The week before Valentine’s Day Elle and JJ were on vacation, they had gone to Italy as JJ had always wanted to visit and Elle wanted to show JJ some places her dad had spoken about when she was younger.
In the city Elle’s dad was from, Naples, JJ had planned a dinner date and a sunset walk along the beach nearby.
While the two sat on a small cream-coloured blanket on the sand with their fingers intertwined, JJ reached into her small bag and pulled out a small black velvet box.
Elle gasped, muttering the words, “Jay what are you doing?”
JJ gave her a bright toothy smile and opened the box, “Elle, firstly I love you so much. We’ve gone through so much together in the past 3 years and there’s no one else I would rather have spent that time with. Secondly, I want you to know how proud your father is of you, I know he’s watching you right now babe and he couldn’t be more proud of his little girl. I know how much coming here means to you and that’s why I felt like this was the best place to ask you to be my wife?”
Tears brimmed Elle’s eyes. JJ was perfect, their life together was perfect and everything she just said was more than perfect.
“Yes! Of course, I want to be your wife,” Elle pressed a quick hard kiss to JJ’s lips, “You’re incredible I love you so much.”
JJ slid the small diamond ring onto Elle’s finger, “I love you more,” she said before connecting their lips again in a longer more passionate kiss.
While Elle obviously could not have been happier about JJ proposing, she was also a little mad… mad wasn’t the right word but maybe annoyed was. She had planned on proposing to JJ on Valentine’s Day as it was the day they had their first date 3 years ago.
JJ’s proposal was everything to her and she knew anything she did was not going to compare in the slightest but it wasn’t a competition Elle knew that but she couldn’t help that competitive streak that ran through her veins.
She had requested Valentine’s Day off work but due to the lack of a case which was unusual for Valentine’s Day, Hotch had given all of them the day off.
That frustrated Elle slightly she couldn’t do everything she was planning with JJ around but she also didn’t want to ship her future wife off somewhere on Valentine’s Day… but it had to be done. She contacted the only person she knew would be free on Valentine’s Day, Spencer, and asked him to stall JJ from coming home.
Of course, after sending that message it wasn’t long before her phone rang.
“Yes, Spence?” Elle said as she answered the phone.
“Why don’t you want to be with JJ on Valentine’s Day? Did you have an argument statics show that around 30% of couples argue at least once a week, sometimes more than that,” Spencer rambled.
“We aren’t fighting Spencer.”
“It’s actually healthier for couples to argue, couples that argue are more likely to stay together.”
“Spence, we aren’t arguing, I’m just planning something,” Elle tried not to giggle.
“Oh, how long do I need to keep her for?”
“2 hours at the most I’m just decorating the house,” Elle said into the speaker on the phone while she cut hearts out of tissue paper.
“Okay, I’ll do it.”
“Thank you, Spence. I owe you,” Elle hung up the continued cutting the hearts.
She had gone to the store earlier to get tissue paper, red velvet cake, rose petals and balloons before stopping at the flower shop to get an assortment of JJ’s favourite flowers along with some baby’s breathe flowers to make into a bouquet and before reaching home she stopped at JJ’s favourite jewellery store to pick up a small pair of silver sparkly hoop earrings that would match well with the ring Elle had gotten a few months back.
By the time she was done with the tissue paper hearts, she had just over an hour left to set everything up and change out of her sweatpants.
She rested the bouquet of flowers on the breakfast bar in their kitchen with the box of earrings and the balloons placed around the area.
In the bedroom the brunette had placed rose petals in the shape of a heart on the bed, it was a little cliche but it looked cute, the tissue paper hearts led from the door to the bed and around the floor of the room, there was a bottle of champagne on the bedside table with two champagne flutes along with a bowl of strawberries cut into hearts and the final touch, the dark red velvet box with the ring in was in the middle of the heart on the bed.
Elle checked her watch, 30 minutes to get ready, it certainly wasn’t enough time but she had done it before and she had taken her shower this morning so that was one less thing to do. She left her hair in her natural wavy curls. Now it was just what to wear and a little make-up.
In the back of the closet, she found a long-skin-tight black off-the-shoulder dress, she hadn’t worn it in years, probably not since a party in college but it still fit almost perfectly.
The quick make-up she put on was just her usual everyday makeup with a bit of smudged eyeliner as a little extra and to finish the look off before she added a pair of black heels.
Elle waited downstairs for Spencer to drop the younger woman off. When she heard the key in the door she leaned again against the door frame to the living room which was in the eye line of the front door.
JJ pushed the door open and without looking up to see if she could see Elle she already started mumbling, “I can’t believe you left me with Spencer for Valentine’s Day! What fiancé does that-“
“Hi baby,” Elle smiled at her unfolding her arms when she and JJ locked eyes.
“Oh… hi, you look beautiful but I still stand by what I said.”
“I know honey, I’m sorry but I was planning something hence the dress,” Elle laughed.
“I can see that, what is it?”
“Follow me,” Elle said taking JJ’s coat and bag from her, “You look gorgeous honey.”
“Thank you,” JJ blushed a little and followed Elle as she made her way into the kitchen.
Spotting the balloons and flowers she gasped, “This is so pretty!”
“I’m glad you think so,” Elle passed her the present, “Open.”
JJ opened the small box with a wide grin, “Babe! I’ve wanted those for ages.”
“I know, they’re going to look amazing on you.”
“They were kind of expensive though,” JJ frowned a little she didn’t like Elle spending money on her, she didn’t really like anyone spending money on her.
“Baby it’s fine I’d spend everything I have on you,” Elle wrapped her arms around JJ’s waist.
“You didn’t need to dress up either,” JJ giggled, “I’m not necessarily complaining though.”
“We are finished yet,” Elle stated with a smirk.
“What do you mean?”
“Upstairs,” the brunette took her hand.
Elle walked in front with the blonde following closely behind. She pushed open the door letting JJ in front of her.
“Oh my god! Elle this is beautiful,” JJ turned back to the door kissing the taller woman.
After a couple of minutes with their lips locked JJ pulled away walking further into the room spotting the red box on the bed, “You got me something else?” JJ picked up the box, opened it and gasped at the ring that wasn’t too different from the one she had gotten Elle.
The blonde turned back around holding the box with her mouth still gaped open to see Elle on the floor on one knee.
“Jay, I had been planning on doing this today for a while as it’s been 3 years since our first date, you just happened to beat me to it last week,” Elle said with a laugh, “Jennifer Jareau, Jay, I don’t even know where to start I should have thought about what I was going to say but honestly JJ I can’t imagine my life without you, I’m still baffled how I managed over twenty years before I met you. You’re so kind, caring, supportive and exceptional honey, you’re like my oxygen. JJ would you do me the honour of being my wife?”
By the end of Elle’s speech, JJ was crying, “Yes baby, I want to be your wife more than anything.”
Elle stood up and motioned for JJ to come closer to her.
The younger woman stopped in front of Elle handing her the box. Elle removed the ring and slid it onto JJ’s ring finger before wiping her tears.
“Are you happy baby?” Elle pulled JJ into a hug.
“The happiest,” JJ replied when Elle held her chin, forcing her to look up at her so she could place a kiss on her lips.