Chapter Text
“I am perfectly fine with staying in tonight, Amy. Just the two of us and Cat. A quiet Friday evening in. We’ve both had a long week.” Kirsten said as she stroked a purring Cat.
“I know, but I’d promised you we’d go out tonight. And while there are still many things in my character which require improvement, keeping my word isn’t one of them.” Amy returned from upstairs.
It had been about a month since Amy's return from her ordeal on Vigil, and also since they had decided to give their relationship another try. And true to the word given on the day of her return, Amy really had been putting much effort into their relationship. Among other things, the conversation about the joint custody of Poppy with Morag and Gordon now included Kirsten as well. Moreover, most of the time that Poppy was now spending with Amy, Kirsten was there as well – and despite Amy’s fears – she had been very happy and excited about it as she and Kirsten were getting on like a house on fire. Amy had also been going to therapy, both alone and with Kirsten.
“I don’t…” Kirsten started to respond to Amy’s remark but as she looked towards the stairs, the sight she was met with made the utterance die in her throat.
Amy was wearing the same silk blouse and trousers she was wearing on the night they first kissed. Not when Kirsten first kissed her in the bar, but when they actually kissed, right here in Amy's living room, as they danced. Amy’s dazzling smile said she knew exactly what she was doing.
“What were you going to say?” she asked as she descended the stairs, walked up to the settee and pulled Kirsten to her feet, sneaking her arms around her waist and pulling her close.
“What...?!” Kirsten uttered on instinct, momentarily completely dazed.
Amy chuckled lightly. “You were saying something and then you turned around and stopped.” she offered.
“Aye…” Kirsten shook her head as if trying to get her brain to switch on again. “I was going to say that there aren't that many things about you that need improvement. And that I certainly appreciate the effort.” she said with an impish grin, looking at Amy’s blouse.
“I am glad you approve.” Amy said as she noticed it.
Kirsten smiled. “Of this particular combo? Always.” she said as she kissed Amy sweetly.
They started to move together to the music only the two of them could hear.
“I love you.” Kirsten uttered softly.
“I love you, too.” Amy returned without missing a beat. Even though learning to open up was still a work in progress, saying ‘I love you’ to Kirsten had become much easier for Amy, and every time she said it, it felt so natural, so right. And every time, it made Kirsten’s heart flutter with joy. “I want to do better by you, Kirsten.” Amy offered. “And I really want us to succeed.”
Kirsten swallowed hard. “I know.” she rasped. “And it means to me more than you could possibly know, my love.” she returned adoringly.
Amy beamed at her. There was something in the way Kirsten would say ‘my love’ to her that would melt her every time. However, as Kirsten went in for another kiss, she pulled back slightly and broke off their embrace. The redhead couldn’t hide the look of disapproval at the gesture. “I’m sorry, darling.” Amy offered apologetically. “But if we keep this up, we will be late.”
Kirsten raised an eyebrow at her. “And that would be bad because…?”
“Because we should socialise with the people we work with, as well.” Amy said as she stepped into the corridor to put on her shoes.
“But we see them every day.” Kirsten said as she followed her. And although she tried her best to sound and look annoyed, and albeit she still would have preferred to have Amy only to herself all night, her heart fluttered. Amy was actually insisting that they go out with other people. People from the office. And even though they had not exactly made it official, their relationship had actually been one of the worst kept secrets around the Station. Only Porter knew for certain, though, but he had been sworn to secrecy by Kirsten.
“It isn’t the same and you know it, Kirsten.” Amy insisted. “Besides, it will only be for a few hours and then we come back here.” she pointed out with a suggestive smirk.
Instantly, this remark had done away even with Kirsten’s pretend annoyance as her face brightened. “Promise?”
“I promise.” Amy nodded with a smile that made Kirsten feel things.
The evening had been going rather well, and objectively speaking, Kirsten had no choice but to admit that. Everyone had been enjoying themselves and the atmosphere was light and fun. Amy was laughing and making jokes with everyone genuinely gravitating towards her. Kirsten was incredibly proud of that, and of Amy. Amy really had been trying to change since she her return from Vigil and everyone noticed it. DCI Amy Silva was a force to be reckoned and was turning heads everywhere she went. Kirsten knew that and it made her proud because she knew what kind of a person Amy was privately as well, and also because she knew that she would be the one going home with her at the end of the day. What she did not fancy, however, were the men, and quite often women, that were more or less openly flirting with Amy in her presence, though she also knew she couldn't really blame them as, for all intents and purposes, they were both single. But she still disliked it. And although she had never been a jealous type, she hated the idea of Amy with anyone else other than herself, and not because she was possessive or did not trust Amy – she was not the possessive type by nature and she trusted Amy implicitly – but it was the idea of losing Amy, especially after everything that had happened, that terrified her.
And tonight, she had been forced to deal with a pestering bloke who had openly been trying to catch Amy’s attention, even though Amy had made it more than clear that she was not interested. What had really pissed off Kirsten though, was the fact that she couldn’t do anything about it, and she had to muster all the self-control she possessed not to punch him. Amy had been aware of this as well, and while she couldn’t have been less interested in the man, she hated that it made Kirsten feel bad and she hated that she couldn’t make it unequivocally clear to him that she was unavailable. And although she and Kirsten had exchanged glances and occasional ‘accidental’ touches over the course of the evening – and were even sitting next to each other – it had not been enough. Especially as there had also been dancing and they couldn’t even do that. At least not with each other.
Finally, after yet another glance from the man in her direction, and a corresponding death-glare in his from Kirsten, Amy lowered her hand under the table and placed it on Kirsten’s thigh. Instantly, the redhead jolted at her touch and her eyes flew to meet Amy’s. Amy, who smiled softly, that same smile that would always make Kirsten weak in the knees. Then, Kirsten felt Amy’s fingers start moving on her thigh and her breath caught. For a few beats, she did not care that they were in a bar, surrounded by people – their colleagues no less – all she cared about was Amy's touch and their locked eyes.
I… Love… You. Amy tapped on her thigh in Morse Code and Kirsten’s heart soared. She beamed at her, hoping her eyes would tell the brunette what her lips couldn’t at that moment – that she loved her, too!
Unfortunately, their moment was over too soon by Porter’s voice: “OK. I’m seeing a lot of empty glasses around.” he announced. “Whose turn is it?”
“Aye, it’s mine.” Kirsten promptly said, hoping that none of their colleagues had caught on the moment she had just shared with Amy. “C’mon then, Porter, give me a hand!” she said as she stood up swiftly and started walking towards the bar but not before casting one more glance in Amy’s direction.
“I have to compliment your restraint, Longacre.” Porter said to Kirsten as they waited for their order at the bar a few minutes later. “I mean, I’ve known you can control your temper, but this is something else.”
Kirsten frowned in confusion. “Sorry?”
“The one pestering Amy.” Porter said. “If it were me, I would’ve hit him at least twice by now.”
Kirsten winced slightly. She really thought she had been less conspicuous about it. But apparently not.
“No worries, Longacre.” Porter offered good-naturedly. “You’re hiding it well. If I didn’t know what was behind the looks, I’d barely notice them, and if I did, I’d think you were being annoyed with him as the rest of us.” he assured her.
Instantly, Kirsten relaxed. “It’s so fucking frustrating!” she half-hissed as she leaned over closer to Porter. “She’s told him she’s not interested and he still doesn’t stop. And there’s nothing I can do about it!”
Porter chuckled lightly. “If it makes you feel any better, it wouldn’t matter to him even if you could. He’s just one of those.” he said.
“Argh, I hate this!” Kirsten huffed in frustration.
“I have to say, I don’t envy you right now, Longacre. But for what it’s worth, I respect, you even more now.” Porter offered sympathetically.
“Great!” Kirsten returned sarcastically. “Thank you very much, Porter. That makes me feel a lot better!”
At that moment, a waitress carrying two trays full of their ordered drinks approached them. “Here you are.” she said with a smile. “Let me give you a hand. It’s quite a few drinks.” she said, looking at Kirsten.
“No, it’s OK. We’ve got it. But thanks!” Kirsten said.
“You sure? I don’t mind. It’s part of the service.” the waitress returned.
Porter tried his best to stifle a chuckle. It was only then that Kirsten realised that the waitress had been flirting with her. Before Amy, she would have been much quicker to notice, and more likely than not, reciprocate. Now, however, she couldn’t care less. “Aye, we’re good.” she reiterated with a polite smile as she paid for the drinks before she picked up one of the trays. She noticed Porter’s grin as he picked up the other. “Not a word, Porter!” she warned as they started walking back.
As Amy glanced towards the bar where Kirsten and Porter waited for the drinks, she noticed the blonde waitress, and immediately, she could see she was flirting with Kirsten. She frowned. She wasn’t jealous, but she wasn’t indifferent, either. However, a few moments later as Kirsten and Porter started walking back, her gaze met Kirsten’s, and the love she saw in her eyes made her heart flutter. Instantly, a smile spread across her lips…
…and Kirsten couldn’t help but respond in kind. “OK, then… Here you are.” the redhead said as she put the tray down, and a few moments later, she was once again sitting next to Amy. Almost simultaneously, she felt Amy’s hand on her thigh once again.
Are… You… Alright? was her message this time.
Kirsten nodded, smiling, as she leaned in slightly. “Aye.” she said. “With you next to me – always!”
“I’ve been waiting to do this all evening!” Kirsten rasped breathlessly as only the need for air broke a particularly passionate kiss between her an Amy, about two hours later. They were back in Amy’s living room, dancing and kissing.
“Me too, darling. Me too.” Amy promptly replied, equally breathless.
They continued to move to the rhythm of their song: The Anchor. But simultaneously, Kirsten started guiding them towards the settee. As Amy felt the back of her legs touch it, followed by Kirsten pushing her down, she chuckled softly.
“You are rather impatient tonight.” she offered knowingly as Kirsten started to fumble with the buttons of her shirt.
Amy had to admit that an entire evening with practically no contact between the two of them had had a similar effect on her, as well. Moreover, there was the question of that bloke that she knew had irritated Kirsten no end, even if she had not really verbalised it. Consequently, they had barely entered the flat before Kirsten crashed her lips to Amy’s in a demanding, passionate kiss that made Amy melt on the spot. She had barely managed to request a dance.
“Aye, well…” Kirsten uttered breathlessly in response to Amy’s remark: “It was all I could do to stop myself from punching that arse that was flirting with you the whole evening. And besides… You in this silk blouse… and these undone buttons are making me that much harder to resist you!” she rasped.
Amy was about to say that she had noticed it but her utterance was stopped in her throat as Kirsten started to undo the rest of the buttons, alternating between unbuttoning and kissing.
Quite a while later, Amy uttered breathlessly: “Not that it isn’t always absolutely brilliant, darling…” as she traced her fingers up and down Kirsten’s arms causing goosebumps in the redhead: “But I do have to say - this has been something else. You being a little jealous definitely may have its upsides.”
“Aye, well, I don’t much care for it to be honest but I’m happy that you find it entertaining.” Kirsten returned, trying to look annoyed but failing due to the sensations Amy’s fingers were provoking.
“Darling, you know you have absolutely nothing to be worried about.” Amy now said, her tone changing. “Believe me, I could barely keep my hands to myself tonight, let alone notice anyone else.”
Kirsten beamed at her. “Really?”
Amy chuckled. “What? Are you saying that my Morse messages on your thigh weren’t convincing enough?”
Kirsten grinned as a wave of electricity rushed through her at the memory. “Aye, they were.” Then, her expression changed a little. “But it doesn’t hurt to hear you say it, either.”
Amy smiled adoringly. “I meant what I’d said both after Vigil and earlier this afternoon before we’d gone out.” she uttered softly. “I want us to try and succeed. And I want to do better by you.”
Kirsten swallowed hard. She nodded, tracing Amy’s cheekbone with her finger. “You already are, my love. You already are.”
Amy’s smile widened. “Good.” Then, she raised her eyebrow, a mischievous smirk forming on her lips. “Oh, but don’t think I hadn’t noticed that waitress that was busy trying to flirt with you all night.”
Instantly, Kirsten mock-frowned. “What waitress? Oh, you mean the blonde one? Aye, well… Blondes aren’t really my type.” Then, she smiled suggestively. “I fancy brunettes more. And one in particular.” she said just before she kissed Amy again.
“We should really get some rest.” Amy said a while later. “We have a rather active day ahead of us tomorrow and I am not in my twenties anymore.”
Kirsten chuckled. “Aye, well, neither of us is. Though, you could’ve fooled me!” Amy grinned mutely at her. “But, you’re right.” Kirsten continued: “We should, because I don’t want to run the risk of yawning during dinner tomorrow.”
They were driving out to Morag and Gordon's the following morning after breakfast to get Poppy as she was going to spend the weekend with them.
They shifted into their sleeping positions, with Amy nestled in the crook of Kirsten’s neck and her arm around the redhead’s abdomen. Kirsten’s arm was wrapped around Amy. This was how they would fall asleep whenever they could ever since Amy's return form Vigil. In each other’s arms. They would move during the night, but this was how they would fall asleep.
“I love you, darling. Goodnight.” Amy uttered, her voice already laced with sleep as she closed her eyes.
Kirsten kissed her temple, a smile spreading across her lips. “I love you too, my love. Goodnight.”
A few moments later, they both drifted off to a peaceful sleep, wrapped in each other’s arms with content smiles on their faces, and blissfully happy.