffs, adjusting quickly, pulling the fabric up before aria can escape.
“what sound does a doggie make?”
aria, still wiggling, grins.
“woof woof.”
“that’s right.” emily tugs the waistband into place. victory.
but then—the sweatshirt. emily prepares herself. because aria? not a fan of getting her arms into sleeves.
“okay, bug,” emily murmurs, holding it open. “arms up.”
aria does not put her arms up. emily sighs.
“aria, what sound does a kitty make?”
aria pauses. thinks. this is important information.
“meow,” she says.
and in that moment of distraction, emily swoops the sweatshirt over her head, guiding her arms through before she even realizes what’s happening. aria blinks. emily smirks.
“ha. gotcha.”
aria pouts, kicking her legs dramatically. emily laughs, brushing a hand through aria’s curls, pressing a quick kiss to her forehead.
“okay, baby,” she murmurs, pulling a pair of tiny socks onto her feet. “we’re almost done.”
aria huffs, dramatically defeated…but secretly accepting it. emily finally gets aria’s socks on, feeling like she’s just finished some sort of battle, but at least they’re making progress. next, the shoes. emily grabs the small pair of white sneakers sitting beside her, the ones aria has worn plenty of times before, the ones she likes, and reaches for one of aria’s little feet.
but—aria yanks it back.
“no no no no.”
her tiny voice is firm, laced with pure toddler disapproval, her little brows scrunched up as she shakes her head.
emily blinks. aria never protests these shoes.
“bug, what—?” emily reaches for her foot again—
aria pulls it back just as fast, shaking her head even harder.
“i no those!”
emily pauses. what? aria likes these shoes. she’s worn them a dozen times. emily tilts her head, puzzled.
“you want different ones?”
aria nods, determined.
“pink.”
oh, she has preferences now.
emily raises a brow, curious, as she leans over and grabs the small pair of pink converse from the pile of shoes near the closet. she holds them up, watching aria’s face carefully.
“these?”
aria nods immediately .
her whole face softens, a tiny pleased smile creeping onto her lips—like she didn’t just act like emily insulted her moments ago. emily exhales a quiet laugh, shaking her head as she kneels back down.
“alright, diva,” she mutters, slipping the pink shoes onto her tiny feet, tying them securely.
aria swings her legs slightly, pleased. emily sits back, watching her, something warm settling in her chest. aria seems to have opinions now. on clothes, on shoes - on everything, probably. emily lifts a brow.
“you’re getting picky on me, bug.”
aria just grins, completely unbothered.
and god, emily loves her - but is quickly pulled from her doting when she checks the time.
15 minutes. aka, she has 15 minutes to get ready. she exhales sharply, rubbing a hand down her face.
“shit.”
aria, sitting cross-legged on the floor, tilts her head, her little brows scrunching as she looks up at emily in pure toddler confusion.
“shit?”
emily freezes . her eyes widen slightly before she immediately points at aria, shaking her head.
“nope. nope. not today. we do not have time to introduce that today.”
aria just blinks.
emily exhales, running a hand through her hair before grabbing the nearest stuffed animal and handing it to her, then another, then a third, and then, for good measure, another two.
“here. hold these. treasure them.”
aria clutches the stuffed animals obediently, blinking up at emily, intrigued. but emily doesn’t have time to explain further. she books it toward her bedroom, pushing the door open as she rips open her dresser drawers.
she grabs the first things she sees—a fitted, long-sleeve black top and high-waisted dark wash jeans that definitely need a belt. she pulls them out and tosses them onto the bed before yanking open the closet door. black boots? too much. white sneakers? sure, why not!
fine. she grabs them, tossing them onto the floor before catching a glimpse of herself in the mirror. her hair—thank god for yesterday her, because it’s still curled, loose waves mostly intact from the day before. all she has to do is run a brush through it - a miracle.
she throws the clothes over her arm, booking it out of the bedroom, basically hopping down the hall as she yanks her jeans up, nearly tripping over her own feet. she veers sharply into the bathroom, grabbing the brush and pulling it through her hair quickly, glancing at the time again—
12 minutes.
aria and sergio are both peeking out from her bedroom into the hallway, watching calm and collected emily prentiss curse a pair of jeans and herself for laying in bed too long. aria, her head tilting slightly, watches as emily wrestles the waistband into place before practically jumping into the bathroom.
“woah.”
she mumbles it under her breath. sergio, his tail flicking lazily behind him, watching with what can only be described as judgment, lets out a simple—
“meow.”
emily groans, rubbing her temples. she lets herself sit in bed too long, lets herself pretend she had more time, all because aria had been so peaceful this morning, all because she had wanted to soak in the rare calm of a saturday. but now? now she’s hopping across the hallway, yanking a belt through her loops, throwing on a minimal amount of makeup in record time, and trying to breathe all at once. aria just watches, fascinated. sergio flicks his tail again.
and emily? she pulls herself together and finishes getting ready - and somehow emily pulls it off.
somehow. clothes? on. teeth? brushed. makeup? miraculously done. she actually stops for a second, looking at herself in the bathroom mirror, tilting her head slightly.
huh. she doesn’t look half bad. which is impressive, considering she definitely should look a mess after the morning she’s had. she exhales, giving herself one final once-over before stepping out into the hallway—and stops.
aria and sergio are now in the middle of the hallway. aria, fully engaged in a conversation with him, her little hands gesturing as she talks like she’s explaining something very important . sergio, in true sergio fashion, sits completely unbothered, his tail flicking lazily every few seconds, blinking at aria like he’s processing every word. which—honestly? he probably is. because if sergio could talk, emily is sure he would shock everyone. she was convinced a few months ago, before she had aria full-time, that he was speaking to her after she popped an edible she probably shouldve halved.
but then—she spots it. the one thing she forgot - aria’s hair. it’s a mess. bed head of champions.
she checks the time.
three minutes.
“okay, okay, okay,” emily mutters, already moving.
she points directly at aria. “you—yep, you, c’mere!”
before aria can even process what’s happening, emily scoops her right off the ground, making her squeal with laughter. aria giggling at 5am when she’s supposed to be asleep? dangerous .aria giggling because emily just plucked her up and is now power-walking to the bathroom? adorable .
emily places her on the bathroom counter, holding her in place as she assesses the damage. it’s… something. aria tilts her head, still giggling, watching emily through the mirror like this is the most entertaining thing she’s seen all morning.
“baby,” emily sighs, wetting the hairbrush quickly, “how did this even happen?”
aria shrugs, like she doesn’t know either. emily just shakes her head, already getting to work. her hands move on autopilot, pulling aria’s soft, dark curls into a cute, perfect little toddler topknot sprig on the top of her head. it’s second nature at this point. aria stays still, miraculously—probably because she knows this is just a necessary part of life now. emily secures the tiny elastic, and nods.
“done.”
aria grins at her reflection, pleased. emily doesn’t waste time—she lifts aria back into her arms, grabs her own bag, grabs aria’s bag off the coat rack as she moves through the house, adjusting everything as she goes. she’s already opening the front door when aria pipes out, her little voice cheerful—
“bye sergy!”
emily, automatically, echoes—
“bye, sergio!”
and with that, she locks the door— and to the car they go.
however, jj’s morning? much calmer. so much calmer. noone calling for her at 5am, no tiny hands grasping at her the second she wakes up. no rushed outfit changes while a toddler tries to escape the very concept of getting dressed. no meow of judgment from a cat watching her hop across the hallway, cursing at the fact that she stayed in bed too long.
no, jj’s morning is simple .
she wakes up at 7am, naturally, the soft glow of the early morning light slipping through her curtains. she stretches, slowly, easing into the day. there’s no rush. she pads into the kitchen, the cool tile against her bare feet grounding her as she starts her coffee. the machine hums, filling the quiet of her apartment with a soft, steady noise. jj breathes in deeply, savoring the scent as she pours herself a cup, moving to the couch, curling up under the throw blanket she keeps there.
she reads.
a full chapter of her book, uninterrupted, the words pulling her in, her fingers idly running over the edges of the pages as she takes her time. she even annotates a quote, underlining it twice, because she is sure it’s going to change her life .
god, what a morning.
she showers, warm water easing the last remnants of sleep from her body. blow dries her hair. gets ready at her own pace. she even changes three times, because somehow, no matter what she puts on, she just doesn’t look good enough.
first, jeans and a sweater—too casual. then, something nicer—too much. finally, a happy medium—a soft, fitted long-sleeve, light-wash jeans, boots. simple, but it feels right.
she pulls on a jacket, checks herself once more in the mirror— nods.
locks up the apartment, turns off all the lights, and heads out.
it’s no ticking time bomb at jj’s place. but then again— it’s just her .
once emily buckles aria in, making extra sure her tiny pink sneakers are securely on—because aria has absolutely mastered the art of sneakily kicking them off mid-drive—she moves around to the driver’s seat, sliding in and shutting the door. she starts the engine, and glances at the clock.
8:31am.
emily huffs out a small, self-satisfied laugh, shaking her head as she reaches for the radio.
“not bad, prentiss.”
she mutters it under her breath, flipping through stations, searching for something that will please aria this morning. aria isn’t too picky about music, which makes emily’s life easier, but she still tries to find something just right for whatever mood she’s in. before she can land on something, though, a tiny voice echoes from the backseat—
“no bad, pwentiss.”
emily pauses. her head snaps up slightly, eyes flickering to the rearview mirror. aria is already looking at her, her big brown eyes twinkling, her lips curling just slightly, like she knows exactly what she’s doing. emily grins. and at the exact same time—aria grins back. a perfect, tiny mirror of her. emily shakes her head.
“you are a mess.”
aria blinks. tilts her head slightly before responding—
“no, i c’ean, emmy.”
emily lets out a full laugh, reaching back to pat aria’s knee.
“yes yes, my bad. you’re clean.”
the drive isn’t long, but by the time they’re halfway there, emily has to turn down the radio. because aria has questions. so many questions , about the farmers market. or—as she calls it—
“maw-tit.”
market , apparently, is still a hard one.
“what’s at maw-tit?” aria asks, her little voice filled with pure curiosity. emily smirks, glancing at her in the mirror. “lots of things, bug. fruits, vegetables, flowers…”
aria blinks. processes.
then— “nanas?”
bananas. it always comes back to bananas this week.
emily chuckles. “yeah, baby, they’ll have bananas.”
aria nods, seemingly satisfied with this answer. but then—
“apple?”
“yep. they’ll have apples too.”
“cawwit?”
“carrots, yep.”
“mmm…tookie?”
emily pauses, biting her lip, tilting her head slightly. “maybe. depends on if emmy lets you have a cookie.”
aria gasps dramatically. “oh no.”
emily laughs, shaking her head. then—aria’s voice softens, just a little.
“jayje?”
emily’s chest tightens slightly. aria is checking, confirming, like she needs to hear it again. emily smiles, softer now.
“yeah, baby. jj’s going to be there.”
aria grins, small but pure, her feet kicking slightly in her seat. then—
“jayje get nanas?”
emily grins, biting her cheek to keep herself from laughing too much. “ maybe. i think she likes apples more.”
aria gasps again, as if this is the biggest shock of the morning. “jayje no nanas?”
emily snickers, shaking her head. aria is quiet for a moment. thinking. then—
“jayje tookies?”
emily huffs, reaching to turn the radio back up.
“why don’t you ask her when we get there, huh?”
aria hums, clearly satisfied with this very serious conversation. and emily— emily feels something warm. something she’s not ready to name. so instead, she just focuses on driving, answering every question aria throws her way, and getting them both to jj .
jj pulls into the parking lot at almost the exact same time as emily. she notices immediately—sees the black suv ease into a space just a few spots away, watches as the brake lights fade out, sees the familiar shape of emily in the driver’s seat. and for a second—just a second—jj doesn’t move.
because if she’s being honest with herself, she needs a moment. to breathe, to calm herself down. she’s ridiculous , she knows that. but her chest flutters, her pulse picks up just slightly, and she has to gather herself before she steps out of the car and sees emily—sees aria—in person again.
so she lingers.
she takes longer than necessary, reaching for her canvas tote bags, adjusting her sunglasses, fixing the strap of her purse like it actually matters. it’s all an excuse, but it gives her a moment. because she’s not sure why she’s feeling like this. or— maybe she’s not ready to admit why she’s feeling like this. so she stalls.
which emily? emily does not. because emily has an entire operation to handle. jj glances over, watching as emily moves through the routine of getting everything out of the car—her bag, the stroller, and aria, who is waiting patiently in her car seat, little hands resting on her lap. it’s smooth, practiced—jj can tell emily’s done this a million times. but it still takes a minute.
and that is when jj hears it. barely, but enough. the thing she’s imagined but never actually heard before. the baby voice. jj stops what she’s doing. completely. because emily has her back turned, reaching into the backseat, and jj catches it.
soft. sweet. a voice she’s never heard emily use at work, a voice she knows she never will. honestly, she knows emily would probably be mortified if she knew jj even heard her.
“ohhh, there’s my sweet girl, huh? you ready to come out, bug?”
aria’s tiny voice pipes up immediately , full of pure happiness.
“out! out, out, out!”
emily chuckles, something in her voice only reserved for aria.
“i know, baby, hold on—emmy’s gotta get you out first, huh? where’s those little toes? oh, i see ‘em, i see ‘em!”
aria squeals, kicking her feet as emily gently pulls her from the car seat, adjusting her into her arms before smoothing a hand over her back. jj bites her lip down hard, trying not to grin like an absolute idiot - because holy shit. she knew emily did this, she knew there was a softness to her, an ease when it came to aria.
but hearing it? it wrecks her completely in the best way. she locks her car, shaking her head at herself before turning and walking toward them, still trying—failing—to wipe the grin from her face.
as soon as emily lifts aria from her car seat, her little body leaving the safety of the car and entering the world outside— she spots jj, and immediately—
“dat jayje!”
aria squeals, her sneakers kicking wildly in the air, her whole body wiggling in excitement.
and jj? jesus fucking christ. jennifer jarau almost falls out right there in the middle of the parking lot of the farmers market. well—on the inside, she does. on the outside, she manages to keep it together, barely, grinning as she waves back, walking toward them.
“hey, you two,” jj greets, slipping her sunglasses onto the top of her head as she stops beside them. emily is focused on buckling aria into the stroller, adjusting the straps, making sure everything is secure. jj watches as aria wiggles slightly, still clearly buzzing from seeing her. when emily finishes, jj crouches down, resting her forearms on her knees, bringing herself down to aria’s level.
“hey, sweet girl,” she says, her voice softer, warmer, her eyes twinkling as she meets aria’s gaze. aria grins, immediately leaning forward in the stroller, her hands gripping the little bar in front of her, her excitement so clear. emily watches it unfold, smiling to herself. jj has always been good with kids, she’s seen her comfort many on cases. but with aria? it’s something different. jj reaches out, brushing her knuckles against aria’s cheek.
“you ready to shop with me today?”
aria nods quickly, her little legs kicking slightly against the footrest of the stroller. and then without missing a beat—
“jayje no ‘nanas?”
jj pauses, blinking.
she tilts her head slightly, looking up at emily, confused.
“…no nanas?”
emily? loses it. she busts out laughing, shaking her head, sighing as she rubs her forehead. jj watches her, still confused, grinning despite not understanding why this is funny. aria, pleased with herself, waits patiently for an answer. emily finally catches her breath, looking at jj with an amused shake of her head.
“she asked if you liked bananas on the way here,” emily explains, placing a hand on her hip. “i told her i think you like apples more.”
jj raises an eyebrow, smirking. “you think?”
“well,” emily says, still grinning, “then she needed to know if you liked cookies, and…”
she holds up her hands, letting out a soft breath of laughter, her dimples showing, her eyes light.
jj melts. because emily prentiss, standing there in the middle of a farmers market parking lot, laughing because of aria, because of this whole ridiculous conversation, is too much in the best way possible. emily shakes her head again, exhaling.
“i told her she would have to ask you her questions.”
jj looks down at aria again, pressing her lips together in mock consideration.
“hmm,” she hums, tilting her head, “do i like bananas?”
aria nods. decidedly, because of course jj likes bananas. she must.
jj smirks. “do you like bananas?”
aria nods again, more enthusiastically this time.
jj laughs, tapping her tiny knee. “then i guess i do too.”
aria beams, and emily just shakes her head, smiling as she pushes the stroller forward.
“you two are too much,” she mutters.
jj just grins, walking beside them. because if this is too much? she doesn’t want less.
they walk toward the market, the stroller moving steadily as emily and jj fall into conversation like no time has passed. which, in reality, it hasn’t. they saw each other yesterday at work. they exchanged conversation, exchanged glances across the bullpen, probably rolled their eyes at something ridiculous derek said. but it’s different now. because it’s been a while since they’ve been here—together, outside of the bau, not surrounded by case files and crime scene photos and the constant weight of work.
it’s been a while since it’s been just them. with aria.
jj listens as emily tells her about how aria read to her this morning, voice soft, amused, fond.
jj melts, because she knows what that must’ve sounded like—aria’s little voice, sleepy and sure, telling her own version of goodnight moon. her heart tugs, because she thinks about her morning. about how she sat with her coffee, curled under a blanket, reading a book— about how she annotated a quote that she was sure at 7am was going to change her life. a quote that she’s already forgotten the exact wording of.
but what if—what if that quote wasn’t going to change her life? what if the people next to her were the ones who would?
jj is pulled from her thoughts, and emily from her speaking— by aria’s small, discontent whine. they both immediately look down. aria’s tiny hands move up, covering her eyes, her nose scrunching up in frustration.
“big sun, emmy..”
emily stops, pushing her sunglasses up onto her head, frowning slightly as she crouches just a bit to check on her.
“we’ll be out of it in just a second, okay?” emily soothes, voice warm, soft. “i know it’s bright, i’m sorry, bug. the sun’s still coming up—”
jj interrupts. excitedly.
“oh! oh my god!” she exclaims, already moving. “how did i forget?”
she immediately crouches down in front of the stroller, rummaging through her tote bag, searching for something. aria watches her curiously, her hands still covering her eyes, but peeking through slightly. jj finally finds it—pulls out the tiniest pair of sunglasses.
they match hers.
jj grins, holding them up.
“i figured you’d like these,” she murmurs, her voice soft, careful, as she reaches forward. “let’s give ‘em a test run…”
she gently slips them onto aria’s face, making sure they’re secure, adjusting them slightly so they sit properly on her tiny nose.
aria blinks, looks at jj - then up at emily. and both of them— emily fucking melts. jj fucking melts. because here is this tiny toddler, sitting in her stroller, wearing a georgetown crewneck and little sunglasses, looking like she could run the world if she was allowed. aria tilts her head, like she’s processing, then nods—decidedly, satisfied that the sun is no longer in her face. jj smiles, tapping the stroller bar lightly.
“now you’re ready.”
aria nods again, settling comfortably into her seat. emily just smiles. something soft in her tone, something jj feels down to her chest.
“thank you,” emily murmurs. “that was sweet.”
jj meets her gaze, something warm settling between them - she just shrugs, her lips curling at the edges.
“of course,” she says.
because of course. because it’s aria. because it’s emily.
aria? aria is fascinated by the market. everything is a gasp. an “ohhhh emmy!” or an “ohhhhh jayje!” every two seconds, her little fingers pointing excitedly from the stroller at every new sight, every new color, every new thing.jj can’t stop watching her. she swears aria’s eyes have never been this big, never this full of wonder.
jj tilts her head, leaning slightly toward emily as aria enthusiastically informs them both—along with anyone else in a five-foot radius— that those apples are red but those apples are green, and that jayje likes apples. a lot.
“have you never taken her here?” jj asks, amused, watching aria continue her very serious apple discussion with the farmer selling them.
emily shakes her head, smirking slightly. “i did, once. but she was asleep for most of it. i counted it as a win. i got groceries and she got a nap.”
jj chuckles, shaking her head as she glances down at aria again—who is still very much in conversation with the farmer, making absolutely sure he understands that jayje likes apples. jj watches, her heart clenching at the way aria’s small fingers grip the edge of the stroller tray, the way her little feet kick slightly as she speaks. god, she’s adorable. but then aria gasps.
a full-on, life-changing gasp. her entire body tenses for a second, her little hands gripping tighter, her eyes widening. jj immediately looks at emily. emily immediately looks at jj.
and then—
“emmy… ‘nanas.”
emily laughs, already turning the stroller toward the bananas before aria can start begging. jj just grins, shaking her head, watching as aria reaches toward them, like she’s just laid eyes on the holy grail. because in aria’s world? she has.
emily shakes her head, already reaching into her bag, pulling out a few dollars as she assures aria, “we’re getting you a banana right now, bug. right away.”
aria nods solemnly, as if this is a very serious transaction. jj watches, amused, as emily pays, thanks the merchant, and tucks a few bananas into her bag before plucking one off the bunch.
as emily turns back toward aria, jj tilts her head. “so… she’s always liked bananas?”
emily lets out a breath of a laugh, shaking her head slightly. “always. but the last two weeks? it’s been on another level.” she pauses, raising an eyebrow as she squats down in front of aria. “but jesus christ have mercy on anyone who peels it wrong .”
jj blinks.
“peel it wrong?”
emily nods, the same nod she does when they’re confirming case details, the kind of nod that means it’s serious. jj watches as emily carefully holds the banana, like it’s an explosive device , before looking aria in the eye.
“okay, miss,” emily says, her tone completely neutral, like this is a high-stakes negotiation. “do you want all the yellow peel off?”
aria tilts her head. considers this. then nods.
emily nods back. “are you sure?”
aria nods again, firmer this time.
jj presses her lips together to keep from laughing.
emily nods once more. “ okay. should i peel it from the top or the bottom?”
aria doesn’t even hesitate.
“top!”
“top it is.”
jj watches, completely fascinated, as emily carefully peels the banana like she’s dismantling a bomb.slow. methodical. precise. aria watches like a hawk, her little body leaning forward slightly, waiting. once it’s peeled perfectly, emily hands it to her. aria happily takes it, leans back in the stroller, and takes a bite, completely satisfied.
“fank ’ou, emmy.”
emily grins, patting her knee before standing back up, glancing at jj.
“to your question? yes. it’s serious.”
jj shakes her head, laughing as they start walking again.
“she never throws tantrums,” emily continues, slipping her sunglasses back onto her face. “like, ever. knock on wood.” she taps her knuckles against the stroller handle before exhaling dramatically. “but one day, i peeled the banana wrong in her eyes, and she had one of the biggest meltdowns i’ve ever seen.”
jj raises an eyebrow. “define wrong.”
emily gives her a look. “i wish i knew.”
jj snorts. emily shakes her head. “but then, one day—i was peeling one, and it broke.” she pauses, lowering her sunglasses slightly, her voice dead serious. “as bananas do sometimes.”
jj nods solemnly. “of course.”
emily sighs. “she fell to the kitchen floor like i had shot her.”
jj cracks up, as she bends over slightly, her laugh bubbling out of her, shaking her head as she grips her tote bag tighter. aria, completely unbothered , continues eating her perfectly peeled banana, her little legs kicking idly in her stroller. jj straightens, wiping a tear from under her eye.
“okay, so…” jj exhales, still grinning and clearly engaged in this. “do you think she remembers which method is the correct one, or are you just constantly hoping for the best?”
emily smirks, tilting her head. “honestly? bit of both.”
jj laughs again, shaking her head as they keep walking, the market buzzing around them, the smell of fresh fruit and bread filling the air. and jj? jj can’t remember the last time she felt this light.
halfway through the market, aria is done with her banana. satisfied . like she has accomplished all she needed to today. until her 4pm meeting with sergio post-nap, of course. emily smirks, watching as aria casually leans back in her stroller, legs kicking slightly, hands resting on her lap like she’s just closed a business deal and is very pleased with the results.
jj notices too, a soft laugh under her breath. “she looks so content.”
emily shakes her head, sighing dramatically. “she is. for now.”
jj grins, reaching over to tickle aria’s knee. they walk, weaving through the booths, stopping here and there, talking. really talking . flowing in a way that usually only people flow in with years of knowing, loving, and trusting one another. it’s so easy.
jj mentions how she almost spilled her coffee this morning because she got too caught up annotating her book. emily laughs, teasing her for treating a quote like it was about to change the entire trajectory of her life. jj insists it felt life-changing at the time . emily asks jj if she’s planning on taking another running class since she complained about the last one but keeps going back. jj admits she probably will because, despite everything, she actually enjoys it.
aria— well, aria interrupts every few minutes to fire off questions at emily.
“why dat?” (pointing at fresh bread.)
“why dat?” (pointing at a dog.)
“why dat?” (pointing at a trash can, for some reason.)
but then—she moves on, and jj is the new target.
“jayje why dat?” (pointing at a man selling scarves.)
“jayje why dat?” (pointing at a baby in a stroller, deeply fascinated by another tiny human.)
“jayje why dat?” (pointing at a cart selling jars of honey—aria’s voice filled with curiosity like she’s discovered something groundbreaking.)
jj answers them all, her voice light, amused, soft. aria nods at each response like she’s filing it away for later use. though as few moments later. jj stops at one of the booths.
a flower booth. emily watches as jj naturally reaches for a bouquet, admiring the arrangement, running her fingers gently over the petals. the merchant nods at her, clear that jj has been here a few times. aria leans forward in the stroller, clearly interested in all of it. jj notices, her lips curling into a smile before she bends down, nodding toward the display.
“you wanna pick my flowers out for this week?”
aria’s eyes widen. her tiny mouth parts slightly, and then she nods, smiling like she’s just been given the greatest opportunity of a lifetime. she looks for a moment, taking her time before finally, decisively, pointing at a bouquet of wildflowers. shades of purple, blue, soft pinks, touches of green scattered between them.
“dat one.”
jj nods like it’s the most important decision in the world, standing up and smiling at the merchant.
“you heard the boss.”
jj pays, chatting casually with the vendor, and emily just watches. watches jj, here, in this space, getting flowers like she does every week. she can picture it.
jj coming here alone, deciding which ones she wants for her home, something to make it feel a little more homey. emily thinks about how she would love to be the one who buys flowers for jj. but before she can go too far into that thought— she sees jj bend back down to aria.
“and for your help…”
jj pulls out a big, pink chrysanthemum and hands it to aria. aria’s hands, usually so busy, usually grabbing and moving and doing, reach for it—so gently. like it’s the most precious thing in the world to her. aria looks up at jj, then back at the flower, and when she speaks? her voice is possibly the softest emily has ever heard it.
“fank you, jayje.”
there’s love behind it, like she can’t believe someone other than emily would gift her something so delicate, so pretty. and then emily realizes something. jj is the first person to give aria a flower. not like picking a dandelion off the ground and sharing it, like she and aria do when they go on walks. but an actual, bought flower - and it makes emily happy. happy that the first time aria gets flowers isn’t from some boy or girl who will probably break her heart in high school.
happy that it’s jj. as if emily’s soul knows jj will never, break aria’s heart.
jj stands up, adjusting the bouquet in her arms, shifting slightly as she looks back at emily, and then-
“and it’s only fair.”
emily barely has time to react before jj is holding up a purple chrysanthemum toward her. emily’s cheeks, they burn immediately. she’s sure they’re crimson. she’s sure her brain is short-circuiting. but she keeps it together. mostly.
she reaches for it, her fingers brushing jj’s briefly, her voice light, playful, hiding the fact that she might actually pass out.
“why, thank you.”
jj grins, shifting the flowers in her arms.
“i notice you wear purple a lot,” jj says, tilting her head slightly, eyes twinkling, “so i assume it’s a good color to give you.”
emily has to bite her lip to keep from smiling too much, because she’s pretty sure jj just handed her a whole damn feeling wrapped in a flower.
emily is also grateful for aria in so many ways. but right now? right now—she is so grateful that aria interrupts them, because jesus christ, she needs to calm down. she needs to tell herself that this isn’t a moment. that jj handing her a flower isn’t a thing. that her cheeks aren’t burning for a reason.
”…emmmmy?”
aria’s small, soft voice pulls emily right out of her spiraling thoughts. the tone - it’s gentle. the one aria uses when she wants to ask for something, but isn’t sure she’s allowed to. most toddlers would yell their request. but not aria. aria checks first.
emily’s eyes follow aria’s pointing hand, right to a bakery booth. cookies. aria remembers what emily said - it depends if emily lets her have a cookie. before emily can even tell aria yes— because let’s be real, aria was always going to get a cookie. plus, she had actually been an angel today.
before emily can even open her mouth, aria speaks again.
“p’ease?”
jj is pretty sure she just melted into a puddle on the spot. emily? she’s right there with her.
jj swears aria’s voice could make the coldest person on earth soften in an instant. everyone except elizabeth prentiss. she quickly pushes that anger aside, and focuses back on the two people that she deems are the easiest to love - that elizabeth deems it the hardest thing.
emily sighs, shaking her head fondly. “alright, bug. let’s go get a cookie.”
aria grins, satisfied, as emily pushes the stroller toward the booth. they browse, but it doesn’t take long. aria’s eyes lock onto something specific, a strawberry cookie - it’s pink. of course, aria wants that one. emily pays, chatting briefly with the vendor as jj watches—watches aria, watches how her eyes never leave emily, how she tracks every movement of emily’s hands handling the cookie.
aria is silent, but she is focused - like this is the most important thing happening in the world right now. jj feels like she’s watching a masterpiece unfold. emily bends down, crouching slightly in front of the stroller, holding the treat that aria has clearly dreamed about all day. but she doesn’t hand it over just yet. instead, she holds it just slightly away, a teasing glint in her eye.
“hmm…” emily hums, pretending to think, “i think you owe me something…”
jj grins. she’s expecting a ‘thank you’. another ‘please’.
but aria— aria leans forward, and kisses emily’s cheek. jj is done for, completely done for. her heart is gone. melted. she has no idea how she’s even standing upright at this point. emily laughs softly, shaking her head as she presses a kiss into aria’s curls.
“i love you,” she murmurs.
“wub emmy too,” aria says, her voice soft but sure.
emily hands her the cookie, stands back up, and they start walking again. jj? jj is barely holding it together. because this? this is too much. and she doesn’t know what to do with it.
“kiss cookie transaction, hm?”
jj grins, glancing at emily as they walk, pushing her sunglasses up onto her head. she thinks, for a second, about how she wouldn’t mind a kiss transaction herself—
oh, nope. nope. absolutely not. jennifer.
“ohhh yeah.”
emily’s voice cuts through jj’s thoughts, and thank god for that, because what the hell was she about to think? jj swallows, forcing her face to stay neutral, because she refuses — refuses —to let that be the thought that unravels her today.
emily, completely unaware that jj is having an internal breakdown , keeps talking.
“she actually started it.”
jj lifts a brow, intrigued. “oh?”
“she took my keys one time,” emily explains, sighing dramatically. “and she wouldn’t give them back unless i gave her, and i quote, ‘sebenteen’ kisses.”
jj snorts, already delighted.
“which, by the way,” emily continues, “she could not even count to at the time.”
jj laughs, shaking her head. “so she’s been an expert negotiator since birth, huh?”
“oh, absolutely.”
they fall into easy conversation. it’s what jj loves about emily —how talking to her is seamless , like stepping into a warm current. they can flow in and out of topics so naturally, moving between teasing banter and genuine discussion without a second thought. they talk about how the weather has finally stopped being so miserable, so rainly and muggy. they pause to sample some honey at a vendor’s stand, and emily shamelessly steals two more toothpick samples than she’s supposed to, handing one to jj like she’s not about to get them both banned from the honey guy forever. jj tells emily about a new ridiculous reality show she started watching, and emily pretends she doesn’t care—but she does, because she starts asking way too many follow-up questions.
they talk, and jj feels so good - she thinks about it, but barely - because aria speaks. soft. gentle.
”..jayje?”
emily knows that tone- aria wants something again. emily is soft, but not soft enough to give a toddler two full cookies in a row. aria probably knows that. so—she’s going to ask jj. emily is already preparing to intervene, but before she can say anything, she sees aria’s small hand reach up—grasping for jj’s.
”‘ou hold my hand?”
jj is sure she stops breathing and the world slows. aria’s tiny fingers wrap around three of hers, her grip light but sure, like she has no doubt that jj will say yes . she melts, completely. without hesitation, jj takes her hand, wrapping her own fingers around the tiny ones holding onto hers. aria smiles, content, like this is just normal— like she hasn’t just shifted jj’s entire world. her thumb brushes gently along aria’s knuckles, her heart squeezing in a way she wasn’t prepared for. because it feels—it feels like home. she doesn’t know how to explain it, how this tiny, warm little hand in hers makes her feel so grounded, so unbelievably safe.
how it fills something in her that she didn’t even realize was empty. aria’s trust is so pure, so unwavering. jj is completely wrecked by it, but she isn’t the only one dying on the inside right now. emily? is absolutely short-circuiting, because she knows what this means.
aria is shy. she doesn’t warm up to people easily. she loves, but she loves carefully, choosing her people thoughtfully, with a kind of quiet certainty. aria has never reached for anyone like this before. but she’s reaching for jj, again. just like at the cookout.
holding jj’s hand. trusting jj. and that does something to emily that she doesn’t even have words for. emily tries to play it cool, tries to act normal - but her voice betrays her the moment she speaks.
“you are so lucky that wasn’t about another cookie,” emily murmurs, voice softer than she intended. jj looks up at her, smiling, but her thumb hasn’t stopped brushing along aria’s knuckles.
“what can i say?” jj murmurs, squeezing aria’s hand lightly. “she’s got good taste.”
and emily— emily feels it. jj isn’t just talking about aria. not really, but before she can let herself spiral into that realization, she just shakes her head, pressing her lips together to keep from smiling too much.
aria hums happily, swinging her feet in her stroller, completely unaware that she’s just changed the entire course of emily and jj’s lives.
but emily knows, and jj knows. even if they’re not ready to admit it yet.
emily can’t help but smile and then smirk.
becausejj is in an incredibly awkward position now, physically. she’s bent slightly, making sure she can hold aria’s hand, but she’s also standing, trying to walk through the aisles, maneuvering between the crowd while still keeping a firm but gentle grip on aria’s tiny fingers.
emily realizes jj is going through so much trouble. just for aria, but jj doesn’t even see it as trouble. she’s not even thinking about it, because she wants to do this.
and emily doesn’t know what to do with that thought, because it does something warm to her chest. jj keeps stealing glances at aria as they walk, her eyes soft, her thumb still brushing gently over aria’s knuckles every so often - but she also keeps looking back at emily over her shoulder, trying to continue their extremely important conversation— which, at this point, is about the bachelor.
because now, now emily is hooked and needs to know more about the absolute disaster of keeping twelve girls in a house who all want to marry a man they just met.
(emily, years later, would very much appreciate the movie frozen, when elsa tells anna, you cannot marry a man you just met—but that’s years from now.)
but right now? right now jj is deep in discussion, hands occupied so she’s fully relying on dramatic head movements and exaggerated facial expressions to convey just how ridiculous this week’s drama in the house has been. she’s halfway through explaining how one of the contestants apparently had a secret boyfriend back home— when she feels it.
aria’s hand. going slack.
jj i mmediately looks down.
aria’s head has slumped to the side, her pacifier barely wobbling between her lips, her tiny chest rising and falling steadily. jj pauses, and so does emily. they both stop walking, their conversation completely abandoned as they take in the sight of aria— completely asleep. jj looks back at emily, stunned.
“…that was so fast,” she whispers, as if speaking too loudly will undo it.
emily nods, just as bewildered. “i know.”
jj carefully, slowly, lowers aria’s arm down, placing it gently over her stomach, making sure it rests naturally, like she had fallen asleep on her own terms. she looks at emily again, still shocked. emily just smirks, raising an eyebrow - playing it cool.
“you wore her out.”
jj presses a hand to her chest, pretending to be deeply honored.
“i humbly accept this achievement.”
emily shakes her head, smiling softer now. because this? is so easy so effortless.
and maybe, just maybe, that’s what’s scaring her the most.